Raiders release running back Rhodes

By STAFF and WIRE REPORTS

Last update: April 29, 2008 - 2:20 AM

The Oakland Raiders released running back Dominic Rhodes on Monday, two days after using their top draft pick to take Arkansas' big-play back, Darren McFadden.

Oakland had a glut at running back after the draft and began addressing it almost immediately by announcing the team cut ties with Rhodes. The Raiders still have two backs with 1,000-yard seasons on their roster in Justin Fargas and LaMont Jordan, as well as last year's fourth-round pick, Michael Bush.

Rhodes signed a two-year contract with the Raiders last offseason after helping Indianapolis win the Super Bowl. He restructured his contract earlier this offseason and was expected to share the rushing load with Fargas before McFadden was drafted.

Rhodes was suspended for the first four games last season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He played sparingly until Fargas went out because of a knee injury late in the year. Rhodes ran for 237 yards in the last two games of the season. He finished with 302 yards rushing in 10 games last season.

Ex-Viking murdered

An ex-Vikings player was identified Monday as the victim of a murder in Orlando.

Ivan Caesar, who played in 14 games during the 1991 season, was shot and killed in an apartment early Monday morning. Orlando police were searching for witnesses and a suspect Monday night.

Caesar, who turned 41 in January, played at Boston College and was the Vikings' 11th-round draft choice in 1991.

KEVIN SEIFERT

It's Seahawks, not Jets

John Carlson, a surehanded tight end from Notre Dame, was downstairs playing at his family's home in Litchfield, Minn., when the Seahawks called early in the second round. His fiancée rushed down to hand him his phone, interrupting construction of a Lego set with his 5-year-old nephew, Tyson.

"It was a really cool one, an F-14 fighter jet!" Carlson gushed two days later, extending both arms to show the jet's wingspan. "Really cool. They didn't have those when I was a kid."

Etc.

• Former Minnesota State Mankato tight end Jeff Fielder will participate this weekend in the Vikings' rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.

• Horace Gant, who finished his St. Olaf career last fall with school records for receptions (185), receiving yards (3,061) and receiving touchdowns (27), has reached an agreement on a free-agent contract with the Washington Redskins.

• Terrell Owens was sued by the Eagles, who said he owes almost $770,000 in bonus money he failed to repay following his suspension from the team. Owens, now with the Cowboys, was suspended by the Eagles for conduct detrimental to the team seven games into the 2005 season after he demanded a new contract one year into a seven-year deal worth about $49 million, and publicly criticized the club and quarterback Donovan McNabb.

• Former Wisconsin punter Ken DeBauche says he has signed with the Packers as a free agent. He averaged 42.5 yards per punt at Wisconsin the past four seasons.

• The Panthers added depth on their defensive line by agreeing to a one-year deal with free agent Darwin Walker.

• Former Patriots punter Mike Patrick has died at 55. No cause of death was given. Patrick spent his four-season professional career with the Patriots from 1975 to '78.