Advertisement

Around the NFL: Vikings’ Bradford may play Sunday

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) slaps hands with quarterback Sam Bradford (8) during a game against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 11.
(Jeff Haynes / Associated Press)
Share

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford says his left knee is feeling better this week, raising the possibility he’ll return from injury after only a one-game absence.

Bradford was listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday. He took limited turns last week, because of soreness and swelling. After going through pregame warmups Sunday at Pittsburgh, Bradford was ruled out. Case Keenum took over at quarterback for the Vikings, who lost 26-9 to the Steelers.

Bradford said he hurt the knee in the season opener against New Orleans, when he had a career-best 143.0 passer rating in leading the Vikings to a 29-19 victory over the Saints. Bradford has twice had his left ACL surgically repaired.

Advertisement

Smith reelected

DeMaurice Smith has been reelected as executive director of the players’ union in a special committee vote.

Under guidelines passed since his last election as NFL Players Assn. head in 2015, a 14-player selection committee could bypass a full membership election.

That committee, made up of the 11 members of the NFLPA executive committee plus the three longest-serving player representatives, reviews the sitting executive director. That group can then call for an election to keep the incumbent in office, and the vote must be unanimous.

The 14-0 vote took place Tuesday night.

“The union centered on player leadership,” Smith said. “I am proud of their commitment, humbled by their trust in me and honored to serve.”

But attorney Cyrus Mehri, who had launched a campaign to oppose Smith in a general election in March, called the reelection “a nondemocratic process” and vowed to continue working toward having a full election of the membership in March.

Advertisement

Timmons update

Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase says he’ll decide later whether to let linebacker Lawrence Timmons rejoin the team.

Timmons was suspended indefinitely after he went AWOL on Saturday, the day before the Dolphins’ season-opening win at the Chargers. When asked about violations of team culture, Gase left open the possibility of Timmons returning.

“Every situation’s different, and I would say that you can be forgiven if the right steps are taken,” Gase said.

Etc.

The banged-up Green Bay Packers are starting practice this week with about a dozen players on the injury report. Receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, along with defensive lineman Mike Daniels were among the notable Packers who left last week’s 34-23 loss to Atlanta with injuries. The Packers were already without starting offensive tackles David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga. ... The Buffalo Bills have concerns about the status of defensive tackle Marcell Dareus heading into Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, coach Sean McDermott said. Dareus suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s 9-3 loss to Carolina. The Bills are counting on a bounce-back season from the 27-year-old, who has just one assisted tackle through two games. Dareus was considered one of the top defensive tackles in the league before signing a six-year, $96-million contract extension before the start of the 2015 season, but he has struggled on the field since then. ... The Detroit Lions signed defensive end George Johnson before practice Wednesday and waived undrafted rookie defensive end Alex Barrett. Johnson had six sacks with the Lions in 2014, the only six sacks of his career. In 2015, the Lions traded Johnson as a restricted free agent to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Advertisement
Advertisement