Have T.O. and mentor ever been used together in the same sentence? Well, they’re being used in Dallas, where Terrell Owens has been lending his time and expertise to fellow WR Sam Hurd, a rookie free agent out of Northern Illinois who has been the star of Cowboys camp.

Hurd has impressed Coach Bill Parcells with his hands and concentration and by learning all of the team’s receiver positions and minimizing mental errors. T.O. often has worked with Hurd after practice and passed along many of the tips he received as a young player from Jerry Rice.

¢ The Falcons’ acquisition of WR Ashley Lelie affects Michael Jenkins more than anyone.

After losing Brian Finneran for the season, the Falcons didn’t have a wide receiver who was a natural fit to play the slot. Lelie also doesn’t fit that profile, so Jenkins is being asked to move inside.

Although Jenkins’ starting spot is not being threatened by Lelie, one reason Lelie prefers playing for the Falcons to the Broncos is he’d rather compete for playing time with Jenkins and Roddy White than with Javon Walker and Rod Smith.

¢ Bears WR Muhsin Muhammad is taking a new approach to staying healthy and extending his longevity. Muhammad, 33, dropped close to 10 pounds in the offseason and is now a svelte 212.

He has eased the strain on his body by taking off a couple of days in camp, skipping a preseason game and trying to avoid unnecessary collisions in practice.

Muhammad believes he exhausted his muscles and beat himself up in camp earlier in his career. His focus now is on being in as close to peak condition as he can for 16 games and the postseason.