Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed Wednesday that he expects to bring back assistants Tom Moore and Howard Mudd as consultants to the team, possibly as early as training camp, which opens Aug. 2, reports the Indianapolis Star.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was absent during the team’s three-day voluntary OTAs, which ended Wednesday– the sessions were primarily for rookies and newer players still familiarizing themselves with the playbook. But Brady did sit down with Patriots.com, telling the Web site that he’s feeling good and hungry to get back on the field with his teammates.

A day after the San Francisco 49ers confirmed CB Walt Harris tore a ligament in his right knee, coach Mike Singletary all but confirmed the 13-year veteran will be lost for the season “unless something else comes up.”

One of the more notable quarterback competitions during the offseason is in Cleveland, where new head coach Eric Mangini is splitting first-team reps between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson in an open competition for the starting job.

Granted, it’s May and the Cincinnati Bengals are only in the midst of their first three-day OTA session of the offseason. Nonetheless, Carson Palmer didn’t mince his words Tuesday when asked about the absence of star WR Chad Ochocinco.

Considered by many to be too small to be a featured back, Steve Slaton of the Texans proved his critics wrong as a rookie to become a true fantasy football sleeper and establish himself as a legitimate difference maker.

The Cardinals continue to work on a contract extension for wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but a new deal for defensive tackle Darnell Dockett is less of a priority, according to team president Michael Bidwill.

NFL Network is on the scene in Hampton, Virginia, awaiting the arrival of suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who took one giant step towards becoming a free man early Wednesday morning when he was released from Leavenworth Federal Prison.

The significance for Nola landing the Super Bowl in 2013 cannot be understated. Saints owner Tom Benson was very confident — as if trying to will the other NFL owners to award Super Bowl XLVII to his home town.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Jets RB Thomas Jones will end his boycott of non-mandatory team sessions and report to organized team activities next Wednesday.

RB Frank Gore says his late-season ankle injury is “feeling better.” He also says he hasn’t been told of any plan by the San Francisco 49ers to reduce his workload next season.

The NFL Network confirmed Tuesday that QB Brett Favre, who is in the process of determining if his right shoulder is healthy enough to let him return next season, had a cortisone shot and threw the ball last week.

The Saints continue to have RB Edgerrin James on their free-agent radar, but adding to the offensive backfield in the short term isn’t a priority, general manager Mickey Loomis said Tuesday at the NFL Spring Meeting.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus recently said two teams have expressed interest in his client, free-agent WR Plaxico Burress. The Rams aren’t one of those teams, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson held a breakfast gathering with the media Tuesday morning at the annual NFL Spring Meeting to push his region’s bid for the 2013 Super Bowl.