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Larry Fitzgerald is back in practice at full speed and will provide new quarterback Derek Anderson a welcome big-play target when the Arizona Cardinals open their season Sunday in St. Louis.

With the Broncos first game with Tim Tebow on the roster comes the expectation that Denver’s Wild Horse package, little used last season, will be unveiled on a grander scale.

Tebow

It’s their variation on Miami’s Wildcat — though I always like to point out that the thing that makes the Wildcat a) the Wildcat and b) potentially successful is that it’s a non-quarterback taking the snap.



Jacksonville will be the guinea pig, as the first defense to face Denver’s the new variation.



“Its effectiveness is debatable,” Jack Del Rio told Jacksonville media Wednesday. “I think it’s certainly been out there. Some teams are better at it than others. I think back to [reporter] Vito [Stellino’s] point, the Wildcat for Miami with Ronnie Brown, he was pretty good at it because there would be a guy in the hole he’d make them miss.



“So I think clearly scheme is important but really the players are what makes things go, and so they’ll have something there and we’ll have something ready for that and we’ll see how it plays out.”



I don’t expect we will be discussing a Wild Horse revolution on Sunday night. I do expect young guys on the defensive front might be a bit flummoxed by it. I do suspect Tebow will be given a good opportunity or two to score at EverBank Field, near his home against a team that (wisely) passed on him in the draft.



Does Del Rio expect Denver to have a playing role for Tebow Sunday?



“I would think they would,” he said. “I didn’t consult with Josh (McDaniels) before I told you that.”

Arizona: Inside linebacker Gerald Hayes enters the season on the physically unable to perform list. The Cardinals will need rookie Daryl Washington and St. Louis Rams castoff Paris Lenon to hold up against Steven Jackson. On offense, the Cardinals might need their depth at running back. A knee injury kept Beanie Wells from practicing Wednesday. Wells plans to play. Missed practice time can be important for a young running back, especially when that running back is trying to win the coaches’ trust across situations. Whether Wells practices Thursday could be important. The Cardinals can count on Tim Hightower in protection. Hightower is going to start whether or not Wells is available. Receiver Larry Fitzgerald participated fully in practice Wednesday, as promised, after using most of the exhibition season to recover from a knee injury. The Cardinals gave linebacker Joey Porter the day off, but he’s expected to start.



St. Louis: A knee injury has sidelined veteran safety James Butler, who was limited in practice Wednesday, but the Rams have pretty good depth at the position as long as Craig Dahl and Oshiomogho Atogwe remain available. Jackson’s surgically repaired back hasn’t been an issue through training camp. He’s added upper-body muscle and weighed 244 pounds. The Rams look healthy on paper, but eight of their current players finished last season on injured reserve (receiver Laurent Robinson, Atogwe, cornerback Bradley Fletcher, snapper Chris Massey, tight end Daniel Fells, guard Jacob Bell, defensive tackle Gary Gibson and defensive end C.J. Ah You). How well will those players hold up in their first regular-season games back?



San Francisco: Ahmad Brooks, arguably the 49ers’ best situation pass-rush threat, is still recovering from a lacerated kidney. He will not play against Seattle. Receiver Michael Crabtree (neck) missed every exhibition game, but rust wasn’t a problem for him when reporting deep into the season a year ago. This game also marks tight end Vernon Davis‘ return to live action following the knee injury he suffered during the first exhibition game. Continuity was a point of emphasis on offense for the 49ers this offseason, but quarterback Alex Smith hasn’t enjoyed much game action with Frank Gore, Crabtree and Davis this summer. Throw in a hostile environment with two rookie offensive linemen and the 49ers face some challenges.



Seattle: The Seahawks will play their first regular-season game under Pete Carroll without the first player Carroll drafted. Russell Okung would have been the starting left tackle. Expect the Seahawks to help Okung’s replacement in pass protection. They might need to help both tackles at times. That could affect tight end John Carlson‘s opportunities as a receiver. Seattle was probably going to use two tight ends more frequently anyway. That makes more sense with Okung sidelined. Chester Pitts could start at left tackle, but he’s better suited to guard and hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury in Week 2 last season. Pitts was limited in practice Wednesday. Tyler Polumbus could start at left tackle Sunday.

