nfl news & notes

Dallas Cowboys: The team released defensive end Michael Sam from the practice squad Tuesday, another setback as the NFL’s first openly gay player tries to make an active roster during the regular season for the first time. Sam spent seven weeks with the Cowboys after signing to their practice squad on Sept. 3, four days after he was among the final cuts by the St. Louis Rams at the end of the preseason. The Rams drafted the former SEC defensive player of the year from Missouri late in the seventh round in May. He was pick No. 249 out of 256. Sam had three sacks in the preseason with St. Louis playing mostly against second- and third-stringers. The Cowboys are among the league’s worst in sacks but have been getting solid production with a rotation in the front four of a defense exceeding expectations.

Washington Redskins: The team signed linebacker Everette Brown and placed linebacker Brian Orakpo on injured reserve. Brown was in training camp with the Redskins this year but was cut at the end of the preseason. Brown has appeared in 38 NFL games with three starts with the Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys. He played in seven games with the Cowboys last season and had one sack. Three-time Pro Bowl player Orakpo tore his right pectoral muscle in Sunday’s win over Tennessee.

Rice appeal: A hearing on Ray Rice’s appeal of his indefinite suspension will be held Nov. 5 and 6, two people familiar with the situation said Tuesday. The people spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the hearing have not been made public.Rice was suspended indefinitely Sept. 8 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after a video of Rice hitting his then-fiancee in an elevator was released publicly. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell originally had suspended Rice for two games. Once the video became public, the Baltimore Ravens cut the star running back, and the league banned him indefinitely. The league considered the video to be new evidence, giving Goodell the authority to further suspend Rice. The players’ union is appealing Rice’s suspension, saying Rice should not be punished twice.

Associated Press