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Steelers pick up safety in trade with Bucs

The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay has traded safety J.J. Wilcox to the Pittsburgh Steelers and added 11 players who were with the Buccaneers in training camp to the practice squad.

Wilcox, a fifth-year pro who played the past four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, was sent to the Steelers on Sunday in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 and a seventh-rounder in 2019.

Meanwhile, linebacker Eric Nzeocha was added to the practice squad. Nzeocha, who was born in Germany and played in college at Wyoming. As part of the International Player Pathway program, it allows the Bucs an exemption for an 11th practice squad member. But Nzeocha is ineligible to be activated during the season.

Elsewhere:

n The owner of the Kansas City Chiefs is being accused in a lawsuit of improperly receiving hundreds of millions in state investment money through a kickback deal with New Mexico officials.

The Kansas City Star reports Sunday the New Mexico State Investment Council filed the lawsuit late last month against Clark Hunt and HFV Asset Management over the politically influenced investment deals.

Hunt didn’t comment to the newspaper on the lawsuit Sunday morning. Hunt’s father, Lamar Hunt, founded the Chiefs franchise and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The lawsuit says Hunt made a deal 12 years ago with two men with political connections who promised to steer New Mexico investment money to a hedge fund in exchange for payments. Hunt was a partner in the hedge fund.

n The Denver Broncos placed outside linebacker Shane Ray on injured reserve Sunday and signed nose tackle Kyle Peko, who was among their roster cuts a day earlier. Ray is expected back for the Broncos’ game against Kansas City on Oct. 30. He underwent surger y in late July after tearing a ligament in his left wrist at the beginning of training camp.

Peko is a second-year pro from Oregon State who was on Denver’s practice squad last season and played in one game. He’s the cousin of new Broncos nose tackle Domata Peko, who came over from Cincinnati in free agency this year.

n Kicker Cody Parkey was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins, who released Andrew Franks, their kicker the past two seasons.

The Dolphins also claimed former Kansas City Chiefs starting linebacker Justin March-Lillard on Sunday. He played in only five games last year because of a broken hand. Parkey was released Saturday by the Cleveland Browns. In next Sunday’s season opener he’ll kick in the same stadium where he missed three field goal attempts for the Browns last year when they lost to Miami in overtime. In other games he went 17 for 19.

n The Dallas Cowboys have released defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, their most expensive free agent a year ago, and claimed Brian Price off waivers from Green Bay to replace him. The Cowboys acquired linebacker Jayrone Elliott from the Packers on Sunday for a late-round pick in the 2018 draft. Dallas made room for Elliott by waiving linebacker Mark Nzeocha, a seventh-round selection in 2015.

Thornton had 18 tackles and 2 sacks in one season with the Cowboys after signing a $17 million, four-year deal with $9 million guaranteed. He couldn’t beat out Terrell McClain in 2016, and worked behind free agent pickup Stephen Paea while nursing a hamstring injury in training camp this year.

n The Tennessee Titans have re-signed wide receiver and kick returner Eric Weems a day after waiving him, and they also placed wide receiver Harry Douglas on injured reserve. By placing Douglas on injured reserve, bringing back Weems gives the Titans five wide receivers. The Titans signed Weems as a free agent from Atlanta in March.

n The San Francisco 49ers have claimed defensive lineman Xavier Cooper off waivers from the Cleveland Browns. Cooper played 27 games the past two years with Cleveland and had 39 tackles and 2 sacks.

n The Bengals signed fifth-round pick Jake Elliott to their practice squad Sunday, giving them two kickers in the locker room.

Elliott lost the competition with veteran Randy Bullock for the job and was waived Saturday. He cleared waivers and stayed with Cincinnati.

Bullock missed one field goal during the preseason games, while Elliott missed three. Coach Marvin Lewis said the final decision wasn’t a close call.

Elliott had the inside edge as a draft pick — the Bengals usually keep them — but the Bengals were familiar with Bullock and he made a strong showing during training camp. Bullock finished last season as the Bengals’ kicker after they released Mike Nugent, and he got a two-year extension to compete for the job.

n Add running back Jonathan Williams to the mix of former Buffalo Bills draft picks no longer on the team.

The 2016 fifth-round selection was regarded as the most surprising Bills player cut Sunday, when Buffalo was required to make room for three players acquired on waivers. Williams had 121 yards rushing and a touchdown this preseason, and was projected to be LeSean McCoy’s primary backup.

Williams’ departure leaves Buffalo with just 16 players drafted by the team, including six rookies this year. The Bills also released linebacker Gerald Hodges.

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