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NFL Training Camps

By The Associated Press 5 min read

Burress injured in first practice with Giants The New York Giants got a scare Saturday when Plaxico Burress, one of their main offseason acquisitions, injured a knee 30 minutes into the team’s first preseason practice.

Fortunately for the Giants and Burress, that’s all it was – a scare.

Coach Tom Coughlin said the initial diagnosis was a hyperextended knee and added: “If that’s what it is, then he’ll make good progress coming back.” He was back for the afternoon practice.

Burress, who spent his first five NFL seasons with Pittsburgh before signing a six-year, $25 million deal with New York, was one of several major free agent signings the Giants made in the offseason in hopes of improving on a 10-22 record the past two seasons.

Texans

For the first time in the four-year history of the franchise, the Texans started training camp without their top draft pick.

Defensive tackle Travis Johnson, the 16th pick in the draft, has yet to sign a contract and missed the first day of practice. He was the only player not at camp. The Texans have never encountered this problem before.

Titans

Tennessee top draft pick Adam “Pacman” Jones missed a second straight day of training camp Saturday, and the team is starting to get impatient.

The Titans have publicly said they are determined to protect themselves in negotiating their contract with the cornerback picked sixth overall, the first defensive player taken in the draft.

Jones was arrested July 13 after turning himself in after an incident at a Nashville night club, and Robert Gaddy, a friend of Titans quarterback Steve McNair, has said he is thinking of dropping the charges.

But coach Jeff Fisher said general manager Floyd Reese seems a little frustrated.

“It appears he has a right to be frustrated,” Fisher said. “In his mind, he’s done his part, and the ball’s in their court, so we hope that we get something done quick. This is valuable time that he’s missing.”

Cowboys

Nine-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Larry Allen was placed on the physically unable to perform list after failing a conditioning test.

Coach Bill Parcells didn’t say how long the veteran guard would be held out of practice.

Allen worked with one of the team’s strength coaches on the side, throwing a heavy medicine ball and went through several running drills.

Panthers

Stephen Davis, recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee, was unable to practice when the Panthers opened training camp.

On Friday, the Panthers placed Davis on the physically unable to perform list, saying he failed his physical and was not ready to practice. But he quickly disputed that, claiming he was never really examined because it had already been determined that he would slowly continue to rehab.

Browns

The Browns have offered Kellen Winslow Jr. an opportunity to earn back the $2 million he forfeited after violating a “dangerous activities” clause in his contract and was hurt in a motorcycle accident.

They are doing it by offering to restructure Winslow’s contract, allowing him to recoup some of his financial losses.

Winslow will miss the season with injuries sustained in the crash.

Jaguars

The team opened camp without first-round draft pick Matt Jones and with running back Fred Taylor nursing his surgically repaired left knee.

Jones, a quarterback at Arkansas who is making the transition to receiver, was the team’s lone no-show when players reported to camp Friday.

Chiefs

Guard Will Shields missed practice with back trouble and coach Dick Vermeil acknowledged he’s concerned about his 10-time Pro Bowl guard.

Shields, a 13-year veteran, debated during the offseason about whether to retire or play one more year. He said in an interview on Thursday that his hesitation “was more physical than anything else.”

Colts

Dwight Freeney could miss the Indianapolis Colts’ trip to Japan next week.

Freeney, last year’s NFL sacks leader, missed the first seven practices of training camp after having offseason shoulder surgery. On Saturday, the defensive end said there was a good chance he would not travel to Japan for Indianapolis’ preseason opener against Atlanta.

He said he believes he’s healthy enough to practice, but team doctors are taking a cautious approach and have not yet cleared him.

“I feel I’m there now,” he said. “But they’re going to probably hold me back and make sure everything is OK.”

Saints

New Orleans cornerback Mike McKenzie finally has the new contract he has sought since agreeing to be traded from Green Bay to the Saints last season.

His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Saturday that McKenzie and the Saints agreed to deal worth about $22 million for the next five seasons. It extends the length of McKenzie’s current contract by three seasons and includes a $7 million signing bonus. It also includes incentives that could increase the value of the contract by $3 million over the final three seasons, Rosenhaus said.

McKenzie held out on Green Bay for the first five games of 2004 before being traded to New Orleans, where his five interceptions in 11 games led the team.

Entering his seventh season, McKenzie has 20 career interceptions.

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