EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The salt and pepper in Brett Favre's hair is long gone, with only a few flecks of brown remaining in the silver atop his 39-year-old head.

He has a torn rotator cuff in that famously bionic arm and it's been 12 years since he won the last of his three consecutive MVP awards.

Most Minnesota Vikings fans are celebrating Favre's arrival as the missing link between their franchise and the Super Bowl glory that has eluded it for 48 years. They envision the exuberant, 27-year-old showman running around the Louisiana Superdome with his helmet aloft after throwing a touchdown to Andre Rison in the Packers' Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

But that was 13 years ago.

So before the purple faithful book trips to Miami for the Super Bowl in February, one question remains to be answered: Just how much does Favre have left?

Even Favre doesn't know.

";I'd be the first to admit that I don't think I'm capable of making some of the plays that I used to make," Favre said. ";My mind may tell me I can. But I don't know if physically I can do that. So understanding my limitations, how it pertains to what I can do, is all part of this process."

Favre practiced with the Vikings for the second time Wednesday, and the team thinks there is at least one more year's worth of magic in a right arm that turns 40 in October. So the defending NFC North champions have brought in the once-hated rival to lead them past the Packers, Bears and Lions and to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1977.

Bears

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) -- Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler insists the reaction to his postgame comments last week didn't bother him.

Still, he made a point to smooth things over with wide receiver Devin Hester.

Cutler got off to a rocky start with his new team in the preseason opener, completing only half his passes in a loss to Buffalo while throwing more interceptions (one) than touchdowns (zero). He also offended Hester after the game while trying to explain to reporters why he got picked off on an underthrown ball.

Many took it as a knock at Hester, who was bothered by the remarks at first. Cutler, however, pointed the finger at himself and added there is no problem between the two and that his comment was ";taken out of context."

Bills

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) -- The moving trucks pulled up in front of the Bills training camp Wednesday morning while the players were still at practice -- a sign the team is eager to head home after nearly four weeks in suburban Rochester.

The Bills will return to their headquarters in Orchard Park with a limping Terrell Owens and plenty of questions as to whether this group is capable of ending Buffalo's nine-year playoff drought. And they're still without unsigned first-round draft pick Aaron Maybin.

The biggest positive has been the potential shown by Buffalo's new no-huddle offense.

";Definitely, I think it was promising," receiver Lee Evans said. ";It certainly showed signs of light. There were some tough times, too, but overall, I think it was productive."

The Bills have practiced the hurry-up offense exclusively since camp opened July 25, and tested it during their first two preseason games, a 21-18 loss to Tennessee and a 27-20 win over Chicago.

Browns

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Browns coach Eric Mangini is keeping his starting quarterback for Saturday's home exhibition opener -- and beyond -- a secret.

Mangini declined to say Wednesday whether Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn will start at quarterback against the Detroit Lions. It would appear to be Anderson's turn after Quinn started last week's game at Green Bay. Mangini says he wants to wait until the end of the practice week before announcing his starter.

Mangini says he has successfully balanced the reps between Anderson and Quinn during training camp, and doesn't feel any urgency to tab his starter for the regular season opener against Minnesota on Sept. 13.

Mangini said he is most concerned about making the ";right decision, not the quick decision."

Panthers

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) -- After a year out of football doing television work and voicing car commercials, Jeremy Leman is eager to make the most of his opportunity with the Panthers.

Sometimes too eager.

Leman went from being that unknown linebacker with the long hair flowing out the back of his helmet to the guy Carolina coach John Fox always seemed to be lecturing at training camp for being too physical in practice.

";I tend to err on the side of going too far, not on the side of caution," Leman said.

His performance in Monday's exhibition opener -- seven tackles, good ball pursuit and numerous energetic shrieks -- left the Panthers considering whether to put the loud longshot on the 53-man roster.

";He's a tough guy. He likes to play the game. He plays it with the right attitude," Fox said. ";In game situations he played downhill and was very physical, so I liked what I saw."

Leman, who prefers to be called J instead of Jeremy, is just happy for another chance. After leading Illinois in tackles two consecutive years, he went undrafted in 2008 and signed with Minnesota. The Vikings let him go in the final round of cuts.

Leman thought he would catch on somewhere, but his phone was silent. So he started doing commercials for car dealerships in Illinois. Then he joined the Big Ten Network, where he was an analyst on a football pregame show at the site of the biggest league game of the week.

";It worked out well, but it's nothing like playing football," Leman said.

He had one workout last season, but the New York Jets decided not to sign him, and Leman started to question himself.

";It's like, man, nobody wants to pick me up right now," Leman said. ";Let's be honest, it's a test of faith."

He remained on the Panthers' list of prospects, however, and shortly after the season they brought him in for a physical and signed him. He quickly drew the attention of his teammates in offseason workouts.

";He's a wild man," said linebacker James Anderson. ";He's a guy that loves football, plays with great intensity. He's headfirst to the ball. He's a ball hawk always around the ball, and those are the kind of guys that make great linebackers."

Leman still was deep down the depth chart when he reported to training camp, where he was best known for keeping his long hair despite the intense heat at Wofford College.

";It looks too cool coming out of the back of the helmet," Leman explained.

Linebacker then became the position with the most injuries. While Jon Beason is back from a strained hamstring, Thomas Davis (knee) and Landon Johnson (groin) remain sidelined. Leman moved up the depth chart at outside linebacker, even practicing with the starters one day.

His enthusiasm has sometimes got him into trouble. Last week he got into a scuffle with DeCori Birmingham after bringing the running back to the turf in a non-contact drill. There were other too-aggressive moments that led Fox to order him to tone it down.

";It's hard for me to sometimes to just go out there and wrap up people," Leman said. ";Then they ask you to turn it on and bring people to the ground on game day."

Leman made his first game with Carolina memorable. Playing the entire second half of the 24-17 loss to the New York Giants, Leman was seemingly always around the ball. After bringing Danny Ware down for no gain in the third quarter, Leman scream and pointed to the crowd -- to no one in particular.

";I just get fired up every now and then," he said, grinning.

The Panthers will likely carry six or seven linebackers, leaving Leman competing with rookies Mortty Ivy and Anthony Heygood and perhaps even Anderson and Johnson for a roster spot. He'll likely need to contribute on special teams, too, an area he feels he needs to improve.

But Leman has made himself known -- and not just for the long hair and flamboyant style.

";Football is fun, man. It's a fun game," he said. ";When you get to out there and hit people and fly around and tackle, that's what we work so hard to do. You just don't get many chances."