NFL Notebook, June 14: Saints' Evans, Ravens' Nakamura on Mend

Here's what's happening around the National Football League on Monday, June 14, 2010:

• Fullback Heath Evans is back with the Saints, the knee surgery that prematurely ended his season last year nothing more than a distant memory, Nola.com reported.

Evans tore the ACL in his right knee in New Orleans' 46-34 victory over the Dolphins on Oct. 25 and underwent surgery four days later.

He has participated in all of the the team's off-season activities, albeit on a limited scale.

"First time being injured, you never really know what to expect,'' he told Nola.com. "Every day is a little different. My knee's to the point where you can't really hurt it. You've just got to kind of break through all the not so fun stuff, so that's kind of where I'm at."

Barring a setback, Evans and the Saints expect the veteran to be near full speed by the time the team opens training camp on July 31.

"Certainly we'll feel like he'll be ready for training camp, " coach Sean Payton said. "We just have to monitor how many snaps in training camp, how many two-a-day practices. We'll probably just limit him to one practice a day during that time."

• Another player on the mend is second-year Ravens safety Haruki Nakamura, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Nakamura suffered a potentially career-ending leg injury on the opening kickoff on Nov. 16 against his hometown Browns.

He dislocated his right ankle on the play, broke his fibula and pinched the tendon in the muscle that runs down the lower leg. He tore all of his ankle ligaments and damaged nerves in his foot.

"I'm 90 percent" back, Nakamura told the Sun. "Once I build my stamina back up, I'll be good. But if I didn't practice, I wouldn't be this far along."

Nakamura, one of a handful of Asians to play in the NFL, admitted he may have been his own worst enemy following the injury.

"I'd never been carried off the field in any sport,'' he said. "In Japan, you're not supposed to show any emotion or pain. I didn't know how to handle it when I was out. But it made me a better person, and it put things in perspective. I got back to the things that helped get me to this point."

• Running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham will be the 2010 inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame, CEO Robert Kraft announced.

"As a fan, I loved Sam 'Bam' Cunningham," Kraft said in a release. "He was an old school fullback who would punish would-be tacklers, yet his signature carry was the one where he would leap over the line of scrimmage at the goal line to score a touchdown.

"Last year, when we honored him for his selection to the 50th Anniversary Team, was the first time he had returned to New England in 27 years. I look forward to welcoming him back again this year to honor him as one of the greatest players in franchise history."

Drafted 11th overall out of USC by the Patriots in 1972, Cunningham played nine seasons in New England and remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 5,542 yards on 1,385 carries and ranks second with 43 career rushing TDs.

Cunningham is the 15th member of the Patriots to be selected to the team's Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, TBO.com reported the Buccaneers will induct late coach John McKay into the team's Ring of Honor. McKay will join inaugural member Lee Roy Selmon on the ring.

Transaction Wire

• The Broncos signed NFL sack leader OLB Elvis Dumervil to a first- and third-round $3.168 tender.

• The Vikings signed DE Ray Edwards to a first-round tender worth $2.5 million as well as 2010 fifth-round LB Nate Triplett. Minnesota also waived C Eddie Adamski, OT Matt Hanson, RB James Johnson, WR Aaron Rhea, CB Angelo Williams and OT Marlon Winn.

• The Cardinals signed backup OG Deuce Lutui to one-year, $1.759 tender.

• The Browns signed all five of their RFAs, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported: D'Qwell Jackson, Jerome Harrison, Matt Roth, Abe Elam and Lawrence Vickers.

• Tennessee signed LB Stephen Tulloch to a one-year, $2.521 million first-round tender. The Titans also reportedly inked sixth-round pick Myron Rolle to a rookie deal.

• The Jets signed free agent kicker/punter Jared Balman.

• Washington signed restricted free agent LB Rocky McIntosh and released K Justin Medlock and OL Paul Fanaika. Terms on McIntosh's deal were not disclosed.

• The Chiefs cut six players: QB Matt Gutierrez, RB Kolby Smith, TE Leroy Banks, DB Andre Jones and OLs Nick Landry and Jermail Porter.

• The 49ers signed sixth-round pick RB Anthony Dixon. Terms were not disclosed.

• The Buccaneers signed third-round pick Myron Lewis, a CB out of Vanderbilt and released DE Maurice Evans.

Injury Ward

• Titans CB Rod Hood is out for the season after tearing an ACL on Friday, the Tennessean reported. Hood had three interceptions in six games after signing in October with the Titans.

Tweet Up

• Cardinals DL Darnell Dockett (@ddockett): "I never understand why teams don't pay there players. If Revis hit the FA market GOODNIGHT HES GONE And @ChrisJohnson28 #shareTHEwealth."