Bengals sign Tyler Wilson to shore up quarterback spot.
BENGALS
Former Hog Wilson signed
CINCINNATI — The Bengals signed free-agent quarterback Tyler Wilson (Arkansas Razorbacks, Greenwood) on Saturday, two days after second-string quarterback Jason Campbell bruised his passing elbow.
The Bengals needed someone to throw in training camp and the preseason games because rookie AJ McCarron has been sidelined by a sore passing shoulder. Andy Dalton played briefly in the preseason opener against the Chiefs and is expected to get a lot more time next Saturday against the Jets at Paul Brown Stadium.
Wilson was Oakland’s fourthround pick in 2013, when he was on the practice squad most of the season. Tennessee signed him late off the Raiders’ practice squad late in the season and waived him last week.
CHIEFS
TE Kelce returns
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — As tight end Travis Kelce walked down the hill and onto the practice fields at Missouri Western, the crowd that turned up at sunrise for Saturday’s practice gave him a round of applause.
After spending all of last season on injured reserve and dealing with a knee injury that many though could jeopardize his playing career, Kelce finally showed a glimpse of his potential in the Chiefs’ preseason opener. The athletic Kelce got loose over the middle, hauled in a pass and then out-ran the entire Bengals secondary on what turned into a 69yard touchdown reception.
It was exactly the kind of play the Chiefs envisioned Kelce making when he was chosen in the third round out of Cincinnati, and it was why the fans Saturday were cheering him on.
“I think everyone is extremely happy for Travis. The guy’s been through a lot,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “It’s been a long time since he’s seen some action, but everyone can verify, the guy never leaves the facility.”
Tight ends figure prominently in Coach Andy Reid’s spread offense, just as they do throughout the league these days. Their ability to stretch the field helps take pressure off wide receivers such as Dwayne Bowe, and it loosens up defenses for running back Jamaal Charles.
The problem is that while starting tight end Anthony Fasano is dependable, he’s also better at run blocking than receiving. So when Kelce hurt his knee last season and required microfracture surgery, it deprived the Chiefs of their best down-field option off the line of scrimmage.
“With Travis being back, and the emergence of Demetrius Harris and Richard Gordon is in the mix, these guys are athletic and they compete,” offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. “They give us that explosiveness at the tight end position.”
BRONCOS No rush for backs ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos are content to wait for running backs Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson to heal.
Coach John Fox said Saturday he doesn’t plan to bring in any free-agent running backs in light of Ball’s appendectomy or Anderson’s concussion.
“We are always looking to improve the team,” he said. “That goes on 24/7, 365, really, but right now there is nothing pressing,”
Fox said the Broncos feel good about the backs they have. That group includes just one back who has played in an NFL game, Ronnie Hillman, plus three undrafted free agents in Juwan Thompson, Brennan Clay and Kapri Bibbs and first-year pro Jerodis Williams, who played for Minnesota in last year’s preseason.
CHARGERS Several sit out practice SAN DIEGO — The Chargers returned to practice Saturday ready to recuperate after their first preseason game.
“The most important thing is to get them back into the flow of things,” Coach Mike McCoy said. “They are sore, there are bumps and bruises from playing a physical game. A lot of guys played a lot of snaps.”
Not everyone was back in action two days after San Diego beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-7. Among those sitting out of practice were defensive end Lawrence Guy, defensive backs Brandon Flowers and Marcus Cromartie, wide receivers Vincent Brown and Tevin Reese, and offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger.
The Chargers declined to disclose their injuries or when they might return.
Outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and defensive end Corey Liuget practiced after missing Thursday’s game.
San Diego released injured linebacker Alvin Scioneaux and signed free-agent linebacker Victor Aiyewa. Aiyewa, 6-1, 219, played in five games with the Green Bay Packers last season and had four tackles. Aiyewa, who also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before going to the Packers, is expected to play inside linebacker for the Chargers.
“He was the guy we had targeted on our list to bring him in,” McCoy said.
Scioneaux hurt his knee in Thursday’s game and will be placed on injured reserve if he clears waivers.
RAMS Bradford expected soon ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Rams Coach Jeff Fisher expects Sam Bradford to play in next week’s preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, the quarterback’s first time facing competition since he injured his left knee last October.
Fisher said Saturday that he hasn’t decided how much Bradford will play against the Packers on Aug. 16. Out of 18 players the Rams held out of Friday night’s preseason opener against New Orleans, Fisher said 15 or 16 should play next week.
Bradford has declared himself fully healthy after surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament last year.
Fisher said he believes that holding so many starters out of the game likely contributed to his team’s 14 penalties in the 26-24 loss. He also saw too many mental mistakes and missed tackles.