New York Giants DE Justin Tuck is likely to play Sunday against the Washington Redskins despite a neck injury that kept him from practicing this week, league sources said.

The Giants are already without DE Osi Umenyiora, and having Tuck opposite youngster Jason Pierre-Paul would be significant. Despite the pessimistic outlook earlier this week — and Tuck was officially listed as questionable — sources who have been in contact with him believe he will be active for the opener.

The Giants have been hit with significant injury losses on defense and any good news from a health standpoint would be welcomed now.

Troy Polamalu‘s new four-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers is worth a maximum of $36.5 million, according to a league source.

The deal includes a $10.5 million signing bonus, according to the source.

The eight-year contract extension agreed upon by the Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson Saturday is the richest deal ever given to a running back.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the deal is worth up to $100 million over eight years, including $36 millions guaranteed. but the up-front money — $40 million over the first three years of the deal — is far better than the $31 million over three seasons that Chris Johnson received from the Titans, which at the time was the record for a running back.

The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to terms Saturday with Troy Polamalu on a four-year deal, according to a league source.

Both sides have been committed to trying to get a deal done for the four-time All-Pro, who had one year and $6.4 million left on his current contract.

Polamalu would be the third top Steelers defender to receive a big deal this offseason — behind LBs LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons — and the organization had a longstanding, team-imposed cutoff of the start of the regular season in which to have contracts done.

Cowboys DT Jay Ratliff will sign a five-year extension Friday, according to league source.

With two years left on his old deal, Ratliff is now signed for seven seasons, through 2017. He will make $40 million in new money on this deal, with $18 million of it guaranteed.

The 6-foot-4, 287-pound lineman has been named to three straight Pro Bowls and has started every game for the Cowboys over the past three seasons. He has registered 25.0 sacks during his six seasons in Dallas.

The Steelers and representatives for safety Troy Polamalu are working hard to beat the team’s deadline to complete a contract extension.

Both sides have been committed to trying to get a deal done for the four-time All-Pro, who has one year and $6.4 million left on his current contract.

Polamalu would be the third top Steelers defender to receive a big deal this offseason — behind LBs LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons — and the organization has a longstanding, team-imposed cutoff of the start of the regular season in which to have contracts done.

However, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, if a deal isn’t struck by Sunday, the sides have made enough progress that talks would resume after the season. They could be wrapped up well before the start of the 2012 league year, when Polamalu is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Steelers also could place the franchise tag on Polamalu, though at this point, it seems clear a long-term deal will be struck before March.

Polamalu is in line to far exceed the $8 million per season that Chargers safety Eric Weddle garnered in his record new contract following the NFL lockout.

UPDATE: The Miami Herald reported Thursday that rookie RB Daniel Thomas tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday’s practice and is considered day-to-day. If Thomas can’t go against the Patriots on Monday night, this clears the way for Johnson to see action behind Reggie Bush.

UPDATE: The Dolphins have made the Johnson signing official. To make room, Miami waived G Ray Feinga.

The Dolphins will re-sign RB Larry Johnson, according to a league source.

Johnson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2005 and 2006, was among 26 players released by the Dolphins on Saturday. He signed with Miami on Aug. 23 after sitting out most of the 2010 season following his release from the Redskins.

He saw action in two preseason games, rushing for 39 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in last week’s preseason finale against the Cowboys.

Bears RB Matt Forte‘s contract talks are not the only ones that have been put on hold, according to league sources.

The Bears have broken off talks with Forte, with the sides unable to come to a deal. Forte is in the last year of his four-year rookie contract. Chicago was also unable to make real progress in talks with SS Chris Harris, and no deal is likely to be struck anytime soon.

The Browns had been talking to RB Peyton Hillis, but those sides remain far apart with no quick solution in sight. The Dolphins have been talking to DT Paul Soliai, a franchise player, and Buffalo traded proposals with WR Steve Johnson, but those sides are nowhere near a deal at this point, sources said.

The Steelers continue talks to lock up FS Troy Polamalu, while the Ravens have been unable to work out an agreement to get Haloti Ngata off the franchise tag and secure the dominant defensive lineman to a long-term deal.

