Texans WR Johnson dislocates finger but avoids serious injury

HOUSTON -- Texans All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson will miss "a day or two" of practice after dislocating his left index finger in a morning workout.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Johnson will be OK.

"I think we got lucky," Kubiak said.

Johnson wore a bandage on his finger as he watched the Tuesday afternoon walk-through from the sideline.

Johnson was running a slant route in an individual drill and leaped to catch a pass, with rookie cornerback Roc Carmichael defending. Johnson couldn't make the catch and came down shaking his left hand. He took off his glove, his finger was bleeding and he walked to the sideline, where a trainer examined him.

"As soon as I felt it pop, I felt it out of place and I popped it right back in," Johnson said. "I really wasn't in a lot of pain, or anything like that. It was just more concern about the bleeding and stuff."

Johnson left the field on a cart and went to the hospital. He was back at Reliant Stadium by 1 p.m., eating lunch in the cafeteria with his teammates.

"I wasn't scared," Johnson said. "It's just a dislocated finger. I've had worse. I don't think I'll be worried about a finger keeping me from missing anything."

The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Johnson had 86 catches for 1,216 yards last season, ranking sixth in both categories. He played most of 2010 with a sprained right ankle and underwent surgery in January -- a much more serious injury than this one, he said.

"It's just a finger," Johnson said. "I played with a bum ankle. I don't think a finger is going to keep me out. I'm fine. I'm just letting it heal up, and I'll be right back out there."

Kubiak said he'll wait for doctors to clear Johnson to return to work.

"When he's ready to go, he'll go," Kubiak said. "But it's an opportunity for these younger guys to take some reps."

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Second-year receiver Dorin Dickerson took Johnson's first-team reps for the remainder of practice. Kubiak also said cornerback Jason Allen and guard Wade Smith missed some snaps on Tuesday, due to illness.

Linebacker Brian Cushing has sat out team drills for the first two days as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery. Cushing had an ice wrap on his knee after Tuesday's morning workout but participated in the afternoon walk-through.

"He's a few days away," Kubiak said of Cushing. "I'll have to let you know from day to day. He's the one guy we had who wasn't quite ready to go on the field (on Monday). We're just trying to take our time to do that."

Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith acknowledged on Tuesday that the team is talking to two free agents - defensive end Ty Warren and fullback Lawrence Vickers.

The 6-5, 300-pound Warren was cut by New England after playing for the Patriots from 2003-09. He spent last season on injured reserve with a hip injury. The 6-foot, 250-pound Vickers has played five seasons with Cleveland. Houston is looking to replace All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach, who helped Arian Foster lead the NFL in rushing in 2010.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Jets receiver Edwards pleads guilty to DWI, avoids jail time

NEW YORK -- Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards pleaded guilty Friday in his drunken-driving case, saying he wanted to resolve it as a possible end to the NFL lockout neared.

"I feel good. I feel like it came to a fair conclusion," Edwards said as a he left a Manhattan court after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge.

Edwards' case will be closed without jail time or probation if he meets conditions that include paying a $500 fine and staying in an NFL substance-abuse counseling program he has been in since October.

"We're happy that it's past us, and now it's really time to focus on football again," Edwards said.

Edwards' drivers' license will be suspended for six months, and he'll have to install a device that prevents a car from starting until the driver blows into a breath alcohol detector. He's due to check in with the court in October.

The plea came as the prospect of free agency looms for the 28-year-old wide receiver, who reiterated Friday that he "most definitely" wants to stay with the Jets. NFL owners approved a proposal Thursday to end the labor impasse and four-month-long lockout, but players haven't yet voted.

It's unclear if Edwards will face a league suspension over his DWI plea, or how it might affect his probation in Cleveland, where he pleaded no contest in January 2010 to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. Edwards, who was with the Cleveland Browns before being traded to the Jets in October 2009, had been accused of punching a friend of NBA star LeBron James outside a nightclub.

Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said the team is aware of Edwards' plea and, due to the "current labor situation," would have no further comment.

A Cleveland Municipal Court spokesman didn't immediately respond to messages. Edwards' lawyer, Peter M. Frankel, said he hoped the league and Cleveland authorities would take into account the player's extensive charitable activities, including the $1 million in college scholarships he awarded Cleveland students this spring.

Edwards was pulled over in Manhattan around 5 a.m. on Sept. 21; police said his Land Rover's windows were too dark. His four passengers included Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and defensive end Vernon Gholston.

Edwards' blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, police said. He told an officer he'd had "a couple of drinks," the last about an hour before, prosecutors said at his arraignment last fall.

"We were coming from a party. How about if I just leave the car and take a cab and go home?" Edwards asked, according to prosecutors.

Edwards had challenged the basis for stopping him, the accuracy of the alcohol breath test and other aspects of the case.

Edwards had "a very legitimate chance" of prevailing at trial, but with free agency impending, "he wants to put any negativity behind him," Frankel said.

Edwards acknowledged the DWI might make some teams leery of him. But "you may have some teams -- hopefully, the one I'm standing in now -- that are still OK with it," said Edwards, who came to court in a natty gray-green suit, complete with a light green paisley pocket square.

Edwards said he has been meeting every other week with a counselor in the NFL's program, its goal "to make sure that this is a one-time occurrence."

Edwards had 53 catches for 904 yards and seven touchdowns this past season, and he made a key catch to set up the Jets' game-winning field goal over the Indianapolis Colts in the final minute of an AFC wild-card playoff game.

Edwards got into a minor car crash in Detroit last month. Police said no tickets were issued, alcohol didn't appear to be a factor, and neither Edwards nor his passenger was hurt.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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