A.D. makes Saints debut
Former Oklahoma star Adrian Peterson started in the backfield for the New Orleans Saints on Monday against his old team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The New England Patriots are replacing their artificial turf field after just one regular-season game because of what some players said was a surface with too much give.
Since it was installed in May, the field also has been used by the New England Revolution soccer team.
“While it met the safety requirements of the NFL and MLS, it wasn’t up to the standards of the Patriots and the Revolution,” Patriots spokesman Stacey James said. “This was the first time all summer that we had a twoweek window to replace it.”
ESPN first reported the decision. On Monday, the playing surface at Gillette Stadium was bare, and the tunnel where the players come out was filled with hundreds of bags of small rubber pellets used to mimic the feel of a natural grass field.
The Patriots play the Saints in New Orleans this weekend and return the following Sunday to play the Houston Texans.
“It will be good to have some new turf out there,” said Patriots running back James White, who agreed that the field was softer than players would prefer. “But like Bill (Belichick) says, you’ve got to play on ... whatever’s out there.”
A survey of NFL players in 2006 voted the Patriots’ field as one of the two worst in the league. After several rainy games in which players kept losing their footing, the team tore up the grass and replaced it with artificial turf.
The surface was replaced several times since then, most recently in May with a strain of FieldTurf the team said “plays soft, feels real, looks great and hangs tough.”
49ers’ Foster suffers ankle sprain
The San Francisco 49ers could be without promising rookie linebacker Reuben Foster for multiple games after he suffered a high ankle sprain in his debut against the Carolina Panthers, coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Foster had to be carted off the field following his 11th snap as a pro when his right ankle twisted underneath him as he tried to tackle fellow rookie Christian McCaffrey late in the first quarter.
The 2016 Butkus Award Winner was the story of 49ers training camp, ascending to the starting lineup after veteran free agent addition Malcolm Smith went down with a season-ending pectoral injury.
Rams punter signs two-year contract extension
Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker, arguably the team’s most valuable player last season, has signed a two-year contract extension. Hekker, a threetime Pro Bowl selection, is now signed through the 2022 season. The twoyear extension includes $10 million in guarantees, according to several reports.
Hekker ranked first in the NFL in punting yards the last two seasons.
On Sunday, he punted five times in the Rams’ 46-9 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. All of his kicks were inside the 20-yard line, including one each at the six, seven and 10.
Broncos ‘beef up’ defense
The Denver Broncos beefed up their depleted defensive line before kickoff Monday by signing rookie nose tackle Tyrique “Pot Roast Jr.” Jarrett to their active roster and waiving Kyle Peko.
Jarrett, generously listed as packing 335 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, had four tackles in the preseason after being signed as a college free agent in May from the University of Pittsburgh.
His arrival this spring was met by as much excitement from teammates as the additions of veterans Domata Peko and Zach Kerr in free agency.