Saints running back Chris Ivory is working his way back from an injury that limited him last season. Ivory, who is coming off his rookie season, underwent lisfranc surgery after he went on the injured reserve at the end of the season. "Right now I'm still rehabbing, and it has gotten a lot better," Ivory said. "I'm to the point now where I can put a little more pressure on it, but that pressure is still -- I'm still hesitant to put a lot on it, to where it's like I'm walking normal. I still have a little ways to go." Ivory averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, but was limited to 716 yards on 137 carries.

Lions quarterback Matt Stafford continues to work his way back into shape after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder. "Feelin good after throwing a lot yesterday," Stafford tweeted Saturday. The Lions can receive reports on Stafford's progress, but they aren't permitting to make contact with him during the lockout. "There's nothing he's had injury-wise his first two years that is going to affect him going forward," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said this week. "He knows that, we all know that. We (just) need to keep him on the field."

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has started throwing again, according to an ESPN.com report on Thursday. Stafford posted a message to his Twitter account indicating he felt good throwing in Athens, Ga., two months after having surgery on his right shoulder. He tweeted that he was heading to "rehab, lift and run" during the NFL lockout. He added: "Never know when the owners will let us back in to start playing."

Jerricho Cotchery may have dropped an unsightly eight passes last season because of a back injury. Unbeknownst to the public, Jets receiver played with a painful herniated disc throughout the season and underwent back surgery Feb. 3. The procedure was a microdiscectomy. Cotchery said doctors "shaved off" the piece of the disc that was pressing against a nerve. He said the condition worsened in October, causing shooting pain down his leg and into his foot. "It wasn't a good feeling," Cotchery said. "It was pretty painful. I wouldn't want any football player to have to go through that."

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said Tuesday that he is recovering well from surgery on his throwing shoulder. He says he'll get together with tight end Brandon Pettigrew and wide receiver Calvin Johnson to workout when healthy. Stafford, who has missed 19 games because of injury during his first two NFL seasons, can't train at the Lions' facility or consult with the team's medical staff because of the lockout that has stifled football and related activities.

USC opens spring football Tuesday with a rash of injuries that could hinder what the coaching staff is hoping to accomplish, coach Lane Kiffin said Monday, according to an ESPN.com report. The Trojans already had a diminished roster due to NCAA sanctions and Kiffin said 20 players have yet to be cleared by doctors for full contact. "It was just a very unusual amount of offseason surgeries and injuries, unfortunately," Kiffin said.

Colts tight end Dallas Clark is still working to rehabilitate ligaments that were surgically repaired in his right wrist in the middle of last season. With the NFL's lockout of players, Clark said he's moved his recovery work from the team facility to a local sports medicine center in Indianapolis. "It's different, we're cut off from that," Clark said. "But I've got a great setup working at St. Vincent Sports Medicine and they have a great rehab and training facility, they pretty much do everything. I did the first six weeks of my rehab out in Tempe, Ariz. ... I just needed to get back home and everything's been great."

Browns defensive end Robaire Smith has been medically cleared to play. Smith missed the final 11 games of last season with a spinal bruise. He should be a free agent when a new labor agreement is reached, but has expressed interest in returning to Cleveland.

Jets safety Jim Leonhard is working hard to get back on the field, even though there is no guarantee there will be football this fall. Leonhard is making positive strides as he rehabs the broken leg he suffered during a practice session on Dec. 3. His rehab has been on schedule, just over three months after a metal rod was inserted into his leg. "They're letting me be a lot more aggressive with the rehab," Leonhard said. " "Until that bone has completely healed -- and we're pretty close now -- they tried to hold me back, didn't want to do anything to have setbacks. Now, they're starting to give me more."

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu played hurt during the team's run to the Super Bowl. Sources confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Polamalu never fully recovered from the Achilles' tendon injury he suffered during a Week 14 victory over the Bengals. Polamalu missed two games with the injury. He will not need surgery and is instead receiving treatment and rehabilitating the Achilles in Los Angeles.