DETROIT (AP) -The NFL Management Council and NFL Players Association waived a scheduled hearing involving the Detroit Lions and Charles Rogers, handling the grievance with a conference call and submitted briefs.
The conference call was Tuesday, a day before the rescheduled hearing was to be held in the Detroit area, according to Lions executive vice president Tom Lewand.
An arbitrator, with no timetable, will decide if Rogers must pay back the Lions more than $10 million of the former receiver’s $14-plus million signing bonus because he was suspended in 2005 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
If the ruling is in the Lions’ favor, the club would get salary-cap relief the season after it collects the money from Rogers.
Messages seeking comment were left on Rogers’ cell phone Wednesday.
Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, was cut by Detroit just before last season. He has failed to land with another team despite a handful of workouts.
The former Michigan State star signed a six-year contract that could have been worth nearly $55 million. He played five games as a rookie, scoring twice in his debut, before a broken collarbone ended his season. In the 2004 opener, he had the same season-ending injury.
In 15 games over three seasons, Rogers caught 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns.
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