PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Willis McGahee’s agent insists the injured first-round draft pick is ready to begin practicing as soon as he signs a contract with the Buffalo Bills.

“He’s 100 percent ready to go,” McGahee’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Monday. “I think they’re underestimating him. I think he’s going to play for sure. And we want to get him up there to have a chance to show it.”

Bills president Tom Donahoe disagreed. Saying that Rosenhaus is attempting to improve his position in contract talks, Donahoe added that the agent should “leave the medical opinions to the medical people.”

McGahee is the only draft pick the Bills have yet to sign, and has been working out at his Miami home while the team opened training camp in suburban Rochester last Thursday.

The timetable for McGahee’s return has been in question since the former University of Miami star tore three ligaments in his left knee during the Hurricanes’ loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl in January.

The Bills have been extremely cautious with McGahee’s rehabilitation ever since selecting him 23rd overall in April. Along with traveling to Miami to monitor his workouts, the Bills kept McGahee on the sideline – limiting him to catching passes in a stationary position – during the team’s spring minicamp sessions.

And even when McGahee does sign, the Bills are expected to place him on the physically unable to perform list, which would keep him inactive until Week 10 of the season at the earliest.

Rosenhaus said the Bills should wait to see what McGahee is capable of doing before making any decisions for this season.

“We think if we were given the opportunity, he can make a positive impression,” Rosenhaus said.

“I have a lot of confidence in Willis, and I think he’s further along than anyone’s giving him credit for.”

Stringer’s widow sues NFL

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Korey Stringer’s widow sued the NFL in U.S. District Court on Monday, filing a suit that says the league fosters a “deadly culture” of abusive exercise that contributed to the death of the Minnesota Vikings’ lineman.

Stringer died of heat stroke during training camp in 2001.

The suit seeks unspecified financial damages and asks the court to stop the NFL from forcing players to practice and play in high heat and humidity. It says NFL coaches, trainers and doctors subject players to potentially fatal conditions by forcing them to participate in practices while wearing improper clothing for such conditions.

“A perverse, insidious and deadly culture has existed and continues to exist among NFL coaches, which unreasonably subjects player to heat-related illness during practices, ostensibly out of the twisted belief that players benefit from being subjected to such working conditions,” the lawsuit says.

Stringer, a 335-pound Pro Bowl lineman who played at Ohio State, collapsed July 31, 2001. His body temperature was 108.8 degrees when he arrived at a hospital. He died 15 hours later.

The lawsuit names the NFL, sports equipment maker Riddell Inc. of Elyria, and Dr. John Lombardo, a Columbus sports physician who the lawsuit says is a member of the NFL safety and injury panel and advises the NFL on health issues. Lombardo is the head of the NFL’s drug program.

Sehorn has surgery

on broken foot

MACOMB, Ill. – St. Louis Rams defensive back Jason Sehorn had surgery Monday on his broken left foot, an injury expected to sideline him 10 weeks. The operation was in St. Louis, and Sehorn should rejoin his teammates at training camp later in the week.

He signed a $1 million free-agent deal with the Rams this spring after nine seasons with the New York Giants. Sehorn was in the midst of making a transition from cornerback to free safety with the Rams.

Arizona reaches deal with one of two first-round picks

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals reached a contract agreement with first-round draft pick Calvin Pace on Monday.

The defensive end from Wake Forest agreed to a four-year deal worth about $8 million with a team option for a fifth. The deal could surpass $11 million if escalator clauses are met.

The Cardinals’ other first-round pick, wide receiver Bryant Johnson of Penn State, remains unsigned.

Pace was the No. 18 pick overall, Johnson was No. 17.

Pace’s contract includes a two-tier signing bonus totaling about $5 million. It marks the first time the Cardinals had separated a bonus over two years. Under the ultra-conservative ownership of Bill Bidwill, such structures were frowned upon, and even escalator clauses were rare.

Browns sign first-round pick Faine

BEREA, Ohio – The Cleveland Browns finally agreed to contract terms with center Jeff Faine, their first-round draft pick. It wasn’t a snap.

Faine, who is expected to move directly into the Browns’ starting lineup this season, ended a one-week holdout Monday by agreeing to terms on a five-year deal.

Browns president Carmen Policy said Faine, a three-year starter at Notre Dame, was expected to sign his deal Monday night.

Pats won’t confirm deal with FB Centers

FOXBORO, Mass. – New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick officially announced the signing of offensive guard Brenden Stai at training camp on Monday, but would not confirm published reports that fullback Larry Centers had also agreed to terms.

The Boston Globe and Boston Herald reported Monday that the Patriots agreed to terms with Centers, who spent the last two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

Centers, 35, has caught 808 passes for 6,691 yards and 27 touchdowns during his 12-year NFL career with Arizona, Washington and Buffalo.

The 6-foot-4, 318-pound Stai has played eight seasons in the NFL. He was a rookie starter at right guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. A third-round draft pick in 1995, he spent five seasons with Pittsburgh and has since played for Kansas City, Jacksonville, Detroit and Washington.

“I’ve had an unusual career because twice, I’ve been traded a week before the season,” Stai said. “I’ve kind of developed a reputation for being able to go in and start within a week.”

Stai, who has started 96 of 105 career games, won’t be as rushed with the Patriots. Belichick sees his addition as a means to add depth and competitiveness on an offensive line that has had to cope with the loss of guard Stephen Neal to a shoulder injury, and the inactivity of starting tackle Kenyatta Jones and starting guard Joe Andruzzi as they recover from offseason surgeries.

Stai is also coming off knee surgery, having missed all but five games with the Redskins last year.

“You sit back and reflect upon how much you love the game,” he said of his inactivity. “At the time, I didn’t love it too much because my knee was absolutely torn up. Then as time wears on, you’re sitting on the sidelines watching the guys go through all the aches and pains. I felt it just as much as they did, and I wanted to get back in there.”

Also Monday, the Patriots announced the release of rookie safety Scott Farley, who was signed as an undrafted free agent on May 9.