LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[August 31, 2016] Aug 30 (The Sports Xchange) - Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater sustained a "significant" left knee injury during a non-contact play at practice on Tuesday.

Bridgewater dropped back to pass during a drill and planted his foot before crumpling to the ground.

The Vikings immediately stopped practice after 25 minutes and asked reporters to leave the field while medical personnel tended to Bridgewater. An ambulance drove onto the field at Winter Park for the 23-year-old Bridgewater, who was sedated and undergoing an MRI exam, according to Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer.

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The Kansas City Chiefs placed Justin Houston on the physically unable to perform list and placed fellow linebacker Josh Mauga on injured reserve.

Houston, who must sit out the first six games this season, led the league with 22 sacks in 2014 before a knee injury limited him to just 11 contests the following year. The 27-year-old finished the 2015 campaign with 30 tackles, 7.5 sacks and two interceptions.

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The Miami Dolphins placed defensive end Dion Jordan on the reserve/non-football injury list.

The move means Jordan must miss the first six weeks of the NFL season. Jordan is recovering from knee surgery.

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The San Diego Chargers reached the 75-player roster limit deadline by waiving quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

The Chargers also placed running back Branden Oliver (Achilles) and guard Donavon Clark (knee) on injured reserve and waived/injured wide receiver Javontee Herndon, defensive tackle Zamir Carlis, offensive tackle Tyler Johnstone and running back Dreamius Smith.

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The Denver Broncos released veteran punter Britton Colquitt as the team reduced its roster to 75 players.

Seventh-round draft pick Riley Dixon is expected to replace the 31-year-old Colquitt, who was the longest-tenured player on the Broncos' roster. He joined Denver in 2009 and became the team's starter the following season.

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The Los Angeles Rams released veteran defensive lineman Quinton Coples, a former first-round pick of the New York Jets.

Coples, who played defensive end through his first four NFL seasons, was attempting to make the Rams' roster as a defensive tackle. The 26-year-old was released despite forcing two fumbles and notching one sack during the preseason.

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The Arizona Cardinals parted ways with a pair of injured cornerbacks to reach the roster limit of 75 players. Arizona reached an injury settlement with veteran Alan Ball and placed rookie Elie Bouka on injured reserve.

Ball's stay with the Cardinals lasted just under four weeks, as the 31-year-old sustained a quadriceps injury a few days after signing with the club on Aug. 4. Ball recorded 18 tackles in 15 games with Chicago last season.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars released defensive end Bjoern Werner and made two other moves to reach the 75-man roster limit.

Werner, a former first-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts, was signed by the Jaguars in May. The Colts released Werner two months earlier after three disappointing seasons.

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Wide receiver Brandon Tate was released by the Cincinnati Bengals.

The eight-year veteran played in every Bengals regular-season and postseason game since joining the team as a free agent in 2011 after starting his career with the New England Patriots.

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The Baltimore Ravens moved running back Lorenzo Taliaferro to the reserve physically unable to perform list as they reduced their roster to the required 75 players.

Baltimore also waived undrafted kicker Wil Lutz and placed defensive end Bronson Kaufusi (ankle) and fellow rookie tackle Stephane Nembot (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

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The Buffalo Bills beefed up their thin linebackers unit by acquiring Lerentee McCray from the Green Bay Packers for an undisclosed draft choice.

McCray signed with the Packers in the offseason. He played 24 games for the Denver Broncos over the previous two seasons after spending the 2013 campaign on injured reserve.

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The Bills released wide receiver Greg Little was among the cuts as the team reduced its roster to 75 players.

Defensive tackles Alameda Ta'amu and Justin Zimmer, linebackers David Hawthorne and Eric Striker were joined by quarterback Austin Trainor, tight end Jimmay Mundine, long snapper Reid Ferguson and center Robert Kugler in being released by Buffalo.

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The San Francisco 49ers reduced their roster to 75 players by placing wide receiver Bruce Ellington on the injured reserve list and releasing linebacker Jason Fanaika.

Fanaika signed with San Francisco as an undrafted rookie out of the University of Utah in May. The 24-year-old recorded 88 tackles and nine sacks in 26 games over two seasons with the Utes. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

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