BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) – The Philadelphia Eagles might be missing another running back.

With Duce Staley still a holdout, second-year back Brian Westbrook bruised a bone on his right knee Wednesday while trying to catch a pass from Donovan McNabb during practice.

Westbrook bobbled the pass and reached back to grab the ball when safety Michael Lewis hit him. The knee gave out when Westbrook attempted to regain his footing.

Westbrook grabbed the knee immediately after going down was helped off the field. But he walked out of the locker room on his own. He underwent an MRI and was scheduled to be examined by team physician Peter DeLuca.

“He twisted his knee a little bit,” coach Andy Reid said. “We’re going to be cautious with it. It should be OK. It looks like everything is intact right now.”

The Eagles have been giving Westbrook and running back Correll Buckhalter more reps in Staley’s absence. Staley is holding out for a contract extension.

Westbrook is expected to be the team’s kick returner and also figures to get a lot of playing time in Staley’s absence.

Patriots

The New England Patriots signed two players recently released by the Dallas Cowboys – guard Marques McFadden and wide receiver DeVeren Johnson.

McFadden, a sixth-round selection by the Cowboys in the 2002 draft, played in three games for Dallas last season before he was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Johnson was the Cowboys’ second selection in the sixth round of this year’s draft out of Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Conn.

Also, the Patriots placed wide receiver Dan Stricker on injured reserved.

Jets

Coach Herman Edwards said Wednesday that 16 to 18 players needed IVs after practice Tuesday on one of the hottest days of camp.

Meanwhile, DE Bryan Thomas (ankle) and CB Jamie Henderson (knee) are questionable for the Jets’ game against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. WR Jonathan Carter is out with a knee injury.

Giants

Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey caught grief from coach Jim Fassel after spiking the ball following a touchdown catch in front of safety Ryan Clark.

“I told him, ‘You can’t spike at the player,’ ” Fassel said.

The NFL is cracking down on taunting this season, and spiking a ball in front of a defender after making a catch is a 15-yard penalty.

Shockey told Fassel he would do it only in practice.

“I told him what you do in practice, you’ll do in the games,” Fassel said.

Also, rookie David Diehl has replaced Tam Hopkins at right guard on the offensive line.

Fassel made the move the day Hopkins left camp to attend to undisclosed family problems. Fassel was not sure whether Hopkins would be back in time for Friday’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Giants Stadium.

“He felt the need to get away from here,” Fassel said. “I’ll talk to him.”

Panthers

Carolina had its first real scare of training camp when defensive tackle Kris Jenkins sprained his left ankle.

His injury came shortly after quarterback Rodney Peete jammed his right middle finger and stopped practicing.

Then Jenkins went down, catching his foot in the grass and collapsing on the field.

“Of course we were worried about him,” teammate Julius Peppers said. “He’s one of the best players on the team and when he goes down you want to know what’s going on.”

Most of the fears were put aside when Jenkins later shuffled into the cafeteria, an air cast on his ankle.

“It’s just a sprain, it’s not a big deal,” Jenkins said. “I do it all the time. It’s kind of like waking up every morning – I get out of bed and roll my ankle.”

Peete said he’ll also be ready to play, despite sitting out Wednesday with a jammed finger on his throwing hand.

—

Rams

MACOMB, Ill. (AP) – The Rams broke camp Wednesday and headed back to St. Louis with a new starting fullback.

Brian Natkin, who signed as a tight end two months ago, worked with the No. 1 unit this week at fullback and was declared the starter by coach Mike Martz.

Free agent Chad Kuhns started against Oakland in the preseason-opening 7-6 loss, but is injured.

“He earned it,” Martz said of Natkin. “He’s playing fast, blocking guys. Naturally, we have to see what he will do in a game, but I’m excited by what I’ve seen over the last two days. He’s really what the doctor ordered.”

Natkin was in Tennessee’s training camp in 2002 and briefly made the Titans’ roster in 2001.

The Rams’ next exhibition game is Monday night at home against Tampa Bay.

—

Lions

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) – First-round pick Charles Rogers is expected to make his NFL debut in Saturday’s preseason game against Cincinnati, but Detroit defenders Dre’ Bly and Robert Porcher will miss the contest with injuries.

Wide receiver Rogers will play with a splint on his dislocated left ring finger.

“He’s getting ready to go, and it is going to be fun to have him out there,” Lions coach Steve Mariucci said Wednesday. “He’s just having to get mentally ready to play with the splint. We are trying to decide how much he will be out there, and with which quarterbacks.”

Bly, Detroit’s biggest free-agent acquisition, is recovering from a sprained ankle. Porcher, a team elder, is hampered by a knee problem.

Also, Mariucci knew center Dominic Raiola was a versatile athlete. Until Wednesday, though, he didn’t know Raiola was a kicker.

“Look at him,” Mariucci said after practice. “Everyone’s done, and he’s over there kicking field goals.

“I’m still learning about these guys – I didn’t know he could kick. He probably speaks French, too.”

Raiola, a third-year player from Nebraska, said, “I was a soccer player when I was a kid, and I love coming out here and messing around with field goals and kickoffs. That’s as far as it goes – I don’t think I’ll be replacing our kickers any time soon.”

—

Texans

HOUSTON (AP) – Pro Bowl cornerback Aaron Glenn remained limited in practice with a sore left hamstring and will not play in the preseason game against the Cowboys at Irving on Friday night.

The move is precautionary, and coaches say he would have been available if it were a regular-season game.

David Carr is expected to be in for 20 to 25 plays but Houston coach Dom Capers said the quarterback could return to the game if there’s a chance to work a two-minute drill.

—

Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Titans cornerback Andre Woolfolk needs rest, not surgery, for his dislocated left big toe.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday that Woolfolk, the team’s top draft choice, will wear a protective boot for two weeks and be out of action up to four weeks.

“It’s what we hoped to hear from him,” Fisher said after Woolfolk saw Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C., to get a second opinion on the injury. “There’s no surgery required at this point.”

Woolfolk was the leading contender as the Titans’ third cornerback in passing situations.

—

Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – The Jacksonville Jaguars waived defensive tackle Larry Smith on Wednesday, more than two weeks after he collapsed on the field because of heat exhaustion.

Coach Jack Del Rio said the fifth-year player, the team’s second-round draft pick in 1999, came into camp out of shape and was late to practice Tuesday.

—

49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bryant Young will miss the San Francisco 49ers’ next two weeks of training camp after he has surgery Thursday to remove a bone spur from his left ankle.

Young, a 10-year veteran, has made four Pro Bowls while spending his entire career with San Francisco. He should recover from surgery in time for the regular season, but he will miss the 49ers’ next two preseason games.

AP-ES-08-13-03 2021EDT