NFL: Steelers get some good and bad news

Ben Roethlisberger's first big gain of the season may occur weeks before he returns to the field.

His six-game suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy likely will be shortened to four games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the two meet in New York on Friday.

The league plans to review Roethlisberger's behavior since he was accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student following a night of drinking in a Milledgeville, Ga., bar on March 5. Once it was determined six weeks later that Roethlisberger would not be charged by Georgia authorities, Goodell suspended Roethlisberger for the start of the season and ordered him to undergo an evaluation.

If Roethlisberger followed the league's guidelines and stayed out of trouble, Goodell said he would consider cutting the suspension to four games.

Steelers' Leftwich hurt. Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich, expected to start during Roethlisberger's suspension, injured his left knee during the first half of an exhibition game against Carolina on Thursday.

Leftwich completed an 18-yard pass to rookie Emmanuel Sanders before being knocked off his feet as running back Mewelde Moore attempted to block safety Marcus Hudson. The play occurred with 10 minutes, 25 seconds left in the second quarter.

Browns' rookie hurt. Montario Hardesty can't seem to outrun his knee problems.

Cleveland's highly touted rookie running back, whose career at Tennessee was slowed by knee injuries, hurt his left one in the second quarter of Thursday night's 13-10 win over the Chicago Bears, a potentially major blow to the Browns' running game.

Fellow rookie Colt McCoy got his first pro start and went a perfect 13 of 13 for 131 yards in two-plus quarters. The former Texas star fumbled his first snap, but finally showed some potential in easily his best performance of an otherwise rough preseason.

Broncos lose runner. Denver Broncos running back LenDale White has left the team's final preseason game with an injured ankle.

White was down for a while and walked off the field gingerly in the second quarter at Minnesota on Thursday after getting hurt on a 9-yard run. The Broncos said his return was doubtful.

White was signed to back up Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter after his sudden release by Seattle this spring. He must sit out the first four games of the regular season, his punishment for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

Making amends. Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland and Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant have made amends.

About an hour before their teams played Thursday night, they shook hands and had what looked like a brief, pleasant conversation.

They spoke for less than a minute, with Ireland patting Bryant's chest when they finished.

Ireland already had apologized to Bryant for having asked whether his mother was a prostitute during a predraft interview. This was their first face-to-face meeting since then.