Buccaneers Get Rattay From 49ers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepared for life without Brian Griese, acquiring Tim Rattay from the San Francisco 49ers to back up young quarterbacks Chris Simms and Luke McCown.

Griese injured his left knee during Tampa Bay’s 27-13 victory over Miami on Sunday, but the Buccaneers still haven’t commented publicly on his condition.

“We’re getting some more analysis,” General Manager Bruce Allen said. “He’s still on the team. He is wanting to play. We’re hopeful that he can. But we’re going to get the proper medical opinion.”

Simms replaced Griese against the Dolphins and will have two weeks to prepare for his first start of the season because Tampa Bay has a bye Sunday. The Buccaneers sent what was believed to be a sixth-round draft choice to the 49ers for Rattay, a six-year veteran who lost the 49er starting job to this year’s No. 1 overall draft pick Alex Smith.

To make room on the roster, the team released rookie fullback Rick Razzano.

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The San Diego Chargers and the Dolphins swapped third-string quarterbacks, with A.J. Feeley going to San Diego and Cleo Lemon to Miami. The Chargers also received a draft pick, believed to be a seventh-rounder. In another move, they traded guard Toniu Fonoti to the Minnesota Vikings for a conditional pick in 2006.

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The younger brother of St. Louis Ram defensive end Leonard Little was shot to death, and a 17-year-old girl was taken into custody after trying to flee police in Tennessee on Tuesday.

Investigators found Jermaine Little, 24, about 5:30 p.m. Monday lying on the floor of a friend’s home in Harriman, about 40 miles east of Knoxville, where his brother once starred for the University of Tennessee.

Shot once in the side, Jermaine Little died at Roane County Medical Center.

Harriman Police Chief Jack Stockton said a dispute over money had occurred. Jermaine Little’s girlfriend, Jessica Butcher, claimed he owed her $500. “There was a physical altercation inside the residence, and something happened,” Stockton said.

The suspect, identified by witnesses as Bianca Nicole Taylor, was being held in the Anderson County Jail with charges pending.

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St. Louis interim Coach Joe Vitt is unsure whether quarterback Marc Bulger will play against New Orleans on Sunday.

Bulger sprained his right shoulder in the second quarter of the Rams’ 45-28 loss Monday night at Indianapolis. Vitt said Tuesday that results of an MRI exam weren’t available.

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Houston put linebacker Kailee Wong on injured reserve after he tore a tendon in his right knee.... The NFL fined Washington Coach Joe Gibbs $10,000 for criticizing game officials after the Redskins’ 21-19 loss to Denver two weeks ago.