GREEN BAY, Wis. — With no end in sight to the labor dispute between the NFL and its officials, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday he is comfortable with the idea of using replacement officials in exhibition games.

Goodell said he doesn't think using officials with less experience will pose a safety risk to players.

"That's why we've been training them for the last two months and why they're on the field now, is to make sure they're prepared, they understand the rules," Goodell said during a visit to Green Bay's training camp.

Replacement officials were on the field during practice Wednesday and are expected to stay in Green Bay through Friday's scrimmage. The Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints is Sunday.

Members of the NFL Referees Association were locked out in June after talks broke down.

Roethlisberger's

shoulder sore

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger revealed he has a "little torn rotator cuff" in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Roethlisberger suffered the injury Nov. 6 last season against the Ravens.

"I'm good. It's OK, just sore," he told the newspaper. "I have a little torn rotator cuff. That doesn't heal. We just have to hope it doesn't tear the rest of the way, according to Doc."

Roethlisberger, 30, said he does less throwing in walk-through practices.

Notes

• Washington Redskins right tackle Jammal Brown doesn't need surgery on his chronically ailing left hip. But there's no timetable for him to return to action.

• San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews is listed as day to day after getting banged up in a car accident. Mathews said he banged an elbow "a little bit."

• Buffalo Bills starting middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard missed practice due to what coach Chan Gailey would only call a medical issue. Sheppard will be out a couple of days.