Rams, Redskins agree to trade Rams, Redskins agree to trade ADVERTISING ST. LOUIS — While the Washington Redskins will get what they hope is their quarterback of the future in trading up with the Rams to the No. 2 spot
Rams, Redskins agree to trade
ST. LOUIS — While the Washington Redskins will get what they hope is their quarterback of the future in trading up with the Rams to the No. 2 spot in the draft, the Rams will get a mother lode of draft picks that could get the franchise back on his feet.
The Rams confirmed Friday night that they have agreed to trade their No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft to Washington.
In exchange, the Rams get Washington’s first-round pick this year (No. 6 overall), Washington’s second-round pick this year plus Washington’s first-round picks in 2013 and 2014.
Although both teams have agreed on the trade, it can’t be made official until 3 p.m. Tuesday, when the free agency and trading period begins.
The Rams confirmed the trade Friday night but declined further comment.
According to league sources, the trade actually was agreed to Thursday night, but both sides unsuccessfully tried to keep it quiet until Monday.
Cleveland, with the No. 4 pick, competed with Washington right until the end for the No. 2 pick.
Giants release RB Jacobs after 7 years
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Brandon Jacobs was released Friday by the New York Giants after he could not reach agreement on a restructured deal.
The running back spent seven seasons with New York, winning two Super Bowls.
Jacobs, 29, ran for 571 yards and seven touchdowns last season as a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw. He is the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history with 4,849 yards, but saw his role diminish with the emergence of Bradshaw.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2005, Jacobs rushed for 56 touchdowns. He had 1,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008, but his carries and yardage dipped the past two seasons. He gained 823 yards in 2010, and had just 152 carries and a 3.8-yard average last season.
1st stop: Manning meets with Broncos
DENVER — Peyton Manning spent the day on Tim Tebow’s turf, meeting for nearly six hours with the Denver Broncos on Day 1 of his free-agent tour of the NFL.
Two days after being released by the Indianapolis Colts, Manning got the star treatment Friday in the Mile High City — flown to town on a chartered plane from Miami and spending the day with Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who also serves as Denver’s vice president of football operations.
They spent the afternoon and early evening together; coach John Fox and general manager Brian Xanders were along, too, as Manning took a tour of the complex.
His next stop? There are more than a half-dozen other suitors, with Arizona and Miami among those expressing interest.
Longtime MLB umpire Wendelstedt dead at 73
NEW YORK — Longtime umpire Harry Wendelstedt, who worked five World Series and made a call involving Don Drysdale that became one of baseball’s most disputed plays in the late 1960s, died Friday. He was 73.
Wendelstedt died at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., near the umpiring school he ran for more than three decades in Ormond Beach. He had been diagnosed several years ago with a brain tuor.
Watson shoots 62, takes lead at Doral
DORAL, Fla. — Bubba Watson and Justin Rose put on quite a show of birdies in blustery conditions at Doral, until a late eagle from Watson gave him a 10-under 62 and a one-shot lead in the Cadillac Championship.
Watson and Rose played in the same group, and they combined for 17 birdies and one eagle. Rose had to settle for a 64. That put him one shot behind Watson.
Watson was at 12-under 132.
Illinois coach Weber fired after 9 seasons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Less than a month ago, Bruce Weber sat down moments after a home loss and gave a brutally frank accounting of his team’s shortcomings and his own.
Weber said he spent the last three years coaching to win immediately, rather than building a program. He failed to build what he called a culture of toughness. And his teams lacked leadership.
And now the Illini are looking for a new leader altogether: After nine years of leading the Illini, Weber was fired Friday by first-year athletic director Mike Thomas, who may be able to use that checklist as he hunts for a successor.
Americans win
at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Two young American women stepped into the BNP Paribas Open spotlight Friday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Jamie Hampton, a wild-card entry who last week moved into the top 100 for the first time at No. 99, beat former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-4, 6-3.
A few minutes later, Christina McHale, at No. 32 the only U.S. player seeded in the event, beat Elena Vesnina of Russia, 6-3, 7-5, to set up a third-round match against Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
The Americans were nearly upstaged by 21-year-old Mona Barthel of Germany, who fought Australian Open champion and No. 1 Victoria Azarenka for 3 hours before bowing to the tournament’s top seed, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6).
Seavey reaches Yukon first, but
no feast this year
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Mitch Seavey was the first musher to reach Ruby in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race but some of the fanfare was missing Friday.
Ruby is the first checkpoint on the Yukon River. For being the First to the Yukon, the race’s leader has traditionally been treated to a feast prepared by a chef flown in 300 miles from Anchorage.
The menu in previous years has included bison stew, grilled halibut in citrus sauce and blackberry jubilee. But the Anchorage hotel sponsoring the feast dropped out this year, race spokeswoman Erin McLarnon said, leaving Seavey to simply heat up a prepared meal in a microwave in the log cabin community hall.
By wire sources
