|
 Avril, who was set to become a free agent at the end of the
season, joined the Seahawks in 2013. The 28-year-old pass rusher has
20 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery
this season, and he leads the team with 17 quarterback hits.
Avril's deal comes one day after the Seahawks signed linebacker K.J.
Wright to a four-year, $27 million contract extension.
- - -
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is listed as probable and
expected to start Sunday against the Cleveland Browns just 12 days
after a vehicle accident.
Newton missed last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he
suffered two fractures to the transverse process in his back. The
two-time Pro Bowler returned to practice Wednesday.
- - -
 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is expected to play
Saturday against the San Francisco 49ers, but running back Ryan
Mathews and wide receiver Keenan Allen will not.
Rivers, dealing with a back and rib injury, is listed as probable.
He missed practice Wednesday for the first time since 2007, but he
was back Thursday and Friday.
Mathews (ankle) and Allen (collarbone, ankle) are listed as out.
- - -
While discussing North Korea's cyber-attack and Sony's cancellation
of the release of "The Interview," President Barack Obama apparently
confused actor James Franco with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe
Flacco.
"I think it says something interesting about North Korea that they
decided to have the state mount an all-out assault on a movie studio
because of a satirical movie starring Seth Rogen and James Flacco,"
Obama said.
Social and mainstream media were all over Obama's faux pas.
A fake James Flacco account on Twitter offered this: "I'd be more
bummed about Sony yanking my movie, but I'm having the best season
of my career."
- - -
The Buffalo Bills activated running back C.J. Spiller and he is
expected to play against the Raiders on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Spiller has missed the last seven games with a
broken clavicle.
- - -
[to top of second column] |
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr will have season-ending
knee surgery, coach Mike Zimmer said.
Barr missed the last two games with the injury, which Zimmer called
a "slight meniscus tear."
- - -
The Washington Redskins placed safety Brandon Meriweather on injured
reserve, meaning he will miss the team's final two games of the
season.
Meriweather had missed the last two games with a toe injury, and had
a setback in practice Wednesday that led to an MRI. He had 55
tackles, three sacks and three forced fumbles this season.
- - -
Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss was fined $22,050 by the NFL on
Friday for directing abusive and insulting language toward a
referee.
Moss was ejected from the Redskins' 24-13 loss to the New York
Giants last Sunday after he argued vehemently when referee Jeff
Triplette reversed a touchdown run by quarterback Robert Griffin
III.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo was docked $16,537 for
a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy
Dalton.
San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid was fined $10,000 for an
unnecessary roughness penalty for hitting Seattle Seahawks wide
receiver Doug Baldwin out of bounds.
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey was assessed $8,268
for punching New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith in the head.
New England Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner was fined $8,268 for
shoving Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Gibson to the ground, and
Gibson was fined $11,025 for taunting Browner. (Editing by Gene
Cherry)
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