NFL Capsules: NFL again tweaks positioning of umpires
Peyton Manning complained, the NFL listened and now the league is making additional tweaks to the umpire rule.
All 32 teams were told in a memo from the league Tuesday that the umpire will position himself 12 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped instead of approximately 15 yards, which was used during the preseason. The umpires must now only get beyond the deepest running back — not established in position — before the ball can be snapped.
The changes should make it easier for teams to use the no-huddle offense. That should please Manning, who expressed his frustration after an Aug. 26 loss at Green Bay.
"The one (illegal snap) on me I thought was ridiculous, down there by the goal line when you're snapping the ball to keep them from potentially getting a replay," Manning said then. "Also, they (umpires) are unsettled. To throw a 5-yard penalty is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. So I think that's one thing that will be re-evaluated — at least a do-over of some sort, or a warning. But a 5-yard penalty? That's ridiculous."
The league apparently agreed.
Officials will now have the discretion to issue a warning before enforcing the 5-yard penalty for an illegal snap. Clear violations, the memo said, will continue to be penalized without a warning.
Umpires also will continue to be positioned in the middle of the defense, their old position, during the final two minutes of the first half, the final five minutes of the game and when the offense is at, or inside, the opponent's 5-yard line. The league made that change for last week's preseason finales.
The memo also points out that the head linesman or line judge can signal when the ball can be snapped instead of having quarterbacks checking with referees, something that was changed after the league's competition committee approved the new rule in March.
League officials have repeatedly cited safety concerns as the reason for moving umpires behind the deepest running back, saying statistics showed a significant increase in the number of collisions and injuries incurred by umpires.
"It reached the point where the league office thought that the physical danger out there and the safety of the umpire was becoming an issue, so we changed his position," Colts president Bill Polian said recently. "We recognized that there would be, A, mechanical issues, and B, issues with respect to certain penalties that might or might not be called based upon the new position."
But after Manning insisted changes were needed, Polian said they were solvable.
Now the four-time league MVP and Polian are willing to see if this works.
"We'll see," Manning said last week during the annual bowling tournament he hosts to raise money for the Peyback Foundation.
The league said referees and umpires will meet Friday in Dallas to review the preseason and the mechanics of the changes to the umpire rule. The officials for Thursday night's opener will review the material during a conference call this week.
Manning was not available Tuesday, the Colts' regular off-day, but is expected to comment on the changes Wednesday. Polian declined to comment.
AFC
Jaguars' Lewis wants to be league's top tight end
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Marcedes Lewis knows the perception: He's an underrated player in an undersized market, overshadowed by his longtime teammate and often overlooked by colleagues.
He believes it's time for that to change.
Lewis wants to prove he's the best all-around tight end in the NFL, capable of blocking defensive ends, beating linebackers down the field and becoming quarterback David Garrard's go-to guy.
He already has the Jacksonville Jaguars convinced. Coach Jack Del Rio calls him the "most dominant player on our football team." That's still not enough for Lewis.
"I'm trying to separate myself," he said. "There are guys who can really block and can catch OK, and there are guys who can really catch and can block OK. I want to be able to do both at a high level, and I want everybody to recognize it. I take that very seriously."
Lewis took a step toward his goal last season. He caught 32 passes for a career-high 518 yards and two touchdowns. Not staggering numbers, especially when compared to elite tight ends Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, Jason Witten, Vernon Davis and Tony Gonzalez.
But the 6-foot-6, 275-pound Lewis averaged 16.2 yards a catch, tops for tight ends and better than most of the league's star receivers.
"We feel like he has a chance to continue to blossom for us and become a real weapon," Del Rio said. "He's been absolutely sensational — blocking, catching, leading, sending the right message with his actions. Really proud of the start he's had."
Lewis insists he's just getting starting.
A former UCLA standout and 28th pick in the 2006 NFL draft, Lewis spent his first two offseasons back on the West Coast. Instead of working out with his Jacksonville teammates, he was hanging out with family and friends. The Jaguars never complained, even though they knew Lewis wasn't maximizing his potential.
Lewis, though, heard the whispers. He also watched the team go through significant changes. Jacksonville parted ways with dozens of veterans — most notably running back Fred Taylor, linebacker Mike Peterson and defensive tackle Marcus Stroud — and Lewis realized he needed to do more to avoid a similar fate.
So he stuck around, spending more time in the weight room, more time in the video room, more time on the practice field and more time with his teammates.
"It's just time," he said. "I've sat back, I've paid my dues. I came into the league and they were like, 'I don't know if he's going to be able to block.' I focused on it and proved I could do that. Then it was, 'We don't know if he can stretch the field.' I focused on it, and last year, I stretched the field.
"This is the year that I bring both. Just so everybody understands, I can do both. This is something that I've worked very hard for."
If he sounds serious, it's because he is.
Lewis, who's never been much of a rah-rah guy or a showboat, is a proud man who love to talk about his hometown, the woman who raised him as a single mother or the very detailed tattoo on his chest — a Mount Rushmore of important male role models in his life. The mural features Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, President Obama and Lewis' great grandfather.
He models his leadership methods after them.
