Severity of Pennington's injury confirmed

New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington got the same opinion on his right shoulder from noted orthopedist James Andrews: his rotator cuff is torn.

Pennington visited Andrews Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala., and had an arthrogram, where dye is injected into the joint and X-rayed to detect tears. Andrews, who repaired Pennington's shoulder earlier this year, conferred with the Jets' medical staff and agreed there was a tear, the team said in a statement yesterday.

Both Pennington and backup Jay Fiedler were hurt in Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to Jacksonville.

Brooks Bollinger, who has thrown all of nine passes in his two-plus NFL seasons, will get his first pro start Sunday in Baltimore with newly signed Vinny Testaverde, who turns 42 in November, his backup. ''Right now, Vinny is not starting, he is not running out of the tunnel in Baltimore being the starter," coach Herman Edwards said.

The Jets also signed Kliff Kingsbury yesterday to be their third quarterback. Kingsbury, a third-round Patriots' pick in 2003 out of Texas Tech, most recently was on Denver's practice squad. Kingsbury spent the 2003 season on the Patriots' injured reserve list and was with the team in training camp last season.

Spikes placed on IR

Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes was placed on injured reserve after successful surgery on the right Achilles' tendon he tore in the Bills' 24-16 loss to Atlanta Sunday. To replace Spikes on the active roster, the Bills signed linebacker Liam Ezekiel of Northeastern off the practice squad . . . Donovan McNabb is playing with a severe abdominal ailment that likely will need surgery and definitely will leave the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback in pain all season. Also, coach Andy Reid said kicker David Akers will miss the Chiefs game because of a torn hamstring . . . Linebacker Jamie Winborn cleaned out his locker and left the San Francisco 49ers as the club abruptly announced plans to trade the former starter. Winborn lost his job to converted defensive end Andre Carter last week, and coach Mike Nolan suggested the fifth-year pro should stay away while the 49ers find him a home. ''He sees himself as a starter, and I would tend to agree with that," Nolan said. ''It just won't be here." . . . The 49ers will put defensive back Mike Rumph on the IR today after he tore a muscle in his foot at practice.