ALAMEDA, Calif. - Charles Woodson's career has come full circle, as the defensive back signed with the Oakland Raiders following a visit with the team Tuesday.

• It's a one-year deal worth a maximum of $4.3 million, according to multiple reports.

  The fourth overall pick by the Raiders in 1998 out of the University of Michigan, Woodson was a four-time Pro Bowl player for Oakland before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2006 and going on to four more Pro Bowl selections and earning a Super Bowl ring over the past seven seasons.

  Woodson was released by the Packers over the offseason and stated his desire to hook on with a serious playoff contender. However, there was tepid interest in the 36 year old on the free-agent market and visits with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos didn't result in contract offers. Woodson is admittedly in the final chapter of his storied career, and has suffered two broken collarbones in the past three years.

  The Raiders, meanwhile, had a need in their secondary and an initial offer on the table before bringing Woodson in for a visit Tuesday.

  "When this process first started out, that was my thing. I wanted to be on a contender," Woodson told the NFL Network earlier this week. "I know I'm getting toward the end of my career. But at this point, I want to play football. If it's a rebuilding stage at this point, and that's the circumstances that I have to play under, then that's what I'm going to do."

  Over the weekend at a benefit for the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan, Woodson discussed the possibility of returning to Oakland with reporters.

  "It would be a really big thing to go back to Oakland, being that I played there most of my career," Woodson said. "I played there eight years and Green Bay seven. So I spent most of my career in Oakland, and I still have a lot of friends there. I still know people in the organization. It would be a homecoming of sorts if it were to happen, so we'll see."

  Woodson also has a relationship with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, who was a personnel executive in Green Bay when Woodson went there as a free agent in 2006.

  Michael Huff, who would have returned to free safety as the starter in Oakland, was instead released by the Raiders when he declined to take a pay cut. The Raiders signed free agent Usama Young in the offseason, and he is currently running with the first team alongside strong safety Tyvon Branch.

  "I don't fit into one particular scheme," Woodson said. "I can play the game of football and it really doesn't matter whether it's man defense, zone, 4-3, 3-4. I can play this game, so that really doesn't matter."

  Woodson has played in 206 career games with 203 starts, and ranks second among active players with 55 interceptions - 11 of which he has returned for touchdowns, second-most in NFL history. He also has 17 sacks and 24 forced fumbles.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suggested Tuesday that the NFL Draft might move out of the New York in the future.

• On Monday, the league announced that the draft would move from April to May in 2014 because Radio City Music Hall is booked for a Rockettes show. The tentative 2014 dates are May 8-10 or May 15-17.

  Goodell said the date switch is a temporary alternative and that a new venue might be needed in order for the NFL to continue to grow the popular event.

  The league is hesitant about returning to New York locations where the draft previously was held, such as the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The draft has been held in New York since 1965.

  "Frankly, to date, the experience we've had, particularly with the event growing with its popularity, the sites we've been at in the past, I'm not sure we would look at (MSG) again," Goodell said. "So we haven't found a location in New York that we think meets our requirements.

  "But I think one of the things we'll have to do at some point is start looking at other cities."

  Goodell said the NFL would begin looking at other cities and venues for 2015 and beyond. Host cities prior to 1965 included Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

  In other news, Goodell said he wanted the league to explore a more dignified approach for teams to cut players.

  "How do we make the process more dignified? It is in some cases the last experience a player has with a team or any team in the NFL," Goodell said. "So we have to do a better job of doing that in a humane way and a way that will make sure they understand the respect we have for them and the pride we have in what they accomplished.

  "Make sure they understand what they'll be experiencing as they separate from an NFL team and make sure they have the services that are available to them, which we provide and we think can be incredibly valuable to them."

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo talked to the media on Tuesday for the first time since the 2012 season ended with a loss in the final winner-take-all game for the division title against the Washington Redskins.

• It was also the first time he spoke to the media since inking a $108 million contract extension, since owner Jerry Jones said he was going to now have Peyton Manning-type influence and input in the offense and since he had minor surgery to remove a cyst from his back that will keep him sidelined possibly until training camp.

  He will miss OTAs but is hopeful to return for the final minicamp in June, though that is not certain.

  Romo insists the surgery was no big deal and that he will still get plenty of mental reps. He also said he will ask his receivers to spend time with him after minicamp so they can all get on the same page before training camp.

  Romo downplayed any talk that his role has changed because of the new contract, even though Jones was the one who insisted it had. Romo echoed coach Jason Garrett in saying that things should increase with age and time in a system.

  "Well, I think just through experience, the older you get as a football player and a quarterback, I think you gain a little bit of an understanding about the game and how you can almost develop through experience over time," Romo said. "For me, I believe in some things that I think can help us win football games. You have great communication with the coaches. We all talk about things and we go from there. Everyone is just trying to help the football team win."

  Romo however did acknowledge he will be doing more work in the office with the coaches on Mondays and Tuesdays than in the past, a la Manning.

  "I think it's just, for (Jones), that was more along the lines of probably talking about the fact that (Manning) works directly with the coaches," Romo said.

  "Me just having the communication with the coaches, it's valuable for us, and I've always had that. That's been an important aspect of any relationship with offensive coordinator and quarterback. I've got a great relationship with Jason (Garrett). He's got a great mind for football.

  "The older you get, you develop that a little bit as a quarterback. If you do some good things in the past, then that allows you to show that you can have a little more of that. That's part of the growth that takes shape. I know the difference in the quotes sometimes get misconstrued in the sense that Jerry just knows that I'll be in there doing some of the things that I don't think you would do normally."

  What Romo stressed is that he wants to do whatever it takes to change his legacy of late as a mediocre quarterback who can't win big games. The Cowboys have a 21-27 record since 2009. That was the last year they made the playoffs and when Romo won the only playoff game of his career -- the first for the team since 1996.

  The Cowboys went 5-11 in 2010, when Romo missed much of the season with an injury. They have gone 8-8 in each of the last two seasons when Romo was fully healthy.

