ARIZONA CARDINALS at ST. LOUIS RAMS

ARIZONA CARDINALS

OUT LB Chike Okeafor (back)

QUESTIONABLE CB Michael Adams (hamstring), LB Karlos Dansby (shoulder), T Mike Gandy (pelvis), LB Gerald Hayes (back), CB Bryant McFadden (ankle), WR Sean Morey (head), TE Ben Patrick (knee)

PROBABLE WR Steve Breaston (knee), DE Kenny Iwebema (knee), G Deuce Lutui (not injury related), G Reggie Wells (thumb), S Adrian Wilson (groin)

ST. LOUIS RAMS

OUT DE C.J. Ah You (knee), G Richie Incognito (foot)

QUESTIONABLE DE Chris Long (knee)

PROBABLE DE James Hall (back), DE Leonard Little (knee), DT Clifton Ryan (toe)

ATLANTA FALCONS at NEW YORK GIANTS

ATLANTA FALCONS

OUT WR Brian Finneran (knee)

DOUBTFUL RB Michael Turner (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE S Erik Coleman (knee), RB Jerious Norwood (hip), WR Roddy White (knee)

PROBABLE T Sam Baker (ankle)

 NEW YORK GIANTS

QUESTIONABLE CB Aaron Ross (hamstring)

PROBABLE RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle, foot), QB Eli Manning (foot)

BUFFALO BILLS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

BUFFALO BILLS

OUT T Demetrius Bell (knee), LB Keith Ellison (thigh), TE Derek Fine (knee), DT Marcus Stroud (knee), CB Ashton Youboty (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE S Jairus Byrd (groin), WR James Hardy (groin), CB Terrence McGee (knee), DT Kyle Williams (knee)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

OUT CB Rashean Mathis (groin)

DOUBTFUL LB Justin Durant (head)

QUESTIONABLE S Gerald Alexander (shoulder)

PROBABLE G Maurice Williams (illness)

CINCINNATI BENGALS at OAKLAND RAIDERS

CINCINNATI BENGALS

DOUBTFUL RB Cedric Benson (hip), G Evan Mathis (ankle), LB Keith Rivers (calf)

QUESTIONABLE S Chris Crocker (calf), CB Johnathan Joseph (foot), CB Morgan Trent (knee)

PROBABLE WR Laveranues Coles (head), RB Jeremi Johnson (chest)

OAKLAND RAIDERS

OUT LB Ricky Brown (ankle), WR Nick Miller (shin), WR Javon Walker (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (ankle), DE Greg Ellis (knee, shoulder)

PROBABLE S Hiram Eugene (shoulder)

CLEVELAND BROWNS at DETROIT LIONS

CLEVELAND BROWNS

QUESTIONABLE WR Joshua Cribbs (neck), G Rex Hadnot (knee), RB Jamal Lewis (ankle), RB Lawrence Vickers (shoulder)

PROBABLE LB David Bowens (knee), DE Kenyon Coleman (groin), C Alex Mack (wrist), DT Shaun Rogers (back), TE Robert Royal (finger, wrist), T John St. Clair (shoulder), WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)

DETROIT LIONS

OUT S Kalvin Pearson (hamstring), G Stephen Peterman (ankle), LB Ernie Sims (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE LB Zack Follett (neck), DE Dewayne White (toe), WR Derrick Williams (hip)

PROBABLE CB Phillip Buchanon (knee, shoulder), DT Joe Cohen (ankle), S Louis Delmas (tooth, jaw), LB Jordon Dizon (neck), RB Jerome Felton (ankle), LB Larry Foote (knee), DE Jason Hunter (knee), DT Grady Jackson (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (hand), S Ko Simpson (knee), QB Matthew Stafford (knee)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS at BALTIMORE RAVENS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

OUT T Daniel Federkeil (concussion), CB Aaron Francisco (ankle), WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee), CB Kelvin Hayden (knee), K Adam Vinatieri (right knee)

