Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

September 19, 2012

NFL Notebook: Patriots reportedly add Winslow, Branch

From news service reports

According to several news reports Tuesday, the New England Patriots added tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and brought back wide receiver Deion Branch.

ESPN reported that Winslow agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots and was in Foxborough, Mass., to sign the deal.

Winslow will give New England depth at tight end with Aaron Hernandez suffering an ankle injury that will sideline him for a few weeks.

Winslow visited the Patriots two weeks ago. It was initially reported that he failed a physical with New England, but ESPN disputed that report.

Branch was one of the team's final cuts in the preseason but having him back isn't a totally unexpected move. The Patriots never took Branch's name off his locker, which is still right next to quarterback Tom Brady's.

Branch is no stranger, having spent part of six seasons with New England, including 2011, when he caught five touchdown passes among his 51 receptions.

 

FALCONS: Running back Michael Turner was jailed in Atlanta on charges of drunken driving and speeding, hours after scoring a touchdown in a victory against Denver.

Turner, 30, of Suwanee, Ga., was booked into the Gwinnett County jail in metro Atlanta just after 5 a.m. Turner spent barely two hours behind bars before he was released on $2,179 bond, jail records showed.

A Gwinnett County police officer pulled over Turner's black Audi R8 on Interstate 85 northeast of Atlanta after clocking the car at 97 mph -- 32 mph over the speed limit.

 

STEVE SABOL, the NFL Films president who was half of the father-son team that revolutionized sports broadcasting and mythologized pro football into the country's favorite sport, died in New York from brain cancer. He was 69.

In March 2011, Sabol was diagnosed with a tumor on the left side of his brain after being hospitalized for a seizure.

His father, Ed, founded NFL Films, and Steve worked beside him right from the start in 1964. They introduced a series of innovations now taken for granted, from slow-motion replays to blooper reels to sticking microphones on coaches and players. They hired the "Voice of God," John Facenda, to read lyrical descriptions in solemn tones.

 

COLTS: Indianapolis signed nose tackle Nicolas Jean-Baptiste and offensive tackle Tony Hills to the practice squad, and released defensive tackle Chigbo Anunoby and offensive tackle Darrion Weems from the practice squad.

 

DOLPHINS: General Manager Jeff Ireland admitted he muttered a profanity as he walked away from a fan following an unfriendly conversation at halftime Sunday.

The fan approached Ireland, complained about the direction of the team and told the GM he should fire himself. Ireland said he regrets what he said in response.

"I did talk to several fans that were very nice," Ireland said in a statement. "But as I'm walking back this person introduced himself to me and made a comment to me. It caught me off guard. I just turned and walked away but I did say something I regret. I thought I was saying it to myself under my breath, but I must have said it loud enough that he could hear it."

• Defensive tackle Andre Fluellen signed after playing the past four seasons for Detroit.

 

LIONS: Detroit released cornerback Kevin Barnes.

 

PACKERS: Receiver James Jones said he deserved the scolding he got from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, shrugging off any temporary tension as a sign of two players showing their competitive nature.

Jones took responsibility for not making the right route adjustment on a play during Thursday night's victory against Chicago, which led to an interception. Jones said he and Rodgers talked about it.

(Continued on page 2)

Tweet