LITTLE ROCK — COWBOYS Church goes on IR
IRVING, Texas - Free agent safety Eric Frampton has been signed by the Dallas Cowboys, who placed starter Barry Church on injured reserve.
The moves Tuesday officially end Church’s season. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in Sunday’s 16-10 victory over Tampa Bay.
Frampton is primarily a special teams player.
In 76 career games the past five seasons, including all 16 games last year for Minnesota, Frampton had four tackles on defense, all in one game. He had 61 tackles on special teams.
BRONCOS Mays suspended for hit
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Denver Broncos linebacker Joe Mays received a one-game suspension and a $50,000 fine from the NFL for the hit that dislodged Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub’s helmet and took off a piece of his ear.
Mays will appeal the fine and suspension, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Broncos hadn’t yet notified the NFL of the decision. According to NFL rules, the appeal will be heard and decided before Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
Mays drew a roughing-the-passer penalty for the third-quarter hit on Schaub, who left the field with blood flowing from his ear and missed one play before returning. Schaub threw for four touchdowns in Houston’s31-25 victory Sunday.
If he loses the appeal, Mays wouldn’t be able to practice with the Broncos this week or be at the team’s headquarters. Mays would be reinstated next Monday.
When asked after the game if he expected to be fined, Mays said: “Oh yeah. I’m expecting that. But it was not my intention to do that.”
The NFL fined Mays $7,875 after Week 2 because Mays hit Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan late and in the head area after Ryan had slid to declare himself down. The play did not draw a penalty.
CHIEFS
Reeves out for year
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Chiefs put cornerback Jacques Reeves on injured reserve Tuesday.
The veteran defender has been dealing with a hamstring issue that kept him out of the Chiefs’ 27-24 overtime victory at New Orleans on Sunday. Kansas City plays San Diego this Sunday.
Reeves has started 34 of the 90 games he’s played in the NFL, but he stepped away from the game for two full years in his prime to tend to his mother, who underwent a liver and kidney transplant last September.
She died July 26, the day the Chiefs reported to training camp.
EAGLES McBriar re-signed
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles have signed two-time Pro Bowl punter Mat McBriar to atwo-year contract and released Chas Henry.
McBriar, a 33-year old native of Australia, played eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 2004-11. He played with the Eagles in the preseason and was among the final cuts.
Henry was in his second season with the Eagles. He averaged 48.3 yards with a net of 38 yards on 16 punts this season.
McBriar’s average of 45.3 yards per punt ranks fifth in NFL history. McBriar’s career net average is 38.4 yards and he has 175 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
BILLS Moorman released
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - For the first time in over a decade, someone other than Brian Moorman will handle the Buffalo Bills’ punting duties.
Moorman, a two-time Pro Bowler and Buffalo fixture since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2001, was released Tuesday in a move that General Manager Buddy Nix deemed necessary in order to “upgrade at the position.”
The Bills signed Shawn Powell to replace Moorman after the two had competed during training camp and the preseason. Powell had been released before the regular season.
Moorman holds team records with a 43.9-yard career average and for most punts inside the 20 (243). Also, his 48.2-yard average in 2011 was a single-season franchise high.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/26/2012