"I'm not about to get up in your face," Lewis said. "I do it in my own special way. I just try to lead by example. If I need to say something, I'll say something. It'll be a few words and it'll mean something and they'll know that I'm serious.
"I'm not one of those guys who talk just to be making noise and there's no substance to it. That makes no sense and you get no respect from your teammates if you're that type of guy."
Lewis is getting plenty of respect from his teammates these days. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who has played three college seasons and four NFL seasons alongside Lewis, estimates that more than 75 percent of his yardage at UCLA came while running behind Lewis.
So he's glad to see Lewis starting to get more attention.
"He's been coming into his own for a long time and now everyone else is starting to see it," Jones-Drew said. "I'm just happy for him because he deserves it."
Lewis doesn't mind the hype. After all, he has lofty goals.
"I just want to be that guy that's accountable, that everybody on the team can look to and be like, 'OK, we know what he's going to do all the time. We know what to expect out of him every Sunday and we're going to get it,'" Lewis said. "I don't want to be a blinking light. I want to be a shining light."
-- Mark Long
CB Revis returns to practice with Jets
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The ball tipped off Darrelle Revis' hands, then his helmet and popped into the air before falling to the ground.
The New York Jets cornerback knew exactly what was coming next.
"Rusty!" shouted some teammates. Another yelled: "You've been chilling all camp, having a good time at the beach, huh?"
It was all in good fun, though, as Revis enjoyed the ribbing during a mostly sharp first practice Tuesday. He was back with the team after ending a 36-day contract holdout Monday by signing a four-year deal.
"It was a breakthrough, I think, just being back on the field," Revis said, "and getting used to the guys out there, clownin' and joking."
There was plenty of that, especially when Revis missed that interception late in practice after the media viewing period was over.
"We looked at him and were like, when it hits those hands, we expect it to be in there," defensive end Vernon Gholston said. "Any little slip he made, any mistake, everyone was on him, but, really, we were just happy having him out."
That's because no one knew if this day would come, when their teammate — a guy whom many consider the best defensive player in the game — would rejoin them.
"It's great to see him back out there," safety Jim Leonhard said. "He loves the game of football and loves being with his teammates. You give him a hard time, he's going to give it right back."
Coach Rex Ryan said Revis is about 4 or 5 pounds over his playing weight of around 198 and is working himself into football shape. Revis is still expected to play in the Jets' season opener against Baltimore on Monday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
"He looked good," Ryan said before smiling and taking out a piece of paper from his back pocket. "Actually, I was supposed to say, from the defensive staff: 'He looked slow, we'll maybe rotate him in.' We may just spell him a little a bit, give Baltimore hope that he's not out there. No, everybody knows me, that he's going to play."
Revis caught a pass during warmups and received some mock cheers from the other defensive backs. He also did some individual work with defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman.
"Right now, I feel good," Revis said. "There's no problems with me. I don't feel any aching, I don't feel any pains, my hamstrings don't hurt."
Revis had a one-handed interception, but was ruled out of bounds, and broke up several passes during practice, hardly looking as though he missed all of training camp.
"He was all over the place," Ryan said. "He was Darrelle. He's an amazing guy."
Revis participated in about half of the team drills, taking between 15 and 20 snaps.
"I think I'm fine right now," Revis said. "Nobody beat me deep today. I just think I need to get my legs up under me a little bit and we're just focusing on that."
He'll work out with the team trainer in the weight room Wednesday, a day off for the Jets from practice.
"He is in great shape," Ryan said, adding that the team wants to be somewhat cautious about rushing him along and causing an injury.
Despite his reputation as one of the league's shutdown cornerbacks, Revis won't be surprised if Joe Flacco and the Ravens' offense might look his way more than usual.
"I think they're still going to come at me," he said. "I think Monday night, the Ravens will because I haven't been in camp, I haven't been playing football for a while. I'm sure that's in their game plan."
Ryan, a former assistant in Baltimore for 10 years, encouraged the Ravens to target his cornerback.
"I can certainly see them doing that," Ryan said, trying to keep a straight face. "Guy missed all of training camp, so they should do that. Find him and go to him, and go to him often."
Really, Rex?
"They're smarter than that," Ryan said. "They're not coming after him. No way. No chance."
Notes: Revis wore a wig at times during his holdout to try to disguise himself. "That was a little joke I did," he said, laughing. "I actually was looking for some dreads, but I couldn't find those, but I got a curly Afro to wear around town." ... S Brodney Pool's game status is uncertain because of a sprained ankle that kept him out of practice. ... Ryan is optimistic about a quick return for LB Calvin Pace, out for at least Game 1 with a broken right foot, but wouldn't put a timeframe on it. ... The Jets took their team picture and a staffer stood in for Santonio Holmes, suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Life without Roethlisberger begins for Steelers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger loves to be the guy who gets his team out of trouble, throws the big touchdown pass, makes the play that changes a season.
Only this time, Roethlisberger can't bail the Steelers out of a predicament he put them in. Instead of being the leader who rallies his teammates during tough times, he can't even talk to them about football as he serves a four-game suspension for off-field misconduct.
His team captaincy? That's gone, too.
The Steelers knew for months Roethlisberger would be absent when the season began, but the reality of his punishment struck them as they reported for practice this week and found his No. 7 locker vacant.
