Cleveland Browns: It is certainly a coach's prerogative to change his mind and, in the case of the competition for the Browns' starting quarterback job, Butch Davis has demonstrated that privilege once again.

At various junctures of the offseason, Davis altered his timetable for when he would name either incumbent Tim Couch or challenger Kelly Holcomb the starter. At one point, Davis suggested the matter would be resolved before the beginning of training camp.

But that isn't going to happen.

Davis said Thursday that he will not settle on a starter before camp commences next week. While it is believed that Couch goes to camp with a leg up for the No. 1 job, there will now be a viable competition, and Davis and his staff have set Aug. 23 as the target date for a decision. That date coincides with the third preseason game.

"It will unfold, and reveal itself, and we'll see what happens," Davis said.

The first overall choice in the 1999 draft, Couch started 14 games in 2002, but he has missed 11 games in four seasons because of injuries. A journeyman, Holcomb played well in two starts during the 2002 regular season, and he nearly led the Browns to victory in a first-round playoff game at Pittsburgh, throwing for 400-plus yards.

The Cleveland veterans are scheduled to report to training camp next Thursday.
-- Len Pasquarelli

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:Working against the clock on the day the team officially reported for training camp, the Buccaneers signed all six of their draft choices Friday, concluding the deals with a frenetic negotiating pace.

The defending Super Bowl champions signed defensive end Dewayne White (No. 2) of Louisville, quarterback Chris Simms (No. 3) of Texas, offensive linemen Lance Nimmo (No. 4a) of West Virginia and Austin King (No. 4b) of Northwestern, guard Sean Mahan (No. 5) of Notre Dame, and cornerback Torrie Cox (No. 6) of Pittsburgh.

"You always want the rookies here for the first day, and we got that done," said coach Jon Gruden, whose team begins on-field sessions Saturday morning.

Nimmo and King both signed four-year contracts in which the fourth season can void if the players reach predetermined playing time levels. Both got base salaries of $225,000 (2003), $305,000 (2004), $380,000 (2005) and $460,000 (2006). Nimmo received a signing bonus of $265,000 while King got $261,000 in upfront money.

White also signed a four-year deal while Simms, Mahan and Cox all got three-year contracts. The financial terms for those four players were not yet available.

-- Len Pasquarelli

New York Giants: The man who might provide the Giants an outside pass rush opposite that of Michael Strahan, second-round defensive end Osi Umenyiora of Troy State, has signed his first contract with the team, ESPN.com has confirmed.

Umenyiora, the 56th prospect chosen overall, signed a four-year contract that is worth $2.535 million. It includes a signing bonus of $1.165 million and minimum base salaries of $225,000 (2003), $305,000 (2004), $380,000 (2005) and $460,000 (2006).

He is the eighth of the team's 11 choices to reach contract terms. Only defensive tackle William Joseph (No. 1), tight end Vishante Shiancoe (No. 3) and defensive back Rod Babers (No. 4) remain unsigned. Umenyiora is one of just three second-round choices leaguewide to have reached contract agreements.

The Giants open camp next Thursday.

Mostly a soccer player when he was younger, Umenyiora didn't begin playing football until his junior season of high school. He is very raw, but athletic, and has legitimate potential to contribute immediately as a situational defender. His 16 sacks last season were the second most in the country, behind only Terrell Suggs of Arizona State, and he also had 20½ tackles for losses and 43 quarterback pressures.
-- Len Pasquarelli

Green Bay Packers: A marijuana possession case against Packers defensive end Joe Johnson was continued on Thursday, a maneuver designed to permit his attorney additional time to file motions in the matter.

According to the clerk of courts in Tift (Ga.) County, the case has been postponed indefinitely.

In a May 22 incident, Johnson was charged with marijuana possession after his vehicle was found pulled over in a highway turning lane with its emergency flashers on. Deputy David Hardy said that, as Johnson exited the car seeking directions to Tallahassee, Fla., he thought he smelled marijuana. A subsequent search of Johnson's car produced a misdemeanor amount of the drug.

