Dallas' Dez Bryant may return this week

Rookie wideout cleared to play

Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant is cleared to play in the team's final preseason game this week, but the team isn't sure whether he'll suit up or not.

Cowboys being careful with Bryant

"I don't know," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters. "He'll be able to play. He'll be ready to go. It's a question of is it worth some of the risk.

"If we end up playing our regulars, then that might make a difference. We typically have not played a full set of our players, so that might be something we might consider since we've got a chance to have our starters out there."

Bryant has been out of action since the end of July with an ankle injury and it was originally thought he would miss the entire preseason - if not longer.

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Bryant 24th overall in the 2010 draft.

McNabb out for Friday, Week 1 status in question

Donovan McNabb still limping

The Washington Redskins have ruled Donovan McNabb out for Friday's preseason finale againt the New York Jets, but that game is the least of their worries at this point. They just want to make sure he's ready for Week 1. That isn't a sure thing, either.

McNabb's sprained left ankle has him watching from the sidelines with his foot wrapped these days. He has been able to work out, but the timeline is getting short if he's going to be ready for Week 1.

McNabb trying to stay positive

"Obviously, you want to continue playing with the guys, with the [starters], and continue to work your timing in game situations," McNabb told reporters.

"Obviously, due to this injury, there is a minor setback. . . . I don't think it's a [major] setback in any way. Instead of it being a physical thing, you have to make sure mentally you continue to stay involved in what's at stake and what we're doing."

Bengals eat $8 million to release Bryant

Antonio Bryant cut by Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals cut ties with veteran receiver Antonio Bryant, forking over the $8 million he was owed in guaranteed in the four-year, $28-million contract they signed him to in March.

Bryant never appeared completely healthy since joining the Bengals. He had some ligament issues before signing with the Bengals, but they didn't think it was anything that would hold him back. Obviously, they couldn't have been more wrong.

Bryant doesn't play a single snap

Antonio Bryant didn't impress anyone on the practice field and didn't even play a snap of the team's four preseason games. Cincinnati originally chose Bryant over Terrell Owens when the club was looking for another wideout, but ultimately, the Owens signing last month made Bryant expendable.

Bryant is now free to sign with any other team, but interest is expected to be limited.

Favre set to start Sunday against 49ers

Vikings get veteran back on the field

Brett Favre will start tonight against the San Francisco 49ers and should play a series or two and about 10 plays. From there he'll turn it over to backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

Oddsmakers dog Favre in his return

Most sportsbooks have the Vikings set as 2.5-point underdogs with the game's total at 37 points.

It has been a bit of a busy week for the Vikings. The publicity of the whole Favre saga was a lot to deal with, even if the veteran quarterback did his best to reassure the team.

"I did feel -- more so than last year, believe it or not -- I needed them to know I'm all in," Favre told reporters. "Not that they didn't know. I think they did just from me being there. And that was kind of the mantra from all of those guys: 'We knew if we got you here, we were going to get you and you'd be all in. It was getting your [butt] here that is the problem.'

"The hardest part for me is leaving Hattiesburg and the tranquility and that stuff, leaving that. But when I left it, I knew it was nose to the grindstone for five months now."

Cardinals suffer big loss - Larry Fitzgerald out

Larry Fitzgerald is out... but for how long?

The Arizona Cardinals saw superstar wideout go down in a pile during Saturday's 19-16 loss to the Houston Texas and collectively held their breath. The news is better than it could have been. Fitzgerald suffered a sprained MCL but there was no ligament tear, meaning it's possible he'll be ready for Week 1.

"They say they want to be careful with it so it doesn't linger and … I'm ready to go for Week 1 at St. Louis," Fitzgerald said. "It's frustrating, because I was having my best camp as a pro."

Fantasy owners left in limbo

Word is that no matter how well Fitzgerald may be feeling, he's likely done for preseason, meaning that fantasy football players are going to be left wondering what to do with their drafts... I know I am already.

Last season Fitzgerald caught a career-high 13 touchdown passes and could have seen even more targets this year after Anquan Boldin moved on to Baltimore.

Westbrook signs with 49ers

Niners ink backup RB for Frank Gore

Running back Brian Westbrook is heading to San Francisco to play second-fiddle to starter Frank Gore. The longtime member of the Philadelphia Eagles signed a one-year deal worth between $1.25-2.5 million depending on undisclosed incentives.