"We've been anticipating this moment for some time, planning and so forth," coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. "There's not any last-minute adjustment. It's just more about dealing with it."
What they're dealing with is an awkward, unenviable situation that could force the Steelers to adopt a late-season, win-or-else mentality in September.
The months of turmoil Roethlisberger created with his indiscretions ultimately may be viewed in the context of what the Steelers do during their month of uncertainty without him. Should they thrive with the playmaking Dennis Dixon at quarterback and get off to a fast start, the impact of Roethlisberger's missteps may be relatively minimal.
Tomlin was even noncommittal when asked during a Sirius Radio interview if Roethlisberger immediately would become the starter if he returned to a surging team.
"I'm going to dodge that question, not even artfully," Tomlin said.
However, if the Steelers flop with their No. 3 quarterback in charge — No. 2 Byron Leftwich is injured and out — Roethlisberger might be remembered as the man who brought down a season before it started.
"It's very tough, kind of emotional," Roethlisberger said before leaving the team. "I've just got to go do what I've got to do."
The bigger question is what the Steelers will do without him.
Dixon, picked by Tomlin over the more experienced Charlie Batch to start Sunday against Atlanta, is fast, athletic and an exceptional runner. But the former Oregon star has started only one NFL game, and a championship-contending team almost never goes so far down its depth chart at quarterback to begin a season.
Mostly because of their quarterback quandary, the Steelers — winners of 24 games the last two seasons — find themselves as home underdogs against Atlanta.
"That's good," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "We're going to be underdogs all year, especially the first four games, with the uncertainty of who we have at quarterback. We play better as underdogs."
He might be right. The 2005 Steelers, 7-5 with a month left in the season, knew they couldn't lose again if they were to win the Super Bowl, and they won eight in a row. The 2008 Steelers thrived while being challenged by perhaps the most demanding schedule ever played by a Super Bowl winner, going 12-4 before winning two playoff games and the Super Bowl.
Partly to recreate the dynamics of those seasons, the Steelers scrapped their unwritten policy of not bringing back former players to reacquire Leftwich, linebacker Larry Foote, cornerback Bryant McFadden and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El. The idea was to take one or two final runs at the Super Bowl with a still-talented but aging defense.
Now, this reunited group must try to keep the Steelers afloat until Roethlisberger gets back.
"That's one thing about this team," said defensive end Aaron Smith, who returns after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury. "We love performing for each other and being there for each other."
To Smith, that means a defense that was the NFL's best two seasons ago must carry the Steelers through this Ben-less stretch against Atlanta, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Baltimore.
The last time the Steelers faced a comparable challenge without a franchise-type quarterback was in 1976, when Terry Bradshaw was injured for much of the season and rookie Mike Kruczek filled in by going 6-0 as a starter despite not throwing a single touchdown pass. That team had a defense loaded with Hall of Famers (Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Joe Greene, Mel Blount) and another at running back (Franco Harris) to lean on.
This defense isn't as accomplished, yet it figures to be much improved with Smith and safety Troy Polamalu back. The Steelers lost five times while leading in the fourth quarter last season, largely because of their inability to defend against the deep pass. A healthy Polamalu could help fix that.
Running back Rashard Mendenhall ran for 1,108 yards in his first season as a starter a year ago and could take a lot of the pressure off Dixon if he gets going early.
Also unsettled is the question of how Roethlisberger will be viewed by the Steelers' large and passionate fan base once he returns Oct. 17 against Cleveland.
The accusation that he sexually assaulted a Georgia college student — he was not charged — led to his suspension and enraged countless Steelers fans in March and April. By August, Roethlisberger was greeted enthusiastically by fans during training camp, and his two exhibition home appearances attracted not one word of discernible protest.
Of course, the Steelers still haven't played a game that counts. Should they go 1-3 without Roethlisberger and then fail to recover once he returns, the fan reaction might not be nearly as cordial.
"If we don't win, there will be a lot of negative energy that will come out of this year," said Steelers fan Jeff Simpson, 34, of Clarion, Pa. "If they can pull off even a 10-6 season, make the playoffs, I think it will all be put in the past. And we'll all move on from there."
-- Alan Robinson
Dolphins try to escape LeBron's shadow
MIAMI (AP) — This is the home of the Dolphin Expressway, the Dolphin Mall, the Dolphin Bar & Lounge, Dolphin Termite Services, Dolphin Used Auto Parts and Dolphin Bail Bonds.
That's the way it has been in Miami for decades: Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins.
No more. Now it's LeBron, LeBron, LeBron.
Turns out a 6-foot-8 NBA superstar can cast a pretty long shadow.
Miami's NFL team has long dominated the affection of South Florida sports fans, but with the Heat's signing of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Dolphins suddenly find themselves fighting for attention.
"If the Heat are bigger, that's cool," Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell says. "With the names they've got — LeBron, Wade, Bosh — I guess we'll be overshadowed when their season starts. But until then, we're still the big dogs in town."
The Dolphins' opener is Sunday at Buffalo, while the Heat are enjoying the last part of their offseason.
"We get the first at-bat while they're partying," linebacker Channing Crowder says. "We get a chance to play some games and impress some people down here in South Florida, which we will."