  "We were 8-8 the last couple of years; that doesn't sit well with me," Romo said. "I don't think I'm an 8-8 quarterback. I don't think this organization is comfortable being 8-8. We're going to do everything we can as coaches, players and in this building to change that. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen again. That just sits there and eats at you. We make choices to do everything that we can to change that.

  "That's the approach you take in an offseason. Really every offseason, but it's there, staring us in the face right now. We're going to exhaust everything to make sure this football team gets better to take the next step."

  Romo said becoming a winner in Dallas is why he never thought of playing anywhere else during his contract negotiations.

  "For me, I wanted to end my career here with the Dallas Cowboys and achieve what we started," Romo said. "Now it's obviously been some good times and some times that we've had some rough spots. In a lot of ways I know that this team is continuing to get better, and using those experiences to be better, and it's going to be good."

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't used to this. They've gathered in the spring more times to celebrate Super Bowl victories in the White House than they have talking about a chip on their shoulders for a losing season.

• At 8-8, they technically didn't have a losing season in 2012; it just felt like that. The last time they dipped that low in the records occurred during Bill Cowher's last season as their coach, in 2006.

  Pittsburgh finished third in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens, who won the Super Bowl, and the Cincinnati Bengals, who won 13-10 in the 15th game to beat the Steelers out of a wildcard spot.

  "There's a little more of an edge," Troy Polamalu said Tuesday, after he and his teammates went through their first OTA practice.

  Or, as veteran linebacker Larry Foote put it, "We're pissed off we didn't make the playoffs. On top of that, our rival won the Super Bowl. I know guys are taking it personally. It's just a whole different mindset to the offseason. I know guys are ready to get back where we need to be."

  Virtually everyone eligible showed up for the team's first OTA, including Polamalu, who has made a habit of blowing off these voluntary practice sessions. However, he played only seven games last season because of a calf injury, and is working to avoid the same kind of problem in 2013.

  Injuries were a big part of the 8-8 record, as they ate into the playing time and performances of some of their top players, including Polamalu, LaMarr Woodley, Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, Ike Taylor, Rashard Mendenhall and virtually every starter in the offensive line. Steelers starters lost 77 games to injuries last season.

  "We have to look at those things and make sure we are doing the best we can," Steelers president Art Rooney II said earlier this year about all those injuries. The other thing we have to do is to make sure our players are aware that under the rules we are all operating under now, it's more on them to make sure they are performing and doing their offseason conditioning.

  "We only have access to them for nine weeks, which isn't that many weeks in the overall scheme of things. It's incumbent on the individual players to be more aware of that. I think they are. Most of our players now go to one of those off-site training programs and participate in those things, at least for some part of the offseason. There is a lot that goes into it. We will look at everything we have under our control. Some of the individual players have to take it upon themselves."

  Polamalu, for one, took that to heart. He said his right calf that caused him to miss nine games last season has bothered him for the past four years. He blamed it on scar tissue, and took a different approach this offseason.

  "If you don't attack the problem of scar tissue, then you're just going to continue to have problems," he said. "So this year, I've really focused on that, found a great physical therapist, obviously continued to work with my trainer. So everything has evolved there and evolved nicely."

  NOTES, QUOTES

  ---The Steelers hired one of their former players, Chidi Iwuoma, as their BLESTO scout. Iwuoma played mostly on special teams from 2002-06. Mike Butler, hired two weeks ago as their BLESTO scout, will now work as one of their area college scouts.

  ---The Steelers started out with Marcus Gilbert at left tackle and Mike Adams at right tackle. That would seem to suit each of their strengths, but Mike Tomlin said during the draft that he'll let their play dictate who belongs on which side.

  ---Tight end Heath Miller and linebacker Sean Spence, both recovering from 2012 knee injuries, didn't participate in practice. Miller attended and walked without a limp or a brace. Spence isn't expected to play in 2013.

  QUOTE TO NOTE: "Football in shorts." -- Mike Tomlin's response when asked to evaluate the spring's first practice Tuesday.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- During his first four months on the job, Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians didn't shy away from superlatives.

• Carson Palmer is the best deep passer he has ever seen. The Cardinals' quarterback situation was as good as any other in the NFL. Running back Rashard Mendenhall is good enough to carry a team to the Super Bowl. The receiving corps was the best he ever inherited.

  And on and on.

  So it was interesting this week when Arians said the performance of his offense in recent OTAs was lacking.

  "Right now, our defense is way outplaying our offense, and our offense needs to pick it up," Arians said. "We're behind where I'd like to be right now."

  The Cardinals entered the second week of OTAs knowing their offense needed considerable work. But Tuesday was not a good day. Palmer and his receivers had trouble connecting on deep passes. Backup Drew Stanton has not looked good, and coaches have ranted about the number of mental mistakes.

  Overall, the struggles are not unexpected. The entire team is undergoing great changes and this is only the second week of practices with the full team.

  What irritated Arians, however, is that players didn't learn from the mistakes they made last week.

  "Learning," Arians replied when asked what the biggest problem was. "We're just not picking it up fast enough, still not picking it up the way I'd like to, at all positions. It's a little bit easier to put in a defense than an offense."

  The biggest problem seems to be at receiver. After all, these practices involve no contact, so it's impossible to judge offensive linemen, the run game or pass protection.

  But you can tell when a receiver runs the wrong route, or a poor one. You can tell when they don't use proper technique, like "squeezing" a defender to create more space for a catch, or when they drop passes. Or when the quarterback makes a poor read.

  While Arians placed fault at all positions, he later singled out receivers as being guilty of not learning quickly enough from mistakes.

  "I really don't like mental mistakes, especially if you made the same one last week. That should be corrected and in the books by now. Our receivers are not getting that done. "

  There is plenty of time to correct the mistakes. The Cardinals have two more practices this week, break for a week, then return for two weeks of OTAs in June.

  They might not be on the same page by then, but maybe they will at least be in the same library. That would be progress.

  And there is a positive way to look at the team's performance so far. The defense has looked good, Arians said.

