NFL Capsules - League and Players: Johnson scores TD, Titans beat Cardinals 24-10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — National championship, regular season or simply an exhibition. The setting doesn't seem to matter, not when Vince Young is playing Matt Leinart.
Young outdueled Leinart yet again, Chris Johnson ran for a touchdown and Tennessee beat the Arizona Cardinals 24-10 Monday night in the Titans' preseason home opener.
The Titans (1-1) never trailed as Johnson scored on his sixth carry, an 8-yard TD that capped an 85-yard drive. The All-Pro watched from the bench the rest of the night.
The top two quarterbacks taken in the 2006 draft didn't play very much in the preseason matchup. At least Leinart didn't have to watch Young drive his team down the field late for the win like he did in the 2006 BCS national championship or on this very field last Nov. 29 with a 99-yard drive for a 20-17 win.
"He felt excited about playing," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said of Young. "He was prepared, focused and made plays with his legs, made plays with his arm and was really good on the line of scrimmage as well."
Young has no competition for his starting job these days, and he was 9 of 13 for 128 yards. The former Texas star left after four series with a 10-0 lead, and he said the offense feels like it's coming together.
"We've got to ... keep working," Young said. "Don't get happy with ourselves right now because we still have a long ways to go. But I feel the confidence in myself as well as the receivers is very good right now."
Leinart is trying to hold off Derek Anderson for the starting job in Arizona. Leinart, who starred for Southern California in college, was 4 of 6 for 28 yards but produced no points for a second straight preseason game. The Cardinals (1-1) went three-and-out on each of his three series with the Titans blitzing and showing different looks on defense.
"I'm trying to work to get better," Leinart said. "Guys are counting on me, and I'm confident that we're going to get the job done and I'm going to get the job done. And that's the bottom line."
Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt wasn't happy that the offense couldn't take advantage of the Titans' pressure, especially on third-and-1 on Leinart's final series with a ball down the sideline to rookie Stephen Williams.
"That's disappointing," Whisenhunt said. "It is a preseason game where we didn't prepare against those kind of blitzes, but we've seen looks like that from our defense so I expect us to handle it better than we did tonight."
Young struggled a bit early but completed three of four passes for 67 yards to set up Johnson's TD run.
On his fourth drive, Young fumbled the ball off his chest while scrambling only to see the ball bounce right back to him as he finished off an 8-yard gain for a first down. Three plays later, Nate Washington got his hands underneath a low throw initially ruled incomplete. Fisher challenged and the replay showed he made the catch.
Young drove the Titans to first-and-goal before they stalled. He tried to scramble up the middle on third down and was sacked by Paris Lenon and Adrian Wilson. Still, Rob Bironas' 29-yard field goal capped the clock-consuming drive.
Anderson replaced Leinart and gave the Cardinals a brief spark against the Titans' first-team defense. He completed a 13-yarder to Steve Breaston for Arizona's first first down of the game. He also found Williams, starting in place of Larry Fitzgerald (sprained knee), on a 37-yard pass.
Working from the Tennessee 6, Anderson overthrew Breaston in the end zone and couldn't connect with Williams before the Cardinals settled for a 19-yard field goal from Jay Feely in the second quarter.
The Titans certainly looked energized playing under the lights in the first game at LP Field since a May flood covered the field and parking lot with water. The Cardinals looked a bit tired from the trip east in an exhibition preceding a joint practice between the teams Wednesday at the Titans' headquarters.
The flood was remembered with a moment of silence before the national anthem.
"We were very, very fortunate here," Fisher said of minor damage to the stadium. "This was the last of Nashville's worries, and we were just very fortunate."
Samkon Gado, signed when rookie Stafon Johnson dislocated his right ankle in the Titans' preseason-opening loss at Seattle, scored on a pair of 4-yard TD runs in the third quarter.
Max Hall was intercepted in his brief duty behind Anderson, but he did find Max Komar for a 22-yard TD midway through the fourth.
NOTES: Titans CB Pete Ittersagan suffered a concussion on the team's second punt of the game. He laid on the field for a few minutes before walking off. ... Titans rookie WR Marc Mariani had a 60-yard kickoff return as the seventh-round pick out of Montana competes for a roster spot.