The Dolphins benefit from deep roots. They became the state's first franchise in a major professional sport in 1966, and their popularity soared with back-to-back Super Bowl championship seasons in 1972-73.
Despite the arrival of the expansion Heat in 1988 and the expansion Marlins and Panthers in the 1990s, the Dolphins remained South Florida's most beloved team. That didn't change when the Heat won the NBA title in 2006, nor when the Marlins won the World Series in 1997 and 2003.
The Miami Hurricanes made temporary inroads with three national championships in a five-year span from 1987 to 1991. But even then, the Dolphins had Dan Marino, which made them the biggest game in town.
The Heat knew it: They retired Marino's No. 13.
The Dolphins have yet to retire LeBron's number. But his oversized celebrity might be enough to eclipse the Dolphins' rich tradition, especially since they haven't added much to it in recent seasons.
It has been 10 years since they won a playoff game, 18 years since they reached the AFC title game, 26 years since they made the Super Bowl and 37 years since their most recent NFL title.
They went 7-9 in 2009, their recent exhibition season was uninspiring, and their early schedule is rugged, which makes it tempting to look ahead to hoops. And Dolphins coach Tony Sparano knows it.
"With all due respect to what the Heat have done — it's obviously exciting for our town, they've done a great job — but I have to believe this is football season," he says. "We know we have to care of business and start fast. You're not telling me the problems there; I've got it. There are some things we have to do to make sure our fans are excited. We're excited about that challenge."
So now the Dolphins are competing not only with the Patriots and Jets, but with the Heat.
With Tuesday's news that Bill Parcells is giving up control of the Dolphins, they don't match up well against Pat Riley. And when it comes to star power, the Heat win in a blowout. While they have James, Wade and Bosh, the Dolphins' most famous player is Ricky Williams, a 33-year-old backup.
Not that Dolphins business is bad. Season ticket sales have topped 50,000 and are expected to be up 4 to 5 percent over last year, chief executive officer Mike Dee says.
Dee says the Dolphins can benefit from the LeBron bump.
"People are now viewing this city as a premier sports city," Dee says. "It doesn't need to be a football town or a baseball town or a basketball town. It can be a great sports town. Great sports towns are defined as communities that can support more than one franchise."
Maybe the Heat can help with Dolphins attendance. Wade went to a couple of games last year, and Dee says "we have reason to believe that we will be hosting some Heat dignitaries from time to time this season."
Dolphins players, like everyone else, are eager to check out the Heat's power trio.
"I'm definitely going to make it to a few games," Bell says. "That's three guys you don't want to miss. They're going to put on some shows, and a lot of our guys will be watching."
Dolphins newcomer Brandon Marshall agrees. He was already on the Heat bandwagon last April, attending a game the night he was traded to Miami.
Rookie linebacker Koa Misi wants tickets, too.
"I've never been to an NBA game, although I went to a Harlem Globetrotters game when I was younger," Misi says.
The Heat are expected to win like the Globetrotters, while the Dolphins are widely projected for another season around .500. If that happens, they'll be buried in the AFC East standings, and perhaps also in the local sports section.
Miami's no longer just a football town. But that doesn't guarantee the Dolphins are consigned to second place in their own city.
"We'll be back on top," Crowder says, "if we go out and win the Super Bowl."
-- Steven Wine
Bills counting on 3-4 defense to add up to wins
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — A few days after linebacker Andra Davis joined the Buffalo Bills in free agency this spring, Paul Posluszny was impressed when he got a phone call from his new teammate, who wanted to break the ice.
If Posluszny, who plays the same position, was going to lose his defensive play-calling duties to the eight-year NFL veteran as Buffalo makes the switch to a 3-4 scheme, he was reassured by the all-in message Davis delivered.
"That was pretty special," Posluszny recalled. "Just the fact that he wanted to reach out and say, 'Hey, man, I'm excited to be part of the group. Let's get something going here,' that was great."
It's hard enough for teams to make the switch to a 3-4 in one offseason. From Davis' perspective as a newcomer and someone familiar with the nuances of the system, the phone calls he made to several Bills players were the least he could do in a bid to start establishing trust and respect.
"We're a team," said Davis, who also reached out to linebacker Kawika Mitchell. "It's not one guy bigger than the team. I just wanted them to know the type of guy I am."
Ready or not after months of preparation and a few hiccups along the way, the Bills are set to unveil their new defense on Sunday, when they open the season at home against AFC East rival Miami.
Coach Chan Gailey is taking a wait-and-see approach.
"When you're new and you're putting in something, you're trying to develop it faster than it probably should," Gailey said this week. "But you have to do that because the games start counting this week. So you had better be ready. We'll see how we do."
Gailey prompted the switch after taking over as head coach in January. Gailey prefers the 3-4 style because of its aggressive approach and ability to keep opposing offenses guessing from where the pressure might be coming.
Although the strength of the Bills defense remains its deep and talented backfield, the unit's front seven has been transformed with numerous players at new positions.
Marcus Stroud makes the switch from tackle to end, and will play opposite Dwan Edwards, who joined Davis as the Bills only other significant offseason free-agent addition. The tackle spot will be anchored by Kyle Williams, a blue-collar player who at 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds is relatively undersized for the responsibility to plug the middle.
