June 5
If Deion Sanders believes Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer is playing games by refusing to release him, he's probably right.

Here's the bottom line: Sanders must be playing baseball to skip training camp or else he could be liable for a generous portion of the $8 million signing bonus Daniel Snyder gave him last year. A sub-.200 batting average and the pending return of Ken Griffey Jr. has put Sanders' baseball future in doubt.

Tough reception
Patriots owner Bob Kraft and coach Bill Belichick are sending a strong message to Terry Glenn, who was asked to skip mini-camp this week while he faces charges of assault on the mother on his child. Glenn has a specific morals clause in his contract that Kraft won't hesitate to enforce to avoid paying Glenn the $7 million balance of his $10 million signing bonus

Trying to reconnect
Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James have a tight relationship, which is why Manning was disappointed when James failed to return his phone calls about participating in the Colts' voluntary summer camp. James did suggest to Manning in April that he would skip the offseason program to work out in Miami, but the quarterback incorrectly assumed that James would show up for the on-field sessions in June.

Hilliard not toeing the line
While Pro Bowl linebacker Jesse Armstead is AWOL from the Giants' mandatory mini-camp while seeking to re-do his contract for the fifth time, coach Jim Fassel was more disappointed with the appearance of Ike Hilliard. The wide receiver is in New York visiting specialists to determine whether a toe injury needs surgery that could force him to miss training camp. Hilliard, who also wants a new contract, ignored the Giants' desire for follow-up treatments after he received an initial treatment in February.

Will home-cooking woo Wadsworth?
The Dolphins think their hometown ties to Andre Wadsworth might help them land him. The former No. 1 pick was cut by the Cardinals last week, but remains in Arizona to rehab his surgically repaired left knee while contemplating the Dolphins' proposal to head back to Miami, where he attended high school.