NFL NEWS AND NOTES

According to the Tampa Tribune, during this week's workouts, QB Chris Simms took snaps with the first team, while free agent acquisition Jeff Garcia got most of his work with the second and third teams. Simms admitted he had a little rust due to the fact he hasn't played since he ruptured his spleen in the Sept. 24 game against Carolina, but he’s experiencing no problems with his body. "I took a few hits today. I took a few good ones," Simms said. "I’m not supposed to get hit, but I guess they wanted to test the spleen. They wanted to test the space where the spleen was."

In five seasons in Houston, QB David Carr went 24-56 with no playoff appearances, and a body bruised and battered from an NFL-high 249 sacks. Now with Carolina, Carr is smiling again - even though he will be a backup for the first time. "You get to a point where you're in survival mode, which is hard for me," Carr said Friday, a week after agreeing on a two-year, $6.2 million deal to be the Panthers' No. 2 QB behind Jake Delhomme. "Honestly in the last five years we haven't had much spark. If we were stuck in the forest it would be hard to light a fire with what we had going on."....

The Titans are still talking to the Chargers about acquiring RB Michael Turner, Tennessee GM Mike Reinfeldt said Thursday, according to the Tennessean. "Nothing is imminent at this point and time, but nothing is dead either," Reinfeldt said. "The fact that we both agreed to stay in touch leans toward optimism." The Chargers put a first- and third-round draft pick compensation on Turner, a restricted free agent, but the Titans won't give up that much. The Titans prefer to trade for Turner, which would require reaching a contract agreement with his agent as well as the Titans and Chargers agreeing on compensation. The deadline for another team to sign a restricted free agent is April 20, although a trade could be completed after that date......

According to the Tampa Tribune, during this week's offseason workouts, Bucs QB Chris Simms took snaps with the first team, while Jeff Garcia got most of his work with the second and third teams. Garcia got an instant reminder on the practice field this week just how involved coach Jon Gruden's offense is and how much work he has ahead of him. "I think for me, it's just getting to a point where it's comfortable," Garcia said. "I'm learning once again, not a lot going through my mind. The mental part of the game, I need to get under wraps so I can just come out on the field and react. It’s still a work in progress for me." Garcia is getting married next weekend in California, but said he won’t miss any of the remaining OTAs.....


According to the Indianapolis Star, Colts backup quarterback Jim Sorgi signed his one-year, $850,000 restricted free agent contract with the team. Sorgi has worked behind starter Peyton Manning since the team selected him in the sixth round of the 2004 draft. Sorgi, 26, who has appeared in 10 games, has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 619 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.....

According to NFL.com, WR Charles Rogers spent Thursday meeting with and working out for the New York Giants, who have a need at wide receiver. New York is hoping Rogers, whom Detroit drafted with the second overall pick in 2003, can provide some help. In recent months, Rogers has worked out for Miami and Kansas City, but he has yet to find a team that is willing to sign him since Detroit released him last season.....

The Houston Texans signed free agent receiver Andre Davis on Thursday. The Texans are the fourth team Davis has been with in as many years. He spent last year with Buffalo, 2005 in New England and 2004 with the Browns. Davis appeared in 16 games last season for the Bills, but had just two receptions for 13 yards. He spent his first three seasons with the Browns and had his best season in 2003 when he had 576 yards receiving with five touchdowns. A former track standout at Virginia Tech, the speedy Davis also returns kicks. He had six returns for 99 yards last season. As a rookie in 2002, he had 50 returns for 1,068 yards and a touchdown....

The New Orleans Saints signed WR David Patten to a one-year contract Thursday, hoping the 10-year veteran can rebound from two disappointing seasons with the Washington Redskins. Patten was cut last month two seasons into a five-year, $13 million free-agent deal he signed with the Redskins after helping the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls earlier in the decade. Patten caught 22 passes in nine games in 2005 before knee surgery ended his season. In 2006, he caught just one pass for 25 yards, having fallen behind Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El on the depth chart. He has not caught a touchdown pass since the 2004 season, when New England was en route to its third NFL title in four years. The 32-year-old receiver also has played for the New York Giants and Cleveland in his 10 NFL seasons.....