Packers Acquire Holmes

The Green Bay Packers shored up their banged-up backfield with the acquisition of all-purpose running back Darick Holmes from the Buffalo Bills.

The Packers sent an undisclosed 1999 draft choice to the Bills for the 6-foot, 226-pound fourth-year pro out of Portland State who has both the size and speed to play fullback and halfback.

To make room for Holmes, the Packers placed first-year fullback Michael Blair on waivers.

Holmes rushed for 1,383 yards in 385 carries for a 3.6-yard average and 10 touchdowns in his three-plus seasons with the Bills.

The Packers have the 29th-ranked rushing attack in the NFL with Pro Bowl selection Dorsey Levens sidelined until December because of a broken leg.

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Arizona Cardinal defensive lineman Jerry Drake had surgery to remove a herniated disk in his spine in Tempe and is expected to be sidelined up to 10 weeks, the team said.

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The Saints are back in New Orleans, a couple of days late because of Hurricane Georges. The team had to wait in Indianapolis, where it played on Sunday, for the stormy weather to subside for safe travel.

AFC / Heyward Set to Join Colts

Hefty fullback Craig “Ironhead” Heyward will sign a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Indianapolis Colts and report to practice today, said his agent Jack Mills.

Heyward, chosen 24th in the 1988 draft by Colt Coach Jim Mora, who was coaching the Saints then, had problems meeting weight requirements with the St. Lous Rams and was released on Sept. 2

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New England Patriot tight end Ben Coates, facing charges he assaulted the mother of one of his children, had his request to postpone his trial until after the NFL season denied in a hearing at Wrentham District Court on Tuesday.

Judge Daniel B. Winslow denied the request and said he hoped to have the case go to trial by mid-November.

Coates won a small victory at the hearing when the judge allowed defense attorneys access to phone records that allegedly show the victim threatened the football player in the days before the incident.

Coates, 28, has pleaded innocent to domestic assault and battery and claimed he was defending himself from an attack by Jennifer Marshall, 27.

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The New York Jets returned from their bye week, and Coach Bill Parcells still was hedging on whether Glenn Foley will be healthy enough to start Sunday against the unbeaten Miami Dolphins.

Foley suffered an injury to his ribs in Week 2 and was replaced by Vinny Testaverde, who threw four touchdown passes in the Jets’ first victory.