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Rampage Sign QB Adrian McPherson, WR Cornelius Bonner

May 16, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Rapids Rampage made a big splash in the free agent pool today, signing a pair of big-name players to help solidify their offense through the final six weeks of the regular season.

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback and 2004 Arena Football League Rookie of the Year Adrian McPherson (Bradenton, Fla.) will back up current Rampage signal caller Chad Salisbury (Perryopolis, Pa.), while seven-year AFL veteran Cornelius Bonner (Gaffney, S.C.) will help shore up a receiving corps that has lost three of its top five members to significant injuries this season.

McPherson joins the Rampage after spending the first nine games of the season with the Austin Wranglers. The 6-3, 185-pound Florida State University product spent two seasons (2001-02) with the Seminoles before joining the AFL and the Indiana Firebirds in 2004. That year, McPherson won the AFL Rookie of the Year award, throwing for 2,965 yards and 56 touchdowns while rushing for 259 yards and 19 scores in just 14 games.

Selected in the fifth round (152nd overall) of the 2005 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints, McPherson went on to serve as the team's third quarterback in all 16 games of the 2005 NFL season before returning to the AFL. This year, he completed 60.8% of his passes for 2,379 yards and 42 touchdowns with Austin. McPherson currently ranks second in the league in rushing, carrying the ball 38 times for 226 yards and six scores.

"McPherson's a player with tremendous athletic ability who was highly sought after throughout the league during the offseason," said Sparky McEwen, Rampage head coach and director of football operations. "Above all else, he gives us depth. If something were to happen to Chad, our trigger man, he'd be able to step in and perform at a high level."

The addition of Bonner will help a Rampage offense that is without top receivers Scotty Anderson (Jonesboro, La.), Ronney Daniels (Lake Wales, Fla.) and Jerome Riley (Los Angeles, Calif.) due to injury. Bonner spent the first 11 games of the season with the Nashville Kats, ranking second on the team with career highs in receptions (65), receiving yards (968) and receiving touchdowns (18), while standing fifth in the AFL in yards per reception (14.9).

Bonner's seven-year AFL career includes stints with the Chicago Rush (2001-03), the Las Vegas Gladiators (2004-05) and the Kats (2006-07). During that span, he accumulated 327 receptions for 4,358 yards and 73 touchdowns. The 6-0, 190-pound University of Cincinnati product played against the Rampage just two weeks ago, tying a personal best with 10 receptions for 149 yards and three scores in Grand Rapids' 71-55 win over Nashville.

In other roster moves, the Rampage placed quarterback Michael Bishop (Willis, Texas) on their left squad list while releasing practice squad quarterback Mark Radlinski (Grand Rapids, Mich.) to play for the Manchester Wolves of arenafootball2. Additionally, Grand Rapids placed defensive back Cliff Green (Decatur, Ga.) on its injured reserve list. The eight-year AFL veteran played in just one game for the Rampage, assisting on a tackle.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 16, 2007


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