NFL roundup: Owens to make his Seahawks debut on Saturday

Wide receiver Terrell Owens, who was signed by the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 6, is expected to make his debut for the Seahawks in Saturday's preseason game against Denver, the Seattle Times reported.

"I'm not going to tell you how many plays it will be," coach Pete Carroll told reporters. "We'll see how it goes, but he's going to play pretty early in the game."

Owens didn't play in the exhibition opener, which was played just three days after Owens started practicing with the team.

Owens has not played in an NFL game since Week 15 of the 2010 season when he was playing for Cincinnati.

"He's ready to go," Carroll said. "He had two good weeks of work, and he came in in great shape so he's ready to go."

Owens is not listed among the first three tiers of the Seahawks' depth chart on the team's website, but that may not mean much.

---Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will not play again this preseason while he recovers from a lacerated spleen and internal bleeding.

Witten was injured in Monday night's game against the Oakland Raiders. Witten was examined Tuesday and had an MRI that showed no surgery was necessary immediately. Witten will be re-evaluated around Aug. 23 (Wednesday) and might undergo surgery if considerable improvement isn't evident in that exam.

The injury might be serious enough to hold the veteran out until the Sept. 5 regular-season opener against the New York Giants.

---Federal judge Ginger Berrigan requested more information from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the league's timeline for handing down discipline to players, coaches and executives in the Saints' bounty scandal.

The case, in which Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma has claimed defamation of character, requires showing Goodell acted with malice or reckless disregard for the truth.

The NFLPA and Goodell have until Friday to turn over details after Goodell intimated that he was ready to deliver punishment for players on March 21, when he announced suspensions for Saints coach Sean Payton, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, assistant head coach Joe Vitt, general manager Mickey Loomis and owner Tom Benson. However, the players' union asked Goodell not to rule on player punishment at that time.

--NFL Network has finally come to Cablevision, debuting Thursday after the sides ended sometimes-acrimonious negotiations with a multi-year agreement for programming that includes the NFL RedZone channel.

Cablevision serves New York City and surrounding areas.

NFL Network is now offered by 8 of the 9 largest television providers in the country. Time Warner Cable is the only major TV provider which does not offer NFL Network.

--The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that they'll adhere to a new local blackout policy requiring 90 percent of their stadium's non-premium seats sold.

The NFL relaxed blackout restrictions this season and three other teams -- the Raiders, Buccaneers and Dolphins -- adopted new policies that require only 85 percent of non-premium seats be purchased for a given game for it to be broadcast in the local market.

--The Raiders signed former UCLA linebacker Korey Bosworth, the nephew of former Seattle Seahawks on Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth.

Korey Bosworth signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and spent training camp with the Lions in 2010, '11 and '12. He played in the Lions' preseason opener last week.

--Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher isn't counting missed practices or offseason surgeries. He's keeping but one thing top of mind during training camp.

"Sept. 9. Ask me another question, I'll tell you Sept. 9," Urlacher said, repeating his stated goal of playing in the 2012 regular-season opener against the Colts. "That's my goal, and that's what we're shooting for and the whole time, that's been our goal."

Urlacher underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee early Tuesday morning. He said the procedure was very minor, but he feels relief. That doesn't mean he won't face small hurdles in-season.

--Texans left tackle Duane Brown signed a six-year, $53.4 million contract with more than $22 million guaranteed.

The Houston Chronicle first reported the contract terms. Brown allowed only 2.5 sacks last season and was voted second-team All-Pro.

The Texans had Brown atop their list of long-term priorities among players with contracts set to expire after this season.

--- Fights between teammates at practice have received media attention in recent weeks, and apparently New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is not going to tolerate them.

Early in trailing camp he made his players run laps after several skirmishes interrupted practice. But he took more direct measures on Thursday when wide receiver Julian Edelman and linebacker Niko Koutouvides got into it.

Belichick immediately booted both players out of practice.

---San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Garrett Brown has been suspended without pay by the NFL for the team's first four games of the 2012 regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.

Brown is eligible to return to the Chargers' active roster on October 1, following the September 30 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brown can participate in all preseason practices and games.

The 300-pound Brown, 23, has never played in a regular-season NFL game. He was signed by the Chargers in May and played in the team's first preseason game, getting one assist.

---Cornerback Brandon Flowers will miss the Chiefs' second preseason game at St. Louis on Saturday with his lingering bruised foot that he initially injured July 31.

Coach Romeo Crennel said the injury isn't necessarily worse than initially thought, but that the team's doctors are "trying different things" with Flowers to get the foot to heal.

---Former Florida running back Jeff Demps is attempting to catch on with an NFL team in time to play this season after winning a silver medal as part of the men's 4x100 meter relay team at the London Olympics.

Demps reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds as a junior at Florida, where he was a teammate of Tim Tebow's. He didn't run in the 4x100 final in London, but received a medal for participating in the qualifying round.

The Bucs are reportedly interested, and the Jets are also among a handful of teams looking at Demps. He could hold a workout for multiple teams before signing with anyone.

---Linebacker Clint Sintim, the Giants' second-round draft pick in 2009 who has suffered major knee injuries each of the past two years, was waived from the physically unable to perform list.

He didn't participate in the team's offseason program and has been unable to pass a physical.

Sintim tore his right ACL on Dec. 13, 2010. He re-tore the ACL, along with the patella tendon, in the preseason finale last year.

Defensive end Justin Trattou was waived/injured as well. He suffered an ankle injury during the first week of training camp.

Meanwhile, defensive back/return specialist Laron Scott and defensive tackle Bobby Skinner were signed by the Giants.