Injuries
Saints' reserve RB Hill out for the year
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Sean Payton would prefer to have a running back other than Reggie Bush or Pierre Thomas handle the pounding of certain short-yardage carries and those late-game runs when the Saints are trying to protect leads and wind down the clock.
With two preseason games left, the search for that role appears wide open.
Running back P.J. Hill, a promising second-year pro out of Wisconsin, was waived on Monday and is expected to be placed on injured reserve with a partial triceps tear that will sideline him for the season.
Hill's injury comes less than two weeks after a season-ending right knee injury to Lynell Hamilton, who entered training camp as the leading candidate to become the third running back after Mike Bell, who handled that role in 2009, left for Philadelphia in free agency.
"There's a couple players that aren't here who were here a year ago at this time, Lynell being one of them, who's now injured, Mike Bell certainly being the other," Payton said. "These other guys are going to have to really step up and prove themselves for a spot on the roster."
Now that Hill is out, the "other guys" now consist of undrafted rookie Chris Ivory, recently acquired veteran free agent Ladell Betts and Wynn.
Ivory, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound power runner who last year transferred from Washington State to Division II Tiffin, has impressed Payton so far, rushing 26 times for 96 yards and one touchdown in two exhibition games. However, he has made some rookie mistakes and last Saturday against Houston, he was unable to score on first-and-goal from the 1.
"He ran hard and had good effort. He's got good balance," Payton said. "He finishes runs well, which has been pretty exciting to see, and yet there's a ton of things that he's working on like any rookie would be."
Betts, who in 2006 rushed for more than 1,000 yards with Washington, has yet to practice since being acquired last week. He is recovering from a serious left knee injury from last season in which both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments were torn. However, Payton said he expected Betts to see some playing time in the next preseason game against San Diego on Friday night.
"Trying to get him into the preseason will be important, just so we can see what we have," Payton said. "Certainly his experience matters, and yet you still want to see what you have in the player, especially someone who came off an injury like that."
Wynn is a fourth-year pro who spent his first three seasons in Green Bay. He played in only four games in 2009 before a torn meniscus in his knee ended his season.
"He's versatile. He's had experience in an offense similar to ours," Payton said. "With P.J.'s injury, we felt it necessary to bring him in here."
Wynn said he canceled a visit with a team in the fledgling UFL when he got the call from the Saints.
"I'll have to get in the playbook, because you can't make no plays standing around trying to learn," Wynn said. "So that's the most important thing I'm worried about."
Payton agreed that there is some urgency for the new running backs to learn the play book, but added that the timing could have been worse.
"It's harder when it happens in-season and a player arrives on Tuesday, study the play book, practices Wednesday and he's playing in the game," Payton said.
Payton also indicated that whoever learns quickest likely will have a role in most games and could find themselves being called upon to make significant contributions some weeks, as was the case for the Saints' top four running backs in their Super Bowl-winning 2009 season.
"Whether it was Pierre, Reggie, Lynell or Mike Bell, all four of them played a pretty important role for what we did offensively," Payton said. "My experience has been, you've got to have depth at that position because the season's long and those guys get hit often."
NOTES: Starting RT Jon Stinchcomb returned to practice for the first time since bruising his shoulder in practice last Wednesday. Reserve S Usama Young also returned from a hamstring pull that had sidelined him since Aug. 14. ... Rookie TE Jimmy Graham and second-year LB Stanley Arnoux remained out, both with right ankle sprains. ... All-Pro FS Darren Sharper and veteran LB Clint Ingram, who are both recovering from left knee surgeries, still have yet to practice since opening camp on the physically unable-to-perform list.
-- Brett Martel
Raiders WR Schilens may need scope on knee
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens went to a knee specialist Monday to determine whether he would need arthroscopic surgery.
The injured knee is just the latest setback for Schilens, who missed significant time last season with a broken left foot that still hindered him early in training camp.
"I'm very concerned," coach Tom Cable said. "It's been a tough road for him. We get through the foot thing now and something else has kind of reared up on us. We'll take care of it and get him back as soon as we can."
Cable said the knee injury was likely a result of overcompensating for the foot injury. The Raiders hope Schilens will be back by the opener Sept. 12 at Tennessee if he does need the surgery.
Schilens missed the first eight games last season after breaking his foot early in training camp and was never completely healthy after his return. He had 29 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns, but needed another operation after the season to help the foot fully heal.
