NFL Capsules: Texans RB Slaton looks to rebound from off year

HOUSTON — Steve Slaton can’t wait to get back on the field for the Houston Texans.

The running back struggled last year with fumbling and a nerve problem in his neck, winding up with a subpar second season after rushing for a franchise-record 1,282 yards as a rookie.

He and the team had downplayed the extent the nerve issue contributed to his fumbling. But after offseason neck surgery to correct the problem, Slaton acknowledged that it was a major factor in his inability to hold onto the ball.

Slaton said he couldn’t feel his right arm from the thumb to his shoulder.

"If you can’t feel your hand, then you really can’t squeeze as hard as you want to," he said as the Texans began their offseason work. "I tried to downplay it, but it came to a point where it was so serious I had to get surgery."

Slaton fumbled seven times and rushed for just 437 yards in the 11 games before he was placed on injured reserve. Now that the feeling in his arm has returned, he’s confident he can return to top form for the Texans.

"I think any player is going to feel like they have something to prove," Slaton said. "Definitely from having a positive first year and such a negative second year, I think I need to get back to what my first year was."

Slaton hasn’t been cleared for contact, but participated in Houston’s non-contact team practices this week. He smiled broadly as he darted and dashed through the defense and down the field Tuesday, his face conveying the sentiment he shared after practice: "I’m excited," he said. "Just to be out here feels good."

The Texans ranked first in yards passing last season, but the offense had trouble in short-yardage situations with a running game that finished 30th in the NFL. Slaton hopes his return can change that number and coach Gary Kubiak is counting on it.

"He’s had a good offseason," Kubiak said. "Steve will come back. This team needs him to come back big time."

The 5-foot-9 Slaton bulked up last season to about 215 pounds, but has returned to his rookie weight of 199 pounds. He gained weight to help deal with the hits he takes from much bigger players, but decided it hurt his effectiveness.

"I feel more comfortable at this size," he said. "I think it just utilizes what I’m good at, my speed and my quickness."

Along with his rushing yards, the Texans also use Slaton extensively in the passing game on short throws he often turns into bigger gains. He’s had 94 receptions for 794 yards and five touchdowns in his first two seasons.

Quarterback Matt Schaub is excited to have a weapon like Slaton back this season.

"Absolutely, I think we all are," Schaub said. "He’s running well. He looks good. He says he feeling good and it will be fun to get him back out there playing healthy and good football."

The Texans drafted Auburn’s Ben Tate in the second round this year to add depth at running back and give Houston a bigger player to complement the smaller and shifty Slaton. Tate ran for 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and left Auburn with 3,321 yards in four seasons.

Houston also has Ryan Moats and Arian Foster on the roster, but Slaton plans to keep the starting job.

"I’m always going to feel like it’s my job," Slaton said. "I feel like I want to be the leader. It’s definitely competition, but if you look at us all individually, we all offer something different so that’s a positive thing."

Texans’ Cushing thanks fans with online message

HOUSTON — Brian Cushing is thanking his fans for their support in an online video after a break from using social media following news of his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy.

The Houston Texans linebacker posted the video on Facebook on Monday night, and provided a link to it on Twitter. He thanks fans for "the support with everything that I’ve been going through recently."

He also talked about Houston’s offseason team practices, which began Monday morning, and says he’ll provide more updates in the future.

Cushing confirmed last week that he tested positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the league’s banned substance list. He has denied ever using any banned substances despite the positive test.

Quinn a quick study of Broncos’ intricate offense

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Long after his teammates headed inside for lunch, the Denver Broncos’ new quarterback stayed on the field, taking extra snaps, practicing his footwork, working on his reads.

Not Tim Tebow. Brady Quinn.

He’s the other new quarterback in town, the one whose jersey doesn’t top the NFL sales charts, whose every move isn’t chronicled by a phalanx of photographers, a regiment of reporters.

