NFL: Busy weekend of cuts and trades

Arizona Cardinals release running back Chris Johnson
BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation says the Arizona Cardinals have released running back Chris Johnson.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the team had not officially announced its list of players who were released.

The 31-year-old running back played two injury-plagued seasons with the Cardinals and did not play in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Denver. His release apparently means Andre Ellington and Elijhaa Penny will join David Johnson and kick/punt returner Kerwynn Williams as running backs on Arizona’s 53-man roster.

Chris Johnson is just 463 yards shy of 10,000 yards rushing for his nine-year pro career. At one point, with the Tennessee Titans, he was among the league’s most outstanding backs. In 2009, he was the NFL’s leading rusher with 2,006 yards, one of only seven NFL players to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season.

NFL Network and ESPN first reported Johnson’s release.

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Browns cut Osweiler, pull off trade with Steelers for Coates
TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) — High-priced backup quarterback Brock Osweiler has been officially cut by the Cleveland Browns, who found some help from an unlikely source.

The team trimmed its roster to the mandated 53 on Saturday by terminating the contracts of Osweiler and veteran guard John Greco while releasing 11 other players.

The AP and several other outlets reported Osweiler’s expected departure on Friday along with that of Greco, defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and kicker Cody Parkey.

Osweiler, who has a guaranteed $16 million contract for this season, came in a trade from Houston in March. Osweiler was the only QB cut as the Browns kept rookie DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan — none of whom has won an NFL game.

The Browns pulled off a trade with their chief rival, acquiring wide receiver Sammie Coates from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round pick in 2018.

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Broncos release three-time Pro Bowler T.J. Ward

UNDATED (AP) — The Denver Broncos have broken up the “No Fly Zone,” releasing three-time Pro Bowl strong safety T.J. Ward with a year left on his contract. General manager John Elway said cutting the eighth-year pro was a difficult decision.

Ward set a nasty tone for Denver’s defense as a founding member of the “No Fly Zone” secondary that includes Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr., Darian Stewart and Bradley Roby.

Ward was due $4.5 million this year in the final season of his four-year, $22.5 million contract he signed in 2014. The Broncos will eat about $1.3 million in dead money from his prorated signing bonus. Second-year pro Justin Simmons has stood out in place of Ward, who missed most of training camp and all of the preseason with a torn hamstring.

In other NFL news:

— The New England Patriots have traded quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts for receiver Phillip Dorsett. The trade fills needs for both teams. By bringing in Brissett, the Colts add some depth at quarterback with Andrew Luck still working his way back from shoulder surgery. By adding Dorsett, a first-round draft pick in 2015, the Patriots get another capable pass catcher with Julian Edelman out for the season with a knee injury.

— Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has returned to practice, joining his teammates on the field for the first time since being sidelined with a back injury in July. Flacco missed all of training camp, but coach John Harbaugh says the veteran will start the opener of his 10th season on Sept. 10 at Cincinnati. He was joined Saturday by wide receiver Breshad Perriman and running back Danny Woodhead, both of whom missed several weeks with hamstring injuries.

— The Ravens have made another trade in hopes of shoring up their offensive line. A day after obtaining offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom from Arizona, the Ravens traded an undisclosed draft pick to Jacksonville in exchange for guard/center Luke Bowanko. Baltimore gave up a conditional seventh-round pick for Bergstrom.

— Carolina cut three-time All-Pro punter Andy Lee and third-string quarterback/special teams player Joe Webb. The Panthers kept punter Michael Palardy, who filled in last season after Lee was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

— The Tennessee Titans placed wide receiver Tajae Sharpe and quarterback Alex Tanney on injured reserve. Sharpe had surgery on his right foot this offseason and recently returned to practice. Tanney was seen limping with a sore left ankle after the Titans’ 30-6 loss at Kansas City on Thursday night. The Titans also waived 33 other players, including wide receiver Eric Weems.

— The New York Jets have released long snapper Tanner Purdum, the team’s longest-tenured player. Purdum, a member of the Jets since 2010, played in 112 consecutive games over seven seasons. According to the team, Purdum was never charged with an errant snap or penalty during his time with New York.

— The Pittsburgh Steelers traded wide receiver Sammie Coates to Cleveland, where the 2015 third-round pick will get a chance to revive his career. The Steelers also sent a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft to Cleveland in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2018.Coates caught 22 passes for 446 yards and two touchdowns across two seasons in Pittsburgh.

— A person familiar with the negotiations says suspended safety T.J. McDonald has agreed to a $24 million, four-year extension with the Miami Dolphins. McDonald will miss the first half of the season serving an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy following his arrest last year on suspicion of driving under the influence. McDonald spent the past four seasons with the Rams.

— The Bengals are staying with kicker Randy Bullock, who finished last season after Mike Nugent was released. He had competed with fifth-round pick Jake Elliott during the preseason. The Bengals also released offensive tackle Eric Winston — the NFL players’ union president — and defensive end Wallace Gilberry.

—The Jacksonville Jaguars have parted with 20 players and placed receiver Rashad Greene on injured reserve. Those moves helped Jacksonville reduce the roster to the NFL-mandated, 53-man limit Saturday.

— The Los Angeles Chargers have released backup quarterback Kellen Clemens and waived kicker Josh Lambo during their final roster cutdowns for the regular season. The Chargers also released running back Kenjon Barner on Saturday.

— The Buffalo Bills have reached an injury settlement with wide receiver Rod Streater and placed linebacker Sam Barrington on injured reserve. Buffalo also waived injured offensive tackle Michael Ola (ankle) and wide receiver Jeremy Butler (concussion) and reached an injury settlement with safety Shamiel Gray (undisclosed) as part of 30 moves Saturday to establish the 53-man roster.

— Linebacker Josh Forrest, receiver Nelson Spruce, guard Cody Wichmann and tight end Cory Harkey are among the players let go by the Los Angeles Rams in their final roster cutdown.