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Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 3:08pm

With the Redskins going through the paces of the first full-squad workout in their spacious new practice bubble, QB Robert Griffin III sailed a few throws, double-clutched a time or two before pulling the ball down and running and occasionally looked a bit off-balance when throwing from the pocket.

But there were plenty of positives, too, with Griffin flashing his strong and accurate right arm on numerous occasions in the 1:45 workout, showing a good command of Washington's offense and generally looking comfortable in the spotlight. If anything he might have been a bit too amped early on in the practice, eager to show the entire Redskins roster what all the fuss is about.

Watching Griffin in this baby-steps part of his indoctrination to NFL, I couldn't help but be struck by how many times the Redskins' play calls had him rolling out of the pocket to throw on the run. Or occasionally boot-leg it around one end. Griffin rolled right and he rolled left. I'll bet he even rolled out of bed Monday morning. If it was a preview of what was to come this season, Washington fans can expect him to throw from the pocket a clear-cut minority of the time in 2012.

And I can see why Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan would make that call. When Griffin throws on the run, he's deadly accurate, even when he's rolling left and throwing against his body. From the pocket, he looks a little less certain of himself, and at times didn't get comfortable or fully mechanically set before releasing the ball. The footwork just isn't as smooth in that part of his game.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 3:01pm

Browns GM Tom Heckert is expecting Brandon Weeden to be the team's starting QB.

“The best guy’s gonna play, but we fully expect Brandon to be that guy,” Heckert told reporters Monday night before he spoke to a crowd of more than 450 people at the 33rd annual Akron Browns Backers banquet at Tangier restaurant. “Now if he’s not, and Colt plays better or Seneca, whoever — but right now that’s our goal is to have [Weeden] be the guy.”

Heckert said his thoughts about Weeden were confirmed two weeks ago during rookie minicamp.

“I don’t think anything stood out any different than what we thought,” Heckert said. “He’s got a strong arm. He’s accurate. He’s a very good leader and he’s smart. Picking up the offense was nothing for him.”

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 2:43pm

Lions RB Mikel Leshoure will most likely be suspended for his two offseason marijuana arrests. According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, Goodell could suspend him for as many as four games. Past precedent, though, indicates Leshoure will likely get two games.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 2:41pm

Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis said Monday that he has learned from the four-game suspension he served at the end of last season for failing multiple drug tests, and that his priorities are now in order.

“It already happened now, and you can’t cry over spilled milk. The worst part of my day was losing those four games, and having to sit and not help my teammates,” Davis said. “So, the worst is over, something I can learn from, and something that’s not going to come up again.”

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 2:31pm

Twentyman: "The reports from yesterday that Titus Young is on suspension from the Lions is inaccurate, according to multiple league sources."

Meanwhile, NFL.com reported that Calvin Johnson threw out the first pitch at the Detroit Tigers game on Friday. He had invited all the receivers to watch the game in a suite with him. That invitation to Young was rescinded, although it's unclear if Johnson or the Lions made that decision.

"We can't talk about that," Johnson said.

Andre Johnson undergoes arthroscopic surgery on knee
Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 6:38am

Texans star receiver Andre Johnson said Monday that he will be out for three to four weeks after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

The 30-year-old Johnson sat out Houston's first organized team practice, two weeks after the procedure.
"Right now, everything is just focusing on making sure everything is right before I get back out here," Johnson said. "Nothing to panic about."

Johnson said fluid continued to develop around the knee, and he and the team decided to treat it with surgery.

"We thought it had kind of calmed down," Johnson said. "I was back out doing offseason workouts, just running around and stuff, and it just kind of swelled back up. We felt like that was the best thing to do, get the knee scoped, get it fixed."

Johnson said the knee injury won't delay his preparations for training camp later this summer.

Bucs trade Kellen Winslow to Seahawks, sign Dallas Clark
Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 6:33am

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded tight end Kellen Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick on Monday night and signed former Colts star Dallas Clark to replace him.

Earlier in the day, Winslow told SiriusXM radio that first-year coach Greg Schiano was "kind of upset" that Winslow has not been working out with the team during the offseason.

"That's kind of shocking, but that's what it is," Winslow said, adding that Schiano told him the coach "would help me out with a trade."

Tampa Bay received a conditional 2013 draft pick in the deal, which a source told ESPN.com's Mike Sando is a seventh-rounder that can elevate to sixth-round choice.

Winslow will join a tight end unit that already includes Zach Miller, who Seattle gave a big contract last offseason, and promising young prospect Cameron Morrah, who has struggled with injuries early in his career. The Seahawks lost tight end John Carlson in the offseason after he signed with Minnesota.

Tampa Bay gets a player who was one of Peyton Manning's favorite targets.

Clark, who turns 33 next month, spent nine seasons with Indianapolis and had 427 career receptions for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns. Last season, without Manning and limited by injuries to 11 games, Clark had 34 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns. He worked out for the Bucs last week.

