NFL notes

Seattle drops James

RENTON, Wash. -- The Edgerrin James experiment in Seattle is over. The struggling Seahawks cut ties with James yesterday, releasing the backup running back who never provided the pop Seattle hoped to get when it signed the 31-year-old in late August.

James' release was one of a handful of moves Seattle made two days after a 38-17 loss that dropped the Seahawks to 2-5. Seattle also released safety C.J. Wallace and cornerback Travis Fisher.

The two-time NFL rushing champ signed with Seattle near the end of training camp hoping to revitalize a career that fell flat after moving from Indianapolis to Arizona. James gained just 125 yards on 46 carries with no scores.

McGee has surgery

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills starting cornerback Terrence McGee had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair minor damage and expects to be out for about two weeks. McGee, who hasn't missed a game this season, injured his knee during a 38-10 loss at Miami on Oct. 4.

Niners sign CB Smith

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers signed cornerback Keith Smith to a one-year contract, boosting their secondary a day after learning Nate Clements would be sidelined up to eight weeks with a broken shoulder blade.

San Francisco (3-4) also released receiver Micheal Spurlock and cut tight end Carson Butler from the practice squad.

Smith was released by Detroit before the season. The Lions selected him in the third round of the 2004 draft.

Anti-doping help sought

WASHINGTON -- Arguing that sports leagues' drug programs could be "gutted" if not protected from individual states' laws, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asked Congress to intervene with legislation and found at least one powerful ally.

Rep. Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said during a hearing that recent court decisions essentially blocking doping-related suspensions of two Minnesota Vikings players "could render the NFL and Major League Baseball drug testing programs unenforceable, loophole-ridden, and unacceptably weak and ineffective."

Yet Goodell also heard this, less-supportive, message from another lawmaker: Be careful what you wish for.

"You don't want to have 435 members of Congress writing a law that would have in any way some immediate conduct and effect on your players," Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., told Goodell at the end of the subcommittee session he chaired.

Rush urged the league and its players union to try to work out a solution.

Chiefs get Chambers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs were awarded wide receiver Chris Chambers, who was waived by San Diego, via a waiver claim. Originally a second-round pick by Miami in 2001, Chambers has made 111 starts with the Dolphins and Chargers and caught 482 passes for 6,827 yards and 53 touchdowns.

Elsewhere

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed kicker Connor Barth and released kicker Shane Andrus. Barth was cut by the Miami Dolphins in August after kicking in 10 games for Kansas City last season. The Bucs also signed cornerback Mike Mickens from the Dallas Cowboys'practice squad. To make room on the roster, cornerback Marcus McCauley was released.

• No longer needed, kicker Billy Cundiff was waived by the Cleveland Browns. Cundiff filled in while Phil Dawson missed five games with a pulled right calf muscle. Cundiff made all six field goal tries for the Browns (1-7).

The Bengals released offensive guard Scott Kooistra, ending his seven-year career in Cincinnati. Kooistra was a seventh-round pick in 2003. He appeared in 82 games with Cincinnati, including two this season. He was inactive for the other five games. -- From Wire Reports