NFL | Bengals owner welcomes Henry

CINCINNATI — Receiver Chris Henry is back with the Cincinnati Bengals, mostly because owner Mike Brown has a soft spot for troubled players.

Henry signed a two-year contract Tuesday with the team that let him go after he was arrested for the fifth time.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who was on the record as saying had no interest in bringing back the receiver, said Brown wanted to give Henry yet another chance.

"I obviously know that at the end of the day, that the owner has the final say-so on whether or not he wants to give a guy an opportunity or not," Lewis said.

Henry, 25, must serve a four-game suspension for violating the league's conduct policy before he can play in the regular season.

Bills QB injures leg

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Buffalo starting quarterback Trent Edwards has a deep bruise to his right quadriceps and it is unclear whether he will return to practice this week. During a practice drill, running back Marshawn Lynch's knee struck Edwards' leg when the players collided.

Buffalo hosts the Seahawks on Sept. 7 to open the regular season.

Patriots cut Pollard

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots released veteran tight end Marcus Pollard.

Pollard, 36, signed with the Patriots on April 23 after being released by the Seahawks.

Notes

• Joe Horn, released by the Atlanta Falcons after the team couldn't trade the 36-year-old receiver, said he is relieved he can pursue a job with another team. He has a guaranteed $2.5 million salary this season.

Horn's agent, Ralph Vitolo, said the Seahawks, Jacksonville and Tennessee could have a need for a veteran receiver. "Now we're calling these teams and kind of narrowing the scope," Vitolo said.

• Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, a two-time league most valuable player who is recovering from surgery to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee, attended practice and said his goal is to play in the team's opener against Chicago on Sept. 7.

• Oakland Raiders cornerback DeAngelo Hall has ligament damage in his right hand and might have to wear a protective cast for the rest of the exhibition season.

"I talked to my doctor and he said I tore some ligaments or something," Hall said.

• Tight end Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers was taken off the physically unable to perform list and participated in parts of practice after passing a physical.

Gates had surgery nearly six months ago to repair a tear in the plantar plate of his left foot. He injured his left big toe during a playoff game against Tennessee in January and was placed on the PUP list in late July.

"Today was a pretty good day. I really pushed it. I gave it my all to see what I could do," said Gates, a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past four seasons.

• Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who has been bothered by a hamstring problem, participated in a full practice for the first time this exhibition season. He has been selected to the past four Pro Bowls.

• Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin asked to be traded, saying he doesn't feel his situation can be resolved and declaring he has no relationship with coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Whisenhunt sounded puzzled when discussing reports Boldin had said he was no longer speaking to the coach. "We've been communicating," he said. "If communicating is talking, that's what we have been doing at practice. As we go forward, I don't know. I don't foresee anything changing. If it does, it's in his court."

The two-time Pro Bowl player claims the Cardinals backed off on their offer to renegotiate his contract. Boldin accused Whisenhunt of getting too involved with his contract talks, suggesting that is why they haven't moved forward, but he wasn't specific.

• Receiver Terrell Owens scoffs at any notion there is reason to worry about the Dallas Cowboys after losing their first two exhibition games.

"We'll be fine once the season starts," he said. "I promise you."