NFL notes: Packers LB Sam Barrington out for year with foot injury
The Green Bay Packers have placed Sam Barrington on season-ending injured reserve after the starting inside linebacker left the opener against Chicago with a foot injury.
Defensive end Datone Jones was activated on Tuesday to replace Barrington on the roster. Jones served a one-game suspension for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Barrington was seen in the locker room with a boot on his right foot. His loss is a blow to a defense that struggled last week against the run. Barrington sat out the second half of the 31-23 win over the Bears, when Matt Forte ran for 141 yards and a score on 24 carries.
Converted outside linebacker Nate Palmer replaced Barrington. Green Bay faces another tough running back this weekend in Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch.
Barrington made the calls in the Packers’ defense.
“The guy who has been kind of the quarterback of your defense, you lose him early,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. “Nate went in and did a commendable job.”
All-Pro outside linebacker Clay Matthews’ move inside at midseason last year also helped against the run.
Gurley takes snaps
Todd Gurley took snaps with the St. Louis Rams’ first-string offense for the first time, and coach Jeff Fisher wouldn’t rule out the running back for this week at Washington as Gurley returns from a left knee injury.
“We’ll see how he does,” Fisher said. “But this is a medical decision, a trainers’ decision.”
Gurley, the 10th-overall pick in the 2015 draft, missed the team’s opening 34-31 overtime win over the Seahawks.
Gurley has been steadily increasing activity coming off left knee surgery that cut short his final college season at Georgia.
Quick kicks
A person with knowledge of the deal says the Cowboys have acquired WR Brice Butler from Oakland for a conditional late-round draft pick after losing All-Pro WR Dez Bryant for at least a month with a broken right foot. … The Raiders have brought back SS Taylor Mays and DL C.J. Wilson less than two weeks after they were cut. SS Nate Allen was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return and TE Gabe Holmes was waived. … The Bills have released RB Bryce Brown to free a roster spot for DT Marcell Dareus’ return from a one-game suspension. … The Falcons have signed OT Jake Long, adding more experience to a rebuilt line. Long, the first overall pick in the 2008 draft by Miami, was cut by the Rams in a salary cap move in March. …The Jets have waived OG Oday Aboushi a day after his one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy ended.