The Nfl

To say that Cleveland defensive end Courtney Brown has been a disappointment in his first three years as a pro would be an understatement. The first pick in the 2000 draft, Brown has missed 16 of his last 32 games with an assortment of injuries. In the 32 career games he has played, he has had just 11 sacks. Last week Brown practiced full-speed for the first time since undergoing off-season microfracture surgery—the same procedure that was a failed last gasp for defensive linemen Eric Swann and Andre Wadsworth—on his left knee. Microfracture surgery is intended to encourage cartilage growth by drilling holes in the bone.

After rushing the passer during drills with the Bills last Friday and favoring the knee slightly, Brown said he thought he would be ready to play on opening day. "I feel confident I can be a full-time player this year," he said. "I believe it's my destiny to play at a high level."

Team officials are encouraged about Brown's knee because the cartilage degeneration—he was injured during a game last November—is not severe; doctors had to drill only one hole. But the Browns are running out of patience with Brown because, even when healthy, he hasn't been the dominant player they thought they were getting out of Penn State.

Andre Johnson's Adjustment
Texans Wideout Finds His Focus

The Texans had the highest of hopes for rookie wideout Andre Johnson when they selected him with the third pick in the April draft, but receivers coach Kippy Brown did have one concern: lazy hands. "He told me I was late getting my hands up when the ball was coming," Johnson said last week. "The balls I'd drop or miss, he'd tell me I had to get my hands up quicker." In fact, the biggest knock on Johnson when he came out of Miami after his junior season was that he dropped too many catchable balls. So the team checked his eyes—and found a problem with his vision.

Now, for the first time in his career, Johnson is wearing contacts, and the hands are no longer an issue. He sees the ball earlier, and his hands are in position to make the catch. "I needed them," Johnson says of the lenses. "David [Carr] throws the ball so hard, and I have to have my hands ready because the ball's right on me. Now I'm really confident I can be an impact player."