NFL notes: Knee injury sidelines Vinatieri 4-8 weeks

INDIANAPOLIS - Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri will be out four to eight weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and the team waived starting defensive tackle Ed Johnson yesterday to make room for a new kicker.

Indianapolis signed veteran Matt Stover to replace the reliable Vinatieri, who had a piece of cartilage removed during the surgery.

The bigger surprise was Johnson. It's the second time he has been released by the Colts in 13 months. He was let go in September 2008 following an arrest on drug possession charges, and the Colts' run defense struggled the rest of the season.

Colts coach Jim Caldwell said the release this time was for a different reason: performance. "Just overall, it was production. It was a lack thereof," Caldwell said.

Limbaugh dropped from Rams-bid group

ST. LOUIS - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was dropped from a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams.

Limbaugh was to be a limited partner in a group headed by St. Louis Blues chairman Dave Checketts. Checketts said Limbaugh's participation had become a complication in the group's efforts and the bid will continue without him.

Checketts said he will have no further comment on the bid process.

Limbaugh's bid ran into opposition within the league Tuesday when Colts owner Jim Irsay vowed to vote against him. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the commentator's "divisive" comments would not be tolerated from any NFL insider.

Limbaugh resigned from ESPN's Sunday night broadcast team in 2003 after he made remarks about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb that were seen as racially insensitive.

Team owners table free agency window

BOSTON - For now, the NFL won't be creating an offseason window when teams can negotiate with free agents even before the players actually become available.

Team owners tabled discussions until the winter meetings next March, but the issue is not dead. Indeed, there is support for establishing a short period just before free agency begins, usually in early March, when teams can talk to, but not meet with or sign, players whose contracts have expired. Such a window could ease concerns about teams making early contact with those players, which constitutes tampering - something the Tennessee Titans intimated the Washington Redskins might have done with Albert Haynesworth last winter.

Injury ends season for Steelers' Smith

PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith will miss the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, an injury that significantly weakens what was the NFL's best defense the last two seasons.

The Steelers placed Smith on the injured reserve list. He is scheduled to have surgery later this week. To replace Smith on their 53-man roster, the Steelers re-signed Ra'Shon "Sunny" Harris, a sixth-round draft pick that they cut in September. Harris had been on the Carolina Panthers' practice squad.

Crabtree to make debut at Houston

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Michael Crabtree will make his NFL debut in his home state as planned. The San Francisco 49ers' rookie wide receiver is set to take the field for the first time at Houston on Oct. 25 following the team's bye week.

Coach Mike Singletary said when Crabtree signed last week he expected Crabtree to be ready by next weekend, and the coach is pleased with the progress he's made so far in practice.

Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye has said he plans to use Crabtree as a slot receiver on third downs against the Texans.

Injured Harvin kept out of practice

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin was kept out of practice with a shoulder injury.The team won't say which shoulder he hurt, but Harvin appeared to hurt his left shoulder in Sunday's win at St. Louis.

Harvin's 233 yards receiving are tied for the most on the team. He also hurt his right shoulder while making a catch on the last day of training camp in August and missed the first preseason game.

In another Vikings development, the NFL asked a full federal appeals court to hear the case involving two Minnesota players who violated the league's anti-doping policy, saying the issue has to be settled to avoid different standards for players in different states.

Last month, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals essentially allowed Kevin Williams and Pat Williams to continue playing while the case proceeds in state court.

The panel's ruling, however, left two New Orleans Saints players who violated the same policy subject to suspension. The NFL has allowed Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith to play, but contends a uniform policy is needed across the nation.

Minnesota also dropped quarterback John David Booty from the practice squad to make room for a new offensive lineman. The Vikings signed tackle Clint Oldenburg to the practice squad on Tuesday.

Rossum joins Dallas

IRVING, Texas - Allen Rossum is going home to return kicks. The Dallas native joined the Dallas Cowboys two days after being released by San Francisco so the 49ers could make room on their roster for Crabtree.

Rossum, 33, is second in NFL history with 14,987 return yards.

Elsewhere

• The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Langston Walker and waived fullback Oren O'Neal with an injury. Walker was a second-round pick by Oakland in 2002 and spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Raiders. He left to sign a five-year, $25 million contract with Buffalo before the 2007 season and was cut by the Bills the week before this season started.

• New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery missed practice because of a hamstring injury, and his status for the team's game against Buffalo is uncertain. Cotchery sat out two days of practice last week, but played at Miami on Monday night and had one catch for 4 yards. Coach Rex Ryan said Cotchery likely wouldn't practice today.

• Chicago Bears rookie offensive lineman Lance Louis is facing a misdemeanor assault charge for an incident that happened while he was playing at San Diego State. The city attorney's office filed the charge against Louis, and his arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 23 in San Diego. Authorities said Louis assaulted SDSU teammate Nick Sandford in a team meeting room last fall. Sandford suffered a concussion, broken eardrum and fractured cheekbone. The charge is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.

• Detroit signed defensive back Demarcus Faggins and wide receiver John Standeford. Faggins played the previous seven seasons for the Houston Texans, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2002 with the 173rd overall pick. He has played in 82 games with 36 starts, recording five interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Standeford played in nine games for Detroit in 2008, starting four. He had 15 receptions for 244 yards.

• San Diego released starting strong safety Clinton Hart in order to sign defensive tackle Ian Scott. The Chargers need depth on the defensive line because of the loss of tackle Jamal Williams, out for the season with a triceps injury.

• Miami signed running back Kory Sheets off the 49ers' practice squad. Sheets took the roster spot of running back Patrick Cobbs, who was placed on injured reserve with a left knee injury.