The Sports Xchange

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster is expected to undergo groin surgery in Philadelphia on Friday, according to reports Wednesday.

Foster is headed for Philadelphia for a second opinion with Dr. William Meyers, who is a sports hernia specialist, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Foster likely will be placed on short-term injured reserve, which would allow the Texans to bring him back to practices after Week 6 and into a game after Week 8.

Foster suffered the injury when he pulled up with a limp during a pass play Monday night during the Texans’ first fully padded training camp practice.

—The Detroit Lions agreed to a four-year contract extension with standout linebacker DeAndre Levy.

Levy, a third-round pick in 2009, has stepped up his play the past two years, becoming one of the league’s top every-down outside linebackers.

In 2013, he tied for second in the NFL with six interceptions while recording 119 tackles. Last season, he tallied a career-high 151 tackles and also had 2.5 sacks and one interception.

—The Baltimore Ravens continue to deny tipping off the Indianapolis Colts about deflated footballs before the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.

The NFL Players Association released the transcript of Tom Brady’s testimony in his June arbitration hearing regarding his alleged role in the Deflategate controversy. The players union released the 457-page transcript in a filing in New York federal court on Tuesday.

“Prior to the AFC Championship Game, no one from the Ravens talked to the Colts about deflated footballs,” the Ravens said in a statement Wednesday. “We knew nothing of deflated footballs. John Harbaugh has been consistent in his answers to reporters about this since he was first asked on NBC-TV at the Super Bowl.”

—Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider called it “a bummer” that safety Kam Chancellor is holding out of training camp, but he said “we have to continue to conduct business the way we always have.”

In an interview with SiriusXM NFL radio, Schneider said, “It’s about the team. It’s the ultimate team sport. In order for us to be a consistent championship-caliber team that we’ve been preaching ever since we got here, we have to continue to conduct business the way we always have.”

Schneider said he has talked to Chancellor and his agent and there is no “animosity.” He also said he does not know whether Chancellor will report.

Chancellor is entering the second year of a four-year, $28 million contract and is set to make $4.55 million.

—While Chancellor remains a holdout, the Seahawks got some good news about their other Pro Bowl safety on Wednesday: Earl Thomas passed his physical and was removed from the physically-unable-to-perform list.

Thomas is recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum, an injury he suffered in the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers last season. He had missed the first five days of training camp, but he now can begin practicing.

The Seahawks also waived linebacker Alex Singleton and signed rookie linebacker Dakorey Johnson.

—Two teams and 10 months removed from the Seahawks, new Buffalo Bills wide receiver Percy Harvin on Wednesday blamed his disastrous tenure in Seattle on jealous fellow wide receivers.

On ESPN’s “First Take,” Harvin said, “I felt when I went to Seattle a lot of the receivers took me as a threat rather than accepting me as a teammate. I always told those guys — I pulled them to the side several times after seeing the comments they (made) to the media — ‘Hey, guys, I’m here to ball with you, to take us to the next level.’

“A lot of guys were (thinking) they were established and they didn’t need any help. I just took it as I never was kind of accepted in the receiver group by all the members.”

Harvin, acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Vikings in March 2013, got into physical fights with receivers Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin last year. He was traded to the New York Jets in October and signed with the Bills in March.

—The Carolina Panthers signed cornerback T.J. Heath and defensive tackle Kenny Horsley on Wednesday after cornerback Chris Houston decided to retire.

Houston, 30, informed the Panthers on Tuesday that he is retiring. The veteran, who did not play in the NFL last season due to a toe injury, signed a one-year deal with Carolina in June and was competing for a roster spot.

The Panthers also waived kicker Matt Wile.

—The San Francisco 49ers released veteran cornerback Chris Cook.

The 49ers re-signed Cook to a one-year contract in the offseason that included a reported $650,000 guaranteed.

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Cook originally signed with San Francisco on March 14, 2014, and appeared in six games last season before a season-ending hamstring injury. He registered three tackles, one pass defensed and two tackles on special teams.

—Terrelle Pryor is considered doubtful for the Cleveland Browns’ intrasquad scrimmage on Friday night at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

Pryor is dealing with a tight hamstring that caused him to miss practice along with wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. A former quarterback at Ohio State and in the NFL, Pryor is attempting to make a transition to wide receiver.

Pryor was set to return to the Horseshoe for the first time since he received a five-year ban from campus in the wake of NCAA sanctions against the Ohio State football program in 2011. If he’s unable to participate on the field Friday night, it’s uncertain whether he will attend the scrimmage.

—The Washington Redskins signed cornerbacks Bryan McCann and DreQuan Hoskey and waived cornerback Tevin Mitchel and safety Phillip Thomas.

Mitchel was designated as injured.

The Redskins are short cornerbacks since Bashaud Breeland and David Amerson both were injured. Breeland suffered a sprained MCL on Friday and is expected to miss at least the season opener. Amerson suffered a minor shoulder injury on Sunday.

—The Pittsburgh Steelers signed rookie wide receiver Kenzel Doe and waived injured rookie receiver Eli Rogers.

Doe played at Wisconsin, where he finished No. 2 in kick-return average (25.5 yards) in school history.

Rogers suffered a foot sprain on Monday and was expected to be sideline awhile. He is expected to clear waivers and revert to the Steelers’ injured reserve on Thursday.

— The Atlanta Falcons signed nose tackle Derrick Hopkins and waived cornerback Michael Lee.

An undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech last year, Hopkins signed with the Baltimore Ravens and ended up on the Washington Redskins’ practice squad.

Lee, who played at Fort Valley State, had been signed by the Falcons after this year’s draft.

—Hall of Fame wide receivers Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice will serve as legends captains for the 2016 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced.

Irvin and Rice return for the second time after being the winning captains during the previous two Pro Bowls.

The 2016 Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 31, 2016, and televised live on ESPN from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

The 2016 Pro Bowl Draft will be held on Jan. 27 and broadcast in prime time.