NFL ROUNDUP News and notes

Bengals: Veteran free-agent cornerback Jamar Fletcher was signed as a free agent and first-year player Geoffrey Pope was waived. Fletcher signed a one-year contract. The eighth-year NFL player from Wisconsin was released by Houston in final preseason roster cuts. He played in 10 games for the Texans last year and has played for Miami, San Diego and Detroit. Pope, a cornerback from Howard University, was signed from the Bengals’ practice squad last week.

49ers: Cornerback Shawntae Spencer will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left knee. Spencer, a fifth-year pro, will be placed on injured reserve soon after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair the ligament. He injured his knee late in the 49ers’ road victory at Seattle on Sept. 14, and missed last week’s victory over Detroit. Spencer started 39 games in his first three seasons, but has been the 49ers’ No. 3 cornerback since last year behind starters Walt Harris and Nate Clements. He has six interceptions in his NFL career.

Saints: Guard Jamar Nesbit has been suspended without pay for the next four games for violating the NFL’s policy on anabolic steroids and related substances. Nesbit’s suspension begins immediately. He is eligible to return to the Saints’ active roster Oct. 20, the day after the team’s game against the Panthers.

Broncos: Center Tom Nalen, the last link to the franchise’s Super Bowl titles of the late 1990s, was placed on injured reserve, ending his season and likely spelling the end of his career in Denver. The 37-year-old Nalen, who is in the final year of his contract, underwent two surgeries on his left knee this summer and missed the team’s first three games. The Broncos had left him on the roster hoping for his quick return. The 15-year veteran, whose 2007 season was cut short by a torn right biceps after five games, missed most of training camp before deciding on another operation. Also the Broncos signed free agent safety Vernon Fox and waived safety Hamza Abdullah, who lost his starting job this summer when he missed most of training camp with a groin injury.

Vikings: Former linebacker Wally Hilgenberg died after a battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 66. Friend and former Vikings tight end Stu Voigt says Hilgenberg died Tuesday morning in his Lakeville, Minn., home, surrounded by his family. Hilgenberg played in the NFL for 16 seasons, including 12 with the Vikings from 1968 to 1979.

Associated Press