Plaxico Burress strode quickly through the parking lot, whisked past several reporters and silently ignored their questions, jumped into a black Ford F650 the size of a Mack Truck and thundered away.

Burress had finished his second consecutive Monday workout at the Steelers' facility on the South Side, and while he shut out reporters' attempts to speak with him, coach Bill Cowher had better success.

Cowher spoke with Burress yesterday afternoon for the first time since the wide receiver began a boycott May 7 that lasted through the spring. What transpired in their talk went unsaid to the media, but at a news conference earlier, Cowher suggested that his recalcitrant receiver might not get a free pass this summer. Training camp opens Friday and it's possible Burress won't step out with the first unit at the first practice Sunday.

"We will decide that Sunday afternoon," Cowher said. "We will have everyone at our first practice and we'll have a nice big crowd. ... Everyone has choices to make and there are consequences with each choice, and then you move on."

Cowher said he would do what's in the best interests of his team.

"I have to deal with anything that I feel is a distraction or a disruption, and I'll deal with each situation very subjectively because everyone is different."

Burress remains No. 1 at split end on the depth chart in the team's new media guide, which was issued yesterday, and his agent has declared he will report Friday to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.

Among other topics Cowher covered in his first preseason news conference:

Linebacker Clark Haggans, whose right hand was broken while he was lifting weights last week, will miss four weeks. A date for his return is Aug. 19. Doctors inserted two pins in his hand during surgery. Second-year player Alonzo Jackson and rookie Nathaniel Adibi will get more chances at left outside linebacker in Haggans' absence.

"I think it is a golden opportunity for Alonzo Jackson, for Adibi," Cowher said. "Those guys can step in. They are going to get a lot of reps. So, maybe it's going to accentuate their progress one way or the other."

Cowher expects his team to compete for the AFC North Division title, but not as the favorite, as it was entering last season.

"Baltimore ... won this division a year ago and they own this division until we or someone else knocks them off the block," Cowher said. "There is no question that I think that Baltimore is still the team to beat in our division."

The offensive line and secondary are two prime areas where the staff expects improvement.

The Steelers don't expect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to remain as their only unsigned player for long.

"Hopefully, that will get done in time, and if not, shortly thereafter," Cowher said.

Roethlisberger's agent, Leigh Steinberg, has been seeking a $9 million signing bonus from the Steelers as the 11th pick in the draft. Defensive back Dunta Robinson, drafted by Houston with the 10th pick, received an $8 million signing bonus.