The linebacking corps has changed, too, with former defensive ends Chris Kelsay, Chris Ellis and Aaron Maybin shifting to the outside positions.
What gives Gailey hope that the transition will go smoothly is Buffalo's veteran makeup. Of the 11 projected starters, 10 have three or more years of NFL experience. The other is free safety Jairus Byrd, who's coming off a rookie season in which he earned a Pro Bowl selection after finishing tied for the league lead with nine interceptions.
"Experience is vital," Gailey said. "It's like a point guard who knows where the other nine guys are on the court. Good football players know where everybody is around them. We're fortunate."
The Bills didn't expose much of their new scheme during the preseason in order to keep it under wraps for the regular season. Buffalo rarely blitzed in passing situations and also lined up in 4-3 formations, which the team will occasionally use.
It's expected that the Bills will display more exotic flavors once the season opens.
Concerns remain at how quickly the unit will find its chemistry. The starters proved particularly porous in allowing a combined 617 yards, 34 first downs and 56 points in the first halves of their first three preseason games.
But the defensive secondary continued to build on its turnover-generating reputation by forcing four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.
"Obviously, there were plays that we'd like to get back," Posluszny said. "At least we've got a couple of days to get everything squared away, because obviously now everything counts. And we've got to be right."
Stroud isn't overly concerned. He believes the defense is ahead of schedule in its development because of Davis calling the plays and his familiarity with the 3-4 scheme.
"I think we'd definitely be a little farther behind than we are now. He's definitely helped with the learning curve," Stroud said. "I think we're going to be OK."
-- John Wawrow
Broncos full of questions on offense
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Josh McDaniels set out to renovate his offensive line and rejuvenate his running backs corps this season.
An injury epidemic at Dove Valley has left both groups in a state of flux.
When the Denver Broncos open their season Sunday at Jacksonville, they could feature three players on the offensive line taking their first NFL snaps while blocking for a backfield of backups.
"Nobody is going to put the season on hold for us until we get ready to go," McDaniels said Tuesday. "We'll try to practice as much as we can with the group that's going to play on Sunday."
If right tackle Ryan Harris' sprained left ankle doesn't heal fast enough, the Broncos' starting offensive line looks like it will include first-year pro Stanley Daniels, who has been cut four times, at left guard and rookies J.D. Walton at center and Zane Beadles at right tackle.
"Those are question marks to people outside the locker room but not concerns for us," right guard Chris Kuper insisted. "We have confidence in everybody here."
Walton shrugged off the notion of having too many green guys getting their first taste of the NFL all at once: "You have to take your first snap sometime," he said.
Even the veteran O-line starters — Kuper (ankle) and All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady (knee) — spent much of camp in the trainer's room. Clady returned to action last week, less than six months after blowing out his left knee.
Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy insisted he won't be dialing anything back Sunday, though.
"We've got a system in place that we're going to use and a style of offense that we're going to run regardless of who's in the game," he said.
If Knowshon Moreno isn't fully recovered from his right hamstring injury, which he injured Aug. 1, Correll Buckhalter, who carried just three times in the preseason, could get the start.
Newcomer Andre Brown is down with turf toe and Lance Ball was absent from the start of practice Tuesday for undisclosed reasons.
"I've got to get past that phase where I'm hesitant," Moreno said before practice. "What I've got to do now is test it out and see how it holds up. I'm not going to be hesitant. I'm going to go for it."
Moreno also missed most of last year's camp with a knee injury and never seemed to find a rhythm, although McDaniels has pinned the blame for his short-yardage failures on the old offensive line.
Brown, who was awarded to Denver off waivers from the Giants, and tight end Dan Gronkowski, who was acquired from Detroit, practiced with their new teammates for the first time Tuesday.
"I consider myself a pretty intelligent guy but it's going to take some time no matter what or no matter how smart you are," Gronkowski said after thumbing through the play book.
Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the team's top draft pick, practiced Tuesday for just the second time since injuring his left foot during an Aug. 7 scrimmage, but he said he's not sure when he'll be ready to play again.
Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" was one of the songs that blared over the Broncos' practice field. Trouble could very well be on the way for the Broncos' patchwork offense in the form of the Jaguars' formidable front seven on Sunday.
Notes: The Broncos signed DL Kevin Vickerson (6-5, 335) and released DL LeKevin Smith. Vickerson spent the last three seasons in Tennessee before being traded to Seattle, which released him over the weekend. ... McDaniels said one of the toughest decisions he's had to make was putting NFL sacks leader Elvis Dumervil on IR with a torn chest muscle but that it was best for the sackmaster's career not to hold out hope of a return this season. ... Jason Hunter, signed Aug. 19, has won the starting job at WOLB ahead of Jarvis Moss, although McDaniels said they'll rotate. ... McDaniels said the competition continues between Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn to be the No. 2 QB and a decision won't be made until Sunday "based on how we're going to play the game" and how they do at practice this week.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Houshmandzadeh: Trade to Ravens 'refreshing'
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — T.J. Houshmandzadeh is embracing his change of scenery with the Baltimore Ravens after officially signing his one-year, $855,000 contract Tuesday.
