By The Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles’ thin receiving corps received a major blow when starter Todd Pinkston was lost for the season Friday with a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon.

Pinkston was injured when he was tripped up on a route down the sideline. He remained down for several minutes before limping to the medical tent.

The Eagles were practicing without All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens. He’s day-to-day with left groin inflammation.

“We feel bad from a team standpoint for Todd,” coach Andy Reid said. “He worked very hard this offseason. He was having a heck of a camp, and it’s a shame this happened.”

The six-year veteran averaged 18.8 yards per catch, third in the league.

“For a guy that doesn’t complain, that works extremely hard and really never receives credit for the things that he does for this team … it’s tough,” quarterback Donovan McNabb said. “We’ve all been injured, but this kind of an injury, with surgery – you never know what can happen afterwards.”

Reid said the team will not look to sign another receiver.

“We’re fine,” he said.

Reid said third-year pro Greg Lewis will move into Pinkston’s spot on the first team. Last year, Lewis had 17 receptions for 183 yards in limited action and also caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.

“Todd is one of the closest friends I have on the team, and I feel bad for him for all the work he’s put in this offseason,” Lewis said. “But injuries take place in this game, and the team has to get in there. Somebody has to step up and make plays.”

The Eagles also have Billy McMullen, a third-round pick in 2003. Rookie Reggie Brown had been competing with McMullen to be the fourth receiver.

Running back Correll Buckhalter also went down with a leg injury in the morning practice in Bethlehem, Pa. The team said he had a bone bruise.

Buckhalter missed all of last season after tearing a tendon in his right knee during the preseason. He missed all of the 2002 season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in minicamp.

Cowboys

Marcus Spears, one of two first-round draft picks considered potential defensive starters, could miss a month after spraining his right knee and ankle and pulling his groin.

Spears, a defensive lineman, got up limping after a play during 11-on-11 drills and went to the sideline.

“It was a terrible play. When we reviewed it after practice, we became even more concerned because it was really very much a possibility that he could have had the most severe injury,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “The good news, there’s a chance we get him back for the opening of the season.” Jones said team doctors told him that Spears would need four weeks of rehabilitation for the sprained knee, during which time the other injuries also should heal.

Spears, drafted 20th out of LSU, and Demarcus Ware, the No. 11 choice, were defensive ends in college, and the Cowboys are hoping they can bolster a unit that slipped dramatically in 2004.

Cardinals

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin is expected to miss two to three weeks of practice after breaking his nose.

“I would think he’s going to be out at least two preseason games,” coach Dennis Green said Friday at camp in Prescott, Ariz. “We’re just happy that it’s not real serious – there’s a lot of pain, obviously. And he should be as good as new.”

Boldin, who also burst a blood vessel in his nose, was at camp Friday in street clothes and had an adhesive bandage on his nose. He said doctors realigned his nose.

Boldin will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

Boldin was injured Thursday when cornerback Aaron Francisco inadvertently hit his head, causing Boldin’s helmet to slam hard into his nose.

The third-year receiver from Florida State set an NFL record for receptions by a rookie in the 2003 season, catching 101 balls for 1,377 yards. He was honored as the league’s offensive rookie of the year and invited to the Pro Bowl.

Jets

Quarterback Chad Pennington was held out of practice for the second time in three days as he rested his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Pennington, held out Wednesday by coach Herman Edwards after practicing for five straight days, threw some sharp passes in the team’s session Thursday night. He was 9-of-17 during the practice, including 6-of-11 in 11-on-11 drills. More important, Pennington showed some zip on a few passes – something that had been generally lacking the first few days of camp.

Edwards said he planned to have Pennington participate in the Jets’ workout with the Giants in Albany, N.Y., on Saturday.

Raiders

Injured wide receiver Jerry Porter will not play Oakland’s preseason opener against San Francisco while he recovers from a pulled hamstring.

Porter was hurt during a team scrimmage Monday. The sixth-year receiver limped off the field and an exam revealed the damage.

Coach Norv Turner and Porter initially downplayed the severity of the injury, but the coach updated the prognosis Friday and said Porter might return to practice late next week but would not play Aug. 13. Porter led the Raiders with 64 catches for 998 yards and nine touchdowns, falling just short of his first 1,000-yard season. His receptions were a career high, and he scored three touchdowns in a game twice.

AP-ES-08-05-05 2052EDT