Jets’ Williams catches a break as injury is minor
The New York Jets — and their anxious fans — can exhale.
An MRI exam Sunday revealed that rookie defensive lineman Leonard Williams has a muscle strain behind one of his knees, and the team avoided a potentially devastating injury to its first-round draft pick.
Williams, the sixth pick overall out of USC, got hurt in the first half of the Jets’ 2818 preseason victory over the New York Giants on Saturday night. The MRI exam showed no ligament damage to Williams’ knee.
There was no immediate timetable on when Williams might return, but it isn’t expected to be a long-term injury. The Jets open the regular season Sept. 13 at home against Cleveland — giving him two weeks to rest and heal.
Brooks still out
Outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks will not practice this week with the San Francisco 49ers, who sent him away from the team after he was charged Wednesday with misdemeanor sexual battery.
Coach Jim Tomsula said Sunday there was no change in Brooks’ status.
“That’s day to day. I have not been updated on that at all, so it’s exactly where it is,” Tomsula said, adding that Brooks would not practice.
The team sent him home Thursday morning from Colorado, where the 49ers held two joint practices with the Denver Broncos before playing a preseason game against Denver on Saturday night.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged Brooks for an alleged assault Dec. 15 at the home of former teammate Ray McDonald, who on Wednesday was indicted by a grand jury for rape of an intoxicated person involving the same victim.
An arraignment had yet to be scheduled.
Exhibitions
Brian Hoyer led scoring drives on two of his first three series since being named Houston’s starting quarterback, and the Texans went on to a 27-13 victory over the Saints in New Orleans.
In Oakland, Marion Grice scored on an 11-yard run with 31 seconds left and the Arizona Cardinals beat the Raiders, 30-23, in a game in which both first-team offenses struggled.
Etc.
St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason, the likely starter while Todd Gurley rehabilitates from knee surgery, has been ruled out of the exhibition finale because of a right hamstring injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said that Mason, the primary starter last season, probably would be questionable for the opener Sept. 13 against the Seattle Seahawks. ... Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson could be out for some time because of a concussion, Coach Mike Pettine said. Johnson was injured in the first half of an exhibition Saturday against Tampa Bay when he was hit by cornerback Mike Jenkins.