NFL League and Player News: Roethlisberger suspension reduced to 4 games
NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger is getting time off for good behavior.
He'll be back on the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers two games earlier than expected after convincing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell he is turning his life around.
The star quarterback, accompanied by team president Art Rooney, met with Goodell early Friday and was told he could return on Oct. 17 against Cleveland after missing four games.
He was suspended in April for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, but Goodell said at the time he would review the player's behavior over the next few months. Goodell was satisfied that Roethlisberger has followed the league's guidelines and stayed out of trouble.
"You have told me and the Steelers that you are committed to making better decisions," Goodell said in a letter to the two-time Super Bowl winner. "Your actions over the past several months have been consistent with that promise and you must continue to honor that commitment."
Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student following a night of drinking in a Milledgeville, Ga., bar on March 5. He was not charged by Georgia authorities.
The league said the "reinstatement is contingent on Roethlisberger continuing to adhere to the program established by our advisors and avoiding any further violations of the personal conduct policy."
Roethlisberger is the first player suspended by Goodell under the NFL's personal conduct policy who was not arrested, charged with or convicted of a crime. However, Goodell said in April the policy allows him to impose such a penalty when the league's integrity and reputation are at stake.
"I have learned a lot over the past several months about myself as a person," Roethlisberger said in a statement. "I am committed to continuing on this path of being the type of person my family raised me to be, and exceeding what is expected of me as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers."
Rooney and Roethlisberger met with Goodell at an undisclosed location in New Jersey. Rooney and his organization have kept in frequent contact with the commissioner while Roethlisberger underwent extensive evaluations.
"Ben has done a good job this summer of growing as the person that he needs to be, both on and off the field," Rooney said. "I am confident that Ben is committed to continuing in this positive direction. As a team, our focus is now on preparing for the regular season and getting off to a good start on opening weekend."
Roethlisberger also is being sued in Nevada by a woman who says he sexually assaulted her there in 2008. No charges were brought in that case, and it did not figure in the NFL's suspension.
While he is out, Roethlisberger can't practice with the Steelers, nor can he attend games or represent the team in any way, or have contact with any member of the coaching staff or football operations personnel.
Considering the team's dire situation at his position, the reduced suspension was about the best news the Steelers could have received. Hours earlier, Roethlisberger's replacement, Byron Leftwich, hurt his left knee in the final preseason game.
Roethlisberger will be eligible to return to practice on Oct. 4 and play on Oct. 17 after Pittsburgh's bye week. Depending on the extent of Leftwich's injury, Pittsburgh could be down to Dennis Dixon and veteran Charlie Batch, and might need to add another quarterback.
Pittsburgh hosts Atlanta, plays at Tennessee and Tampa Bay and then hosts division rival Baltimore before an Oct. 10 bye.
Roethlisberger and Goodell met last month at the team's training camp in Latrobe, Pa. At that time, Goodell said he was encouraged by the progress Roethlisberger was making and promised to make his decision on the length of the suspension before the regular season began.
He kept his word; the season begins on Thursday.
Roethlisberger plans to work with a California-based quarterbacks coach, George Whitfield, and he'll throw to some free-agent receivers who are looking for work in the league.
NFL fines Ndamukong Suh $7,500
NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was fined $7,500 by the NFL on Friday for his roughing-the-passer penalty on quarterback Jake Delhomme in an exhibition game against the Browns.
The No. 2 overall pick in April's draft grabbed Delhomme's face mask and twisted it, then wrapped his arms around the quarterback's head and slammed him to the ground in the second quarter of last Saturday's game.
Suh said later he didn't know Delhomme had thrown the ball before he hit him.
"I was just going after the ball, and I had no clue that he had gotten rid of it," he said.
Delhomme got up waving his arms in protest, and Suh was assessed a 15-yard penalty.
Lions coach Jim Schwartz wouldn't share his thoughts about the fine during his Friday news conference. "It's not my job to comment on fines," he said. "(Suh) got flagged and it cost us 15 yards."
Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said this week he didn't think the former Nebraska standout intended to injure Delhomme.
