Bills give up on Benjamin
The Buffalo Bills cut Kelvin Benjamin with four weeks left in the season in an indication of how poorly the receiver underperformed during his 13 months with the team.
The move, announced by the Bills yesterday, came as a surprise only in its timing for a player who was not expected to be re-signed by the team once his contract expired following this season.
Benjamin had just 23 catches on 62 targets for 354 yards and one touchdown, and was knocked for several drops as well as running poor routes this season.
Skins mulled Kaep
The possibility of bringing in Colin Kaepernick for a tryout was “discussed” by the quarterback-needy Washington Redskins, according to coach Jay Gruden, who said the team made a “strictly football” decision to look elsewhere.
“Isn’t it obvious what the real reason is?” Kaepernick’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
Kaepernick, who led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, hasn’t played since the 2016 season, when he began kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and social and racial injustice. He filed a grievance against the NFL last year, saying team owners colluded to keep him off rosters.
Gruden told reporters during a conference call that there would have been “a greater possibility” of considering Kaepernick for a roster spot if the Redskins were in need of a QB in Week 1 rather than at this stage of the season.
Washington quarterback Colt McCoy had surgery yesterday after fracturing his right fibula in a 28-13 loss at the Eagles on Monday night. McCoy had replaced Alex Smith as the starting quarterback after Smith broke his right leg in a game last month and was ruled out for the season.
Gruden said McCoy would not go on injured reserve immediately because there is a slight chance he might be able to return to action by Week 17.
Conner will sit
The Pittsburgh Steelers will head to Oakland without running back James Conner.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Conner is dealing with a sprained left ankle and will not play when the AFC North leaders take on the last-place Raiders.
The Raiders signed free agent defensive end Damontre Moore and waived defensive end Fadol Brown ....
Tight end A.J. Derby has been placed on injured reserve by the Miami Dolphins, who claimed rookie defensive back Dee Delaney off waivers.
Derby has been hampered by a foot injury and played in only four games, including the first three.
Official put on leave
The NFL has placed official Roy Ellison on administrative leave while it investigates an accusation that he called Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes a vulgar name during Buffalo’s game at Miami on Sunday.
The league confirmed Ellison’s status and the investigation but provided no other details. . . .
Niners long snapper Kyle Nelson has been suspended 10 games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. . . .
Long snapper Josh Harris is done for the year because of a hip injury. becoming the eighth Atlanta Falcon to land on IR. The Falcons signed longtime Oakland long snapper Jon Condo ....
The Denver Broncos signed cornerback Jamar Taylor with star corner Chris Harris Jr. out with a chip fracture in his lower right leg.