News briefs: 'Hawks LT Okung (ankle) might miss opener
CBSSports.com wire reports
RENTON, Wash. -- Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says sixth overall draft pick Russell Okung has a high right ankle sprain, putting the key position of left tackle in flux for Seattle heading into the regular season.
Carroll said after Tuesday's practice that he is hoping the replacement for retired All-Pro Walter Jones can play in Sept. 12's opener against San Francisco.
But the Seahawks are pushing a Plan B of either Mansfield Wrotto or recuperating Chester Pitts protecting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's blind side to begin the season.
Carroll says general manager John Schneider is working every day to perhaps find a replacement from outside.
Okung sprained his ankle on the first play of Saturday night's exhibition against Green Bay when linemate Ben Hamilton tripped him. Full story
Browns RB Hardesty eyes Week 1 return
BEREA, Ohio -- Most players wouldn't mind skipping an NFL training camp with its grueling two-a-day practices under the sweltering summer sun.
Montario Hardesty hated missing his first one.
Speaking for the first time since injuring his right knee on the eve of camp, Cleveland's rookie running back said that he's nearly ready to get back on the practice field and expects to be available when the Browns open the season on Sept. 4.
Hardesty revealed he suffered a bone bruise to his surgically repaired knee during a 1-on-1 tackling drill a few days before the club's veterans reported. Hardesty said he was not injured by any contact but when he tried to cut on the grass.
Falcons CB Williams might play Friday
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith hopes cornerback Brian Williams will be healthy enough to play this week at Miami.
The 31-year-old Williams has missed the first two preseason games and a team scrimmage because of a tender right knee that underwent reconstructive surgery last year. The ninth-year veteran started the first five games of 2009 in his first season with the Falcons.
Atlanta (1-1) visits the Dolphins (2-0) on Friday.
Defensive end Jamaal Anderson, who starts on the left side and plays tackle, missed last week's loss to New England with a strained quadriceps, but is close to returning.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The injury-riddled Denver Broncos are finally starting to look like themselves.
Correll Buckhalter returned to practice for the first time since wrenching his back on the first day of training camp and All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady will practice Wednesday for the first time since blowing out his left knee in a pickup basketball game in the spring.
McDaniels said "the goal is for him to be as ready to go for as long as he could be in the opener" at Jacksonville on Sept. 12.
Clady practiced footwork drills with strength coach Rich Tuten on the field a few hours before Denver played Detroit in a preseason game. "Feeling a lot better," Clady said after the game, when he suggested he was on pace not to miss any regular season games.
Bucs re-sign quarterback Snead
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have re-signed rookie free agent Jevan Snead after losing starting quarterback Josh Freeman for the rest of the preseason.
Freeman broke the tip of his thumb on his throwing hand during last Saturday's game against Kansas City. He is expected to return for Tampa Bay's regular season opener.
Snead will back up Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter in practice. He initially signed with the Bucs on April 26 as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi. The team released him on July 31.