The Raiders treated him cautiously early in camp this year, keeping him out of two-a-day practices and giving the foot plenty of time off because he is being counted on as a big part of Oakland's passing game.
Schilens was a seventh-round pick out of San Diego State in 2008. He has 44 catches for 591 yards and four touchdowns in his two NFL seasons. While those numbers are nothing spectacular, only one receiver on Oakland's roster has even more production. Johnnie Lee Higgins has 47 catches for 676 yards and four scores in three seasons, but is not a sure bet to make the roster this year.
With starters Schilens and Darrius Heyward-Bey sidelined for Saturday's 32-17 exhibition victory over the Chicago Bears, the Raiders passing game showed signs of life.
Quarterback Jason Campbell completed all five passes for 89 yards on the opening drive before sputtering a bit after that. Campbell finished 10 for 20 for 170 yards with an interception.
Second-year receiver Louis Murphy had three catches for 53 yards, rookie Jacoby Ford caught two balls in his exhibition debut and Higgins also caught a pass from Campbell.
"I'm encouraged by that group," Cable said. "Hopefully we don't lose Chaz for any time here. But if it does happen I do think we're developing that group."
Campbell also completed three passes to tight end Zach Miller and Oakland got 105 yards receiving from the running backs with a successful screen game.
Michael Bush went 24 yards on a third-and-17 screen pass to get the first drive started and Marcel Reece had a 40-yard play on a screen pass in the second half.
"We're doing a decent job right now of executing it," Cable said. "That's exciting. We got some linemen who can run. They're getting out and getting people on the ground. The backs are making nice cuts off it and the timing by the quarterback has been good. I'm very encouraged by it. We just seem to be doing a better job of it this year thus far."
Notes: C Samson Satele underwent X-rays on his sprained ankle Monday. Satele left Saturday's game against the Bears with the injury and Cable does not know the extent of it. ... Cable expects most of his other injured players to return to practice Tuesday, including RB Darren McFadden (hamstring), DL Richard Seymour (triceps) and Heyward-Bey (fatigue). ... The Raiders have three more practices in Napa before returning to their year-round facility in Alameda prior to Saturday's game against San Francisco.
-- Josh Dubow
Redskins FS Moore out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington Redskins free safety Kareem Moore had arthroscopic surgery Monday on his sprained right knee and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks, ruling him out of the start of the regular season.
Moore was hurt in the Redskins' preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night. He went down without contact when the Ravens ran a fake punt.
Moore had been one of the pleasant surprises of training camp, moving into a starting role after two seasons as a backup. Reed Doughty will take Moore's spot in Friday's game against the New York Jets, and Chris Horton will also compete for the starting job while Moore is out.
The Redskins also signed veteran safety Tyrone Carter, but he will initially work as a strong safety behind LaRon Landry.
Donovan McNabb, who was limping badly in the locker room after Saturday's game, wore a protective wrap on his left ankle Monday and did not practice. Coach Mike Shanahan said he wasn't sure when McNabb will resume practice or whether the quarterback will play against the Jets.
"We'll just get as much treatment as we can and get him as ready as quick as we can," Shanahan said.
Fullback Mike Sellers, who suffered what he called a minor sprain to his left knee against the Ravens, also did not practice. With Sellers sidelined, the team signed veteran fullback Carey Davis.
Receiver Malcolm Kelly remained unable to practice because of a hamstring injury that has bothered him since the start of starting camp.
Rookie left tackle Trent Williams, who bruised his elbow in Saturday's game, took part in the practice.
Falcons CB Robinson hopes to play vs Dolphins
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Cornerback Dunta Robinson hopes to make his preseason debut with the Atlanta Falcons this week.
Robinson has missed two exhibitions games and a team scrimmage with a torn hamstring. Atlanta (1-1) visits the Miami Dolphins (2-0) Friday night.
Robinson said after Monday's practice that he is still antsy. He says though it's been a long tme since he was "out here running around with the guys," he was happy the injury was "getting better."
Coach Mike Smith says Robinson's status against Miami will be a game-time decision.
The Falcons, whose starting defense struggled against New England's first-team offense last week, signed Robinson to a six-year contact with approximately $22.5 million guaranteed five months ago.
-- George Henry
Jets place DE Pitoitua on injured reserve
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets have placed backup defensive end Ropati Pitoitua on injured reserve, ending his season, with a torn left Achilles' tendon.
