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NFL camp roundup

By The Associated Press 5 min read

Owens finally taks the field with Cowboys Terrell Owens ditched the bike and got back onto the field for the Dallas Cowboys.

He did keep them waiting, though.

Owens, who missed 14 straight practices because of a hamstring problem, was the last player on the field Wednesday in Oxnard, Calif. He did ride the stationary bicycle on the sideline, where he’s spent the last two weeks, but this time just for a quick warmup before the only practice of the day – his first since Aug. 2.

Coach Bill Parcells wasn’t sure if Owens’ return to practice meant he’d be available for Monday night’s game against New Orleans.

“That doesn’t mean he would play,” Parcells said. “He has missed a lot of time. It wouldn’t be so much whether he practiced or not, as to how he looked, how much he practiced and did he get enough practice to make a good judgment about playing him.”

Based on how Owens was running around the previous two days, he should be OK.

While Owens was back, lots of NFL players were sidelined by injury or suspension.

Nowhere has training camp been more chaotic than with the Cleveland Browns. They discovered Wednesday that Alonzo Ephraim, an emergency signing after center LeCharles Bentley went down with a season-ending knee injury, was suspended for the first four regular-season games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

He will be eligible to rejoin the Browns’ active roster Oct. 2.

Ephraim’s suspension comes after Bentley’s injury and the sudden retirement of backup center Bob Hallen. The Browns rushed to sign Ephraim as a free agent July 29, two days after Bentley tore his patellar tendon on the second day of camp. Cleveland’s desperation to get a veteran center and bad timing resulted in the club not knowing about Ephraim’s pending suspension, Crennel said. The signing took place on a Saturday when the league’s offices were closed.

“We were in a situation where we needed a body and he was available,” Crennel said. “All of the lines of communication were not open and we went ahead and made a move. As it turns out, he’s suspended. It was one of those things that happened because we weren’t able to communicate the way we needed to.”

Lee Suggs returned to practice Wednesday, one day after his trade to New York was voided when the Jets said the oft-injured running back had failed his physical.

“I was shocked,” he said. “I practiced throughout training camp and all of the spring. I did all the workouts, passed the physicals here and everything was fine. Then I went up to New York, and I failed. So, yes I was shocked.”

Redskins

Defensive end Phillip Daniels is the latest injured Redskin, out for a week or so with a sprained back.

Trainer Bubba Tyer, who was in Alabama on Monday for Clinton Portis’ shoulder exam and in North Carolina on Tuesday for Shawn Springs’ surgery, was back at Redskins Park on Wednesday, and he had a daunting list of patients to discuss with coach Joe Gibbs.

“There’s a lot going on the last couple of days,” said Gibbs, whose team has also made 10 roster moves plus a trade in the last 72 hours.

Daniels was hurt in Tuesday’s practice and was sent to a specialist for an MRI. The good news is that Daniels should recover in plenty of time for the season opener Sept. 11 against Minnesota.

Tyer indicated Springs, who had an operation to repair a torn abdominal muscle, would have only an outside chance of playing in the opener. Tyer was slightly more optimistic that Portis, recovering from a partially dislocated shoulder, would play against the Vikings.

Colts

Safety Jahmile Addae became ill during the morning practice and was taken to a hospital, where he was expected to undergo further tests. Addae, an undrafted rookie from West Virginia, gave the Colts a scare when he became lightheaded. By the afternoon, coach Tony Dungy said Addae was feeling better and his vital signs had returned to normal.

“We’re not sure what it was,” Dungy said. “We don’t think it was a blow to the head, and it doesn’t appear of the cardiac nature, either.”

Broncos

RB Ron Dayne, who injured his toe in the preseason opener against Detroit, struggled to climb steps Wednesday, using the railing for support. He said he doesn’t expect to play Saturday against Tennessee.

Dayne already has fallen behind Tatum Bell and Mike Bell in competition for the starting job.

“I can’t complain,” Dayne said. “I can just try to get better; try to get it feeling stronger.”

49ers

Cornerback Shawntae Spencer probably won’t play against Oakland on Sunday night after injuring his hamstring during practice. Spencer, a third-year pro who started 26 games in his first two seasons, was hurt during a drill midway through practice.

Sammy Davis, acquired from the San Diego Chargers in a summer trade, moved into Spencer’s first-team spot after the injury occurred.

Cardinals

The Cardinals plan to play quarterback Matt Leinart at least a quarter, following starter Kurt Warner onto the field.

“He’ll go in the second, and then John Navarre will go in the third,” coach Dennis Green said.

Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner who ended a two-week holdout by signing a six-year contract late Monday, will attend a pro game for the first time.

“I’ve never been to an NFL game,” Leinart said, “and my first game I’m going to be playing in. It’s pretty cool.”

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