Kendricks, despite guilty plea, gets job

The Seattle Seahawks have signed linebacker Mychal Kendricks despite his recent guilty plea on insider trading charges.

The Seahawks announced the signing Friday, raising the possibility Kendricks, a former Cal player, will be able to play on Monday night when Seattle plays at Chicago. Kendricks visited with the Seahawks on Thursday and a deal was agreed upon.

Kendricks’ signing is largely because of injury concerns at linebacker. Seattle is without K.J. Wright after minor knee surgery late in the preseason, and Bobby Wagner is dealing with a groin injury suffered in the opener that kept him out of practice on Thursday.

Kendricks signed a oneyear contract with the Cleveland Browns in June after winning a Super Bowl title last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kendricks pleaded guilty last week to insider trading charges in Philadelphia. His sentencing is expected in January.

The Browns released him Aug. 29, after the charges were filed.

MIXON SIDELINED >> Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon will undergo a procedure to remove a small particle in his knee that was dislodged Thursday night, according to ESPN. com. The procedure, which will take place today, is expected to sideline Mixon for two weeks. ROETHLISBERGER BACK TO PRACTICE >> Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned under center after missing the previous two practices with a bruised right elbow. He is officially listed on the injury report as questionable to play, but Roethlisberger’s teammates expect him to be on the field for the Steelers’ home opener Sunday against Kansas City. TITANS MAY PLAY TWO QBS >> Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Friday he expects to play both starting quarterback Marcus Mariota and backup Blaine Gabbert in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans. Mariota didn’t throw during the open portion of practice Friday for the second straight day and was listed as limited and questionable on the team’s final injury report. Mariota injured his elbow on a hit from William Hayes while carrying out a fake on a run-pass option play during a seasonopening 27-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

ANOTHER KEY PLAYER OUT FOR FALCONS >> The Atlanta Falcons will be missing another key starter for Sunday’s game against Carolina. Two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman was ruled out after missing the entire week of practice with a knee injury, another blow to a team that was already reeling from injuries to defensive stalwarts Keanu Neal and Deion Jones. RODGERS QUESTIONABLE >> Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is questionable for Sunday’s NFC North showdown with Minnesota.

Rodgers, who missed the end of the first half of the Week 1 victory against Chicago with an injured left knee, did not practice Wednesday and Thursday and would not have practiced on Friday.

Boxing

CANELO, GOLOVKIN LACE GO AT IT AGAIN >> Canelo Alvarez has gone to bed the last few months thinking about how he’s going to knock out Gennady Golovkin in their middleweight title rematch. To wake up Sunday as the 160-pound champion, though, he’ll have to take some chances he didn’t in his first fight with Golovkin a year ago. And that could be a real problem against a fearsome puncher who has knocked out 34 fighters in his 39 professional fights.

Alvarez and Golovkin get another chance to settle what they couldn’t last September when they meet in a rematch of their first fight, which ended in a draw. They do so tonight on the Las Vegas Strip not as the gentleman fighters they portrayed themselves to be then, but as bitter rivals who legitimately seem to dislike each other.

Motors

JONES TAKES VEGAS POLE >> Erik Jones surprised the field by winning the pole for the opening race of the NASCAR Cup series playoffs, turning a lap in 28.705 seconds and narrowly edging Joey Logano. Jones opened the first weekend of NASCAR’s 10-race postseason by earning his second career pole in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Golf

ROOKIE SHARES LEAD IN LPGA MAJOR >> Tour rookie Maria Torres shared the four-way lead after two rounds in her second major tournament. Torres, the first Puerto Rican to earn an LPGA Tour card, shot a 2-under 69 before Amy Olson (65), Mo Martin (66) and Mi Hyang Lee (66) matched her 8-under 134 at the Evian Championship in Evian-LesBains, France.

NHL

INJURY FORCES WINGS’

ZETTERBERG TO RETIRE >> The Detroit Red Wings and Henrik Zetterberg say his professional hockey career is over because of a back injury. The team and Zetterberg made the announcement at the team’s training camp in Traverse City, Michigan.

NBA

PROSECUTOR TO REVIEW

CLUB INCIDENT INVOLVING ROCKETS’ HARDEN >> Prosecutors are reviewing allegations that Houston Rockets star James Harden took a woman’s cellphone outside a Scottsdale, Arizona, nightclub last month. Police told The Arizona Republic that a city prosecutor is looking at their investigation. The 42-year-old woman reported that she was recording a fight Aug. 11 when Harden grabbed her by the wrist. She says he then grabbed her cellphone and threw it onto the roof.

Skating

ZHOU FOURTH IN SALT LAKE CITY >> Nam Nguyen of Canada swept the men’s short and free skate programs for the victory at the U.S. International Classic in Salt Lake City. Former Bay Area skater Vincent Zhou moved up to finish fourth after being in sixth place following the short program. Americans Ashley Cain and Timothy Leduc took the pairs title, holding off Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov of the United States.

Tennis

CROATIA UP 2-0 ON U.S. >> Borna Coric pulled off a through-the-legs lob shot winner that drew bows from the crowd in the Davis Cup semifinals in Zadar, Croatia. Early in the third set of a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Steve Johnson, Coric ran down a lob and replied with a shot known as a “tweener” that flew over the head of his 6-foot-2 (1.88-meter) opponent and landed within inches of the baseline. Marin Cilic gave Croatia a 2-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over Frances Tiafoe.