Thursday, August 7, 2008
Starting strong safety Donte Whitner will miss the Buffalo Bills' preseason opener at Washington on Saturday because of a sore left ankle.
Whitner, who was held out of his third practice yesterday, said tests on his ankle came back negative, and he expects to be back to practice next week. Whitner jammed his ankle last weekend, and he said it's still sore.
Wide receiver Josh Reed also is expected to miss the game because of a nagging lower back injury. Reed has not practiced since Friday.
Wide receiver James Hardy, the Bills' second-round draft pick, was back at practice yesterday after missing nearly a week with a sore left hamstring. Coach Dick Jauron has not yet determined whether Hardy will play Saturday. . . .
Brandon Marshall is content to let his actions -- and others -- do the talking for him.
A day after the Denver Broncos' talented but troubled star was suspended for three games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league's personal conduct code, Marshall sidestepped several questions about the matter, including whether he felt he needed counseling, which the league suggested.
"Brandon is not a bad guy at all," quarterback Jay Cutler insisted. "He's a good guy, he means well. It's just he's been in some sticky situations, some things he probably shouldn't get into. . . . I think it definitely hit home with this. I don't expect Brandon to be in any more situations like that for the rest of his career and probably for the rest of his life."
Marshall was arrested three times in a year-long span beginning in March 2007. . . .
For everything the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line did right a season ago, there now seems to be a major worry in its place.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for a team-record 32 touchdowns and threw only 11 interceptions, a year after throwing 23. The problem: 47 sacks, giving the offensive line a worrisome 93 in two seasons.
Willie Parker led the NFL in rushing until late December, and the Steelers have since added first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall to complement him. The problem: Parker broke his right leg, and Pittsburgh lost its final two games as the rushing yardage dried up.
Roethlisberger and Coach Mike Tomlin profess to having considerable trust and faith in the offensive line, traditionally the strength of the offense. But the Steelers are entering the great unknown without left guard Alan Faneca, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
One of the best linemen in team history, Faneca signed with the New York Jets in the offseason.
The Steelers appear to have enough talent to challenge for the AFC North title again, but only if the line doesn't become a week-to-week worry.
"I think some people look at it and are a little nervous, but I like the young attitude we have," Roethlisberger said. . . .
Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Keith Rivers was at training camp after ending his 10-day holdout. Rivers, who signed a five-year contract Tuesday night, missed 12 practices, including the club's intrasquad scrimmage.
· COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Bill Self, the Kansas men's basketball coach who guided the Jayhawks to their first NCAA championship in 20 years, signed a 10-year, $30 million contract.
The new deal had been in the works since April, when Self's Jayhawks came back from nine points down in the final minutes to beat Memphis in overtime in a thrilling title game. He subsequently turned down an offer to return to Oklahoma State, his alma mater.
· HOCKEY: The Washington Capitals have signed center David Steckel to a one-year contract extension for the 2009-10 season. Steckel already was under contract for next season, although he would have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Steckel tallied five goals and 12 points and had a team-best 56.3 percent success rate on faceoffs.
The 26-year-old is expected to start next season on the Capitals' fourth line. He will earn $725,000 in 2009-10, up from $500,000 next season.
· PRO BASKETBALL: The Charlotte Bobcats signed guard Shannon Brown to a one-year deal for the NBA minimum of about $800,000.
-- From News Services and Staff Reports
View all comments that have been posted about this article.