McNair Feels Pain-Free

Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair threw in practice Sunday for the first time in nearly a week and he pronounced his sore right shoulder healed.

“The soreness is all gone,” McNair said.

McNair had been bothered because of soreness in his throwing shoulder for the past couple of weeks, and he sat out two practices before playing the first half of the Titans’ 30-3 exhibition victory over the St. Louis Rams on Aug. 14. He had not thrown in practice since that game and watched the Titans’ 34-32 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night.

On Sunday, McNair threw in every drill he was needed and Coach Jeff Fisher was happy with what he saw.

“He felt pretty good and was throwing well, had good velocity on the ball,” Fisher said.

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Even though LaVar Arrington is finally showing some big-play ability for the Washington Redskins, Coach Norv Turner makes it sound increasingly likely the No. 2 overall draft pick will not be in the starting lineup on opening day.

Arrington forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and had three tackles in Saturday night’s 24-0 exhibition victory at Cleveland. Arrington also got to the play with the first-string unit for the first time, replacing Greg Jones in the second quarter.

But Turner said Sunday that the game plan against Cleveland played to Arrington’s instinctive strengths, and it wasn’t the well-rounded performance needed to move ahead of fourth-year veteran Jones on the depth chart.

“He did exactly what I know he can do--he can make big plays,” Turner said. “We did some things specifically for him. We blitzed him. The thing we have to do is get LaVar to where he doesn’t give up big plays or negative plays.”

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Former Packer nose tackle Gilbert Brown cut his right forearm when he put it through a window of his girlfriend’s car in Green Bay, Wis.

Brown, a free agent, was joking Friday with Carla Haun when the window broke, Brown County Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Barth said.

Barth described the cut as “nothing serious” and said there would not be an investigation.

Brown pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct in 1997 for a fight with Haun. Brown told police then he lost his temper and “tossed her around a little bit.”

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Shaun King, a second-year pro who started Tampa Bay’s final five games last season and the key to the Buccaneers improving on last year’s 28th-ranked offense, completed nine of 23 passes for 191 yards in a 31-21 exhibition victory over the New England Patriots at Foxboro, Mass. . . . Fred Lewis, the free-agent cornerback who fumbled away an exhibition victory after being tackled in the end zone by a teammate against Jacksonville, was among 12 players cut by the New York Giants. . . . Defensive back Otis Smith was one of eight players cut by the New York Jets. . . . Minnesota left guard Corbin Lacina will be sidelined at least two weeks because of a sprained knee. His availability for the opener against Chicago is in doubt.