minicamp reports for my friends

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Minicamps open around the league

Staff and wire reports

Owens takes flight with Eagles

PHILADELPHIA  Terrell Owens already has bucked one of Andy Reid's rules.

While the rest of the team wore shorts at the Eagles' first minicamp, Owens had black, spandex tights.

For the first time since being drafted by San Francisco in 1996, Owens practiced with a different team. It didn't take him long to learn that meant a new set of rules  he wore the tights for the entire workout but said several coaches told him to wear shorts.

"It's a thing that they say Coach Reid has around here," said Owens, who wore shorts over his tights during the afternoon practice. "That's something I've got to get used to. I'm not used to wearing tights and putting shorts on top of them."

"Things are different around here."

Owens, who had continuous run-ins with coaches and teammates in San Francisco, joined the Eagles in March, signing a seven-year contract.

That came after a bizarre turn of events in which his agent failed to file on time for free agency; he was traded to Baltimore and the league and union finally brokered a settlement that landed him in Philadelphia, which is where he wanted to go.

"It's very different. It was definitely refreshing. I have a new start," Owens said. "As a team, we have all the people to make some things happen. This is just the beginning right here."

Fortunately for Owens, he spent his first eight NFL seasons running the West Coast offense in San Francisco.

While the coaches have changed, the playbooks for the most part have remained the same.

"They're very similar. I looked over everything last night, and there was a little wrinkle here and there," Owens said. "It's just verbiage. Other than that, I'm comfortable."

Owens must also become comfortable working with a new quarterback in Donovan McNabb. Owens said he expects to visit McNabb at his home in Arizona.

"He has to get a feel for the way I run routes. I have to get a feel for the way he throws, and I got a taste of that when a ball kind of got in on me a little faster than I'm used to," Owens said. "There are some adjustments that I have to make  nothing on Donovan's part. I have to get my timing down with him."

The Eagles haven't had a receiver, wide or otherwise, reach 80 catches since 1997, when Irving Fryar caught 86 for 1,316 yards. That came under head coach Ray Rhodes. Reid has always run an offense that spreads the ball around to everyone, making it difficult for any one receiver to rack up numbers.

"The offense is pretty wide open," Owens said. "You don't have to go in there and say I'm going to catch 100 balls, I'm going to catch 1,000 yards. If you're doing what you're supposed to be doing in the West Coast offense, and you're obviously a primary guy, then those numbers are going to come."

A receiver hasn't been able to compile those numbers with Reid as the head coach.

"Not yet," Owens said.

Boldin ready to team up with Fitzgerald

TEMPE, Ariz.  Star wide receiver Anquan Boldin and quarterback Josh McCown were among the first to offer guidance to Larry Fitzgerald in his initial workout with the Arizona Cardinals on Friday.

That's understandable, because Fitzgerald's presence in the lineup should greatly benefit both of them.

The No. 3 overall pick in last weekend's NFL draft, Fitzgerald was among 11 Arizona rookies taking part in Friday's first day of mini-camp.

"We've got a system that we really believe in," new coach Dennis Green said. "It's up to them to learn that system, just work, just learn and pay attention."

Fitzgerald said Green's west coast offense is similar to the one his college coach Walt Harris used at Pittsburgh.

"The verbiage is a little different, getting used to the hash marks and boundaries, that kind of stuff is different. But the plays are pretty much the same,'" Fitzgerald said. "Football is football. Catch it and run with it."

Boldin, last season's NFL rookie of the year, is happy to have Fitzgerald around to divert some of the defense's attention.

"He adds some firepower to our offense," Boldin said. "You can't just double one guy, which will help me out a lot. I'm pretty excited about that."

Bledsoe and Losman off on right foot

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.  Quarterback J.P. Losman was a walking bundle of nerves thinking about his first practice in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.

The team's first-round draft pick from Tulane was just a wee bit worried about what it was going to be like meeting 12th-year veteran Drew Bledsoe, the starter he has been tabbed to replace eventually.

Talk about awkward.

Then the telephone rang at Losman's Venice, Calif., home. It was Bledsoe on the line.

