NFL notes

LITTLE ROCK — SAINTS

Storm forces change

METAIRIE, La. - The New Orleans Saints changed their practice and travel plans Monday, heading for Cincinnati as Tropical Storm Isaac headed for the Gulf Coast.

Interim coach Joe Vitt called off practice and meetings so players could evacuate their families. The Saints also contacted the Cincinnati Bengals and got approval to practice at Paul Brown Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

The Saints are scheduled to play their final preseason game Thursday in Tennessee. The team considered flying there directly ahead of the storm, but couldn’t work out the logistics. Instead, they decided to make a stop in Cincinnati.

“Joe, who’s kind of running the show now, has been a good friend for a long time,” Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis said after his team’s practice Monday. “So it works out well. We’ve talked a couple of times already.”

Lewis offered to hold a joint workout with the Saints, but New Orleans decided on a separate practice. The Bengals will practice in the morning before heading to Indianapolis for their final preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night.

The latest National Weather Service forecast has Isaac coming ashore on the Mississippi Gulf Coast just east of Louisiana tonight or Wednesday morning with maximum sustained winds of about 100 mph. Each updated forecast has had the storm landing farther west than the previous one.

Vitt decided to give his players time to take care of their families. The Saints haven’t practiced since their 34-27 preseason victory over Houston on Saturday night in New Orleans. Drew Brees was 17 of 25 for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game.

BILLS Young released

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Vince Young was too inconsistent to win the Buffalo Bills backup job, so now the team’s giving Tarvaris Jackson a shot to prove himself.

The Bills shuffled backup quarterbacks Monday by completing a deal to acquire Jackson in a trade with Seattle. They then cut Young. The moves coincided with the Seahawks deeming Jackson expendable after naming rookie Russell Wilson their starter, and it came two days after Young struggled in his bid to lockup the No. 2 job in a 38-7 preseason loss to Pittsburgh.

Jackson will likely get a chance to play in the Bills’ preseason finale at Detroit on Thursday.

RAMS/JETS Teams swap right tackles

NEW YORK - The New York Jets and St. Louis Rams swapped struggling right tackles Monday night as New York acquired Jason Smith from St. Louis for Wayne Hunter.

Both the Jets and Kenny Zuckerman, Hunter’s agent, confirmed the deal, adding that it was pending physicals today.

Smith was the No. 2 overall pick by the Rams in the 2009 draft, but failed to live up to lofty expectations and lost his starting job. Free agent Barry Richardson has started at right tackle all preseason ahead of Smith, who has been plagued by concussion problems and ineffectiveness throughout his career.

Hunter was demoted to the jumbo tight end spot and replaced by Austin Howard last week after struggling in the first two games of the preseason while coming off a rough first year as the Jets’ starter at right tackle.

DOLPHINS Long suffers knee injury

DAVIE, Fla. - Miami Dolphins tackle Jake Long, who battled injuries all last season, is hobbled again.

Long left practice Monday after hurting his right knee when he went down in a pile on a pass play. A magnetic resonance imaging showed the injury wasn’t serious, said a person familiar with the diagnosis, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins didn’t comment on the injury.

Back trouble slowed Long last season, and he went on injured reserve before the final game because of a torn right biceps. He nonetheless was chosen a Pro Bowl starter at left tackle for the third consecutive year.

Although Long has missed only two games in four NFL seasons, he has dealt with knee trouble in the past and wore a brace on his right knee Monday. Any absence would be especially worrisome with rookie Ryan Tannehill preparing to make his first NFL start in the season opener Sept. 9.

COWBOYS Bryant under close watch

IRVING, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys are trying to provide some guidance for Dez Bryant, the talented young receiver who has had issues off the field.

Coach Jason Garrett wouldn’t go into specifics Monday or describe potential discipline for not abiding by the rules, but he said the Cowboys want to support Bryant and his family.

“What we’ve tried to do is come up with a plan for Dez like we would for any player who we feel like needs our support, and help him be his best as a player and as a person,” Garrett said. “And the accountability factor is an important part of that with him and with anybody on our football team.”

According to numerous reports, Bryant will attend weekly counseling sessions, have a full-time security team and not be allowed to consume alcohol or attend strip clubs. The security members will drive Bryant to team functions, including practices and games, and the receiver also will be subject to a curfew.

Bryant was arrested in July for allegedly assaulting his mother, who has since said she doesn’t want authorities to pursue charges against him. The Dallas County district attorney’s office has yet to make a decision about misdemeanor family violence charges.

There is still the chance that the NFL could discipline Bryant, who is going into his third season with the Cowboys.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press in an e-mail Monday that the league “will review the facts once the case is resolved by the court.” He said the team’s guidelines for Bryant will have nothing to do with league discipline.

Exhibition glance SUNDAY’S GAMES San Francisco 29, Denver 24 Carolina 17, NY Jets 12 WEDNESDAY’S GAMES All times Central Tampa Bay at Washington, 6 p.m.

New England at NY Giants, 6 p.m.

Miami at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES Atlanta at Jacksonville, 5:30 p.m.

NY Jets at Philadelphia, 5:35 p.m.

Minnesota at Houston, 6 p.m.

Baltimore at St. Louis, 6 p.m.

Kansas City at Green Bay, 6 p.m.

New Orleans at Tennessee, 6 p.m.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 6 p.m.

Buffalo at Detroit, 6 p.m.

Chicago at Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.

Carolina at Pittsburgh, 6:30 p.m.

Oakland at Seattle, 9 p.m.

San Diego at San Francisco, 9:05 p.m.

Denver at Arizona, 10 p.m.