Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars agreed to a deal Thursday that will keep healing defensive end Tony Brackens with the team for next season.

The Jaguars restructured his contract, giving him an incentive-filled deal that will drop his salary cap figure by almost $4 million, to about $4.5 million.

It was the only way they could keep Brackens, who missed most of last year with a knee injury and had risky microfracture surgery performed on the knee. He won't be able to play until training camp, and only then will the Jaguars know if he's healthy enough to play.

When Jacksonville signed defensive end Hugh Douglas to a five-year, $27 million deal in March, some thought it signaled the end for Brackens in Jacksonville.

Coach Jack Del Rio insisted otherwise, and Brackens said he would be willing to come back in any role he could. The team's all-time sack leader will likely either back up Douglas or move to left end.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers re-signed 39-year-old center Frank Winters, a 17-year veteran, to a $755,000 one-year free agent contract Thursday.

Winters, who has played for the Packers since 1992, was placed on waivers Monday because of salary cap constraints so the Packers could sign him at a lower salary. He was scheduled to make $2 million this season.

Only $450,000 of Winters' salary will count against the cap.

Winters was targeted as a backup last year, but played in all 16 games and made 10 starts after injuries hit the team's offensive line.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers downplayed first-round draft pick Troy Polamalu's history of concussions, then gave the hard-hitting safety a special helmet.

Polamalu, 22, considered Southern California's best safety since Ronnie Lott, said he has likely been reckless with his body -- he suffered three concussions in college -- but he doesn't plan to change his game.

"I go out there and sacrifice every piece of my body and my head has come out on the bad end a few times,'' Polamalu said. "But it's never changed my style of play and never will because I love the sport.''

The Steelers said they have no fears about Polamalu's durability, especially after a neurosurgeon determined he had no lasting damage.

"Players are going to get nicked, especially players who play as hard as he does. I think he'll probably deliver a few more blows than he'll take,'' said Kevin Colbert, director of football operations for the Steelers.

Just in case, the Steelers have taken steps to protect the 5-foot-10, 206-pound All-American, the only safety drafted in the first round since Bill Cowher became coach in 1992.

Along with his jersey number -- 43, the same he wore in college -- the Steelers outfitted Polamalu with a helmet designed to deflect hits and reduce the jarring effects of side-impacts collisions, especially on the jaw.

"I don't think a lot of players will sit there and sacrifice as much as a head,'' Polamalu said. "I mean you can play without an arm, without a leg, but you can't play without your head.''