LITTLE ROCK — EAGLES Babin released
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles have released two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin in the first major roster move for a team that’s lost seven consecutive games.
Babin had just 5.5 sacks after recording 18 last year. He signed a five-year, $28 million deal last summer after going to his first Pro Bowl with Tennessee following the 2010 season.
The move came Tuesday, a day after a 30-22 home loss to Carolina.
Coach Andy Reid said the Eagles cut Babin to give more playing time to younger players.
Jackson headed to IR
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles will place wide receiver DeSean Jackson on injured reserve after he sustained multiple rib fractures in Monday night’s loss to Carolina.
Jackson leads the team with 45 catches and 700 yards receiving, but has only 2 touchdowns. Coach Andy Reid said the injury could take six weeks to heal.
PACKERS Jennings to return
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers won’t get all of their injured starters back this week, though they’ll have one: Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Greg Jennings.
Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said during a news conference Tuesday that the question with Jennings, who has missed the last seven games, is how many snaps he’ll be able to handle against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Jennings underwent surgery Nov. 1 to repair a lower abdominal tear that has bothered him since he first injured it near the end of the Sept. 9 season opener against San Francisco. McCarthy said he expects Jennings to be a full participant in practice today.
“Just talking with Greg Saturday and Sunday, I think he’s in a good place and he’s ready to [go],” Mc-Carthy said. “He needs a full week of work, and that’s our plan.”
Jennings was in and out of the lineup during the first month of the season and has not played since a touchdown CATCH Sept. 30 in a victory over New Orleans.
49ERS Bowman gets extension
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers and inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman have reached agreement on a five-year contract extension through the 2018 season.
The contract is worth $45.25 million, with $25.5 million in guaranteed money, a person with knowledge of the details said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t released.
“NaVorro epitomizes what we look for in a 49er,” 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “We are excited that the All-Pro tandem of [Patrick] Willis and Bowman will be together in red and gold for years to come.”
The 24-year-old Bowman, a thirdround draft pick in 2010 out of Penn State, has 100 tackles, two sacks and an interception this season as a second-year starter for the NFC West-leading Niners (8-2-1). As a rookie, his 20 special-teams tackles ranked third in the NFL.
Hunter, Williams out
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers lost running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Kyle Williams to season-ending injuries on the very same play during Sunday’s victory at New Orleans.
The 49ers said Tuesday both players had been placed on seasonending injured reserve. Williams announced Monday on Twitter that he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, while Hunter is listed out with an ankle injury - though some of his teammates said he was undergoing treatment on his left Achilles tendon in the training room.
Hunter, a fourth-round draft pick in 2011 out of Oklahoma State, had 72 carries for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns this season in an increased role as the team’s second-leading rusher behind Gore.
Hunter and Williams were hurt on the second-to-last play of the third quarter of Sunday’s 31-21 victory, on which Hunter ran for a 2-yard gain. The players were helped off the field and then carted to the locker room. Harbaugh said Monday that Williams was injured before contact when his foot planted into the turf.
The 24-year-old Williams - a third-year pro who had two costly fumbles in a 20-17 overtime loss to the New York Giants in last season’s NFC Championship Game - had 14 catches for 212 yards and a touchdown this year.
PANTHERS Edwards put on IR
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Coach Ron Rivera said the Carolina Panthers have placed starting defensive tackle Ron Edwards on injured reserve with a dislocated left elbowand running back Jonathan Stewart could miss some time with a high ankle sprain.
Both players were injured in Carolina’s 30-22 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night.
Edwards, a 12-year NFL veteran, started all 11 games for the Panthers this season and has 14 tackles and one sack.
Rivera said DeAngelo Williams (Wynne) will start at running back if Stewart is unable to play.
SAINTS Hearing set with Williams
METAIRIE, La. - New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Jonathan Vilma plan to be present Friday when their lawyers are scheduled to cross examine former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in Washington, D.C.
Williams is to appear at a hearing involving the NFL’s bounty probe of the Saints on Friday morning, according to a schedule set by Paul Tagliabue. The former NFL commissioner has been appointed to oversee the latest round of player appeals in the matter.
“They’re accusing us of things we didn’t do,” Smith said after Tuesday’s practice. “That’s part of the things that we wanted all along was to face our accusers.”
Smith and Vilma will leave for Washington from Atlanta after Thursday night’s game against the Falcons.
They are among four current or former Saints - along with free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove and Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita - who were issued suspensions of various lengths in the league’s probe of the Saints’ cash-for-hits program that ran under Williams from 2009 to 2011.
Smith, suspended four games, and Vilma, suspended for the season, have been playing while their appeals are pending.
BEARS Gurode signed
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears have signed former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Andre Gurode, hoping to boost a short-handed unit.
The Bears announced the signing Tuesday, a day after right guard Lance Louis was placed on injured reserve. Louis suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday’s victory over Minnesota on a blindside hit by the Vikings’ Jared Allen and will miss the rest of the season.
Left guard Chris Spencer also left the game with a knee injury. He had moved into the lineup after Chilo Rachal left the team.
The 6-4, 318-pound Gurode made five starts at left guard and appeared in 13 games for Baltimore last season after playing with Dallas from 2002 to 2010.
THURSDAY’S GAME All times Central New Orleans at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m.
SUNDAY’S GAMES Seattle at Chicago, noon Minnesota at Green Bay, noon San Francisco at St. Louis, noon Carolina at Kansas City, noon Houston at Tennessee, noon Arizona at NY Jets, noon Indianapolis at Detroit, noon Jacksonville at Buffalo, noon New England at Miami, noon Tampa Bay at Denver, 3:05 p.m.
Cleveland at Oakland, 3:25 p.m.
Cincinnati at San Diego, 3:25 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 3:25 p.m.
Philadelphia at Dallas, 7:20 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAME NY Giants at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 11/28/2012