  --TE Jeff King hasn't practiced in OTAs yet after undergoing knee surgery this off-season. The Cardinals are hopeful that he can participate in June's OTAs. ... DE Darnell Dockett didn't adapt well to the system installed by former defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Dockett's statistics plunged as he was asked to two-gap and free linebackers to make tackles. In Todd Bowles' system, Dockett will do more one-gapping, which better suits his skills, he said. "They want us to create penetration," end Calais Campbell said of he and Dockett. "They want us to shove them (offensive linemen) back 2 yards, 3 yards deep and be able to shed blocks quicker and made tackles in the backfield, which I think Dockett and myself would be very, very good at. You know, we're very athletic."

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals right tackle Andre Smith, who signed a three-year, $18 million contract on April 26, was not at the first OTA workout on Tuesday. Coach Marvin Lewis said it had nothing to do with conditioning.

• "He's got to deal with some stuff that he has to take care of and when he gets it taken care of he will be back up here," Lewis said.

  Smith was one of six offensive linemen not participating, with the others being Clint Boling, Travelle Wharton (knee), Andrew Whitworth (knee), Dennis Roland and Trevor Robinson (pectoral). With drafting three offensive linemen, the OTAs should give Tanner Hawkinson, Reid Fragel and T.J. Johnson plenty of early reps.

  Whitworth and his wife Melissa paid the funeral expenses of Jaleel Gipson, 16, of Farmerville, La., who died May 13 after suffering a fractured vertebrae during a Oklahoma Drill at a spring football practice. Gipson's organs were donated after he was taken off life support. Farmerville is located about a half hour north of Whitworth's hometown of West Monroe.

  Whitworth had hoped the donation would have remained anonymous, but via social media, the word got out. He said he received an e-mail from one of the parents on the team to come and talk to the players. Since offseason workouts are currently going on here, Whitworth was unable to do that. Instead, he decided to do more.

  "I still read the papers from down there and know what is going on down there. Any time you are engaged in the community and the area, something like that happens it is just devastating," Whitworth said. "I am just grateful for the opportunity to serve my community and help ease that family's burden."

  --While this year's first-round pick, Tyler Eifert, has been impressing everyone, questions remain about when last year's top pick, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, will be able to get back on the field.

  Kirkpatrick continues to rehab from a knee injury after playing in only five games last season.

  "I know I'll be back for training camp, but hopefully I can maybe slide into a little OTAs or slide in the three-day minicamp," he said. "It's all about what the doctor is saying right now so I'm just taking it day by day."

  Kirkpatrick was mostly on special teams last year and saw some limited action in the secondary.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As the Kansas City Chiefs began their second week of OTA practices Tuesday, one thing was clear: coach Andy Reid's defense was light years ahead of his offense when it came to making the transition to a new coaching staff and scheme.

• While the offense was having trouble getting lined up at times, with botched snaps and handoffs a regular occurrence in practice, defensive coordinator Bob Sutton has his guys flying around all over the place.

  What was once the Romeo Crennel bend-but-don't-break approach for the Chiefs defense has changed to attacking the offense on every snap, every play, and if that means sending seven players at the quarterback in the middle of May, then that's what Sutton and his unit are going to do.

  "It's good to see the energy that they have and that they bring to practice," Reid said of his defense.

  Of course, with physical play outlawed and bodily contact infrequent under OTA rules, it's really not an even playing field for the offense vs. the defense. When a defense is going aggressively after the passer, it needs to show the ability to cover receivers and it has to be able to do it in man-to-man press coverage, right on the line of scrimmage.

  That's been a real change for the Chiefs' cornerbacks -- holdover Brandon Flowers and new additions Dunta Robinson and Sean Smith. But they've taken the opportunity and, right now, the battles between defensive backs and receivers may be the most heated in these offseason practices.

  "Coverage-wise, I think they're doing a great job with that," Reid said.

  What has Sutton and his staff excited is the players' ability to take what is being covered in the meeting rooms out to the field and making it work.

  "There are a lot of moving parts in this defense and you have to make sure what you are doing," strong safety Eric Berry said. "The fun part is that we are grasping it. Right now we are getting it, they are teaching it very well. We are going through it on the board in the classroom, watching tape, we come out here and walk through it and then we come out and run it on the field (during practice). We are picking it up pretty good."

  The defense that Sutton is installing is very different than the 3-4 scheme the Chiefs played for the past two seasons under Crennel. It's not just different in approach, but different in terminology.

  "There are things we do that have different names than they did last year," defensive end Tyson Jackson said. "They are completely different, and sometimes you've got to stop for a second and make sure you know what you are supposed to do.

  "But I really sense that everybody is getting the idea and catching on. I know we are playing fast and aggressive."

  Fast and aggressive is what Reid is looking for from Sutton and the defense.

  "That is absolutely the kind of defense you want," said Reid. "You win games in this league on defense; I understand that defense. I know the confusion it can present to offenses. He has good players to do it with and he's getting his plan in place. I think Bob and his staff are doing a nice job and Dorse (GM John Dorsey) has added a few guys into the mix there that I think make good competition."

  The defense has also started to get a bit mouthy, as it enjoyed what was an overall dominance of the offense in early practices. The defensive backs, especially, seemed to be playing every snap like it was a real game and reacting to positive plays with enthusiasm.

  "They're challenging each other and talking a little bit," said Reid. "That's all healthy, and that's how you get better."

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton laughed when asked if accuracy on the deep ball had been brought up during the Bengals' offseason workouts. In short, he has heard about it almost every day.

• That is why on Tuesday's first day of OTA's, Dalton aired it out on a go route to A.J. Green with Terence Newman covering him.

  Said Dalton of that first pass: "Urb (receivers coach James Urban) came up to me and said you already know what the route is, so I knew it was going to be a go ball. Had to set the tone for how it's going to be."

  The pass to Marvin Jones later in the session, though, might have been the nicest of the day. Jones was able to get a couple steps on defensive backs Taylor Mays and Adam "Pacman" Jones as Dalton managed to lay it in there.

  Even with those throws, doubts about Dalton being able to consistently throw it deep won't subside any time soon. That is why it has been a focal point during the offseason workouts.

  Of balls in the air 20 yards or more last season, Dalton posted the fourth-lowest rating among 19 AFC quarterbacks at 52.9. He was 19 of 73 for 633 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. The 73 attempts were the fifth most in the conference.

  Quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese has been working with Dalton on refining the trajectory and accuracy.

  They have also been working on quickening up the time Dalton drops back in the pocket along with throwing the ball a little higher on different throws. Both Dalton and Zampese said they have already seen improvements.

  "It's good to come in and hit some of these. I thought we did a good job," Dalton said. "The receivers are out there running well and we've got a lot of guys making plays. That's what you expect."

  Another thing that will help Dalton this season is that he has more intermediate and deep targets. Green for the past two seasons has basically been the lone deep target, but Jones has potential to stretch offenses and first-round pick Tyler Eifert excels on the intermediate stuff. Mohamed Sanu has also shown some ability on deep routes.

  While most of the attention on the deep ball has been focused on Dalton, Green tried to deflect some of the criticism and noted that it was up to the entire offense to work together.

  Said Green: "I can run them better. Give him a better target to throw the ball. It's on my part, too. We're both going to get better each practice. That's the big focal point coming into OTAs."

Thanks to Microsoft, the NFL is about to become a new ballgame for fans, players and coaches.

• As part of the launch of the tech giant's next-generation Xbox One home entertainment system, Microsoft announced a multiyear partnership with the NFL that will provide new interactive television experiences for fans and also change how the league's personnel interact on the sidelines during games.

  "We love the passion that players, coaches and fans bring to the NFL game; it's what makes the NFL game-day experience so unique," said Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer. "We're excited to apply our passion for technology to the NFL experience, both on the sidelines through the innovative use of Microsoft Surface devices, and for fans through an enhanced NFL viewing experience on Xbox One."

  The NFL on Xbox One will provide fans at home a new way to watch the game through developments around Skype and Xbox SmartGlass, and fans will also be able to watch players and track their fantasy football team side by side on the same screen. In addition, fans will be able to create their own personalized destinations featuring the players, teams and games they most want to follow.

  The NFL's teams will also get their hands on some cool technology.

  Players will soon be able to utilize Surface tablets to access in-game photos from different angles. And coaches will finally be able to chuck their oversized play-calling sheets for sleek tablets that can bring them a wealth of information right on the field.

  "From the use of instant replay to the yellow first-down line, the NFL is committed to leveraging technology to improve our game for coaches, players and fans," said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "We're thrilled to be teaming with a true innovator like Microsoft to shape the future of the NFL game experience, both on-field and in the living room."

Super Bowl L will be held in Santa Clara, Calif., in February 2016 at Levi's Stadium, the future home of the San Francisco 49ers.

• The 49ers are entering their final season at Candlestick Park. Their new stadium is an estimated 50 percent complete.

  The 50th Super Bowl will be played in the same state in which Super Bowl I was played in 1967. That game, referred to by some as the "supergame" was played in Los Angeles.

  "We're humbled and honored by this opportunity," San Francisco chairman Daniel Lurie told NFL Network on Tuesday. "The Bay Area has been waiting for this game since 1985. We're just thrilled and couldn't be happier about this decision."

  Santa Clara was named host city for the golden anniversary game over Houston and Miami. Those cities were then in competition for Super Bowl LI, and Houston was awarded the game in 2017 on a single vote by ownership.

  "It's like an overtime win for us," said Ric Campo, chairman of the Houston host committee.

  ---Running back Marshawn Lynch was a no-show at Seattle Seahawks' offseason team activities Monday.

  Lynch set career highs with 1,590 rushing yards, 315 carries and a yards-per-carry average of 5.0 in 2012. He has 25 total touchdowns the past two seasons.

  "This is voluntary," coach Pete Carroll said. "That's the rules and the guidelines. He came in 10 days ago and he's in very good shape. He's working an intense program in his area, and he is benefiting from it. We'd love to see everybody here."

  ---Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will miss the next three weeks of organized team activities after having minor back surgery last month to remove a cyst.

  Sources told ESPN.com that the surgery could potentially keep Romo out until training camp. The Cowboys will hold minicamp from June 11-13 and is scheduled to travel to Oxnard, Calif., on July 19 for training camp.

  Romo, 33, told The Dallas Morning News on Monday that he plans to be ready for camp.

  ---The Falcons will soon have a new home, after NFL owners approved a $200 million loan Tuesday for construction of a new Atlanta stadium.

  The Falcons received the money Tuesday at the league's spring meetings. The multipurpose venue could cost as much as $1 billion.

  The Georgia Dome, which opened in 1992, will be demolished when the new stadium opens.

  ---The San Diego Chargers signed veteran offensive tackle Max Starks and released Kevin Haslam.

  Starks, 31, played his first nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and started all 16 games last year. He is expected to compete for the starting job on the left side with free agent acquisition King Dunlap.

  Haslam spent the 2012 season with the team, playing in five games with three starts after spending the first 11 weeks on the practice squad.

  ---Safety Eric Hagg was released by the Cleveland Browns, who also waived running backs Jamaine Cook and Robbie Rouse and linebacker Ryan Rau.

  The team did re-sign running back Brandon Jackson and were awarded running back Miguel Maysonet off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles. Sixth-round pick, defensive back Jamoris Slaughter, also signed his rookie contract.

  ---Tight end Levine Toilolo, a fourth-round pick out of Stanford, signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Terms were not disclosed.

  Toilolo, 6 feet 8 and 265 pounds, was used mainly as a blocker with the Cardinal but did catch 24 passes for 393 yards last season. He also has three uncles -- Dan Saleaumua, Edwin Mulitalo and Joe Salave'a -- who played in the NFL.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- For the first 10 years of his NFL career, Chicago Bears weak-side linebacker Lance Briggs lined up next to middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.

• That combination resulted in eight Pro Bowls for Urlacher, seven for Briggs and a defense that was regularly one of the best in the NFL. But Urlacher isn't around anymore, and neither is Nick Roach, the starter on the strong side for most of the past five seasons.

  "It's very different," Briggs said Tuesday afternoon after the fifth of 10 organized team activities leading into next month's final minicamp. "I didn't call the plays before, and now I'm calling the plays. I just have a lot of respect (for Urlacher); I've been spoiled for the last 10 years."