Player Moves
AP source: Giants acquire QB Sage Rosenfels
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Giants acquired quarterback Sage Rosenfels and running back Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings on Friday for undisclosed draft picks.
The Vikings announced the deal on their website. They will receive a pick in next year's draft and a conditional selection in the 2012 draft.
The deal is contingent on both players passing physicals on Saturday.
Rosenfels will back up Eli Manning. The Giants lost backup Jim Sorgi with a shoulder injury and he was placed on injured reserve, leaving untested Rhett Bomar as the only other quarterback.
Rosenfels was third string behind Brett Favre and Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota. He is entering his 10th NFL season as a backup quarterback.
The Vikings acquired Rosenfels from Houston in a trade before last season and signed him to a two-year deal worth $9 million to compete with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job.
At the time, Rosenfels was thrilled to be coming to a team giving him a legitimate shot at winning the job for the first time. After an offseason of working out and learning the system, however, Rosenfels' big shot was dashed when Favre waltzed in to take over.
Rosenfels spent all of last season as the No. 3 quarterback behind Favre and Jackson.
"If it's true sad to c you go sage good qb great teammate," Vikings receiver Greg Lewis tweeted on Friday night. "Good luck in new York."
There was a brief glimmer of hope for Rosenfels this summer when Favre was considering retirement. Once again, that ended after the first preseason game, when the Vikings flew three high-profile teammates to Mississippi to persuade Favre to return for one more year.
Time was running out for the 32-year-old Rosenfels, who clearly grew more frustrated with his position on the team.
He had an impressive preseason opener at St. Louis, completing 23 of 34 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. But he was just 8 for 17 for 92 yards with one TD in the next three games combined, and coach Brad Childress said after the preseason finale that Jackson would be Favre's backup again this season.
The move means that the Vikings likely will keep rookie Joe Webb as the third quarterback.
Sorgi signed with New York as a free agent after six seasons as Peyton Manning's backup in Indianapolis.
Reynaud is a converted receiver who was trying to make the Vikings as a running back and return man. He was the team's primary punt returner during the preseason.
-- Barry Wilner
Eagles acquire OL Reggie Wells, release 10 players
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles acquired veteran offensive lineman Reggie Wells from the Arizona Cardinals on Friday in exchange for an undisclosed 2011 draft pick.
The team also released 10 players to trim its roster to 65. The Eagles have until 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday to get their roster down to the maximum 53 players.
Wells, a sixth-round pick in 2003, has started 90 games in seven years with Arizona, including 64 in a row since late in the 2005 season.
Wells started at left guard against the Eagles in the Cardinals' 35-25 win in the 2008 NFC championship game and in Arizona's 27-23 loss to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
The Cards moved Wells to right guard this preseason after they signed veteran left guard Alan Faneca.
"We're adding a player that has started several seasons in the National Football League and has played at a very high level during the course of his career," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said.
"He has experience at several different positions along the offensive line and he will be a welcome addition to that group. You can never have enough depth at that position as you go through an NFL season."
Just nine days before they open the regular season against the Packers at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles face uncertainty throughout the interior of their offensive line.
Projected center Jamaal Jackson is on target to start the opener, but he's 8½ months removed from reconstructive surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee.
Stacy Andrews, who the Eagles gave a $4.1 million signing bonus in the spring, is now splitting practice time with veteran Nick Cole, and Reid has not yet committed to Andrews as his opening-day starter.
Left guard Todd Herremans has been battling left foot soreness for over a year. He underwent surgery in August 2009, missed the first five games of last season, then sat out most of spring drills and training camp this preseason. He is expected to start the opener.
Wells is scheduled to earn $2.4 million in base salary in 2010, the final year of the five-year, $15 million restricted free agent offer sheet he signed with Buffalo in 2006. The Cardinals matched the offer and retained Wells' rights under the terms of the offer sheet.
Friday's trade is the second between the Eagles and Cardinals in the past week. The Eagles on Monday shipped rookie running back Charles Scott to Arizona in exchange for rookie cornerback Jorrick Calvin.
The Eagles released cornerback Geoff Pope, who spent six weeks on the team's active roster last year and played in one game, and veteran running back J.J. Arrington.
