The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday released defensive end Tony Brackens, the team's all-time sack leader.

Brackens, a former second-round draft pick and eight-year team veteran, had been released once already this year for salary-cap reasons but had been signed again to a one-year contract in June. He was coming back from surgery on his right knee, a year after having surgery on his left knee.

Brackens, 29, led the team last year with six sacks and brought his career total to 55 over eight seasons. He's one of only three players to have played that many years with the Jacksonville franchise.

Jaguars officials didn't give a reason in announcing the defensive end's release, but he has been slowed by the knee injuries.

"One of the most painful and difficult duties as a coach is making the decision to release a guy like Tony," coach Jack Del Rio said in a statement. "We met this morning and talked, and Tony was as classy and professional as ever. I wished him well and wanted him to know that I appreciate all that he has done for this team."

Brackens holds 12 team records and was a Pro Bowl starter in 1999.

EAGLES: Free agent running back Dorsey Levens will return to the Philadelphia Eagles and replace the injured Correll Buckhalter, Levens' agent said Sunday.

"It's an opportunity to play, and it's a situation where he knows the offense and has an opportunity to win a Super Bowl," agent Hadley Engelhard said.

Engelhard said Levens planned to leave for Philadelphia Sunday night to sign a contract.

The Eagles declined comment.

Buckhalter tore a tendon in his right knee in Friday's preseason win over Baltimore and will undergo season-ending surgery. Levens' return would mark the second time he was brought in to back up an injured Buckhalter.

Levens probably will back up third-year back Brian Westbrook, who, along with Buckhalter, shared time with veteran Duce Staley last season. Staley signed with Pittsburgh in the offseason.

COLTS: Wide receiver Troy Walters might need surgery on his broken right arm that he injured in Saturday night's preseason game against the New York Jets.

Coach Tony Dungy said Sunday that a decision on the surgery would be made today and that he was still not sure whether Walters would miss the rest of the season. He said Saturday that Walters would miss at least a couple of months.

PANTHERS: Defensive end Kavika Pittman will miss the entire season after tearing a ligament in his left knee, the same injury that sidelined him most of last year.

He will have surgery today and begin rehabilitation in a few weeks, the team said Sunday. An MRI exam showed he tore his anterior cruciate ligament again on the first play of practice Saturday.

CHIEFS-RAMS: Four days past his 44th birthday, Morten Andersen will face a critical moment in his drive to prolong a Hall of Fame career.

Andersen will do most of the placekicking during Kansas City's preseason game against St. Louis tonight. He has worked hard to get in shape for a 23rd consecutive season.

But lurking on the sidelines, hoping to take his job, will be 26-year-old Lawrence Tynes, a Canadian Football League star who had an impressive training camp.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil won't say how important today's game might be to Andersen. He doesn't have to.

"I think all games are important to Morten Andersen, just like they are for anybody else who has competition for his job," Vermeil said. "Morten is doing well, and I feel good about him."

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