The Sports Xchange

Washington Redskins Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams agreed to a five-year, $66 million contract extension, according to multiple reports Saturday.

The deal makes Williams the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history.

Williams will receive $43.25 million in guarantees and $32 million at signing, and will average $13.2 million per year.

Williams, 27, confirmed the extension on Twitter: “Happy to announce I will be a Redskin for the next 5 years. This is a dream come true HTTR 4 Life.”

Williams just completed his fourth season as an offensive captain for the Redskins and has been among the league’s top left tackles since he was selected fourth overall in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Williams battled through multiple injuries to play in and start 15 games in 2014.

—Just hours before an independent neurologist announced Robert Griffin III was not cleared from a concussion, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said the quarterback had been given final medical clearance from multiple doctors to play in Saturday night’s preseason game.

“He is cleared from all the doctors, the neurologist he has been cleared,” Gruden said Friday afternoon in an interview taped with NFL Network before the news broke. “We still want to talk to the player and make sure he is ready to go mentally and our trainers make sure they feel like he is ready to go also. Being cleared by the doctor does not mean the player is feeling 100 percent, so we gotta make sure he feels ready to go to.”

A few hours later neurologist Dr. Robert Kurtzke said he wants Griffin to be retested before returning to the field from a concussion, meaning Griffin was not been cleared to play Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens and casting doubt into his availability for the season opener in two weeks.

Griffin suffered concussion-like symptoms in an Aug. 20 preseason game against the Detroit Lions, but practiced all week and was initially cleared by Dr. Kurtzke.

Kirk Cousins was expected to start in place of Griffin against the Ravens.

According to ESPN.com, the Redskins are planning on starting Cousins in their regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.

—The Houston Texans officially released veteran safety Stevie Brown.

Brown spent the last three seasons with the New York Giants, and the New York Daily news reported a team source said the Giants are hoping to bring in the 28-year-old for a workout.

The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Brown signed with Houston in April, reportedly picking the Texans over offers from several other teams.

Last season, Brown had 38 tackles and one sack in 16 games (eight starts) for the Giants. He started 19 games for the Giants over three seasons and could end up going back as the Giants have been hit hard by injuries at the position.

—Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas is reportedly making good progress during his recovery from a hand injury and could be ready to play in the regular-season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13.

Thomas, who suffered a stable fracture in his left hand during Jacksonville’s 23-21 preseason victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 14, signed a five-year, $46.2 million contract during the offseason.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Thomas recorded a team-high 12 touchdown receptions with Denver in 2014 and 12 in 2013 after the Broncos selected him in the fourth round of the 2011 draft.

—The Arizona Cardinals released safety Ross Weaver. The 6-1, 206-pound Weaver signed with the Cardinals on Aug. 11. He spent the last 11 weeks of the 2014 season on the Cardinals’ practice squad and remained with the team this offseason until being released on May 11.

—New York Jets center Nick Mangold is being credited for helping end a crime spree in his neighborhood.

Mangold heard his car alarm go off while at his home in Chatham, N.J., last Sunday morning. He called 911 at 5:30 a.m. when he spotted burglars and noticed his garage door open, according to police. A short time later, police stopped a vehicle in the area and took five suspects into custody.

Mangold, 31, was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The six-time Pro Bowler has played in 141 out of a possible 144 games in his nine seasons.