  But the 32-year-old Briggs says the added responsibility isn't a burden.

  "It just means to continue to be me," he said. "I'm just more vocal now."

  When training camp opens the last week in July, Briggs' new running mates will be two veteran players, each in their first season with the Bears. Former Bronco D.J. Williams will be in the middle, with ex-Falcon James Anderson on the strong side.

  "We have a lot of great players," Briggs said, "so for me, it's just getting guys aligned. Getting them in best position to compete is my job."

  Calling signals and getting teammates lined up won't be as difficult as it could be, since new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is running a scheme similar to what Briggs has always excelled in with the Bears.

  "It's a blessing that he chose to do that instead of having us change our language and the way we do things," Briggs said. "We were a top-five defense last year (No. 3 in points allowed and No. 5 in yards allowed). In order to get back there, I don't think you change and try something different. You keep doing what you're doing."

  Giving the Bears better linebacker depth than they've had in years, will be second-round pick Jon Bostic and fourth-rounder Khaseem Greene, who will look to Briggs for leadership.

  "These young guys are wide-eyed, flying around, very smart guys," Briggs said. "You'll get to know more about them once we put pads on, but they're soaking it in really fast; picking it up. I'm excited to see what they're going to do."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Because he's participating in the Chicago Bears' organized team activities, rookie punter Tress Way wasn't at home in Tulsa or at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, when a deadly tornado touched down Monday in Moore.

• "Moore is about five minutes from school," Way said Tuesday. "The movie theater that was hit, that's where we all go see our movies. I was in our rookie meeting yesterday, and my phone just kept buzzing. Obviously, I wasn't checking it or anything, but I was really eager to see what happened because we had no idea.

  "We had been here all day, and I just started getting text-message pictures from people, and it was just heart-breaking."

  Way doesn't have much of a chance to unseat incumbent Adam Podlesh, but the longer he sticks with the Bears, the better chance he has of catching the eye of another NFL team. He wishes he could join the other volunteers who are helping with the recovery.

  "I just want to go help," he said. "I texted all the guys from my team back home. I just said, 'Fellas, get down there. Start pulling debris off. They're missing kids. There are families.'

  "My fiancee, who's a softball player (at Oklahoma); the softball team started a charity where they're taking in shoes and clothes and everything. What's amazing is that in just a horrible natural disaster like that, God just can bless people by people helping out each other.

  "There'd be a lot of times where people are running away from something that horrible, but in Oklahoma City, I heard news reports that they actually had to keep people away from the disaster because people were wanting to help that much. That makes my heart feel a little bit better."

  After Thursday's practice, the Bears have the week after Memorial Day off, and Way knows what he'll be doing.

  "I'll be going home for Memorial Day weekend," he said. "Anything I can do, whenever I get home, I'll be helping. I'm really encouraged to see everybody that's willing to help."

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- There were some surprised looks at the Jacksonville Jaguars' OTA workouts this week when it was learned that running back Maurice Jones-Drew would spend the next two weeks training in Miami.

• However, as his teammates are finishing the last seven of their 10 practice sessions at the Jaguars facility, MJD has permission to go it alone.

  Jones-Drew has trained in Miami before, including part of last season when he skipped all of the team's OTAs while in a contract dispute with the club. The eighth-year running back is not holding out this season in what is the last year of the five-year, $31 million contract he signed in 2009.

  There is no contract squabbling this offseason. In fact, Jones-Drew was at the Jaguars' first three OTA practices last week, learning the new system that coach Gus Bradley is installing. He is not practicing with the team, however, as he's still recovering from season-ending surgery (last December) for a Lisfranc injury.

  "I think in his mind he just has a plan how he would like to see it come together and I wanted him here to go through all the install with us offensively," Bradley said. "I said we need you here and he did that. And then he said, 'Okay, now that we've got all the installs done, let's take the next step."

  The Jaguars running back had Bradley's endorsement to journey to Miami where he trains with Pete Bommarito at his facility in Miami.

  "(Maurice) talked to both (general manager) Dave (Caldwell) and I and he has a clear picture of what we expect when he goes down there and when he comes back," Bradley said. "We just felt like it was in his interest to go down there and rehab and condition.

  "He's going back and forth with some of the things with his foot and (trainer) Mike (Ryan) has been great with him and Milo (strength & conditioning coach Tom Myslinski), but we just felt like to take the next step for him would be going to intensify things a little bit more for him."

The San Diego Chargers signed veteran offensive tackle Max Starks and released Kevin Haslam.

• Starks, 31, played his first nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and started all 16 games last year. He is expected to compete for the starting job on the left side with free agent acquisition King Dunlap.

  The Chargers drafted D.J. Fluker in the first round, but he's expected to start at right tackle.

  Left tackle has been a sore spot for the Chargers since Marcus McNeill retired due to a neck injury after the 2011 season.

  Starks tweeted: "Very happy to say that I will be joining @chargers family. Can't wait to get started and building towards a championship"

  Haslam spent the 2012 season with the team, playing in five games with three starts after spending the first 11 weeks on the practice squad.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Neither quarterback Tom Brady nor head coach Bill Belichick met with the media at the New England Patriots' first open OTA workout of the offseason on Tuesday.

• So the spokesman left to talk about the dramatic overhaul at the receiver position with the Patriots was the guy most involved in that positional transition -- free agent addition and would-be Wes Welker replacement Danny Amendola.

  The former Rams wideout admitted after his second OTA practice in New England that he feels a little bit like the new kid in class working with Brady and the rest of the offense.

  "Sometimes, yeah," he chuckled. "Walking around, I got lost in the building a couple times. I feel good, though. It's good to be here."

  Better to get lost in the stadium than on the field, where much will be expected of Amendola this season. As New England's first major free agent signing of the offseason, he arrived in Foxborough just as the well-liked and highly productive veteran Welker was leaving town.

  Amendola looked sharp in his route-running, quick getting into and out of his breaks, and sure-handed when the ball was thrown his way in the media's first chance to see New England's new No. 80.

