Brian Cushing (56) won’t be with the Texans defense for a while. Photo Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has been suspended 10 games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, the league announced Wednesday.
Cushing’s suspension begins immediately, although he was already ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) after sustaining a concussion in last weekend’s season-opening 29-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 30-year-old Cushing will be eligible to return to the roster on Nov. 28, one day after Houston (0-1) faces the Baltimore Ravens.
Cushing is due a $6.756 million base salary this season. He will forfeit 10 game checks at a cost of $3.97 million, with a per week loss of $397,411.
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Cushing previously was suspended four games by the league in 2010 for testing positive for a fertility drug that was on the NFL’s banned substances list.
–Left tackle Donald Penn is “closing in” on a two-year contract extension with the Oakland Raiders, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
The deal, which Rapoport reported could be finalized before the end of the week, would keep Penn with the Raiders through the 2019 season.
Penn ended his 26-day holdout and returned to practice last Wednesday. The 34-year-old is playing the final season of a two-year, $11.9 million contract he signed in March 2016.
–The Green Bay Packers released defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois, the team announced.
Jean Francois played all of six snaps in Sunday’s 17-9 victory over the Seattle Seahawks after signing a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency this summer. He also received a $250,000 signing bonus.
The 30-year-old is eligible for termination pay as the Packers would owe him the remainder of his $1.25 million base salary because he was cut after Week 1. Green Bay would not have owed Jean Francois anything had it released him before the season opener.
–The San Francisco 49ers signed linebacker Elijah Lee from the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad to a two-year deal to add depth at the position.
Rookie linebacker Reuben Foster is expected to miss about a month with a high ankle sprain suffered in Sunday’s 23-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
To make room on the roster, the 49ers waived offensive lineman John Theus.
–The Indianapolis Colts placed tackle/guard Denzelle Good on the injured reserve list with an undisclosed injury and signed free agent inside linebacker Sean Spence.
The 6-foot-5, 345-pound Good played in 19 career games (15 starts) along the offensive line in three seasons with Indianapolis (2015-17).
–Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford were named offensive players of the week in their respective conferences for Week 1 to kick off the NFL season.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell took the AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor, and Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson earned the NFC defensive award.
The AFC Special Teams Player of the Week went to Oakland Raiders kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, and Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
–Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pledged $1 million to the immediate and long-term rebuilding efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Irma, the team announced.
The Category 4 storm left significant damage throughout Florida earlier this week, resulting in at least 23 reported deaths. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said on Tuesday that as many as 65 percent of homes in the Florida Keys sustained major damage as a result of the hurricane.
The Dolphins have partnered with AARP Foundation on a matching funds grant campaign, with all contributions going directly to the community.
