Terrell Suggs still hopes to play a role on Baltimore's defense this season despite a partial tear of his Achilles tendon. The Ravens aren't sharing Suggs' confidence publicly, but Don Banks of SI.com reports that they are holding out hope that he can contribute something to the team before the year is out. They hope that Suggs can return as a situational pass rusher in the final weeks of the regular season.

Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin feels good as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. "I feel great. No limitations. Got all my strength back. It's just precaution," said Harvin, who had surgery in April. "They don't want me to fall or do anything crazy right now during these drills. Hopefully next week I should be back out here." Harvin caught 87 passes for 967 yards and six touchdowns last season. He also finished third on the team with 345 yards rushing and returned a kick for a touchdown.

Hakeem Nicks is facing a three-month recovery for his surgically repaired broken toe, but he has told the Giants that he'll be back sooner. "'I'll be back for training camp' were his final words" during a phone conversation, Tom Coughlin said Tuesday. "I said OK. I would accept a day or two after the start of camp, (that) would be fine." "I really appreciated his optimism," the coach added. "He has a cast and is elevated. He told me he was pretty much pain-free." Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot Thursday during New York's second organized team activity workout.

It seems as though things are going fairly well in Adrian Peterson's recovery from left knee surgery. At Minnesota's Winter Park facility for the start of this year's offseason team activities in late April, Peterson noticed that his teammates weren't running that hard. So Peterson challenged those same teammates to a footrace and won easily. "He was off to the side working with our trainer, Eric Sugarman, and he looked out and saw the guys doing their wind sprints," head coach Leslie Frazier said. "He says, 'You know, I don't think they're running hard enough.' Eric allowed him to go out and run with them, and he passed them four different times. He finished in first four different times."

Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks underwent successful surgery on his right foot on Friday. Dr. Robert Anderson performed the operation in Charlotte, N.C., inserting a screw into the receiver's foot to hasten the healing process. Nicks broke the fifth metatarsal in the foot while running a route during Thursday's morning practice session.

Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL on January 1, leaving his status for the 2012 season in doubt. There have been reports suggesting Pittsburgh isn't counting on Mendenhall to play early in 2012, but he fully expects to play and he's not ruling out a Week 1 return. "They never said a time. With a knee, it can take anywhere from six to 12 months, so everybody's time frame is different," Mendenhall said. "I'll be back at some point. It's just a matter of what point that is."

Johnny Knox plans to make a full recovery from a fractured vertebra he suffered on December 18 versus the Seahawks. With that said, there is a chance the wide receiver won't play for the Bears at all in 2012. "It could happen, but I'm staying optimistic," Knox said of missing an entire season. "My main focus is in that weight room. That's all I'm focusing on. I'm not in a rush (to return), this is my spine, the core of my body that I'm dealing with. This is not my knee or my ankle or my shoulder...I'm taking my time on this." The injury to Knox occurred when he fumbled after making a 17-yard catch on a slant route. As Knox was scrambling on the ground to recover the loose ball he was hit by Anthony Hargrove and bent backwards. Knox was carted off the field and underwent surgery the next day to stabilize vertebra in his spinal column. Five months later, Knox has still not watched a replay of the hit. "No, I actually haven't, I probably don't want to see it until I retire," he said.

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson will be limited for three to four weeks after having his knee scoped. Johnson underwent the arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He was inactive for nine regular-season games last year with injuries to both hamstrings. He says he hyperextended the knee against Jacksonville on Nov. 27, his first game back after he missed the previous six.

Titans receiver Kenny Britt had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday, but the team said he is expected back for the season opener Sept. 9. Britt, who tore his ACL and MCL last September in a game against the Broncos, had the procedure to make him more comfortable and accelerate his return to the field. "It's almost become commonplace," Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. "It's not one of those things that was, 'Wow, we're having surgery.' It's very common, and if it helps his rehab process, it's well worth doing. Our goal is to have him play this year. You don't want to get into the middle of camp and (need to have surgery)."

The Lions have placed running back Jerome Harrison, who had surgery last October for a brain tumor, on the reserve/non-football illness list. By being placed on the list, Harrison is ineligible to play in 2012.