The Sports Xchange

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent kicker Chris Boswell on Saturday and released Josh Scobee, who missed two fourth quarter-field goals in the overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Boswell was one of several kickers to try out for the Steelers after Thursday night’s 23-20 loss. Boswell will be the fourth kicker for Pittsburgh in 2015.

Boswell was with the New York Giants for the team’s offseason and training camp. He spent one week of the 2014 season on the Houston Texans’ practice squad. He originally signed with the Texans as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Rice in 2014.

Scobee had gone just 3-for-7 on field goals beyond 40 yards this season. In four games since he came in to replace Shaun Suisham, who is out for the year with a torn ACL, Scobee missed four of his 10 field-goal attempts.

Scobee missed two field-goal tries Thursday night — pulling both wide left — in the last 2:24 of the fourth quarter from 49 and 41 yards. Then in overtime, the Steelers drove to the Baltimore 33-yard line on their second possession but head coach Mike Tomlin decided against trying a game-winning field-goal attempt by Scobee on fourth-and-1 with what would have been a 50-yard kick.

—The Baltimore Ravens announced that wide receiver Steve Smith is “week-to-week” with a back injury.

The Ravens were responding to a report that Smith has four broken bones in his back and another report that those four broken bones are ribs.

Ravens senior vice president of public and community relations Kevin Byrne put out a statement Saturday:

“While the Ravens do not give specifics about injuries out of respect to the men on our team and HIPAA laws, we want to dispel rumors and stories currently being reported about Steve Smith Sr.’s injury. He does have a back injury. It is not a surgical issue. His status is currently week-to-week.”

Smith left Thursday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a lower back contusion.

Smith, 36, has said he will retire after this season. For the year, the 15-year veteran has 29 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

—With injuries piling up for the Ravens, general manager Ozzie Newsome traded for St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens.

Givens was caught in a numbers game with the Rams, who will receive a conditional draft pick, likely a late-rounder.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the Ravens placed wide receiver Michael Campanaro (back) on injured reserve. Campanaro was injured Thursday night after another productive game, including a 9-yard touchdown on a reverse.

—Punter Spencer Lanning was signed by the Chicago Bears, who waived defensive tackle Brandon Dunn to make room for him on the roster.

Lanning appeared in 32 games over two seasons (2013-14) with the Cleveland Browns, punting 177 times for 7,798 yards, a 44.1 gross average (38.6 net), with 53 kicks placed inside the 20.

—The Detroit Lions ruled out running back Joique Bell and tight end Brandon Pettigrew from playing Monday night’s game at the Seattle Seahawks because of injuries.

Bell has an ankle injury while Pettigrew has a hamstring issue.

The Lions also listed linebacker DeAndre Levy (hip) on their injury report as doubtful.

—The Green Bay Packers downgraded wide receiver Davante Adams to doubtful for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field because of an ankle injury.

Adams (nine receptions, 92 yards this season) did not make it through the last two games.

Rookie Ty Montgomery, who caught his first career touchdown pass in Green Bay’s 38-28 victory over Kansas City on Monday, is expected to receive more playing time.

The Packers also signed wide receiver Jared Abbrederis to the active roster from the practice squad and released defensive tackle Bruce Gaston.

—New Orleans Saints quarterback Drees Brees said the bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder is more of a functionality issue and less of a pain issue.

After being examined Monday by orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, Brees was encouraged by what he was able to do and could return for Sunday night’s matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

“Basically what the doctor told me was the cuff muscles at times will just shut down if they’re inflamed,” Brees told ESPN on Friday. “They’re basically telling the body, ‘I’m injured. I need time to heal, I’m not going to work until the inflammation goes away.’ It wasn’t a pain thing. I mean, it hurt, but that wasn’t the issue. It was just functionality. I did strength exercises all last week. The tough part was with the balance between resting it, getting the inflammation out of it and, at the same time, strengthening it.”

The Saints listed Brees on their injury report as probable. He missed last Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. Coach Sean Payton said Friday he plans for Brees to play against the Cowboys.

—The Miami Dolphins are 1-2 and in the exact same situation they faced a year ago as they play the New York Jets in London on Sunday, and there is a report that Joe Philbin could be coaching for his job.

There has been no indication yet that owner Stephen Ross, who extended Philbin’s contract one year through 2016 in December, is ready to make a change.

But Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported that if the Jets blow out the Dolphins, Philbin’s job will be in jeopardy during the bye week, which starts Monday.

A year ago the Dolphins had a 1-2 record with back-to-back losses as they went to London to play the Oakland Raiders.

Some fans already are calling for Philbin’s job after three lackluster performances to open the season, including last week’s 41-14 loss to Buffalo.

According to Salguero, “If another complete and calamitous defeat befalls the Dolphins for a second consecutive Sunday, owner Stephen Ross will consider making a coaching change during the bye week.”

Last year in London, the Dolphins won a convincing 38-14 decision over the Raiders. The loss resulted in Oakland coach Dennis Allen being fired during the bye week.

Philbin tried to urge calmness Monday.

“It’s not a time to panic,” he said.

Miami hasn’t played well in any game this year, not the 17-10 victory at the Washington Redskins and certainly not the 23-20 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars and the blowout loss at home to Buffalo.

—The Washington Redskins terminated the contract of defensive end Frank Kearse and promoted cornerback Deshazor Everett from the practice squad to the active roster.

Kearse, 26, played in 15 games for the Redskins last season, when he had three sacks and 12 tackles.

—The Carolina Panthers signed offensive tackle David Foucault to the active roster from the practice squad and waived defensive end Wes Horton.

With guard Amini Silatolu sidelined with an ankle injury for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers needed additional depth on the offensive line.