Devin Hester did not report to camp on Tuesday night before midnight as players were required to do and missed team meetings this morning, but he officially became a contract holdout with the start of practice at 3 p.m.

His decision not to report to camp had to be a surprise to a franchise that reached 12th-hour contract solutions for middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and rookie left tackle Chris Williams in an effort to ensure the entire roster would report on time. Hester has two years remaining on the four-year, $2.86 million deal he signed as a second-round pick in 2006. The team has been negotiating an extension with Hester¹s agent, Eugene Parker, before the dramatic turn of events today. Parker did not return a phone message seeking comment. [READ]

Chad Johnson and Marvin Lewis have apparently mended their relationship that appeared to be beyond disrepair over the offseason.

"It's time to play football and get ready to play football. That's what he does," Lewis said at the club's pre-training camp luncheon in the East Club Lounge at Paul Brown Stadium on Tuesday. "He's a very, very good player. I'm excited for him to cleanse his mind and get back to having fun." [READ]

Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith is planning to hold a news conference Thursday amid published reports he will retire.

Smith’s agent, Jack Mills, confirmed the event but declined to give details, according to an Associated Press report on Wednesday.

[READ]

Marques Colston, whose 168 catches are more than any NFL wide receiver through his first two seasons, agreed to a three-year contract extension that could keep him in New Orleans through the 2011 season, Saints GM Mickey Loomis said Wednesday night. [READ]

Veteran wide receiver Eric Parker, who spent the past six seasons with the Chargers, was released Wednesday.

The last two years the Chargers added key depth to the wide receiver position. Last spring the Chargers drafted wide receivers Buster Davis and Legedu Naanee, both of whom are expected to have a bigger role in the offense in 2008, and the team acquired Pro Bowl veteran Chris Chambers in a trade last season.

Veterans Malcom Floyd and Kassim Osgood join starters Vincent Jackson and Chambers to form a wide receiving corps. The club also signed veteran Mark Jones in June.

Parker joined the Chargers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2002. By his third season, Parker became a full-time starter and in 2004 and 2006 he led all Chargers wide receivers in catches.

Following the 2006 season, Parker suffered a foot injury that eventually required surgery. He missed the first six games of the 2007 season and was put on the “Reserve-Injured” list on October 16.

In six seasons with the club, Parker played in 62 games with 40 starts and caught 187 passes for 2,586 yards and 11 touchdowns. [READ]

Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms of a four-year contract with CB Brandon Flowers. As per Chiefs policy, no other terms of the agreement were made available. [READ]

St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Claude Wroten was suspended Tuesday without pay for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Wroten's suspension begins immediately and he will be eligible to return to the team on Oct. 8.

The second-year player out of LSU, a third-round draft pick in 2006, made no tackles in Sunday's loss to Carolina. [READ]

The Bears and first-round pick Chris Williams agreed to a five-year deal Wednesday, as reported by the Associated Press.

Williams, an offensive tackle from Vanderbilt, was the No. 14 choice overall. The Bears announced the deal two hours before their first practice.

Financial details were not disclosed. [READ]

With ticket sales a bit slower as the third season approaches, the Cardinals are requiring fans who want to buy tickets to the Dallas game on Oct. 12 to also buy tickets for the Aug. 7 exhibition opener vs. New Orleans.

Cardinals' fans have "created a decisive home-field advantage" the past two years, and the team wants to keep it that way by discouraging single-game ticket sales to Cowboys' fans, team spokesman Mark Dalton said.

"Our goal is to have as many Cardinal fans in the stadium as possible," Dalton said. [READ]

The Bengals improved their receiving corps Tuesday, signing wide receiver Mario Urrutia to a four-year deal, as reported by Yahoo.com.

Financial terms were not disclosed. [READ]

Tony Dungy is certain QB Peyton Manning’s left knee will be ready for the Colts’ season-opener, according to an Associated Press report on Tuesday.

Dungy said he was optimistic the Colts’ biggest question heading into training camp, Manning’s valuable knee, could be resolved quicker than most people expect. [READ]

The Raiders agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Chiefs' safety Greg Wesley on Tuesday, adding depth to the position on the eve of training camp, as reported by the Associated Press.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Wesley was happy to remain in the AFC West and looked forward to playing against the Chiefs twice this season. [READ]

The Packers have asked multiple NFL teams what they would be willing to offer for Brett Favre, the NFL Network and ESPN reported.

While it is not known how many teams the Packers have contacted about Favre, they have not limited their inquiries to AFC teams, according to the report. [READ]

The Chargers have signed defensive end Luis Castillo to a new seven-year contract that will keep him in San Diego through the 2014 season. Castillo’s original rookie contract was set to expire after the 2009 season.

“Since his arrival, Luis has been played a huge role in the success we’ve had as a defense,” Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said. “He’s an ascending player who is committed to getting better. We’re thrilled that he’ll be a Charger for years to come.”

Castillo was the second of the Chargers’ two first-round draft picks in 2005. In three NFL seasons, he’s played in 36 games and started 33. Lauded for his strength, quickness and athleticism, the Northwestern University grad has posted 13 career sacks, including a career-high seven in 2006. [READ]

Plaxico Burress, who has been campaigning for a new contract, told the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., that he will report to training camp on time when it begins Thursday.

"I'm going to be at camp. I'm going to get out and practice," Burress told The Star-Ledger. "I said that I may not have, but the smarter thing for me to do is to show up and show my teammates I'm ready to play football."

He still won't be happy with his contract situation however.

"It shouldn't have gotten to this point. It just shows me as a person how important I really am to them," Burress told the newspaper. "This thing's a two-way street. It's not a one-way. ... It just opens your eyes a little bit to the people you're walking around with. You look them in the face and they smile at you." [READ]