Former Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas had a blood-alcohol level of .218 when he died in a single-vehicle crash on Sept. 20 in Nashville, Tenn.

The autopsy report released Friday by the Davidson County Medican Examiner’s Office showed that Bironas, 36, died of blunt-force trauma when he crashed his SUV after losing control on a curve and striking a line of trees before stopping upside down in a culvert.

Valium also was found in Bironas’ system, but the medical examiner said it was not enough to have an impact on Bironas’ body.

The Titans earlier announced that they planned to honor Bironas during Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

—New Orleans Saints safety Jairus Byrd landed on injured reserve four games into his tenure with the team, who made the former Buffalo Bills Pro Bowler the highest-paid safety in the NFL with a six-year, $54 million contract in March.

Byrd suffered a torn lateral meniscus in Thursday’s practice and will require knee surgery. Rafael Bush will replace Byrd in the starting lineup next to Kenny Vaccaro in the New Orleans secondary. Byrd had surgery Friday morning, according to the Saints.

—The Denver Broncos released veteran kicker Matt Prater on Friday after he came off a four-game suspension.

Prater was suspended four games to open the season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy related to alcohol.

Brandon McManus, who was acquired from the New York Giants when Prater was suspended, keeps the job. He has hit all three of his field-goal attempts and is perfect on eight extra points.

Prater appeared in 96 regular-season games for Denver from 2007-13, connecting on 141 of 170 (.829) field-goal attempts and 259 of 261 (.992) extra-point attempts for 682 total points. He registered 262 touchbacks on 497 kickoffs (.527) for the Broncos while posting eight special-teams tackles.

—Wide receiver Aaron Dobson was publicly exonerated of accusations that he was benched by the New England Patriots because of a verbal disagreement with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

However, coach Bill Belichick didn’t let Dobson off the hook entirely, stating that his performance is the only reason he isn’t seeing much time in the Patriots’ poorly performing offense.

Dobson was inactive Monday for the Patriots’ second loss of the season at Kansas City. Only three wide receivers were active for the game. Dobson was also in active Week 1 and Week 3.

—Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell hinted Friday that wide receiver Calvin Johnson could miss Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills with a nagging ankle injury.

“We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes,” Caldwell said.

Johnson missed two games last season as he dealt with knee and finger injuries that required offseason surgeries. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday but returned Friday, just as he did a week ago. He was limited against the New York Jets last Sunday, finishing with two catches for 12 yards.

—Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has “no doubt at all” he will be healthy enough to start Oct. 12 against the Detroit Lions.

The rookie first-round pick also said if the Vikings had played the Green Bay Packers on Sunday instead of Thursday night, he would have been ready to come back from a sprained left ankle.

Coach Mike Zimmer said the Vikings plan to start Bridgewater against the Lions.

—Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry (ankle) will not play against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The team also listed wide receiver Donnie Avery, who had surgery Friday morning, as out for the game. In the Chiefs’ 41-14 blowout win over the New England Patriots on Monday night, Avery suffered a core muscle injury.

Rookie running back De’Anthony Thomas is expected to make his debut after missing the first four games due to a hamstring injury.

—Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh said a thigh ailment will not prevent running back Bernard Pierce from playing Sunday at Indianapolis.

Pierce, who has been fighting a quadriceps injury, has practiced fully this week. Last week, Pierce was activated but did not play. He rushed for 96 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.

Defensive end Chris Canty (illness), defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (knee) and tackle Eugene Monroe (knee) are listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game. Linebacker Terrell Suggs (thigh) and tight end Phillip Supernaw (thigh) are listed as questionable.

—Jake Locker will be under center as the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans when they play host to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Locker sat out the Titans’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday because of an injured right wrist, but he returned to practice this week and experienced no setbacks.

Locker has played in three games this season and completed 57 of 101 passes for 685 yards and three touchdowns with four interceptions for the Titans (1-3).

—Shouting an obscenity at a fan last week will cost New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith. The NFL fined him $12,000 on Friday after he dropped an f-bomb after last week’s 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said Friday that Smith also could face internal discipline.

—Jets wide receiver Eric Decker was limited in Friday’s practice and officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at the San Diego Chargers because of his lingering hamstring injury.

Decker has been bothered by the injury since training camp, and coach Rex Ryan is relying heavily on the veteran’s sense for his own body in calling Decker a game-time decision. While Decker’s status is iffy, Ryan was surprised by how well fellow wide receiver David Nelson moved Friday on his sprained ankle and he also will be listed as questionable.

The Jets also expect to have cornerback Dee Milliner, who has missed three of the first four games due to ankle and quad injuries. Ryan would not commit to whether Milliner will start and how many snaps he may see.

—Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt was fined $16,537 by the NFL on Friday for one of his hits on Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel during last Sunday’s game.

The fine was a result of Watt hitting Manuel in the knee area. Watt hit Manuel nine times in the game and was flagged twice for roughing the passer.

Earlier this week, Watt was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Bills. Watt returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown and had five tackles in the Texans’ 23-17 victory.

—Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss has been a healthy scratch in all four games this season because of what coach Jay Gruden calls “the odd man out.”

Gruden may be sympathetic to Moss’ situation but the Redskins’ best options at the position have been Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts, with the final two spots between between rookie Ryan Grant, Aldrick Robinson and Moss.

Gruden suggested that Moss’ spot on the inactive list is not permanent, but it doesn’t sound like there will be a change anytime soon. Moss had 42 catches for 452 yards and two touchdowns last season. He turned 35 in June.

—Chicago Bears starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod and defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff will miss Sunday’s game at Carolina because of injuries.

Bushrod has a knee injury suffered in practice this week that kept him from practicing Wednesday and Thursday. He hasn’t missed a start as a Bear or since 2009 when he was with the New Orleans Saints. Ratliff is still recovering from a concussion sustained in the Bears’ Week 2 win at San Francisco.

With Bushrod sidelined, Michael Ola is expected to move from left guard to Bushrod’s spot at left tackle and Matt Slauson will take over at left guard.