SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers signed defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer on Thursday, getting their first-round draft pick into training camp a few hours before the team's first meeting.
Balmer, a late-blooming star at North Carolina, was the 29th overall pick in April. He is the last of the 49ers' six draft picks to sign, agreeing to a five-year contract and guaranteeing San Francisco will have no rookie holdouts for the fifth consecutive summer.
Balmer, who worked at left defensive end during minicamps and summer practices, will be among the prospective replacements for Bryant Young, who retired last winter after 14 seasons with San Francisco.
Although Young was at the 49ers' complex Thursday as the players assembled for an evening team meeting, he has no plans to renounce his retirement.
The 49ers will hold their first practice Friday in Santa Clara. The club also has finalized plans for two practices with the Oakland Raiders at their training camp in Napa on Aug. 4. The Bay Area's teams then will open the exhibition season against each other four days later in Oakland.
Quarterbacks Alex Smith and Shaun Hill both reported to camp eager to begin their competition for the starting job. Nolan says both players will start at least one preseason game, and the coaching staff hasn't yet set a deadline to resolve the competition between the former No. 1 draft pick and the career third-stringer who was surprisingly good in 2½ games late last season. Full story
Bills sign Hardy, Ellis, Omon
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills second-round pick James Hardy became the third and most significant rookie to sign with the team, the day before training camp opens in suburban Rochester.
Besides Hardy, a receiver who was selected 41st overall out of Indiana, the Bills also signed third-round pick, defensive end Chris Ellis, and sixth-round pick, running back Xavier Omon, both to four-year contracts. That leaves Buffalo first-round pick Leodis McKelvin, a cornerback, as the one unsigned player before the team's first practice Friday morning.
The Bills were negotiating with McKelvin late Thursday evening. Earlier in the day, Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon expressed confidence that the first-round pick would be signed in time for the start of camp.
Hardy has the chance to make an immediate impact on what had been a popgun offense. The Bills are counting on the 6-foot-5 receiver to compete for the No. 2 spot to take the pressure off starter Lee Evans this season. Hardy is the tallest receiver ever drafted by the Bills, and provides their offense a tall and speedy target it has lacked since trading Eric Moulds to Houston prior to the 2006 season.
Giants' Tyree lands on PUP list
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Super Bowl hero David Tyree was placed on the physically unable to perform list by the Giants because of lingering problems recovering from surgery on his right knee.
Tyree, whose one-handed catch of a pass against his helmet led to the game-winning touchdown against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, is uncertain how long it will take to recover from his surgery in April.
The six-year veteran can come off the injured list any time during training camp, but the team had to put him on it before the first practice if it wanted to put him on PUP during the regular season.
If that happens, Tyree will have to miss the first six weeks of the season. He would be eligible to return to practice any time between weeks seven through nine. The team would have 21 days from the day he returns to practice to either activate, waive or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
Colts' Manning hopes to heal quickly
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Peyton Manning's voice resonated through the Colts training camp Thursday -- from 90 miles away.
The NFL's two-time MVP spent reporting day at home in Indianapolis, his valuable left knee immobilized after having surgery to remove an infected bursa sac.
Manning's injury, of course, is Indianapolis' biggest question heading into the preseason, and for the first time since undergoing the procedure July 14, the perennial Pro Bowler tried to provide some answers about the ailment that suddenly sidelined one of the league's most durable quarterbacks last week.
"I'm not really in very much pain," he told reporters in a conference call, his first public comments since surgery. "I have pain medication but I haven't had to take any in about eight days. The doctors think no pain means the infection is clearing."
Browns' Winslow doesn't want to be distraction
BEREA, Ohio -- Kellen Winslow could be home resting or relaxing on a beach in California with a cold drink as his teammates sweat through grueling two-a-day practices.
If he desired, the Pro Bowl tight end, who wants the Cleveland Browns to tear up his contract which still has three years left, could be just about anywhere but training camp.
Instead, Winslow is where he's happiest -- on the field.
"My job," Winslow said Thursday following the team's first workout in full pads, "is to just be out here and play football. I don't want to be a distraction."
Broncos sign second-rounder Royal
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver signed second-round draft pick Eddie Royal to a four-year deal on the eve of the start of training camp.
The only draft pick left unsigned is offensive tackle Ryan Clady, the team's first-round selection.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan thought Clady's deal would be completed by the time the players reported Friday morning. Clady is slated to be the Broncos' starting left tackle.
The 5-foot-10, 182-pound Royal is being counted on to play receiver and help out on special teams.
Vikes place Edwards on PUP list
MANKATO, Minn. -- Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards has aggravated a lingering back injury and will start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.
Coach Brad Childress revealed the problem, but said the move was precautionary and referred to the condition as "a little twinge."
Edwards is slated to start at left end this season after switching spots to accommodate Jared Allen. He has been bothered by the injury since minicamp in early June, but he had been on track to be ready for the beginning of camp.
Childress said he believes the setback was caused by overworking.
Ex-Viking Scott given two-year stayed sentence
MINNEAPOLIS -- Former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Darrion Scott received a two-year stayed sentence for putting a plastic bag over his 2-year-old son's head.
Scott, who was also fined $200, pleaded guilty earlier this month to child endangerment and called his actions "stupid and reckless."
Scott said he put the plastic bag over his son's head to show the boy there was nothing to fear.
If Scott does not violate terms of his probation, the gross misdemeanor will be reduced to a misdemeanor.
Scott, currently a free agent, was a third-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and played in 48 games with the Vikings.
