Four days after kicking his helmet in disgust and climbing into a golf cart thinking his shoulder was broken, Carolina's superstar wide receiver, Steve Smith, was smiling and throwing tight spirals.

Fittingly, Smith's surprisingly quick return to practice yesterday ended with a throw-and-catch session with inexperienced receiver Kenny Moore. They spent much of the offseason working out together, an experience that conflicted with the Panthers star's loner persona -- and renewed his enthusiasm.

"It gave me those childhood memories of what I grew up with. I really liked how I felt, falling back in love with the game," Smith said. "So getting hurt, that's why I took it out on my helmet. Seven months of working hard, and then in seven seconds you're back in the same position.

"But, in hindsight, it's not broken."

X-rays Monday night revealed no breaks and, after a day in a sling, Smith had progressed to an exercise bike. It was still thought he would miss most, if not all, of the preseason.

So the sight of Smith running with his teammates in full pads yesterday morning at training camp shocked onlookers. Saying he suffered just a "pretty good bone bruise," Smith participated in individual drills before sitting out the team work and avoiding contact.

"It doesn't hurt as much. Sleep is kind of difficult, but it's all right," said Smith, who wore a wrap under his shoulder pads. "I wouldn't say I woke up and said, 'OK, I'm healed.' But it's getting more tolerable."

Smith had 78 catches for 1,421 yards and six touchdowns last season.

Wide receiver Steve Breaston (Woodland Hills High School) was expected to have a precautionary MRI yesterday because of soreness and stiffness in his knee. Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt also said he was hopeful that rookie running back Chris Wells, who had a sprained an ankle in his first practice, will be able to play in the Cardinals' next preseason game a week from tonight against San Diego.

Green Bay signed first-round draft pick B.J. Raji yesterday, ending the defensive lineman's nearly two-week training camp holdout. Citing two unidentified NFL sources, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Raji signed a five-year, $28.5 million deal that included just less than $18 million in guaranteed money.

First-round draft pick Eugene Monroe ended a 12-day holdout yesterday, signing a five-year contract with Jacksonville. Monroe, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive left tackle from Virginia, joined his teammates for practice last night. No financial terms were disclosed.

New York rookie running back Andre Brown has a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg and will miss the season. The fourth-round pick from North Carolina State was running a pass route when the injury occurred.

An Atlanta jury found Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall not guilty of misdemeanor battery against his former girlfriend, announcing its verdict yesterday after about an hour of deliberations. Marshall had faced two counts of simple battery stemming from a March 4, 2008, argument with at the Atlanta condominium the couple shared.