On the hunt for some depth in the secondary, the Miami Dolphins gave tryouts to defensive backs Mark LeGree and Darcel McBath on Wednesday, according to a league source.

And in another free-agent visit, the St. Louis Rams tried out defensive back C.J. Wilson.

In other league news,  four teams placed waiver claims on defensive back Darius Butler following his release from New England, according to a league source.

Carolina, Denver, Jacksonville and San Francisco all placed claims on Butler, who was awarded to the Panthers.

Albert Irby, the agent for David Garrard, said Wednesday that he’s awaiting proposals from two teams and expects to have them by the end of the day.

Garrard was abruptly released by the Jaguars on Tuesday after a long stint as their starting QB and is eager to find a new team. Irby said five teams expressed interest in Garrard, but he declined to name any out of respect to them and their current QBs.

Irby said that of the initial group, he has been talking to two teams, and if the financial parameters and opportunity to play match up, then Garrard would chose a team to visit. Otherwise, Irby said, Garrard would move on to the third team on his list from the five that called.

Irby said the “ideal situation” would be that Garrard only makes a visit to meet the coach, take a physical and sign a contract. But Irby added, “I’m not totally sold it will go down like that.”

The opportunity to play, and play quickly, “is the No. 1 criteria” for Garrard, said Irby, who added: “David wants to play for another two, three, four years, and he doesn’t want to wait around (as a backup).”

While Garrard realizes he couldn’t sign anywhere and be ready to play by Week 1, he does believe he could quickly pick up a system.

The Raiders have expressed interest in several QBs this offseason, and Jason Campbell is signed only through the end of the season. The Dolphins have been unsettled somewhat at quarterback, and coach Tony Sparano said early in the preseason that he couldn’t even rule out interest in Brett Favre. The 49ers have starter Alex Smith only on a one-year deal.

The Ravens and Saints are among the teams keeping an eye on potential veteran No. 2 QBs, but as Irby said, going somewhere with a chance to start would be paramount to Garrard.

Here are some details on some recent contracts, according to sources with knowledge of the situations:

Andre Gurode, OL, Ravens: One-year, $1.5 million deal.
Brian Waters, OL, Patriots: Two-year deal with $1.5 million per year in base salary and up to a maximum of $5.5 million in total compensation over two years if all incentives are hit.
Brandon Meriweather, SS, Bears: One-year, $3.25 million deal.
Chester Taylor, RB, Cardinals: One-year, $810,000 deal.

Punter Mike Scifres‘ five-year extension with the Chargers runs through 2016 and includes $9 million in guaranteed money, according to a league source.

The deal is worth slightly more than $18 million and places Scifres among the highest-paid punters in NFL history.

The $9 million guaranteed does not include Scifres’ 2011 base salary, which becomes guaranteed this week.

Scifres, an eight-year veteran who has spent his entire career in San Diego, will average about $3.6 million per year.

The Bills have claimed OL Sam Young on waivers, according to a league source.

Young, in his second year out of Notre Dame, was released by the Cowboys. He was a sixth-round draft pick in 2010.

The Giants have suffered yet another setback on defense.

Starting LB Jonathan Goff sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament during Monday’s practice and is out for the season, according to a league source.

Goff, who’s entering his fourth NFL season, finished 2010 with 80 tackles, including one sack.

Now without Goff, the Giants will sign nine-year veteran Kawika Mitchell to replace Goff. Mitchell played for the Giants during their Super Bowl season of 2007, when he started all 16 games. After that, he played two seasons with the Bills and one with the Saints.

The Giants already have been struck by a flurry of injuries this preseason, including several to key defenders.

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora is expected to miss at least the first two games of the season while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Umenyiora could possibly be back for Week 3, when the Giants face the Philadelphia Eagles. Umenyiora, who is coming off a productive season in which he finished with 11.5 sacks, initially didn’t report to training camp and sought a trade because he was unhappy with his contract situation.

Depending on how quickly Umenyiora returns, how the Giants start the season and how well youngster Jason Pierre-Paul plays in his place, the possibility for a trade could still exist.

The Giants have suffered injuries to their back seven already and, at some point before the trade deadline, perhaps a swap of disgruntled players with the Chicago Bears, for linebacker Lance Briggs, could make sense.