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Thursday, August 14
 
Pro Bowl back dehydrated, now 'fine'

ESPN.com news services

San Diego Chargers: Pro Bowl running back LaDainian Tomlinson had been going full-speed and wasn't drinking enough fluids in training camp. He had to pull himself out of the San Diego Chargers' practice Thursday morning because he was overheated and dehydrated.

Tomlinson eventually was taken by a golf cart to the training room, where he received two bags of IV fluid and rested for several hours.

"I've been going pretty hard the last couple of days, running a lot and really working hard," Tomlinson said after watching the afternoon practice from the sideline. "I don't think I've done a good enough of putting fluids back into my body. So it's a little bit of my fault not taking care of my body. It just caught up with me today."

Tomlinson said he was never scared.

"I didn't feel like I was going to pass out or anything like that," he said. "I just felt a little weak and my legs felt like Jell-O a little bit. We just had to take precautionary measures."

Coach Marty Schottenheimer at first said Tomlinson might have had a stomach virus that's been going around, but the running back said that wasn't the case.

Teams are ultra-conscious of heat-related problems, a result of Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stringer's death two years ago.

"It was never a real serious situation," Schottenheimer said.

Denver Broncos: With sufficient depth in the defensive line, the club is shopping veteran tackle Lional Dalton.

"We're going to trade Lional," coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday. "Nothing will be done for a few days, but we are shopping him at this time. We've talked to a number of teams that are interested in him.

"We feel we've got some depth at that position. We have a number of young players who are playing extremely well. Lionel has come in here in excellent shape, having cut off 25 to 30 pounds. We think we can get something in return for him since he did play quite well against Houston (in the first preseason game)."

The 6-foot-1, 309-pound Dalton started 13 games last season, helping the Broncos rank sixth in the NFL against the run. He played the previous four seasons in Baltimore.

Cincinnati Bengals: The hurt from a poor debut performance in Sunday's preseason opener has been replaced by an injury, but rookie quarterback Carson Palmer, the Heisman Trophy winner and the initial player chosen in the 2003 draft, hopes to get the opportunity to put a better foot forward this week.

Palmer missed practice for a second straight day Thursday as he continues to get treatment for a sore foot, but he will play in the Saturday game against Detroit in Paul Brown Stadium if he can perform without pain.

The former Southern California star struggled against the New York Jets last week, throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns, and looking out of synch after what many observers had viewed as a strong training camp performance.

"You always want the chance, after a game like that, to get back up on the horse," said Palmer. "I want to play and, if my foot keeps getting better every day, I should be able to go. At least that's what I hope."

Two days of treatment, for an injury in which the connective tissue at the bottom of his foot is partially torn, seemed to ease the pain and swelling. Coach Marvin Lewis said he will play Palmer in the preseason game only if the rookie quarterback can demonstrate he has sufficient movement skills. The aim is to get Palmer more time with the Bengals' first offense. He played largely last week with backups.

"We want him to play with our better group of guys this time, and then we will go from there," Lewis said.

Veteran Jon Kitna remains the Cincinnati starter and it is all but certain that he will open the regular season atop the depth chart. --Len Pasquarelli

New York Giants: Defensive end Michael Strahan's broken toe will keep him out of the preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday.

"It's just really sore," coach Jim Fassel said. Strahan broke the little toe on his right foot last week and missed the preseason opener against the New England Patriots.

Keith Washington is expected to start for Strahan at left end.

Safety Shaun Williams (shoulder), backup safety Johnnie Harris (hamstring) and running back Dorsey Levens (leg) also won't play.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The news for injured center Jeff Hartings, whose balky left knee has been a problem throughout training camp and precipitated a visit early this week to noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, is about as good as could be expected.

Well, relatively speaking, at least.

Hartings should be able to avoid surgery, even an athroscopic procedure, but he will be limited in practices and will probably have to play with pain the entire season. Hartings, who is a key to Pittsburgh's scrambled offensive line, feared that he might be forced to undergo the controversial "microfracture" surgery because of cartilage damage. The procedure, in which holes are drilled into the knee bone in an attempt to regenerate cartilage growth, has experienced mixed results.

The eight-year veteran missed four games last season because of the knee condition and he underwent arthroscopic surgery in November. He practiced seven days in a row at camp, took much of last week off, then traveled to Birmingham early this week to consult with Andrews about the pain and swelling.

He will not play in Saturday's preseason game against Philadelphia, but Hartings hopes to return to practice next week.

"I think it definitely means less practice, because it's going to get sore," Hartings said. "There's no sense to keep practicing because, the more sore it gets, the less effective I will be. And it's no fun playing football when you're in that much pain."

The former Penn State star will continue to rehabilitate the knee and will likely have to continue on anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers. --Len Pasquarelli

Philadelphia Eagles: Despite a published report that the Eagles have reached agreement on a contract extension with wide receiver Todd Pinkston, sources close to negotiations told ESPN.com on Thursday that a deal is not yet completed.

ESPN.com first reported Thursday that extension talks had escalated and that Pinkston could have a new deal in place before the start of the season. The extension, if indeed it is consummated, will be for five or six years. But the two sides, who negotiated again on Thursday via telephone conference call, still have some issues to resolve.

There is no accord yet on the signing bonus and the parties remain apart on some of the escalators clauses that could enhance the contract's value.

Pinkston, 26, has this season and 2004 remaining on his original contract. But he can void the final year of the deal if he reaches predetermined performance levels in 2003. In '02, he had his best season to date, with 60 catches for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. --Len Pasquarelli

San Francisco 49ers: Standout defensive tackle Bryant Young, a four-time Pro Bowl performer, will miss at least the next two weeks of training camp, following surgery to remove a nettlesome bone spur from his left ankle.

The 10-year veteran is not expected to play in any more of the preseason games but the club is hopeful Young will return for the regular-season opener.

Although his play has declined the past few years, largely because of injuries, Young is still the key to the San Francisco defensive front. It is a front four in particular that has been depleted by injuries already in camp. --Len Pasquarelli

Washington Redskins: Still seeking out a punter with some consistency, the Redskins have signed free agent David Leaverton, a former fifth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since entering the league in 2001, Leaverton has been with five different teams, but has yet to appear in a regular-season game.

Leaverton will not punt, however, in the team's Saturday preseason game against the New England Patriots. Instead he will handle the kickoff duties and then is scheduled to begin punting next week in practice. Washington could consider keeping a punter with kickoff abilities in an effort to rest the leg of placement specialist John Hall.

The two other punters in camp, veteran Bryan Barker and youngster Brent Bartholomew, have not been impressive to date. Both will see action against the Patriots and one likely will be released next week.

To make room on the roster for Leaverton, the Redskins waived wide receiver James Johnson, a rookie undrafted free agent. --Len Pasquarelli

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.




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