Arizona Cardinals running back J.J. Arrington was among five people arrested after a fight at a N.C. nightclub.

Police in Rocky Mount said an off-duty officer called for assistance about 1:30a.m. Wednesday after a fight broke out at the D&I Center nightclub. Arrington, 25, was charged with disorderly conduct.

Nash County sheriff's Sgt. T.R. Lamm said a magistrate ordered Arrington held for 24 hours for contempt of court.

The others arrested were charged with simple affray. One also was charged with assault on a government official.

Arrington was born in Nashville, N.C. He was a second-round pick out of California in the 2005 NFL draft.

Oakland

Out of a Las Vegas hospital, Raiders receiver Javon Walker was expected back at team headquarters to be examined by team doctors after being injured while being robbed Monday morning.

The injuries apparently won't cost Walker the upcoming season. Coach Lane Kiffin said he expects him back for training camp when players report to Napa, Calif., on July25.

Kiffin said Walker “sounds really well” but offered no other details.

Kiffin also declined comment on the nature of Walker's injuries, which Las Vegas police deemed “significant.”

Published reports had Walker suffering a mild concussion and a fractured eye socket after the robbery.

He was found unconscious after partying into the early hours Monday.

Walker, 29, reportedly lost $100,000 worth of jewelry and $3,000 in cash in the robbery. McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

Tennessee

Linebacker Ryan Fowler denied he had taken performance-enhancing drugs, less than two weeks after his lawyer said Fowler received a letter from the NFL saying he was under investigation and faced a possible suspension.

Asked if he could definitively say he had never done steroids, Fowler replied, “I can tell you that.”

He was linked to convicted steroids dealer David Jacobs, who was found dead with a female companion in his Plano, Texas, home this month. Police say Jacobs killed himself and his girlfriend.

Before his death, Jacobs told The Dallas Morning News he supplied Fowler with performance-enhancing drugs before and after the 2006 season.

Fowler's attorney, Peter Ginsberg, said last week Fowler was under investigation by the NFL and was notified he faces suspension. Ginsberg said he assumed the investigation stemmed from the Jacobs case.

Fowler declined comment Wednesday when asked if he had a relationship with Jacobs. AP

Green Bay

Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who had knee surgery during the offseason, was forced to miss the Packers' voluntary practices and this week's mandatory minicamp, but he said he'll be ready to go for training camp.

Gbaja-Biamila doesn't believe there was one incident that caused the injury, chalking it up to wear and tear. He had the surgery and now is rehabbing, doing low-impact exercises such as climbing on a StairMaster and running in a swimming pool.

He expects to return to the role he had last year – a situational pass rusher instead of an every-down defensive end.

“I haven't heard anything different. I don't know how that all works out,” Gbaja-Biamila said. “You never know with injuries and how the season ends up, but I expect the same type of role that I had last year.

“I think they were really pleased with my performance, and I was pretty effective, I believe. You look at how many snaps I got compared to the results.” AP

Carolina

The Panthers claimed center Pat Ross off waivers Tuesday. Ross, who played at Boston College and is 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, wasn't drafted in 2006 but has been on practice squads in New England, Seattle and Indianapolis.

The Panthers also waived offensive lineman Eric Tunney. DAVID SCOTT