ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons released quarterback Joey Harrington on Wednesday, leaving the team with only two quarterbacks as it prepares to address the position in the NFL Draft.
The Falcons also cut veteran quarterback Byron Leftwich last month.
The release of Harrington may increase the chances the team will take a quarterback, perhaps Matt Ryan, with the No. 3 overall selection in the draft.
Ryan, from Boston College, is widely considered the top quarterback in the draft.
The Falcons re-signed Chris Redman to a two-year deal last week, but the only other quarterbacks on the roster are D.J. Shockley and Michael Vick. Shockley has never played in a regular-season game and Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to federal charges in a dogfighting operation.
Vick also is serving an indefinite suspension imposed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Shockley, a 2006 seventh-round pick from Georgia, missed last season with a knee injury. Full story
Lions re-sign RB Cason, add G Hulsey
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions re-signed running back Aveion Cason and signed free-agent guard Corey Hulsey to one-year contracts.
Details of the deals were not disclosed.
The 5-foot-10 Cason will be starting his eighth NFL season. He has 555 yards on 122 carries in 49 career games. He also has 628 yards on 60 receptions.
Cason also has averaged 23.4 yards on 73 career kickoff returns.
He was fifth in the NFL last season with 1,041 kickoff return yards and a 24.8 yard average, despite missing four games.
Rams add to coaching staff
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams completed a staff reorganization, hiring Terry Shea to coach quarterbacks, Bob Saunders as an offensive assistant and Chuck Faucette as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Shea was quarterbacks coach with the Dolphins the last two seasons, and also coached the quarterbacks during two stints on the Chiefs' staff. He was offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2004.
Before moving to the NFL, Shea was head coach at Rutgers from 1996-2000 and was Big East coach of the year in 1998.
Saunders, the son of new Rams offensive coordinator Al Saunders, was an offensive assistant with the Redskins in 2006 and 2007.
Panthers improve DL depth with Brayton
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers have added depth to their defensive line by coming to terms with free-agent Tyler Brayton on a two-year deal.
Brayton's agent, Tom Mills, said the defensive end chose Carolina after getting an offer from the Indianapolis Colts.
Brayton was Oakland's first-round pick in 2003, but managed only six sacks in five seasons as the Raiders struggled to find a spot for him. Brayton moved from defensive end to linebacker to defensive tackle. He did not start a game last season.
In Carolina, the 6-foot-6, 280-pound Brayton is expected to contend with Stanley McClover and Charles Johnson for the starting defensive end job formerly held by Mike Rucker.
Bucs sign LBs Lehman, McCoy
TAMPA, Fla. -- Free agent linebackers Matt McCoy and Teddy Lehman signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McCoy spent the last three seasons with Philadelphia and the New Orleans Saints, starting 10 of 30 games. He entered the league as a second-round draft pick of the Eagles in 2005.
Lehman appeared in 41 games, with 16 starts, in four seasons with the Detroit Lions from 2004-07. He was a second-round draft pick four years ago.
