Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó The Carolina Panthers added depth at defensive tackle, sending an undisclosed draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for Tank Tyler.
The deal late Monday, a day before the NFL’s trading deadline, gives the Panthers more options on the defensive line after the season-ending injury to Maake Kemoeatu in training camp.
It’s a homecoming for the 6-foot-2, 306-pound Tyler, who grew up in Fayetteville and played at N.C. State. He was taken by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2007 draft and started all 16 games last season.
Tyler has started two of six games this season and made 22 tackles.
REDSKINS
ASHBURN, Va. ó Bingo!
Head coach Jim Zorn won’t be calling plays anymore. Sherm Lewis is coming out of retirement to do it.
With a pained expression, Zorn announced that the front office “strongly suggested” that he yield his play-calling duties to a consultant hired only two weeks ago. While he didn’t say he was given an ultimatum, Zorn said he would comply with the request “because I want to stay here and win.”
“Sometimes we have to do things that are uncomfortable,” Zorn said.
Zorn received the news in a meeting with front office chief Vinny Cerrato at the stadium following Sunday’s 14-6 loss to previously winless Kansas City. The Redskins (2-4) are averaging 13.2 points and have failed to score a touchdown in two of their home games.
“The reason I can comply with this is simply because of the lack of scoring,” Zorn said. “I want to win, too. If this has to be done this week, if this is going to be the key, I’m certainly willing to give it a try.”
Barely a fortnight ago, Lewis was enjoying retirement in Michigan, calling Bingo games at a senior center and delivering Meals on Wheels. He previously spent 22 years as an NFL assistant before retiring after the 2004 season. The Redskins lured him back into football as a consultant for the struggling offense.
INJURIES
Three key defensive players were lost for the season Sunday: Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins, Falcons cornerback Brian Williams, and Bengals end Antwan Odom.
Jenkins was placed on injured reserve with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Buffalo.
Williams sustained the same injury when the Falcons beat Chicago, and Odom had surgery for a torn right Achilles’ tendon Monday.
One player whose prognosis improved overnight was Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu. Seahawks coach Jim Mora said further tests on his chest muscle indicated a partial tear rather than a complete one.
Anquan Boldin has a sprained right ankle that makes his status uncertain for Arizona’s game at the Giants on Sunday.
BENGALS
CINCINNATI ó Offensive tackle Andre Smith is expected to rejoin the Bengals in practice this week and could be on the field for a game Nov. 8 against Baltimore.
Smith, the sixth overall pick in April, missed all of training camp in a contract impasse. Two days after he signed, he broke a bone in his left foot during a non-contact drill.
MCNAIR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Text messages show a woman asked Steve McNair to transfer $2,000 into her bank account hours before police say she shot him to death, then turned the gun on herself.
Sahel Kazemi texted McNair on July 3 to say she was so stressed she might have a breakdown and asked for money to pay cell phone bills. One text said she might need to go to a hospital because she could hardly breathe. Police say texts show McNair had someone transfer the money.