Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer left the sideline area on a mobilized cart with an apparent knee injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams.

Palmer moved up in the pocket to avoid blitzing safety Mark Barron, who swiped in Palmer’s direction and made contact with his shoulder as the 34-year-old quarterback crumbled to the turf on his backside in obvious pain clutching his left knee.

Palmer walked to the sideline but was taken to the locker room on a cart.

The injury comes days after the Cardinals signed Palmer to a $50 million contract extension with $20.5 million guaranteed and an annual salary range of $15.9 million to $16.6 million over the next three seasons.

–San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, who is eligible to return from a nine-game suspension this week, may become the first player in NFL history to pay for the privilege of playing professional football, ESPN reported.

According to the report, Smith’s salary will be $1.099 million after his suspension, but a net of $525,000 after taxes. However, the 49ers will take all of that from his game checks this season for signing bonus money he forfeited.

That still does not cover all Smith owes the team, so it will take another $661,000 from him after this season.

The 49ers visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Smith will be eligible to play San Francisco’s next game at the New York Giants on Nov. 16.

–The judge overseeing the appeal of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension plans to make a ruling before Thanksgiving, according to CBS Sports.

Judge Barbara Jones asked lawyers in the case to present their closing arguments to her by this Thursday with the understanding that she would rule within 10 days from then.

–Miami Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert is likely out for the remainder of the season with multiple leg injuries.

Albert signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract to join the Dolphins in the first week of free agency in March. The former first-round pick spent the previous five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Albert was injured in the second quarter of Sunday’s 20-16 loss to the Detroit Lions and will undergo an MRI exam to confirm what the team fears is a season-ending knee and lower leg injury.

–Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker left Sunday’s game at the Baltimore Ravens with a concussion after taking a hit in the second quarter from Ravens rookie safety Terrence Brooks.

–Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones denied a report by NFL Network that 20 players missed Friday’s curfew.

According to the report, a source said that “coaches are extremely frustrated” and “team veterans are upset” about the players missing the team’s midnight curfew.

Jones told ESPN Radio that there “was no curfew violation by any Cowboy players” and that there was not even a curfew.

However, earlier in the week, coach Jason Garrett said, “We get done with our work at 5:15 p.m. every day and then curfew is at midnight, so the guys have some time on their own.”