By releasing Arrington, the Eagles will receive a sixth-round pick from Denver in the 2012 draft, according to terms of the July trade that sent linebacker Joe Mays to the Broncos.
Also released Friday were defensive end Pannell Egboh, defensive tackle Boo Robinson, cornerback David Pender, wide receiver Dobson Collins, tight end Nate Lawrie, offensive tackle Jeraill McCuller, safety Anthony Scirrotto and running back Martell Mallett.
The Eagles also placed veteran defensive end Victor Abiamiri on the Reserve-Physically Unable to Prepare list.
Abiamiri, who underwent offseason knee surgery, is not eligible to play until the Eagles' seventh game. Starting Oct. 18, Abiamiri will be allowed to practice with the team, and the Eagles will have three weeks to either activate him, release him or place him on Injured Reserve, ending his season.
Second-round pick Brown cut, no word yet on Leinart
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Outside linebacker Cody Brown, a second-round draft pick out of Connecticut a year ago, was among 16 players cut by the Arizona Cardinals on Friday.
Meanwhile, coach Ken Whisenhunt says he has told rookie quarterbacks Max Hall and John Skelton they have made Arizona's 53-man roster. The fate of Matt Leinart remained uncertain. Whisenhunt says he met with the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner on Friday and told him the team was not yet prepared to take any action regarding him.
"I just asked Matt to come up and talked to him and just said, 'We're not prepared to do anything in this process right now," Whisenhunt said. "'I don't want you waiting around all day for some type of resolution."
Whisenhunt has not selected a starting quarterback but all signs point to Derek Anderson, with Arizona reportedly trying to trade Leinart. If no deal is made, the Cardinals could release the former Southern California star, the 10th overall draft pick in 2006.
Those released by Arizona also included tight end Anthony Becht, inside linebacker Monty Beisel and offensive guard Herman Johnson. The cuts reduced the roster to 56. NFL teams have to be down to 53 on Saturday.
Brown, the 66th player selected in the 2009 draft, missed all of his rookie season after injuring a wrist in training camp. The Cardinals brought in Joey Porter to team with Clark Haggans at outside linebacker, and Brown failed to make much of an impression in camp and in the preseason.
"Obviously we assess our team based on what we think is important as far as production, finishing plays, reduction in mental errors, all those things," Whisenhunt said. "We just didn't feel like going forward that it was a good fit for us."
Earlier Friday, Arizona traded offensive guard Reggie Wells to the Philadelphia Eagles for an undisclosed draft pick.
Whisenhunt said he told Wells he had a spot on the Cardinals if he wanted it, but he wouldn't start or even be guaranteed being active on game days. He said that because of the expectations he had for Wells, he gave him the option of going somewhere he would have a chance to start.
Wells started the last 90 games for Arizona, dating to the 2003 season, as well as the team's six postseason games, but was moved from left guard to right guard this year following the signing of free agent Alan Faneca.
The trade came after a strong preseason showing by Deuce Lutui, the starter at right guard the past two seasons who signed his tender offer with Arizona late in the summer after a contract dispute.
Becht has played in 152 consecutive NFL games, third longest among active players in the NFL behind Brett Favre (287) and Peyton Manning (193). A 2000 first-round draft pick of the New York Jets, Becht also has played for Tampa Bay and St. Louis, as well as Arizona.
Beisel had been listed as a starter at inside linebacker but was displaced by second-round draft pick Daryl Washington the last two games of THE preseason.
Among those who did make the team was undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Max Komar of Idaho, beating out Ed Gant and Onrea Jones, among others.
-- Bob Baum
Saints cut veteran RB Ladell Betts
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Ladell Betts' comeback from a serious knee injury is on hold for now.
The New Orleans Saints released the former longtime Washington Redskins starter on Friday, his agent, Anthony Agnone, confirmed in an e-mail.
Betts has been trying to come back from an injury last November in which he tore ligaments in his left knee. He played against the Titans, rushing seven times for 38 yards and catching four passes for 21 yards.
Instead of sticking with Betts, who was vying for a backup role behind Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, the Saints elected to hold onto fourth-year pro DeShawn Wynn.