  He appeared quite comfortable overall in his role with his new club, looking anything but lost.

  That may be in part due to his relationship with Josh McDaniels, the Patriots offensive coordinator with whom Amendola worked briefly in St. Louis.

  "It's familiar," Amendola told reporters after practice. "When Josh was in St. Louis, I got to know it pretty good. It's a little more intricate out here. It's something to grasp. I'm learning every day. It's the verbiage. That's the most important thing, the vocabulary of the offense. I'm learning, day in and day out, studying at night."

  If language is the most important thing for Amendola right now, developing his on-field relationship with Brady is a close second. Already, the two have worked together out in California on their own, and during special teams periods in OTA action, Brady and Amendola, along with veteran free agent receiver Michael Jenkins, went to another part of the practice fields to work on routes and timing.

  "Anytime you get a jump and get to work with each other is good. We're getting a lot of good work in right now," Amendola said of his extra reps with Brady.

  "The more work is the best in this OTA period. It's something we're working on. It's good to have all the guys out here. Everybody looks good so far."

  The new New England receiver came away impressed with the guy throwing him the football.

  "He darted me in the chest with one ball. Inside my head, I was like, 'Wow, this guy can really wing it. That's why he's Tom Brady.'

  "He's a really good quarterback. Everybody knows that. I'm just trying to be on the same page. So far, so good. It's very important. It's something you work on every day in the meeting rooms, outside of the building, forming relationships. You play better on the field that way."

  As for the inevitable comparisons to Welker, Amendola brushed those aside like a seasoned pro.

  "That's not something I need to worry about," he stated. "I'm worried about the playbook and getting the routes down and getting on the same page with my teammates. The good thing is, I don't have to worry about that stuff."

  Amendola is one of 12 Patriots at the receiver position, only two of whom -- Julian Edelman (who hasn't been on the field as he recovers from a foot injury) and Matthew Slater -- have experience on the field with New England. The rest are rookies or veteran free agents. They also have Kamar Aiken, a practice squad holdover in his third NFL season.

Safety Eric Hagg was released by the Cleveland Browns, who also waived running backs Jamaine Cook and Robbie Rouse and linebacker Ryan Rau.

• The team did re-sign running back Brandon Jackson and were awarded running back Miguel Maysonet off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles. Sixth-round pick, defensive back Jamoris Slaughter, also signed his rookie contract.

  Hagg was a seventh-round pick in 2011, and started the first two games of last season before being benched. He started a total of four games in 2012.

  Maysonet signed with the Eagles on April 29 after starring at Stony Brook, where rushed for 4,725 yards with 48 touchdowns in three seasons.

  Undrafted free agents Michael Edwards, a wide receiver from Texas-El Paso, defensive back Kenronte Walker from Missouri and Boise State linebacker Tommy Smith were signed by the Browns.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers had far less than a full squad on the field for their second session of this week's OTAs on Tuesday.

• Emerging cornerback Sam Shields is staying away from the voluntary spring workouts because he hasn't signed his one-year, $2.02 million tender offer from the team as a restricted free agent.

  "I wish Sam was here," said head coach Mike McCarthy, clearly disappointed about his returning starter's holdout of sorts. "He's not here for his specific reasons that I'm sure if he wants to answer he can answer 'em someday. But it's about the opportunity to compete, and our secondary is very competitive. I wish he was here."

  Veteran defensive tackle Johnny Jolly also is a conspicuous no-show because he still needs to iron out some particulars -- presumably of the legal kind -- to pave the way for him to try to attempt an on-field comeback after he was reinstated by the league in March following a drug-related suspension that kept him out the last three seasons.

  "When Johnny's situation and his process is completed, when he gets up here, then I'll have more information for you," McCarthy said. "But he's still going through the process."

  Jolly tweeted Tuesday that he would be back in Green Bay on May 28, when the Packers will hold their next public OTA session.

  Several other players were on hand for Tuesday's workout of two hours that was open to fans on an outdoor practice field across from Lambeau Field, but they stood idly by as teammates went through the paces. Those sideline observers are in recovery mode from significant injuries that cut short their 2012 season.

  The most notable are inside linebacker Desmond Bishop, offensive tackle Derek Sherrod, defensive end Jerel Worthy and cornerback Davon House.

  While Bishop is confident he will be cleared for the start of training camp in late July, if not get back on the field for some remaining spring work, less than a year after the starter suffered a torn hamstring in last year's preseason opener, the team continues to wait on Sherrod.

  Its 2011 first-round draft pick and heir apparent at left tackle evidently isn't close to returning from a broken right leg he sustained toward the end of his rookie season.

  "If I was going to rank those three as far as who's coming back earlier," said McCarthy, when asked specifically about three players, "I would say Bishop, House, and then Sherrod is clearly the furthest away."

  House, thought to be a leading candidate for a starter's job at the outset of training camp last year, was riddled by shoulder and hip injuries at different points of the season.

  Worthy, a second-round draft pick who showed some flashes of promise, had his rookie campaign abruptly end with a torn ACL in his left knee in the regular-season finale on Dec. 30. He's highly questionable to be back in time for the start of the 2013 season in September.

  Meanwhile, the Packers suffered an OTA casualty on the first day of drills Monday. Rookie offensive tackle J.C. Tretter, an intriguing fourth-round pick out of Cornell, went down with what reportedly was a broken ankle in the non-contact work.

  McCarthy on Tuesday wouldn't divulge what the injury was but said Tretter wouldn't be available for the rest of the OTAs. That would also keep Tretter out of the mandatory minicamp, which is June 4-6 and falls in the midst of the team's 10 OTA sessions that wrap up June 14.

  McCarthy said this year's OTAs are structured as a review of all installations that were put in on offense, defense and special teams for the season during the individual-positions phase of the offseason program. Tuesday marked the first day of implementing team drills for Green Bay's old guard and its long list of newcomers

  "I felt it was important to give the rookies a chance to adjust to the tempo of the veterans because it's different," McCarthy said after Tuesday's workout. "This is a whole different level of practice. And, I thought today was kind of typical first-time-routine-takes-the-field. It was a little disjointed. The energy was great. The intent was great. But, your team has to learn to practice together like it does every time they get together, and I think you saw some of that today. So, we'll continue to work on that, clean it up."

