Injuries: Saints waive Dannell Ellerbe (foot) from IR

Dannell Ellerbe is on the open market.

The New Orleans Saints linebacker has been medically cleared to return to football after having his injured foot evaluated by Dr. Robert Anderson, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The Saints subsequently waived Ellerbe from injured reserve on Friday.

This was always the plan in New Orleans. The Saints intended to waive Ellerbe when healthy after placing the 31-year-old veteran on injured reserve in late July.

The linebacker has been saddled with injuries since joining the Saints in 2015 via a trade with the Miami Dolphins that sent Kenny Stills to South Beach. Ellerbe has played in just 16 games over the past three seasons.

Here are the other injuries we're monitoring on Friday:

1. Green Bay Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga is not expected to need ankle surgery, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported, per a source. Bulaga suffered an ankle sprain in practice on Wednesday and is enduring a lot of swelling. Pelissero reports the plan is for Bulaga to rest for a couple of weeks and then re-evaluate. While Bulaga will not play in the Packers' preseason test this weekend, his status for Green Bay's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks is up in the air.

2. Dallas Cowboys senior vice president Stephen Jones told reporters that he expects veteran linebacker Sean Lee (hamstring) to play Saturday, while rookie wideout Ryan Switzer (hamstring) probably won't play.

3. Mike Mularkey isn't 100 percent confident that DeMarco Murray (hamstring) will play on Sunday. The Tennessee Titans coach said discussion regarding his running back's playing time will continue into Saturday.

Mularkey added that wideouts Eric Decker (ankle) and Harry Douglas (knee) will not play on Sunday.

4. Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden told reporters Friday that tight end Jordan Reed (toe), linebacker Ryan Anderson (stinger) and linebacker Junior Galette (hamstring)* *will suit up for Sunday's preseason game, but will all be game-time decisions.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Gerald McCoy went in for further evaluation on a possible groin/pelvic injury, Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud reported.

6. San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward will not play Sunday, coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. Ward was taken off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Wednesday.

7. Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Beau Allen passed his physical Friday and is coming off the PUP list, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Allen is returning from a torn pectoral suffered in the offseason.

8. Patriots wideout Julian Edelman (knee) was carted to locker room in first quarter vs. the Lions. He suffered what is believed to be a torn ACL, Rapoport reported.

9. Chiefs running back Spencer Ware was carted off the field after suffering a leg injury during the first quarter vs. the Seahawks. Coach Andy Reid said he sprained his knee and x-rays were negative.

10. Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead did not return with a knee injury vs. the Patriots.