SAINTS
Okafor injured again
METAIRIE, La. -- Saints defensive end Alex Okafor is dealing with another lower leg injury as he tries to come back from an Achilles tear that sidelined him much of last season.
Okafor recently has been competing in training camp to regain his starting role.
The specific nature of his latest injury at practice Wednesday is not clear. He was able to walk off the field, but Coach Sean Payton has not provided specific information about his condition.
Okafor's setback comes as first-round draft choice Marcus Davenport returns to practice to resume his work at defensive end.
Davenport has missed about two weeks of practice and has yet to play in his first exhibition game. Payton says Davenport will be "ramping up and accelerated" following his return to practice on Wednesday.
The Saints' next preseason contest comes Friday night against Arizona.
BRONCOS
Roster moves made
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos made a series of roster moves Wednesday in advance of their joint practice with the Chicago Bears. They claimed wide receiver DeAndrew White off waivers from Houston and signed defensive lineman DeQuinton Osborne.
In corresponding moves, the Broncos waived/injured wide receiver Corey "Philly" Brown, who sustained a head injury in the weight room shortly after his recent arrival, and defensive lineman Paul Boyette.
White is a fourth-year pro who has appeared in six games with the 49ers (2015) and Texans (2017) while also spending time on the Patriots' practice squad and offseason roster from 2016-17. He has three career catches and six kickoff returns.
Osborne is a 300-pound rookie from Oklahoma State University, where he registered 56 tackles, 38 of them solo, with 9½ sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in two seasons after transferring from Kilgore Junior College.
An All-Big 12 Conference First Team selection in 2017, Osborne entered the NFL as a college free agent with Dallas on April 30.
FALCONS
Bryant may return soon
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant, who missed last week's preseason opener with an undisclosed injury, may return this week.
Coach Dan Quinn said Bryant, 43, kicked "about 15 times" but was limited in Wednesday's practice. A decision has not been made about Bryant's status for Friday night's preseason game against Kansas City.
Quinn said he may wait until Friday to decide if Bryant, wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman will play against the Chiefs. Jones and Freeman are healthy and having a "fantastic" camp, according to Quinn, but were held out in last week's 17-0 loss at the New York Jets.
The coach plans to again emphasize evaluations of young players this week as he prepares to make roster decisions.
JETS
OT Ijalana on IR
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets have placed backup offensive tackle Ben Ijalana on injured reserve and signed offensive lineman Gino Gradkowski.
The Jets announced the moves Wednesday.
Ijalana was injured this week during a joint practice with the Washington Redskins in Richmond, Virginia. He was entering his eighth NFL season and sixth with the Jets. Ijalana has appeared in 34 career games and made 13 starts, all in 2016.
Gradkowski, younger brother of former NFL player Bruce Gradkowski, spent the last two seasons with the Panthers -- but both were cut short by injuries. He was a fourth-round pick by Baltimore out of Delaware in 2012 and spent three seasons with the Ravens. Gradkowski also has spent time with Denver and Atlanta.
BILLS
Havili claimed, Rogers signed
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills have claimed defensive lineman Albert Havili off waivers, and also signed fullback Sam Rogers.
Havili was claimed on Wednesday, a day after he was waived by the Los Angeles Chargers. He's an undrafted rookie free agent, who played college at Eastern Washington.
Rogers has yet to appear in an NFL game since being selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. He spent last season on the Rams practice squad, and was cut by the team in May.
The Bills freed room on their roster by designating defensive tackle Marquavius Lewis and fullback Zach Olstad as waived/injured.
Sports on 08/16/2018