Panthers release WR Muhammad
February 25, 2005

Panthers.com

The Carolina Panthers have released wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, the team announced Friday.
\"The efforts to get a contract extension on Muhsin were unsuccessful, and we have decided to release him,\" general manager Marty Hurney said. \"Muhsin has been a valuable member of our team, and we appreciate everything he has done for the Panthers.\"

Muhammad, 31, joined the Panthers in 1996 as a second-round draft choice from Michigan State. In nine seasons with Carolina, he played in 125 games with 113 starts. Muhammad, who led the NFC in receptions in 1999 and 2000, ranks as the Panthers all-time leader with 578 receptions and 7,751 receiving yards and is tied for first with 44 touchdowns. He recorded 93 catches for 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2004 to earn his second career Pro Bowl selection.

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Patriots release cornerback Ty Law

NFL.com wire reports

FOXBORO, Mass. (Feb. 25, 2005) -- The New England Patriots have released cornerback Ty Law, the team announced.

Law, a 10-year veteran with four Pro Bowl appearances and a part in three Super Bowl championships, had one year remaining on a seven-year contact.

Law, 31, is tied the franchise career record for interceptions with 36 and led the team in interceptions three times. He returned an interception for a touchdown in the Patriots\' victory against St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI.

He broke his left foot on Halloween at Pittsburgh and missed the final nine games of the 2004 season and three playoff games.

Coach Bill Belichick said Law had a \"tremendous career\" with New England and wished him well in the future.

The Patriots selected Law with the 23rd pick in the 1995 NFL Draft from Michigan.

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 25, 2005) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers released cornerback Chad Scott and tight end Jay Riemersma in a pair of salary-cap moves that had been anticipated since their season ended last month.

The Steelers were only $500,000 under the salary cap at season\'s end and, partly because of the numerous performance bonuses they paid following their 15-1 regular season, they needed to trim several contracts.

The bonuses, including the more than $2 million paid rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, count against next season\'s $85.5 million cap that goes into effect on March 1.

Scott was a Steelers starter for six-plus seasons before injuring a knee Oct. 17 against Dallas. He was unable to beat out former backup Willie Williams after returning in December and spent the rest of the season and the playoffs as a reserve, though he did start the meaningless Jan. 2 game at Buffalo.

Scott\'s base salary last season was the highest for a Steelers defensive starter. It was part of a six-year contract he signed in 2001.

The Steelers clear about $9 million in salary cap over the next two seasons by releasing Scott, who made 19 interceptions in 91 career games. He will count about $1 million per season against the cap through 2006, the prorated share of his $5.45 million signing bonus in 2001.

Riemersma, 31, signed with the Steelers in 2003 during their brief and unsuccessful transition to a pass-heavy offense after Tommy Maddox beat out Kordell Stewart at quarterback. But Riemersma caught only 10 passes in 11 starts as the Steelers went 6-10 in 2003, then spent 2004 as backup playing mostly on passing downs. He had 17 catches for 220 yards and three touchdowns in his two Steelers seasons.

The Steelers still must clear additional salary-cap room and will likely do so by either re-signing running back Jerome Bettis to a less-burdensome contract or releasing him. Bettis is also weighing an offer from ESPN to become an NFL analyst, though it is believed he would prefer to play another season.

Bettis accepted a pay cut tlast year when he started the season as Duce Staley\'s backup. After gaining at least 100 yards in all but one of his eight starts last season, he is believed to want about $2 million in 2005 base salary -- or as much as he would count against the cap the next two seasons should the Steelers release him.