QUESTIONABLE CB Antoine Bethea (foot), DT Eric Foster (back), DE Dwight Freeney (hip), WR Pierre Garcon (ankle), TE Gijon Robinson (concussion), QB Jim Sorgi (right shoulder)

PROBABLE WR Hank Baskett (illness), LS Justin Snow (elbow)

BALTIMORE RAVENS

OUT RB Matt Lawrence (knee), LB Terrell Suggs (knee)

QUESTIONABLE TE Todd Heap (chest), DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)

PROBABLE C Matt Birk (neck), QB Joe Flacco (knee), LB Tavares Gooden (head), LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

OUT CB Jabari Greer (groin), WR Lance Moore (ankle), CB Tracy Porter (knee)

QUESTIONABLE RB Reggie Bush (knee), DT Sedrick Ellis (knee)

PROBABLE C Jonathan Goodwin (ankle), S Darren Sharper (knee), TE David Thomas (knee)

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

QUESTIONABLE CB Elbert Mack (ankle)

PROBABLE WR Antonio Bryant (knee), CB Torrie Cox (not injury related), QB Byron Leftwich (right elbow), CB Aqib Talib (hamstring), RB Carnell Williams (knee), TE Kellen Winslow (knee)

NEW YORK JETS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

NEW YORK JETS

OUT LB Vernon Gholston (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE S Jim Leonhard (thumb)

PROBABLE DE Shaun Ellis (knee), WR Brad Smith (quadricep), LB Bryan Thomas (toe)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

OUT RB Fred Taylor (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE WR Sam Aiken (hip), LB Eric Alexander (groin), TE Chris Baker (shoulder), LB Tully Banta-Cain (abdomen), DT Ron Brace (ankle), WR Julian Edelman (forearm), DE Jarvis Green (knee), C Dan Koppen (knee), T Matt Light (knee), RB Sammy Morris (knee), G Steve Neal (head), LB Rob Ninkovich (knee), DE Ty Warren (ankle)

PROBABLE QB Tom Brady (right shoulder), CB Shawn Springs (knee), TE Benjamin Watson (knee)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at CHICAGO BEARS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

OUT WR Kevin Curtis (knee), S Quintin Demps (ankle), LB Akeem Jordan (knee), RB Brian Westbrook (concussion)

QUESTIONABLE CB Sheldon Brown (hamstring)

PROBABLE DE Victor Abiamiri (knee), G Nick Cole (knee), DT Antonio Dixon (foot), LB Chris Gocong (hamstring), S Victor Harris (eye), WR Jeremy Maclin (foot), DT Mike Patterson (wrist, toe), T Jason Peters (ankle), RB Leonard Weaver (ankle)

CHICAGO BEARS

OUT LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee), RB Garrett Wolfe (kidney)

DOUBTFUL TE Desmond Clark (neck), S Kevin Payne (back)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

OUT DE Travis Kirschke (calf), S Troy Polamalu (knee)

QUESTIONABLE RB Carey Davis (hamstring)

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

DOUBTFUL G Andy Alleman (knee), LB Justin Rogers (thigh), RB Dantrell Savage (ankle), LB Mike Vrabel (knee)

QUESTIONABLE LB David Herron (knee)

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS at DENVER BRONCOS

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

OUT C Nick Hardwick (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE T Jeromey Clary (ankle), DT Ogemdi Nwagbuo (ankle)

PROBABLE LB Tim Dobbins (knee), TE Antonio Gates (foot), DE Travis Johnson (groin), LB Shawne Merriman (foot), LB Shaun Phillips (ankle), P Mike Scifres (left groin)

DENVER BRONCOS

OUT T Ryan Harris (toe), RB LaMont Jordan (back)

QUESTIONABLE S Josh Barrett (hamstring), QB Kyle Orton (ankle)

PROBABLE RB Correll Buckhalter (knee), WR Brandon Lloyd (foot), WR Brandon Marshall (neck)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at GREEN BAY PACKERS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

OUT CB Nate Clements (shoulder), T Joe Staley (knee)