There may be a reason that Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider spoke out this week, expressing the team's disappointment about a growing list of suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs and explaining that actions have been taken.

• The Seahawks probably have paid for these suspensions, perhaps more than $60,000. And more suspensions this year should hit the team financially.

  Although he wouldn't say it was so exactly, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello all but confirmed the Seahawks have paid a price.

  "There are financial consequences for a team that has multiple players suspended in a season under those policies," Aiello said earlier this week.

  Based on a policy implemented by the NFL in 2008, Mike Florio of NBC's Pro Football Talk calculated that the 2012 suspensions alone would have cost at least $60,845.

  On Monday, Carroll addressed growing concerns nationally that he's running a rogue program. The recent suspension of Bruce Irvin gives the Seahawks a league-leading seventh player to test positive for a performance-enhancing substance during the Seattle head coach's tenure, which began in January 2010. Among that group, cornerback Richard Sherman had his penalty reversed because of a chain-of-custody issue during the collection of his urine sample.

  "We have to figure this out and try to help through education and through all of the ways we can," Carroll said. "And we'll always compete to find more creative ways to make the message clear."

  Seahawks general manager John Schneider went public with his disappointment on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week, insisting the club has "gone above and beyond what the league has done" to educate players.

  Schneider told hosts Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon that the Seahawks were working hard on the problem.

  "This is something we take very seriously here," Schneider said. "The league has done a great job of educating guys, and we've actually gone above and beyond what the league has done. We have a guy in place here that helps our player-development people. You do what you can. It's very disappointing.

  "Pete and I sat down with Bruce. Pete addressed it with the team. Bruce addressed the team.

  "And, you know, really good organizations are the organizations that can take body blows. We look at this as a learning opportunity and one that obviously needs to be addressed, but this is also an opportunity for others to step forward."

Tight end Levine Toilolo, a fourth-round pick out of Stanford, signd with the Atlanta Falcons. Terms were not disclosed.

• Toilolo, 6-feet-8 and 265 pounds, was used mainly as a blocker with the Cardinal but did catch 24 passes for 393 yards last season. He also has three uncles -- Dan Saleaumua, Edwin Mulitalo and Joe Salave'a -- who played in the NFL.

  "At Stanford we ran a pretty pro-style, West Coast offense," Toilolo said after the draft. "So we utilized a lot of tight ends which was big coming out of high school for me. This year we ran a lot of two tight-end sets for me and Zach (Ertz). For me, I was more of an inline tight end with my hand down the majority of the time."

  Toilolo caught 50 passes for 763 yards (15.3 yards per catch) with 10 touchdowns in 31 career games at Stanford.

TAMPA, Fla. -- As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held their second workout in this week's OTAs Tuesday, they already learned a key lesson -- keep it cool.

• The Bucs had their first fight in team drills Monday when rookie DT Akeem Spence got into a scuffle with center Jeremy Zuttah.

  Spence tried to go full speed when OTAs are supposed to have only limited contact.

  "I thought we did a much better job than we did last spring of taking care of each other, holding each other up, all that stuff," head coach Greg Schiano said. "Other than the one exception with the rookie and Zuttah, and I think that got cleared up right away.

  "But it's critical we hold each other up, to move side-by-side so we can execute plays, but stay off the ground. Keep our head gear and shoulders out of it, just put our hands out and kind of work with each other so guys can execute plays. I thought our guys did an exceptional job of that. That's something we've got to continue to do all spring. That will keep us healthy."

  Schiano has reason to be concerned and may want to have his players throttle it down. Otherwise, the Bucs could risk a fine or the loss of a few OTAs.

  "It's very tough. It's not only do we want it for safety, but it's mandated by the rules. We can lose OTAs, you can get fined, there's a whole bunch of stuff. We're very, very clear about it. We show examples, we really try to get the guys to understand. Now, when you put 22 guys that are going against each other and something happens, you correct it."

Super Bowl L will be held in Santa Clara, Calif., in February 2016 at Levi's Stadium, the future home of the San Francisco 49ers.

• The 49ers are entering their final season at Candlestick Park. Their new stadium is an estimated 50 percent complete.

  The 50th Super Bowl will be played in the same state in which Super Bowl I was played in 1967. That game, referred to by some as the "supergame" was played in Los Angeles.

  "We're humbled and honored by this opportunity," San Francisco chairman Daniel Lurie told NFL Network, which aired the decision live Tuesday afternoon from the owner's meetings in Boston. "The Bay Area has been waiting for this game since 1985. We're just thrilled and couldn't be happier about this decision."

  The 49ers won the Super Bowl at Stanford Stadium in '85, a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX.

  Santa Clara boasts becoming the first "fully green" Super Bowl. Part of the stadium construction plan calls for powering "all 49ers home games with solar power resources."

  CEO Jed York said the game figures to be the "first cashless, ticketless venue with WiFi capability for 75,000 people in Super Bowl history."

  "Every year, football fans celebrate this great game on Super Bowl Sunday," York said. "Now, our region has a tremendous opportunity to be celebrated on an international stage, as we play host to the Super Bowl."

  Earning a Super Bowl on the first ballot requires 24 votes or a super majority of the 32 total votes. The last time a Super Bowl was awarded in one round of voting was the Glendale, Ariz., election 10 years ago.

  Santa Clara was named host city for the golden anniversary game over Houston and Miami. Those cities were then in competition for Super Bowl LI, and Houston was awarded the game in 2017 on a single vote by ownership.

  "It's like an overtime win for us," said Ric Campo, chairman of the Houston host committee. "I think Houston just has a better package right now. We have world-class assets. ... The city has really been rebuilt over the last 10 years."

  South Florida was considered a less serious candidate after the legislature refused to vote on a stadium renovation plan. Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said major events would not consider South Florida unless major upgrades were made.