Yet, Quinn could very well be the one under center for Denver in 2010, provided he beats out incumbent Kyle Orton, who has been running coach Josh McDaniels’ system for a year now.

"He knows the offense pretty well," Quinn said during the Broncos’ passing camp this week. "This is an offense that I’m familiar with. I feel pretty comfortable being in there as well."

The Broncos acquired Quinn from the Cleveland Browns in the offseason, supplying Orton with some better competition.

Quinn is no stranger to quarterback competitions, having gone through that in Cleveland with Derek Anderson since being selected in the first round of the 2007 draft out of Notre Dame.

But this competition is a little different. This one has turned into a three-ring circus.

Tebowmania has set in.

Since the Broncos drafted Florida’s former Heisman Trophy winner, two-time national champion and work-in-progress quarterback in the first round last month, Tebow has been the talk of the town, the star of the show.

That’s before even seeing his first snap, no less.

Not that Quinn minds. It simply allows him to fly under the radar, as much as he can at least, playing the position he does.

"Quarterback is one of those positions everyone wants to talk about all the time. Selfishly, rightfully so," Quinn said. "We’re a bunch of good guys."

And that extends to helping each other out.

Despite being new, Quinn feels like he has a pretty good grasp of McDaniels’ intricate offense. Quinn’s familiarity stems from playing for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, and Weis having once worked with McDaniels in New England.

So, ask away, Tim. Don’t be bashful.

Quinn will be more than willing to help, even if it costs him either the starting job or the backup spot.

"I’m not some vindictive jerk like that. I try to bring guys along," Quinn said. "I’m going to do what’s best for our team, and help whoever is on the team.

"I think people get the wrong misconception of how guys are. Outside of here, guys are close."

Even the new guy, the rookie with all the attention, all the publicity, has been quickly accepted. Sure, Tebow may have to carry Orton’s helmet, Quinn’s as well, but that’s just good, old-fashioned rookie ribbing.

"Those guys have been great. It’s a great friendship," Tebow said. "Those guys, they do it right. I’m glad to be a part of it."

With all the attention and fanfare, Tebow has been receiving a small taste of what it was like for John Elway all those years ago, when the Hall of Famer was a rookie in 1983.

Next come the comparisons.

That’s the plight of playing in the Mile High City — every quarterback is compared to No. 7, who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl titles.

Pressure? Not for Quinn, who proudly admits he lived in the shadow of Bernie Kosar while in Cleveland.

"Don’t discredit Bernie now," Quinn said, smiling. "Bernie had a pretty good career."

Quinn’s hoping he does, too. First, though, he has to get on the field — and stay healthy. He’s had a recent rash of injuries that have cut his seasons short.

In 2008, he broke a finger on his right hand and was placed on injured reserve in late November.

Last season, he sustained a severe Lisfranc sprain in his left foot on Dec. 20 against Kansas City.

Healthy again, he’s looking to supplant Orton.

"Everyone wants to play," Quinn said. "If you don’t have that attitude, you shouldn’t be playing."

To quell any thoughts of a quarterback controversy, McDaniels quickly backed Orton as his guy soon after the acquisition of Quinn.

Come training camp, though, the situation could change. Nothing is etched in stone, even if Orton has a huge head start on Quinn, Tebow and second-year signal caller Tom Brandstater.

"We’re really eager to see how that plays out," McDaniels said.

-- Pat Graham

Life without Ben: Steelers search for temporary QB

PITTSBURGH — These might be the most-scrutinized May practices in Pittsburgh Steelers history.

The team resumed its voluntary offseason workouts on Tuesday without suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He remains banned from attending, and there is no indication when the NFL will allow him to participate.

"I'm waiting for word from New York like everyone else," coach Mike Tomlin said. "I'm not going to speculate until I get that word."

For now, Roethlisberger can only join his teammates on the golf course and played a charity event with them on Monday.

The Steelers aren't certain if the league will allow Roethlisberger to attend any of the remaining 11 spring practices, which run each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through June 10.

