Cutler to sign with Dolphins
With Ryan Tannehill out with a knee injury, the Miami Dolphins have turned to former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.
Jay Cutler has decided to postpone retirement for the chance to be Ryan Tannehill’s replacement.
Cutler agreed to terms Sunday on a contract with the Miami Dolphins. He is expected to sign a $10 million, one-year deal.
Cutler will compete with Matt Moore for a starting job while Tannehill remains out with a left knee injury that could sideline him for the entire season.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase was offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears when Cutler had a careerbest quarterback rating with them in 2015. Gase joined Miami in 2016, and Cutler parted with Chicago in March after eight seasons.
Tannehill, who missed the final four games of last season with two sprained ligaments in his knee, reinjured it a week into training camp Thursday. The damage is similar last year’s injury, a personal familiar with the diagnosis said, which has left the Dolphins consulting with specialists to determine whether surgery is the best option for Tannehill.
Collins suspended 10 games
For the second straight year, Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins will be suspended for the start of the season for a violation of the league’s policy on performance enhancers.
The NFL announced Sunday that Collins has been suspended without pay for the first 10 games of the 2017 season. He was suspended for the first four games in 2016.
Collins, a second-round pick in 2015, has said he failed drug tests at Louisiana State. The suspension will be costly to the Falcons’ depth. Collins started six games last season and had two interceptions. He moved into the lineup after star cornerback Desmond Trufant was placed on IR with a torn pectoral muscle.
Jaguars release Sample
The Jacksonville Jaguars have released oft-injured safety James Sample, a fourth-round draft pick in 2015.
The Jaguars parted ways with Sample on Sunday, after he missed two practices with an apparent injury. The team signed journeyman Jeron Johnson to fill Sample’s roster spot.
Sample, who played in college at Washington and Louisville, has spent most of his NFL career on injured reserve. He played in four games as a rookie before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury and sat out all of last year with an elbow injury.
Johnson has played in 64 NFL games with Seattle (2011-14, 2016), Washington (2015) and Kansas City (2016). Current Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash was on Seattle’s staff in 2011-12.
Radcliff added to Titans roster
The Tennessee Titans have added running back Brandon Radcliff and have waived injured linebacker Victor Ochi.
Radcliff, an undrafted free agent from Louisville, had been waived by the Indianapolis Colts in June.
Radcliff, who is 5-foot-9 and 206 pounds, rushed for 2,365 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry during his Louisville career. He had nine 100-yard performances, including a 118-yard game in a victory over Florida State last season.
Heyward back healthy
Cam Heyward vividly remembers a December road game last season at Cincinnati, where the Pittsburgh Steelers were quickly running out of healthy bodies along the defensive line.
Heyward was already sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle for a game the Steelers won by four points. He saw teammates along the line start to fall because of injury.
He doesn’t think the Steelers will have that problem this season. Heyward is back and ready to anchor a young unit that gained depth and experience in his absence.
“We can go into the game with three nose tackles or six or seven ends because guys can play multiple positions,” Heyward said. “It just gives us depth and if someone gets injured, we don’t feel like we’re cramming around.