CHIEFS
CB injures knee, on IR
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Starting cornerback Phillip Gaines tore the ACL in his left knee and will go on injured reserve, dealing another blow to the Kansas City Chiefs' pass defense.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that Gaines, who sustained the injury in a 38-28 loss Monday night at Green Bay, will undergo surgery.
The move opens a spot on the 53-man roster for cornerback Sean Smith, who finished serving a three-game suspension for a DUI arrest in June 2014.
Smith will likely assume Gaines' starting spot at right cornerback in the Chiefs' base defense -- where he played last season -- while first-round pick Marcus Peters should continue to man the left side Sunday, when the Chiefs play at Cincinnati.
There is a question, however, about which defensive back will defend slot receivers in Chiefs' nickel and dime subpackages, which was previously Gaines' job.
GIANTS
WR aggravates calf muscle
Wide receiver Victor Cruz, who on Sunday was expected to return to the New York Giants lineup for the first time in nearly a year, aggravated a strained calf muscle that has been bothering him since mid-August and left practice on Wednesday.
The Giants offered no diagnosis for the severity of Cruz's calf injury, and Cruz was not available after practice, which is closed to the news media except for an early warm-up period.
But since Cruz has been hobbled by the strain in his left calf for roughly six weeks and unable to practice during that period, another setback to the same muscle could mean an indefinite absence for the Giants star.
Cruz has not played since Oct. 12, when he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during a game in Philadelphia. Cruz said on Monday that he expected to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and emphasized that he was running without pain or discomfort in either leg.
PACKERS
TE sprains left knee
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers have placed tight end Andrew Quarless on injured reserve/designated to return with a sprained left knee.
Quarless would miss a minimum of eight weeks, meaning he would be eligible to return in Week 12 on Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears. He can start practicing with the team in six weeks.
Quarless got hurt during the Packers' victory on Monday night against Kansas City.
Green Bay did not announce a corresponding roster move. The Packers have two other tight ends on the active roster in Richard Rodgers and rookie Kennard Backman.
Defensive lineman Letroy Guion is eligible to come off the reserved/suspended list this week.
Also Wednesday, receiver Davante Adams missed practice and wore a protective boot for his sprained left ankle.
VIKINGS
CB passes concussion tests
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes has passed his post-concussion tests and resumed practice with the team, following a scary collision on the field last week.
Rhodes was a full participant in practice Wednesday, three days after smacking into safety Andrew Sendejo while they both tried to make a tackle in the game against San Diego. Rhodes is expected to be OK when the Vikings play Sunday at Denver.
Sendejo, however, has a knee injury and did not practice Wednesday. He was replaced by Robert Blanton after getting hurt in the game. Wide receivers Charles Johnson (rib) and Jarius Wright (hand) were also held out of practice, along with defensive end Justin Trattou (foot).
BEARS
TE upset over uniform fine
Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett met reporters Wednesday afternoon with a message for NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks.
"I'm just pissed off at the NFL," Bennett said. "They get mad because my cleats are too black, but they're perfect for my feet. And I feel like they're supposed to protect the players, and I have a certain shoe that feels the best with my foot -- I've had foot problems over the last two years."
By July 1 every year, each team must designate white or black as its dominant shoe color, according to the 412 words in the subsection devoted to shoes in the NFL's rulebook. The Bears' is white, but Bennett said the Air Jordan brand cleats that help his ailing feet come only in black.
"I black out the logo so I don't get fined for wearing something that's not official or whatever, but they're too black," he said. "Maybe I'm going to have to paint them white."
The NFL fines first-time offenders for a uniform violation $5,787, and a second infraction triggers a fine of $11,576. Would Bennett be willing to pay that every week so he can wear his cleats?
"No, I've got a kid at home," he said. "She's smart, too. I'm going to have to pay for Harvard or something. But, nah, I can't afford the fine every week. It's about my health, though."
DOLPHINS
CB focuses after wife arrested
DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes says he's concentrating on football in the wake of his wife's arrest outside the stadium before the team's most recent game.
Miko Grimes is scheduled for arraignment Oct. 27 on charges of disorderly conduct, battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence. She was arrested Sunday while walking in the stadium parking lot, and police say she disobeyed an officer's command to stop, became combative and head-butted an officer.
"Miko is fine," Grimes said Wednesday, talking publicly about the incident for the first time. "I really don't want to talk about Miko. That will handle itself."
When asked if the matter was a distraction for him, Grimes said no.
"I'm good. Stuff will happen, but you have to focus on your job," he said.
The Dolphins will try to bounce back from a 41-14 loss to Buffalo when they play Sunday against the Jets in London.
Sports on 10/01/2015