NFL roundup: Browns' Haden suspended 4 games for substance abuse

Cleveland Browns starting cornerback Joe Haden has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, the team and league announced Monday.

Haden tested positive in the offseason for the stimulant Adderall, according to espncleveland.com.

The NFL issued a statement, which read: "Joe Haden of the Cleveland Browns has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. Haden's suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to return to the Browns' active roster on Monday, October 8 following the team's October 7 game against the New York Giants."

Haden had a productive game in the Browns' opener, collecting six tackles and an interception in the 17-16 loss to Philadelphia.

Haden started all 15 games in which he played last season. Dimitri Patterson will replace Haden in the starting lineup.

---Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and was placed in the reserve-injured list Monday.

"This morning Brent Grimes had an MRI and it indicated that he has an Achilles tendon injury," said Falcons coach Mike Smith. "He will be placed on the reserve-injured later this afternoon."

Grimes left Sunday's game with what was announced as a calf injury and did not return.

--- An MRI exam for a suspected elbow injury revealed defensive tackle Ty Warren of the Broncos suffered a season-ending injury for the third straight season.

Warren was the only player injured for the Broncos in Sunday night's win against the Steelers. He was seeing his first action in two full seasons after hip and triceps injuries in the previous two seasons.

Coach John Fox announced Monday afternoon that Warren had a torn biceps and said Warren would likely miss the remainder of the season.

---Even though New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma had his suspension overturned, he will not be playing in a game for awhile, because the Saints placed him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, NFL.com reported based on information provided by Saints senior vice president of communication Greg Bensel.

Vilma is rehabilitating an injured knee and will be eligible to return after Week 6.

He missed the final five games of the 2011 season because of the knee problem.

An arbitration panel had overturned the NFL's suspensions of Vilma and Saints defensive end Will Smith because of their alleged involvement in the bounty program.

---Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams criticized the NFL's replacement referees for missing many illegal hands to the face penalties during Sunday's 48-28 loss to the New York Jets.

The free-agent acquisition felt Jets right tackle Austin Howard should've been flagged numerous times in the game.

"Pass blocking doesn't consist of illegal hands to the face just about every play, which, when somebody tells you that, and you're five yards away from it, and you walk away like you don't see him telling you you're getting punched in the face every time, then that dictates somebody like myself having to take care of that on my own," Williams told reporters.

---Bills running back Fred Jackson is out indefinitely after tests Monday revealed no definitive diagnosis on a possible lateral collateral ligament injury to his right knee.

Jackson took a direct hit to the knee from Jets safety LaRon Landry. He'll likely have further tests next week and be listed as "out" for Sunday's home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wide receiver David Nelson (right knee) was initially diagnosed with a torn ACL and is out for the season.

---Detroit Lions receiver Titus Young was benched Sunday after head butting St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins.

"He didn't do a smart thing," Schwartz said. "We knew what was going to happen in some situations. He and a couple of guys [Jenkins and Rams defensive back Cortland Finnegan] were going back and forth, and the whole thing was right in front of me. It looked like he was going to do the right thing and walk away, but at the last second he turned and made a really dumb decision."

Young was also sent home this summer for sucker punching teammate Louis Delmas during offseason workouts. He received a 15-year penalty for the head butt on Jenkins.

---Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton has a low ankle sprain, a positive development considering how the injury looked on Sunday.

The diagnosis was "good news," head coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters, though he didn't say how much time Skelton could miss.

"We don't think it's going to be something that will hold him out too long," Whisenhunt told the Arizona Republic.

---Peyton Manning's debut for the Broncos' in Denver's victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday night earned NBC an 18.0 overnight rating, marking the network's best regular-season NFL primetime overnight rating ever, according to the Sports Business Daily.

That topped the 17.7 overnight rating for the Vikings-Saints regular-season opener in 2010, and was the NFL's best regular-season primetime rating in 15 years.

FOX earned a 17.2 overnight for its national NFL window featuring the Redskins' upset of the Saints in 56 percent of the markets, according to the Daily. That was the best Week 1 early window in 11 years.

On the flip side, CBS' single-header early window rating of 10.4 was down 2.0 percent from last season.

---The job share at running back between Matt Forte and Michael Bush seemed to work very effectively in the opener, a 41-21 lashing of the Indianapolis Colts.

To everyone but Forte himself, apparently.

Forte sounded less than thrilled about losing two short-range scoring chances to Bush, who had converted 13 of 19 rushes from two yards or less last season.

"It's been happening my whole career here, so I don't know," Forte said, telling reporters the decision is offensive coordinator Mike Tice's to make.

Forte wasn't the only unhappy Bears player after the win. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher didn't like that his playing time was limited in the third quarter and then was held out entirely in the fourth quarter.

---Jets head coach Rex Ryan confirmed Monday that cornerback Darrelle Revis suffered a "mild concussion" in Sunday's victory over the Bills. His status for Sunday's game against the Steelers will be determined later in the week.

---NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith applauded the recent decision to throw out the suspensions for the players involved in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, according to ESPN.com.

In a letter sent to players Sunday morning, Smith credited the strength of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement for the ruling.

"Our CBA provides careful checks and balances to ensure that player rights are protected and no one person can make impartial, biased and unfair decisions," Smith said in the letter. "The panel's ruling exposed the league's unfair process and false accusations."

---The home where former NFL linebacker Junior Seau killed himself sold for $1.97 million, according to The North County Times.

Seau lived in a two-story, three-bedroom beachfront home in Oceanside, Ca. It was listed in late July for nearly $2.3 million, $900,000 less than the $3.2 million Seau paid in 2005.

Seau died in May at age 43 of a self-afflicted gunshot wound.

---Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin wide receiver suffered a hip injury during Sunday's game, coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday, adding that Maclin is "pretty sore."

The team is uncertain about Maclin's availability for Sunday's home game against the Baltimore Ravens. Reid explained that the injury often hurts more in the coming days than the day it actually occurs.

---Seats for the San Francisco 49ers new stadium in Santa Clara are selling well, the team reports.

The Niners have already sold $670M in seats, as 70 percent of current season-ticket holders have committed to seats and luxury boxes, "as most longtime members of the Niner faithful decided to stick with their beloved team despite huge price increases," the San Jose Mercury News reported.

--- The Denver Broncos are planning to re-sign quarterback Caleb Hanie, who was released by the team on Saturday in a money-saving move, the Denver Post reported Monday.

By waiving Hanie on Saturday, the Broncos did not have to guarantee his $1 million salary or pay him a $250,000 roster bonus.

---A Maryland delegate has changed his stance regarding his attempt to silence Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, who had supported gay rights, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Emmett C. Burns Jr., a Baltimore County Democrat, said Ayanbadejo should be allowed to speak his mind regarding his support of same-sex marriage..

"Upon reflection, he has his First Amendment rights," Burns told the Sun. "And I have my First Amendment rights. ... Each of us has the right to speak our opinions. The football player and I have a right to speak our minds."

Burns Jr. gained national attention when he wrote to Ravens owner Steven Disciotti on Maryland House letterhead saying that Ayanbadejo should be sanctioned for speaking out.