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Around the AFC

BILLS: Ex-Buc defensive end Chidi Ahanotu agreed to a one-year deal. "He is super excited," said his agent, Scott Langley. "The Bills are a storied franchise and he wants to help them." The signing comes three days after the Bills added veteran defensive tackle Shawn Price. Ahanotu is fifth on the Bucs' career sack list with 31 between 1993-2000.

BROWNS: Linebacker Darren Hambrick practiced with the first-team defense, after signing as a free agent last week in the wake of Jamir Miller's season-ending Achilles' injury. "One thing is when the ball is snapped and the lights go on, the instincts take over," coach Butch Davis said. "He found the ball a lot of times even if he didn't know what he was supposed to do."

COLTS: With starter Edgerrin James still on the mend from reconstructive knee surgery, top RB backup Dominic Rhodes and rookie Brian Allen out for the year with knee injuries and reserve Shyrone Stith nursing a sore knee, the team signed Kevin McDougal and Michael Wallace. To make room on the roster, Indianapolis waived veteran running back Ben Gay and rookie placekicker David Collett. The team also placed second-year wide receiver Troy Albea on injured reserve. James is expected to be ready to play at the start of the regular season.

DOLPHINS: Willie Jones is gone, but he won't soon be forgotten by Miami. The tackle was with the team in its 2000 training camp and waived before the start of the season. Jones subsequently filed an injury grievance with the NFL Players' Association, claiming his ankle was hurt at the time of his release, an opinion supported by the Colts when Jones had a physical shortly after leaving the Dolphins. By filing the grievance, half of Jones' $275,000 base salary for 2000 counted against the Dolphins' salary cap. And because the grievance wasn't settled until March, Jones again counted $137,500 against the 2001 cap. All for a player who never took a snap for the team in a regular-season game. "That's something you have to deal with, but it's not a very pleasant topic," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "We keep X amount of dollars every year for this. You have to, because you know every year players are going to get hurt."

JAGUARS: Coach Tom Coughlin closed his eighth training camp with a startling admission: The 2002 team has less raw talent than the expansion version in Jacksonville that went 4-12. "We had Tony Boselli in that group, and he's pretty gifted," Coughlin said, when asked if he has more talent this year than in 1995. "So, is it more raw talent? No. But it's a good group of talented people."

JETS: When center Kevin Mawae got into a fight in his first practice last week, he was less than perturbed to be sent from the field by coach Herman Edwards. "Herm threw us out of practice, which to me is pretty sweet," Mawae said with a sly smile. "Punish me by standing and watching practice?" Mawae, coming back from rotator cuff surgery in May, and third-year defensive end Shaun Ellis got into a tussle on a running play. Ellis shoved Mawae from behind, even though the play had passed them by. Mawae responded by throwing punches. "He gave me a little extra push at the end of the play that was not necessary," Mawae said. "I retaliated. I don't let anyone push me around, even a teammate. It's over. What happens on the field stays on the field."

PATRIOTS: Troy Brown returned from a knee injury and had two catches for 32 yards against Philadelphia, but he is not happy about the offense's production. "I don't think anybody's pleased right now," the receiver said. "We haven't played great in the two games that we've had so far. Fortunately for us, we've got two more games to get it right."

RAIDERS: Free-agent defensive lineman Sam Adams, a Pro Bowl player the past two seasons, signed a multiyear deal and was on the practice field Monday. Adams is expected to help replace Grady Jackson, a run-stopping defensive tackle who moved to the Saints in the offseason.

RAVENS: After spending the first three weeks of camp nursing a sore ankle, Peter Boulware was dressed in full gear at outside linebacker. "Catching up after missing training camp is always tough," he said. "It puts you behind, so you've got to work harder."

TEXANS: Veteran quarterback Tony Banks signed, although coach Dom Capers said it had nothing to do with the progress of No. 1 draft choice David Carr. "We don't have a lot of experience at quarterback," Capers said. "I don't want anyone to read into this that we're disappointed with David. He's made excellent progress." Banks was 198-for-378 with Washington in 2001. He signed with the Redskins last season after being cut by Dallas. "It will be nice to have another guy, it can only help the team," Carr said. "Competition makes the whole team better." Banks threw 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season, and his 53.5 completion percentage was the lowest in the NFL among starters. "I'm not looking at this as an opportunity to start," Banks said. "I'm looking at it as an opportunity to get better and help the team. If I can help David get better, so be it."

TITANS: Coach Jeff Fisher approached defensive end Jevon Kearse in the offseason with the idea of being among a handful of starters to help out on special teams. Kearse will miss the rest of preseason with an injured left triceps muscle, but he's open to the idea of trying to block a punt every now and then. "Even if I don't get there, just the thought, just in case I might get mad and try to run through the punter, he's still thinking No. 90's over there and he's coming," he said.

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