EAGLES
Make room for Tebow
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles traded Matt Barkley to the Arizona Cardinals on Friday, clearing a roster spot for Tim Tebow after he won a preseason competition for the No. 3 quarterback job.
Arizona sent a conditional seventh-round draft pick to Philadelphia for Barkley. A person familiar with the deal said Barkley has to be on the roster for six games for the Eagles to receive the pick in 2016. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that part of the trade wasn't announced.
Tebow outplayed Barkley in the preseason and will play behind Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez unless Coach Chip Kelly makes a surprise move this weekend.
Tebow was 11 for 17 for 189 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception against the New York Jets on Thursday night. Barkley was 4 for 9 for 45 yards and 1 interception.
Tebow last played in a regular-season game with the Jets in 2012. He was cut by New England in training camp in 2013. He worked as a college football analyst on the SEC Network last year but got another chance to play in the NFL when the Eagles signed him in the offseason.
Barkley provides depth behind Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. Logan Thomas and rookie Phillip Sims were competing for the No. 3 job. Sims already tweeted that he was released.
BROWNS
Manziel recuperating
CLEVELAND -- Quarterback Johnny Manziel has been throwing tennis and weighted balls as he recovers from a sore right elbow.
Coach Mike Pettine said Manziel is "on schedule" in his rehab program and that he could begin throwing a football again as early as Friday. Manziel has been dealing with tendinitis in his forearm and elbow, a condition that has bothered him since his freshman year at Texas A&M.
Manziel hasn't thrown a football since Aug. 11 and the Browns sat him in their final two exhibitions. There is a chance Manziel may not be ready for the Sept. 13 season opener. Thad Lewis has moved ahead of Manziel as the backup to starter Josh McCown.
Pettine said the team has not decided if it will keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
BILLS
RB iffy for opener
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Though saying he's optimistic, running back LeSean McCoy wasn't prepared to announce whether his injured left hamstring will be healed in time for the Buffalo Bills' season opener against Indianapolis on Sept. 13.
"I feel good. It's just a matter of time," McCoy said Friday while acknowledging he is still experiencing some pain when making certain cuts. "We'll wait and see, see how everything plays out. "I'm always confident, but I think it does matter that you're confident in your ability to make cuts."
McCoy spoke after taking part in limited on-field drills during a light practice for the first time since being hurt Aug. 18. McCoy was previously limited to working out on the sideline under the observation of the training staff.
Coach Rex Ryan would only reiterate that he remains cautiously optimistic McCoy will be ready to play.
The NFL's 2013 -rushing leader was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia in the offseason to be the centerpiece of a run-heavy attack Ryan and new coordinator Greg Roman are introducing to Buffalo.
Enemkpali out of work
Ikemefena Enemkpali is looking for a job again.
The linebacker who made national news last month for punching quarterback Geno Smith in the face has been released by the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Friday afternoon.
NFL teams have until 3 p.m. Central today to cut down their active rosters to 53 players.
Enemkpali punched Smith in the Jets locker room Aug. 11 over a lingering unpaid debt of $600. Smith's jaw was broken in two places.
A day later, Rex Ryan's Bills claimed Enemkpali off waivers.
But, according to a source, Enemkpali's on-field play and the uncertainty surrounding the fallout from punch incident were too much for the Bills to overlook. A NFL spokesman confirmed last month that the league will look into the incident, as it falls under the personal conduct policy.
STEELERS
Berry gets punting job
PITTSBURGH -- Jordan Berry locked down the punting job with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, beating out incumbent Brad Wing by default after Pittsburgh sent Wing to the New York Giants on Friday for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.
A seemingly tight competition apparently turned into a bit of a blowout in the final days of training camp. Berry punted five times in Thursday night's preseason finale against Carolina while Wing had just one chance to convince the coaching staff to keep him. Berry averaged a full yard better than Wing (49.8 to 48.8) and put six of his 19 kicks inside the opponent's 20.
Wing's trade robbed one of the major position battles of any drama before rosters are set at 53 today.
FALCONS
Two QBs released
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons have released quarterbacks Rex Grossman and T.J. Yates, leaving Sean Renfree as the backup to starter Matt Ryan.
Grossman, 35, was signed last week and was unimpressive, completing 4 of 9 passes for 41 yards, in Thursday night's preseason victory over Baltimore. Grossman played for the Chicago Bears for six years and spent time with the Texans and Redskins.
Yates was Ryan's top backup in 2014.
The Falcons also released defensive end Cliff Matthews, a seventh-round pick in 2011.
The team waived safety Sean Baker, linebacker Terrell Manning, cornerback Kevin White and offensive linemen Jake Rodgers and Jared Smith.
The cuts left the Falcons with 67 players.
Sports on 09/05/2015