Cassel practicing with Patriots again

Matt Cassel returned to practice with the New England Patriots on Thursday morning after missing Wednesday’s workouts because of his father’s death.

Cassel took part in stretching and throwing drills during the portion of practice open to reporters at San Jose State, where the Patriots are training between road games in Seattle and Oakland. He briefly left the club after his father, Greg, died Monday night in Los Angeles.

Although the Patriots made no announcement, Cassel seems likely to start Sunday against the Raiders. But football wasn’t the primary concern for the Patriots on Thursday.

“Maybe being around the guys might ease it a bit,” fullback Heath Evans said. “I don’t know that for a fact. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him this morning and tell him that I love him. At this time, that’s about the only thing that you can know how to do.”

Suspended players to keep playing

A federal judge extended his preliminary injunction against the NFL’s suspension of five players for violating the league’s anti-doping policy, a move their lawyer said will let them play the rest of the season.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson asked both parties to propose a schedule by Dec. 22 for further proceedings. The regular season ends Dec. 28.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints were suspended last week for four games each. They tested positive during training camp for a banned diuretic, bumetanide, in the dietary supplement StarCaps.

The StarCaps label didn’t list the diuretic as an ingredient.

Winslow wants to return to the Browns

Despite a disappointing season and an ugly dispute with Cleveland’s front office, Kellen Winslow wants to stay with the Browns.

Winslow will miss Monday’s game in Philadelphia with a badly sprained left ankle, and the oft-injured tight end isn’t sure if he’ll return to the field for Cleveland’s last two games. Earlier this season, he was suspended by the Browns for making disparaging remarks about the organization after his hospitalization with a staph infection.

“I love being a Cleveland Brown,” he said. “The guys here, we don’t know who’s going to be here next year. You just have to focus on this year. That’s all you can do. I do want to be back here.”

Etc.

Jacksonville put running back Fred Taylor on injured reserve because of a thumb injury, ending his season. . . . Defensive end Aaron Schobel was put on injured reserve because of a left foot injury that has forced Buffalo’s top pass-rusher to miss most of the season. . . . . Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen missed his second straight practice with a knee injury and quarterback Gus Frerotte was held out with a bad back. . . . Jets wide receiver Brad Smith has a concussion as a result of a hit he took from San Francisco’s Patrick Willis, and his status for New York’s game Sunday is uncertain. . . . Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and tackle Walter Jones are unlikely to play for Seattle on Sunday after both missed practice again. . . . Running back Frank Gore hasn’t ruled himself out of San Francisco’s upcoming game in Miami even after missing his second straight practice because of a sprained ankle.