CINCINNATI -- NFL fields have come a long way from the days of lumpy artificial surfaces, but theres still a lot of room for improvement, the head of the players union said Tuesday.Bengals offensive lineman Eric Winston said the league and the NFL Players Association need to identify trouble spots in advance. He noted that running back Reggie Bush tore a knee ligament after slipping on concrete alongside the playing field in St. Louis last season.The annual Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio was called off Sunday night because paint had congealed on the field, making it hard and slippery.I think theres a ton of improvement still to be made, Winston said in an interview with The Associated Press. Obviously there are technological advancements. I think they should apply to fields as well.The NFLPA and the league have formed a committee to evaluate field conditions overall. The league already has standards for game-day field conditions.The new committee will perform research and advise the parties on injury prevention, improved testing methods, and the adoption of tools and techniques to evaluate and improve field surface performance and playability, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email.NFL fields have come a long way in the last 15 years. Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia had numerous issues with its uneven artificial surface. Bears receiver Wendell Davis tore tendons in both knees when his foot got caught in a seam in 1993. A preseason game was called off in 2001 because of the uneven surface.When the Bengals moved into Paul Brown Stadium in 2000, they used a grass surface that tore up easily and left the field sandy, causing kickers to fall. The team switched to an artificial surface.One of the unions concerns is the wear and tear on fields that host many events.The big problem is you have people trying to maximize revenues with these stadiums, Winston said. They cost a lot to build, so youre going to have monster truck rallies and concerts, and theyre trying to do a thousand different things in them, which is fine.But at the end of the day, youve got to remember what theyre built for. Theyre built to play football games. If its tearing up the grass, hurting the turf, creating an unsafe playing environment, then at the end of the day to us its not worth it. I think thats something thats probably got to be looked at going forward.Winston said the committee will consider fields used abroad for NFL games as well. The Bengals play in London for the first time this season. He said the union has heard from other teams that the fields there can be soft because of the rain.You see a lot of chunks (of grass) flying up, he said. Thats been a concern for some guys -- losing footing, pulls and muscle tears. Well be checking it and see what happens.Winston said that research on injuries so far seems to indicate that grass is a better surface for players.I dont think thats going to shock anybody, he said. That raises the question: Well, if theres less injuries on natural grass, shouldnt all stadiums have natural grass? Were going to have to ask some tough questions and have creative solutions.As weve come a long way from the Vet and those things, weve still got a long way to go into the future. To say this is good enough is the worst thing you can do.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Reggie White Super Bowl Jersey . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. 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MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade has an offer to consider.Wade has been extended a two-year, $40 million contract offer to stay with the Miami Heat, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.The second year would be at Wades option, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing. The contract, if accepted, would essentially match the career-best $20 million salary Wade made this past season.This is the second consecutive summer in which Wade and the Heat have had a rocky time finding common contractual ground, and the issue this time could be more about the length of the deal than the compensation. Wade has left millions on the bargaining table in past negotiations with the Heat, though some of that sacrifice also helped him win championships in 2012 and 2013.AA three-year deal would obviously help him recoup more of what hes given up in the past.ddddddddddddWade was returning this week to the U.S. from a European vacation, which he shared part of with longtime friends LeBron James and Chris Paul. Wade is scheduled to be in New York and guest-host Live With Kelly alongside Kelly Ripa on Thursday morning, which coincidentally is the day the NBAs offseason moratorium on player movement expires and new contracts can be signed.Wade has spent all 13 of his NBA seasons in Miami and has said several times that he wants to spend his entire career with the club. Wade averaged 19.0 points and 4.6 assists this past season, and was an All-Star pick for the 12th time. ' ' '