Pitoitua, in his third season with the Jets, was injured during the first half of New York's 9-3 preseason victory at Carolina on Saturday night. The former Washington State star was expected to fill in at various spots on the defensive line.
Nose tackle Kris Jenkins was caught by television cameras carrying the 6-foot-8, 310-pound Pitoitua over his shoulder after the injury and putting him on the cart on the sideline.
Pitoitua had six tackles in eight games last season after spending 2008 on the Jets' practice squad. The Jets made no immediate corresponding roster move.
Player News
Jets, C Nick Mangold close on contract extension
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The anchor of the New York Jets' offensive line is about to get a big payday.
All-Pro center Nick Mangold and the Jets are close on a contract extension, coach Rex Ryan acknowledged Monday. The deal would make the two-time Pro Bowl selection one of the highest-paid players at his position.
Mangold is scheduled to earn $3.3 million in the final year of his five-year rookie deal. He wouldn't speak directly about his contract situation, saying he had been advised by his agents to keep quiet about the conversations.
"Anything else football, I'd love to talk," a mum Mangold said. "Otherwise, I'm not talking contract. You can fire away, but I will be stonefaced."
When asked if he felt richer, Mangold answered: "Stonefaced."
The deal is likely to approach — if not surpass — the one signed last year by St. Louis center Jason Brown, whose five-year contract was worth $37.5 million, including $20 million guaranteed.
"For a player to be rewarded the way he allegedly is about to, is a good thing," guard Brandon Moore said.
Ryan said he was excited by the news that the sides are close to a deal.
"It's great," Ryan said. "To be able to lock up the best center in football? Yeah, that would absolutely be a big thing for us."
Mangold, a first-round pick in 2006, showed up for minicamp and training camp despite being unhappy with the lack of progress in his contract negotiations.
"It didn't fit my personality," Mangold said of holding out. "It's not me, it's not who I am, and it's not what I do."
That attitude further endeared Mangold to several of his teammates.
"He treated it like a professional," Moore said. "He could've easily made a stink about it, did some things even here when he was here. But, you wouldn't have known. A lot of guys didn't even know it was an issue. I think that's a testament to the type of professional he is to be able to put that aside and just come to work."
Meanwhile, All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis remains a holdout, locked in a contract dispute with the team. Revis didn't report to training camp on Aug. 1, and it's uncertain when — or if — he will rejoin his teammates. Negotiations have remained confidential after things got snippy through the media.
"We're in a quiet phase," owner Woody Johnson told Newsday at an event at the New Meadowlands Stadium. "Both sides agreed to do that."
Revis is scheduled to make $1 million in the fourth year of his six-year rookie deal, but wants to become the league's highest-paid cornerback. That distinction belongs to Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha, who signed a three-year, $45.3 million extension last offseason.
He's being fined $16,523 for each day he misses, meaning he's out $380,029 after 23 days away.
Backup cornerback Drew Coleman reworked his $1.17 million tender contract, signing a one-year deal under $1 million that included guaranteed money up front. The move to take less money should help secure Coleman's spot on the 53-man roster.
"The main thing was that I want to be here," said Coleman, a sixth-round pick in 2006. "So, I'd do whatever it takes for us to get to this goal, get to this championship. Whether that was going to be taking a pay cut or less playing time, I just told them that even though there's a recession and there might be a lockout, my main thing is trying to get a championship."
NOTES: Undrafted rookie free agent G Charlie Tanner was carted off the field with a knee injury after being injured during 9-on-7 drills. Ryan said Tanner, from the University of Texas, would have an MRI exam, and it was "probably an MCL sprain, but we'll see." ... DB Donovan Warren did not practice, and LB Joshua Mauga was limited, also recovering from a concussion.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Collins signs with Bears at QB
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Veteran quarterback Todd Collins made no pretenses about his ambitions after signing a one-year contract Monday with the Chicago Bears.
The 38-year-old longtime NFL backup agreed to terms with an eye on taking the backup spot away from injured quarterback Caleb Hanie.
"I plan to," Collins said. "I'm out there to compete. I'm not going to just sell myself short. I've been the No. 2 guy for a long time. You always try to play at the level that the starter's playing, and ideally you can step in there and contribute just like the starter did."
