ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Autry Denson knows he needs every chance he can get to make the Detroit Lions.

So he should be thrilled to learn he probably will get a few extra carries Saturday.

With injuries to Shawn Bryson, Avon Cobourne and Artose Pinner, all battling Denson to back up tailback James Stewart, Denson is expected to log quite a bit of playing time in the Lions’ preseason opener against Pittsburgh.

“This is a big game for me, but at this point, anything I can do to make an impression is important,” Denson said. “I’m going to take any opportunity I can to make things happen.”

Denson left Notre Dame in 1998 as the school’s leading rusher, but has had little success in the NFL. The Lions are his sixth team. He has rushed for just 222 yards.

This spring, he played for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, and was the league’s second-leading rusher with 725 yards in 10 games. Back in North America, he has impressed Lions coach Steve Mariucci.

“He’s doing some nice things,” Mariucci said. “He has definitely caught my eye.”

Panthers

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Marcos Martos grew up in soccer-crazed Mexico City dreaming of playing in the NFL.

Everyone laughed at him, but he didn’t listen.

Now Martos is a receiver in Carolina’s training camp, trying hard to continue bucking his national trend.

“When I was 6 years old, I started watching TV, and I just loved the NFL,” he said. “When I turned 7, my birthday wish was to play in the NFL one day. All my family just laughed so much.

“My family was always saying, ‘Football, no! We play soccer here.’ I guess I was a little bit stubborn. I played football.”

Martos, who lives in Cancun, spent the past seven years playing for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe. His best season was in 1998, when he caught 20 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

The highlight of his time there was actually the season before, when he caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Jon Kitna in Barcelona’s World Bowl victory over the Rhein Fire. Martos worked hard then, lifting weights, practicing all the time and bringing home about $10,000 a season.

Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – No progress was reported on Day 14 of rookie quarterback Byron Leftwich’s holdout, which is now the longest in team history.

“My approach is to coach the guys who are here,” new coach Jack Del Rio said. “I think there’s no question that the longer a guy’s out, the more it impacts his ability to contribute.”

DT Marcus Stroud (knee) and RB Fred Taylor (bone bruise) are the notables who won’t play in the preseason opener Saturday at Minnesota. Del Rio says neither injury is serious. Taylor hasn’t practiced since last Wednesday.

Del Rio doesn’t want to promote a quarterback controversy, but he continues to refuse to guarantee that Mark Brunell has won the job over David Garrard.

“Let me restate it again. We’re going to put the best 11 players on the field on offense, defense and special teams. If I did anything else, it would be irresponsible,” the coach said.

Bills

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Buffalo Bills tight ends Dave Moore and Mark Campbell are among several players nursing injuries as the team prepares for its preseason opener at Baltimore on Saturday.

Moore and Campbell were held out of practice Thursday. Moore has a strained hamstring and will be a game-time decision, while Campbell (right hamstring) is expected to play, coach Gregg Williams said. Williams said two players won’t play – rookie defensive tackle Lauvale Sape (strained left calf) and rookie offensive tackle Gary Byrd (dislocated kneecap and torn tendon).

Vikings

MANKATO, Minn. – Corey Chavous is playing strong safety for the Vikings right now while two young players, Willie Offord and Brian Russell, try to earn the other starting spot.

Offord is a free safety, but Russell will play the strong position if he gets the job – forcing Chavous to move to free. A winner probably won’t emerge for a while, so Chavous could wind up switching positions shortly before the regular season begins.

Still, that’s not a concern to the Vikings.

“No, we figure we need to give him a day because he is so smart,” coach Mike Tice said.

Chavous was signed away from Arizona last year to plug a hole at cornerback in a Vikings secondary that has been mending the past few years. In his 11/2 years with Minnesota, he’s impressed his new team with his versatility, hard hitting and intelligence – despite a small number of interceptions.

“He is such a bright young man,” Tice said. “He is a student of the game, and you wish all the players prepared themselves mentally the way that Corey Chavous does.”

Steelers

LATROBE, Pa. – An offensive line that’s been reconfigured by injuries this training camp received more bad news when the Pittsburgh Steelers found out Todd Fordham injured his elbow.

A free-agent pickup last spring, Fordham has been playing with the second team at right guard to help make up for the loss of starter Kendall Simmons. Fordham had also been considered a contender at right tackle, but instead becomes the third key lineman to miss time.

Simmons was diagnosed with diabetes two days before camp opened and has yet to practice. Center Jeff Hartings missed the past week with a knee injury that knocked him out of four games last season.

Cowboys

SAN ANTONIO -Receiver Joey Galloway left the Dallas Cowboys’ camp after Thursday’s practice to return to Ohio for his grandmother’s funeral. He’ll miss the preseason opener.

Coach Bill Parcells said Galloway will return to camp Sunday, rejoining the team after it returns from Arizona.

The Cowboys also could be without receiver Reggie Swinton for Saturday night’s game. Swinton missed both practices Thursday, a day after injuring his left groin during drills, and his status is uncertain. Parcells said injured players won’t travel with the team.

AP-ES-08-07-03 1905EDT