Tampa Bay’s Mike Williams did not practice after his arrest on a DUI charge early Friday, however coach Raheem Morris said the rookie who leads the Buccaneers in receiving will travel to San Francisco and play Sunday against the 49ers. The fourth-round draft pick out of Syracuse was arrested after Florida authorities spotted his black Escalade speeding and weaving in and out of traffic around…
Just when rookie Jimmy Clausen and the Carolina offense finally showed some spark, albeit in another loss, the Panthers were hit with more bad news as Clausen’s status for next week is uncertain because of a concussion.
Free-agent quarterback Rex Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday. Grossman spent last season with the Houston Texans, where he worked with new Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
NFL owners will vote next week whether to allow each team a possession in overtime in the playoffs if the team winning the OT coin toss kicks a field goal on the first series. Previously, the game would end whenever either side scores, as happened in the NFC championship game in January, with New Orleans beating Minnesota on Garrett Hartley’s kick.
Volatile but versatile Richie Incognito is joining the Miami Dolphins, who gave the free-agent offensive lineman a one-year contract and a fresh start Wednesday. Incognito has conceded he has a reputation for being “a less than model citizen,” but the Dolphins are counting on him to provide more depth and flexibility up front.
The Chicago Bears have released former Pro Bowl defensive back Nathan Vasher.
Quarterback Jake Delhomme completed his visit to Cleveland last week and drove to the airport for a flight to New Orleans. He never made it. Travel delays forced Delhomme to return to Charlotte, N.C., where he chose to sign with the Browns without visiting his hometown Saints.
Tom Heckert is leaving the Eagles' nest. Philadelphia's general manager has agreed to become the Cleveland Browns' new GM, a person familiar with the hiring told The Associated Press on Sunday.
The first day of the NFL playoffs drew the best preliminary television ratings in a decade. The Cowboys' 34-14 win over the Eagles on NBC on Saturday night earned a 19.6 overnight rating and 32 share, the highest for a first-round game since the 1999 season. The Jets' 24-14 win over the Bengals drew a 16.9/31, the best for the early game in 10 years.