NFL NOTES: JUDGE DENIES BAIL TO FORMER COWBOY

Former Dallas Cowboys lineman Nate Newton was denied bail Friday in Dallas
on a charge that he intended to distribute 175 pounds of marijuana.

"There is no condition or set of conditions to reasonably assure the safety
of the community," U.S. Magistrate Paul Stickney said during Newton's
detention hearing.

Stickney noted that Newton's arrest Wednesday south of Dallas came less
than six weeks after he was arrested in Louisiana. Newton was arrested Nov.
4 in Louisiana, accused of driving a van with 213 pounds of marijuana in it.

Newton, who appeared in court Friday in an orange jumpsuit and ankle
chains, will remain at a federal detention center southeast of Dallas in
Seagoville.

"I don't believe him to be a risk to the community," said Newton's lawyer,
Howard Shapiro. "Had he not had the case in Louisiana, the judge would have
released him."

Newton and two others were arrested Wednesday in two vehicles south of
Dallas. Police said 175 pounds of marijuana was in the trunk of the vehicle
that Newton was not driving. A federal official said Friday that the
marijuana had an estimated street value of $700,000.

A duffel bag belonging to Newton had trace amounts of marijuana, but not
enough to warrant additional charges, said John Donnelly, a special agent
for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The bag was in the truck Newton
was driving, Donnelly said.

Donnelly testified Friday that agents made the arrests after being tipped
that another man, Billy Crenshaw, was involved in a plan to transport
cocaine to Houston.

Shapiro argued that the informant never mentioned Newton, who he said
wasn't aware of the drugs in the other vehicle.

REDSKINS: Darrell Green cleared the confusion Friday and confirmed that he
is thinking about postponing his retirement.

The Washington Redskins cornerback also admitted in an appearance on the
John Thompson Show on a Washington radio station that his mood suffered
early in the season because coach Marty Schottenheimer told him, in
essence, to "get to the back of the bus."

Green announced Sept. 4 that this would be his last NFL season, but in
recent weeks has avoided a direct answer when asked if he would reconsider.
Fans have urged the 41-year-old cornerback, the oldest ever to play his
position, to return for a 20th year.

RAMS: Defensive end Leonard Little, St. Louis' sack leader, is expected to
return to the lineup only a month after tearing a ligament in his left knee.

Little practiced for the second straight day Friday and coach Mike Martz
said all signs pointed to him playing Monday night against New Orleans.
Little, among the league leaders with nine sacks despite missing three
games, was injured Nov. 18 against New England and recuperated without surgery.

"He's moving on it real well," Martz said. "I was real pleased with what
he's doing. He looks like he'll be ready to play."

VIKINGS: Quarterback Daunte Culpepper was downgraded from probable to
questionable on the team's injury report Friday because of a sprained left
knee.

He was sore on Thursday, sitting out most of practice, and also developed
some new swelling.

Backup Todd Bouman, who passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns last week
against Tennessee in his first NFL start, will play if Culpepper is unable
to Sunday against Detroit.

BROWNS: Cleveland put safety Percy Ellsworth on injured reserve Friday, its
NFL-high 14th player lost for the season.

Ellsworth has a strained quadriceps and sat out last week's game against
New England. He started the first nine games of the season, but had been
limited to special teams after being replaced by Devin Bush in the team's
10th game.

Ellsworth is in his second year with the Browns after four seasons with the
New York Giants.

CHARGERS: San Diego cornerback Tay Cody will miss his second straight game
with a sprained ankle, and the player he replaced as a starter, Alex
Molden, went on injured reserve Friday.

Davis Sanchez will start in place of Cody, a rookie, against the Oakland
Raiders on Saturday.

Molden, who starred at the University of Oregon, has missed seven games
with a lingering ankle injury and now is out for the season. Putting him on
injured reserve freed up a roster spot that was used to sign receiver
Patrick Batteaux from the practice squad.

FINES: Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington was fined $5,000 by the NFL on
Friday - raising his season total to four fines for $35,000 - for pushing
Cardinals wideout David Boston. Boston also was fined $5,000 by the league
for taunting Arrington by tossing him the ball following a tackle. Both
players were called for personal fouls on the play.