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NFL roundup: Ravens' Suggs likely to miss 2012 season

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs likely will miss the 2012 season with a torn Achilles tendon, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Suggs was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year after a 70-tackle season, including 14 sacks. He was the only player last season to record at least five sacks, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles. The Ravens had the No. 3 ranked defense and advanced to the AFC Championship Game.

Suggs told ESPN.com through text messages that suffered the injury Saturday, "running my condition test."

Surgery is scheduled for next week, the sources told ESPN.com.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome told ESPN's Josina Anderson that the team learned of Suggs' injury earlier this week, and that Suggs would visit a specialist next week to determine whether the tendon is partially or fully torn.

"We are in contact with Terrell. He will see a specialist early next week and we'll know more at that time," the team said in a statement.

The Ravens may already have a replacement in Alabama's Courtney Upshaw, who was taken with the 35th overall pick, but was expected to compete to replace the departed Jarrett Johnson.

---Junior Seau's brain has been requested by Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, according to a Sports Illustrated report.

Seau died of a gunshot wound to the chest Wednesday, and his death is being investigated as a suicide. While there is no conclusive medical link between head injuries and suicide, the BU Center wants to conduct a study similar to one they performed on former NFL player Dave Duerson, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest last year.

Duerson asked for his brain to be studied, and BU determined that he suffered from degenerative disease of the brain from repeated head trauma, which can lead to depression.

---Evidence shows that New Orleans Saints players received payments for hits on targeted opponents, according to a former U.S. attorney hired by the NFL to evaluate its investigation of the team's bounty program.

Mary Jo White said in a conference call that evidence in the league's investigation of the three-year system provided "an unusually strong record," and came from people with "firsthand knowledge and corroborated by documentation."

Asked twice whether any players were paid for hits, White said they were, but didn't give specifics. She said most of the money in the kitty came from the players.

"Without them, there wouldn't been a bounty program," she said.

---Cornerback Drew Coleman was released by the Jaguars. He opened last season as the nickelback and can play corner or safety. He played in all 16 games for the Jaguars in his one season with the team.