HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans signed linebacker Xavier Adibi, their fourth-round draft pick.

The 6-1, 236-pound Adibi played at Virginia Tech and was the 118th overall selection in the 2008 draft.

Adibi started 40 games for Virginia Tech, recording 291 tackles and 11 sacks and forced five fumbles.

Adibi was a college teammate of offensive tackle Duane Brown, the Texans' first-round pick.

NFL will monitor for gang signs

NEW YORK -- The NFL is stepping up its monitoring of on-field player activities to ensure that no one is flashing the hand signals of street gangs.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the league had hired experts to look at game tapes and identify players or team officials who might be using suspected gang signals. Violators would be warned and disciplined if the episodes recurred.

League officials said that avoiding gang-related activities has long been stressed.

McCown escapes injury in saw accident

MIAMI -- Dolphins quarterback Josh McCown has decided to quit using chain saws, which should please his team.

A brush with a chain saw two weeks ago left McCown with a cut on the index finger of his throwing hand that required six stitches. But he expects to be ready for the start of training camp next week, said his agent, Mike McCartney.

"He has been throwing the football, and he's even playing golf," McCartney said. "He's fine."

The accident occurred at McCown's home in Jacksonville, Texas, while he and his brother, Tampa Bay quarterback Luke McCown, were cutting a tree stump.

Chiefs OK deals with Robinson, Johnston

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs agreed to three-year deals with draft picks Kevin Robinson and Brian Johnston. Terms of the contracts were not available.

Robinson, a receiver, was one of Kansas City's two sixth-round picks. He caught 178 passes for 2,485 yards in 46 games for Utah State. He set school records with 1,104 yards and four touchdowns on punt returns, and 2,725 yards and four touchdowns on kickoff returns.

Johnston, a defensive end, was one of the Chiefs' two seventh-round picks. He had 268 tackles and 21 sacks in four years at Gardner-Webb. He also forced 10 fumbles, recovered three, and blocked one kick.

Steelers sale may require repayment

Any sale of the Pittsburgh Steelers may prompt taxpayers to seek reimbursement for a portion of their contribution to the National Football League team's stadium, Allegheny County Controller Mark Flaherty said.

Flaherty said county and Pennsylvania taxpayers put up $281 million toward the construction of Heinz Field, which opened in 2001 and helped boost the value of the franchise. The Steelers are valued at about $929 million, according to estimates by Forbes magazine, up from about $300 million in 1998.

"Because of that investment, there's been an appreciation in value of the franchise," Flaherty said in a telephone interview. "I just thought it was right for the public to share in that increased value."

Duquesne Capital Management LLC Chairman Stanley Druckenmiller said this week that he's interested in buying the team from the Rooney family, which owns 80 percent, and the McGinley family, which owns 20 percent.

The team said in a statement last week that Chairman Dan Rooney and his son Art Rooney II were attempting to buy relatives' shares to maintain family control.

Falcons sign James to four-year deal

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons are still negotiating with two draft picks after signing linebacker Robert James to a four-year contract.

James, a fifth-round pick, became the ninth of the team's 11 draft picks to sign. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Radio voice of Giants to replace Gumbel

NEW YORK -- Bob Papa, the radio play-by-play voice of the New York Giants for the past 13 seasons, will replace Bryant Gumbel as the announcer for the NFL Network's eight Thursday night games.

Papa will team with Cris Collinsworth to do the games, which had been handled by Gumbel for the first two seasons of live games on the NFL's television outlet. Gumbel, primarily a studio anchor over his long and diverse career, stepped down after last season after mostly unfavorable critical reviews.

Favre, Packers remain at odds

MILWAUKEE -- With Brett Favre potentially headed back to an even chillier reception than the below-zero conditions in his last game at Lambeau Field, the next step in the iconic quarterback's plan to maneuver his way out of Green Bay is unclear.

Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN that he and Favre have "no definite plans to ask for reinstatement" and it was up to the Packers to decide what to do next.

"It's their move," Cook said.

Reached last night, Packers spokesman Jeff Blumb indicated no response was forthcoming from the team.

Meanwhile, a Foxsports.com report citing an anonymous source said the Packers have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the Minnesota Vikings, alleging "inappropriate dialogue" with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a close friend of Favre's and a former Packers assistant.

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