Brett Favre sits out practice because of elbow

Brett Favre’s latest problem is his elbow.

With the NFL investigating whether he sent lewd photos of himself to a Jets game hostess while he played for New York in 2008, Favre said Wednesday that his cherished, league-record streak of 289 consecutive starts could be in danger if the pain in his right elbow gets any worse.

The 41-year-old quarterback did not practice with Minnesota on Wednesday, preferring to rest the tendinitis that flared up noticeably Monday night in the Vikings’ 29-20 loss to the Jets.

“I don’t want to play just to play,” Favre said. “It’s kind of a funny injury. It could flare up and get worse.”

It’s even more adversity for Favre this season, which so far has been anything but a repeat of last year’s charmed run to the NFC title game.

“I don’t rank them,” Favre said when asked how the allegations measure up to other issues he’s dealt with in his career. “I’m thrilled to be here and have an opportunity to lead this team to the Super Bowl. … There’s still a lot of football left. I feel very confident in a lot of ways.

“You go through different things in your life. Football is a very tough sport, mentally and physically. Last year was great. Almost too great. But I woke up this morning and was very eager to get over here. More so than last year at this time, to get this back on track. I feel confident that [the team] will right itself in the end.”

Favre said Wednesday that it was his elbow, not the investigation, that hampered him against the Jets.

He completed 14 of 34 passes and grabbed his arm several times as he tried to rally the Vikings. He threw three touchdown passes in the second half, but also sealed their fate with an interception that was returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Coming off the most accurate season of his career, Favre missed several wide open receivers on throws “that I could have made blindfolded” were it not for the pain in his elbow.

“You’re not going to make every throw, but I would have made some of those throws,” Favre said.

Chargers say goodbye to Merriman

The San Diego Chargers put outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, once one of the most feared players in the NFL, on the injured reserve list with a calf injury and a “minor-injury designation,” meaning Merriman must be released once he’s healthy.

Technically, the Chargers could re-sign the controversial player. That almost certainly won’t happen, though, because General Manager A.J. Smith hasn’t been a fan of Merriman’s celebrity-leaning lifestyle.

Known as “Lights Out” because of his ferocious hits, Merriman had 39 1/2 sacks in his first three seasons. He has had four in the three seasons since then while dealing with a variety of injuries.

Smith didn’t return a call seeking comment. Merriman declined to comment when contacted via e-mail.

However, a publicist released a statement in which Merriman was quoted as saying, “I am approaching this situation as an opportunity to grow as a player and to bring my leadership and talents to a new organization. I am ready for the next chapter in my career and I am excited about the opportunity to continue my journey with a new team.”

Batch must pay $689,000

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch has been ordered to pay $689,000 and interest in a real-estate deal that turned sour in Detroit.

In 2006, Batch personally guaranteed $880,000 in loans granted to Cortland Place LLC for a 60-unit, four-story apartment building. Cortland defaulted two years later and the property was sold for $280,000.

Batch doesn’t dispute that he guaranteed the loans. The court case centered on the property’s value.

Saints’ Ivory charged with assault

A prosecutor in Washington state said New Orleans Saints rookie running back Chris Ivory has been charged with second-degree assault stemming from an alleged altercation in July 2009.

Whitman County prosecutor Denis Tracy said that Ivory, who spent part of his college career with Washington State, is accused of hitting another man in the head with a bottle.

Ivory denies that he committed the alleged crime, which could carry jail time of three to nine months if he is convicted.

Tracy says a court date is pending. He says his office is willing to work with Ivory to schedule proceedings after the current NFL season as long as such a delay doesn’t harm the case.

Holmes says report is untrue

Santonio Holmes has denied a report that he told a former sports agent during a recruiting visit five years ago that he was already taking money from another agent during his college career.

The Jets wide receiver, one of the more prominent players named in the story appearing in the Oct. 18 edition of Sports Illustrated, says he doesn’t know the former agent, Josh Luchs.

Luchs said in the story that he paid more than 30 players from 1990-96. He said he met with Holmes, then at Ohio State, in 2005, but the wide receiver told him he was already receiving financial support from another agent.

Etc.

Disappointed with his role in Cleveland’s offense this season, Jerome Harrison was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for Mike Bell in an exchange of running backs. … Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (knee) and linebacker Nick Barnett (wrist) may be lost for the season after having surgery this week. Coach Mike McCarthy says both players will need more time than originally expected to recover, and placing them on injured reserve is “definitely” an option…. The Tennessee Titans signed linebacker Jamie Winborn and put linebacker Colin Allred on injured reserve…. Oakland Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski sat out practice with an injured right shoulder that could sideline him for this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers…. The Vikings signed veteran cornerback Frank Walker…. The Chargers are on their fifth long snapper of the season, signing rookie Mike Windt and releasing Ethan Albright…. The NFL reportedly could lose $1 billion if there is a lockout after the March 3 expiration of the collective bargaining agreement — even if the entire 2011 season is played. The Wall Street Journal reported the figure Wednesday, citing unidentified senior NFL officials familiar with information presented to the 32 team owners at the league’s meeting in Chicago.