NFL ROUNDUP Steelers sign rookie RB Humes



ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers signed rookie running back Cedric Humes Tuesday.
Humes, a seventh-round pick, rushed for 1,805 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career at Virginia Tech. He started nine games as a senior.
Bengals
CINCINNATI -- In a move to secure Carson Palmer's blind side, Cincinnati offered left tackle Levi Jones a six-year, $40 million contract extension.
The deal will pay Jones $21 million over the first three years and includes $16.3 million in guaranteed money.
49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Michael Robinson, the former Penn State quarterback hoping to make the NFL as a running back, signed with San Francisco.
Robinson, the 49ers' fourth-round draft pick, was a quarterback, receiver, halfback and punt-return performer during four years with the Nittany Lions. The Big Ten's offensive player of the year last season will start training camp Friday as a running back, but could play several positions for the 49ers.
The 49ers still haven't signed their top three draft picks, including first-round selections Vernon Davis and Manny Lawson.
Rams
ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis signed three draft picks: defensive end Victor Adeyanju, offensive guard Tony Palmer and linebacker Tim McGarigle.
Coach Scott Linehan said he expects first-round pick Tye Hill, a cornerback from Clemson, to miss little if any training camp. The first practice is Thursday morning.
The team also reduced its quarterback stable to four by releasing Jeff Smoker, a sixth-round pick in 2004.
Raiders
NAPA, Calif. -- First-round pick Michael Huff signed a $22.5 million, five-year contract with Oakland that guarantees the safety $15 million.
Huff agreed to the parameters of the deal Monday night, but didn't sign it until minutes before Tuesday's afternoon practice on the Raiders' first day of training camp.
Vikings
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota agreed to a contract with defensive back Dwight Smith, a sixth-year veteran of the NFL who was released by the New Orleans Saints last week.
Before joining the Saints, Smith played for Tampa Bay from 2001 through 2004. In the 2003 Super Bowl, Smith returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 48-21 victory over Oakland to set a Super Bowl record.
Tampa Bay picked Smith in the third round of the 2001 draft, 82nd overall, out of Akron.
Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England waived defensive back Gemara Williams.
Williams, 23, was signed by the Patriots on May 8 as a non-drafted rookie free agent.
The 5-foot-8, 185-pound performer defended a school-record 39 passes during his collegiate career at the University of Buffalo.
Last season, he finished with 61 tackles, 14 passes defended against and one interception.
Saints
NEW ORLEANS -- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue toured the hurricane-damaged Superdome on Tuesday with New Orleans Tom Benson and Gov. Kathleen Blanco, and was encouraged with the progress that has been made.
Though repairs are ongoing, Tagliabue was impressed. He had said during earlier visits he had concerns about how long it would take to get the facility reopened.
Still, Superdome officials hope to find a large corporation to buy naming rights to the facility before the Saints open at home against Atlanta Sept. 25.
Panthers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina released offensive lineman Adam Meadows, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
Meadows is attempting a comeback after retiring two years ago.
The Panthers signed Meadows to a five-year contract worth $15 million in 2004 and projected him as their starting right tackle. But he retired just two weeks into training camp that year, complaining of chronic pain in his surgically repaired shoulder.
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