NFL notebook: Chargers patriarch Alex Spanos dies

The Los Angeles Chargers announced longtime owner Alex Spanos passed away on Tuesday morning. He was 95. Spanos, who built a billion-dollar fortune in real estate and construction, purchased 60 percent of the then-San Diego Chargers from majority owner Eugene Klein for $70 million in 1984. Spanos bought out the shares of several minority owners and owned 97 percent of the team. Spanos also served on many NFL committees, including the Expansion and Realignment Committee in 1991. The team Spanos bought reached its high point with a Super Bowl appearance after the 1994 season. Spanos ran the club as a family business for decades and relocated the Chargers to Los Angeles in 2017 under the management of his son, Dean. A.G. Spanos and John Spanos, Alex's grandsons, run the team on a day-to-day basis, with the former overseeing business and the latter presiding over football operations. --The Jacksonville Jaguars signed veteran Jamaal Charles to a one-year contract, the team announced. The Jaguars have been hit hard by injuries at the running back position. Regular starter Leonard Fournette is out indefinitely because of a right hamstring injury. T.J. Yeldon, the No. 2 back, has been playing with an ankle injury. Corey Grant, the No. 3 running back, was placed on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury in his left foot. The 31-year-old Charles played 14 games for the Denver Broncos last season, but did not start any of them. He ran for 296 yards and also caught 23 passes for 129 yards in 2017, but he was a healthy game-day inactive in the final two games. --The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed versatile offensive lineman Ali Marpet to a five-year contract extension, the team announced. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team for Marpet, but NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that the deal is worth 55 million and includes $27.13 million in guarantees. At that price, Marpet is one of the highest-paid left guards in the league. Per the Buccaneers, Marpet's new contract replaces his original deal for the current season. Marpet has started all four games this season at left guard for Tampa Bay, which has benefited from a strong offensive line to throw for an NFL-best 363.3 yards per game. --The Buffalo Bills signed a former Carolina Panthers player and cut another when they placed quarterback Derek Anderson on their active roster. Safety Dean Marlowe was released to clear a roster spot for Anderson, who joins Nathan Peterman in serving as backups to rookie starter Josh Allen for the Bills (2-3). --The NFL has called an audible, flexing the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 7 road game against the Kansas City Chiefs to national television on Sunday, Oct. 21. The contest, which will be played at Arrowhead Stadium on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET, was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. The Bengals-Chiefs tilt replaces the originally scheduled game of the Los Angeles Rams (5-0) visiting the San Francisco 49ers (1-4), which will now be shown on CBS at 4:25 p.m. ET. --Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson doesn't expect to be worse for wear after dislocating his shoulder in Monday night's 43-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Peterson had an MRI on Tuesday, but Gruden provided no update on Peterson's status on Tuesday afternoon. Peterson was quick to provide his own medical update. "It's not going to keep me out," the 33-year-old Peterson said. "I came back into the game. It was just a situation where it was sore. I just thank God it wasn't worse." --Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas didn't just compete against each other during Monday night's game. They took their battle to social media as well. Norman was one of several Redskins players to criticize Thomas after the Saints' 43-19 victory. "That guy -- to speak on him, I will not waste my breath," Norman said, when asked about the 25-year-old Thomas. "I'm sorry. I will not. He's not worthy of it. He never will be worthy of it." Thomas took issue, tweeting that he "made that boy check out after the first half," referring to Norman's brief benching in the second half. Norman briefly was replaced in the second half by rookie Greg Stroman, who gave up a long touchdown. Norman was quick to respond to Thomas on social media, accusing him of "clout chasing" while adding an emoji of a clown. The 30-year-old also said that Thomas did not have a reception when lined up against him. Thomas wouldn't let that go, referencing Norman as a "zone corner" and that he was "going to bully you ever(y) time I see you." Norman has since deleted the tweets, although others have posted screenshots on Twitter.