On April 21, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the two-time Super Bowl winner for the first six games of the season and also ordered him to undergo a behavioral evaluation following a March incident in which a 20-year-old college student accused him of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga. The case will not be prosecuted.

In Roethlisberger's absence, Byron Leftwich took most of the snaps with the starters, just as he has since being reacquired by Pittsburgh in a trade with Tampa Bay last month. Leftwich was the backup when the Steelers won the Super Bowl 15 months ago.

There's no sign from Tomlin that Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon will get similar work with the regulars. Tomlin promises only that there will be a clearly defined depth chart when training camp begins.

"I don't believe it's an effective approach to go into camp with a pure, open quarterback competition, if you will, a three-headed quarterback battle," Tomlin said. "We'll go in with a pecking order, and the opportunity to show what you're capable of will be based on that pecking order. All three guys will be given an opportunity but not an equal opportunity."

Training camp will be unique because the Steelers will have two starting quarterbacks to prepare — someone for the first six games and Roethlisberger. By giving so much time to one quarterback, the Steelers are trying to prevent a significant drop-off in timing, execution or consistency when Roethlisberger isn't in charge.

"Ben's been in that huddle a long time now," Leftwich said. "He's been that guy for a long time. But the circumstances that exist, someone has to be in there, so I'm going to work my tail off and try to be the guy. He's going to miss those games, and someone's going to have to play. My mindset is I'm the guy, that we don't miss a beat."

With the Steelers coming off a 9-7 season in which they were good at the start, good at the finish and mystifyingly bad during the middle, they want to get off to a good start and put 2009 behind them as quickly as possible.

To Leftwich, that's why these seemingly routine-as-it-gets May practices are important.

"Especially for a lot of the guys Ben has played with a lot of years, there's chemistry there," Leftwich said. "That's why it's important for the guys that's here to come in and don't miss a beat. That's our whole plan, to get into the huddle, command the huddle."

Ben or no Ben.

"It's hard to go into a season without your star quarterback," said wide receiver Hines Ward, who didn't practice Tuesday because of a sore hamstring. "Our motto is not going to change; our mentality is not going to change. We've got one goal, and that's to try to win. The guys who are here now, that's what we're trying to do."

-- Alan Robinson

Cardinals’ Dockett apologizes for shower video

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has apologized for posting an online streaming video of him taking a shower.

Dockett, a second-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl starter last season, found himself in hot water after taking a shower live on the Ustream site to win a $1,000 bet. He said after the first day of the Cardinals’ voluntary workouts on Tuesday that at first he thought it was a joke but added "obviously it’s not."

He said he put his team in the news for "things that are not appropriate."

"I apologize to all the kids, everybody in the community that looks up to me," Dockett said. "I apologize to my team, all the players. I walked by individually each player and apologized."

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman said no one will ever see him in such a situation again, unless it’s video of, as he put it, "me trying to take somebody’s head off" in a game.

"It was a joke that I took out of character and it was wrong," Dockett said. "I’ve got to do better things than that. Even though I didn’t think it was serious at the time, I’ve got to realize that other people may not look at it like that."

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he had talked with Dockett about it.

"We addressed the situation and I think he’s handled it very well after that," Whisenhunt said.

The coach said players have to be careful about how they use the many avenues of communication now available to them.

"Obviously we weren’t real excited when it (the shower video) came out," Whisenhunt said, "but technology is changing every day in our business and that’s a good thing. It’s an important thing. We don’t discourage our players from having interaction with our fans. In fact, we think it’s important. But there’s always a right way and a wrong way to do it and we’ve talked about that and feel very comfortable about where Darnell and our team is with it."

Dockett is one of the NFL’s most active users of Twitter. For example, when the St. Louis Rams drafted Sam Bradford at No. 1, Dockett "tweeted" a welcome to the Oklahoma quarterback as "fresh meat."

He said he would resume using his Twitter account, which went uncharacteristically silent when the shower controversy erupted.