QUESTIONABLE LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

PROBABLE WR Isaac Bruce (ankle, elbow), RB Glen Coffee (concussion), WR Michael Crabtree (knee), DT Demetric Evans (shoulder), S Michael Lewis (quadricep), RB Michael Robinson (not injury related), S Mark Roman (knee), DT Justin Smith (back), T Adam Snyder (shoulder)

 GREEN BAY PACKERS

DOUBTFUL T Allen Barbre (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE G Evan Dietrich-Smith (ankle), RB Ahman Green (groin)

PROBABLE LB Desmond Bishop (ankle), LB Brandon Chillar (hand), TE Jermichael Finley (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (ankle), DE Johnny Jolly (back), LB Brad Jones (concussion), LB Aaron Kampman (concussion), RB John Kuhn (hand), LB Clay Matthews (jaw), LB Brady Poppinga (quadricep), T Mark Tauscher (knee), C Scott Wells (concussion), CB Charles Woodson (hip)

 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

OUT RB Julius Jones (chest)

DOUBTFUL CB Josh Wilson (concussion)

QUESTIONABLE DT Craig Terrill (shoulder)

PROBABLE C Chris Spencer (thumb, back), CB Marcus Trufant (concussion)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

DOUBTFUL CB Antoine Winfield (foot)

QUESTIONABLE WR Bernard Berrian (hamstring), CB Karl Paymah (ankle)

PROBABLE QB Brett Favre (groin, hip), LB E.J. Henderson (knee), DE Jayme Mitchell (illness), CB Benny Sapp (groin), RB Naufahu Tahi (ankle)

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at DALLAS COWBOYS

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

OUT TE Chris Cooley (ankle), RB Clinton Portis (concussion), RB Eddie Williams (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle), T Stephon Heyer (knee), T Mike Williams (ankle)

PROBABLE RB Ladell Betts (ankle)

DALLAS COWBOYS

OUT T Marc Colombo (ankle), S Ken Hamlin (ankle), CB Allen Rossum (hamstring)

PROBABLE RB Marion Barber (thumb), K David Buehler (right toe), CB Mike Jenkins (elbow), S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb), LB DeMarcus Ware (foot)

On Thursday, we passed along a report that Cedric Benson was not likely to play this week.

On Friday, the Bengals confirmed it, calling him doubtful to face the Raiders because of a hip injury that prevented Benson from practicing all week.

That means that Larry Johnson will likely get an early Thanksgiving present and suit up against the Raiders.

Benson called himself a gametime decision Friday, but it wouldn't be shocking if the Bengals left him in Cincinnati and downgraded him to out on Saturday. 

And then fantasy owners that picked up Bernard Scott can celebrate Sunday.

Atlanta's starting running back is likely out for Sunday's key NFC tilt against the Giants, but they may get an explosive reserve back in the lineup.

Jerious Norwood participated in practice for the second straight day Friday, and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game.  He seems likely to play, but as a reserve behind Jason Snelling.

Michael Turner is listed as doubtful for the game after missing practice all week. 

The matchup in the Meadowlands features two 5-4 teams that are both slumping and not playing like playoff teams.  The Giants have lost four straight and the Falcons have lose three of four.

While the Giants are as healthy as they have been all year, Atlanta's defense is still leaky and the expected loss of their leading rusher makes them underdogs.

It's not like Reggie Bush's career hasn't had some fabulous moments.  Bush's problem is backing up those moments with consistent production.

In typical fashion, Bush has followed up his best rushing effort in more than two years with three straight missed practices because of a knee injury.  The problem slowed Bush down in the second half of his two touchdown performance against the Rams.

While Bush is listed as questionable, his lack of practice indicates that he isn't likely to suit up against the Buccaneers this week.  Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell should get increased against Tampa.

Other injured Saints include defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who is questionable with a knee injury.  Safety Darren Sharper will return to the field this week, but Lance Moore, Tracy Porter, and Jabari Greer have all been ruled out for the game.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is expected to miss at least three weeks following his latest concussion, coach Andy Reid said today.

