European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes saturday August 18,1990 nil round fringe players make the team with Tagliabue Mankato Minn. A the nil s com Mander seems most concerned about the league s least known soldiers. The developmental squad a Sanctuary for players on the fringe has become commissioner Paul Tagliabue s special project. Leaders of what s left of the players Union filed suit to ban developmental squads mostly because players on i them received just$1,000 a week. Be fore this season each team had been allowed to put six players on the squad. Tagliabue said anew system could pay players More and allow them More movement around the league. If there s someway we can discuss Tafili Abue that within the next three weeks before the regu Lar season Star sit should be everybody s prior Ity Tagliabue said thursday after a 75-Minutequeslion-and-Answ or session with Minnesota Vikings players. You be got a lawsuit filed which wipes out168 jobs. I la bet no one sent a Survey to the players and said do you want a developmental squad or not i think there s a growing feeling among the players that they re Tike victims in a victims rights meeting everyone else is doing thing Sand we re the victims " but i think there will be efforts in the coming weeks to have new faces involved in some conversations that might bring some Progress tag liable said. The developmental squad would be one place to   Lofton primed to catch Kelly passes at Buffalo Fredonia . A thirteen years ago James Lofton a Rookie wide receiver for the Green Bay packers scanned the roster of the opposition hews facing that week. They had a defensive Back who was 27 or 28 Yea sold Lofton said thursday. And i remember thinking to myself til be Able to beat this Guy easy. He s  Lofton admits that s probably what some Young defensive Back on another nil team is thinking when he looks Over the Buffalo Bills starting roster and sees a34-year-old wide receiver Lofton. It s what Many Bills followers thought when the team entered training Camp. After signing with the Bills As a free agent during the 1989 season Lofto went from fourth string to starter by the end. And despite ending the season with a Strong performance in the Bills playoff loss to Cleveland three catches for 66 Yards and a touchdown there were doubters who wondered whether Lofton would be Able to stave off the Challenge of younger legs. But thanks to an impressive training Camp in which he seems to have gained the Confidence of quarterback Jim Kelly Lofton is All but a lock to Start the season opposite Andre Reed. Last year at this time it appeared Lofton s illustrious career was Over. A seven time pro bowl player trailing Only Steve Largent Charlie Joiner and do Maynard in career receiving Yards the former Stan Ford Star was waived during training Camp by the Losangeles raiders. Lofton said he was t Hurt because i knew the  the raiders had Mervyn Fernandez Willie Gault and Tim Brown three highly paid and younger wide receivers and Felt Lofton and his hefty salary had to leave. Several teams inquired but Lofton decided to join the Bills four games into the season when Buffalo re leased Chris Burkett. Gradually Lofton began seeing More playing Tim until he broke into the starting lineup for the last three games. He ended up with eight catches for the season but three went for touchdowns. I Felt like by the time the season ended i had shown the things that i could do Well he said. For his career Lofton has caught 607 passes for James Lofton ranks fourth in nil career receiving Yards. 11,251 Yards and 57 touchdowns. Kelly whose favorite target had been Reed started to feel More comfortable with Lofton and that has continued during training Camp. I think we just needed time to familiarize with each other Kelly said. " now it just seems like a natural  i would like to play 15 years said Lofton who has no suffered a serious injury in his pro career. I Don t think there s anything bad with setting  i might not be As fast As i was at one Point but some times it s a Case of usable Speed he said. How often do you catch the Ball two or three Yards in front of everybody and have a Chance to outrun them to the goal i still think i have enough Speed to outrun most of these  Tampa s Box suspended on steroid charges by the associated press Carl Bax of the Tampa Bay Bucca neers was suspended thursday for the first three games of the regular season for violating the nil s steroid policy. Bax a second year offensive lineman had pleaded guilty july 10 to a felony charge of importing anabolic steroids and a Misdemeanour charge of conspiracy to import steroids. Nil vice president and counsel Jay Moyer said that in the absence of contrary evidence the league had accepted Bax s statement that he had t used the substances. There is also no evidence that he was trafficking in steroids or intended to Dis tribute them to others Moyer  we cannot Overlook proven Crimi Nal conduct involving substances that Are squarely banned by the  news from other training Camps Bills starters Bruce Smith Jim Ritcher Pete met Slaars and Leonard Burton were not scheduled to play for the Buffalo Bills in their exhibition against the Detroit Lions on Friday. Because the Yare nursing injuries of varying severity. Smith a pro bowl defensive end Las year is trying to recover from of season knee surgery and has t participated i much of the team s training Camp. Cardinals Bob Wallace the team s chief negotiator said some Progress has been made in contract talks with safety Tim Mcdonald and Rookie running Back Anthony Thompson. Around the Camps file Pat Ryan. Accepts Browns offer Mcdonald s agent Leigh Steinberg submitted a new 2-year contract proposal that averages out to about $700,000per season. Mcdonald had seven interceptions in1989 on a $180.000 salary. Phoenix is of Fering a 2-year contract for $600,000 this season and $650,000 in 1991. Thompson a second round draft Pickand the 1989 Heisman trophy runner Fil Anthony Thompson. Wants $1.3 million Deal up is seeking a 2-year, $1.3 million  cardinals offered $200,000 less. Bengals a sprained right ankle May keep right guard Brian Blados out o f saturday night s exhibition game in Atlanta. The  still awaiting medical evaluations of Blados and is unsure whether he can play saturday night against the Falcons. The 300-Pound guard was carried in a cart off the practice Field in Cam wednesday after spraining his ankle. Broncos sporting two Happy faces on his ankle tape wide receiver Vance Johnson took part in both of the team s practice sat training Camp wednesday. Johnson was absent without leave monday and watched practice from the sidelines on tuesday with a strained hamstring. Johnson said wednesday that the injury is much improved. He also said the Issue of his contract had nothing to do with missing the practices. Chiefs linebacker Dino Hackett signed a series of three 1-year contracts with Kansas City. Hackett reported to the chiefs to begin his fifth season. He has made 100 or More tackles in three of his four sea sons. Brown Cleveland agreed thursday to sign for Mer new York jets quarterback Pat Ryan to a 2-year contract. We have offered Pat Ryan a 2-Yearcontract which he has accepted Browns spokesman Kevin Byrne said thursday afternoon. Ryan 34, practice with the Brownson wednesday and team spokesman Bob Eller said hell be at practice tomorrow Friday  it s doubtful anybody is going to come along and beat out Bemie Kosar Byrne said. The reality is he is coming Here to compete with Mike Pagel an two Rookie