Arizona rewards tailback

Undrafted Shipp signs four-year deal after breakout season

Arizona is not saying who its starting running back will be heading into next season. The evidence clearly points to Marcel Shipp over Thomas Jones.

In an unusual move for the notoriously conservative Cardinals organization, Shipp signed a four-year contract extension on Thursday. The deal is worth about $8 million, but the size of the signing bonus — the only part of the contract that is guaranteed — was not known.

“It means a lot,” Shipp said after Thursday’s practice. “It gives me a lot of confidence that they believe in me. I’ve worked hard for it, and I’ve been blessed.”

The signing leaves open the question of what the Cardinals will do with Jones, the No. 7 overall pick in the 1999 draft. Jones is back in his Virginia home after breaking his right hand Thanksgiving weekend. He told the Cardinals he broke it hitting a counter while reaching for a ringing telephone.

The team put him on the non-football injury list, and chose not to pay him for the final five games — about $135,000. In three seasons with Arizona, Jones has gained 1,264 yards and averaged 3.5 per attempt.

Jones has one year left on his contract, but he already has received his $5.4 million signing bonus and could be cut from the squad without being due any pay. If the team chooses to trade him, the Cards could get a lower-round draft pick.

Shipp was not drafted out of Massachusetts and made the team a year ago as a free agent. He played on special teams last season, and came into this year as Jones’ backup having never carried the ball in an NFL game.

Shipp has rushed for 776 yards in 171 carries and has caught 37 passes for 407 yards. His average of 5.7 yards per touch from scrimmage ranks fourth among NFL backs.

  • Redskins: Washington coach Steve Spurrier said he has promoted running backs coach Hue Jackson to offensive coordinator, effective in January.

“It seems like every team in this league has an offensive coordinator even though the head coach calls plays,” Spurrier said. “Looking back, I feel this is a good way for us to go. It will allow me as a head coach to have a little more interaction with the defensive players, the special teams players, and let me get a little more involved with the personnel decisions.”

Spurrier said he will still continue to be the primary play-caller and also continue to develop the team’s passing game.

The one player Spurrier and Jackson will not use when they call plays Sunday against Dallas is running back Stephen Davis. He is scheduled to have surgery on his injured right shoulder next week.

  • Eagles: Philadelphia receiver Todd Pinkston probably won’t play against the New York Giants because of turf toe in a regular-season finale Saturday. Pinkston missed his third straight practice Thursday. He leads the team with 60 catches for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. Freddie Mitchell, a first-round draft pick in 2001, would start in Pinkston’s spot.

Quarterback Donovan McNabb is running and throwing again, but his status for the playoffs remains uncertain. McNabb has been out since breaking his right ankle Nov. 17. The two-time NFC East champion Eagles (12-3) have won all five of their games without McNabb, including the last four behind third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley.

McNabb had hoped to return for this Saturday’s regular-season finale. The Eagles already have clinched a first-round bye, so McNabb will have two more weeks to be ready.

  • Rams: St. Louis backup quarterback Jamie Martin said Thursday he’ll start the finale Monday against San Francisco.

Martin was listed as probable, but was held out of practice Thursday as the Rams (6-9) returned after two days off, with third-stringer Scott Covington taking all the snaps. He expected to return to full duty today after getting treatment on Thursday.

Coach Mike Martz said running back Marshall Faulk would be the “disaster quarterback” if something happens to the first two.

  • Bucs: Tampa Bay quarterback Brad Johnson said his sore back is improving, but it’s unlikely he’ll play Sunday when the Bucs close the regular season against the Chicago Bears.

Johnson missed last Monday night’s 17-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a lower back bruise suffered during the fourth quarter of the Bucs’ three-point victory over Detroit two weeks ago.

If he is unable to play against the Bears, Rob Johnson will make his second start.

  • Broncos: Brian Griese had little trouble with his sprained left knee in practice on Thursday, clearing the way for him to back up Steve Beuerlein against Arizona.
  • Raiders: Oakland cornerback Tory James will be back in the starting lineup for the Raiders this week. With Charles Woodson out after undergoing surgery to repair a broken fibula in his right leg, the Raiders need every available body Saturday against Kansas City.

James started the first 13 games of the year but hasn’t played since Dec. 12 when he had his own leg surgery. Like Woodson, James had a cracked right fibula and underwent a 45-minute operation.