That was Tuesday, shortly after Bledsoe renegotiated his contract for three seasons, saving the team a cool $3.9 million in salary cap space, but, more importantly, assuring that he'll be around for a while to help the Bills win on the field and to help groom Losman off of it.

"He called me as soon as it happened and said, 'We're going to have so much fun here. We're going to take care of business, but J.P., I'll tell you what, ask me any questions, anything,' " said Losman, recalling a conversation that left him stunned.

"It was very comforting," Losman said. "I was coming in here with blinders but when he called and let me know things are going to be fine, it really made me feel good."

Friday's opening of a three-day orientation camp for rookies  that also drew 100% volunteer attendance by the team's veterans  was the start of a beautiful friendship, promised Bledsoe and Losman.

"He's obviously a talented young guy," said Bledsoe of Losman. "The only thing I can tell you is that I'll do everything I can to teach the guy and to help him along. There certainly won't be any information withheld by me. I'll help him any way I can to try and help him develop so that when it is his time to play, he can come in and play well."

Losman got off on the right foot Friday with Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, the only other quarterback taken by Buffalo in the first round, looking on with curiosity. Though Losman got tongue-tied spitting out some play calls (he only got the playbook a couple of days ago), he wooed his teammates with his lightning quick release, tight spiral, and mobility.

Twice he hit fellow first-round pick, Wisconsin wide receiver Lee Evans, on deep passes, giving everybody a glimpse into the Bills' future.

"He throws a good ball," said Bledsoe, asked to give his scouting report. "It'll be interesting to watch him develop. Hopefully, in a few years down the road when I ride off into the sunset, I can look back and watch the progress he's made with us working together."

Harrington enjoying new weapons

ALLEN PARK, Mich.  Joey Harrington couldn't hide his grin after the opening of this weekend's minicamp.

"I'm thrilled," said the Detroit Lions quarterback said after Friday morning's practice  his first exposure to first-round draft picks Roy Williams and Kevin Jones. "We addressed two important needs  we needed to run the football and we needed another deep threat."

Harrington got a firsthand glimpse of Williams' speed early in the session.

"I thought I had overthrown a ball, and he just went and got it," he said. "That's when I did a double-take. These guys are young, but when we all get on the same page, this is going to be exciting."

Williams and a healthy Charles Rogers would give the Lions one of the fastest receiving duos in the NFL, while Jones adds speed at running back.

"Just with the naked eye, you can see that we are faster," Lions coach Steve Mariucci said. "We're trying to build for the turf at Ford Field, and you can already see a change."

For Williams and Jones, the speed they were noticing was a little different.

"The tempo is just completely different," Williams said. "At Texas, we walked to the line of scrimmage. Here, we are always running, and the action is so much faster. My head is still spinning."

Jones had the same impression.

"How did it feel? It felt fast," he said. "It's a little overwhelming right now, but I'm getting a lot of work in practice, and I'm going to get all of this down as soon as possible."

Jones a 10.2 100-meter dash at Virginia Tech, is in the strange position of only being the third-fastest player on the offense. Williams ran a 10.08 at Texas, while Rogers won state sprint titles from 100 meters to 400 meters.

"It's going to be unusual for me," Jones said. "I'm used to being the fastest guy on the field, but we'll have fun together."

Rogers didn't want to guess who would win a race between him and his new receiving partner.

"It doesn't matter if Roy's faster or I am," he said. "It just matters that we use that speed to win games."

Rogers, who missed most of his rookie year with a broken collarbone, is happy to be back on the field. He was held out of several drills for precautionary reasons, but thinks he's on course for a healthy season.

"Coach didn't want to take any chances, because we don't have any games until September," he said. "But I'm feeling good, and I'm excited.

"With all the speed we've got now, it's going to be a heck of a show."

Winslow meet Browns mates

BEREA, Ohio  Lacing up new orange-and-white cleats before his first NFL practice, Kellen Winslow Jr.'s biceps bulged out of the openings in his formfitting shirt.

Even before taking the field, Cleveland's rookie tight end made quite an impression.

"As advertised, huh?" said wide receiver Andre King, who remembered Winslow as a skinny freshman recruit at the University of Miami. "It's amazing how much he's grown in four years."

