TEMPE, Ariz. -- Tyrann Mathieu returned to practice for the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday and said he was optimistic that he would be able to play when the team faces the Vikings in Minnesota.Coach Bruce Arians also confirmed after practice that wide receiver Jaron Brown has signed an extension that puts him under contract through next season.Brown is out for the season with a knee injury.We love him as a football player, Arians said. It looks like hell be fine health-wise, gives him another year. Hes earned it. Really happy for him and its good for us because hes a quality special teams player and a real quality receiver.The signing gives the team some protection should the Cardinals lose wide receiver Michael Floyd, who becomes a free agent at the end of this season.Jarons a guy you dont want to lose, quarterback Carson Palmer said. What he brings to the team, because he can play special teams, he plays every spot at receiver. Hes got speed, hes physical, he catches the ball. He catches 50-50 balls very well. Just a very, very well-rounded receiver.Browns signing was first reported by azcentralsports.Mathieu was limited in practice but said afterward that his shoulder felt fine. He was still wearing a brace on the knee that was surgically repaired late last season but was meeting with the doctor to discuss taking it off, which would greatly aid the mobility that is so crucial to the way he plays the game.Of courses Id rather play without it, he said, but I dont want to do anything that puts me in harms way, so Ill talk to him. Im sure well negotiate something.The defensive back was sidelined with a shoulder subluxation in Arizonas loss at Carolina on Oct. 30 and missed Sundays 23-20 win over San Francisco.He said removing the brace would clear another hurdle as he tries to get back to his aggressive Honey Badger performances of the past.The shoulder injury, he said, was just another challenge.Life frustrates sometimes, Mathieu said. Youve just got to deal with it. Cant get too high or too low. Its just another challenge for me. I embrace all those challenges.The way Mathieu talked, his participation in Sundays game was no sure thing.Ill see how I feel at the end of the week and if Im at 100 percent, or very close to it, Ill play Sunday, he said. If not, Ill hold back. ... Im optimistic I will play. I try to look on the bright side of everything.Mathieu was asked about the perception that hes handling this shoulder setback better than he did such problems earlier in his career.I dont know, he said. From the outside looking in maybe, but its frustrating on the inside, obviously. A lot of noise. You try to tune that out. Just another challenge for me. I embrace it.The Cardinals defense ranks second in the NFL, allowing 295.2 yards per game, but Mathieu said the team doesnt have the swagger it exhibited in last years 13-3 season.At times weve had swagger. We have had confidence, he said. Were just playing inconsistent right now. Weve just got to get that consistency back. Once we get that back, Im sure well be rolling.Theyd better get rolling soon. At 4-4-1, the Cardinals cant afford many more stumbles if they want to challenge for a playoff berth.After Sundays game against a Minnesota team hungry for a win after four straight losses, the Cardinals go to Atlanta to face the NFC South-leading Falcons.Game notes Larry Fitzgerald didnt practice due to knee and ankle injuries but Arians said he remains confident his star wide receiver will play Sunday. ... Palmer had another veterans day off. ... Outside linebacker Chandler Jones missed practice because of a family issue.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLAir Max 97 Cocoa Snake . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). 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MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Kansas State knew there would be some growing pains last season, especially after coach Bruce Weber essentially cleaned house and brought in eight newcomers.There is no such excuse this season.The Wildcats bring back the bulk of their scoring and rebounding from a team that still managed to go 17-16 and beat then-No. 1 Oklahoma, including all those freshmen and transfers who had no choice but to learn on the job. They also added a talented recruiting class to fill some critical holes.The result is a team that, at least on paper, could be the best that Weber has had since going 27-8 and earning a share of the Big 12 championship in his debut five years ago.We were probably three or four possessions away from being in the NCAA tournament (last year), Weber said, but we didnt get there. Now after a year of experience, a trip to Europe, adding a couple guys, you hope all that adds up to having success.There have been a couple of departures, of course. Big man Stephen Hurt and veteran scorer Justin Edwards graduated, Brandon Bolden retired due to an injury and Ron Freeman transferred.Meanwhile, the recruiting class that Weber lured to Manhattan may be one of his best, headlined by four-star prospect Xavier Sneed from St. Louis. The 6-foot-5 scoring machine should carve a place in the regular rotation by the season opener against Western Illinois. Fellow freshmen Cartier Diarra and James Love could also earn early playing time.D.J. (Johnson) and I need to lead the young guys and be that big help for them, said senior forward Wesley Iwundu, the top returning scorer. Were just ready to go out there and show everybody what we can do, and just kind of get to it this year.As the Wildcats get ready for the season, here are the major story lines to watch:DEANS PROGRESSDean Wade was the top prep player in Kansas before arriving at Kansas State, but it was a big jump from his tiny high school to the Big 12. The 6-10 Wade, listed at 225 pounds, spentt the offseason putting on muscle, but his biggest leap may come in his confidence.ddddddddddddIve been working on getting my mindset right, Wade said. This year I feel like its all coming a lot easier for me.STOKES IS BACKKamau Stokes had his promising freshman season shortchanged by a knee injury that required surgery. He was averaging more than nine points through the first 21 games. We have to be careful with him, Weber said. Mentally he has to go through the fear factor. We obviously need him and we just got to be patient with him but he also has to work at it to get that knee back.EXPERIENCEStokes and Wade arent the only ones who got their first taste of Division I hoops last year. Barry Brown played nearly 26 minutes a game, while Carlbe Ervin II provided some valuable minutes in the backcourt after transferring from an Oklahoma junior college. There has been so much roster turnover at Kansas State that Iwundu could best be described as a survivor. The versatile forward has played important minutes since his freshman season, and has already appeared in 97 games for the Wildcats.POST PRESENCEWade and Johnson area somewhat undersized post players, so finding big bodies to take the place of Hurt will be important. The 6-10 Love and 6-11 redshirt freshman Isiah Maurice could need to step up despite their inexperience.SCHEDULE SITUATIONMost of the Wildcats non-conference games are winnable, including games against Washington State, Colorado State and Boston College. Their toughest test could be if they meet Maryland at the Barclays Center Classic in late November.Im very confident, Ervin said. We have more depth and right now an eight-player rotation. We got a lot of people that know what they are doing now. And experience, D.J. is really, really healthy and Wes is shooting the ball well. Everything is going well right now. ' ' '