Wynn's agent, David Canter, confirmed in an e-mail that Wynn, who also plays special teams, remained on the active roster. Wynn rushed seven times for 31 yards against Tennessee.
Although Sean Payton said Friday that he's made many of his final cuts, the coach would not immediately announce the names of players who've been released.
However, two people familiar with the club's roster moves said other players who have been cut include: Backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey, defensive end Bobby McCray, defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy, reserve center Nick Leckey and second-year safety Chip Vaughn.
Players who survived the cuts include second-year quarterback Chase Daniel, rookie defensive end Junior Galette, rookie running back Chris Ivory and third-year receiver Adrian Arrington, according to the two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced its 53-man roster.
Arrington caught three passes for 78 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown, in the Saints' final preseason game at Tennessee on Thursday night. Galette blocked a punt that was recovered for a touchdown. He also made six tackles, including a sack.
"Last night's game helped some players," Payton said, without mentioning names. "Certainly it's part of the equation. When you take four exams back in school, that fourth exam means something and we got a lot of playing time with a lot of players last night."
McCray, who started against Tennessee, has now been released twice by this year by the Saints, who also cut him in late June, but then decided shortly before training camp to give him another look.
NFL teams had a Saturday afternoon deadline to trim rosters to the regular season maximum of 53 players, and younger players who've been released, such as Vaughn, still had a chance to be signed to the Saints' practice squad Sunday afternoon if they cleared waivers.
The Saints began Friday with 77 players on their roster, including two — safety Darren Sharper and linebacker Clint Ingram — on the physically unable to perform list. Payton had the option to keep Sharper and Ingram on the PUP list in addition to the 53-man roster, but they would not be able to play for six weeks. The coach also declined to discuss their status on Friday.
Payton said he was giving players Saturday off before they return on Sunday to practice and go over the game plan for the Minnesota Vikings, who'll visit the Louisiana Superdome on Thursday night for the NFL's regular season opener.
The 2010 Saints will have few key differences from the club that won the Super Bowl last season. The biggest changes will be on defense, with Alex Brown, who joined the club as a free agent, starting at the left end spot where McCray started all three playoff games last season.
The Saints also needed a new starting linebacker after Scott Fujita's departure to Cleveland in free agency. Jonathan Casillas appeared to have won that role, but left Thursday night's preseason game with an undisclosed foot injury. Payton had no update on Casillas or on Ivory, who left the Tennessee game with a knee injury.
Overall, the coach sounded upbeat about how his club came through the preseason.
"I feel good about this team, knowing the locker room we have and what we've just accomplished and where we're going," Payton said. "How we handle injuries is going to be important. Can we correct the penalties that seemed to be at a higher rate this preseason than I would have liked? But I like this team. I like this team a lot."
-- Brett Martel
49ers keep third quarterback Davis on cutdown day
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Nate Davis is getting the chance to keep developing into the effective, talented NFL quarterback he and the San Francisco 49ers believe he can be.
The third-string QB made the Niners' 53-man roster despite coach Mike Singletary's criticisms during training camp and hints the 2009 fifth-round pick was on the bubble.
"It's really important that he really understands the skill set he has to have as a quarterback and not just sit over there on Sundays and wait for the offseason to come," Singletary said during a conference call. "I really want him to contribute, hopefully this year."
The 49ers released 22 players on Friday, but all their 2010 draft picks made the cut. That includes starting offensive linemen Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, both first-rounders who earned jobs with the first-team offense early in camp.
Singletary said after Thursday night's 17-14 preseason win over San Diego that Davis would be a big part of roster discussions Friday — but when the team let running back Michael Robinson go it didn't have another option at No. 3 quarterback aside from Davis.
"The ultimate conclusions really comes down to a guy, he's working at it," Singletary said. "I think he understands more now the degree that he has to work at it, becoming an NFL quarterback. I think he understands and he still does that, 'I really have to get this thing down, I really have to have control of the offense.' We're going to give him time to do that."
Singletary has said Davis, who has dyslexia, wasn't coming along as quickly as the coaches would like and also questioned Davis' work ethic this offseason. Davis has said he spends up to 45 minutes a night studying the playbook because his learning disability makes it especially tough to grasp directions as simple as right and left.