"I’m still going to be me," Dockett said. "It’s not going to change who I am. It’s not going to change what I do on Twitter. I’m just going to be much smarter and do things for my team for them to look at me as being accountable."

The shower video notwithstanding, Whisenhunt praised Dockett’s evolution as a team leader.

"Darnell’s come a long way. Probably one of the more rewarding things that you can have as a coach is to see a player grow and develop the way he has. He has turned into an outstanding football player, a Pro Bowl-type player. As far as becoming a leader and being a guy that can hold other guys accountable and be respected. That’s a great thing to see him grow in that way."

A year ago, Dockett stayed away from the mini-camp and voluntary workouts to show his desire for a new contract. He still doesn’t have one.

"I’m not even worrying about that. It will take care of itself. I honestly believe that it will,"’ he said. "Right now, man, I’m just trying to get better at football. ... The only thing I’m worrying about is being the best defensive tackle in the league."

-- Bob Baum

Hey waiter! Jets serve food to fans for charity

EAST HANOVER, N.J. — LaDainian Tomlinson slipped on his white apron, confident he could handle the hot plates of burgers, fries and chicken fingers coming from the kitchen.

"I'm pretty good dealing with food," the New York Jets running back said with a big smile. "Plus, I haven't had many fumbles in my career, so this should be fine."

Tomlinson and several of his Jets teammates took over an Applebee's restaurant in East Hanover, 20 miles west of the new Meadowlands Stadium in suburban New Jersey, and waited on wide-eyed fans to support wide receiver David Clowney's upcoming trip to Ghana to help underprivileged children.

"David's one of my best dudes, so I just needed him to tell me where to be and I was here," linebacker Vernon Gholston said. "This is like my first extra job outside of football, so this is a little different."

So was watching the Jets players do all kinds of balancing acts and slow walks to make sure the food they were delivering reached their tables.

"I almost dropped a dessert," guard Brandon Moore said, grinning. "But I was OK."

Fans paid $65 for reservations, with $50 of each paid ticket going to The David Clowney Foundation. The wide receiver is raising funds in advance of his trip in July. Over $10,000 was raised. Among the other Jets who helped out were linebacker Bart Scott, quarterback Kellen Clemens, first-round pick Kyle Wilson.

Many of the fans in attendance were decked out in green and white Jets gear.

"It's just a great thing having the support of my teammates and the fans to help with this," Clowney said. "I've been jumping around since I got here and having fun with everybody."

Clowney spent three days in Haiti in March as part of a missionary group that included Gholston, teammate James Ihedigbo and former Jets cornerback Ahmad Carroll. They worked with members of Yele Haiti, musician Wyclef Jean's charity, to help with the relief and recovery efforts following the earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 and left 1.3 million homeless in January.

Inspired by that experience, Clowney decided to head to Ghana to help children in that West African country. The mission, scheduled for July 3-10, will include a visit to a hospital, a school in Kumasi and an orphanage in the capital city of Accra, and then he'll set up a game to teach the children about American football.

"We're working out all the kinks right now, but the plans are coming together and I'm looking forward to it," said Clowney, who said he has a closetful of clothes that he'll also be bringing with him to Ghana.

"It's such a good cause," Tomlinson said. "He's helping the kids and trying to bring football out there, and that's a great thing because the sport teaches so many things they can use in life."

Clowney's foundation worked with Wayne Kaiser, Applebee's area director, and Kurt Pahlitzsch, Applebee's director of operations, to rent out the entire restaurant in support of the Jets receiver's cause.

"We felt it was a great partnership," said Pahlitzsch, a diehard Jets fan. "Applebee's is tied into real kids and real families, and David Clowney is really involved with helping kids. It made it all worth closing the restaurant for a night for this."

Tim Bargiel of Woodland Park, N.J., and his wife, Dina, and their kids Antonio and Ariana were waited on by rookie running back Joe McKnight.

"He did great," said Dina Bargiel, whose family has had Jets season tickets since Joe Namath's rookie year. "All these guys have been doing great, sitting and talking with all of us."

