Packers dump Couch after a dismal camp

Tim Couch’s stay in Green Bay was short and unproductive.

The top overall draft choice in the 1999 draft by Cleveland, Couch was released by the Browns in June. He joined the Packers and was projected as Brett Favre’s backup.

But the quarterback never progressed, and the Packers cut him Sunday as teams got down to the 53-man roster limit for the regular season.

“He just wasn’t productive enough,” Packers coach-general manager Mike Sherman said. “We took a shot in hoping he could be the guy. I don’t think it’s the first time in the league that you were wrong on somebody. It certainly won’t be my last time and it wasn’t my first time.”

Couch, who received a $625,000 roster bonus from Green Bay when he signed, completed just 11 of 34 passes for 96 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in three preseason games.

Two other former Packers, running back Dorsey Levens and wide receiver Antonio Freeman, also had brief stints with new teams before being cut Sunday.

Levens, 34, was signed two weeks ago after the Eagles lost Correll Buckhalter to a season-ending knee injury. Levens ran for 37 yards on 12 carries in his only game against the New York Jets.

Freeman joined the Dolphins earlier this summer after David Boston was lost for the season. But his lack of speed and inability to make plays in the preseason got him released.

Morten Andersen, the second-leading scorer in NFL history, had his contract terminated by Kansas City. Andersen was beaten out by Lawrence Tynes, who kicked the past two seasons in the Canadian Football League.

The 44-year-old Andersen has 2,259 points.

New Orleans cut 15-year veteran center Jerry Fontenot, who lost his position to LeCharles Bentley, who moved over from guard. Fontenot, 37, started all 80 games the past five seasons and was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate last season.

The Saints also let go linebacker Darrin Smith, who was with them since 2000.

San Diego cut receiver Kevin Dyson, a member of the Titans and Panthers when each played in the Super Bowl, and safety Kwamie Lassiter. Lassiter, a nine-year pro, started for the Chargers last year.

The Chargers kept four quarterbacks: projected starter Drew Brees, first-round draft choice Philip Rivers, veteran Doug Flutie, and Cleo Lemon.

Other notable moves:

• Veteran DL Bryan Robinson, who had been with the Bears since 1998, was cut. Robinson played both defensive end and tackle in 100 games, with 82 starts.

• Nine-year veteran DE Regan Upshaw, who started only eight games after signing a five-year, $7.5 million contract with Washington, was released.

• New England cut CB Terrell Buckley, 33, who played 31 games with the Patriots in the 2001 and 2002 seasons, winning one Super Bowl. He spent last season with Miami.

• Buffalo released LB Jason Gildon and placed quarterback Travis Brown on injured reserve, meaning he will miss his second consecutive season. Gildon, who holds the Pittsburgh Steelers’ record with 77 sacks, was cut six weeks after the Bills signed the 10-year veteran in hopes of bolstering their pass rush.

Brown was angry about being deactivated for the season, especially after the Bills announced he would likely miss just four to six weeks and would be kept on the active roster.

• Tampa Bay placed WR Joe Jurevicius, who had back surgery the first week of training camp, on the reserve non-football injury list, and guard Kerry Jenkins on injured reserve with a neck strain. Jurevicius missed most of last season with a knee injury that has been slow to heal. Back surgery the first week of training camp further delayed his return.

• Oakland strong safety Derrick Gibson went on injured reserve three days after dislocating his shoulder in the team’s final preseason game. He would have been a starter.

• Dexter Jackson, MVP of the 2003 Super Bowl, went on Arizona’s injured list with a back problem.