  "Congratulations to San Francisco and Houston on Super Bowl L and LI. However, we don't think there's a better place in the country to host Super Bowl than right here in South Florida," Ross said. "I am grateful for the hard work and creative energy that the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee showed in their bid. Today's decision doesn't dampen our enthusiasm to pursue Super Bowls in the future, since we are steadfast in our belief that those games are good for the South Florida community."

  Houston hosted the Super Bowl in 2004. but the city and Reliant Stadium have undergone major changes, owner Bob McNair said. Among the changes: the world's largest scoreboard will be installed in the home stadium of the Texans.

  The expansion of public space downtown, in addition to two newer, large hotels should aid in the city's bid to put on a strong show in Super Bowl LI.

  "It's going to make it very convenient for everyone," McNair told NFL Network.

Running back Marshawn Lynch was a no-show at Seattle Seahawks offseason team activities Monday.

• Lynch set career highs with 1,590 rushing yards, 315 carries and a yards-per-carry average of 5.0 in 2012. He has 25 total touchdowns the past two seasons.

  "This is voluntary," coach Pete Carroll said. "That's the rules and the guidelines. He came in 10 days ago and he's in very good shape. He's working an intense program in his area, and he is benefiting from it. We'd love to see everybody here."

  Lynch's upcoming DUI trial on June 21 could be the next hurdle for the Pro Bowl back. That trial could be delayed or never occur. Lynch's legal team will appear in court, when a motion to dismiss the case is expected.

  The Seahawks drafted running back Christine Michael in the second round, adding him to the backfield depth that includes Robert Turbin, a 2011 fourth-round pick. Lynch, 27, has missed five games the past three seasons.

The Falcons will soon have a new home, after NFL owners approved a $200 million loan

• Tuesday for construction of a new Atlanta stadium.

  The Falcons received the money Tuesday at the league's spring meetings. The

  multipurpose venue could cost as much as $1 billion.

  "Today's approval by the NFL team owners is an important milestone in moving the new

  stadium project forward," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.

  Blank will supply the rest of the funds, and said the design and construction will happen over the next four years. The building is expected to be completed by the 2017 season.

  The Georgia Dome, which opened in 1992, will be demolished when the new stadium opens.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will miss the next three weeks of organized team activities after having minor back surgery last month to remove a cyst.

• Sources told ESPN.com that the surgery could potentially keep Romo out until training camp. The Cowboys will hold minicamp from June 11-13 and is scheduled to travel to Oxnard, Calif., on July 19 for training camp.

  Romo, 33, told The Dallas Morning News on Monday that he plans to be ready for camp.

  "If this was the regular season and I had to play next week, I could," Romo told the paper. "This is just about being smart. That's why I did it now. This will have no effect on training camp. No way will it have an impact. And I still think there's a good chance I'm on the field for minicamp."

  The Cowboys don't believe the injury is a long-term concern. Romo told The Morning News that the cyst caused an ache that "nagging me just enough" to get it removed.

  "I'd rather be 100 percent, not 96 percent. It's done and it's made me feel better," he said.

RENTON, Wash. -- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll understood selecting Bruce Irvin was a risk because of off-the-field issues when Seattle drafted the speedy pass rusher at No. 15 overall in the 2012 draft.

• For that reason, Carroll says he's willing to continue to support the West Virginia product after the NFL announced this week that Irvin violated the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, resulting in a four-game suspension.

  "Unfortunately if you go wrong, you get popped," Carroll said. "And that's how this thing works. And I'm really disappointed that we have to deal with anything like this, but there's going to be other issues, too, and we have to deal with them.

  "For Bruce, we're going to try and help him along as best as we possibly can. And he's made an enormous commitment to try and do the right thing, and to try and be right. He made a mistake, and he admitted to it. And he owned up to his teammates. ... He wants to do right and show that he can. And we're going to see that through."

  For his part, Irvin said all of the right things through a statement released by the team. Irvin was not made available after Seattle's first organized team activity this week.

  "I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Seahawks fans for making a mistake when I took a substance that is prohibited in the NFL without a medical exemption," Irvin said in the release. "I am extremely disappointed in the poor judgment I showed and take full responsibility for my actions."

  Irvin is eligible to return to the Seattle's active roster on Sept. 30 following the team's Sept. 29 game at Houston.

  He will miss Seattle's season opener at Carolina, home contests against San Francisco and Jacksonville, along with the road contest against the Texans.

  Irvin is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.

  The suspension will cost Irvin $191,681 in base salary in 2013. He reportedly tested positive for an amphetamine-type substance similar to the drug Adderall.

  In the statement, Irvin said he would not appeal the suspension.

  Carroll also addressed growing concerns nationally that he's running a rogue program. Irvin gives the Seahawks a league-leading seventh player to test positive for a performance-enhancing substance during the Seattle head coach's tenure, which began in January 2010. Among that group, cornerback Richard Sherman had his penalty reversed because of a chain-of-custody issue during the collection of his urine sample.

  According to NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello, the Seahawks could be fined for having multiple players suspended in a season for violating the drug, steroid or personal-conduct policies.

  "There are financial consequences for a team that has multiple players suspended in a season under those policies," Aiello said.

  The Seahawks could face such actions because multiple players have been suspended for violating the banned-substance rules in the past year.

  Seattle could be fined a portion of the salaries of the players that have been suspended based on an agreed-upon formula.

  "We have to figure this out and try to help through education and through all of the ways we can," Carroll said. "And we'll always compete to find more creative ways to make the message clear."

  Faced with his team's growing list of violations on performance-enhancing drugs, Seahawks general manager John Schneider went public with his disappointment on SiriusXM NFL Radio, insisting the club has "gone above and beyond what the league has done," to educate players.

  Schneider told hosts Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon that the Seahawks were working hard on the problem.

  "This is something we take very seriously here," Schneider said. "The league has done a great job of educating guys, and we've actually gone above and beyond what the league has done. We have a guy in place here that helps our player-development people. You do what you can. It's very disappointing.

  "Pete and I sat down with Bruce. Pete addressed it with the team. Bruce addressed the team.

  "And, you know, really good organizations are the organizations that can take body blows. We look at this as a learning opportunity and one that obviously needs to be addressed, but this is also an opportunity for others to step forward."