Off the wire

FOOTBALL

Manning passes physical

Denver quarterback Peyton Manning passed the exam Monday on his surgically repaired neck that was required by his contract with the Broncos that will pay him $20 million next season, according to a person with knowledge of the results. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because results of medical checkups typically aren’t announced. Manning has said that if doctors tell him he’s at risk physically, he’d have no problem calling it a career. After his four neck procedures, including a spinal fusion that sidelined him for all of 2011 and eventually led to his release from Indianapolis, Manning has said he has steeled himself for that possibility. At the Super Bowl last month, he talked about how his older brother, Cooper, had to give up football after neck surgeries in high school and college, and how that had a big impact on his life. Once doctors told him his neck was secure, however, Manning said he quickly shifted his focus to seeing if he could strengthen his weakened throwing arm to the point where he could be productive again. After the Colts released him, Manning signed a five-year, $96 million deal in Denver, where he’s thrown for 100 touchdowns, including the playoffs, while going 28-7 with two AFC West titles. Manning won his fifth MVP award in 2013, when he set single-season records by passing for 5,547 yards and 55 TDs while guiding the Broncos, the highest-scoring team in NFL history, to their first Super Bowl in 15 seasons. Manning, who will be 38 next season, said during Super Bowl week that he had no intention of retiring after the Super Bowl. He passed his required exit physical that all players take in the days following the Broncos’ 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. He then played in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament just days later, another indication that his neck is fine.

The NFL has formally designated New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham as a tight end for the purposes of his franchise tag value, which is now set at $7.05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. Because Graham often split out from the offensive line as a receiver would, there have been questions concerning whether the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement calls for Graham to have a receiver’s tag, worth $12.1 million.Graham still could file a grievance, leaving an arbitrator to decide which tag is appropriate. Graham caught a team-leading 86 passes for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns last season for the Saints, who lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional round.

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin will be back with the San Francisco 49ers next season. The 49ers and Boldin agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with $9 million guaranteed Monday, keeping quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s top target from last season from hitting free agency. Boldin, who was set to become a free agent next week, led San Francisco with 85 catches for 1,179 yards to go with 7 touchdowns last season. He was traded from the Baltimore Ravens to the 49ers in the offseason for a sixth-round pick after helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl.

The Washington Redskins placed a franchise tag on three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo on Monday, all but ensuring he will remain with the team next season. The Redskins used the non-exclusive tag, worth about $11.5 million for 2014. Orapko, 27, remains eligible to become a free agent later this month, but Washington will have the right to match any offer by another team and could receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if he signs elsewhere. The Redskins will continue to work on a long-term deal with the 2009 first-round draft pick, whose play at times has straddled the line between good and elite, therefore making it a challenge to gauge his contract value. He has been most effective as a pass-rusher - 39½ sacks over five years - but he has twice torn the pectoral muscle near his left shoulder, leading to questions about his durability. Orakpo had 10 sacks and his first career interception last season. He was selected with the No. 13 overall pick in 2009.

The Cleveland Browns locked free agent Pro Bowl center Alex Mack into a one-year, $10.039 million contract on Monday by designating him as their transition player. By using the transition tag instead of the franchise tag, Cleveland will have five days to match any offer to Mack made by other teams when free agency opens on March 11. If the Browns had used their franchise tag, Mack would have made $11.654 million next season. In the meantime, the Browns are expected to try and sign Mack to a long-term contract. The 6-foot-4, 311-pounder has been one of Cleveland’s best and most dependable players since the Browns drafted him in the first round in 2009. He has not missed one offensive play in five years, a run of 4,998 consecutive snaps.

BASKETBALL Kansas’ Embiid out

Joel Embiid will sit out the final two regular-season games for No. 8 Kansas so that he can rest a lower back strain that has already caused him to miss a game, and it’s possible the freshman center could be out through the Big 12 Conference Tournament. Jayhawks Coach Bill Self said Monday that Embiid re-aggravated the injury and that experts have told the team’s training staff that the best remedy is simply rest. An MRI exam taken on his lower back came back negative. The Jayhawks, who have already wrapped up their 10th consecutive Big 12 championship, host Texas Tech on Wednesday night. They finish the regular season Saturday at West Virginia. They’ll have a first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament, which starts March 12. The 7-foot Embiid has been a revelation this season, averaging 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds despite only playing basketball for a few years. The native of Cameroon is expected to be a lottery pick if he declares for the NBA draft, though he told The Associated Press in a recent interview that he’s leaning toward returning to Kansas for his sophomore season.

HOCKEY

Hossa to miss 2-3 weeks

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa will miss two to three weeks after he left Saturday night’s 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh with an upper-body injury. It was unclear when exactly Hossa was injured. He took a hard hit from Penguins forward Craig Adams during Chicago’s second power play of the first period at Soldier Field. The injury is a big blow for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Hossa, 35, has 24 goals and 26 assists in 57 games.