Favre a no-show to Packers camp — for now

Published 11:52 pm Sunday, July 27, 2008

PANTHERS: Jake Delhomme was watching television in February when he saw on the crawl that Muhsin Muhammad had been released by the Chicago Bears.

Less than 20 minutes later, the Panthers quarterback was on the phone with teammate Steve Smith, plotting a way to get Muhammad back in Carolina.

“We were saying we got to somehow get it done, because we know how much he means to this offense,” Delhomme said. “We were selfish. He can help me and Steve. We wanted him to be back.”

About a week later, Muhammad signed with the Panthers, who never effectively replaced him when he left for the Bears four years ago. Even though he is 35 and coming off one of his least productive seasons, the Panthers hope their franchise leader in catches and yards receiving can help end two years of offensive ineptitude.

“It’s been a little while since I’ve been in Spartanburg,” said Muhammad, Carolina’s second-round pick in 1996. “A lot of things have changed, but a lot of things have stayed the same. It’s the same field, got the same quarterback, same little buddy on the other side making big plays, so it’s a lot of fun.

RAVENS: Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was carted off the field Sunday with an injured right leg after getting caught in a pileup during a full-contact drill.

Ngata was on the ground for several minutes before limping with assistance to the sideline. He was then driven off the field.

“We don’t think it’s serious, but we’ve got to find out as we go,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh rookie wide receiver Limas Sweed signed a four-year contract Sunday, putting all the Steelers’ draft picks under contract for the start of training camp today.

Sweed was taken in the second round with the 53rd overall pick in the April draft. He was sixth in Texas history with 124 catches and fifth with 1,915 yards receiving. His 20 career TD catches are the second most for a Longhorns receiver.

BENGALS: Receiver Chad Johnson has reported to the Cincinnati Bengals training camp as promised.

Johnson didn’t answer questions as he carried his belongings into an apartment at the team’s training complex Sunday. A few days earlier, he told The Associated Press that he will continue his boycott of Cincinnati-area media.

The Pro Bowl receiver tried to get the team to trade him in the offseason, but the Bengals refused. He dropped his threat to sit out the season and apologized to fans who were upset with his offseason comments.

Linebacker Keith Rivers was the only Bengals rookie who hadn’t reached a contract agreement Sunday. Rivers was the ninth pick in the draft.

LIONS: Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims missed Sunday’s afternoon practice with injuries to his right leg.

Sims said he “landed funny” during a morning drill but walked off the field after the practice session ended. Trainer Dean Kleinschmidt said the third-year veteran suffered a hyperextended knee and sprained ankle, but did not believe the injuries were serious.

Sims, who led Detroit in tackles his first two seasons, is scheduled to see a doctor Monday.

BEARS: A half hour into his first practice of training camp Sunday, Devin Hester got behind cornerback Charles Tillman and hauled in a 40-yard pass from quarterback Rex Grossman.

It’s the type of thing the Chicago Bears are hoping to see a lot during the regular season after signing Hester to a four-year contract extension, reportedly worth up to $40 million.

“I think the Bears have a lot of faith in me, and they feel that I do a lot of things on the offensive side of the ball, so they rewarded me,” said Hester, who in two seasons is two touchdown returns short of Brian Mitchell’s record of 13 kick or punt returns touchdowns — a mark that took 14 years to set.

After a standoff between Hester’s agent, Eugene Parker, and the team ended Sunday morning, Bears coach Lovie Smith wore a huge smile.

“I’m smiling most of the time I’m talking about Devin Hester; now I can … a little bit more,” Smith said after practice.

STEELERS: Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton was placed on the physically unable to perform list Sunday after reporting to training camp overweight and failing to complete the Pittsburgh Steelers’ annual run test.

Hampton, listed at 325 pounds but apparently much heavier, lagged 30 yards behind defensive end Brett Keisel during one of eight 100-yard sprints. Hampton completed only five.

“He’s overweight and he’s not conditioned enough to participate at this point,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

Hampton won’t be allowed to practice in this camp until he drops weight, and Tomlin suggested that will take more than a few days.

SAINTS: Defensive tackle DeMario Pressley was placed on injured reserve by the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, forcing the fifth-round draft pick to miss his rookie season.

Head coach Sean Payton said Pressley, who practiced as recently as Saturday, was increasingly bothered by an old right foot fracture that had never healed properly. Pressley will have surgery to repair it, the coach said.

Pressley, who is 6-foot-3, 301-pounds, was the first of the team’s two fifth-round selections, taken 144th overall out of North Carolina State.

PATRIOTS: Veteran running back Lamont Jordan hopes to follow in the footsteps of his good friend Randy Moss with the New England Patriots.

The 29-year-old Jordan signed with New England on Saturday, one day after the Oakland Raiders released him. He hopes to recharge his career with the Patriots just as Moss did last season, when he caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and an NFL-record 23 touchdowns.

“It didn’t surprise me a bit what he did,” Jordan, a seven-year veteran, said after his second practice with the Patriots on Sunday, the team’s fourth day of training camp. “In Oakland, Randy was always playing hurt.”

Jordan said the Patriots expressed interest to his agent almost immediately after he was released. Oakland drafted running back Darren McFadden in the first round and made it clear in the offseason Jordan was no longer welcome.

“Any time you have a chance to put on a Patriots uniform, you take it,” Jordan said.