Four Denver Broncos were charged with assault and resisting arrest early yesterday morning after a fight outside a Greeley, Colo., bar, police said.
Linebacker Ronnie Haliburton was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and disorderly conduct, according to Sgt. Ron Duley. Micheal Brooks, another linebacker, was charged with obstruction of a police officer and resisting arrest.
Defensive back Alton Montgomery and running back Melvin Bratton were charged with obstructing a police officer, but police planned to add a count of assault later, Duley said.
All four posted bail and were released from the Weld County jail.
Montgomery had cuts on his hand from a broken beer bottle and got 13 stitches from the North Colorado Medical Center. He then was released.
Police say they believe the altercation was started when Michael Gipson, 22, of Columbus, Ohio, allegedly struck Montgomery with a beer bottle while at the Armory nightclub, located in the same town as the Broncos training camp.
The confrontation moved outside the bar where Montgomery and Bratton were reported to have chased Gipson and beat him around the head and kicked him, Duley said. Brooks and Haliburton then allegedly joined in the dispute, Duley said.
* BENGALS: Running back Ickey Woods arrived at training camp yesterday, one day after coming to terms on a two-year contract.
Woods, hampered by a knee injury the last two seasons, ended a two-day holdout with the agreement late Friday.
The Bengals declined to disclose terms of the contract, but it reportedly was worth about $550,000 a year for Woods, who as a rookie was the team's top rusher with 1,066 yards and led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance.
Woods' signing leaves inside linebacker Carl Zander and cornerback Lewis Billups as the Bengals' only remaining veteran holdouts. The Bengals remain in negotiations with their top draft choice, linebacker Alfred Williams from Colorado.
* FALCONS: Coach Jerry Glanville said defensive end Rick Bryan will miss at least three weeks with a knee injury.
Bryan, entering his eighth NFL season, injured the knee in Friday's afternoon workout.
The team's leading receiver last year, Andre Rison, took his physical in the morning and participated in the afternoon workout yesterday. Asked how Rison looked, Glanville said: "It looked like he was two days late. We'll take all the money we can take. Those two days will cost him $4,000."
Rison missed one full day of practice on Friday, but the other day came when he failed to report by 6 p.m. Thursday.
* SAINTS: A week of practice has done little to determine who's No. 1 -- or even who's No. 4 -- in the battle for quarterback jobs.
"It's too early to tell," said coach Jim Mora.
Bobby Hebert sat out last year, then signed in June for $1.3 million.
John Fourcade began last season as the starter, then Steve Walsh, acquired from the Dallas Cowboys, took over.
Through it all, Mike Buck, a strong-armed sixth-round draft choice in 1990, bided his time.