Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow throws a pass throws a pass during practice on Monday in Cincinnati. Aaron Doster/Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Three weeks after having an appendectomy, Joe Burrow is fully participating in training camp with an eye toward getting ready for the regular-season opener next month.

The Bengals’ quarterback was in full uniform as he threw crisp passes in seven-on-seven drills for a second day Monday. He had surgery July 26, a day before the first workout of camp.

“The seven-on-sevens are more just mentally getting back in the groove of things, the timing of the throws, the accuracy, going against the defense and trying to see some of the disguises,” Coach Zac Taylor said before practice Monday.

“I got a chance to see him throw the ball farther than I’d seen him throw (Sunday),” Taylor said. “He looked crisp on that, he played on time, he was aggressive with his decision-making. I thought he moved well, and so again, we’ll just take it day by day.”

Taylor said he’s satisfied with the practice schedule moving forward with his franchise quarterback, who hasn’t talked to reporters since his surgery.

“We’ve got a good plan in place now,” Taylor said. “As we narrowed it down to what it’s going to look like over this week, we feel like we’ve got a good timeline on the rest of training camp and what we can do on offense to make sure he’s getting all the looks he needs to see. For him, it’s (about getting ready for) Pittsburgh. Be ready for Week 1 of the season.”

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Receiver Tee Higgins is also back at practice after rehabbing from the shoulder surgery he had after the Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams in February.

The starting trio of receivers – Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Higgins – were back on the field together, along with the new starter at tight end, Hayden Hurst.

BROWNS: Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward was activated from the physically unable to perform list and will practice for the first time since Cleveland’s training camp opened. He had been sidelined with a sprained left foot.

Ward was hurt during Cleveland’s final practice of minicamp in June and has been restricted to working on the side with trainers in camp.

“It’s great,” Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski said of Ward’s return. “He’s been working very hard inside and out here, so ready to get back on the field, and obviously we’re excited about getting him back out here.”

As Ward was welcomed back, the Browns remain without All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who was excused from his second straight practice. Stefanski did not give a reason for Garrett’s absence and said he didn’t know when he’d return.

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The 25-year-old Ward signed a five-year, $105 million contract extension in April, a deal that at the time made him the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback.

49ERS: San Francisco safety Jimmie Ward pulled his hamstring and might not be ready to return for the season opener on Sept. 11 in Chicago.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Ward got injured in practice Sunday and will likely be out at least a few weeks.

“It was a pretty bad hamstring injury,” Shanahan said before practice Monday. “We’ll see over the next couple of weeks how it plays out.”

The absence of Ward would be significant for the Niners after he has emerged in recent seasons as the anchor in the secondary at free safety.

BRONCOS: Denver signed veteran linebacker Joe Schobert on Monday and activated newcomers Randy Gregory and Billy Turner from the PUP list.

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Schobert’s signing comes 48 hours after the Broncos lost inside linebacker Jonas Griffith to a dislocated elbow in their 17-7 exhibition victory over the Cowboys. Griffith is projected to miss up to six weeks.

Schobert is a seventh-year player from Wisconsin, who has played for the Browns (2016-19), Jaguars (2020) and Steelers (2021), starting 81 games, including playoffs, and getting 11 sacks, 10 interceptions, 30 pass breakups, 10 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his career.

Schobert’s 647 tackles rank sixth in the NFL since he entered the league as the 99th player selected in the 2016 draft. He’s the only player since that season to get 600 tackles, 10 interceptions and 10 forced fumbles.

Gregory is the gem of GM George Paton’s 2022 free agent class. The prized acquisition underwent shoulder surgery shortly after choosing Denver over Dallas this spring. The eighth-year outside linebacker signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Broncos.

TRADE: The Seattle Seahawks agreed to trade defensive back Ugo Amadi to the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver/tight end J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.

TITANS: Outside linebacker Bud Dupree pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from an altercation in a Nashville drugstore.

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Dupree was sentenced to 6 months of supervised probation, according to the judgement filed.

Police said Dupree grabbed a Walgreens employee and the man’s phone after the employee had argued with some shoppers on the evening of Jan. 2.

Dupree initially was charged with assault, fear of bodily injury, which is a class A misdemeanor. He plead guilty to the lesser charge of assault, offensive or provocative contact, a class B misdemeanor.

The 6-foot-4, 269-pound linebacker was the Titans’ top free agent signee last year, getting a five-year deal worth $82.5 million. The Titans had no comment.

DOLPHINS: The Miami Dolphins placed cornerback Trill Williams on injured reserve, two days after the backup tore the ACL in his left knee during the team’s preseason opener against Tampa Bay.

Williams will miss the season. He suffered the injury during the fourth quarter on Saturday.

Also, Miami signed veteran cornerback Mackensie Alexander and defensive tackle Niles Scott. Alexander is entering his seventh season, spending five with the Minnesota Vikings and one with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Scott, a former undrafted free agent, has mostly spent time on practice squads but played in six games with Cincinnati during the 2018 season.

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