http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1351614.html Release of Morton opens door for other -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com Just days after coach Marty Mornhinweg denied the team would release wide receiver Johnnie Morton to avoid paying him a $1 million roster bonus due Friday, the Detroit Lions on Thursday cut the veteran pass catcher. The move, despite Mornhinweg's statements, had been rumored for several weeks. It saves the Lions $4 million on their 2002 salary cap and created enough room for the team to sign a trio of veteran free agents: wide receiver Bill Schroeder, offensive tackle Matt Joyce and defensive back Lamar Campbell. Certainly the most prominent of those three names is Schroeder, an unrestricted free agent who had played the previous six seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers. One of the NFL's fastest players, and a consistent deep threat, Schroeder could team with recently signed wideout Az-Zahir Hakim in the starting lineup as the Lions attempt to upgrade their overall team speed. Schroeder gets a 4-year deal worth $6 million, including a $2.5 million signing bonus. Joyce signed for 4 years at $4 million, including a $1.2 million signing bonus. Cambell's deal is worth $4.4 million, including a $1 million signing bonus, over 4 years. There is still a chance, Lions officials insisted, that the team could re-sign Morton. In fact, Lions management claimed that the release of Morton might actually facilitate a long-term deal. But on Thursday night, Morton allowed he was "upset" by the team's actions. Detroit must still carry a $1.341 million cap charge for Morton, as part of the remaining portion of a prior signing bonus. An eight-year veteran, Morton has been an outstanding receiver for the Lions since the team chose him in the first round of the 1994 draft. He has played in 126 games and started 106 of the contests. Morton, 30, has 469 catches for 6,499 yards and 35 touchdowns. He started all 16 games in 2001 and had 77 catches for 1,154 yards and four touchdowns. It was the fourth time in five seasons that Morton surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Schroeder, 31, started in 50 of 74 appearances for the Packers and had 225 catches for 3,435 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had 53 catches for 918 yards and nine scores in 2001. Schroeder often got into the doghouse of quarterback Brett Favre, however, because he free-lanced too often on his pass routes. For a Detroit team that sorely desires to stretch the field more in 2002, though, he figures to be a very solid addition. In the past three seasons, the six-year veteran had 192 catches and 18 scores. Joyce is a versatile offensive lineman who is probably best suited to playing right tackle and the seven-year veteran played every position but center for Detroit in 2001. Campbell played his first three seasons with the Lions at cornerback but moved to safety last year.
