JAMES CONNER

The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus, File) (Adrian Kraus)Let the dealing begin — if mostly unofficial. Set free and able to sign with another team even before Wednesday, were Browns receiver Jarvis Landry; Packers linebacker Za’Darius Smith and versatile offensive lineman Billy Turner; and Panthers cornerback A.J. Some desperately need to get under the $208.2 million cap, which is up by nearly $26 million after two pandemic-impacted seasons. ___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Let the dealing begin — if mostly unofficial.

Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, Rashaad Penny ran for 173 yards and a touchdown, and the Seattle Seahawks spoiled a shot at the NFC West title for the Arizona Cardinals by beating them 38-30 on Sunday.

Carson Wentz threw a pair of touchdown passes, Jonathan Taylor ran for 108 yards and the banged-up Indianapolis Colts continued their late-season surge with a gritty 22-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

The Arizona Cardinals will be without Pro Bowl running back James Conner and rookie receiver Rondale Moore as they try to clinch a playoff spot on Saturday by beating the Indianapolis Colts.

The six-time All-Pro finished with three sacks — the first on the initial play from scrimmage and the last as time expired — while Matthew Stafford threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Rams past the Arizona Cardinals 30-23 on Monday night. Seven plays later, Stafford hit a diving Kupp for a 4-yard touchdown and the Rams led 27-13. The Rams converted Jones' interception into a touchdown when Stafford found Beckham for a 2-yard score. NOSE FOR THE END ZONEConner scored his first TD from 1 yard out late in the second quarter, bursting into the end zone on a second effort after bouncing off a pile. Cardinals: Arizona activated DL Rashard Lawrence (calf) and long snapper Aaron Brewer (broken arm) before the game.

The Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have retained the top three spots in the latest AP Pro32 poll.

The Arizona Cardinals, playing once again without starting quarterback Kyler Murray and star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, returned to the top spot of the latest AP Pro32 poll.

Colt McCoy was outstanding filling in for Kyler Murray, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns, and the Arizona Cardinals beat the Seattle Seahawks 23-13.

The Arizona Cardinals improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1974, riding a stellar defensive performance to a 17-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson is among the NFL players who took advantage of a rule change allowing more options for jersey numbers this year.

FILE - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL football game in Nashville, in this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, file photo. Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. The team and the two-time Super Bowl winner announced on Thursday, March 4, 2021, they have agreed on a new contract that assures the 39-year-old will be back in 2021. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen, File)PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. NFL Network, citing anonymous sources, said Roethlisberger's new deal will essentially pay him $14 million this season and adds four voidable years to spread out the dead money.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates as he walks off the field following a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. The Cleveland Browns overcame all of it. The Browns dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 in the wild-card round Sunday night, picking up the franchise’s first postseason victory in more than a quarter-century and earning a trip to Kansas City next Sunday to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The kick bounced into the end zone for a touchback and Mayfield calmly took Cleveland 80 yards in six plays. So much for the Browns being the Browns, a winking assessment Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made about Cleveland in the middle of the week.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Dwayne Haskins gets his second consecutive start for Washington with quarterback Alex Smith out again because of a right calf injury. Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackon is active against Dallas after missing two months with an ankle injury. Harrison being inactive against the Rams comes as the Seahawks welcome defensive tackle Bryan Mone back from injured reserve following a lengthy stint because of an ankle injury. The Rams were without rookie running back Cam Akers, who had already been ruled out with an ankle injury. Washington: QB Alex Smith, RB Lamar Miller, WR Terry McLaurin, OT David Steinmetz, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB Thomas Davis.

His 28 TDs passing rank second most on the team list, and five behind the single-season record set by Kelly in ’91. Acquired in a trade with Minnesota in March, Diggs now has 100 catches to match the Bills’ single-season record set by Eric Moulds in 2002. The Steelers continue to resemble nothing of the team that set a franchise record by winning its first 11 games. The game was decided midway through the fourth quarter after Buffalo’s Tyler Bass hit a 23-yard field goal to put the Bills up 26-15. SACK STREAKThe Steelers extended their sack streak to a 70th consecutive game to break the NFL record set by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1999 to 2003.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell (24) runs away from Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker L.J. So while the Steelers stayed perfect with a disjointed 19-14 win over the undermanned Ravens in the first NFL game on a Wednesday in eight years, their play was anything but. “To be bluntly honest, I’m really disappointed in our performance tonight,” he said after Pittsburgh improved to 11-0. But the Steelers were able to drain the clock behind a third-down grab by James Washington, eliminating the Ravens from repeating as AFC North champions. “The way the game went, obviously we wanted to win,” Griffin said.

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)BALTIMORE – The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied behind Ben Roethlisberger to remain the lone unbeaten team in the NFL, beating error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 Sunday in a duel for first place in the AFC North. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. After Pittsburgh went up 7-0 on Spillane's 33-yard touchdown, the Ravens pulled even on a 6-yard touchdown catch by Miles Boykin. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.