Cut by the Seattle Seahawks' new regime led by Pete Carroll one year after signing a five-year, $40 million contract, Houshmandzadeh has gone from a rebuilding franchise to a Super Bowl contender.
"It's refreshing, man, to go from the situation I was in and come here," Houshmandzadeh said. "It's hard to explain because you always want to be optimistic and I'm an optimistic person at times, but it's hard to be optimistic when you know what you're going against. I'm coming to play with guys that are similar to me emotionally, the way they play the game and how they love the game. That's where I need to be."
The Ravens signed the 2007 Pro Bowl selection after trading wide receiver Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams.
Houshmandzadeh, 32, is intent on proving that he has a lot more football left in him after catching 79 passes last season for 911 yards and three touchdowns.
And he wants to prove the Seahawks made a mistake by releasing him last weekend. Seattle still owes him $7 million in guaranteed money for this year.
"Me not being there, I can promise you had nothing to do with football," Houshmandzadeh said. "Nobody on that team beat me out. If they're honest with themselves, they know that. If you watch practice, it's obvious. For whatever reason, they did what they did. I'm not going to get to throwing rocks because I just don't want to."
Houshmandzadeh has caught 586 career passes for 6,693 yards and 40 touchdowns. He ranks third in the NFL in receptions (451), first downs (283) and is tied for ninth in touchdowns (35) and 12th in yards (4,995) since 2005.
"You guys will see what I can do," Houshmandzadeh said. "I kind of got disappointed with what happened in Seattle for real. I know I can play. I know I can get it done. They know I can get it done. I don't really want to comment on it because it makes me really upset, but it happened."
Houshmandzadeh expressed confidence that everyone will remain happy as far as how the workload is distributed between himself and fellow receivers Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason.
"As long as you win, it doesn't matter," he said. "Do I want the ball? Of course. And I'm sure they feel the same way. As long as you win games, it doesn't matter who gets the glory or who's getting the ball, because at the end of the day, everybody benefits when you win. I'm sure each of us will play a part in different games of playing the hero so to speak."
NFC
Veteran Vikings defense ready for Saints offense
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Even with only three healthy cornerbacks to throw at the Saints' wide-open, pass-first offense, the Minnesota Vikings defense thinks it's ready for the highly anticipated rematch Thursday night.
Perhaps the proud veteran unit's performance in the NFC title game has something to do with that.
The Vikings held the Saints to 257 yards in the 31-28 overtime loss in New Orleans in January, by far the lowest output from the high-powered offense all season long. The Saints managed just 213 in the regular-season finale against Carolina, but Drew Brees did not play and a host of other regulars got just a few snaps in the game.
"They did a good job keeping the guy out of rhythm," coach Brad Childress said Tuesday. "Anytime you're getting off the field on third downs ... They just got him out of kilter a little bit, whether it's knocking receivers out of kilter or rushing him and getting him moving around, it was one or the other for most of that second half."
The Vikings' vaunted defensive line, which led the league in sacks last year, only sacked Brees once in the game. But they forced him to throw sooner than he wanted and kept the shifty Saints receivers from turning short receptions into long gains.
A team that averaged 403.8 yards of offense per game managed just 73 total yards on six full drives in the second half. The Saints capitalized on a long kick return right out of halftime and Percy Harvin's fumble at the Minnesota 6-yard line for their two touchdowns in the second half.
But the Vikings held the Saints to 3 for 12 on third downs and forced four punts in the second half, and seven in the game, nearly twice as many as New Orleans averaged in the regular season.
"I thought they played very well against us in that NFC championship game," Brees said. "As we go back and look in that film, we feel we were all kind of disappointed in the way we played offensively. You have to give them a lot of credit, obviously, because they did some good things. We just looked at short-yardage situations where we were kind of poor at. Third downs in general, we did not do a very good job. ... All in all, I feel like we are a lot better than what we showed last year in that game."
If the Vikings defenders are going to have similar success Thursday night, they are going to have to overcome even greater odds than they did the first time around.
Veterans Antoine Winfield and Lito Sheppard and second-year pro Asher Allen are the only three healthy cornerbacks heading into the game against an offense that loves to run four, and sometimes even five, receivers on any given play.
Starting cornerback Cedric Griffin has practiced some this week and says he is close to coming back from a torn knee ligament suffered in the NFC title game, but it would appear that he is a long shot to play in Week 1.
The Vikings traded veteran Benny Sapp to Miami for Greg Camarillo to add depth to a thin receiver corps, then lost impressive rookie Chris Cook for at least the first two weeks of the season because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Sheppard has been up and down in his first training camp with the Vikings and the team could activate undrafted rookie Marcus Sherels from the practice squad for the game just to have enough bodies. They also could use safety Husain Abdullah more heavily in pass coverage.
"We expect every guy that lines up on Thursday night to play well," defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. "We have high expectations for Lito, just like we do for all of our guys."
The Saints know what they're up against, and have their eyes on the weak spots that could be exploited.
"I'm sure they're reading the papers, looking on the Internet, reading that we only have three corners," Winfield said. "So, we can expect that."
