Salary cap violation costs Broncos fine, third-round choice

Friday, Sept. 17, 2004 | 10:02 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

The Denver Broncos lost their third-round pick in next year's NFL draft and will pay a fine of $950,000 to settle an alleged case of salary-cap circumvention.

The Broncos reached an agreement with the NFL Management Council to close an investigation into whether the team broke rules limiting player payroll from 1996-98. In addition, an unnamed agent who represented a Denver player will donate $100,000 to charity, though admitting no wrongdoing.

The NFL Management Council said the Broncos had agreements with several players to defer parts of their salaries while accruing interest and agreed not to waive a player before a certain date.

Harold Henderson, the NFL's executive vice president of labor relations and chairman of the management council, said the Broncos made the agreements because the team needed to fund construction of Invesco Field at Mile High, a 76,125-seat stadium that opened in 2001.

"A plate with eight screws was placed on his clavicle over the old fracture and the new fracture," Detroit coach Steve Mariucci said. "He'll play through the first season with the plate, then they'll evaluate."

Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, was injured going for a pass in the first quarter of Detroit's 20-16 win at Chicago on Sunday. In five games last season, he caught three touchdowns passes before breaking his collarbone in practice.

Rogers is expected to begin lifting weights in about two months.

Newberry missed practice Thursday for the second consecutive day with pain underneath his kneecap. He had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 10 to remove cartilage from the same area.

Niners coach Dennis Erickson said Newberry's latest injury is unrelated to his previous knee condition.

Center Rich Braham is expected to play Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins even though he is not fully recovered from arthroscopic knee surgery. Left guard Eric Steinbach also is limited by elbow surgery.