NFL notes: Merriman embraces new start

Shawne Merriman is hoping for a fresh start in Buffalo. The Bills want to plug their porous defense. The two hope it’s a perfect match.

Three days after the Bills claimed the 2005 first-round pick off waivers from the San Diego Chargers, the once-feared pass rusher expressed his readiness to turn the page and resurrect a promising career that had turned sour.

“They have high expectations for me to come in and make some things happen, and I’m going to do that,” Merriman said Saturday before he and the rest of his new team departed for Toronto for their game today against the Chicago Bears (4-3). “I’ve been working out and I’m just ready to get on the field as soon as possible. Whatever they need me to do, I’m here to work and kind of be a piece of the puzzle.”

Merriman was waived three weeks after he was placed on injured reserve because of a calf injury. The injury was designated as minor, meaning he was to be released once he was deemed healthy by the Chargers.

Colts’ injuries add up

Indianapolis put former first-round pick Anthony Gonzalez on injured reserve because of a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, and left five other players, including running backs Joseph Addai and Mike Hart, behind as the team flew to Philadelphia.

“It’s next man up, and right now, we’re looking around to see who the next man is,” team president Bill Polian joked. “You just have to play through it and hope that the worm turns at some point and we get a little luck as opposed to what we’ve had over the last seven or eight weeks.”