NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Browns: Nine players were cut Monday, including undrafted rookie kicker Jesse Ainsworth, who was unable to unseat veteran Phil Dawson. Other cuts included defensive back Therrian Fontenot, defensive end Orien Harris, tight end Buck Ortega and wide receivers Mike Mason and Kendrick Mosley. Fontenot played one game for Cleveland last season and Harris appeared in two games. The Browns also waived injured fullback J.R. Niklos, defensive back Justin Sandy and wide receiver Efrem Hill, who caught quarterback Brady Quinn’s first TD pass against Detroit on Aug. 18. The Browns placed punter Kyle Basler and defensive lineman Alvin Smith on the non-football injury NFL Europa list.

Steelers: Kevan Barlow, a former 49ers and Jets running back who signed with his hometown Steelers earlier this year, was among 10 players released Monday during Pittsburgh’s first roster cutdown. The moves trimmed the roster to 75 players. The Steelers must reach the season-opening 53-man limit by Saturday, two days after their preseason finale at Carolina. Three rookie free agents cut were wide receiver Eric Fowler, defensive end Derrick Jones and long snapper Jared Retkofsky. Also released were running back Larry Croom, punter Mike Barr, kicker Connor Hughes, linebacker Richard Koonce, center Donovan Raiola and wide receiver Dan Sheldon. Barlow, from Pitt, was signed May 10 to compete for the backup running back’s role behind Willie Parker. But Barlow quickly fell out of the rotation early in training camp and never made a strong push to make the team, despite carrying four times for 14 yards and a touchdown Sunday night against Philadelphia. Barlow, a third-round pick by San Francisco in 2001, has rushed for 3,984 yards on 1,022 carries in six NFL seasons. He gained a career-high 1,024 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry in 2003. Last season, Barlow averaged only 2.8 yards per carry while gaining 370 yards in 12 games during his only season with the Jets.

Vikings: Tarvaris Jackson has the starting quarterback job in Minnesota, and a new backup in veteran Kelly Holcomb. The Vikings traded an undisclosed 2009 draft pick to Philadelphia Monday for the 12-year veteran who has 21 career starts, nearly twice as many as the other three quarterbacks on the roster combined. Coach Brad Childress also announced that Jackson, a second-round pick out of Alabama State a year ago with two career starts, will be the opening day starter. Holcomb will compete with Brooks Bollinger for the backup job.

Patriots: Cornerback Asante Samuel returned from his holdout that cost him a month of the preseason. Samuel, who tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions last season, was at Gillette Stadium taking a physical, but did not practice. Coach Bill Belichick didn’t know if the fifth-year veteran could play in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Giants. The Patriots applied the franchise tag to Samuel in February, guaranteeing him a one-year, $7.79 million contract, but preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. A fourth-round draft pick in 2003 out of Central Florida, Samuel has started 39 games. He tied Denver’s Champ Bailey for the NFL lead in interceptions during the 2006 season and then returned two more for touchdowns in the playoffs.

Raiders: Coach Lane Kiffin narrowed his choice for a starting quarterback to Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper. Both will share time in Thursday’s preseason finale in Seattle, with McCown starting and Culpepper his backup. Beyond that, however, Kiffin isn’t making any commitments.

49ers: Frank Gore wants some action before the season begins. Coach Mike Nolan probably won’t listen to his Pro Bowl running back’s pleas for a little playing time in Thursday’s exhibition finale at San Diego. Gore, who led the NFC with 1,695 yards rushing last season, hasn’t suited up since breaking his right hand on the second day of training camp. With his hand almost completely healed, he has participated in certain drills during practice in the last two weeks.

Lions: Detroit will put second-year free safety Daniel Bullocks on injured reserve after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Bullocks led all NFC rookie defensive backs with 70 tackles last season. His right knee buckled during a non-contact play Saturday in the Lions’ 37-10 loss at Indianapolis. Sixth-year safety Idrees Bashir and rookie Gerald Alexander will compete for the starting spot.

Giants: Special teams standout David Tyree will be sidelined up to six weeks with a broken left wrist. Tyree will have surgery, coach Tom Coughlin said, adding that the team was willing to keep him on the roster. The five-year veteran was hurt Saturday during the 20-12 preseason loss to the Jets. Coughlin said Tyree did not report the injury after the game and had swelling in the wrist Sunday. X-rays found the break. Coughlin also was concerned about receiver Plaxico Burress, who missed practice Monday because of a back problem and was being examined by doctors in New York. Coughlin said Burress’ back started acting up last week.

Dolphins: Linebacker Joey Porter returned to practice Monday, less than three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Porter was optimistic he’ll play in the opener at Washington.

Panthers: While guard Jeremy Bridges practiced with his teammates Monday, his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf for a misdemeanor assault charge for pointing a gun at a woman outside a strip club. Attorney George Laughrun said a trial date was set for Oct. 2.

Chargers: Tight end T.J. Cottrell, the son of defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, was one of 10 players cut. Cottrell is a second-year player from Buffalo State.

Associated Press