NFL-National Football League roundup

Dec 14 (The Sports Xchange) - The family of former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, who shot and killed his girlfriend before taking his own life, is having his body exhumed, The Kansas City Star reported. Family attorney Dirk Vandever told the newspaper on Friday that the family hopes having Belcher's brain examined will reveal answers as to why he shot Kasandra Perkins nine times before turning the gun on himself. It is believed to be the first exhumation of a former NFL player. Belcher killed Perkins the morning of Dec. 1, 2012, then drove to the team's facility and killed himself. He became unpredictable and irritable in the last few months of his life and began drinking more alcohol, sources told the Star. An autopsy revealed that his blood-alcohol level the day of the murder-suicide was more than two times the legal limit in Missouri. His behavior was reportedly similar to that of people who suffer from CTE, which is a degenerative disease caused by repeated head injuries. It is not known if the exhumation will prove that Belcher had CTE. - - - The Chiefs announced Saturday that wide receiver Dexter McCluster does not have Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but he is ruled out of Sunday's game at the Oakland Raiders. The team determined that the infected laceration in McCluster's ankle does not include MRSA bacteria. However, he did not make the trip to Oakland on Saturday. Kansas City earlier listed McCluster as questionable after he missed practice on Thursday and Friday. He was in a hospital on Thursday night after having minor surgery to clean out the infection. The team feared he may have contracted MRSA, a type of staph infection resistant to some antibiotics. - - - The Washington Redskins officially ruled out tight end Jordan Reed for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons because of a concussion. Reed has missed the previous three games because of the injury. - - - The Minnesota Vikings activated safety Harrison Smith from the injured reserve/designed for return list on Saturday, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Smith has been out eight games with a turf toe injury and is expected to play Sunday's game against Philadelphia Eagles. No decision has been made on the playing status of running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhardt, who are listed as questionable. Peterson sprained his right foot and Gerhart strained a hamstring last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. - - - The Detroit Lions listed cornerbacks Chris Houston and Darius Slay as doubtful for Monday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens. Houston, a starter, and Slay are two of their three best cornerbacks. Houston has a toe injury while Slay has a torn meniscus in one of his knees. Neither practiced this week. - - - The Jacksonville Jaguars listed guard Will Rackley as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Rackley reported concussion symptoms to the team on Saturday. He was initially injured Oct. 27 against the San Francisco 49ers. Also, the team activated tight end Allen Reisner from the injured reserve/designated-to-return list and linebacker LaRoy Reynolds, who was suspended four games for violating the NFL's performance enhancing drugs policy. - - - The Indianapolis Colts promoted wide receiver Griff Whalen from the practice squad to the active roster and waived cornerback Jalil Brown on Saturday. Whalen has nine catches for 102 yards in six games for the Colts this season. The Colts originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in April 2012. (Editing by Gene Cherry)