Porter returns to Raiders
Jerry Porter was reinstated by the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday after the NFL and the players association agreed to cut his four-game suspension in half.
Porter was suspended Oct. 15 for insubordination a day after being kicked out of practice by coach Art Shell.
The NFL Players Association appealed the suspension the following week, calling it “excessive.”
Under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, union executive director Gene Upshaw and Harold Henderson, the NFL’s executive vice president for labor relations can agree to settle the grievance without a hearing.
The two sides determined that a two-game suspension was warranted.
“We asked for four weeks. We got two,” Shell said. “They decided two weeks was enough, so we move on. We live with that and we move on.”
Leftwich may not play
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio has changed his stance again, saying quarterback Byron Leftwich’s sore left ankle was indeed a problem in last week’s loss to the Houston Texans.
He even decided to have Leftwich, who was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Philadelphia, and backup David Garrard split repetitions in practice.
“There was no question based on what I saw that there was a problem,” Del Rio said, reversing his opinion from two days earlier. “He’s a proud guy, he’s a tough guy, but we’ve got to find a way to communicate so I can do the right thing for our football team.”
Bengals mum on Henry
Chris Henry practiced with the Cincinnati Bengals, who remain noncommittal about whether the wayward receiver will be added to the roster for the next game.
Henry was benched by the Bengals for one game and suspended by the NFL for two more. He’s eligible to play Sunday against Atlanta, a decision that is up to coach Marvin Lewis.
“We’ll make a decision on Sunday,” Lewis said.
Around the league
A domestic violence case against Cleveland Browns running back Reuben Droughns was dropped as prosecutors cited lack of evidence. … Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart was excused from practice after attending the birth of his son in Southern California. … The Indianapolis Colts are keeping defensive tackle Montae Reagor on the active roster while he recovers from a head wound suffered in an automobile accident. … Robert Reynolds, who is charged with domestic violence in Ohio, will not play Sunday for Tennessee against the Houston Texans, and Titans coach Jeff Fisher said that he asked the linebacker to leave the team’s headquarters.