Rookie Warren Fined $35,000 for Rough Hit

The NFL delivered its own hard shot on Gerard Warren on Thursday and this one wasn’t cheap.

Cleveland’s rookie defensive tackle was fined $35,000 for his hit on Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell in the Browns’ victory over the Jaguars on Sunday.

Warren was fined by the league for hitting Brunell “in the most dangerous possible way.”

“I was just doing my job,” Warren countered.

The league didn’t think so, and also fined three Jaguars for their actions in that game: linebacker Kevin Hardy $10,000 for stepping on quarterback Tim Couch’s hand; and Sean Dawkins and Damon Jones $5,000 each for taunting.

And the league, which is cracking down on rough play this season, fined Oakland linebacker Elijah Alexander one game’s pay for his hit on Seahawk quarterback Trent Dilfer last weekend.

In announcing the ruling, the league said Warren was fined “for both unnecessary contact on a passer after a change of possession and unnecessary roughness.”

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Baltimore Raven linebacker Ray Lewis missed a second consecutive day of practice to receive treatment for elbow tendinitis, but expects to play Sunday.

Lewis, listed as questionable in the injury report for the Super Bowl champions’ game with the Tennessee Titans, sat out Wednesday’s workout with what was described as a virus.

“It’s just a little tendinitis in the elbow, nothing major,” he said.

“I’m questionable, but the elbow is all right. It’s not at its best, but I’ll deal with it.”

Lewis, the NFL defensive player of year, leads Baltimore with 29 tackles. He’s the cornerstone of a Baltimore defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 40 games, including the postseason.

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The New England Patriots have asked the league for a one-to two-week roster exemption for receiver Terry Glenn as he gets back into shape after a four-game suspension.

The exemption would allow Glenn to practice and train with the team without the Patriots cutting someone from the 53-man roster to make room for Glenn.

Glenn’s suspension is over after the Patriots play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Glenn has said he’s kept in shape during the suspension and will be ready to play immediately.

The NFL suspended Glenn on Aug. 3 for four games for violating its substance abuse policy. He left the team without permission the day it was announced, and on Aug. 15, Coach Bill Belichick suspended him for the season because of his absence. That suspension was overturned by an arbitrator.

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The NFL has fined nine members of the St. Louis Rams $5,000 each for violating the league’s uniform rules during last weekend’s victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The league fined fullback James Hodgins, cornerback Dexter McCleon, and safeties Adam Archuleta, Kim Herring and Rich Coady for wearing socks either too high or too low.

Wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, and defensive backs Dre’ Bly and Jacoby Shepherd received fines for wearing pants that failed to cover their knees.