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Mini-camps and OTAs (official team activities) continue to roll on (see the full mini-camp schedule on NFL.com), providing Fantasy owners with an array of interesting tidbits. Here are some of this past week's more interesting items.

Starting in New York. ... Optimistic and confident as ever, Chad Pennington proclaimed he is "full go" in his comeback from a second shoulder operation in as many years and is digging in to fight for his starting job in training camp -- maybe even sooner.

"Full go means I'm throwing every route we have in the playbook," the Jets quarterback said Thursday night. "I feel really good about it."

As New York Newsday staff writer Ken Berger noted, it was the first update on Pennington's progress since the first week of March, when he restructured his contract and began strengthening his surgically repaired right rotator cuff.

Pennington said he's still working on building up strength and velocity, but said, "I don't have any doubts or concerns or worries ... I'm not trying to get back to the old Chad Pennington. I'm trying to get better than what the old Chad Pennington was."

Pennington and other veterans didn't participate in the two-day rookie mini-camp that opened Friday. But he sounded optimistic that he will be ready for team drills when the Jets hold a passing camp at the end of the month and a full-squad mini-camp in mid-June.

"Whatever the coaches, and more importantly the doctors, have laid out for me, I'll follow those guidelines," Pennington said. "I don't know what those guidelines are yet."

When competition against Patrick Ramsey for the starting job was brought up, Pennington was quick to point out how far ahead he is at this time of year than he was a year ago.

"Last year, I had to fly by the seat of my pants to do everything I could to win a football game," he said. "Heck, we played Kansas City [in the 2005 season opener] and that was 30 weeks removed from surgery. Thirty weeks from surgery this time around is this week. That's why time is so important.

"One thing you can never take for granted is time," Pennington continued. "I just feel really good about everything. I don't have any concerns, doubts or worries. It's a matter of going through the process. I know what to expect. I've been here and done this."

Pennington said he plans to play at his current weight of 229, about 10 pounds heavier than before. He also claims to be unfazed by the Jets' decision to select Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens in the second round or his impending competition with Ramsey.

"I want to be in those plans, those future plans," he said. "If I am, I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity I get. If I'm not, that's OK. There's 31 other teams.

"If I was a betting man in Vegas," he added, "I'd put money on No. 10."

Still, New York Daily News sports writer Rich Cimini was quick to note that Pennington was evasive when asked to provide the specifics of his throwing regimen. He didn't say whether he throws every route consecutively on the same day or over a period of time.

And despite his optimism about taking part in the mid-June mini-camp, Pennington isn't sure how much throwing he'll actually do.

For what it's worth. ... New head coach Eric Mangini, responding to Pennington's optimistic comments about his shoulder rehab, remained noncommittal on whether Pennington will participate in the upcoming passing camp.

"He's exceeded my expectations in terms of the way he approaches things," Mangini said. ...

In Jacksonville. ... According to Florida Times-Union beat writer Vito Stellino, Byron Leftwich appeared to be leaner than he was last year and he said the broken ankle that sidelined him for the final five regular-season games last year has completely healed.

Except for conceding that he has lost weight in the offseason, Leftwich, listed at 6-5 and 240 pounds, wouldn't say what his current weight is.

"I'm a big guy," he said. "I've always been a big guy, but I've never not been in shape. I guarantee you that. How many 6-6 football players are 220? I don't worry about it. Everybody in the locker room knows how hard I work."

Leftwich knows he'll never be a player who appears muscular, and he brushed off the talk that he doesn't look like a weight-room warrior.

"I'm not [running back] Greg Jones," he said. "I'm never going to be that way, even if I could stop eating and do every crunch. I've never been like that in my whole life. I'm not going to be on the cover of Men's Health."

While he's no bodybuilder, Leftwich has been working out at a local gym this offseason although wouldn't discuss why he added that to his offseason regimen.

"I'm not going there," he said. "You've got to keep some stuff to yourself."

Stellino went on to remind readers that as he enters his fourth season, Leftwich has dealt with questions about everything from his weight to his throwing motion to his ability to stay healthy. The fact he's 21-17 as a starter and threw just five interceptions in 302 attempts last year has tended to be obscured.

