The Sports Xchange

The NFL and the NFL Players Association could begin discussions regarding a revised player-disciplinary system this season, according to a Washington Post report.

Those talks, from the league’s perspective, could result in an extension of the two sides’ collective bargaining agreement, which currently runs through 2020.

Specifically, changing commissioner Roger Goodell’s role in in player discipline will likely be one of the key items on the table. Goodell’s four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was recently overturned in court, leading to questions about the commissioner’s future regarding disciplinary matters.

“We need to make changes ideally in negotiation with the union and ideally in conjunction with an extension of the CBA,” a high-ranking official with one NFL team, quoted anonymously, told the Post. “It could come pretty quickly. I think maybe by the end of the season.”

Under the current CBA, Goodell has the right to handle appeals of league disciplinary measures in cases involving the integrity of the sport and cases under the personal-conduct policy. The union would rather these cases be decided by neutral arbitration.

Goodell told ESPN Radio last week that he is open to changing his role in the disciplinary process but also expressed reluctance to surrender his authority to resolve appeals in certain cases.

—Pass rusher Aldon Smith, who signed with the Oakland Raiders on Friday, reportedly will play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Smith is expected to play about 20 snaps, a source told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Saturday.

The Raiders signed the former San Francisco 49er to a one-year contract Friday, the same day he was charged with three misdemeanors related to a car crash last month.

The deal is worth up to $8 million, Rapoport reported Friday. That includes a $1 million salary, $5 million in roster bonuses and $2 million in sack incentives.

Smith joins the Raiders after four seasons with the 49ers in which he totaled 44 sacks in 50 games.

The 49ers released Smith on Aug. 7 after he was arrested the night before on hit-and-run, DUI and vandalism charges in Santa Clara, Calif. He was officially charged Friday with driving under the influence with a prior conviction, hit-and-run and vandalism, the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office said. He is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 6.

—The Dallas Cowboys signed defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford to a reported five-year, $45 million extension on Saturday, the day before they open the season against the New York Giants.

The deal includes $25.7 million guaranteed, ESPN reported.

Crawford, 25, was a target of the Cowboys for a new deal at the start of training camp. The agile 290-pounder had three sacks and 29 quarterback hurries last season and started 15 games in just his second full season. A third-round pick in 2012, Crawford missed the 2013 season with a ruptured Achilles.

—The Baltimore Ravens will open the regular season Sunday without the services of their first-round pick, wide receiver Breshad Perriman.

The 26th overall selection out of Central Florida, Perriman injured his right knee after falling to the ground in the process of making a catch on the opening day of training camp July 30 and has not practiced since.

The Ravens and coach John Harbaugh have been evasive on the exact nature of the rookie’s injury but have said he is not a candidate for the injured reserve/designated to return list, suggesting that they are anticipating his return to practice at any time.

—Cleveland Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert crashed his car in Brunswick, Ohio, following a road rage incident.

Gilbert, 23, was uninjured when he drove his car into a drainage ditch Friday afternoon while trying to get away from a man who had been trailing his car, Brunswick police told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Police cited Gilbert, who was driving a Dodge Challenger, along with the driver of the Mustang chasing him. Gilbert has been charged with lack of responsible control.

Gilbert traveled with the Browns for Sunday’s season opener against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

—The Browns signed running back Shaun Draughn to the active roster from the practice squad.

Draughn originally signed with the Browns on Dec. 3, 2014. He appeared in four games in 2014 for the Browns without a carry.

—The Buffalo Bills re-signed defensive tackle Andre Fluellen to fill the open spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

Fluellen rejoins the Bills after being released Friday when the Bills added linebacker IK Enemkpali to the roster in advance of his four-game suspension. The Bills promoted Enemkpali from the practice squad because they were wary of losing him to another team while he is suspended. Fluellen, as a vested veteran, could be re-signed Saturday and not go through waivers.

—The Chicago Bears promoted linebacker Lamin Barrow from the practice squad to the active roster and terminated the contract of vested veteran linebacker Sam Acho.

Barrow appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the Denver Broncos last season with one start, recording eight special teams tackles and one tackle on defense. He entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft selection of the Broncos in 2014 out of LSU.

—A day before their season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, the New Orleans Saints made three roster swaps, including releasing former Cardinals running back Tim Hightower.

The team also released guard Mike McGlynn and placed linebacker Davis Tull on injured reserve. Three players were promoted from the practice squad to fill the spots on the 53-man roster: safety Don Jones, receiver Seantavius Jones and fullback Tobin Opurum.

Hightower, 28, had been out of football since suffering a torn ACL and undergoing surgery in 2011 as a member of the Washington Redskins. He had played his first three seasons with the Cardinals, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2008.

—The Washington Redskins signed linebacker Houston Bates off the practice squad and terminated the contract of defensive end Frank Kearse.

Kearse was a seventh-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2011. He recorded 15 tackles and three sacks with Washington in 2014.

—The New England Patriots waived linebacker Eric Martin to make room on the 53-man roster for running back LeGarrette Blount, who served his one-game personal-conduct suspension in Thursday’s season opener.

Blount led the Patriots with 189 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries during the postseason last year after recording 281 rushing yards and three scores in five regular-season games with New England.