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Reid said today that Westbrook is likely out for the next three weeks.

Geoff Mosher of the News Journal reports that Reid said any decision beyond that will depend on the evaluations of the Eagles' medical staff.

"We'll just see how he feels after that," Reid said.

Realistically, there's no way to say now whether Westbrook will play in three weeks. If he feels fine and the doctors -- both the Eagles' staff and the outside experts Westbrook has consulted -- give him a clean bill of health, he could return. If he's having headaches, dizziness or other symptoms associated with concussions, one would hope the Eagles wouldn't allow him anywhere near the playing field.

But the fact that the Eagles haven't put Westbrook on injured reserve suggests that there's still a chance he can return this year. That return would be at least three weeks away.

Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is struggling with an ankle injury, and there are conflicting reports about whether he's healthy enough to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Scott Noll of ESPNDallas.com, citing comments that Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray made Friday on Michael Irvin's radio show, reports that Haynesworth will play against the Cowboys.

But on the 2 p.m. Eastern broadcast of SportsCenter, ESPN reported that Haynesworth is unlikely to play because of his ankle injury.

Jason Reid of the Washington Post, meanwhile, reports that Redskins coach Jim Zorn said of Haynesworth's status, "I do believe that's going to be a game-time situation."

So despite the two ESPN reports, we don't know whether Haynesworth is playing or not. And we probably won't until Sunday.

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu won't talk about his knee injury, as instructed.  He won't even admit he has one.

"Who says there's even a real knee injury, first of all?" Polamalu asked Thursday.

Well, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says so.  And it will prevent Polamalu from playing this week, according to Ed Bouchette.

Tyrone Carter will get the start at safety against the Chiefs, which is no surprise.  Defensive end Travis Kirschke is also expected to miss his third straight game.

It's unclear how much time Polamalu will miss, but early reports indicate this knee injury isn't as serious as the sprained MCL that sidelined him for four games earlier this season.

Tony Dungy says the nature of a football player is to want to compete at all costs, and that players will hide concussions from team doctors if that's what they have to do to get on the field.

And Dungy, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for three years, says he himself had that attitude as a player.

"I got two concussions that I remember while I was playing," Dungy said today on The Dan Patrick Show. "You want to get back in the game. You don't want to give up your spot."

Dungy will lead the league's new Player Advisory Forum, which will give players the opportunity to address their concerns to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on issues including health and safety. Dungy says teams are getting better at addressing issues related to concussions, and he said that the Colts implemented a new testing procedure last year that allows the team to establish whether players' mental functions have been impaired by concussions.

"I think teams are doing a better job," Dungy said.

It would be hard for the Bears rushing attack to get much worse, but it just took another body blow.

Backup Garrett Wolfe will miss the rest of the season with a lacerated kidney, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times.  The injury was learned about two weeks ago, but there was some hope he could return this season.

"He's a great kid and it's unfortunate,'' Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo said. ``I was hoping he would start integrating more into the offense and [offensive coordinator] Ron [Turner] was using him more in practices, and he's done a good job on special teams. I wanted to see him take another step as a runner.''

Wolfe's loss will by mostly felt on special teams, one of the only strengths of Chicago's squad.  FootballOutsiders ranks the Bears unit fourth in the league.

Only five days after suffering a broken foot and two days after being placed on injured reserve, Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown will undergo surgery to repair the injury, according to Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald.

Brown traveled with his teammates to Charlotte for a Thursday visit with a local foot specialist, Dr. Bob Anderson.

Anderson confirmed the diagnosis of a Lisfranc fracture, and surgery will be conducted on Friday.

Brown is out for the season after being placed on injured reserve.

As expected, Panthers running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are active for tonight's game and will play against the Miami Dolphins.

Williams and Stewart were both listed as questionable, but reports today said they'd be ready to go, and as kickoff approaches, they are.

Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is also active after being unhurt in a car accident today.

And Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter is active as well and will be back on the field after being inactive for the Dolphins' last game because of a coach's decision.

The full list of inactives for tonight's Dolphins-Panthers game is available at NFL.com.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs expects to play again this year after suffering an injury when Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn took him out at the knees on Monday night.

But Suggs says he's devastated that he's going to have to miss a game on Sunday for the first time in his career.

"I'm really crushed that I'm going to miss my first game," Suggs told Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun. "That [stinks]."

Suggs, who has played in 105 consecutive regular-season games since the Ravens drafted him in 2003, said he had a personal goal of equaling the accomplishment of Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome, who as a Cleveland Browns tight end from 1978 to 1990 never missed a game. Now that won't happen.

Suggs didn't come right out and say that Quinn took him out with a cheap shot, but he seems to think that's what happened.

"That's exactly what it felt like," he said. "But I haven't seen it so I can't really say one way or another. I'm more upset that I'm going to miss this game.

The Carolina Panthers expect to be at full strength at running back against the Miami Dolphins tonight.

Adam Schefter of ESPN tweets that Panthers running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are both expected to play tonight.

Williams was listed as questionable and didn't participate in practice with a knee injury. Stewart was listed as questionable but did participate in practice despite an Achilles injury.

Williams has 168 carries for 860 yards this season, a 5.1-yard average that is particularly impressive given how many eight-man fronts Williams has to face with the Panthers' dreadful passing offense. Stewart has also been impressive spelling Williams, carrying 98 times for 466 yards.

After Cleveland wide receiver Josh Cribbs suffered an injury in the final play of Monday night's Ravens-Browns game, PFT's Mike Florio pointed out that there wouldn't have been time for that play if not for the officials giving the Browns a fourth timeout.

Now the league has admitted the mix-up: In the second half, the Browns called four timeouts, and the officials allowed Cleveland to have all four of them.

In this video at NFL.com, NFL Network's Rich Eisen asks head of officiating Mike Pereira bluntly, "A team in the NFL got a fourth timeout. How did that happen?"

Said Pereira, "Well, I mean, it happened because we as a group -- as a crew -- failed to record. . . .  Everybody on the field basically forgot to record the penalty -- I mean, the timeout -- and the scoreboard did, too."

Although Pereira mentioned that the scoreboard erroneously showed Cleveland having an extra timeout, he said he wasn't trying to blame the stadium scoreboard operator.

"All our fault," Pereira said. "It's not the scoreboard operator's responsibility, it's our responsibility to record all timeouts and we're going to initiate a change over these situations. When a team uses all their timeouts we now -- the referee has to go over and tell the head coach. . . .  These types of administrative things should never happen, and we accept responsibility."

It's good that Pereira accepts responsibility, but it's amazing that the mistake happened in the first place. NFL officials have tough jobs, and everyone makes mistakes from time to time. But it doesn't seem like too much to ask that all officials be able to count to three.

On Sunday, the Chargers and the Broncos get together again. 

Since their last meeting, the Chargers haven't lost a game -- and the Broncos haven't won one.

As the two teams prepare for the second half of their home-and-home series, two key members of the Denver offense missed practice on Wednesday.

Quarterback Kyle Orton's left ankle injury, suffered in Week Ten against the Redskins, kept him from playing on Sunday.  Ditto for receiver Brandon Marshall, who has a neck injury.

It's unknown whether either will play this weekend. 

"I came back last year as soon as I could and I'll do the same thing this year," Orton said per the AP on Wednesday, who sprained his right ankle in November 2008.

The Broncos surely are hoping that's the case, given the manner in which Chris Simms played in relief of Orton.

Also missing practice Wednesday for the Broncos were safety Josh Barrett (hamstring), tackle Ryan Harris (toe), running back LaMont Jordan (back), and running back Correll Buckhalter (knee).

On Wednesday, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook visited two concussion specialists in Pittsburgh, where he underwent a variety of tests.  Despite fears that Westbrook's career could be over, Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael "Micky" Collins of UPMC expressed optimism.

