The Sports Xchange

Jason Pierre-Paul is back with the New York Giants after agreeing to terms on a contract Tuesday, the team announced.

The star defensive end received a one-year, incentive-laden contract, according to NFL.com. Pierre-Paul missed the start of the season after a July 4 fireworks accident led to the amputation of his right index finger and caused other damage to his right hand.

Upon Pierre-Paul’s return, the Giants will have a two-week roster exemption during which he can practice and continue to work his way into game shape.

Pierre-Paul, 26, was the Giants’ first-round pick (15th overall) in 2010 out of South Florida. He had a career-high 16.5 sacks in 2011, his second season. Last year was the first time in his five NFL seasons that he started all 16 games.

—Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano’s job is not safe, although reports indicate there is no imminent danger he will be fired by general manager Ryan Grigson.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said Tuesday that Pagano is unlikely to be fired this week after the Colts lost a second consecutive game to drop to 3-4 with a game Sunday against the undefeated Carolina Panthers. However, Bob Kravitz of WTHR in Indianapolis said serious internal discussions were ongoing.

Pagano is in the final year of his contract after turning down a contract extension offer, and tensions are high in Indianapolis. Reports surfaced in the offseason that Grigson, a first-time general manager, and Pagano were not on great terms. Irsay and Grisgson reportedly had a “heated exchange” in the locker room on Sunday, further indications of a possible fracture in the franchise’s hierarchy.

—Quarterback Ryan Mallett was released by the Houston Texans three days after missing the team’s charter flight to Miami.

Multiple reports linked the Texans and former backup T.J. Yates, who was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Yates would return as a backup as Houston has only one quarterback on the roster with second-year option Tom Savage on injured reserve.

Punctuality and professionalism were hindrances for Mallett in his competition with Brian Hoyer and proved fatal detriments at a position typically defined by leadership and decision making.

—Ben Roethlisberger is the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers as preparations begin for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Roethlisberger has missed four games with a knee sprain and bone bruise, and the Steelers were 2-2 with Michael Vick and Landry Jones in the starting lineup.

Roethlisberger will have no limitations when practice resumes Wednesday, coach Mike Tomlin said, adding the decision to install him as the starting quarterback comes without reservations.

—Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden earned the starting job with his performance against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Owner Jerry Jones said McFadden won the job after coach Jason Garrett said Monday more opportunities were due the veteran, who proved to be the team’s biggest bright spot with 29 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown, all season highs.

Joseph Randle is iffy for Week 8 with a back strain that sidelined him in the first quarter of Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the New Giants. If he plays, it will be as McFadden’s backup. It was the first 100-yard performance of the season for a Cowboys running back, the first for McFadden since 2013 when he was still with the Oakland Raiders and the fourth-highest total of his career.

—That is a contract extension, not a conduct detrimental suspension, that the Cowboys are considering for defensive end Greg Hardy.

Owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys are pushing to sign Hardy to a long-term deal. On Monday, executive vice president Stephen Jones said it was a “real possibility” the two sides would work out a contract extension.

Hardy was suspended the first four games of the season — reduced from 10 games upon appeal — by the NFL. The personal conduct violation was a 2014 domestic violence incident that forced the Carolina Panthers to place Hardy on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List for the final 15 games of the 2014 season. He signed an incentive-laden deal with the Cowboys based on games played and sack totals.

—Commissioner Roger Goodell claimed the NFL appeal of the ruling that overturned quarterback Tom Brady’s suspension for his alleged role in intentionally deflating game-used football before the AFC Championship game was about protection.

Goodell said the NFL appeal filed Monday boiled down to protecting the collective bargaining agreement.

On the topic of individuals who have been punished by the NFL, Goodell said the league is not considering discipline of Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy for his sideline tirades during Dallas’ loss Sunday to the New York Giants, saying it’s “a team issue.”

Goodell reiterated that he stands against sports gambling but supports fantasy football, including daily fantasy.

—The St. Louis Rams placed outside linebacker Alec Ogletree on injured reserve with a designation to return on Tuesday.

Ogletree, who underwent surgery three weeks ago on a fractured right fibula, would be eligible to return to practice on Dec. 13 and for the final two games of the regular season and the playoffs. He was hurt in the second half of the Rams’ 24-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 4. At the time, he led the team in tackles with 55 and still remains No. 1.

—The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran safety Charles Godfrey to the active roster and running back Gus Johnson and wide receiver Devon Wylie to the practice squad.

The Falcons also released Allen Bradford and waived linebacker Derek Akunne and running back Juhwan Edwards from the practice squad.

—The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed wide receiver Louis Murphy on injured reserve and released cornerbacks cornerbacks Keon Lyn and Daxton Swanson and tackle Martin Wallace from the practice squad on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Murphy suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Washington Redskins on a 29-yard catch in the first quarter. He left the game and did not return.

—The Minnesota Vikings placed cornerback Jabari Price on injured reserve and elevated linebacker Brandon Watts from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Vikings also signed fullback Blake Renaud and linebacker Terrance Plummer to the practice squad and released wide receiver Donte Foster.

Price, 23, has a shoulder injury. He had not played this year after coming off the suspended list during Week 3 of the season. Last season, he had 10 tackles in 14 games.