Linebacker Banks of Giants Signs With Redskins

Carl Banks, once one of the NFL’s best linebackers, signed with the Washington Redskins on Monday after playing nine years with the New York Giants.

Banks signed a three-year deal worth nearly $5.5 million, including a signing bonus. He will make a bit more than $2 million this season.

The signing sets up a competition with Wilber Marshall at one outside linebacker position. Marshall, however, has demanded to be traded.

Until last week, Banks was designated as a transition player by the Giants, giving them the right to match any other team’s offer. Then New York signed Pro Bowl linebacker Michael Brooks of the Denver Broncos to a three-year contract and set Banks free.

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Designated franchise players Paul Gruber of Tampa Bay and Lomas Brown of Detroit, both left tackles, have a month to test the free-agent market, as do three Houston Oilers designated as transition players.

Neither Tampa Bay or Detroit made a minimum offer to Gruber or Brown, respectively, allowing the players to negotiate with other clubs as restricted free agents.

To maintain exclusive negotiating rights with them, the teams would have had to offer the tackles contracts worth more than $2 million per season. It will, however, cost a team two No. 1 draft picks to sign either one away.

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Bobby Butler, Atlanta Falcon cornerback, retired after 12 NFL seasons.

Hockey

The Detroit Red Wings are expected to hire Scotty Bowman, the NHL’s winningest coach, as their coach today. Bryan Murray, coach and general manager of the Red Wings since 1990, will remain as general manager.

Jay Leach, who coached Hartford’s minor league team in Springfield, Mass., last season, is among about a half-dozen candidates being interviewed to become the Mighty Ducks’ first coach.

Miscellany

Former UCLA guard Gerald Madkins signed a three-year deal believed to be worth $2 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to his agent. Madkins was the CBA rookie of the year last season at Grand Rapids.

Darren Dreifort of Wichita State, selected second in this month’s amateur draft by the Dodgers, won the R.E. (Bob) Smith Award as college baseball’s player of the year. Dreifort was 11-1 with four saves and an earned-run average of 2.28. He also batted .328 with 22 homers and 61 runs batted in.

The U.S. Soccer Federation said forwards Roy Wegerle, Eric Wynalda and Ernie Stewart would skip this week’s the trip to South America for the America Cup along with midfielders John Harkes and Thomas Dooley.

Pat Summitt, Tennessee basketball coach, suspended forward Peggy Evans, who apparently is considering transferring, for the upcoming season for breaking undisclosed team policies.