Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Ajayi back with Eagles
The Eagles signed running back Jay Ajayi, bringing back a key offensive player from their Super Bowl championship team two years ago.
Ajayi replaces Darren Sproles. The veteran was placed on injured reserve because of a torn right hip flexor muscle.
The Eagles’ leading rusher, Jordan Howard, has a shoulder injury and is questionable when the Eagles (5-4) host the Patriots (8-1) on Sunday. Coach Doug Pederson said Ajayi could play despite not practicing with the team.
“I like Jay, man,” right tackle Lane Johnson said Friday. “He brings a lot of energy, works hard.”
Ajayi hasn’t played in the NFL since he tore an ACL last Oct. 7. He had 592 yards rushing in 10 games in 2017, including playoffs, after the Eagles acquired him from the Dolphins midway through the season. He ran for 57 yards in the Eagles’ 41-33 win over the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
“For Sunday, I know the playbook,” Ajayi said. “My knowledge is still very high. I know what we're doing in the RB room. Nothing beats playing football and being in football shape. That's something I have to get through, and also the contact of the game. But that's what you train for and build your body up as strong as possible. I guess it's like riding a bike, and as soon as I start riding, I can pedal really fast.”
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and linebacker Nigel Bradham are out Sunday because of ankle injuries.
Callahan out: The Broncos placed cornerback Bryce Callahan on injured reserve and will bring second-year wide receiver Tim Patrick off IR to take his roster spot before their game Sunday against the Vikings.
Coach Vic Fangio said Friday that Callahan will undergo surgery soon to replace a bent screw in his right foot that was implanted last December to hold broken bones together and allow them to heal properly.
“This time we need to make sure the screw doesn’t bend,” Fangio said. “We need to go to a better hardware store.”
Callahan, who followed Fangio from Chicago to Denver last winter, signing a three-year, $21 million free agent deal, was in too much pain to play with the bent screw after getting stepped on during a practice at the team’s stadium on July 27.
Kalil still ailing: New York Jets center Ryan Kalil will miss his third straight game with an injured right knee. He was officially ruled out, along with safety Matthias Farley (quadriceps) and linebackers C.J. Mosley (groin) and Paul Worrilow (quadriceps).
“He didn’t have a setback,” coach Adam Gase said of Kalil. “We’re just trying to figure out what’s going on with him and we just thought that was the best thing to do.”
Kalil will again be replaced by Jonotthan Harrison on the starting offensive line.
“He’s been good,” Gase said. “He did a good job last game.”
Running back Le’Veon Bell missed practice Wednesday with an illness and was limited Thursday and Friday while dealing with a sore knee and ribs. He’s expected to play Sunday at Washington.
Fit to be tied: When the San Francisco 49ers took over possession with 1:50 remaining in overtime last week and Seattle out of timeouts, playing for a tie might have been a smart strategy.
The Niners had a two-game lead in the loss column in the race for the division and top seed in the NFC and wouldn’t have been hurt too much by a tie. Instead, Jimmy Garoppolo threw three straight incomplete passes, burning only 14 seconds off the clock and leaving Russell Wilson 1:36 to drive to the winning field goal in a 27-24 win.
“Obviously when you only take a few seconds off the clock and give it back, I wish I would’ve taken three knees instead of doing that,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
But Shanahan stands by his play calls, noting that a first-down pass was batted down at the line and Dante Pettis dropped a short one on second down. Had either of those been completed, the Niners would have been able to burn some more clock.
The players deferred to Shanahan’s strategy decisions, but were pleased with the chance to go for a win.
“It’s hard to play for a tie,” Garoppolo said.