On the bright side, the Vikings will have Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams and Ray Edwards on the defensive line to chase Brees around. And captain E.J. Henderson, who did not play in the NFC title game because of a broken leg, will be right behind that fearsome front.
Henderson's presence should help a unit that excelled in last season's game at keeping Saints receivers in front of them and limiting big plays.
"The biggest thing is make sure we make the tackle as soon as we can," linebacker Chad Greenway said. "They have so many athletes who are great after the catch. I don't think there's any secret to what we did. It's basically the same thing we did every week."
-- Jon Krawczynski
QB Freeman returns to practice for Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman practiced for the first time since breaking the thumb on his throwing hand and expects to play in the Buccaneers' season opener against the Cleveland Browns.
The second-year pro missed the last two weeks of the preseason after banging his right thumb on the helmet of a pass rusher during an exhibition against the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 21. The Bucs were confident all along that he would return before the start of the regular season.
"He looked great being back with this football team. He went through a whole practice," coach Raheem Morris said after Tuesday's workout. "We look forward to him progressing and getting better and better, and getting back to what he was doing before he went out."
Freeman did not wear a bandage or protective splint on the thumb.
"We're going to try different things out this week. Right now, I'm going without any wraps or anything. ... We talked about a glove, but I feel more comfortable with just bare hands," the 22-year-old said.
Freeman was the third quarterback selected in the 2009 draft behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. He started nine games as a rookie, going 3-6 after the Bucs opened 0-7 with Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson running the offense.
Morris and offensive coordinator Greg Olson said they are not concerned the 6-foot-6, 248-pound Freeman only attempted eight passes during the preseason.
The young quarterback felt fine after testing his thumb throwing the ball before last week's preseason finale at Houston. And, he didn't report any problems after his first full practice in nearly three weeks Tuesday.
"We think he's on schedule," Olson said. "It's a little sore, but he felt good."
Freeman said the thumb is "a little swollen, but nowhere near as bad as right after it first happened." He doesn't anticipate having difficulty handling snaps from center and insisted he doesn't fear reinjuring the hand.
"I won't be thinking about it," Freeman said, adding that he's confident he'll be able to play with any pain associated with the thumb.
"It's just getting a feel for it and knowing my limitations. ... But it's geting better. It's been improving every day. ... It won't be bad. It's playing football. I'm going to get tackled. I'm going to hit the ground, probably run into a few people."
Morris stressed that Freeman took all the snaps he normally would handle as a starting quarterback, with Johnson taking the few allotted to backups.
And what would it take to keep Freeman from starting Sunday's opener?
"Not my thumb," the quarterback said. "It would have to be something outside of that. ... I expect to play and be fine."
-- Fred Goodall
Injuries
White undergoes surgery on torn right Achilles
DENVER (AP) — Broncos running back LenDale White doesn't have to go far for advice as he recovers from a surgically repaired torn right Achilles' tendon that will sideline him for the season.
New teammate and fellow tailback Andre Brown went through a similar procedure last August and was back in less than a year.
"It depends on how much work you put into it and how hard you work at it," said Brown, who was awarded to the Broncos after being released by the New York Giants over the weekend. "I came back at full speed and I feel pretty fast."
His best advice is actually quite simple — bear down on rehab.
"You come in here and you grind it out and plug it out and good things happen," Brown said. "The hard work in your rehab will pay off."
White's uncle, Herman White, confirmed the surgery to The Associated Press on Tuesday, saying the operation "went as expected" and that his nephew now has "some work he needs to put in."
"It's going to be a long haul," Herman White said.
LenDale White grew up in Denver and is trying to resurrect his career with the Broncos after a fallout in Tennessee and a brief stop in Seattle. He tore his Achilles' tendon during Denver's preseason finale at Minnesota last week.
The 25-year-old Southern Cal standout faces months of arduous rehab as he tries to make a return to the field. Many tailbacks have struggled to come back from this type of tear, but Herman White said his nephew's spirits and confidence "are real high."
"He's ready to do this," Herman White said. "There are people that are speculating that he won't be back, because of the severity and that very few have been able to come back successfully. He's a young man and he's strong. I'm very confident that he's going to be back."
Brown has yet to contact LenDale White, but will give him any pointers he needs as he goes through rehab.
A fourth-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2009, Brown looked solid at times in Giants camp this summer before being let go.
He's recently been hobbled by turf toe.
"I'm going to be good. This one is OK," Brown said.
The time it took Brown to return from his torn Achilles' corresponds with the research that LenDale White's family has been doing into torn Achilles' tendons. Recovery is typically around a year.
"This is not something he can take lightly," Herman White said. "But the healing process and returning back to form, it's something he's prepared for."
LenDale White was brought into camp to bolster a banged-up backfield. But he sprained his ankle two days after arriving in Denver, missing a chunk of time.
He returned strong, rushing for 53 yards and two TDs in the preseason before tearing his Achilles' tendon. White figured to be a force near the goal line this season for the Broncos, once he returned from his four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
His uncle said he's grateful for the chance at a fresh start in his hometown.
"It's definitely a new chapter," Herman White said. "It's a great opportunity for him. He's real ecstatic."