"It's the same thing," Singletary said Thursday night of his issues with the former Ball State star. "The guy has a nice arm. It's the same thing I talked about last time. If you look at the notes you took last time, it's the same thing."
Robinson's departure was among the surprising moves. The special teams captain had spent all four of his NFL seasons with San Francisco.
"It was very difficult. As you can imagine Mike exemplifies a lot of the character traits you want in a team player," Singletary said. "It came down to a decision based on productivity. We could just not fit him in on the offensive side of the ball."
Tramaine Brock, a third-string cornerback who picked off Jonathan Crompton's pass with 48 seconds left Thursday night, made the team. Singletary said he has watched Brock improve every day in practice.
Those released were: kicker Shane Andrus, linebacker Mike Balogun, quarterback Jarrett Brown, fullback Jehuu Caulcrick, tight end Tony Curtis, linebacker Bruce Davis, guard Brian de la Puente, tight end Joe Jon Finley, receivers Bobby Guillory, Jason Hill and Kevin Jurovich, tackle Matt Kopa, linebacker Keaton Kristick, safety Chris Maragos, fullback Brit Miller, defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell, cornerback Karl Paymah, Robinson, defensive tackles Will Tukuafu and Derek Walker, center Cody Wallace and linebacker Matt Wilhelm.
Some of the released players will be signed to the practice squad while others might get jobs with other teams or re-sign.
The 49ers plan to look for another inside linebacker with Wilhelm gone. Singletary said he wasn't going to keep someone just to fill a roster spot.
"I want a guy who fits the identity of our football team," said Singletary, who expects to have a playoff team this season. "My top priority is making sure the 53 guys on this team I feel are people who help us win football games."
San Francisco went 8-8 last season and is looking to end a seven-year postseason drought. The 49ers just capped their first unbeaten preseason since going 5-0 in 1992.
-- Janie McCauley
Patriots cut DL Damione Lewis, OL Eric Ghiaciuc
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have released defensive lineman Damione Lewis and offensive lineman Eric Ghiaciuc.
Friday's moves came one day before the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to the regular-season limit of 53 players.
Lewis, a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2001, was signed as a free agent on April 10 after spending the past four seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He had been expected to provide depth after defensive end Jarvis Green left as a free agent for the Denver Broncos.
Ghiaciuc signed with the Patriots on Aug. 4 after five NFL seasons, his first four with the Cincinnati Bengals and then the San Diego Chargers last season.
Broncos waive 7 players
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have waived seven players and placed injured running back LenDale White on injured reserve.
White ruptured his Achilles' tendon Thursday night in a game at Minnesota and will undergo surgery next week, according to his representative.
The biggest surprise on the list of seven cuts was seventh-round draft pick Jamie Kirlew, a linebacker from Indiana.
Others who were waived are: wide receiver Alric Arnett, nose tackle Chris Baker, offensive lineman Paul Duncan, tight ends Nathan Overbay and Kory Sperry and linebacker Johnny Williams.
Chiefs sign safety Page, release seven
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jarrad Page, the Kansas City safety who fell out of favor with coaches last year and asked to be traded before sitting out the entire preseason, has signed his restricted free-agent tender with the Chiefs.
Page lost his starting spot last season in Todd Haley's first year as head coach. The former UCLA player has made 39 starts since the Chiefs drafted him in the seventh round in 2006.
The Chiefs also announced they had released seven players: tight end Leroy Banks, wice receiver Rich Gunnell, offensive lineman Lemuel Jeanpierre, tackle Ikechuku Ndukwe, cornerback Mike Richardson, linebacker John Russell and guard Dan Santucci.
Injuries
Steelers' Leftwich likely to miss start of season
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger isn't the only Steelers quarterback who might be out for four weeks.
Byron Leftwich's strained left knee ligament could sideline him for most or all of the first month of the season, leaving the Steelers with only two healthy quarterbacks — Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch — for their Sept. 12 opener against Atlanta.
Given how secretive coach Mike Tomlin was in refusing to announce a starter for any preseason game, it isn't certain when he'll disclose his starting quarterback. The Steelers don't practice again until Monday.