Winslow didn't look or act intimidated as he prepared for minicamp with the Browns.

"I've been dreaming about this day my whole life," said the son of Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow. "I've been around my pop, so I'm ready for this. But I'm new. I'm a rookie."

Not an average one.

At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Winslow Jr. is much bigger in person than he appears on TV.

The 20-year-old also displayed a veteran's touch while fielding a variety of questions before Friday's afternoon workout that had to be brought inside because of rain.

Winslow wasn't intimidated by his new surroundings. He oozed confidence in predicting he'll have an immediate impact in his first year.

Although he wore No. 81 for the Hurricanes, Winslow sported a white No. 11 jersey for Friday's workout. He hopes to wear No. 80 as his father did for the San Diego Chargers.

However, that number currently belongs to fourth-year tight end Aaron Shea.

"Hopefully, I'll get 80," said Winslow, who hasn't begun negotiating with Shea. "Not yet. It's minicamp. There's no reason to yet."

Dolphins QB job up for grabs

DAVIE, Fla.  Former third-stringer A.J. Feeley began his campaign to earn the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback job on Friday, the opening day of the team's first mini-camp.

Jay Fiedler, who has previously beaten out Brian Griese, Ray Lucas and Damon Huard, said he is not bothered by this latest challenge to the starting role.

"It's all business out here," Fiedler said. "There's no such thing as fair or unfair. ... There's going to be competition every year, doesn't matter who it comes from."

The two quarterbacks appeared to be moving in opposite directions during the offseason. The Dolphins traded a second-round draft pick to acquire Feeley from the Philadelphia Eagles, while allowing Fiedler to explore a trade before making him give up a $2 million bonus to remain with the team.

The Dolphins have failed to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1968-69. Although Fiedler, 32, was the starter during both seasons, coach Dave Wannstedt has said there will be an open competition for the job.

Feeley, 26, has made just 13 starts since high school- eight at Oregon and five with the Eagles. He didn't take a snap last year, but he became a hero in Philadelphia when he won four of five starts in 2002 after Donovan McNabb and Koy Detmer were injured.

After his first practice against the defense Friday, Feeley downplayed the intensity of what is bound to be fierce competition with Fiedler.

"For me it's like I'm playing golf out here," Feeley said. "It's me against the game. The game of quarterback isn't against someone else, it's against yourself."

Fiedler made similar explanations about his approach, and said he was more interested in improving himself and the offense as a whole, rather than focusing on the starting spot.

"It's always a challenge to step your game up," he said. "It doesn't matter who they brought in (or) what they did. I challenge myself and I expect a challenge from the coaching staff and from everybody around here."

Neither quarterback particularly stood out in first-day drills, but Wannstedt emphasized that their evaluations were already underway  along with all the other players.

"Today was our first opportunity to see and start evaluating our team for next year," Wannstedt said. "Everything starts today."

Jags' Garrard dealing with Crohn's disease

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  Doctors have diagnosed Jaguars quarterback David Garrard with Crohn's disease, an intestinal ailment that sent him to the hospital last week and left him sidelined Friday for the start of the team's minicamp.

Crohn's disease causes blockage in the intestines. The cause of the illness is unknown and there is no known cure. Crohn's disease causes chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. It afflicts more than 500,000 people in the United States.

Garrard, a third-year veteran who played college ball at East Carolina University, said he started feeling sick in January. After a battery of tests, he was diagnosed with Crohn's on March 23.

He has since lost about 10 pounds. Last week, medicine he had been taking to combat the illness lost effectiveness and he had be hospitalized. He opted against surgery to alleviate the blockage and instead went on a relatively new medicine, Remicade, that removes a type of protein from the bloodstream that can cause the inflammation.

Garrard said he was feeling fine Friday, but is sitting out because he's not in playing shape.

"It feels like I'm walking in mud right now," Garrard said. "I'm healthy, not having any problems, eating right. I'm just trying to get my legs back."

While not considered life-threatening, Crohn's can stay in a person's system for years, and patients can relapse at any time. Doctors have assured Garrard that playing football won't put him at any risk because of the disease.

"It's going to do whatever it's going to do on its own," Garrard said. "Football isn't going to bring it back or keep it away."