FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said Thursday that he's leaning toward starting Kurt Warner at quarterback in Saturday night's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Warner, who took over as the starter last season when Matt Leinart suffered a season-ending collarbone injury on Oct. 7, didn't play in last week's preseason opener against New Orleans.
Also, Whisenhunt said defensive end Darnell Dockett and safety Antrel Rolle will both sit out Saturday's game while rookie wide receiver Early Doucet is doubtful and rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie remains day to day.
Rodgers-Cromartie, a first-round draft pick, sprained his left ankle Tuesday and missed most of practice. He returned to the field Wednesday, but did not play significant minutes.
Dockett has a mild pectoral muscle strain and won't participate in live contact drills for a week, according to Whisenhunt.
Rolle has a left ankle sprain while Doucet has a hamstring injury.
Cowboys LB Burnett to have knee surgery
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Dallas nickel linebacker Kevin Burnett will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Friday, two days after spraining the knee in 11-on-11 drills against Denver.
Coach Wade Phillips said the procedure to remove a piece of loose cartilage will be "less than a week process."
Phillips said he has depth to use in the nickel package until Burnett returns, presumably before the Cowboys' exhibition schedule is over.
"We've got Zach Thomas, and Bobby Carpenter can play nickel, and Bradie James," Phillips said.
Bolts' Merriman out with virus
SAN DIEGO -- Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman missed practice for the third consecutive day because of a virus, and his availability for the preseason game Saturday against the Rams is in question.
Merriman said he had strep throat and a heavy fever. He had trouble breathing while battling the illness but said he was feeling much better Thursday.
Merriman also has been dealing with an ailing knee but did work out on the side.
Turner said he hasn't decided how long starting quarterback Philip Rivers or backups Billy Volek and Charlie Whitehurst will play against the Rams.
Jags sign veteran DT Lewis, waive RB Giles
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars signed veteran free agent defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis and waived rookie running back Lavarus Giles.
The 24-year-old Lewis spent the second half of the 2007 season on the Oakland Raiders practice squad. He was taken in the sixth round of the 2006 draft by Arizona and has spent time with Seattle and Detroit. Giles was signed as a free agent in June.
The Jaguars also re-signed first-year guard Pete McMahon and released seventh-year veteran offensive tackle Leander Jordan. McMahon spent the 2007 preseason with Jacksonville and was waived on July 25 when the team re-signed Jordan.
Henderson brothers having fun in Minnesota
MANKATO, Minn. -- After two solid seasons as a linebacker at Maryland, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in tackles as a junior and declaring early, Erin Henderson was passed over by all 32 teams in the NFL Draft. The consolation prize came quickly.
The Vikings signed him hours after the draft, providing the opportunity to outdo more experienced and more expensive players for a spot as a backup. The bonus? His older brother E.J. Henderson was already entrenched there as a starter, coming off a career year in which he was voted the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player.
They're six years apart, 28 and 22, so they weren't that tight as kids and have never been teammates. Training camp, thus, has been a time to catch up.
It's been a time for Erin to use E.J. as a natural resource for learning the defense and the nuances of the position. It's also been a time to make clear -- to Erin, E.J. and everyone else on and around the team -- just how different these siblings are in personality despite a strikingly similar appearance.