Clowney auctioned off several signed Jets jerseys and helmets, and also playfully encouraged the fans to participate in some rookie hazing.

"Harass some of those rookies and send them back and forth to the kitchen as much as you like," Clowney said over a microphone, drawing laughs.

Undrafted free agent defensive end Jason Lamb made his way from the kitchen at one point balancing three plates of food, a move Scott left to the rookie.

"I was going to try that three-tier thing, but I thought I better not," Scott said. "I did taste a fry or two on the way out, though. You know, to make sure it was done."

Pahlitzsch reported that none of the Jets players, who worked alongside the Applebee's normal wait staff, fumbled any food.

"I'm amazed at how talented these guys are, even away from the football field," Pahlitzsch said. "Definitely a fun night."

-- Dennis Waszak Jr.

Hamstring sidelines Titans’ top draft pick Morgan

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — So much for the eagerly anticipated arrival of Tennessee’s top draft pick. The Titans are going to have to wait just a little bit longer to see how defensive end Derrick Morgan does with the whole team.

Morgan watched Tuesday as the Titans convened for their first minicamp as a full team this offseason with veterans and rookies combined. The 16th pick overall tweaked a hamstring running sprints Monday, and the Titans chose to let him rest up rather than risk further injury.

"He is just a little tight," coach Jeff Fisher said of Morgan. "It is a precautionary thing. We are just going to watch him. A significant injury right now could result in a huge setback, so we are just going to watch him."

The caution is because the Titans watched top draft pick Kenny Britt start training camp last year on the physically unable to perform list after hurting his hamstring in May.

Morgan is one of several new players Tennessee added to get younger and faster on defense. Morgan is the youngest of a a draft class featuring five defensive players, and the Titans also added defensive end Jason Babin, linebacker Will Witherspoon and cornerback Tye Hill.

Now the Titans are busy putting those pieces together to improve a unit they desperately need better production from after missing the playoffs last season at 8-8. By the time the season starts Sept. 12 against Oakland, the Titans could have as many as four new starters on a defense that finished 28th in the NFL in total yards allowed and next to last against the pass.

How quickly can the revised defense come together?

"I can’t answer that. I don’t know how long," cornerback Cortland Finnegan said. "But it’s got to come together by the first game. We’ve got OTA.s (minicamps), training camp and preseason to get it all together. I think we will take the coaching, self-critique you all the time, and we’ll get better as individuals and as a team."

For now, the open starting spots are at right defensive end where Kyle Vanden Bosch was allowed to leave in free agency for Detroit, left cornerback where Nick Harper was allowed to just leave and outside linebacker where Keith Bulluck is an unrestricted free agent recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

A fourth job could be open depending on the health of outside linebacker David Thornton. He has yet to practice as he recovers from shoulder surgery, which ended his last season in late December, and also a hip injury that limited him much of the season. Gerald McRath, who started five games for Thornton in 2009, is playing in that spot right now.

Fisher said Tuesday that Thornton’s health is a legitimate concern and the coach repeated himself that he would love for Bulluck to finish his career with Tennessee. Bulluck’s name plate is still above his locker, but the Titans want to see him healthy first before the season starts. Then there’s trying to get him under contract.

The competition to start opposite Finnegan features former first-round draft pick Hill along with Rod Hood, Ryan Mouton, Jason McCourty and rookie Alterraun Verner, a fourth-round draft pick with 13 interceptions at UCLA. Fisher said they will compete into the preseason before they settle on a starter.

This defense works best when the four linemen don’t need extra blitzers to sack quarterbacks or at least force them to throw the ball before they want. Tennessee got only 31 sacks in 2009, and that is why the Titans drafted the 6-foot-3, 266-pound Morgan.

The All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s defensive player of the year had 19½ sacks in 27 starts at Georgia Tech with 29½ tackles for loss. Assistant coach Jim Washburn said Morgan is tough and a good football player, but he’s waiting to get excited once he sees Morgan a few times in full practices with the team.

