Jake Delhomme is done for the year. Matt Leinart is out indefinitely. Trent Green could be done for his career.

It was a pain-filled Sunday for NFL quarterbacks.

Delhomme will have ligament-replacement surgery on his elbow next week, leaving the Carolina Panthers without their leader on offense and scrambling to find another quarterback.

Originally injured two weeks ago, Delhomme didn’t show any improvement when trying to throw Monday. A day earlier he threw briefly on the side while sitting out Carolina’s win over the Saints.

“I think (Sunday) he was just trying to see how it felt,” Fox said. “Today he really pushed it and experienced some of the same discomfort he had during the Atlanta game.”

Delhomme left Bank of America Stadium without speaking to reporters. His agent, Rick Smith, said the recovery time is seven to nine months.

“It certainly gives Jake enough time to rehab it in the offseason and be back for next season,” general manager Marty Hurney said.

The Panthers are left in a precarious position, as Delhomme’s backup, David Carr, is also banged up.

Carr, signed in the offseason after being a five-year starter in Houston, sustained a back injury against the Saints and his status for Sunday’s game at Arizona is uncertain.

Less was known about the immediate futures of Green and Leinart. Green sustained a concussion while blocking in Miami’s loss at Houston.

Green’s concussion was later diagnosed as grade three, the most severe, and he’ll undergo further tests to determine his future. He has been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Cleveland, and Cameron declined to discuss the possibility the injury will force the 37-year-old Green to retire.

“I don’t think we really know the full extent, because there are some ongoing tests,” Cameron said. “Right now I just think there are too many unknowns.”

Cleo Lemon, who replaced Green at Houston, will make his second NFL start against the Browns. Second-round draft pick John Beck becomes the backup. Leinart fractured his left collarbone while getting sacked late in the first half of Sunday’s 34-31 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

“We don’t know how long it’s going to be,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “But it’s going to be for an extended period of time.”

Leinart was hurt on a sack by St. Louis linebacker Will Witherspoon in the second quarter of Arizona’s 34-31 victory at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday. The Cardinals said Leinart was to undergo more tests, and they did not know when he might return. It’s likely he’ll be out several weeks.

Meanwhile, Denver center Tom Nalen, a 14-year veteran, is done for the season after he tore his right biceps muscle.

The five-time Pro Bowler was injured in the first quarter of a 41-3 loss to San Diego on Sunday, but kept playing.

“We couldn’t even run inside running plays, had to run outside running plays,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “He didn’t have any strength in there. It kind of gives you an idea of what he’s made of.”

Another fixture of his team, Seattle fullback Mack Strong, has a neck injury that will end his career.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said that Strong woke up Sunday feeling tingling in his hands.

After getting hit hard twice early in Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh, Strong felt his hand and arm going numb, Holmgren said.

An examination determined he has a pinched nerve in his neck. It won’t require surgery, but Strong told reporters at Seahawks headquarters here that it will end his career.

The two-time Pro Bowler turned 36 this month, and has spent 15 seasons with the Seahawks.

“I’ve played a long time, 15 years. I felt like I was pretty lucky, pretty blessed,” a teary-eyed Strong said after learning that a herniated disk in his neck is pinching his spinal cord and ending an unheralded, improbable career that began as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia in 1993.

The winless St. Louis Rams will go without running back Steven Jackson for the third straight game on Sunday at Baltimore, and are likely to rest quarterback Marc Bulger for a second straight game.

Coach Scott Linehan ruled out Jackson, who has a partially torn groin. He said Bulger, the backup behind Gus Frerotte in Sunday’s 34-31 loss to the Cardinals while nursing two broken ribs, would be available again this week for emergency duty.

Safety Jerome Carter is likely to be placed on injured reserve with a broken right foot. Carter made his first start of the year at strong safety in place of Corey Chavous, sidelined by a pectoral injury, and the recovery period is eight to 10 weeks.

Linehan was hopeful Chavous would be back this week at Baltimore. Cornerback Ron Bartell likely would start at free safety with O.J. Atogwe moving to the strong side if Chavous is not ready.

Dante Hall, who started at wide receiver in place of Isaac Bruce (hamstring), sprained his left ankle on a kickoff return in the second half when a Cardinals player landed on him. “It’s a significant sprain,” Linehan said.

For Washington, Phillip Daniels, Antwaan Randle El and Marcus Washington tried to sound confident they would play next week when the Redskins visit the Green Bay Packers.

“All those guys are kind of questionable,” trainer Bubba Tyer said.

Defensive end Daniels separated his shoulder in Sunday’s 34-3 victory over the Detroit Lions but returned to the game. Receiver Randle El missed the second half with a mild hamstring strain, while linebacker Washington left in the third quarter with a moderate strain.

With No. 1 receiver Santana Moss out with a groin injury, Randle El’s departure left the Redskins thin at receiver against the Lions. Nevertheless, quarterback Jason Campbell had his best day as a pro, with a rating (125.3) above 100 for the first time in his young career.

Moss is expected to return to practice Wednesday. Daniels, Washington and Randle El will likely need more time before returning to the field.

Tampa Bay’s Michael Pittman could be sidelined up to two months with an ankle sprain that has the Buccaneers scrambling for experienced help at running back.

Coach Jon Gruden said that the team was waiting for the results of an MRI exam, but that it appeared Pittman, injured during Sunday’s 33-14 loss at Indianapolis, will be out six to eight weeks.

It’s the second straight week the coach delivered grim news on a precarious tailback situation.

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, the 2005 NFL offensive rookie of the year, was lost for the season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during a victory over Carolina on Sept. 30.

AP-ES-10-08-07 2050EDT