The 49ers jumped into the Westbrook sweepstakes after running back Glen Coffee surprised the team by retiring at 23 eyars old.

Looking for a second chance

Westbrook was limited to seven starts last season, recording 271 rushing yards and 181 receiving yards, but he was one of the most electric backs in the league not all that long ago. He led the league in yards from scrimmage in 2007 and went to the Pro Bowl twice.

Now he'll get a chance to be a part of a young team on its way up and if Frank Gore goes down, he may end up being a lot bigger piece of San Francisco's team than expected.

Shawne Merriman reports to Chargers camp

Merriman shows up two weeks late

Some might say better late than never, but we'll have to see if that hold true for Shawne Merriman and the San Diego Chargers.

Merriman finally arrived to training camp on Friday to a tentative response from Chargers fans and their reaction is understandable. After leading the league with 39 1/2 sacks from 2005-07 but hasn't been much of a factor since as he battled various knee and foot injuries.

“I didn’t lose anything (by not being in camp),” Merriman said. “But … these guys have been out here working every single day and I have to work myself like they worked themselves the first couple weeks while I wasn’t here. And I’m prepared to do that.”

“I have a lot to prove,” Merriman added. “I’m willing to work. I’m not going to talk about what I’m going to do … I know what the expectations are.”

Money is motivation

Merriman is in the final year of his contract with San Diego and the Chargers haven't expressed any interest in signing him to a long-term deal, so he needs to get back on the field to showcase himself. Now we just have to wait and see if he still has the skills.

McNabb leads Redskins to a good start

Donovan McNabb impressive in first start with Redskins

So far, so good for Donovan McNabb and his new Washington Redskins teammates. McNabb played two series against the Buffalo Bills on Friday night, completing five of his eight pass attempts for 58 yards and a touchdown in a 42-17 rout.

"When you play your first game, obviously, with a new ballclub, it takes you back to the first game you played," McNabb said. "Your adrenaline is high, and you have to settle down a little bit. The second time we went out, after our first drive, it led to us putting up some points."

Haynesworth gets on the field

The Redskins were also happy to get nose tackle Albert Haynesworth into some action as well. Haynesworth played two series with the second string and reported no problems after experiencing some knee problems during camp while he tried to complete the team's mandatory fitness test.

Coach Mike Shanahan says Haynesworth will continue to play with the second unit until he earns his starting spot back.

Contract update: Jets and Revis not close

Darrelle Revis situation looks worse

For all you Jets supporters out there thinking that the team would make sure shutdown corner Darrelle Revis' contract dispute would be short-lived, you'd better grab a seat. Reports out of Jets camp indicate the team and its star cornerback are about $40 million apart in negotiations. Revis is holding out to have his rookie contract reworked and expects to be the highest paid corner in the league.

Word has it that the team has had a 10-year $120 million deal on the table for at least a few months, but Revis' camp is looking for about $160 million, plus incentives and whatever guaranteed money the two sides agree on - which is huge.

Revis out for the year?

For the players in these situations, the guaranteed money and incentives are what they always end up fighting for. It's what they can fall back on if they do end up like so many others - done after a career-ending injury.

This one could take a while.

Report: Favre Tells Vikings He's Done

Ankle injury holds Favre back

The Associated Press reports that Brett Favre has informed the Minnesota Vikings that he won't return to the team this season. Of course, this is Brett Favre we're talking about, so I'm trying to bite my tongue for a while to get concrete confirmation. He could just as easily swing by Vikings camp three weeks from now and let Brad Childress know he's ready to suit up again.

Annonymous source, few details

According to the source, Favre contacted Childress Monday night and said that his surgically-repaired ankle wasn't improving as quickly as he had hoped, which led to his decision. If all this does turn out to be true and Favre really does retire for a THIRD time, the Vikings are going to have to switch gears in a hurry.

Sure, they've been practicing without him and going through the motions, but the thought was always there that Favre would be ready for Week 1. Now the team may have to hope that some time on the bench did Tarvaris Jackson some good. He has a lot of talent, but didn't look ready for the pro game in his last stint as starter. If not Jackson, it may be up to Sage Rosenfels. Yikes.