After the Steelers learned the nature of Leftwich's injury, Dixon was taken out of Thursday's game against Carolina after throwing a single pass, for a touchdown — a strong indication he was being protected for the opener. Batch played the final 2½ quarters, throwing only four passes.
After working with four experienced quarterbacks during training camp, an awkward situation that resulted in Batch getting almost no work with the starters, the Steelers suddenly are down to two.
"Of course, I'll be excited if it does come my way," said Dixon, the third-year quarterback who got more preseason playing time with the starters than any quarterback except Roethlisberger. "At the same time, I'm even keel. I never get too high or never get too low."
An MRI exam performed Friday on Leftwich apparently did not reveal a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which could have sidelined him for the season. A strained medial collateral ligament is less serious, but still commonly takes weeks to heal. The team did not disclose any projected timetable on Friday.
This injury couldn't have occurred at a worse time for the Steelers, who traded for Leftwich in April with the intent of starting him while Roethlisberger served his suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. That punishment was reduced Friday to four games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, meaning Roethlisberger can return for the Oct. 17 home game against Cleveland.
Now, the Steelers must find a way to remain competitive until Roethlisberger gets back.
"I think we're in good hands," Batch said. "You had three solid guys who could step in when needed, and now we're down to two."
Batch, a Steelers backup since 2002, owns an extensive knowledge of the playbook and often huddles with Roethlisberger between series to review coverages. Batch also played well while Roethlisberger was injured in 2005 and 2006, going 3-0 as a starter.
However, Batch has thrown only two passes since the final game of the 2007 season. He missed the 2008 season with a broken collarbone that occurred in the first preseason game, then went down with a wrist injury shortly after entering the only game he played last season.
Dixon has started a single NFL game, throwing for a touchdown and running for another during a 20-17 overtime loss at Baltimore last season. The former Oregon star's running ability gives the offense an extra dimension, but Tomlin said Dixon still must learn when to stay with a play and when to take off running.
If Dixon starts, wide receiver Hines Ward predicts the Steelers will take a low-risk approach like they did when Roethlisberger became a starter as a rookie in 2004. Then, the Steelers leaned on their running game, defense and special teams while asking Roethlisberger to throw only enough to balance the offense.
Roethlisberger said there's no reason why the Steelers can't be as successful with Dixon as their starter as they were when he was forced to play after Tommy Maddox was injured in 2004. After the Atlanta opener, the Steelers play at Tennessee on Sept. 19 and Tampa Bay on Sept. 26 before meeting Baltimore at home on Oct. 3.
"It's going to be different for him whether it's on the road, at home, he's got nerves, jitters, he's going against a great nose tackle or a tough defense in Baltimore," Roethlisberger said. "It's going to be a challenge for him if he's indeed the starter, but I think he'll be up for it if his number is called."The Steelers cut 10 players Friday and must make an additional 11 cuts Saturday to reach the 53-man roster limit.
Tight end Sean McHugh, who missed last season with a knee injury, was the most prominent player cut. Also let go were tight end Eugene Bright, guard Dorian Brooks, offensive tackle Kyle Jolly, wide receiver Brandon London, defensive tackle Scott Paxson, long snapper Matt Stewart, safety Justin Thornton, running back Justin Vincent and linebacker Renauld Williams.
-- Alan Robinson
Dumervil confirms his season is over
DENVER (AP) — Elvis Dumervil's season is officially sacked.
The Denver Broncos had been holding out hope the league's top sacker would make a quicker than anticipated recovery from a torn chest muscle and return to action in December.
Dumervil, however, posted a message on his Twitter account Friday night that confirmed an NFL.com report he'll be going on injured reserve, ending his season.
Dumervil led the league with 17 sacks last season and got hurt during the first week of training camp shortly after signing a big contract extension.
He wrote in all caps: "To all my fans, thanks for the all the support & kind words but this season for me is over due to my injury that occur during training camp."
Another tweet said: "The Broncos have a great recovery plan for me to be back 100 percent & more! Now its time to encourage and support the Broncos to the maximum!"
The Broncos were expected to file the transaction with the league office on Saturday. They placed tailback LenDale White on IR on Friday after medical tests confirmed he had ruptured his right Achilles' tendon in Denver's exhibition finale Thursday night in Minnesota.
