Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Mike Anderson out for season; Bennett out longer than expected

Denver Broncos running back Mike Anderson will miss the entire season because of a groin injury sustained last weekend in an exhibition game against Houston.

Denver coach Mike Shanahan said Anderson tore both muscles in the left groin area off the bone. At this point, a specialist has recommended that Anderson let the injury heal instead of undergoing surgery.

"Anderson will be out in the area of three months, possibly longer," Shanahan said Monday. "So he will be on injured reserve and will be out for the season."

Anderson was hurt Friday night with 1:56 left in the game while on the punting unit. He was the blocker for punter Hayden Epstein, and his groin popped when he was hit after turning upfield.

"I thought he had a chance to be gone for the season because when you saw it you knew it was bad," Shanahan said. "He felt a pop, so that's what I was anticipating."

Anderson was second on the team in rushing in the preseason behind Quentin Griffin with 163 yards.

The fifth-year running back from Utah has rushed for 2,808 yards with the Broncos. During his rookie season, subbing for injured Terrell Davis and Olandis Gary, he ran for 1,487 yards and 15 touchdowns.

"The way he came into camp and approached the preseason reminded me of the year he had 1,487 yards," Shanahan said. "It is a big setback to everybody, especially Mike."

---

Vikings

Running back Michael Bennett will miss the Minnesota Vikings' regular season opener Sept. 12 against Dallas with a right knee sprain and could be out longer.

Bennett, injured in the third quarter of Friday's exhibition win on a low hit by 49ers safety Erik Totten, underwent an MRI exam Saturday that revealed more damage than originally diagnosed.

Coach Mike Tice initially said that Bennett would be "a little iffy" for the Dallas game, but on Monday declared his starting back out for the opener. Tice said he is hoping to get him back for the second game, in Philadelphia.

---

Jaguars

Hugh Douglas, signed to a five-year $27 million deal last season, was cut by Jacksonville.

The 33-year-old defensive end, who also received a $6 million signing bonus, started all 16 games last season but finished with only 31 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks, his second-worst season in nine years.

He started all three of the Jaguars' preseason games this year, registering four tackles and four quarterback pressures.

Douglas' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he had spoken with Philadelphia, were Douglas starred from 1998-2002. The Eagles lost starting defensive end N.D. Kalu for the season with a knee injury two weeks ago.

The Jaguars also will be without tight end Kyle Brady for at least two games.

Brady will have surgery Tuesday to insert a pin into a finger injured Friday. The Jaguars open the season Sept. 12 in Buffalo before returning home the following week to face the Denver Broncos.

"I don't know if there was ligament damage or anything else, other than he'll be out a minimum of three weeks," coach Jack Del Rio said.

---

Bills

Shane Matthews signed with the Buffalo Bills on Monday, bolstering the team's banged-up quarterback corps.

Matthews, an 11-year veteran, is expected to immediately take over as Drew Bledsoe's backup, filling in for Travis Brown, who will miss 4-6 weeks with a sprained left knee.

He has started 22 games in his career, completing 59 percent of his attempts with 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, and has a career passer rating of 74.4.

Brown was hurt in Saturday's 30-17 loss at Indianapolis, just days after rookie J.P. Losman broke his left leg in practice. Brown was the Bills' projected backup while Losman, who is expected to miss at least half the season, was being groomed as Bledsoe's successor.

Bills president Tom Donahoe said he would keep Brown, Losman and starting safety Lawyer Milloy on the active roster, rather than end their respective seasons by placing them on injured reserve.

Milloy is out indefinitely after breaking his right forearm on Saturday. Donahoe said Milloy had successful surgery on Sunday.

Running back Travis Henry, who missed last week with bruised ribs, practiced on a limited basis. Henry said he expects to sit out his second straight preseason game Thursday to be ready for the start of the season.

Left tackle Jonas Jennings returned to practice and is expected to play Thursday. Jennings missed last week after twisting his ankle.

CB Terrence McGee and RB Joe Burns did not practice.