The Colts parted ways with Tony Ugoh — I wrote up the news here. How much does that raise the level of concern about the Colts offensive line?

Ugoh

In that they lose an experienced player who could be put inside at guard or outside at tackle, a lot. In that they could trust him to be a consistent performer there, not nearly as much.



They may come to say it boiled down to his foot injury and not his production.



But no matter the rationale, Indy claimed Joe Reitz off waivers from Miami and cleared away Ugoh to get the roster spot. Reitz originally signed as a free agent with Baltimore in 2008 out of Western Michigan.



Charlie Johnson was limited in practice Wednesday with a foot injury. If he cannot start at left tackle Sunday or if he cannot finish, Peyton Manning’s blind side protector is likely to be undrafted free agent Jeff Linkenbach. With Reitz possibly next in line.



At some point, the strain on the line and on Manning as a result of it becomes too much.



I’d expect Linkenbach to get constant help from rookie tight end Brody Eldridge if he played.



Still, those guys against Mario Williams get the Colts line closer to that breaking point than they’ve ever been.

Here is a stat to ponder: Cleveland Browns veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme is 9-2 as a starter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That has to give Browns fans some comfort this week as they begin their 2010 regular season on the road against Tampa Bay.



“I think we’ve just played some decent games against them,” Delhomme said during Wednesday’s press conference. “Every one was hard fought and whatnot. It just is what it is.”



The $7 million signing of Delhomme has been a hot topic this offseason. Delhomme is coming off the worst season of his career, where he threw just eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions with the Carolina Panthers, who later benched and released him.



But so far Delhomme has looked nothing like the person who threw interceptions in bunches last year. He’s completed 79 percent of his passes in three preseason games with zero interceptions.



Delhomme also has quickly established himself as a leader in Cleveland’s locker room, which was needed. He’s been such a good influence that Delhomme was elected as one of the team’s captains this week.



“I did my background on Jake as well and everything that people said about him was positive,” Browns coach Eric Mangini said. “You couldn’t find one person, you couldn’t find a disparaging word and you’re not looking for that. You’re just looking to get to the truth.”



It’s Delhomme’s job to keep his preseason momentum going. The Browns are projected to finish last in the division. But good quarterback play would make them competitive and a tough opponent on a weekly basis.



At age 35, Delhomme says he’s ready to start another grueling NFL season.



“I feel good, I feel very good,” Delhomme said. “I’m very excited to go out and play. Like I keep saying, I think I enjoy it and I appreciate it so much more the older I get.



“To think, I’m going into my third decade of playing football in the National Football League. I literally pinch myself. I’m excited and ready to go.”

Steve Spagnuolo’s background on defense hasn’t prevented the St. Louis Rams‘ coach from spending considerable practice time with the offense.

Bradford

The Rams’ second-year head coach likes to stay involved in all areas of coaching, not just his specialty. Spagnuolo set aside an hour Tuesday for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. The two watched Arizona Cardinals video in preparation for the regular-season opener Sunday.



“I tried to give him a little bit of the defensive side of it, what I think they might be doing or thinking, what I thought he could expect from being a rookie quarterback in the first game,” Spagnuolo told reporters.



Spagnuolo has changed some aspects of his time allocation this season. He has pledged to spend more one-on-one time with assistant coaches after falling short in that area last season. An hour with the team’s new franchise quarterback should only help. Bradford has been a quick study, but he’ll see things Sunday that only experience can teach him.



Staying on the same page with the head coach, even a defensive-minded head coach, could make Bradford more comfortable.

How much Chad Henne has developed since last year is one of the biggest questions in the NFL.



Big improvement means the Miami Dolphins are a threat to win the AFC East. An inability to show he’s ready to be the franchise quarterback could bring misery.



“Obviously, there’s big expectations,” Henne said. “I’m taking it in. I just have to keep at it and keep learning and keep getting better and better each and every day. If things go my way and I’m making good decisions out there, we’ll get there someday.”



Appropriately, he will open his campaign in the spot of his worst professional game. The Dolphins will play the Buffalo Bills in Ralph Wilson Stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday.



The setting will provide a good test for Henne. The Bills have an impressive secondary and a new 3-4 defense that will force the Dolphins into a speculative game plan.



