Browns on hold
Cleveland delays decision on picking between quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel.
Cleveland first-year Coach Mike Pettine still hasn’t chosen his Week 1 starting quarterback, and that’s not his fault. Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel haven’t convinced him — or anyone, really — that they deserve the job.
Pettine had been expected to announce during a teleconference on Tuesday whether Hoyer, the inexperienced veteran and hometown hero coming back from knee surgery, or Manziel, the hyped rookie and former Heisman Trophy winner, would start the Sept. 7 opener at Pittsburgh.
Pettine’s choice grew tougher after Hoyer and Manziel both played poorly in a 24-23 exhibition loss at Washington on Monday night and Manziel at one point f lipped off Washington’s bench.
The decision could carry through Cleveland’s third preseason game, against the St. Louis Rams on Saturday, Pettine said. Steelers plan to re-sign Keisel
The Pittsburgh Steelers are planning to re-sign defensive end Brett Keisel to bolster a reconfigured line that has struggled in the preseason.
The Steelers decided not to re-sign Keisel in the offseason after he finished with four sacks in 12 games in 2013. But Keisel, who turns 36 on Sept. 19, was effective when healthy last season.
Also, the Steelers and offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert reached agreement on a six-year contract that runs through the 2019 season. Etc.
Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu came off the physically unable to perform list Tuesday. The club said nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu, who tore an ACL in the final game last season, has also come off the list. Mathieu is coming back from surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee. ... The Minnesota Vikings and former punter Chris Kluwe have reached a settlement averting a lawsuit over Kluwe’s claim that the team wrongfully released him last year because of his outspoken support for same-sex marriage rights. ... Vikings wide receiver Jerome Simpson has appealed a pending three-game suspension for a repeat violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. ... NFL teams can carry 10 players on their practice squads for the next two seasons. The league and the players’ union agreed to increase the number of practice squad members from eight to 10.