Haynesworth Cuts Conditioning Test Short ... Again

Haynesworth fails second test

At this rate, it might be October before big Albert Haynesworth gets on the field to practice with his Washington Redskin teammates. After failing to finish his first conditioning test last week (which he has to pass before he practices) Haynesworth couldn't make it though the sprints again today.

Shanahan gives support

There was some tension in the air when the big DT couldn't get through the workout last week, but today was different. Haynesworth only made it through about the first half of the workout's first section before pulling up with irritation in his left knee.

"That's one of the reasons he's not out there practicing with the team," coach Mike Shanahan said. "You've got to be in certain shape to go through a practice, and that knee after three sprints back and forth couldn't go any further."

"Hopefully with treatment it gets better and he gets in football shape," the Redskins coach added. "And he's out there ready to play with his teammates."

Revis Not in a New York State Mind Yet

Star corner still holding out

The New York Jets aren't playing around this year, looking to strike while the iron's hot and take a run at the Super Bowl. They have a stable of young bucks on offense and a defense that can get after the quarterback - provided they can shut down outside recieving threats.

Therein lies the problem. Darrelle Revis, considered by most as the absolute best corner back in the NFL, is still at home as he goes through a contract dispute. The All-Pro corner is in the fourth year of a six-year contract that will pay him $ 1 million. Revis wants to be the highest paid corner in the league after Oakland inked Nnamdi Asomugha to a $45.3 million three-year deal.

Revis may not report for a while

Right now, in the opening days of camp, this isn't the biggest deal in the world. But what has Jets brass concerned is that the situation doesn't seem any closer to being resolved.

Tebow Signs on the Dotted Line

Denver Broncos sign first round pick

Broncos backers, the wait is over. Whether you like it or not, the Broncos have inked former Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow to a five-year deal worth $33 million with $8.7 million guaranteed.

Tebow starts behind Kyle Orton

Tebow missed the team's first three practices in camp, but is expected to be on the field Friday. Now the real fun begins. Denver has already named Kyle Orton as its starting quarterback, which shouldn't be much of a surprise considering Tebow's diverse skill set.

He isn't exactly your prototypical NFL quarterback, even after all of the work he put into his throwing motion.

But that doesn't mean Tebow's going to be riding the pine all season. The Broncos plan to use him in a lot of Wildcat formations and he'll definitely get some looks in the red zone.

Albert Haynesworth Fails Conditioning Test

Haynesworth catching heat again

Albert Haynesworth said this season was going to be different, that he was going to show up for camp in great shape and prove everyone wrong. Then, according to reports from Fox Sports, he couldn't make it through Thursday's conditioning test held at Redskins camp even though he has apparently dropped 30 pounds off of last season's frame. To say it's a major disappointment for everyone involved would be a huge understatement.

Haynesworth is getting dangerously close to being considered as just another one of Washington's failed signings and this is just another stain on his recent record.

He didn't report to the team's voluntary OTA workouts and has been very critical of the teams switching to Mike Shanahan's 3-4 defense.

Where all of this goes from here is anyone's guess. Haynesworth met with Redskins brass on Wednesday and insisted he was ready to take part in the opening day of training camp. Now, speculation is that the team my force him to watch from the sidelines.

Stay tuned, friends. The saga continues.

There Goes the Neighborhood: TO Joins Ocho in Cincy

Terrell Owens finds a home

Don't look now, but Terrell Owens signed a one-year deal with none other than the Cincinnati Bengals. Of course. It's a match made in heaven. TO's deal is reportedly worth $2 million with the chance to earn another two mil through incentives.

At least one person is happy to see him

You have to wonder what Carson Palmer thinks about this now that he has two of the NFL's biggest sideshows split out wide for him.

I mean, isn't this just adding grease to a grease fire? These two guys have been buddies for a while and now they'll be sharing the field together, but I can't see them sharing the limelight nearly as easily.

Ocho's going to be whining if he isn't getting his looks and we all know how Owens reacts when things aren't going his way. I guess it's a decent signing at this price for Cincy, but I'm not sure it's going to be worth the turmoil. For the record, Owens had 829 receiving yards with five TDs last year with Buffalo.

Ed Reed's Status Up in the Air

Ed Reed out until Week 7?

Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed probably won't be playing in the team's opener, but won't go as far as verifying reports that he'll be placed on the PUP list.