Leftwich was puzzled by a report at the end of last season that the locker room was divided on the issue of whether he should be the starting quarterback over David Garrard, who went 4-1 when Leftwich was injured last year.

Leftwich said he felt the players in the locker room have a bond and said that's why they're not upset that Fred Taylor decided to work out on his own in Miami in the offseason.

Taylor reported for mini-camp with the rest of his teammates.

"We love Fred," Leftwich said. "You're smart enough as a player to understand that everybody's situation is everybody's situation. Something like that, you kind of mind your own business. I have no problem with what he's doing."

Meanwhile, the Jaguars want to keep Leftwich, who's missed seven of the past 22 regular-season games and all but one series of an eighth with injuries, healthy by having him avoid taking too many hits.

As head coach Jack Del Rio said at the end of last season, "I want him to get rid of the ball sooner and not take so many shots."

But Leftwich isn't convinced the hits cause injuries.

"In the game of football, people fall on the ground," Leftwich said. "You hope they stay away from your legs. In Arizona [where he was hurt on the first series of a game last year], a guy happened to trip and fall, and he happened to be 340 pounds."

Leftwich does want to work on throwing the ball away if a play doesn't develop, something he admits is difficult.

"If they've won on a play, let's live with letting those guys win on that play and let's go on to the next play," Leftwich said. "Sometimes, that's hard for me to do. I've got to learn to do that."

One thing he won't change is his throwing motion or his release.

"My throwing motion is going to be my throwing motion. My throwing motion will not change," he said.

Another thing that won't change is his self-confidence.

"When you go out there, you believe you're the battiest son of a gun on the planet," he said. ...

This weekend mini-camp is the Jaguars' only mandatory activity of the offseason before training camp. All the other off-season programs are considered voluntary. So, it's worth noting Taylor said he'll also participate in the team's 14 organized team activities from May 22 to June 21, despite that voluntary status.

"That's football," he said.

He also said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Smith and eventually retire as a Jaguar. As a friend, he said he respects Smith's decision, but added, "The teammate in me wants to choke him."

Taylor, 30, said he hasn't established a timetable for retiring, but it seems unlikely to be any time soon.

In fact, the veteran tailback is reportedly in fantastic shape. More importantly, he's running without a knee brace for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair two partially torn ligaments suffered in December of 2004.

Asked if his knee is fully recovered, Taylor, who also missed five games last season with a sprained ankle, said: "How long have I been in the NFL? Nothing is fully recovered. I feel good. Whatever the percentage is, I don't want to put numbers on it. I'm going to get the job done."

As for the arrival of rookie running back Maurice Drew, drafted in the second round of last month's draft, Taylor welcomes the 5-7 speedster's presence, but suggests that Drew is going to have to be patient.

Taylor clearly isn't ready to pass the baton yet.

"I'm probably the most competitive person on this team. The coach is going to put whoever in there they feel is worthy of that. I respect that," he said.

Obviously, Taylor believes he's going to be the featured back.

"I've never had to ride the bench. I never back down from a challenge," he said.

Del Rio said he'll let the situation play out.

"We anticipate Fred getting the lion's share of the work because he's been the dominant back for us for a number of years," Del Rio said. "If you run the ball 450, 500 times in a season, it's a lot of carries, and one guy is not going to be able to take them all."

The Jaguars had 502 runs last season, 423 from running backs. ...

Of course, the big question in J-ville is who replaces Smith?

Smith was far and away the Jaguars' top receiver last season, with 70 catches for 1,023 yards and six touchdowns. The expectation this season is that the team's first-round draft picks the past two years, Reggie Williams and Matt Jones, along with Ernest Wilford will fill most of that void.

It's possible that the Jaguars could still sign a veteran receiver, but Rio said there are no immediate plans to do that.

For the record, Wilford and Jones worked with the first team during Friday's initial sessions.

Wilford received the nod because he ended last season as a starter after replacing Williams, who suffered a concussion. Jones stepped in at Smith's "X" spot.

"I think it's way too early to get into who is going to be the starter in September," Del Rio said.

Williams and Cortez Hankton were the second-team receivers and with the Jags employing several three-receiver sets this fall, some observers believe Williams will be on the field significantly more in his third season.