Babin, a first-round pick by Houston back in 2004 now on his fifth NFL team, intrigues Washburn even more. The Titans signed him in March, hoping for a find similar to 2005 when they took a chance on Vanden Bosch and watched him go to three Pro Bowls.

Washburn said Babin has "flopped" everywhere he’s been with some of the blame his own and the rest to teams trying to make him fit their schemes. Tennessee just lets linemen chase away, making offenses adjust.

"I think if he’s got a chance, if this is his last train to Clarksville, ... he’s got a chance here because he’s good at what we do," Washburn said.

Notes: Fisher said rookie running back Dominique Lindsay out of East Carolina hurt his Achilles tendon at the end of the Titans’ rookie orientation, which ended May 1. Lindsay has had surgery, ending his season. ... Verner and running back LeGarrette Blount missed the minicamp session because school hasn’t finished yet at UCLA or Oregon.

-- Teresa M. Walker

New online petition pushing pay hike for Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Chris Johnson now has some online fan support in his bid for a big pay hike from the Tennessee Titans to reward him for his record-setting season.

A new petition titled "Pay CJ2K (Get Chris Johnson A New Contract)" has been set up to support Johnson and had 64 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.

Johnson is staying away from the Titans’ offseason program after becoming the sixth player in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards and earning The Associated Press 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award. He signed a five-year, $12 million deal in 2008 as the 24th draft pick overall. He is due to earn $550,000 in 2010.

He must like the petition too. He retweeted the link Tuesday to his more than 73,000 followers on Twitter.

-- Teresa M. Walker

Seahawks agree to 1-year deal with QB Losman

SEATTLE — Former Buffalo starting quarterback J.P. Losman and the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract

Gary Wichard confirmed the deal in an e-mail to the AP on Tuesday night.

Foxsports.com first reported the agreement between Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2004 and the Seahawks.

New coach Pete Carroll this week reiterated how comfortable he was with Matt Hasselbeck as his starting quarterback but added he wanted Charlie Whitehurst to challenge for the job.

Now, for depth, there’s the 29-year-old Losman. He threw one pass for Oakland last season after five years with the Bills plus time in the United Football League.

His only full season as a starter was 2006. He threw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for Buffalo.

-- Gregg Bell

Rams’ Bell undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Rams offensive guard Jacob Bell has undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to be out four to six weeks.

Bell will miss the team’s OTAs, but coach Steve Spagnuolo anticipates he’ll be ready for training camp.

Spagnuolo thought the procedure on Tuesday was to clean up loose fragments in an old injury, but the coach was not sure which knee was hurt.

Bell is entering the third year of a six-year contract. He started 13 games last year before finishing the season on injured reserve.

Browns sign kicker Suisham

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have signed free agent kicker Shaun Suisham.

With veteran Phil Dawson skipping the team’s voluntary workouts in an apparent contract dispute, the Browns signed Suisham, who spent last season with Dallas and Washington. Suisham made 20 of 24 field goals last season.

He was cut by the Redskins after missing a 23-yard attempt in a game the Redskins lost to New Orleans in overtime. He also missed from 39 and 50 yards in a 7-6 loss to Dallas, which later signed him.

Dawson, the second-leading scorer in Cleveland history, has been seeking a new contract from the Browns for a few years. He also sat out last season’s OTAs.

The Browns also waived free agent rookie kicker Leigh Tiffin.

Patriots release veteran CB Shawn Springs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have released veteran cornerback Shawn Springs, who played sparingly after being signed to a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the team prior to last season.

The 35-year-old Springs appeared in 12 games and had 39 tackles and one interception for the Patriots.

The 13-year veteran has also played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins.

The Patriots drafted Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty in the first round of last month’s draft and re-signed veteran cornerback Leigh Bodden. They also have Darius Butler, a second-round choice last season, and third-year player Jonathan Wilhite.