NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

‘Pacman’ preparing for Cowboys debut: When it comes to Adam “Pacman” Jones’ status, owner Jerry Jones is treading lightly. The still-suspended cornerback can play in the preseason for Dallas, which opens Saturday night at San Diego. But the team still doesn’t know when it will find out if he will be fully reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the regular season. “That’s at [Goodell’s] discretion, and I don’t want to do or say anything that would imply that I’m getting anxious or pushy about it,” Jerry Jones said Wednesday. Goodell has said only that a decision on “Pacman” would come before the regular season, and could come as late as the week of the Cowboys’ opener Sept. 7 at Cleveland.

Marshall has little to say: Brandon Marshall is content to let his actions — and others — do the talking for him. A day after the Broncos’ talented but troubled star was suspended for three games by Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct code, Marshall sidestepped several questions about the matter, including whether he felt he needed counseling, which the league suggested. Marshall also left his coach and quarterback to vouch for his character. “Brandon is not a bad guy, at all,” quarterback Jay Cutler insisted. “He’s a good guy, he means well. It’s just he’s been in some sticky situations, some things he probably shouldn’t get into.” Marshall was arrested three times in a yearlong span beginning in March 2007. He’s due in court next month for a drunken driving trial and has had two domestic disputes, one of which has been dismissed and another that has yet to produce a formal charge.

Titans, Rams start with punches: Coaches and seasons can change. Tension whenever the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams get together doesn’t. These teams had some feisty joint practices back in 2000, months after St. Louis beat the Titans in the Super Bowl, and it didn’t take long Wednesday morning for tempers to flare up as they gathered in training camp. Rams receiver Reche Caldwell grabbed Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan in a bear hug and took him to the ground. Titans Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch skirmished with Rams left tackle Adam Goldberg. After being blocked to the ground on his rush, Vanden Bosch took a big swing at Goldberg. The head coaches tried to calm things down. But on the next play, Titans end Sean Conover tangled with St. Louis tackle Mark LeVoir, with Vanden Bosch rushing in to help, without his helmet.

Bush excited for opener: Michael Bush is tired of watching after spending nearly two years on the sideline while his teammates got to play football. Bush has not played in any game since breaking his right leg in the season opener of his final college season at Louisville in 2006. He missed the rest of that college season and all of his rookie campaign with the Oakland Raiders, putting special meaning on his exhibition opener against San Francisco Friday night. “I didn’t think it’d be this long,” Bush said. “I was told six months, seven months. It turned out to be two years now. So I’m just ready to get out there and get it going again.”

Associated Press