"We are very encouraged by Brian's progress, we believe that he has an excellent prognosis and we expect a full recovery," Drs. Maroon and Collins said in a statement released by the Eagles.  "We developed a comprehensive physical rehab plan for Brian, and we will repeat the detailed testing in the next two to three weeks."

So it appears that Westbrook will miss at least two or three more games, at a minimum.

Still, Westbrook's career already was winding down, even without the sudden concussion issue.  We're not sure it makes sense for him or the team to take any further risks, especially with Congress paying keen attention to the problem of brain injuries.

Ronnie Brown's season officially ended earlier Wednesday, and now we know we why.

In series of tweets, Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald reports that Brown is believed to have suffered a Lisfranc fracture in the middle of his foot.  The team knew it was bad enough to keep Brown out for the season, regardless of how the injury is treated.

According to Darlington, Brown made the trip with the team to Charlotte.  But it was for a visit with Bob Anderson, a foot specialist.  Brown has to decide whether the injury can heal on its own or whether surgery is required.

A source tells Darlington the injury is "not anything major as far as career or long term." 

Many players have returned from Lisfranc fractures, which is encouraging news for Brown.  His free agency status in 2010 depends on a new collective bargaining agreement, or lack thereof.

As Browns coach Eric Mangini continues to face criticism for the Stanford-band clusterfudge that concluded Monday night's 16-0 loss to the Ravens, he's getting support from an unlikely source.

The guy who was hurt during the play.

Receiver Josh Cribbs said Wednesday that the play wasn't called by coach Eric Mangini, but by quarterback Brady Quinn.

"It was a call at the line,'' Cribbs said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.  "It wasn't a call that came in from the coaches.  Brady had let us know to keep the ball alive, that he was going to throw the slant to me at the line and to keep the ball alive.  He gave the signal to keep it alive, but it wasn't a call that came in from the sideline.''

Unlike his agent, Cribbs wasn't upset about the fact that he was on the field during the final, futile drive.

"They put me in position to make plays and to play well in the football game and I wouldn't want to come out of the game,'' Cribbs said. "A lot of people say 'why are you still out when you have no chance to win the game?' but I wanted to be out there, so I can't put no blame on anyone.''

Still, the Browns never even should have had the ball at the end of the game.  With their three time outs exhausted, Mangini called -- and was awarded -- a fourth time out after the two-minute warning.  Absent the extra time out, the Ravens would have been able to run out the clock without giving possession back to the Browns.

As one of the worst seasons in franchise history continues, the Browns will be without two veteran players.

The team has announced that tight end Steve Heiden and punter Dave Zastudil have been placed on injured reserve.

Heiden, acquired via a trade with the Chargers in 2002, started six games this season. 

Zastudil has been the team's punter since 2006, when he was signed from the Ravens as a free agent.

The Browns replaced their roster spots by claiming on waivers linebacker Arnold Harrison (Steelers) and receiver Jake Allen (Packers).

With the Saints' defense hampered by injuries, the team got some good news on Wednesday.

Pro Bowl safety Darren Sharper returned to practice on a limited basis.

Sharper missed Sunday's game against the Rams with a knee injury.  He didn't practice last Wednesday, and he practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday.

The Saints play the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Missing practice were offensive lineman Jonathan Goodwin (ankle), receiver Lance Moore (ankle), cornerback Jabari Greer (groin), linebacker David Thomas (knee), cornerback Tracy Porter (knee), and running back Reggie Bush (knee).

Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (knee) practiced on a limited basis.

Coach Sean Payton also addressed the arrival of cornerback Chris McAlister, who was formally signed this morning.

"A lot of it will be based on the health of a couple of guys in front of him," coach Sean Payton said Wednesday in comments distributed by the team.  "But he's a veteran player that understands defense and is someone that we think can come in and help us."

Payton said that the team brought in McAlister and another cornerback for workouts on Tuesday.  Per a league source, the other guy was Cletis Gordon.