INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts won’t use former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel as a replay consultant until the seventh game of the season.
Colts vice chairman Bill Polian said Monday that Tressel won’t join the team until late October. The team recently announced it would employ Tressel as a game-day consultant to help determine when the team should challenge plays with a video review.
Polian said “questions were raised with respect to the equity of his appointment as opposed to suspensions being serves this season by present and former Ohio State players.”
Tressel was pushed out at Ohio State after an investigation into improper benefits by his players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
Pryor recently was taken by Oakland in the NFL’s supplemental draft and faces a five- game suspension in the NFL.
Payton gets extension
METAIRIE, La. — Sean Payton, who coached the Saints to their first Super Bowl championship two seasons ago, agreed to an extension through 2015.
The deal carries Payton through what would be his 10th season since he joined the Saints in 2006, shortly after the team’s miserable 3-13 2005 campaign that was defined in large part by displacement to San Antonio because of Hurricane Katrina.
Including three trips to the postseason in his first five seasons, Payton has a 53-33 record with New Orleans.
Umenyiora likely to sit
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora probably will miss the Giants season opener against the Redskins.
Umenyiora had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Aug. 19, and coach Tom Coughlin said the 29-year-old who is entering his ninth season with the Giants hasn’t progressed enough to play.
Greenway making hay
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings signed linebacker Chad Greenway, a first-round pick out of Iowa in 2006, to a five-year contract worth $41 million, including $20 million guaranteed. The contract runs through the 2015 season and should create more space under the salary cap for 2011.
“You’ve got to sell a lot of feeder pigs to make that kind of money,” Greenway said, repeating what Tom West, the team’s assistant director of public relations and a fellow former farm kid, told him. “That’s a lot of hours in the barn.”
Grossman named starter
ASHBURN, Va. — Redskins coach Mike Shanahan ended the suspense and announced Rex Grossman as the team’s starting quarterback, giving the nine-year veteran the nod over John Beck going into Sunday’s season opener against the Giants.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in both of them. It was very competitive all the way through,” Shanahan said. “I thought Rex won by an edge.”
Also, tight end Chris Cooley (knee) and safety LaRon Landry (hamstring) took part in a portion of practice, but Shanahan said he wouldn’t guess as to either’s availability for Sunday.
Cardinals sign Taylor
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Cardinals signed running back Chester Taylor, a 10-year NFL veteran who was released by the Bears on Saturday.
Moats out with leg injury
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bills backup linebacker Arthur Moats will miss at least the first two weeks of the regular season while recovering from a right leg injury.
Chiefs sign Maneri, cut Becht
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs picked up offensive tackle Steve Maneri off waivers from the Patriots and released veteran tight end Anthony Becht.
