Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
CHARLOTTE ó Panthers middle linebacker Jon Beason has no intentions of letting a torn Achilles tendon end his football career.
In his first interview since suffering his season-ending injury in week one, the three-time Pro Bowler said he plans to be ěbetter than everî when he returns next season.
ěAt first itís hard to come to grips with missing a play, missing a game,î said Beason, whose streak of 65 straight starts ended with Carolinaís loss to Arizona on Sept. 11.
ěThen having to sit home in a splint, not able to leave the house, itís tough because I couldnít be here for my team. But now that I can, I feel better about it. Iím content. The outlook is forward. Iím just concentrating on what I can do as a teammate. For me, itís all about September of 2012.î
Beason and teammate Thomas Davis, whoís also on injured reserve, have been attending most of the team meetings during the week and watching film of opponents. They go to the team hotel prior to home games and give the teamís younger linebackers some tips.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. ó Atlanta rookie receiver Julio Jones will miss the Falcons’ game Sunday against Carolina because of a hamstring injury.
REDSKINS
ASHBURN, Va. ó
The Redskins (3-1) have the luxury of a three-headed running back quandary. Tim Hightower started the first four games, but Ryan Torain’s monster performance in relief against the Rams makes him the favorite to become the new workhorse.
In between there’s rookie Roy Helu, who has been a sparkplug as a chance-of-pace back.
Coach Mike Shanahan isn’t saying who will get the bulk of the work in Sunday’s NFC East showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he made it clear Torain’s early-season exile is over.
“Any time a guy’s averaging 7 yards a carry, you’re sure going to give him an opportunity to show us what he can do,” Shanahan said.
CURRY TO RAIDERS
ALAMEDA, Calif. ó The Oakland Raiders agreed to acquire linebacker Aaron Curry from Seattle on Wednesday, two years after the Seahawks selected the Wake Forest star fourth overall.
Raiders senior executive John Herrera said the trade will be official once the league approves it and Curry passes his physical.
Curry failed to live up to the high expectations of being a high draft pick and lost his starting job earlier this year.
PRYOR UPDATE
ALAMEDA, Calif. ó Terrelle Pryor has spent the past five weeks attending quarterback meetings, doing individual drills and learning about what it takes to play quarterback in the NFL.
With his suspension now complete, Pryor finally got the chance Wednesday to practice once again with his new Oakland Raiders teammates.
MODELLíS WIFE DIES
BALTIMORE ó Patricia Modell, the wife of former NFL team owner Art Modell and a longtime television actress, has died. She was 80.
Mrs. Modell was pronounced dead around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens announced after being contacted by Modell’s son. She had been hospitalized for around five months.