Payton, the Saints and GM appeal NFL suspensions

NEW ORLEANS — Saints coach Sean Payton is appealing his season-long suspension from the NFL for his role in New Orleans’ bounty system. And he’s not the only one looking for a little relief from the penalties handed down by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

General manager Mickey Loomis, assistant coach Joe Vitt and the Saints organization each decided to appeal on Friday.

Payton will also ask Goodell for guidance on the parameters of the suspension, which runs through next year’s Super Bowl, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the league and the Saints did not announce Payton’s plan to appeal.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel did confirm that Loomis was appealing his eight-game suspension and, separately, the team would challenge its $500,000 fine and loss of second-round draft picks this year and in 2013.

Vitt, suspended for six games, is doing the same. David Cornwell, representing Vitt as head of the NFL Coaches Association, confirmed the decision in an email to the AP.

Goodell last week announced the suspension of Payton, starting Sunday, for his role in connection with New Orleans’ bounty system, which offered improper cash bonuses for big hits that either knocked opponents out of games or left them needing help off the field.

Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who left the Saints after last season to join the St. Louis Rams, ran the bounty program and has been suspended indefinitely.

The commissioner has said since the unprecedented penalties were announced that the Saints’ coach would likely be allowed to continue working as his appeal was resolved. However, he added that the challenge would be expedited, indicating that Payton would not likely be able to add on much work time should his appeal be upheld.

Goodell also said at the NFL owners meetings this week in Florida that Payton could have some contact with the team but did not go into detail, and Payton indicated that he was still a little unclear about that, as well.

With all the uncertainty, Payton is trying to compress as much planning for the 2012 season into whatever time he has left at Saints headquarters this weekend.

The NFL could not immediately provide details on how Payton’s decision to file an appeal on Friday would affect the timeline for the process to play out.

“The decision to appeal is for Sean Payton to make and announce as he deems appropriate,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. “If there are appeals, the commissioner will arrange for expedited hearings, as he stated at the league meeting.”

The results of the appeal could affect whether Bill Parcells comes out of retirement to take over as interim coach while his former offensive assistant and protege is suspended.

Parcells has said he would consider coaching the Saints if asked. At a spring training game in Jupiter, Fla., on Friday, Parcells declined to answer questions about the possibility.

“I know better than that,” Parcells said.

Payton and Loomis played golf with Parcells this week to talk to him about the team’s predicament, and Parcells has told multiple media outlets that he would consider taking the Saints interim post to help his friend.

If the suspension is reduced, however, the Saints could decide it makes more sense to promote an assistant from the current staff.

There are also three strong candidates among Saints assistants to take over as interim coach: offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. Payton expressed confidence in the abilities of his own assistants to compensate for his absence, but also has voiced some misgivings about saddling those coaches with additional responsibilities.

Since his suspension was announced, Payton has been putting in long hours with his staff and that of Loomis as they try to lay out plans for the 2012 draft and season.

Loomis will be able to oversee the draft and handle other roster moves up until the season starts. Then, barring a successful appeal, he will serve his suspension for failing to put a stop to the bounty system in a timely way.

Payton said earlier this week that he had already laid out plans for the offseason training program and the beginning of training camp, up until the Saints play Arizona in the Hall of Fame game Aug. 5 in Canton, Ohio.

The NFL’s investigation in New Orleans found that Payton initially lied to league investigators about the existence of a bounty program and instructed his defensive assistants to do the same.

Payton twice apologized for his role in the bounty program, saying he takes “full responsibility” for a system that operated for three years under his watch.

The NFL has said as many as 27 players also could be sanctioned for their role in the scandal, but it is not yet clear when that might happen, creating additional uncertainty for New Orleans and some teams that have signed former Saints defensive regulars as they tried to build their 2012 rosters.

DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, told the website Pro Player Insiders that the league hasn’t turned over what the union would consider direct evidence of player involvement in a “pay to injure” scheme.

“If there is direct evidence of a ‘pay to injure’ scheme implicating players or anybody involved,” Smith said, “we are asking the league to turn over that information.”

Panthers deal RB

Goodson for Raiders’

tackle Campbell

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Oakland Raiders acquired running back Mike Goodson from the Carolina Panthers on Friday in exchange for offensive tackle Bruce Campbell, a trade both teams hope will improve their depth.