The 26-year-old Dumervil led the league in sacks in 2009 after moving from defensive end to outside linebacker when coach Josh McDaniels arrived from New England and switched to a 3-4 defensive scheme.
Dumervil parlayed his breakout season into a five-year, $58.332 million extension in late July that included $43.168 million in guarantees against injury, a record for a player at his position.
The pass rusher was injured in the first week of training camp last month while doing a 1-on-1 blocking drill with offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus. He had surgery shortly afterward with an anticipated recovery time of four to five months.
McDaniels told The Associated Press last month he was hoping to hold open a spot on the 53-man roster for Dumervil but only if it were feasible for both parties, and the medical experts thought he might recover in time to return to the field for the final month of the season.
"We'll make the best decision for him and for our team," McDaniels said at the time.
Either way, McDaniels said the Broncos would sprinkle in some of the old 4-3 defensive alignments during the upcoming season that kicks off Sept. 12 at Jacksonville.
-- Arnie Stapleton
AP Source: LenDale White out for season
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos' tailback turnstile keeps on spinning.
LenDale White is out for the season after rupturing his right Achilles' tendon Thursday night at Minnesota.
White will undergo surgery on Tuesday, said Chris Brantley, who represents the fifth-year running back who spent his first four seasons in Tennessee and joined the Broncos last month as a free agent.
"He's disappointed, of course, because he put so much time and effort into getting back on the field and getting another opportunity to play the game he loves," Brantley told The Associated Press on Friday. "But he's been very positive and will get through this fine."
Brantley said White is confident he can return to the NFL next season: "Of course. LenDale is a very focused individual and he has his mindset on coming back and finishing the business he started."
White, trying to revive his career with his hometown team after a fallout in Tennessee and a short stay in Seattle, was injured in the second quarter of Denver's 31-24 exhibition loss to the Vikings.
White was signed after Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and Correll Buckhalter (back) got hurt in camp last month. He had been released this spring by Seattle, where Pete Carroll, who coached him at USC, is now coach.
Although he sprained an ankle two days after his arrival in Denver, White had come back strong. He scored twice in the preseason, including a 2-yard run Thursday night against the Vikings before he got hurt on a 9-yard run in the second quarter.
The Broncos were hoping it was just another ankle injury that could heal in September — White was already scheduled to sit out the first four games of the regular season, his punishment for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
White said after the game Thursday night that he expected to be back by the time his suspension was over.
"It's not serious at all," White said of his injury. "I definitely have at least four weeks to get better, so I'm looking at that as a positive."
Now he faces an arduous recovery, and there's no guarantee he'll ever get back on the football field. Many a running back has seen his career ended by a ruptured Achilles' tendon.
The Broncos could bring back Justin Fargas, whom they released last week, or scour the waiver wire Saturday when teams must trim rosters to 53 players. With Denver's top three tailbacks sidelined for much of last month, Lance Ball capitalized on his carries to seemingly nail down a roster spot.
Although Buckhalter returned to action this week, Moreno's first competitive carry this year won't come until the Broncos' opener at Jacksonville on Sept. 12.
White said last week he was thankful for the chance to play for his hometown team because he felt his support network of family and friends could help him get his NFL career back on track.
ESPN and Pro Football Talk first reported the seriousness of White's injury Friday on Twitter.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Knee injury ends season for Browns rookie Hardesty
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns couldn't wait to see what rookie running back Montario Hardesty could do on the field.
He won't be out there again this season.
Hardesty tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in his NFL debut on Thursday night and will be out for the year, a cruel twist for the second-round pick, whose career has been slowed by serious knee injuries.
The Browns placed Hardesty on injured reserve Friday, and waived six players, including defensive back Coye Francies, who played in five games last season.
After missing all of training camp with a bone bruise in his right knee, Hardesty was finally in Cleveland's backfield for the final exhibition game against Chicago. The team was eager to get a good look at the powerful 23-year-old before the Sept. 4 opener at Tampa Bay, and Hardesty didn't disappoint by running for 23 yards and a touchdown on his first six carries.