Third-team receiver Chad Owens, who also was impressive in camp last year before winding up on the practice squad after he had problems fielding punts, made several catches.

Smith's departure gives Owens, who's 5-foot-6, a shot to win a receiver job. Drew is likely to handle the return duties.

The Jaguars also have another receiving option with Marcedes Lewis, a play-making tight end at UCLA who was the 29th pick in last month's draft. According to Associated Press sports writer Mark Long, Lewis made a diving catch and then a leaping, one-handed reception that highlighted the first practice.

"It didn't take long for you to see what Marcedes can bring in terms of receiving skills," Del Rio said. "He made some terrific catches out there right away that have to open your eyes."

By the way. ... When the Jaguars ran their first offensive play of the mini-camp, they used a two tight-end set with veteran Kyle Brady and Lewis both on the field. Stellino suggests the Jaguars might use more two tight end sets this year to take advantage of Brady's blocking ability while also getting Lewis on the field. ...

One last note here. ... In an article published last Sunday, Houston Chronicle staffer John McClain noted that when they used their No. 1 pick on Lewis, the Jaguars became the only team to take an offensive player in the first round in each of the last four drafts.

Lewis follows Leftwich, Williams and Jones. ...

In Denver. ... Javon Walker wanted one point known -- that when he is back to 100 percent, he would be "a step faster" than he was before he tore an anterior cruciate ligament.

According to DenverBroncos.com staffer Andrew Mason, he also said that moment would "most definitely" happen this year.

Wednesday, the former Packer star signed a one-year, $2.15 million deal with the Broncos that could extend to six years and in excess of $42 million if he returns to his Pro Bowl form of 2004. Should Walker play out the length of the contract, it would be unprecedented for a receiver coming off major knee surgery.

"I already know how I work," Walker said. "I've been through injuries before where you know I wasn't supposed to be as strong, I wasn't supposed to be as quick, I wasn't supposed to be as fast and I've proven it time and time again. And I don't see my mentality changing."

But as Denver Post staff writer Joseph Sanchez reported, Walker had a second surgery on his right knee back in April prompting some to ask if he's damaged goods.

"No," Walker said in response to that specific question. "That (second surgery) was just to check and see if everything was healing correctly. Obviously, Denver wouldn't have given up a second-round pick without knowing that teams of medical doctors from each and every team knew that I would be ready for training camp."

Head coach Mike Shanahan said on draft weekend that he expected to have Walker in place by the time the Broncos begin training camp this summer.

"The target is to have him ready once we go to camp," Shanahan said then. "He is still recovering from his ACL, and I don't want to push him along too quickly. He went through all the physicals with our trainers and doctors, and he should be ready to go full-speed by the time we start camp."

Added Walker: "I'll be ready to go (by training camp) so there's no need to rush anything right now. But I'm still working out hard."

Walker expects to be able to start cutting on the knee soon; his work to this point has focused on straight-line running and on strengthening the muscles in proximity to the knee.

"Once the trainer and everybody sees it getting to the point where it's really, really strong, then we take another step with running routes, cutting and getting back into football activity, football movements -- things that I'll be doing in the course of the game," Walker said.

He doesn't expect to think about the knee once he returns to the field, either.

"I don't think that's going to be an issue," Walker said. "I think once I get out there, start running out and get back to the point of doing what I used to do, it's gone; it's forgotten about."

In a related note. ... Rocky Mountain News staffer Lee Rasizer reports that disgruntled receiver Ashley Lelie has new middlemen to mediate on his behalf in his efforts to exit the Broncos.

Lelie has hired Denver agents Peter Schaffer and Lamont Smith.

Of course, there's little leverage on Lelie's side to force the issue because he is under contract for 2006. The team has said it expects the receiver to honor his contract.

"We as a firm are honored to be retained by someone of Ashley's principle and character and plan on having discussions with the Broncos at a mutually convenient time in the near future to see where this matter goes," Schaffer said.

Lelie repeatedly has stated he feels he's being treated unfairly from a competitive standpoint given Walker's lucrative new deal and Rod Smith's solid standing as the team's No. 1 wideout.