Benny Snell Jr. added a 1-yard TD run, and Ray-Ray McCloud set up a touchdown with a 57-yard punt return. Pittsburgh scored at least 26 points for a sixth straight game to tie a stretch in 2015 for the longest in franchise history. Pittsburgh dominated early with a 161-1 edge in total offense before the Titans' second offensive possession. Roethlisberger and the Steelers scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 23 games, going 75 yards over 16 plays. UP NEXTSteelers: Visit Baltimore in a game rescheduled because of the Titans' outbreak with the Ravens coming off their bye.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) pulls off his helmet on the sideline after being sacked by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. The passing game came next, quickly followed by the optimism that somehow things would be different for the Cleveland Browns. The result when the Steelers host the Browns does not. James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 169 yards and a score and Pittsburgh's defense chased aching Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the third quarter. Pittsburgh sacked Mayfield four times and picked him off twice — including Minkah Fitzpatrick's 33-yard sprint to the end zone on Cleveland's first possession.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron (85) celebrates on the sideline with teammate cornerback Joe Haden (23) after making a touchdown catch against the Houston Texans in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers spent two quarters trying to hem in Deshaun Watson. Slicing into the backfield relentlessly, the Steelers put the clamps on the Texans in the second half to rally for a 28-21 victory that pushed them to 3-0 for the first time in a decade. Houston managed just 51 yards and two first downs over in the final 30 minutes to fall to 0-3. After opening the season with two relatively drama-free wins, the Steelers needed to overcome an early 11-point deficit to stay perfect. Steelers: Johnson exited in the second quarter due to a concussion on the play where Roethlisberger helped pave the way for a short gain.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) crosses the goal line for a touchdown on an 84-yard play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) comes down with a touchdown pass against New York Giants cornerback James Bradberry (24) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games last season after elbow surgery, threw for three scores in a 26-16 win over the New York Giants at an empty and eerie MetLife Stadium on Monday night. The defense, while not quite on the level of the famed Steel Curtain, was plenty stingy and physical. It not only held Saquon Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries, it also swarmed him in the backfield nearly all night. Even though the Pittsburgh defense broke down as the Giants marched 87 yards on 19 plays in just under nine minutes in the third quarter, it still came up with a major stop. Roethlisberger then took Pittsburgh 62 yards for the field goal and a 19-10 lead.

FILE - In this Oct. 24 2019, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Minneapolis. The Vikings have centered their offense around running back Dalvin Cook and praised him at every turn, but now the bill has come due. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, FIle)MINNEAPOLIS Dalvin Cook logged off last week from virtual team activities with the Minnesota Vikings, no longer willing to participate until he has secured a new contract. The three-year, $39 million contract Arizona gave David Johnson, who's now with Houston, might be the most realistic model. Gordon took a two-year, $8 million contract with Denver.

PITTSBURGH James Conner didn't treat the quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as an obstacle, but an opportunity. While general manager Kevin Colbert has repeatedly stressed the organization still believes in Conner, the club also declined to approach him with a new deal. Im not going to ignore it, but as far as me being scared or taking extra precautions because of my health history. If Im the guy, or however this year works, the goal is to win, Conner said. Im going to give it everything I have.

Associated PressPITTSBURGH - PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers stopped beating themselves long enough to keep the Miami Dolphins winless. Rudolph completed 20 of 36 passes, including a 45-yard touchdown to rookie Diontae Johnson late in the second quarter and a 26-yard strike to JuJu Smith-Schuster in the third quarter that put the Steelers in control. The Steelers pulled within 14-10 at the break thanks to the first of Minkah Fitzpatrick's two interceptions and some curious defensive play-calling by the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick's second pick - basically an arm punt by Ryan Fitzpatrick - gave the Steelers the ball at Pittsburgh 3. Steelers: Conner left in the fourth quarter with an upper-body injury.

Associated PressPITTSBURGH - The Miami Dolphins are still looking for their first win of the season and they will have another chance at 8:15 p.m. in Heinz Field against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dolphins are 0-6 on the year and the Steelers are 2-4 on the season. Miami and the Cincinnati Bengals are the only teams in the league that haven't won a game this year. Running back Mark Walton and receiver Preston Williams lead the way on offense for Miami. Conner has 466 yards of total offense and five touchdowns.

James Conner celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 2, 2018, in Pittsburgh. (CNN) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner expected 2015 to be a good year. As the starting running back for the University of Pittsburgh, Conner was poised for a breakout season as a junior. "The doctor told me I had about a week left," Conner said on Mike Seander's podcast. However, after Bell chose to hold out and sit out the entire 2018 season, it paved the way for Conner to take the starting job.