AROUND THE NFL

AROUND THE NFL
News and notes
Ravens: Rookie quarterback Kyle Boller underwent surgery on his left leg Tuesday, but remains hopeful he can return this season. Boller, injured in Sunday night's 33-22 loss to the St. Louis Rams, had surgery to repair a torn muscle in his quadriceps. Ravens trainer Bill Tessendorf said Boller "could be ready to play in four to six weeks," and general manager Ozzie Newsome said the team does not plan to place Boller on injured reserve. But the Ravens signed quarterback Ray Lucas on Tuesday as a backup to Chris Redman and Anthony Wright. Lucas, who started six games for the Miami Dolphins last season, passed his physical and was to join the Ravens today. Originally signed as a free agent by the Patriots in 1996, Lucas played four seasons with the Jets (1997-2000) and two with the Dolphins (2001-02). To make room for Lucas, the Ravens released defensive lineman Riddick Parker. Boller, the 19th player selected in the 2003 draft, earned the starting job out of training camp. He led the Ravens (5-4) to first place in the AFC North, but has nine interceptions compared to seven touchdown passes. His 62.1 quarterback rating is among the worst in the NFL.
Buccaneers: Tight end Rickey Dudley signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday, after he was released by the team before the season. Dudley, an eight-year NFL veteran, sprained his left ankle in the Buccaneers' final exhibition game and was released in late August. He finished the preseason with three catches for 71 yards. Dudley played in 14 regular-season games and three playoff games with Tampa Bay last season, helping the Bucs win the Super Bowl. He finished with 16 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Dudley has also played for Oakland from 1996-2000 and Cleveland in 2001. The Bucs also placed safety John Howell on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Panthers: The Carolina Panthers fan who briefly inspired the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by taunting their defense has apologized and said his comments were spur of the moment. Joe Muscarello, aka the "Carolina Prowler," was selected as the "Fan of the Game" in the fourth quarter of Sundays' game. Handed the microphone during a timeout with Carolina leading 20-14, Muscarello -- dressed in full cat attire -- called out Bucs defender Simeon Rice for guaranteeing Tampa Bay would win. "Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp, you guaranteed a win," he said as he was being broadcast on the Ericsson Stadium scoreboard. "Well, we guarantee we're going to kick your butt." Rice then registered two sacks on the next three plays and the Bucs took a 24-20 lead. Carolina rallied for a 27-24 victory in the closing minute. Muscarello, a loan specialist for Bank of America, has since apologized. "If I offended anyone -- and especially the team or coaching staff -- I apologize," Muscarello told The Charlotte Observer. "I wanted to get our fans fired up. I didn't even think about getting Tampa Bay fired up." The crowd initially loved Muscarello's comments. But as the momentum shifted to the Bucs, Muscarello said he began to feel uncomfortable. "People around me were saying 'I think you got the other team fired up,' " he said. "I had visions of people coming up in my face screaming." Muscarello, who attended the game with his 9-year-old son, left his seats before the finish to avoid the crowd. He said he'll be back Sunday for Carolina's game against the Washington Redskins in his cat outfit, but with a little less enthusiasm. "Next time, I'll have to hold my enthusiasm a little bit," he said. "I apologize for the comments, but not for being a fan."
Cardinals: The Arizona Cardinals signed kicker Neil Rackers on Tuesday, one day after cutting Tim Duncan. Rackers kicked for Cincinnati the last three seasons but was one of the final players cut by the Bengals before this season began. His best year was 2002, when he made 15 of 18 field goal tries, and was 13-for-13 inside 45 yards. Rackers was a sixth-round draft pick by the Bengals out of Illinois in 2000. Duncan had replaced injured kicker Bill Gramatica, but was cut after missing four of 10 field goal attempts. Duncan also missed a point after in Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh. Gramatica is sidelined with a back injury. He tried to kick on Monday but was considerably sore.
Giants: The New York Giants lost starting cornerback William Peterson for the season when he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Ike Charlton was signed to take Peterson's place on the roster. Peterson has not played since Oct. 12 at New England because of a stress fracture in his lower back. Ralph Brown, who has filled in for Peterson, dislocated his shoulder against Atlanta on Sunday and is expected to be sidelined for three-to-four weeks. Charlton, 26, was a second-round draft choice by Seattle in 2000 after leaving Virginia Tech following his junior season. He has played in 46 NFL games over three seasons, two with Seattle and last season with Jacksonville. The Jaguars waived him during training camp.
Jets: Kick returner Michael Bates will miss the rest of the season with a broken right hand after he was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Bates broke his hand against the New York Giants earlier this month. Even though he was unable to return punts against Oakland on Sunday, he did play on special teams. The five-time Pro Bowler signed with the Jets as a free agent in September and averaged 27.1 yards on 22 kickoff returns in eight games. The Jets also signed cornerback Omare Lowe to the active roster from the practice squad and re-signed linebacker Mark Brown to the practice squad. With cornerback Ray Mickens questionable because of a sore neck, the Jets needed another defensive back in case Mickens is limited.
-- Associated Press