Jason Witten is out for the team's opener. (Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE)
Quarterback David Garrard was released by the Dolphins on Tuesday, the day all NFL teams had to be in compliance with the salary cap.
Garrard entered training camp as the No. 1 quarterback on Miami’s depth chart after sitting out the 2011 season to rehab from back surgery.
He suffered a knee injury in the preseason and didn’t return to action as rookie Ryan Tannehill claimed the starting job.
Garrard suffered a knee injury he said occurred walking around his home and required surgery that cost more than three weeks of practice.
Garrard will still count $1 million toward the Dolphins’ 2012 salary cap.
Matt Moore, who ended the 2011 season as Miami’s starting quarterback, is Tannehill’s backup.
—Left tackle Bryant McKinnie restructured his contract and will remain with the Baltimore Ravens after McKinnie indicated he was on the chopping block earlier Tuesday.
He first sent ominous signals about his future in Baltimore via Twitter at noon ET.
McKinnie had a $3.2 million base salary for the 2012 season but the Baltimore Sun reported the Ravens would “ideally like to cut his pay.”
McKinnie posted to his personal Twitter feed “Decision is made! I’m gone!”
But well before the 4 p.m. ET deadline to borrow money from the 2013 salary cap — up to $1.5 million if needed — the Ravens and McKinnie had reached a new agreement for the 2012 season.
–The Jets waived punter T.J. Conley and reportedly signed former Chargers punter Bob Malone.
Newsday reported the Jets signed Malone, who punted 20 times in the preseason for the Chargers, averaging 39.9 yards net with a 44.8-yard gross. The Chargers kept veteran Mike Scifres who had only four punts in preseason.
–Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who practiced for the first time Monday since ending his 38-day holdout Sunday without getting a new contract, will play in the season opener in Minnesota.
Jones-Drew contributed almost 48 percent of the Jaguars’ offense last season, the highest percentage by any player in the past 10 years according to Elias. It stands to reason he won’t get a full workload this week, but any number of snaps shouldn’t be a surprise.
Although Rashad Jennings will start and Mularkey isn’t sure how many snaps Jones-Drew will get, Mularkey envisions Joes-Drew being the same workhorse back he’s been in the past for the Jaguars.
–Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden appealed a four-game suspension, team president Mike Holmgren said on Tuesday, but hasn’t heard the final verdict from the NFL office.
Holmgren said in an in-studio interview on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland that the Browns would plan to have Haden until they hear differently. He did not say when the appeal hearing was held, but the Browns had previously declined comment and refused to confirm the potential suspension.
Haden reportedly took the prescription drug Adderall, which showed up in a positive test for banned substances and was first reported on Aug. 8.
— The Buffalo Bills signed wide receiver Ruvell Martin to the 53-man roster on Tuesday.
Martin re-joined the Bills after being released as part of the team’s final roster cuts to a 53-man roster.
He caught seven passes for 82 yards and tied for second in special teams tackles (nine) for Buffalo in 2011.
—Quarterback Mike Kafka and tight end Kellen Winslow worked out for the Patriots on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Kafka was released by the Eagles, and the Patriots cut Brian Hoyer, who was the third quarterback behind Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett.
Winslow was released by the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots already have tight ends Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, and Visanthe Shiancoe on the roster. But Shiancoe hasn’t has had health issues, and the Patriots may be taking a look at Winslow as an insurance measure.
—The Cincinnati Bengals placed center Kyle Cook on the injured reserve list on Monday because of an ankle injury.
Teams may place one player on the IR. Cook will be eligible to return to practice in Week 7 and will be eligible to play in Week 9.
Cook has started the last 50 Bengals regular season and postseason games, but he sustained an ankle injury in the Aug. 23 preseason game against. Green Bay.
The Bengals also signed free agent tight end Richard Quinn, who was released by Washington.
—Former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan was officially announced as the new co-host of “Live!” on ABC alongside Kelly Ripa.
While “Live!” is filmed in New York, Strahan is expected to keep his role on “Fox NFL Sunday” in Los Angeles.
“Live!” has been without a permanent co-host since Regis Philbin left the show late last year, utilizing Strahan and a string of other guest hosts. Strahan co-hosted 20 times.
—Tight end Colin Cloherty was signed by the Jaguars, who placed Brett Brackett on injured reserve.
Brackett, who finished last season on Philadelphia’s practice squad, suffered a knee injury a half hour into his first practice with the Jaguars on Monday, two days after being claimed off waivers.
Cloherty played in four games for Jacksonville last season, and spent time on the team’s practice squad.
—Safety Ryan Clark won’t play in Denver for the fourth time since 2007 because of a sickle-cell trait that exposes him to health risks at higher altitudes.
Clark also sat out the season-ending AFC wild-card playoff loss at Denver in January. He was held out of the last regular-season trip to Denver in 2009 and a preseason game in 2010.
Clark, 32, led the Steelers in tackles last season. He’ll be replaced in the lineup by Ryan Mundy.
—Wide receiver Vincent Brown was placed on injured reserve by the Chargers with a broken ankle. He was injured in the preseason against the Dallas Cowboys and likely won’t be cleared to return until late October, at the earliest.
Brown can be activated after spending at least eight weeks on IR.
—Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (abdomen) hasn’t been ruled out of Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Giants. He was listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report Tuesday but has been a limited participant in practice since Sunday.
Witten suffered a lacerated spleen in the Cowboys’ first preseason game against the Raiders and was reevaluated Tuesday. Witten is expected to travel with the Cowboys, who were scheduled to leave for New York later Tuesday.
Nose tackle Jay Ratliff (ankle) and rookie safety Matt Johnson (hamstring) were listed as out.
The Cowboys listed wide receivers Miles Austin (hamstring) and Dez Bryant (knee tendinitis) as probable, along with linebacker Dan Connor (hip), running back DeMarco Murray (wrist) and linebacker DeMarcus Ware (hamstring).