And what better way to demonstrate how far Henne has progressed than versus a team that embarrassed the Dolphins last year?



The surging Dolphins went to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Week 12. They had recovered from a 0-3 start by winning five out of seven games for a .500 record. They needed to beat the lowly Bills to maintain legitimate postseason hopes.



Miami led 14-7 entering the fourth quarter. Buffalo took a 17-14 lead with 3:40 to play. Henne tossed an interception on each of the next three possessions, and Buffalo won 31-14.



“It was tough,” said Henne, who threw a touchdown pass but finished with a 42.5 passer rating. “I think the last bunch of games that we played in we didn’t end in the right way and we didn’t finish the way we wanted to.



“We just need to concentrate on what is at task. This is our season opener. We want to start fast and really execute on all cylinders.”



For the first time Sunday, Henne will throw at Brandon Marshall in a meaningful game. They didn’t click very well over the summer. Marshall missed every offseason practice because of hip surgery, delaying their quarterback-receiver symbiosis.



But Marshall’s mere presence on the field will diversify an offense that has relied on running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.



“It’s going to be tough to defend,” Henne said. “If you give us on-on-one coverage, we have Brandon out there one-on-one and, obviously, we have other receivers in Devon [Bess] and [Brian] Hartline. If you keep two deep and keep less guys in the box, then we’re going to run the ball at you.”



With added options come a more complicated offense. That will create more situations at the line of scrimmage and in the pocket that will call on Henne’s generalship. He has to be up to the challenge.



“I think what I’ve learned is decision making and handling the ball the right way and making better decisions out there,” Henne said. “I’ve kind of accomplished more in the preseason and the offseason, but there’s still work to be done.



“We obviously have new weapons out there, so just go through my reads and be the quarterback that I am.”

Mike Florio understands why Arizona had to cut QB Matt Leinart instead of trading him and looks at other recent NFL roster cuts. (NBC Sports)

Mike Florio understands why Arizona had to cut QB Matt Leinart instead of trading him and looks at other recent NFL roster cuts. (NBC Sports)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Whether or not Chris Johnson advertised that he’s hoping for a 2,500-yard rushing season, he’s in an awkward spot this year.



The two most recent backs to surpass 2,000 yards — Jamal Lewis in 2003 and Terrell Davis in 1998 – did not face the extraordinary popularity of fantasy football that Johnson does.



That factors into external pressures and public expectations for CJ, the No. 1 pick in millions of leagues.



If he runs for 1,600 yards and scores 16 touchdowns — a fantastic season — many will judge him a failure on the heels of 2,006 yards and 16 TDs.



That’s ridiculous in football terms, of course, especially if the Titans are winning.



Fans of the NFL who play fantasy need to work, in situations like this, to disconnect the two.



Johnson took some questions on this sort of thing Wednesday after practice. Here are the two best things he said.



“I don’t want to sit there and say it’s a good year knowing my goal is 2,500. But if you look around at the average rushing yards a guy has in this league, I think Steven Jackson last year had 1,500 or 1,600 yards rushing and he had a pretty good year …”



“I feel like if I end up rushing for 1,500 yards and this team goes further in the playoffs and the Super Bowl than it would be OK.”



Meanwhile, Johnson learned of a new number that seemed like it might stick in his head.



The franchise record for rushing yards on opening day is 216 — Eddie George’s total in an overtime win over the Raiders. It was the club’s first regular-season game in Tennessee and was played at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis in 1997.



“That’s a goal I can set to try to beat or whatever like that,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to go out there and say, ‘I’m going to run for this many yards versus Oakland’ or anything like that. My main focus is to go out there and get the win.”



Oakland’s defense will present challenges in both size and speed, Johnson said.



Raiders coach Tom Cable, who was on the staff that coached Johnson at the Senior Bowl, was the first of 16 to offer the obligatory compliments leading into a matchup against the Titans and CJ.



“Well, coaching-wise there are a lot of us here that are familiar with Chris because we had him in the Senior Bowl,” Cable said. “So, we do know how fast he is, but we’re not the ones out there trying to tackle him. You can only explain that to your team, and try to play great team defense …



“He had a toughness about him and certainly played the game at a different speed — you knew that for sure.”