FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Receiver Wes Welker was placed on the New England Patriots’ active physically unable to perform list Tuesday as he continued to make a strong recovery from knee surgery.

The team made the move two days before it opens training camp and there’s a chance Welker could come off the list by then and take part in drills. If he stays on it, it could allow other receivers trying to make the team more opportunities in practice.

Welker had surgery in February after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on the fourth offensive play of a 34-27 loss at Houston in the regular-season finale.

He also damaged his medial collateral ligament, which didn’t require surgery, on the play when he planted his left leg after making his NFL-leading 123rd catch of the season.

Welker missed the Patriots’ only playoff game, a 33-14 loss at home to the Baltimore Ravens in which New England trailed 24-0 in the first quarter.

New England signed second-round pick Brandon Spikes, a linebacker from Florida, leaving only cornerback Devin McCourty of Rutgers, the 27th overall choice, as an unsigned draft choice.

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STEELERS: Pittsburgh might not know until late in training camp whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension will be reduced from six to four games by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Goodell will visit the Steelers’ camp Aug. 5, but the stop isn’t specifically related to Roethlisberger’s suspension for violating the NFL’s conduct policy.

 

BROWNS: Cleveland signed defensive back T.J. Ward to a multiyear contract, leaving Joe Haden as its only unsigned draft pick.

Ward was a second-round pick from Oregon.

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BENGALS: Cincinnati agreed to a contract with receiver Terrell Owens, who is expected to report to training camp in a couple of days.

Owens wanted to play for the Bengals, who offered a deal Monday looking to add another deep threat to their offense.

 

TIM TEBOW agreed to a multiyear contract — not as a quarterback with Denver but with Jockey International Inc. to be an underwear spokesman.

Tebow will work with several of the underwear company’s product lines in catalog, TV and print advertisements, and on jockey.com.

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COLTS: Indianapolis signed fifth-round draft pick Brody Eldridge, a tight end out of Oklahoma.

Terms weren’t disclosed.

 

JAGUARS: The team got a much-needed financial boost, striking a five-year deal with EverBank that includes changing the name of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium to EverBank Field.

The Jacksonville City Council president, Jack Webb, said the deal would be worth $3 million in its first year and escalate to $3.5 million in its fifth year. The team will keep all the money.

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TITANS: Tennessee agreed to terms on a multiyear contract with rookie safety Robert Johnson.

The fifth-round draft pick is the seventh of the Titans’ nine draft picks to be under contract. The team reports for training camp Friday, and defensive end Derrick Morgan and wide receiver Damian Williams have yet to reach deals.

 

RAMS: St. Louis is optimistic it will sign the No. 1 overall pick, Sam Bradford, soon, perhaps by Thursday when quarterbacks and rookies are due for their first training-camp workout.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo said talks are proceeding with Bradford and he was hopeful a deal would be reached soon. Spagnuolo said Bradford, the former Oklahoma quarterback, has said he wanted to be in camp on time.

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BRONCOS: Denver signed wide receiver Eric Decker and offensive lineman Zane Beadles, one day before rookies were scheduled to report to camp.

First-round picks Demaryius Thomas and Tim Tebow are the team’s only remaining unsigned rookies.

 

RAVENS: Second-round draft pick Terrence Cody failed his conditioning test and wasn’t permitted to participate in the team’s first training camp practice.

Cody, a 360-pound defensive tackle, signed a three-year contract. But after flunking his physical, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list.

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GIANTS: Rookie safety Chad Jones is heading home to New Orleans after a nearly monthlong stay in the hospital.

Jones was hospitalized June 29 after suffering serious injuries to his left leg and ankle in an early morning, single-car accident in New Orleans.

 

CARDINALS: Arizona signed linebacker O’Brien Schofield, a fourth-round draft pick, to a four-year contract.

 

EAGLES: Philadelphia signed safety Nate Allen, its second-round draft pick, to a four-year contract.

 


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