Carolina's Morgan Will Miss Rest of Season

The cracked bone in Shaun Alexander's left foot is healing, but the Seahawks running back will miss Sunday's game against St. Louis. (By Jeff Roberson -- Associated Press)

Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan will miss the rest of the season as he struggles to recover from at least the fifth concussion of his career.

"He did meet with the medical people and they felt it was in his best interest not to play the remainder of the season," Coach John Fox said yesterday.

Morgan was injured after his head hit the turf in a season-opening loss to Atlanta and hadn't played or practiced since. He has met with several specialists.

"We're concerned about his livelihood and his health, and if that means he doesn't play this year, so be it," Fox said.

Fox said last week that Morgan, the Panthers' first-round pick in 2001, does hope to play football again despite the multiple concussions.

· SEAHAWKS: League MVP Shaun Alexander will not play Sunday in Seattle's NFC West showdown at St. Louis despite recent tests that showed the crack in his foot has diminished.

Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren declared Alexander out. Holmgren called him "iffy" on Monday after a new round of pictures of the left foot Alexander cracked Sept. 24 against the Giants showed some healing.

Now the Seahawks will hope to have last season's NFL rushing leader return for their Oct. 22 home game against Minnesota. Maurice Morris will make his second consecutive start for Alexander against the Rams.

· COLTS: Two-time MVP Peyton Manning missed the first regular season practice of his nine-year career yesterday so he could attend his grandmother's funeral in Mississippi.

Manning was one of three Indianapolis Pro Bowl players excused from the workout. The others were defensive end Dwight Freeney and safety Bob Sanders, who were getting treatment for injuries.

The only other time the Colts' six-time Pro Bowl quarterback was absent from practice was during a brief training camp holdout his rookie season.

Coach Tony Dungy said it was the first time in his five seasons with the Colts that he went to practice without Manning on the field.

· JETS: New York released defensive back Derrick Strait and signed cornerback Hank Poteat.

Strait played in all five games this season, mainly as the nickel back, and started at safety against Indianapolis two weeks ago. Strait had 65 tackles in 25 games with the Jets.

· BROWNS: Cleveland's bye week came at the right time for wide receiver Dennis Northcutt and about a dozen other banged-up Browns players.

Northcutt left Sunday's game against Carolina with a rib injury, but tests showed nothing was broken, Coach Romeo Crennel said.

Cornerback Gary Baxter, who has missed three games with a strained chest, was expected to make progress during the week.