Saints lose safety Jairus Byrd for season

The New Orleans Saints’ struggling defense was dealt a significant setback Friday when the team learned that three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Byrd injured his lateral meniscus during practice on Thursday, Coach Sean Payton said, and had surgery on Friday — two days before New Orleans’ home game against Tampa Bay.

“It was a play where he just kind of turned to catch a ball down the field and kind of tweaked his knee and got up, and obviously, it was more significant than that,” Payton said. “The good news is the repair went well, and it’s something that, with the right rehab and treatment, there should be no carry-over effect” next season.

Reserve safety Rafael Bush, a regular in New Orleans’ defensive backfield, has been promoted to Byrd’s starting spot, Payton said.

Byrd’s father, Gill, is a cornerbacks coach with the Buccaneers. So while Payton generally avoids giving away significant personnel changes to opponents in the days leading up to a game, he made an exception in this case.

“It was important that he let his dad know and that was more important, obviously, than the opponent not knowing,” Payton said. “As a father, I would want to know.”

The Saints signed Byrd to a six-year, $54-million contract in the off-season, when the safety became a free agent after spending his first five NFL seasons in Buffalo.

Prater cut

Just 300 days after putting his name in the record books with the longest field goal ever, Matt Prater is history — at least in Denver.

The Broncos cut ties Friday with the eighth-year kicker who’s about to come off a four-game suspension. That means first-year kicker Brandon McManus has turned his temp job with the AFC champions into a full-time one.

GM John Elway said releasing Prater, the longest-tenured member of the team, was “a very difficult football decision.” But perhaps an easy financial choice: Prater was due $2.294 million in base salary this season and $3.25 million next year. McManus is making $420,000 this season and $510,000 next year.

Prater led the league last year by making 25 of 26 field goals, including a record-setting 64-yarder against Tennessee.

Fines

Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. The New York Jets quarterback was fined $12,000 by the NFL on Friday for cursing at a fan after the team’s game against Detroit last Sunday.

Smith was walking off the field following the 24-17 defeat when he glared at a heckler in the stands and yelled at him, twice using an expletive. The fine issued by the league was for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Pittsburgh defensive lineman Cameron Heyward also got in trouble with his mouth, docked $22,050 for using abusive language toward an official during the Steelers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday.

Houston’s J.J. Watt was fined $16,537 for roughing the passer against Buffalo.

Etc.

After going through a full week of practice, Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker is on track to return to the starting lineup against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

::

The Jets could be down two of their top receivers when they take on the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. Eric Decker and David Nelson will be game-time decisions.

::

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Donnie Avery had surgery Friday for a sports hernia and has been ruled out for Sunday’s game at San Francisco, though he is expected back this season.

::

The Chicago Bears will be without starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod and defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff for Sunday’s game at Carolina. Bushrod suffered ankle and knee injuries in practice this week. Ratliff is recovering from a concussion from the Week 2 win at San Francisco.

::

The NFL has hired Beth E. Richie as a senior advisor on domestic conduct. She is considered a leading expert on issues of sexual assault.