The 10-year veteran posted $1,625 cash bond and was released the same day. In June, he waived his right to an arraignment and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Johnson, 30, signed with the Packers last year after nine standout seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Regarded as a key to the Green Bay defense, he appeared in just five games before suffering a season-ending triceps injury.
-- Len Pasquarelli

Talks between the Packers and first-round choice Nick Barnett temporarily broke off Friday morning in Chicago without a deal, but both sides plan to stay on the phones with hopes of getting an agreement before Friday's 6 p.m. reporting deadline.

Packers vice president of finance Andrew Brandt spent Thursday and Friday morning meeting with Barnett's agent, Jack Scharf, near O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Though talks were cordial, a deal wasn't reached and each side returned home with the promise to keep in touch by phone.

The Packers hope to get Barnett in on time. If a deal with him isn't done, he could be the lone best Packers potential holdout.
-- John Clayton

Defensive lineman Kenny Peterson, the third-round pick from Ohio State who is expected to log quality playing time for the Packers as a rookie, has signed his first NFL contract. Peterson received a three-year deal.

The deal is worth $1.405 million and includes a $485,000 signing bonus and the standard rookie minimum base salaries.

Peterson, 23, can play end or tackle and, given the Packers' lack of depth at both spots, he could quickly become part of the regular line rotation. One of the defensive stalwarts for the 2002 national champion Buckeyes, he did not become a starter until his senior season, finishing the year with 79 tackles and four sacks.
-- Len Pasquarelli

New York Jets: Veteran center Dennis O'Sullivan, who is credited with just one year of seniority in the league despite having been in training camp with the Jets four times, could miss the entire 2003 season with an injury.

O'Sullivan, who appeared in three games as a backup in 2003, injured his elbow in a June practice, team officials said this week, and will be placed on the NFL's physically unable to perform list.

By definition, that means O'Sullivan will miss the first six games of the year. The elbow injury is serious enough, though, that it might keep O'Sullivan on the bench all season.

ESPN.com has confirmed that the Jets have signed Brooks Bollinger, a sixth-round pick who is expected to vie for the No. 3 quarterback spot on the roster. The former Wisconsin star, who impressed coaches in offseason workouts, signed a four-year contract that is worth $1.45 million.

Bollinger received an $80,000 signing bonus and minimum base salaries. There is an escalator clause that could raise the base salary in 2006 if Bollinger reaches certain predetermined playing time levels.
-- Len Pasquarelli

Chicago Bears: Face-to-face meetings between teams and agents can be productive. Here's how well a Wednesday and Thursday meeting between the Bears and the agents of safety Mike Brown worked:

The Bears were offering Brown a five-year extension at about $2.8 million a year. Brown's agents, Ethan Lock and Vance Malinovic, flew to Chicago and met with the Bears. The Bears came up $600,000 a year to conclude a contract extension that paid Brown around $3.4 million a year.

Brown received a $4 million signing bonus and yearly salaries of $1.5 million in 2003, $2.04 million in 2004, $2.39 million in 2005 and $2.44 million in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Brown will receive additional bonuses of $50,000 a year beginning in 2004 and concluding in 2008.
-- John Clayton

St. Louis Rams: The Rams reached a one-year, $225,000 agreement with quarterback Greg Zolman to compete for the third quarterback job. Once he signs the deal, the Rams may release veteran quarterback Scott Covington.

Zolman will compete against Kirk Farmer for the No. 3 job behind Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger.
-- John Clayton

New England Patriots: The Pats on Friday signed second-round draft choice Bethel Johnson, a speedy wide receiver from Texas A&M, to a five-year contract. Johnson was the latter of the club's two selections in the second round.

Johnson received a signing bonus of $1.75 million and base salaries of $274,000 (2003), $342,000 (2004), $410,000 (2005), $478,000 (2006) and $546,000 (2007). There is also an escalator clause that could increase the base salary for 2007 if Johnson reaches some prescribed playing time levels.

Inarguably one of the fastest players in the 2003 draft, and billed by coach Bill Belichick as one of the quickest players he has ever seen, Johnson is expected to make an immediate impact on the New England passing game. He is a stockier player than the smallish New England wideouts, built more like a tailback, but has explosive acceleration.

The one drawback is a history of injuries, and he has undergone extensive abdominal surgery in the past. In 35 college appearances, Johnson had 117 receptions for 1,740 yards and 11 touchdowns while playing in an offense not noted for throwing the ball much.
-- Len Pasquarelli