RB Clinton Portis slowed by knee injury

According to WashTimes.com, stud RB Clinton Portis missed practice Wednesday and Thursday due to a sore knee. Portis had his knee examined by the team doctor (Dr. James Andrews). Bubba Tyer, the Director of sports medicine, said that Portis has patella tendinitis in his knee.

Denver TE Out Two Months

Denver tight end Tony Scheffler, who became a favorite target of quarterback Jay Cutler last season, is out two months after breaking his foot during the team's passing camp. Scheffler came up limping after running a route during the first half of practice Friday. He was able to walk off the field under his own power but he didn't finish the rest of the workout. (AP)

No surgery for Peterson!

The Vikings announced today that rookie RB Adrian Peterson (RB, RB) will not need surgery to complete the healing process of his fractured left collarbone. Dr. Joel Boyd, the team's new orthopedic doctor, said in a meeting with reporters that Peterson will be ready for full contact when training camp begins in July. Team officials made the final decision Tuesday after another round of tests showed that Peterson's collarbone is healing satisfactorily on its own. Had he been forced to undergo surgery, Peterson would have needed 3-6 months to recover, Boyd said. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Culpepper hits the practice field

Daunte Culpepper practiced on a limited basis Friday with the Miami Dolphins, the latest step in his recovery from two knee operations. Culpepper said he's certain he'll be able to take part in the Dolphins' minicamp June 8-10. "It's small steps right now," he said. "I feel good. No real pain, which is a good sign. I just want to ease my way into it." Coach Cam Cameron declined to assess Culpepper. "Until a guy is 100 percent, it is not fair to evaluate him," Cameron said. "That's the approach. Keep it simple. When the guy is 100 percent, evaluate him and then go from there." (AP)

NFL Wire Notes | Dolphins set to move on minus Ricky

By The Associated Press

DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins coach Cam Cameron, speaking publicly about Ricky Williams' latest drug relapse for the first time, said nothing has changed regarding the suspended running back's status.

But several Dolphins said they're ready to play without Williams, and Cameron acknowledged it's difficult to salvage the careers of troubled players.

"The easiest predictor of future behavior is previous behavior," Cameron said Friday. "Could I have made that statement 15 years ago? Absolutely not. I was trying to save every guy in the game.

"Ultimately it comes down to the team. You want to be as fair as you can be, but no individual comes above the team."

Asked his batting average trying to "save" troubled players, Cameron said, "Very low."

Since becoming Miami's coach in January, Cameron has declined to say whether he wants Williams back.

"I will not allow our fans to be let down by people that are not on our roster — not again," Cameron said. "It's my responsibility not to let that happen.

"We have the greatest fans in the game, and we've got men on our team that we're going to focus on."

Favre attends minicamp,

shows support for Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Brett Favre slammed both hands on the podium, wanting to be clear: He never suggested he couldn't win with this current group of Packers.

The Green Bay quarterback was trying to defuse a week's worth of comments. And while he was frustrated the Packers did not trade for Randy Moss, Favre said during minicamp Friday this was no knock on his teammates.

"Not once did I say anything about the guys I play with," Favre said at a news conference. "And I know that has been brought up, and I want proof that I said something about the guys I play with. Never did I say that."

Favre's appearance came after a tumultuous week in which he publicly complained about the Packers' front office, deflected reports that his agent had asked the team for a trade and considered skipping this weekend's mandatory minicamp to help plan parties for his daughter's high-school graduation next week.

Notes

• Veteran receiver Keyshawn
Johnson visited with the Tennessee Titans but said he has no timetable for when he hopes to have a deal.

Johnson, who turns 35 in July, was released by Carolina earlier this month after the Panthers drafted USC wideout Dwayne
Jarrett.

"At the end of the day ... we'll just see where it goes from here and do business," Johnson told WTVF-TV. "I don't have any timetable, to be honest with you. There's no rush on my part. I came to meet the organization, meet the people, see the community and stuff like that."

• Chicago defensive tackle Terry "Tank" Johnson, a former Washington Husky, said he is ready to accept whatever punishment NFL commissioner Roger
Goodell gives him for his recent off-field problems that included a two-month stint in jail.

• Linebacker A.J. Nicholson was arrested on a domestic violence charge, the first arrest of a Cincinnati Bengals player since commissioner Goodell cracked down on misconduct last month. Nicholson already was one of nine Bengals players arrested during a nine-month span, turning the team into a prime example of player misconduct.

• Disgruntled Pro Bowl linebacker Lance
Briggs was a no-show as expected when the Bears opened a three-day minicamp.

• Daunte
Culpepper practiced on a limited basis with Miami, the latest step in his recovery from two knee operations.