Lelie has vowed a long-term holdout ... into the regular season if he's not dealt because he wants a chance to be a top target elsewhere. ...

In yet another related note. ... Pro Football Weekly reports that David Terrell, a disappointment to this point in his career, will move up to the No. 3 WR job in Denver if Lelie's trade demands are met, as expected.

Terrell showed up to the offseason workout program in great shape and has shown a better understanding of Denver's complex offense after riding the pine last season. ...

In Green Bay. ... Now that Donald Driver has what Walker wanted -- a contract extension from the Packers, he hopes he can be one of those rare athletes who spends his entire career with the same team.

Driver, who received a two-year extension that essentially makes his current deal a four-year, $17.025 million contract, said in an interview with the team's official web site that he hopes that can be a reality.

"I've always said that once I got to Green Bay, I knew I wanted to retire here and that I always wanted to be a Green Bay Packer," Driver told Packers.com. "The tradition here is tremendous, and the people here are like no other."

The contract included a $2 million signing bonus and a $2 million roster bonus to be paid this season.

"I take my hat off to the Packers, first of all for even looking into it," Driver said. "I really appreciate what they did because they didn't have to do it. I'm happy that I'll be a Packer for at least another four years."

Driver was the team's leading receiver last season with 86 receptions and at this point, it's hard to imagine anybody currently on the roster pushing him for that status.

According to PackersNews.com staffer Pete Dougherty, aside from Driver, rookie Greg Jennings jumped out more than any receiver during last week's initial mini-camp.

A second-round pick out of Western Michigan, Jennings reportedly ran smooth patterns, caught the ball well and appears to be ready to challenge for one of the top three jobs.

"I think it will be a big task for him to be that guy but I can see him competing for that," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "He got in and out of a cut pretty darn well."

Of course, Robert Ferguson worked as the starter opposite Driver during mini-camp workouts while Rod Gardner, picked up on waivers for the final two weeks last season, was the No. 3.

Neither showed much among an offensive group that's learning new head coach Mike McCarthy's version of the West Coast offense, though Gardner had one long touchdown catch in team drills.

Free-agent signee Marc Boerigter, who played for Kansas City the past four years, had a nondescript camp.

Rookie Cory Rodgers, a fourth-round pick, got behind the secondary on a couple of deep routes and caught one long touchdown pass from quarterback Brett Favre, but his best chance of contributing this year will be as a returner on punts and kickoffs.

"You're going to have a very tough competition between five or six guys," McCarthy said. ...

In Oakland. ... According to Sacramento Bee staffer Jason Jones, new head coach Art Shell echoed what several teammates have said about Randy Moss -- he is a good guy.

After a few conversations with Moss, it didn't take Shell long to see why those who knew the receiver in Minnesota told him he would "love Randy Moss."

Moss had 60 catches for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns while dealing with various injuries last season. A healthy Moss would be expected to have a better season statistically, but Shell is looking for more -- he wants to see Moss' influence elsewhere.

"Randy Moss is good in the locker room because when things get quiet in there, you know, guys are kind of dragging in training camp, he comes in and starts saying something and cracks everybody up," Shell said. "You need guys like that on the football team.

"You need people who do those types of things. So he's good for this football team."

As long as he's healthy -- and as long as new quarterback Aaron Brooks gets along with Moss as well as he got along with Joe Horn in New Orleans. ...

In Cleveland. ... According to Akron Beacon Journal staffer Terry Pluto, the trade of Trent Dilfer to the 49ers doesn't say much good about the former Browns quarterback or current offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon.

Supposedly, Dilfer doesn't think much of Carthon's gruff personality, and even more so, his unwillingness to allow a veteran QB much freedom to change the offense.

Pluto went on to advise readers that while no one can be sure, these charges against Carthon have been whispered by other players. Like many young coaches -- 2005 was Carthon's first season calling plays -- he wanted to keep tight control on what his offense was doing.

But the fact is the best quarterbacks are given some room to improvise.

An example of Dilfer not getting that courtesy was when he did not feel the freedom to spike the ball near the end of the first half of what became a road loss to the Vikings.

