WitP: C.J., Pisa, Samson, Colt

C.J. Hawthorne has been cleared to play for the Bills again.

The Bills had another receiver back on the practice field Friday afternoon, as C.J. Hawthorne was taken off the physically unable to perform list. Hawthorne had missed the entire spring with a foot injury, and had to eventually have surgery performed near the close of minicamp.

The procedure left him not quite ready to participate in practice at training camp. But after missing just eight practices, Hawthorne was able to rejoin his teammates.

Pisa Tinoisamoa says he's already up to speed with the Bears defense.

Speaking of linebackers, the expected starter on the strong side is Pisa Tinoisamoa. He's already up to speed in the defense and said it's virtually the same as what he was used to as a rookie in St. Louis in 2003.

``It's the exact same thing,'' he said.

He also talks about his 1-year contract.

Tinoisamoa signed a one-year contract worth $1.5 million ($1 million base, $500,000 signing bonus). He was released by the St. Louis Rams in late May and acknowledged the thought process was that a one-year deal allowed him to enter the free market at a more opportune time.

"We tossed around the idea of a two-year deal, at least, and we talked about what happened because I got released at that time,'' Tinoisamoa said. "There were different options. Weighing it out and looking at free agency and the potential that we have there, and looking at the teams we had interested, it only made sense to sign the one-year [contract]. Hopefully, things work out [longterm]. But if not, you're with a good defense, an established defense and one I am familiar with, and I'm with a team that likes me. Why not?''

Samson Satele gets praised by one of his new teammates.

Left guard Robert Gallery is sidelined for the moment having recently undergone an emergency appendectomy. Which means he has a different view of new fellow Raiders offensive linemen Samson Satele (center) and Khalif Barnes (tackle).

"They're athletic," Gallery said. "They're going to be good in this (zone-blocking) system. They can move. Just all the things you need to be in this system and that's why they brought them in here and it's good to get going with them."

And Colt Brennan is mentioned a few times in today's Redskins.com practice report.

Colt Brennan, Safety?

When the offense is working apart from the defense, sometimes they have to recruit one of their own to mimic defenders.

During one drill on Friday, quarterback Colt Brennan donned a yellow rag over his helmet and lined up at strong safety.

Before the ball was snapped, Brennan even approached the line of scrimmage in an apparent effort to blitz.

He was quickly swallowed up by blocker Eddie Williams, though.

# Colt Brennan’s deep pass to Roydell Williams was too far. Williams had to adjust his body and veered out of bounds to try to make the grab.
# Big Mike Williams blocked out rookie Jeremy Jarmon, giving Brennan time to get a pass away. Brennan found Marko Mitchell across the middle for a nice gain.