Reed finished last year with 50 tackles, three picks, and three forced fumbles despite missing four games in Decemeber. He had the labrum in his hip replaced in the offseason.

Recent reports erroneous

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Reed said he'd be out until at least Week 7 (after he would be eligible to come of the PUP list), but Reed and Co. deny those claims.

"We have no idea when he's ready to return," Brad Davis, Reed's personal advisor, told reporters. "Anyone who is saying he will miss six weeks, that's just not true. We don't know at this point.

"He could be back before or after. We just don't know. It's too soon to say. He could be back Week 1 or he could miss the entire season. I seriously doubt he would miss the entire year, but the reality is it's all still up in the air right now."

Benson to Meet With Goodell Thursday

Benson could learn his fate this week

No matter what Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis thinks, his starting running back could be in some hot water when he heads to the NFL's version of the principal's office on Thursday to meet with commissioner Roger Goodell.

Benson was involved in another late-night altercation at a popular night spot in Austin, Texas.

"I don't know why we're even talking about Cedric being suspended a game," Lewis told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "... To me, it's unbelievable. It wouldn't be brought up in 31 other cities in the country I think.

"The truth about (the case) is that Cedric got sucker-punched in a bar," Lewis added. "That's the thing. And only because it was Cedric Benson does it become news."

Just the latest on Cincy's rap sheet

It doesn't help matters that the Bengals are viewed as the league's bad boys club in this case and I can't imagine Benson being completely innocent in this matter. Maybe that's unfair, but it's hard to ignore Benson's track record at this point. He'll be lucky if he just gets away with a stern talking-to.

Vikings Coach Visits Favre

One more time, with feeling

This is becoming a yearly pilgramage for Brad Childress. The Vikings head coach has been spotted in Southern Mississippi again, which just happens to be where his quarterback Brett Favre has been working out with some high school kids. A local TV station reported Favre and Childress were seen chatting together on Monday at the University of Southern Mississippi's football camp.

Childress wouldn't come right out and say why he made the trip but said "you can fill in the blanks" when a local TV station questioned him about it.

Favre gives Men's Journal magazine a decent quote (kind of)

When asked if he was concerned about his long-term health after having ankle surgery in the offseason he replied "playing another year probably isn't going to make a difference. The damage has already been done."

Minnesota's training camp is set to get underway in 10 days.

NFL Suspends Jolley for 2010 Season

Packers defensive end pays for 2008 arrest

Johnny Jolly won't be playing this season and he may have trouble getting reinstated after that. The suspension is for violating the league's substance abuse policy in 2008 when he was arrested outside a nightclub in possession of 200 grams of codeine.

Green Bay moves on

"If this stuff doesn't cause you to change, what will?" Jolly's teammate Ryan Pickett told NFL.com. "All this stuff he's going through -- you're missing practice, you can't be around your teammates, that'll make you feel isolated from the team. So if this stuff doesn't change, then that's an issue. I'm expecting him to be changed by this experience, definitely."
That's if he even gets the chance. Jolly could also be facing up to 20 years in the slammer.

"There's a lot going on, and he needs to focus and make sure he has everything in line," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last month. "These decisions that are going to be made legally will affect every aspect of his life, most importantly his personal life and then his professional life."

The Gunslinger Speaks

Favre wants to play again

Brett Favre made it pretty clear at Wednesday's ESPY awards that he wants to play for the Minnesota Vikings this season. The only thing that's keeping doubts in his head now is his surgically-repaired left ankle.

"I still have a little bit of time, and believe it or not, [I'm] not completely healthy," Favre told reporters after the show. "I guess at 40 I may never be. I'm not getting any younger, but I am working hard trying to feel as best I can. Last year, I felt great. My arm was totally different than it was the year before [in 2008 with the Jets] and that made my decision a little bit easier. But we'll see."

Vikings hold their breath

That "we'll see" part has to be killing the Vikings right now. If Favre doesn't come back, their quarterback depth chart is a complete crapshoot.

"It starts with the ankle," he said. "This coming Friday will be eight weeks [since the surgery], and I had hoped it would be a little bit better at this point. I can walk fine, but you don't walk in football.

"Then it kind of works from there up. If you wake up in the morning and your feet hurt, it kind of makes the rest of your body hurt, and if you've been sacked 700 times, that usually adds to it."