NFL notebook: Ravens QB Flacco practices, listed as questionable

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was a full participant in practice on Friday but still might not be back on the field Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Flacco, who has missed the last three games because of a right hip injury, officially is listed at questionable. If he does suit up, he probably will be the backup to rookie Lamar Jackson. Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner from Louisville who was the 32nd pick in the first round of this year's draft by Baltimore, has led the Ravens (7-5) to three straight victories with Flacco on the sideline. "Yeah, there's a scenario for that, sure," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said when asked if Flacco might suit up and play behind Jackson. Harbaugh hasn't given any indication that Flacco remains the starter, even when he is healthy, or if he is staying with Jackson because he has the hot hand. The Chiefs (10-2) will present Jackson with his biggest challenge, as he has led the Ravens to victories over the Cleveland Browns (4-7-1), Oakland Raiders (2-10) and Atlanta Falcons (4-8). If the rookie can play well against the Chiefs, it might mean he will remain the Ravens' starting quarterback for the rest of the season and perhaps into next year. --New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold participated fully in practice for the third straight day on Friday, but coach Todd Bowles would not say if he will return to the starting lineup on the road against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Darnold returned to practice a week ago before missing his third game because of a right foot injury and worked with the first team this week. Bowles didn't say if Darnold of Josh McCown, who replaced Darnold, would start against the Bills. "Between him and Josh, they both had good weeks," said Bowles, who also was asked what Darnold needs to improve on in the final weeks of his first season. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Darnold, the third pick of the 2018 draft by the Jets out of USC, has completed 159 of 289 passes (55 percent) for 1,934 yards and 11 touchdowns with 14 interceptions while being sacked 21 times. He also has rushed for 61 yards and a score. --Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon missed a third straight practice on Friday because of a knee injury and later in the day the team announced that he will not play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chargers (9-3) are playing it safe with their leading rusher so he can possibly be close to full strength next Thursday night in a key AFC West game against the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs (10-2). Gordon, who sustained the injury two weeks ago against the Arizona Cardinals, has rushed for 802 yards on 153 carries this season (5.2-yard average) and scored nine touchdowns in addition to catching 44 passes for 453 yards and four scores. Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will continue to share the running back chores against the Bengals. --Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith suffered a knee injury in the first half of Thursday's 30-9 romp past the Jacksonville Jaguars and will miss the rest of the season, ESPN reported, citing a source. Smith was hurt on a 99-yard touchdown run by running back Derrick Henry and did not return to the game. In addition, right tackle Jack Conklin injured his right knee and will be out a few weeks, the NFL Network reported. A third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Smith has 20 catches for 258 yards for an average of 12.9 yards per reception. He had 18 catches during his rookie campaign. Conklin suffered a torn ACL in a playoff loss to the New England Patriots in January and missed the first three games this season. His likely replacement will be Dennis Kelly. --The Kansas City Chiefs announced the signing of free agent Kelvin Benjamin on Friday, shortly before a report surfaced that fellow wide receiver Sammy Watkins could be out at least a month. Benjamin, who was released by the Buffalo Bills earlier this week, reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs, owners of the best record in the AFC at 10-2. The reason for Benjamin's signing became clearer when the Kansas City Star reported Friday morning that Watkins will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a foot injury. Watkins, who underwent an MRI last month, reportedly aggravated the injury in Thursday's practice. He sat out last week's 40-33 win at Oakland and a Week 10 matchup against Arizona. After being waived by the Bills on Tuesday, Benjamin went unclaimed on waivers Wednesday, making him a free agent. Benjamin was acquired by Buffalo from the Carolina Panthers in October 2017 in exchange for two draft picks. --New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee will miss the rest of the regular season after being suspended by the NFL on Friday for violating the league's Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Lee, selected by the Jets with the 20th pick in the first round of the 2016 draft out of Ohio State, is set to enter the final year of his four-year, $10.2 million rookie contract in 2019. The suspension will cost him about $344,750. Whether the Jets will pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract by the May deadline has been a question because he was something of a disappointment in his first two seasons in New York. However, Lee has played better this season with 74 tackles, including five for losses, five passes defensed, and the first three interceptions of his career, including a pick-six in the season opener that helped the Jets beat the Detroit Lions. --The Carolina Panthers signed kicker Chandler Catanzaro, the team announced. Catanzaro was brought in one day after Panthers kicker Graham Gano was limited in Thursday's practice because of a left knee injury. Carolina on Friday ruled Gano out for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, paving the way for Catanzaro to make his Panthers debut. Catanzaro opened the season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was released on Nov. 13, two days after missing two field goals in a 16-3 loss to Washington. The Buccaneers signed Catanzaro to a three-year contract in March after he converted 25 of 30 field goal attempts for the New York Jets in 2017. To make room for Catanzaro on the 53-man roster, Carolina placed guard Amini Silatolu (knee) on injured reserve. --Former All-Pro linebacker Isiah "Butch" Robertson was killed in a traffic accident southeast of Dallas on Thursday night, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to NFL.com. He was 69. Robertson, who played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1971 to 1978 before ending his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, died in a three-vehicle crash near Mabank, Texas, according to Lt. Lonny Haschel of the Texas Dept. of Public Safety. A preliminary investigation determined that Robertson was driving a limousine in the rain at an unsafe speed around a curve before skidding and coming to a stop partially in the roadway. The limo collided with a truck and was pushed into an oncoming traffic lane, where it was struck by another vehicle. Robertson was a four-time All-Pro selection and chosen to play in the Pro Bowl six times after the Rams selected him with the 10th overall of the 1971 draft out of Southern University. He helped the Rams win six straight NFC West titles from 1973to 1978. Last year, Robertson was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.