Hanie suffered a right shoulder sprain in the preseason opener at San Diego. Even before that, offensive coordinator Mike Martz expressed concern about the team's lack of experience at quarterback behind starter Jay Cutler. Hanie has thrown just seven regular-season passes in two full seasons. The team signed former Patriot Matt Gutierrez last week and also has rookie sixth-round draft choice Dan LeFevour on the roster.
"Todd brings a lot of experience to the position," coach Lovie Smith said. "It's a natural fit for him to come here."
Collins has completed 381 of 674 passes for 4,479 yards, and 22 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. He has made 20 career starts over a career that included stints in Buffalo, Kansas City and Washington. While in Kansas City from 2001-2005, he played in an offense similar to the one Martz has installed in Chicago.
"Being in other offenses other than this offense, I've come to appreciate this philosophy and what Martz brings to the team," Collins said. "So that's why I figured I'd better do this before I don't get another chance."
Collins rejected a Bears' salary overture last week, but the sides kept talking.
"They tweaked the contract a little bit to satisfy what I wanted out of it," Collins said.
Although Collins has his eye on the backup spot, he hasn't been guaranteed he'll get it.
"I'm familiar with the system, I agree with the philosophy," he said. "And seeing what coach Martz has done and hearing from other people who have worked with him, I figured it's just too good of an opportunity to turn down, even though I wasn't assured anything in terms of a position."
Smith said Hanie's second-string job is no different than any other on the team. "Every job is open to competition," Smith said.
There is no timetable for Hanie's return, although Smith has said it's possible he could be out until the regular season.
"My reaction is I've just got to keep on plugging away at getting better and all the work that I've done to this point," Hanie said about the signing. "I just need to keep on building on that. I need to get back from my injury quickly so I can continue the process."
Smith couldn't say whether Collins would play in the third preseason game Saturday at Soldier Field against Arizona. The Bears plan to play starters into the third quarter as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, so there wouldn't be much remaining playing time available.
Regardless, the coach expects Collins to be able to contribute quickly.
"When you've been a veteran who has played that long, if he's sharp, he should be able to pick it up fairly soon," Smith said. "But we're not going to rush him."
The team waived injured wide receiver Eric Peterman to make room on the roster for Collins. Peterman suffered a thumb injury fielding a punt in Saturday's game.
NOTES: Linebacker Brian Urlacher did not practice due to a calf muscle strain suffered in Saturday's game with Oakland. Urlacher is day to day. ... Linebacker Nick Roach missed practice due to a knee injury and guard Lance Louis missed due to an ankle injury suffered in Saturday's game.
Falcons trade Ojinnaka to Pats for draft pick
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons traded guard Quinn Ojinnaka to the New England Patriots for an undisclosed draft pick on Monday.
Ojinnaka is suspended without pay for the season opener for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
He was arrested in May 2009 and charged with battery after his wife confronted him over his contact with a female friend on Facebook. He was accused of tossing his wife down stairs and throwing her out of the house.
Ojinnaka started five games at right guard in 2009. The Falcons bolstered their offensive line in the offseason by drafting guard Mike Johnson and center Joe Hawley.
The Patriots made another move Monday by releasing defensive back Terrence Johnson, who signed April 29 as an undrafted rookie free agent from California (Pa.).
Colts release backup QB, add 2 free agents
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts have released backup quarterback Tim Hiller and added two free agents to the roster.
Running back Allen Patrick and defensive back Glenn Sharpe both practiced with the Colts on Monday, three days before the team visits Green Bay for its third preseason game.
Patrick was Baltimore's seventh-round draft pick in 2008. The former Oklahoma player has also spent time with Cleveland, Jacksonville and the New York Giants.
Sharpe signed with Atlanta as an undrafted rookie in 2008 before joining New Orleans. The Colts' have already lost five defensive backs with season-ending injuries this preseason.
Hiller is an undrafted rookie from Western Michigan.
Redskins sign S Tyrone Carter, FB Carey Davis
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Redskins have signed safety Tyrone Carter and fullback Carey Davis, addressing two positions that were hit with knee injuries to starters in the last preseason game.
Carter and Davis both practiced Monday. Carter has 53 starts over his 10 NFL seasons with Minnesota, the New York Jets and Pittsburgh. He started 12 games for the Steelers last year.
