FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets safety LaRon Landry is “ahead of schedule” in his rehabilitation from Achilles and heel injuries, and hopes to be healthy for the start of training camp next month.
Landry, signed to a one-year deal in March, says Wednesday that he spent much of the offseason working on his own in Arizona and receiving “advanced” non-surgical treatments to heal the injuries that were “more of like a bone issue,” and cut short last season with the Washington Redskins. He says his Achilles is “totally healed” and “I’ve been ahead of schedule.”
Landry is with the team for mandatory minicamp, but staying mostly on the sideline during practices. He has done some agility drills and felt good, and expects to be “ready physically and mentally” for training camp.
Panthers’ Smith wants to play ’three or four’ more years
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith said he wants to play “three or four more years” in the NFL before calling it quits and transitioning into what he calls a full-fledged “cheerleader.”
Smith, 33, can’t wait. The five-time Pro Bowler figures by the time he retires from football his 14-year-old son Peyton, an exceptional soccer player, will be playing in college. And Smith doesn’t plan to miss many of those matches.
“In four years it gives me an opportunity to hang up my cleats and now I become a cheerleader,” Smith said. “Now it’s ’Hey, c’mon honey, we have to hurry up and travel to Peyton’s games.’ I’m looking forward to that. It’s no longer about me at that point. It’s about him.”
Around the league
LIONS: Running back Mikel Leshoure was suspended for two games without pay and will have to give up two more game checks for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Leshoure pleaded guilty to marijuana possession in May after police discovered him with pot in his mouth during a traffic stop in southwestern Michigan.
That happened on March 12, less than a month after police in a different Berrien County community said they caught Leshoure with marijuana.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh signed former Cincinnati linebacker Brandon Johnson, giving the Steelers veteran depth at linebacker.
Johnson, 29, spent the past four seasons with the Bengals, playing in 58 games and recording a career-high 79 tackles in 2008.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.