Does Carthon keep a choker chain around his quarterback? Or was it true that Dilfer didn't believe Carthon trusted him enough to make such an obvious play to stop the clock?

As Pluto suggested, there are problems either way. He summed up by adding: "Trading Dilfer for quarterback Ken Dorsey and a seventh-round draft pick doesn't change the fact that the offensive coordinator needs to lighten up.

"Yes, Charlie Frye has only five career pro starts next to his name, but he's a smart kid capable of improvisation. ..."

In Kansas City. ... One of the things the Chiefs lost with the departure of Dick Vermeil was the grueling two-plus-hour practice session that often left players grumbling.

One of the things they gained by hiring Herman Edwards as his replacement is the sub-two-hour practice that promises to leave them more refreshed.

Edwards unveils the Chiefs' new practice regimen in a three-day, partial-squad mini-camp that began Friday. The Chiefs were scheduled to practice five times, all closed to the public, and none of the workouts is scheduled to last more than one and a half hours.

Vermeil's practices eased somewhat during his five seasons with the Chiefs, but they were always generally lengthy. Time between plays was often extended so coaches could make their teaching points.

Edwards promised a routine that gets the players on and off the practice field in shorter time.

"It's going to be more of a speed, up-tempo type of practice," he told Kansas City Star beat man Adam Teicher. "I believe in efficiency. You have to prepare that way. You have to get to the meat of what you want to do. I don't believe in just going out there and practicing so you can say you were out there for three hours.

"You have to go out there with a plan. Us as coaches, we could always use another 10 minutes or another five plays, but I want to make sure we're doing the things we're asking these guys to do in a game."

This mini-camp gives the Chiefs their first on-field look at their rookies, including quarterbacks Casey Printers and Brodie Croyle, who will begin their duel to become the eventual successor to Trent Green. ...

In Detroit. ... After some rather intense off-season workout sessions, it was assumed a player or players unknown sent a message to new head coach Rod Marinelli and his staff: "Lighten up."

Upon further review, that assumption might have been incorrect.

Last week, the NFL Players Association and the Management Council, which represents the owners, announced sanctions against the Lions for violating rules governing the workouts. Players were not allowed to work out at the team's facility Monday and Tuesday. They were paid the stipend of $110 a day.

Not surprisingly, players are taking heat for filing the grievance, which is understandable. A 21-59 record the last three years under three coaches -- Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci and Dick Jauron -- indicates that they can lose for anybody.

The notion, however, that a small group of players griped to their union, and the Lions were penalized for it, is wrong.

The collective bargaining agreement has a grievance procedure for such matters, and films are part of it. If players have a complaint, the union and the council investigate. Film study -- and teams have film of all workouts and meetings -- is part of it.

According to the Detroit News, Carl Francis, director of communications for the union, would not speak specifically about the Lions' case because of confidentiality issues involved in the process. He did, however, detail the guidelines of the process.

A complaint can come from a union investigator or a player.

"We may show up on site to see it ourselves, or the players may call," Francis said. "It doesn't have to be a player. We get footage (of the practice). That's how we find violations. That's how we come up with the decision."

If players have a complaint that they are being forced to spend too many hours at the team facility, the union checks the schedules.

"Sometimes we're called in to question the itinerary, just to do an overview," Francis said.

But as News staffer Mike O'Hara suggested, the Lions' case is mostly symbolic. According to O'Hara, "A team with real leadership on all levels would have worked it out in-house before it became an embarrassment to the franchise."

The Lions' grievance about being overworked didn't get any sympathy with the national media.

On ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" on Monday, co-host Tony Kornheiser fired this barb: "Are they going to blame Joey Harrington, like they blamed him for everything else?"

And finally, a situation worth watching in Carolina. ... PFW reported this week that sources in Charlotte hint there might already be tension between diva wideouts Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson.

Apparently Smith said the two talented talkers are going to "agree to disagree."

As PFW summed up: "They are two larger-than-life personalities who can coexist on the field, but don't expect them to be good buddies off it. ..."

All right. ... That's all for this now.

Keep an eye on the News & Views section of this site for late-breaking news and other items of interest. Watch the Headline News section for more in-depth reviews of current events -- including the Fantasy Notebook.