NFL roundup: Players sue over concussions

Lawyers for former players who are suing the NFL over concussions said Tuesday during a hearing that the league has profited from "glorified violence."

David Frederick, who is representing the players, also said in the Philadelphia hearing that the league knew about concussion issues for decades prior to the creation of the NFL's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury committee in 1994.

More than 4,000 former players, who claim to be suffering from ailments ranging from dementia, depression, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological problems to no symptoms at all, are the defendants in a single lawsuit has been joined from hundreds of smaller lawsuits.

The National Football League officials have argued that it has always followed the best available science and made player safety a top priority.

NFL lawyer Paul Clement argued the teams bear the responsibility for the players' safety under the players' collective bargaining agreement.

The players' lawyers want to keep the litigation in federal court so they can use the discovery process to access NFL files -- and see what the league knew when. The NFL says that issue belongs in arbitration under terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody heard the arguments. She may take weeks to make a ruling.

--Brady Quinn is the Seattle Seahawks' new backup quarterback.

After the Seahawks brought in Quinn, Matt Leinart and Tyler Thigpen for tryouts Monday, the team decided to go with Quinn, the team announced Tuesday.

The backup-quarterback opening was created last week when the Seahawks dealt Matt Flynn to the Oakland Raiders. Flynn lost a battle in training camp last year with rookie Russell Wilson for Seattle's starting job.

Quinn took over as the Kansas City Chiefs' starter last year when Matt Cassel was injured. In eight games as the starter, Quinn threw two touchdown passes and eight interceptions. The former first-round pick from Notre Dame also spent time with the Cleveland Browns, starting 12 games in three years, and the Denver Broncos, where he never played in two seasons.

The Seahawks also signed wide receiver Brett Swain to a two-year deal following a tryout with the team. Swain, 27, was originally a seventh-round pick of Green Bay in 2008, and he caught six passes for the Packers in 2010.

He saw action with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, catching two passes, but failed to make the team out of training camp last year.

--Tampa Bay cornerback Eric Wright signed a new one-year contract with the Buccaneers, the team announced.

Wright's $7.75 million salary for 2013, which was part of a five-year, $38 million contract he signed in 2012, was voided when he was suspended for the final four games last season after violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. His new contract is estimated at $1.5 million with the potential to boost the compensation to $3 million, according to NFL.com

--The New York Jets signed free agent safety Dawan Landry, reuniting him with head coach Rex Ryan.

Landry entered the league as a fifth-round selection by Baltimore in 2006, and he spent five years with the Ravens. He played his first three seasons under Ryan, who was then Baltimore's defensive coordinator.

--The Raiders signed free agent cornerback Mike Jenkins, a displaced starter in Dallas, to a one-year contract.

Jenkins comes to Oakland after five years with the Cowboys, and he will join newly signed Tracy Porter, signed last week, in a revamped defensive backfield.

--Center Brian de la Puente signed his one-year, $1,323,000 restricted free agent tender with the New Orleans Saints.

De la Puente has started 28 regular-season games and two postseason games since Jonathan Goodwin left the Saints as a free agent and signed with the San Francisco 49ers after the 2010 season.

--Ryan Harris will remain with the Houston Texans, after the offensive tackle signed a one-year deal.

Harris played in all 16 games last season after signing with the team on Sept. 1. He began on special teams and started twice.

--The Detroit Lions released wide receiver Brian Robiskie.

Signed by the team Oct. 24 after Nate Burleson was placed on the injured list, Robiskie caught four passes for 44 yards. The Lions have currently have 12 receivers on the roster.

--Right tackle Doug Free is too expensive for the Dallas Cowboys in 2013, when his salary-cap figure will be more than $10 million, and the team would like him to take a pay cut.

As a possible leverage play, the Cowboys could continue their pursuit of unrestricted free agent Eric Winston. Winston started for the Chiefs in 2012 but was released.

--The NFL sold more Robert Griffin III jerseys than those of any other player during this fiscal year, according to ESPN.com.

Also, the Washington Redskins quarterback had more of his No. 10 jerseys sold this fiscal year than any jersey in league history. New Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning came in second in jersey sales and sold the third most in a single year.

--Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was named to the NFL Competition Committee.

The committee studies all aspects of the game and recommends rules and policy changes to NFL clubs. The group also includes Atlanta Falcons president/CEO Rich McKay, and head coaches Jeff Fisher (St. Louis Rams) and Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals).