NFL notebook: Texas S Hal's lymphoma in remission

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien told reporters on Wednesday that safety Andre Hal's Hodgkin's lymphoma is in remission. The Texans announced Hal's diagnosis in June, and said he was undergoing evaluation and treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He received a preliminary diagnosis from the Texans' team physician when he complained of blurry vision. "Lot bigger day than football, very special day," O'Brien said. "Andre Hal has been an unbelievable guy. Dre never wavered in his belief he would beat it, and he has. We'll take it day by day. "He's been a leader for us. He's just been an unbelievable guy in this organization. Dre never wavered in his belief that he would beat it. And he has." The 26-year-old Hal has played his entire four-year NFL career with the Texans, who drafted him in the seventh round (No. 216 overall) out of Vanderbilt. The Texans placed him on the reserve/non-football illness list on Sept. 1. "I had my faith in God," said the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Hal, who last year signed a three-year, $15-million contract with the Texans, with $7 million guaranteed. "I did everything I could to beat this. The cancer went away." There is no timetable for Hal's return, but Texans trainer Geoff Kaplan said: "Everything is on the table," including Hal playing this season. --Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis expressed optimism that star wide receiver A.J. Green will be able to participate in a bit of a homecoming when the team visits the Atlanta Falcons this weekend. Green sustained a groin injury while attempting to make a leaping catch over the middle in the third quarter of the Bengals' 31-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. He did not return to the game, but Lewis told reporters on Wednesday that Green responded favorably to the anti-inflammatories he used to rehab the injury. The 30-year-old Green was spotted on the field for Wednesday's practice and went through stretching exercises with his teammates before doing rehab work on the side. Green played at Georgia before being selected by Cincinnati with the fourth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has gone on to receive seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections, including in 2017 after making 75 receptions for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns. Green has 16 catches for 219 yards and four scores this season, highlighted by his three-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. --Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery of the Philadelphia Eagles has been cleared for contact after recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder, head coach Doug Pederson said at the start of his press conference. Pederson added that it has not been determined of Jeffery will play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans after being listed as questionable last week against the Indianapolis Colts, even though he did not have full clearance. "It's a situation where you want to make sure the player is 100 percent right when he's back on the field," Pederson said, noting that Jeffery will have three days of practice to get ready for the Titans. With wide receivers Mike Wallace and Mack Hollins on injured reserve, Jeffery would bolster a group that includes Nelson Agholor, Jordan Matthews and Kamar Aiken. Jeffery caught 57 passes for 789 yards and nine touchdowns last season. --Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston said he's willing to help the team in any capacity in his first public comments following the conclusion of his three-game suspension. Winston also said that he's excited for the success of the Buccaneers (2-1) thus far with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. The 24-year-old Winston took the podium on Wednesday and asked reporters, "Did you miss me?" "I'm here to assist the best way I possibly can ... It's about the team's success," Winston said. "I'm not a selfish player. We're out here doing big things and we've got to continue doing that." Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter cited competitive advantages on Tuesday for his reasoning against publicly naming a starting quarterback for the team's game versus the Chicago Bears (2-1) this weekend. Koetter did say that Winston and Fitzpatrick know which one will start on Sunday. --The Green Bay Packers signed Bashaud Breeland to a contract and placed fellow cornerback Davon House on injured reserve with an ailing shoulder, the team announced. Breeland worked out with fellow cornerbacks David Amerson and Arrion Springs on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Breeland has been seeking a job since failing a physical due to a toe injury with the Carolina Panthers during the offseason, nullifying a three-year, $24 million deal with the club. A fourth-round draft pick of Washington in 2014, Breeland started 15 games for the Redskins last season. He had 50 tackles (37 solo), broke up 19 passes and returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown. --Cornerback Sam Shields is looking to make the most of his opportunity on Thursday when the Los Angeles Rams host the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams (3-0) will be without Aqib Talib (high ankle sprain) and perhaps even fellow starting cornerback Marcus Peters (calf). Their potential absences would increase the workload for Shields, who could be making his first start since the 2016 season opener with the Green Bay Packers. Concussions kept Shields out for the remainder of that year and all of the 2017 season. "A lot of people still like want to know, 'Is he all right?' Things like that," the 30-year-old Shields said, via the Los Angeles Times. "For me, it's just kind of show people I still got it. I can still do it." --Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees were named the respective AFC and NFC Offensive Player of the Week, the NFL announced. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick received the honors following each of the previous two weeks to begin the NFL season. Roethlisberger completed 30 of 38 passes for 353 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Steelers' 30-27 win over the Buccaneers on Monday night. Brees completed 39 of 49 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for two more scores, including one in overtime of the Saints' 43-37 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after registering eight tackles, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery in Sunday's 27-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Carolina Panthers defensive end Efe Obada received NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Nigerian-born player collected a sack and an interception in his NFL debut -- a 31-21 triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. --The New England Patriots announced that they have re-signed running back Kenjon Barner and signed defensive end John Simon. Terms of the contracts were not announced. In addition, the Patriots placed linebacker Ja'Whaun Benetley and running back Rex Burkhead on injured reserve, and signed defensive back David Jones to the practice squad and released wide receiver Jace Billingsley from the practice squad. The 29-year-old Barner was signed by the Patriots on Sept. 11 and released eight days later. The 5-9, 195-pounder was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2013 draft out of Oregon. Simon, 27, is a veteran of five NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2013), Houston Texans (2014-16) and Indianapolis Colts (2017). The 6-2, 260-pounder was released by Indianapolis on Sept. 1.