Carey also comes from Pittsburgh, where he started 10 games over three seasons but was used sparingly last year.
Free safety Kareem Moore sprained his right knee and fullback Mike Sellers hurt his left knee in Saturday's loss to Baltimore. The Redskins also released linebacker Chris Draft.
White's roster spot with Dolphins in doubt
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano says he doesn't expect Pat White to play in the team's exhibition Friday against Atlanta, an indication the second-year quarterback's roster spot is in jeopardy.
White took three snaps to run out the clock in the opening game and didn't play Saturday at Jacksonville. He's fourth on the depth chart behind Chad Henne, Chad Pennington and Tyler Thigpen, and Sparano has said he'll keep only three quarterbacks.
White, a second-round draft pick in 2009, struggled with his throwing accuracy during a disappointing rookie season.
Seahawks release WR Hass to add Brandon Jones
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks have released former Oregon State wide receiver Mike Hass to make roster room for newly acquired free agent wide receiver Brandon Jones.
The team had agreed to terms with Jones on Sunday. The 27-year-old played in eight games for San Francisco after the 49ers gave him a $16.6 million free-agent contract last year.
Seattle released Hass for the second time this month. Hass played for Jesuit High School in Portland and was a sixth-round draft choice by New Orleans in 2006.
Seattle had him on its practice squad last season then activated him to play special teams at Green Bay on Dec. 27. He suffered a shoulder injury in that game and went on injured reserve.
Bills sign TE Foschi; waive DB Destin, TE Matthews
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills signed tight end J.P. Foschi (FAH-shee) and waived injured tight end Michael Matthews.
The team also waived defensive back John Destin on Monday.
Foschi has four years NFL experience. The 6-foot-4, 265 pound veteran spent last season with Cincinnati, where he set career highs with 27 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games. Foschi has also played for Kansas City and Oakland.
Matthews hurt his left foot in practice on Sunday. That injury left Jonathan Stupar as the Bills' only healthy tight end heading into their preseason game against Cincinnati on Saturday.
Broncos release 3 players Monday
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have released running back Toney Baker and two other players. Offensive lineman Kirk Barton and wide receiver Patrick Carter were also waived by the team Monday.
The Broncos are dinged up at running back with Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), Correll Buckhalter (back) and LenDale White (ankle) all sitting out of practice. The team recently brought in former Oakland Raiders bruiser Justin Fargas to bolster the backfield.
Baker joined the team April 30 as a college free agent out of North Carolina State. He didn't play in the preseason game against Detroit on Saturday.
Elsewhere
Browns to honor players with stadium ring
CLEVELAND (AP) — There's barely anything in Browns Stadium to remind Cleveland football fans of the franchise's glory days. That's about to change.
The Browns will commemorate some of their greatest players with a ring of honor. The names of Cleveland's football elite will be inscribed on the upper deck facing in the stadium, the first acknowledgment of those former stars inside the seating bowl.
The initial honored players will be the 16 Browns enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton. The seven living honorees and their families have been invited to the unveiling, which is scheduled for the home opener against Kansas City on Sept. 19.
Browns president Mike Holmgren is expected to announce further formal plans for the ring later this week. Holmgren, who was hired by owner Randy Lerner in December to rebuild the Browns, believes it's important to pay homage to Cleveland's rich tradition.
At Holmgren's previous two NFL stops, Green Bay and Seattle, the teams have similar honorary rings.
"I'm kind of surprised it hadn't been here before," he said Monday. "I love it and I'm glad we can do it."
Holmgren didn't offer any details but said there are plans for a weeklong celebration for the former Browns to be honored at the opener.
"We will do it right," said Holmgren, who also plans to bring back the team's Legends program, which honored past players but was suspended last year.
-- Tom Withers
Conviction for 2008 Super Bowl threats overturned
PHOENIX (AP) — A federal appeals court has overturned the conviction of an Arizona man accused of planning to kill people at the 2008 Super Bowl.
Kurt William Havelock was originally sentenced to a year and a day in prison for sending letters to major media outlets promising to be "swift and bloody."
He was convicted of six counts of mailing threatening communications. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco says the mailed item containing the threat was not addressed to a specific person.
Havelock was accused of bringing a semiautomatic rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition to a parking lot near the game site at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
Havelock did not attack, however, and he turned himself in to police.