As for what awaits LenDale White, his uncle echoed what Brown already alluded to: Rehab, rehab and more rehab.
"But I'm sure the Broncos have great people over there," Herman White said. "I'm sure they'll get him where needs to go."
-- Pat Graham
Saints' Hargrove sits out practice
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove sat out practice on Tuesday with an undisclosed knee injury.
Team headquarters was closed to reporters and there was no official comment from the club other than what was mentioned on a required injury report.
Hargrove, in his second year with the Saints, was an often-used reserve last season. He has the versatility to play both at tackle and end.
Starting linebacker Jonathan Vilma (right groin) and starting cornerback Tracy Porter (left knee) both were limited for a second straight day.
Receiver Marques Colston practiced fully for a third straight day despite having bruised his kidney in the preseason finale last week.
Player Moves
Jets re-sign Richardson, sign 3 to practice squad
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Tony Richardson is back paving the way for the New York Jets' running game.
The veteran fullback was re-signed Tuesday, two days after he was cut. Richardson practiced and will play in the season opener against Baltimore on Monday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
"I actually called down to Miami and I talked to D-Wade and LeBron to see if they needed help down there," Richardson quipped. "I think they were set, so I thought this was my best opportunity to win a championship."
The Jets also made several other moves Tuesday, including releasing wide receiver Patrick Turner, who was claimed off waivers from Miami on Sunday. The move leaves New York with three true wide receivers on the roster in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith, along with running back Danny Woodhead, who has been used as a slot receiver in the past.
Santonio Holmes is suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Former CFL star Larry Taylor is the only other wide receiver the Jets have, but he's on their practice squad.
The Jets also filled out their eight-player practice squad, signing running back Chauncey Washington, a preseason standout; defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert, a former Bears third-round pick; and linebacker Cody Brown, a second-round pick of the Cardinals a year ago.
To make room on the squad, New York released linebacker Ricky Foley and defensive back Donovan Warren.
Richardson said his release caught him off guard when the team told him Sunday, but had to let the move "play out."
The Jets needed depth at the cornerback position, not knowing when Darrelle Revis would end his contract holdout, so they kept undrafted free agent Brian Jackson over Richardson. Once Revis agreed to a four-year deal late Sunday night, the Jets decided to bring Richardson back and release Jackson.
The 38-year-old Richardson, who was released for the first time since Dallas cut him in 1994, was evasive when asked if any other team reached out to him during his one day of unemployment.
"It really wasn't upsetting," Richardson said. "It's the nature of the NFL, and NFL stands for 'Not For Long,' so you try not to let it get to you."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Browns release LB Veikune
CLEVELAND (AP) — David Veikune went from outside linebacker to outsider with the Browns.
The team waived the disappointing second-round draft pick Tuesday, cutting ties with the former Hawaii defensive end that Cleveland tried to convert into a linebacker for its 3-4 system. The Browns used the No. 52 overall pick in last year's draft to select Veikune (VAY-coo-nay), a 6-foot-2, 257-pounder.
But after playing in just 10 games last season, he showed little progress during training camp and the exhibition season this summer, and was let go as Browns coach Eric Mangini and general manager Tom Heckert trimmed one of the 12 linebackers still on Cleveland's roster.
In addition to releasing Veikune, a member of the Browns' outstanding kick-return unit last season, the team also claimed offensive lineman Steve Vallos (VAL-ose) off waivers from Seattle and signed defensive back Derrick Roberson.
Vallos played in all 16 games the past two seasons with the Seahawks, where he was with Browns president Mike Holmgren. Vallos can play center or guard.
The Browns released backup Billy Yates to make room for Vallos, whose 48 starts at Wake Forest are a school record.
Roberson played in six games for Tampa Bay last season. He was waived by the Buccaneers, Cleveland's season-opening opponent this Sunday, last weekend.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder has also spent time on practice squads with Houston and Minnesota. He made 19 starts at Rutgers before signing as an undrafted free agent with Houston in 2007.
-- Tom Withers
Titans sign tight end, tailback to practice squad
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have added tight end Carson Butler and running back Herb Donaldson to their practice squad.
Butler was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan in 2009 and has spent time with a number of NFL teams as an offseason or practice squad member, most recently New England.
Donaldson was an undrafted free agent out of Western Illinois in 2009 and has spent time on the New Orleans and Dallas practice squads.
Seattle re-signs Babineaux; waives Terrill
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Veteran safety Jordan Babineaux has been re-signed by the Seattle Seahawks.
Babineaux rejoined the Seahawks on Tuesday, a day after he was waived by the team. To make room on the 53-man roster, the Seahawks waived defensive tackle Craig Terrill.
Babineaux has spent his entire career with the Seahawks. He started all 16 games last season but was beaten out for a starting job in training camp by rookie Earl Thomas.
Terrill had been with the Seahawks since being drafted in 2004 out of Purdue.
Chargers release CB Hughes
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers have released cornerback Brandon Hughes to make room on the roster for quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan.
O'Sullivan was signed on Monday.
The team also released center-guard Jeff Hansen and quarterback Jonathan Crompton from the practice squad. To replace them, the Chargers re-signed tackle Ryan Otterson and tight end Kory Sperry on Tuesday.