---

Redskins

As expected, Mark Brunell will be Washington's starting quarterback. He beat out Patrick Ramsey, last year's starter.

Brunell, acquired in the offseason from Jacksonville, had been more impressive in preseason games. He also has 117 starts in his career to 16 for Ramsey and experience always has been important for coach Joe Gibbs.

"I just think right now it's time to make a decision," Gibbs said. "I think we need to spend more time with the quarterback and receivers on timing that we haven't been able to get because we're in-and-out, in-and-out."

---

Raiders

Even if Oakland cornerback Charles Woodson shows up Tuesday, he will not play in Oakland's preseason finale Thursday against St. Louis, and he won't be in the starting lineup for the team's season opener on Sept. 12 at Pittsburgh.

If he plays at all against the Steelers, it would be at nickel back, coach Norv Turner said Monday.

"His role will change if and when he gets here," said Turner, who began implementing plans during Monday's practice for the first few games of the regular season.

Woodson, a four-time Pro Bowler, was a no-show for the 33rd day - since the Raiders reported to training camp July 29 - even though he said last Wednesday he planned to end his holdout and start practicing this week.

The Raiders placed the franchise tag on Woodson in February and he hasn't signed the team's one-year tender for $8.782 million. He has to sign that before he can start negotiating the longterm deal he wants.

The 27-year-old Woodson, who's entering his seventh pro season, reportedly wants to be the highest paid cornerback in the NFL.

---

Colts

Indianapolis Colts rookie safety Bob Sanders finally reported to practice Monday, ending a monthlong holdout.

The second-round pick signed what is believed to be a four-year deal, but did not participate in any drills and is likely to sit out even more practices.

Sanders was the last NFL draft pick to sign a contract this year, and his arrival at practice marked the end of the team's longest holdout since linebacker Cornelius Bennett in 1987. Bennett never signed and was traded in a deal that brought running back Eric Dickerson to Indianapolis.

"I'm happy to play whenever they get me going," he said. "When the coaches say I can go, I'll be ready. Until I get the go-ahead, I'll be sitting and waiting."

---

Patriots

Rosevelt Colvin is chasing quarterbacks again nine months after simply walking without crutches was an accomplishment.

The left hip that he broke in the second game last season feels fine. Now he needs to get the feel of football again - recognizing plays, improving his reaction time - and he should give the New England Patriots a lift they expected when they signed him as a free agent from Chicago.

Colvin says he has no doubt he can be the player he was when he recorded 10 1/2 sacks in both 2001 and 2002 with the Bears, Colvin said Monday. "I'm physically prepared and able to do whatever they need me to do," he said.

He participated in just a few plays in the exhibition opener against Philadelphia, then played more at Cincinnati and figures he was in on more than 30 plays last Saturday night at Carolina.

---

Browns

The Cleveland Browns placed four players on injured reserve, including linebacker Brant Boyer and offensive lineman Chad Beasley.

The Browns also will be without starting tight end Steve Heiden for two to four weeks after he sprained his knee Saturday against Kansas City. Heiden's injury means rookie Kellen Winslow Jr. will start at tight end even although he still hasn't played much following his 12-day holdout during training camp.

---

49ers

Rookie Rashaun Woods missed almost three weeks of training camp with hamstring problems, but a late-summer surge has pushed the first-round draft pick back into the team's plans at receiver.

Woods strained his right hamstring on the fourth day of camp and was sidelined for two weeks before returning to drills. He injured his left hamstring a day later, and didn't play in the preseason until he appeared in the second half last week with San Francisco's other reserves.

"I really feel like if I'd been healthy, I'd be in a great position right now," Woods said. "But I'm not going to sit down and sulk about it."

Niners coach Dennis Erickson said Woods played well in his debut last week against Minnesota.

Erickson also said running back Fred Beasley is Beasley also is improving after spraining his left ankle in the preseason opener against Oakland. Beasley is out of the protective boot he has been wearing the past two weeks and Erickson said there is a "very big chance" that he'll play in the regular season opener against Atlanta.

--

archive