Goodson, who ran for 501 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons with Carolina, became expendable after the team signed free agent running back Mike Tolbert earlier this month.

He was fourth on the depth chart, so his departure did not come as a surprise.

The Raiders needed depth at running back after losing Michael Bush to Chicago in free agency. Starter Darren McFadden has been injury prone, missing 19 games in his four seasons and Taiwan Jones played sparingly as rookie and is seen as more of a change-of-pace back.

With only five draft picks and none until the end of the third round, new Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie is trying to fill as many holes as he can on the roster through free agency and trades.

In three seasons with the Panthers, Goodson played in 28 games with three starts.

He rushed 125 times for 501 yards and three touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 329 yards. Goodson, 24, had three straight 100-yard rushing games and three touchdowns late in the 2010 season under former coach John Fox in 2010.

But he didn’t have any carries last year under new coach Ron Rivera and caught one pass for 4 yards.

Goodson has outstanding speed but fumbling has been a problem. He put the ball on the ground six times in 2010, losing three. During last year’s training camp Rivera made Goodson carry a football around with him during one practice after he fumbled in back-to-back preseason games.

The former fourth-round draft pick in 2009 can also return kickoffs.

“We wanted to acquire another player to compete at the running back position,” McKenzie said. “He can do a lot of things in our scheme on offense. He’s very versatile, he has natural running skills, he’s a great receiver out of the backfield, and he has kick-return ability. I’m anxious to see if he can put all that together here as a Raider.”

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Campbell is the latest player who was one of late owner Al Davis’ favorites to be sent out of town.

Picked in the fourth round in 2010 because of his impressive combination of size and speed, Campbell rarely saw action in two years with Oakland. He played only four games last season and was sometimes on the inactive list for game days when injured players who did not play were active.

He shifted between guard and tackle but never looked comfortable at either spot.

“We think Bruce Campbell is a very young, talented offensive lineman who has all the physical qualities to play in this league,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. “It gives us some more depth at a position where we needed some.”

The Panthers view him as a tackle.

The Panthers have Jordan Gross at the left tackle spot, but last year rookie Byron Bell was pressed into starting on the right side in place of Jeff Otah, a former first-round draft pick who has been plagued by knee and back problems the past three years.

Both Bell and Otah are under contract this year.

“Mike is a talented player who gave us three good years, but our depth at running back allowed us to make this move,” Hurney said.

Patriots re-sign
WR Branch, add
2 free agent FBs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have re-signed wide receiver Deion Branch and signed free agent fullbacks Tony Fiammetta and Spencer Larsen.

Branch had 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns last season. He was drafted by the Patriots in 2002, traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, and re-acquired in 2010. He is a holdover in a deep wide receiver corps that added free agents Brandon Lloyd, Donte’ Stallworth and Anthony Gonzalez in the offseason.

New England’s top wide receiver is Wes Welker, who has been given the franchise tag requiring any other team that signs him to compensate the Patriots. Other Patriots at that position are Chad Ochocinco, Julian Edelman, Tiquan Underwood and Matthew Slater.

The announcements Friday of the signings of Fiammetta and Larsen continued a busy offseason for the Patriots of adding lesser-known free agents.

They include tight end Daniel Fells, offensive lineman Robert Gallery, defensive linemen Trevor Scott and Jonathan Fanene and cornerbacks Marquice Cole and Will Allen.

The signings of Fiammetta and Larsen, both about 240 pounds, could signal a shift in the running game to include a blocking back on more plays. Fiammetta spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys after two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Larsen played fullback and linebacker his first two seasons with Denver and fullback the past two years with the Broncos. He also contributed on special teams.

Stevan Ridley, a third-round draft choice last year, is the top returning running back with the departure of free agent BenJarvus Green-Ellis to the Cincinnati Bengals. Ridley rushed for 441 yards on 87 carries, a 5.1-yard average, and one touchdown last season.

All-Pro LT Jason

Peters out for season

PHILADELPHIA — Eagles Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters has ruptured his right Achilles and is expected to miss the season.

Peters injured his leg while training in Texas on Tuesday. He will have surgery to repair the tendon next week.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Peters is widely considered one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. He spent his first five seasons with Buffalo before coming to Philadelphia in 2009.