Saints’ Ellis has surgery on knee

Sedrick Ellis, the New Orleans Saints’ top draft pick and a former USC standout, will be out for two to four weeks because of a right knee injury.

Ellis tore the medial meniscus in his knee during the Saints’ victory Sunday against San Francisco and had arthroscopic surgery Friday.

“It’s a little bucket-hand tear,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “And it’s loose enough to where it will catch. You can feel pretty good for a day and then all of a sudden it catches and it just locks up a little bit.”

Ellis has started all four games this season for the Saints, racking up 11 tackles and one sack.

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The NFL has fined Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers $10,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Referee Ed Hochuli was loudly booed when he threw his flag for roughing the passer on the play Sunday, but replays showed Peppers led with his shoulder, and the NFL determined that Peppers then hit Ryan in the head.

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Baltimore Ravens starting cornerback Samari Rolle underwent neck surgery this week and will be out at least a month.

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Two days after saying his surgically repaired left knee was swelling after almost every practice, Lawrence Tynes announced he was ready to kick for the New York Giants. The decision was left until game time Sunday because Tynes’ replacement, John Carney, has made all nine of his field-goal attempts and all eight of his extra points.

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Deion Branch will start for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants, eight months after the veteran receiver had reconstructive knee surgery. Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren added that Keary Colbert or Billy McMullen will start opposite Branch. Bobby Engram will be the slot receiver.

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Shawn Springs, Jason Taylor and Stephon Heyer all sat out practice for the Washington Redskins, but Coach Jim Zorn held out hope Springs would be able to play Sunday. Springs strained a calf muscle in the second half of last week’s win over the Dallas Cowboys. Springs “would be one guy I would definitely play without the reps” in practice, Zorn said.

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Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy will give Aaron Rodgers until 90 minutes before game time to see whether he can play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. . . . Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook was a full participant in practice for the first time in two weeks and appears likely to play Sunday . . . . Justin Gage, second on the Tennessee Titans with 12 receptions, is listed as doubtful because of a right knee injury.