The Sports Xchange

New England Patriots starting left tackle Nate Solder will miss the remainder of the season with a torn right biceps that will require surgery.

Solder was injured late in the second quarter of Sunday’s 30-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday. The Patriots claimed cornerback Rashaan Melvin off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens.

Solder left the field on his own after Cowboys defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford registered an 8-yard sack of quarterback Tom Brady. Solder’s right arm appeared to be extended in a compromising position as Crawford rushed past him on the play.

Solder has started every game for the Patriots over the last two seasons and has only missed one game since he joined the Patriots as a first-round draft choice in 2011. Five-year veteran Marcus Cannon is the Patriots’ top backup and replaced Solder on Sunday.

—Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger planned to participate in seven-on-seven drills Wednesday, practicing on a limited basis for the first time since a knee injury Sept. 27.

Roethlisberger’s status for Week 6 won’t likely be determined until later in the week.

He threw some passes during warmups before the game against the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, but coach Mike Tomlin said there was no update on his status. Roethlisberger sprained the MCL in his right knee when the Steelers played in St. Louis on Sept. 27. The injury was expected to take four to six weeks to heal.

—The Dallas Cowboys might not be finished with making changes in the starting lineup during the team’s bye week after switching to Matt Cassel as their quarterback.

Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Wednesday that Cassel will take over for Brandon Weeden at quarterback when the Cowboys face the New York Giants for the second time this season and announced that rookie La’El Collins will move into the lineup at left guard in place of Ronald Leary. Collins, who started in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons while Leary was recovering from a groin strain, was inactive the past two weeks.

The Cowboys also are considering making a change at running back, sources told ESPN.com. Running back Christine Michael, who was acquired via trade from the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 6, could start over Joseph Randle in the Cowboys’ backfield before the Oct. 25 game against the Giants.

—Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan has not counted out quarterback Tyrod Taylor for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Ryan said Monday that Taylor was “banged up” but did not specify any injury, a day after the quarterback took several hits while rushing for 76 yards in a 14-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans. According to multiple reports Tuesday, Taylor suffered an MCL injury and could miss a couple of games. But Taylor was on the field when the practice session got underway Wednesday.

—Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who has missed the last two games because of a calf injury, said he expects to play this week when the Bills face the Cincinnati Bengals.

Watkins practiced on Wednesday and said he plans to be in the lineup.

—Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy will undergo surgery on his injured hip, head coach Jim Caldwell announced.

Caldwell said no decision has been made regarding whether or not Levy will be placed on injured reserve. Levy will out of the lineup indefinitely.

Levy missed the first four games of the season because of the hip problem before returning to the lineup against the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. He reaggravated the injury in the 42-17 loss, leaving the game in the first half and did not return. He did not record any tackles.

—Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware did not practice with the Denver Broncos on Wednesday and there is a growing likelihood that he will not play on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Ware left last Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders because of back spasms.

—Running back Ahmad Bradshaw re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts, the team announced.

The Colts were a little short at running back and the signing of Bradshaw gives then veteran experience behind starter Frank Gore. Bradshaw rushed for 725 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games for the Colts in 2014 before sustaining a season-ending broken left leg in a game against the New England Patriots in November.

—The Arizona Cardinals placed backup safety and special teams player Chris Clemons on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday with a hamstring injury.

Clemons was injured in last Sunday’s 42-17 victory over the Detroit Lions. The team also elevated cornerback Cariel Brooks from the practice squad to the active roster and signed safety Durell Eskridge to the practice squad.

—Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward was fined by the NFL for wearing eye-black tape reading “Iron Head” in honor of his late father’s fight against cancer.

Heyward revealed in a tweet that he was fined after honoring his father — former NFL running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, who died at age 39 in 2006 after a seven-year battle with a recurring brain tumor. Heyward was fined $5,787 for wearing the eye-black tribute and plans to appeal the fine, a source told ESPN.

—The New York Giants brought in veteran Terrelle Pryor for a workout at wide receiver.

Pryor, the former Ohio State quarterback drafted by the Oakland Raiders, moved to wide receiver in an attempt to revive his NFL career and spent most of the preseason with the Cleveland Browns. He has worked out for the New England Patriots, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks since the start of the regular season.

The Giants still don’t know whether wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be able to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night. Beckham injured his hamstring in last Sunday night’s 30-27 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

—Miami Dolphins football boss Mike Tannenbaum denied a report that he tried to fire head coach Joe Philbin last offseason so he could hire former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Tannenbaum inherited Philbin when he was hired by owner Stephen Ross in January as the Dolphins’ executive vice president of football operations. The Dolphins fired Philbin on Oct. 5 and named tight ends coach Dan Campbell interim head coach the day after the 1-3 Dolphins lost 27-14 to the New York Jets in London.

—Former NFL lineman Adrian Robinson Jr. was found to have suffered from brain disease after he committed suicide at age 25.

Boston University researchers confirmed Robinson had chronic traumatic encephalopathy after examining his brain. Robinson played two seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers in 2012 and 2013. Ben Andreozzi, the family’s lawyer, said Robinson sustained several discussions while playing pro football. He died May 16 in Philadelphia.

—Former NFL offensive lineman Sam Adams, who spent most of his career with the New England Patriots, died in Houston at age 67.

The cause of death was not released. Adams became ill at his home last Saturday and died at a hospital. Adams spent nine seasons with the Patriots during the 1970s and started 90 of the 119 games that he played for the team. His NFL career ended with 1981 with the New Orleans Saints.

Adams’ son, also named Sam, followed him to the NFL and played in the league from 1994 to 2007.