NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Raiders: Early in Tom Cable’s first practice as interim head coach, the special teams players gathered at midfield in a huddle before they realized someone was missing. Cable was standing in the end zone when he heard one of his players call out for him and he quickly rushed to join the huddle before the session could break up. “I didn’t know I was supposed to do that,” Cable said. “I’ll catch up pretty quick. I catch on good.” Cable’s first day since taking over for the fired Lane Kiffin had a few minor bumps but mostly went rather smoothly. He ran a quick-paced practice that focused on tempo and efficiency after beginning the day with a team meeting. The message to his players was to disregard the circus of the past three weeks when Kiffin’s job security was a daily question and some of the conflicts within the organization were revealed to the public.

Seahawks: He’s been waiting for eight weeks on the injured list. But Bobby Engram is still unhappy over the team refusing to re-negotiate his contract that is in its final year. Just ask the 35-year-old, who set a team record last season with 94 catches, if his 1-2 team knows his true value by not having him for two months. “You would hope that you’re appreciated before something like that has to take place,” Engram said of his injury, his eyes growing wide over the thought Seattle hasn’t gone beyond the $1.7 million he is earning this season. It’s not even the most or second-most among Seahawks receivers. Deion Branch, who will also make his season debut Sunday when Seattle (1-2) plays at the New York Giants (3-0), has a base pay of $3.5 million this year. Nate Burleson is making $3.25 million, but he’s on injured reserve.

Patriots: Coach Bill Belichick denied a claim by Raiders owner Al Davis that New England had a workout with Randy Moss before obtaining him in a trade with Oakland. Davis said Tuesday that the Patriots had tampered with Moss before the deal in April 2007 that brought the wide receiver to the Patriots for a fourth-round choice that year on the weekend of the NFL draft. “I’ve told the story about Randy many, many times,” Belichick said in a conference call with members of the media covering the 49ers, “and the first time I ever talked to Randy was the Sunday morning of the second day of the draft last year. So that’s the first time I met him. That’s the first time I talked to him. There was no workout. There was no other contact with him.”

Associated Press