However, his seventh was his last in 2010.
Taking a handoff from rookie quarterback Colt McCoy, Hardesty picked up two yards on the left side before being tackled. It seemed to be a routine play, but Hardesty didn't get up and as trainers worked on his left leg, his face couldn't hide his fear or disappointment.
He left Browns Stadium on crutches and an MRI confirmed the torn ACL — the same injury he suffered as a freshman in 2005 at Tennessee.
"We are all very disappointed for Montario," Browns coach Eric Mangini said in a statement. "He's worked extremely hard since he was drafted, he's done everything we've asked him to do, and I'm sure he will be just as diligent with his rehab. It's unfortunate but it opens the door for other guys to step up and contribute."
The Browns knew there was a risk in Hardesty playing without much practice time, but after talking it over with team president Mike Holmgren, Mangini felt it was important to get him carries with the season opener approaching.
"It's a tough decision," he said following Thursday's 13-10 win over the Bears. "You want to be able to see a guy, you want to make sure that he's prepared to play in the opener and do the things that he needs to do. You're also concerned about the volume of work he's been able to have up to that point.
"As we talked about it, we decided that this was going to be his last opportunity to get that work, so we thought it was the best idea to do that."
Despite Hardesty's history of injuries, the Browns traded a third-round pick and two fifth-rounders to Philadelphia to move up into the second round and select him at No. 59 overall. He was so impressive during the Browns' offseason minicamp that the team was confident Hardesty could start in his first year as a pro.
But he hurt his right knee during a 1-on-1 tackling drill in the week leading up to the opening of camp and only recently returned to practice.
With Hardesty no longer an option, Jerome Harrison will likely be Cleveland's starter with Peyton Hillis and James Davis in the running-back rotation.
Harrison had a breakout 2009, rushing for 561 yards in his final three games and getting 286 — third-most in league history — against Kansas City. But there are questions about the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Harrison's durability over 16 games, which is why the club was so excited about Hardesty, who rushed for 1,345 yards last year at Tennessee.
Davis showed some potential in two games last season as a rookie but a shoulder injury landed him on injured reserve. On Thursday, he picked up 66 yards on 15 carries and added 53 receiving yards on five catches.
It's possible the Browns will try to sign another running back as teams begin trimming their rosters to the mandatory 53 by 6 p.m. Saturday.
-- Tom Withers
Linebacker to be placed on PUP list to start year
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee will place linebacker David Thornton on the physically-unable-to-perform list as the Titans trim their roster, giving him at least six more weeks to heal up his surgically-repaired hip.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Friday that Thornton had surgery about three months ago. The eight-year veteran was on the PUP list throughout the preseason.
Thornton also had offseason surgery on his left shoulder after being limited to 11 starts last season. He is due $4.3 million in salary this season.
Fisher also says the Titans will not make any moves until Saturday before the league deadline. The Titans will be getting a roster exemption when linebacker Gerald McRath is placed on the reserve/suspended list for the first four games.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Alexander still on mend from knee surgery
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Danario Alexander did not play in the St. Louis Rams' preseason finale because he's still building strength following knee surgery, and coach Steve Spaguolo says the former Missouri star wide receiver has a long way to go.
Spagnuolo said Friday that there is atrophy in the thigh above Alexander's left knee, which was operated on a fourth time after an injury prior to the Senior Bowl. The coach says if Alexander tried to play he might risk further injury.
Spagnuolo says Alexander would be considered for a spot on the practice squad but only if the team was confident he could practice every day.
Elsewhere
Colts defensive tackle Fili Moala arrested for DWI
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis police say Colts defensive tackle Fili Moala (FEE-lee Muh-wa-luh) has been arrested for driving while intoxicated, public intoxication and speeding.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says Moala was stopped at 2:31 a.m. Friday after an officer noticed his vehicle speeding.
A police report says the 25-year-old Moala admitted to an officer that he had "five or six drinks" at a club It said he had a blood-alcohol level of .10 percent. The legal limit to drive is .08 percent.
The second-year player was released Friday. Police didn't know if he had a lawyer.
Moala did not have a phone number listed in his name. A message seeking comment was left with the team Friday.
