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With a solid training camp, two preseason touchdown catches and just the right amount of feistiness, seventh-round draft pick Marko Mitchell is on the verge of playing his way onto the Redskins roster. If he knew how to tackle, he'd be a shoo-in. Mitchell says he hasn't had to tackle anyone since his junior year of high school in Alabama, when a shortage of players forced him to play both ways. He's having to master the skill in a hurry - because a rookie seeking to make an NFL roster as a No. 5 receiver needs to be able to play special teams. Mitchell got in on one tackle on a kickoff Friday night against the New England Patriots, but he looked out of sorts covering a punt later in the game. Special teams coach Danny Smith joked that the attempt was so poor that Mitchell 'almost didn't get on the bus headed home.'

In the Canadian Football League, there's no place for a kick returner to hide. No fair catches, no kickoffs downed in the end zone. It's run with the football when it's kicked, or else. Stefan Logan is bringing that return-it-or else approach to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won the Super Bowl last season despite having one of the NFL's worst kick return units. Logan appears to have significantly upgraded the Steelers in one of their weakest areas - returning punts. He averaged 15.

Newly signed Seattle RB Edgerrin James watched on the sideline Saturday night while the Seahawks played Kansas City in the third preseason game. James, the NFL's active rushing leader, signed with Seattle on Tuesday and went through pregame warmups with the team. By the time the game rolled around, though, he was in sweats, pen and notepad in hand.

In the NFL circa 1994, the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans didn't exist, the Seattle Seahawks played in the AFC, and Los Angeles had two teams: the Raiders and the Rams .

Cornerback DeAngelo Hall has been voted to two Pro Bowls. He has a new six-year, $54 million contract with the Washington Redskins that includes $22.5 million in guaranteed money. But during his successful first five NFL seasons, Hall never had to cover Randy Moss.

Pat Bowlen seems to be signing more autographs than he has in past summers.

The NFL is all about the QBs, but the Couch Slouch's sights are on a select few. From the return of ex-MVPs to new saviors and more, here are the ones Norman Chad will be watching.

By FRED GOODALL Tampa Bay's extended quarterback derby is over. Byron Leftwich will start the regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris selected the seventh-year pro over Luke McCown on Saturday, saying Leftwich held an edge going into training camp and retained it with steady - if unspectacular - play through three preseason games.'I'm very excited. When I get home I'll probably scream and let all my emotions out,' said Leftwich, who's with his third NFL club since being unceremoniously dumped as Jacksonville's starter two summers ago.'To work my tail off to get back to this point again - to be a starter week one - is what I wanted, and I'm going to take full advantage of it.'Morris had hoped to decide between Leftwich and McCown, a career backup, before the third preseason game.The first-year coach extended the competition after McCown closed the gap with a stronger performance in the second game. Although neither quarterback sparkled in Thursda

YOU'RE the kid quarterback of the New York Jets. Your head coach, Rex Ryan, just handed you the keys to his new team, to Woody Johnson's franchise, even after a rather unceremonious welcome-to-the-NFL moment Monday night in Baltimore. Now all of...

Strikeforce is doing great, there's no question.  But every time that I look at the kind of events the UFC is putting together, I end up realizing just how far...