COWBOYS
Scandrick's season over
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have placed cornerback Orlando Scandrick on season-ending injured reserve following surgery for torn ligaments in his right knee amid moves to get down to 75 players.
Offensive lineman Chaz Green and linebacker Mark Nzeocha, a pair of injured 2015 draft picks, will miss at least the first six weeks of the season after moving to reserved lists Tuesday. Green, a third-round pick, had offseason hip surgery. Nzeocha, a seventh-rounder, is recovering from a knee injury in college.
The Cowboys waived three players with injury designations: defensive Kenneth Boatright (neck), running back Michael Hill (concussion) and tackle R.J. Dill, who faces a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
Dallas also waived tight end Brandon Barden, linebacker Jonathan Brown and receivers Antwan Goodley and David Porter.
CHIEFS
TE Kelce out Thursday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tight end Travis Kelce will miss the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason finale Thursday night against St. Louis after spraining his ankle in practice earlier this week.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said Tuesday it was a slight sprain and Kelce would have been able to play had it been the regular season. But with most of the starters getting the night off -- if not all of them -- it only made sense to keep Kelce out of the game.
"It looked like he got his foot caught in the grass and tweaked his ankle a little bit," Reid said. "I think he's lucky that the grass gave way a little bit."
There are few players more valuable to the Chiefs offense than Kelce. Not only does he give quarterback Alex Smith an athletic tight end who can stretch the field, and running back Jamaal Charles an adept blocker, he also has little experience behind on the depth chart.
Rookie James O'Shaughnessy would be next in line. Richard Gordon and Ryan Taylor are also on the roster, while Demetrius Harris is only now getting back on the field after missing the entire offseason and most of training camp following foot surgery and a staph infection.
PACKERS
Receiver plans to play
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb says he doesn't plan to miss to Green Bay's regular-season opener against Chicago after spraining his shoulder in a preseason game last week.
Cobb watched practice on Tuesday. He says he's taking things day to day and waiting for swelling to go down.
The five-year veteran fell hard on his right side and had another player land on him while trying to make a catch on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles on Green Bay's first drive.
The Packers did get injured receiver Jared Abbrederis back at practice. He's been out since suffering a concussion on the first day of training camp.
Abbrederis is a Wisconsin native and fan favorite after playing his college ball in-state with the Badgers.
BROWNS
Tackle Taylor released
BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns cut big Phil Taylor on Tuesday and swallowed his beefy contract.
A first-round pick in 2011, Taylor was released in a surprising move that included the Browns having to pay him a guaranteed $5.5 million. The 6-foot-3, 335-pound Taylor underwent two knee surgeries last year and has been limited during training camp and the exhibition season.
His recovery wasn't going as well as expected -- he played 11 snaps in last week's win over Tampa Bay -- and the Browns feel good enough about the depth on their defensive line to release a player who was once considered a potential cornerstone. Also, the quick development of rookie Danny Shelton, a first-round pick this season, made Taylor expendable.
Coach Mike Pettine said Taylor's contract was not a factor in the decision.
Along with Taylor, the Browns also released defensive lineman Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, who played three years in Cleveland, along with fullback Luke Lundy and kicker Carey Spear.
JETS
TE Amaro out for season
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets are in desperate need of all the offensive weapons they can muster, but they lost an important one Tuesday when second-year tight end Jace Amaro was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
Jets Coach Todd Bowles announced Amaro has been diagnosed with a torn labrum in his left shoulder and must undergo corrective surgery. Amaro, who totaled 38 catches for 345 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, was injured in the preseason opener at Detroit and had expressed optimism about returning soon, but his condition never improved.
"When he got hurt, it was a two-and-a-half to three-week period to get better," Bowles said. "If it didn't get any better and it was still worse as it was, then we had to go ahead and do surgery and shelve him.
"So, we gave him time to get better, and he didn't get better. So the end result is we had to do surgery and put him on IR. ... He's still in a lot of pain."
SEAHAWKS
RB Jackson visits
RENTON, Wash. -- After being released by the Buffalo Bills, running back Fred Jackson is looking for an opportunity to reunite with former teammate Marshawn Lynch in Seattle.
Jackson traveled to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks on Tuesday, but coach Pete Carroll cautioned that no deal has been struck. Carroll said Jackson would be going through a physical.
"This is a visit for us. It's not a signing," Carroll said. "We have tremendous respect for Fred as a player. He's obviously got a wealth of background, he's tough, he's sharp, he's smart, so we need to see where he is right now at 34 years old and see what he looks like."
Jackson, an eight-year veteran, became a free agent on Monday when the Bills cut the respected team leader and fan favorite. The interest in Jackson emerged when Seattle learned that backup running back Robert Turbin suffered a significant high-ankle sprain in Saturday's preseason game against San Diego and there is no estimate of when he'll be able to return.
Turbin has served as Lynch's backup since being drafted by the Seahawks in 2012.
TITANS
Tackle Hill reinjures knee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans nose tackle Sammie Hill has a new injury in the same right knee, and Coach Ken Whisenhunt says the Titans are talking to doctors trying to decide if the lineman will need surgery to repair his knee.
Whisenhunt said Tuesday that Hill suffered this latest injury late last week.
Hill missed a chunk of the offseason program and started training camp on the physically unable to perform list. His preseason debut came in Kansas City on Aug. 28 but lasted only one series.
The veteran started 15 games for the Titans last season. Whisenhunt says he isn't ruling Hill out against Minnesota on Thursday night just yet.
JAGUARS
More games in London
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan expects to sign a long-term deal to continue playing annually in London.
If Khan gets his way, it will be a 14-year commitment.
Speaking at a kickoff luncheon Tuesday, Khan said he's "optimistic, obviously, that we'll have a renewal on (London) and it will go for a long time."
Khan then added that he would like to see the contract extended until 2030.
The Jaguars are entering the third year of a four-year deal to play one game annually at Wembley Stadium.
"It's been probably the No. 1 element to stabilizing the Jacksonville Jaguars," Khan said. "Hard to believe it's over, the four-year deal now. But I think it's a critical part of our franchise to be able to play games there, get the recognition, build the fan base and get sponsors."
Sports on 09/02/2015