49ers: The San Francisco 49ers shook up their special teams on Tuesday, waving kicker Jeff Chandler

49ers: The San Francisco 49ers shook up their special teams on Tuesday, waving kicker Jeff Chandler and kick-return man Arland Bruce and signing former New York Giants kicker Owen Pochman. Chandler, a second-year pro, failed to get any of his six kickoffs into the end zone during last Sunday's lost to St. Louis. The 49ers have been concerned about Chandler's accuracy since last season, when he won the job as a rookie. Bruce played just two games with the 49ers and lost his job as the primary kick-return player to Jimmy Williams. Pochman entered training camp as the Giants' No. 1 kicker last year, but he spent the entire season on injured reserve because of a knee injury. He was released by the Giants in June. He was then signed by St. Louis on July 22 and handled kickoffs in the Rams' first three preseason games. In St. Louis' loss to Buffalo on Aug. 23, he converted all three of his extra point attempts and his only field goal try, an 18-yard success.
Bears: Chicago Bears quarterback Kordell Stewart practiced Tuesday despite slight pain in his neck. Stewart was injured Sunday in the Bears' 24-13 loss at Minnesota. "It's cool, it's just a little sore, a stinger," Stewart said. "I'll be fine." Stewart said he was swung around hard by a Vikings tackler in the fourth quarter and his head struck the leg of Bears tackle Aaron Gibson. "I tried to get up and it seemed like the more I got up the more it started hurting me," Stewart said. "Because it was my neck and down my spine, it kind of scared me a little bit more than anything." Reserve linebacker Bobbie Howard was also injured against the Vikings. A pulled hamstring kept him from practicing on Tuesday. Reserve defensive back Cameron Worrell hurt his knee on a kickoff return and he will be given more tests to determine the extent of the injury. The injured Bears will have extra time to recover as they are in the midst of their bye week. Chicago will play Green Bay in the Bears' home opener at refurbished Soldier Field on Sept. 29.
Packers: The Green Bay Packers released 6-foot-7, 340-pound defensive tackle Terdell Sands from the practice squad on Tuesday. Sands was signed as a free agent on Feb. 3 and had been on the active roster during the preseason. He was placed on waivers on Aug. 26. Sands, a seventh-round draft pick of Kansas City in 2001, also spent time on the Packers' practice squad last season.
Buccaneers: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed receiver Charles Lee as a replacement for the injured Joe Jurevicius on Tuesday. The Super Bowl champions also waived tight end Daniel Wilcox and released quarterback Jim Miller from the reserve-physically unable to perform list. Lee, who signed a one-year contract, was released by the Bucs on Aug. 31. He will help fill in for Jurevicius, who tore a ligament in his right knee during Sunday's 12-9 overtime loss to Carolina and will be sidelined four-to-six weeks. Wilcox played in both games this season after returning to the team on Sept. 5. He spent the final two weeks of the 2002 regular season and all three postseason games with Tampa Bay before released this summer. Miller, who's recovering from shoulder surgery, was placed on the reserve-physically unable to perform list last month. The former Chicago and Pittsburgh quarterback also has spent time with Jacksonville and Atlanta during his nine-year career.
Jaguars: The Jacksonville Jaguars placed receiver-punt return performer Jermaine Lewis on injured reserve and waived safety Marlon McCree on Tuesday. Defensive tackle Matt Leonard and fullback Malaefou MacKenzie also were cut, and linebacker Michael Josiah was released from the practice squad. Running back David Allen, safeties Deke Cooper and Nick Sorenson and linebacker Shannon Taylor were signed to fill the four spots on the 53-man roster. Lewis tore a ligament in his left knee while running a double reverse Sunday in a 38-17 loss to Buffalo. Through two games, he led the Jaguars in receiving yards (100) and punt returns (five for 45 yards). McCree, a seventh-round pick out of Kentucky in 2001, was second in the AFC last season with six interceptions but lost his starting job to this year's second-round draft pick, Rashean Mathis.
Saints: After losing five defensive starters two games into the season, the New Orleans Saints signed safety Victor Green on Tuesday. Green, entering his 11th season, posted 25 interceptions and three touchdowns while starting 114 games for the New York Jets and New England Patriots since 1995. Last season with New England, Green appeared in all 16 games and had 84 tackles, four forced fumbles and a career-best 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was the third straight season that Green returned an interception for a touchdown. During his career, he has averaged 24 yards per return on his 25 interceptions. Green originally made the Jets' final roster in 1994 as an un-drafted free agent out of the University of Akron. To make room for him on the roster, the Saints waived quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan.
-- Associated Press