Palmer throws in practice, aims for return
NFL: Carson Palmer finally can throw the football again, and the Arizona quarterback is aiming for a return next week when the Cardinals play the Broncos in Denver.
Palmer had not thrown the ball since pinching a nerve in his throwing shoulder when he was slammed into the ground during Arizona’s season-opening victory over San Diego.
He said he could feel the nerve responding Monday morning. Palmer threw passes of about 10 yards in practice on Wednesday. He plans to throw a little more each day over the coming bye week and “be firing on all cylinders” by this time next week.
In Palmer’s absence, backup Drew Stanton directed the Cardinals to wins over the New York Giants and San Francisco.
• Jones accused of bribery, assault: An Oklahoma woman accuses Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in a lawsuit of paying her for at least four years to keep her from reporting an alleged sexual assault.
An updated lawsuit filed Monday by Jana Weckerly’s attorney accuses Jones of forcibly touching Weckerly and kissing her on the lips without her consent more than five years ago – then bullying her into not reporting the alleged attack. The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.
Jones has denied Weckerly’s allegations.
• Around the NFL: Vikings QB Matt Cassel is out for the season with broken bones in his left foot. … Ravens left tackle Eugene Monroe is out indefinitely weeks following knee surgery. … Jets receiver Eric Decker and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson sat out of practice Wednesday. … Bears linebacker Shea McClellin will miss his second straight game with of a hand injury. … Dallas’ Morris Claiborne is back with the team a day after walking out when he was told he had lost his starting job at cornerback to Orlando Scandrick. Claiborne will play Sunday against New Orleans.
Suns sign Bledsoe to 5-year extension
BASKETBALL: The Phoenix Suns and point guard Eric Bledsoe reached agreement on a five-year, $70 million contract.
Bledsoe faced an Oct. 1 deadline to sign a $3.7 million qualifying offer to play for the Suns this season, then become an unrestricted free agent.
The Suns see Bledsoe as a critical part of their double point-guard system with Goran Dragic.
• Milicic to try kickboxing: Former Serbian center Darko Milicic, known as one of the biggest flops in the history of the NBA draft, is switching from basketball to kickboxing.
Milicic, who has been without an NBA contract for nearly two years, signed a deal with the World Kickboxing Association to be both its promoter and a competitor.
The 7-foot, 250-pound Milicic was the second overall pick by the Pistons in the 2003 draft behind LeBron James.
• Dawkins extended: Johnny Dawkins has been rewarded for his impressive NCAA tournament run last season and overall strides as Stanford coach, receiving a contract extension.
The number of years on his new deal wasn’t announced by the school.
When the Cardinal reached the NCAA tournament last spring, athletic director Bernard Muir said Dawkins would continue to lead the program – but Muir also had said before the season Dawkins’ job depended on that NCAA berth.
Dawkins, who turns 51 on Sunday and begins his seventh season, led the Cardinal to a 23-13 record and trip to NCAA South Regional semifinals before losing to Dayton. Stanford won the NIT in 2012.
Sharapova knocked out at Wuhan Open
MISCELLANY: Maria Sharapova was knocked out of the Wuhan Open by Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky 7-6 (3), 7-5 in the third round in Wuhan, China.
Sharapova double-faulted six times during the first set. She was twice a break up in the second set but couldn’t shake off Bacsinszky, who earned the biggest win of her career.
• Winston settlement discussed: Attorneys for the woman who said Jameis Winston sexually assaulted her and an adviser for the Florida State quarterback’s family confirm there were discussions about a potential settlement deal last year.
Attorney David Cornwell said in a Sept. 23 letter to Florida State that the woman’s former lawyer, Patricia Carroll, demanded $7 million to settle her claim against Winston, the university and the Tallahassee Police Department.
Baine Kerr, one of the lawyers for the woman, said in a statement that Cornwell sought the settlement.