Tuesday’s NFL: Jake Butt might be headed back to injury list
Englewood, Colo. — Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt has had another setback in his return from a third ACL injury and might be headed back to injured reserve.
Butt played 11 snaps in Denver’s preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend in his first game action since last September, and he caught a pair of passes.
He hasn’t practiced since then, however, because of pain and swelling in his surgically repaired left knee, symptoms that also sidelined him for three weeks earlier this summer.
Butt “may miss some time,” coach Vic Fangio said Tuesday. “His knee, when he starts to feel good and plays or practices, then it flares back up again.”
Fangio said IR is a possibility for Butt but not a certainty.
Injuries to Butt and four other offensive players are complicating the Broncos’ 53-man roster decisions.
Also injured are QB Drew Lock (thumb), right guard Ronald Leary (knee), receiving back and former Lion Theo Riddick (shoulder), and fullback Andy Janovich (chest).
Patriots center sidelined
With time growing short before their season opener against the Steelers, the Patriots have an unexpected hole in the middle of their offensive line following the weekend hospitalization of starting center David Andrews because of blood clots in his lung.
Andrews, 27, was released from the hospital Monday night, according to the Boston Globe.
The team has not released a statement on Andrews’ situation, nor has it confirmed his medical condition. Andrews’ hospitalization was first reported by The Athletic, hours after Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s news conference Monday.
Andrews, a fifth-year veteran who joined the Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Georgia, has started 57 of the 60 games he has played. After seeing limited action in 2015, he beat out starter Bryan Stork to start the 2016 season and was named a team captain in 2017 and 2018.
Andrews missed the first few days of practice in training camp this year because of an undisclosed injury, but he gradually increased his participation before playing 28 snaps at center in the Patriots’ preseason game against Carolina last Thursday.
Newton to play in opener
Panthers coach Ron Rivera says “there’s no doubt in my mind” that Cam Newton will play in the team’s regular season opener against the Rams.
Rivera says the 30-year-old QB has made “good strides” after suffering a mid-foot sprain in last Thursday night’s preseason game against at New England.
Newton threw on the side field Tuesday but did not practice. Rivera expects Newton will return to practice when the Panthers begin preparations for the opener against the Rams on Sept. 8.
Ex-NFLer charged
A former defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks has been charged with illegally possessing firearms.
The U.S. attorney’s office said Monday in announcing the charges against 40-year-old Saousoalii Siavii Jr. that he was twice stunned with a Taser after he resisted arrest when he was taken into custody in August.
The confrontation began after Siavii was spotted exiting a vehicle reported stolen. Prosecutors say he fought off officers in the Kansas City suburb of Independence before being restrained. Siavii was in possession of a gun, ammunition, methamphetamine and marijuana.
The criminal complaint says he’s been arrested twice before while in possession of illegal drugs and loaded firearms.
The federal public defender representing Siavii didn’t immediately return an email message from The Associated Press.
Extra points
DeSean Jackson broke his left ring finger at practice Tuesday, but the Eagles wide receiver said he should be ready to go when the season opens Sept. 8.
Jackson was in visible discomfort as he sat in his locker stall after practice. He had a brace on the finger when he left the NovaCare Complex later.
... The Cardinals have released veteran defensive lineman Terrell McClain and signed offensive lineman Jacob Ohnesorge.
The 31-year-old McClain has played eight NFL seasons, most recently with the Atlanta Falcons last year.
The 6-foot-2, 294-pound Ohnesorge spent the 2018 preseason with the Cowboys and played in college at South Dakota State.
... Wide receiver Jaelen Strong has been waived by the Browns.
The 26-year-old Strong was hoping to catch on with the Browns after missing last season following knee surgery.