"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."

Monday, May 21, 2012, 4:22pm

Lions WR Titus Young missed OTAs today due to a fight with Louis Delmas last week.

Monday, May 21, 2012, 3:02pm

Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman on Twitter: "WR Ryan Broyles has his helmet on. We'll see how much he does but he's a participant early on."

Buccaneers looking to trade Kellen Winslow
Monday, May 21, 2012, 3:00pm

Buccaneers TE Kellen Winslow appeared on SiriusXM and said that he was told he was not wanted in Tampa, and that the team would help engineer a trade.

In related news, Adam Schefter reported that the "Bucs worked out former Colts TE Dallas Clark last week, are expected to try to make a move on him this week."

Monday, May 21, 2012, 1:56am

Titans WR Nate Washington said last month he would be healthy enough — following surgery for a chipped bone in his knee — to participate in the first organized team activities. Sure enough, Washington was on the field last week.

“I've been practicing every day this week,” Washington said Thursday. “… It was a minor surgery, but it was kind of new for me because I've never had a surgery before. It was a process but the training staff has done a good job of getting me ready to get back out on the field. We'll see if when (more intense practices) start they'll let me go full-tilt with that.”

Ron Rivera is "very confident" in Brandon LaFell
Monday, May 21, 2012, 1:48am

Panthers HC Ron Rivera was asked about WR Brandon LaFell: "I feel very confident about Brandon. The one thing I didn’t want to do last year, I wanted to keep the carrot in front of Brandon. I didn’t want him to feel like he’s arrived. I think the thing that Brandon has to always keep in front of him is the big picture, and that is his continual growth. I hope he never, ever feels like he’s arrived. If he keeps that approach and works hard like that. And truthfully, looks at the way Steve Smith does things, I think that’s going to help him. I really do. Because when Legedu (Naanee) did get hurt, and (LaFell) did step up and become the starter, I was very pleased with what happened. I thought it kind of signified that, hey, you know what, I think the young man’s arriving. But he hasn’t gotten there. That’s the one thing, I don’t want him to ever feel like he’s gotten there."

Sunday, May 20, 2012, 4:45pm

When asked about the health of Lions RBs Mikel Leshoure and Jahvid Best, beat writer Tim Twentyman said this: "I talked to Mikel about a month or so ago and he said he’s right on schedule with his recovery and expects to be 100 percent for Week 1. Don’t read too much into it if he’s not a full participant in OTAs or the mini-camp. Leshoure told me that he’s going to try and do as much as he can in OTAs, but the real goal is to be ready for training camp and the beginning of the regular season and he won’t push it. Best has been working out since December and has been a full participant in the Lions’ offseason training program. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said Best will be cleared for physical contact in June and should be ready to go for camp. The Lions are banking that Leshoure and Best are a terrific combo this year that helps spark their run game. I tend to think the pair will make a great duo. I think Leshoure is a special player."

Sunday, May 20, 2012, 4:39pm

After losing Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert in free agency the past two years, many were surprised the Chargers waited until the seventh round of last month’s NFL draft to select a running back. The team needs depth behind starter Ryan Mathews, and though rookie Edwin ‘Rock’ Baker is expected to contribute as a third-down back, the team still has a glaring need to fill on the depth chart.

According to a team insider, a veteran running back will be signed to fill that need at some point this offseason. There are still several quality backs on the market, and the team is waiting until players are willing to accept the veteran minimum contract before offering a deal. Players such as Jackie Battle and Cadillac Williams have been mentioned as possibilities, though the insider believes the team has other backs on the radar, too.

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 4:02pm

Jaguars OC Bob Bratkowski and HC Mike Mularkey don't think RB Maurice Jones-Drew absence from OTAs will set him back too much once training camp arrives.

"It’s not helping him by not being here, he’ll have a lot of learning to catch up on," Bratkowski said. "But yet, he’s a gifted and talented player and I’m sure he can get caught up. It’s certainly not helping him. Whether it’s hurting him or not, that remains to be seen."

Before I asked about Jones-Drew specifically, Bratkowski noted that the lockout showed coaches some players could be fine without OTAs. While it hurt the rookies, veterans were able to adjust.

Jones-Drew wasn't learning a new offense last season, but he did come into training camp after the lockout in the best shape he's been in as a Jaguar. Then he followed an offseason without offseason progRams with an NFL rushing title.

Mularkey said Jones-Drew does have a limited playbook, which the rest of his teammates have, too. At this point, nobody has a full playbook as the coaches are still working on that. Players will get it before training camp.

"Since I haven’t been around him to see how he responds to the terminology and the coaching I don’t know," Mularkey said, when asked if Jones-Drew will be behind. "I’m assuming he’ll be alright. If he knows the basics he’ll at least not come in here stone cold."