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Minnesota Vikings: Mike Tice says running back Michael Bennett's sore neck most likely will keep him out of the Minnesota Vikings' season opener against Tampa Bay on Sept. 11.

Bennett, however, said he should be ready to go by next weekend's preseason finale.

On Monday, Tice said Bennett most likely would sit out Friday night's exhibition against the San Diego Chargers. Then, on Tuesday, he said Bennett was "definitely not going to play" and could miss the season opener against the Bucs.

Backup Mewelde Moore will start in Bennett's place Friday.

"Right now, Mike's out, so I'm moving forward, even for Tampa without Mike," Tice said after Tuesday morning's practice. "I don't see Mike being anything but an outside shot for Tampa. I'm not a doctor, but I know anytime you sprain your neck or tweak your neck or have neck spasms or whatever he has, it's hard to put a guy back in there, especially a guy who has taken a lot of hits, unless he is confident in that neck."

In the locker room after practice, Bennett seemed brimming with confidence that his neck was improving. Bennett did not rule out missing Friday night's game against San Diego, but said he definitely would be back for next week's preseason game at Seattle.

"If not this weekend, next week," Bennett insisted. "I'm ready."

Ready or not, Tice has the final say, and it has opened the door for Moore, who appears poised to open the season as the Vikings' primary back.

Carolina Panthers: Panthers running back Stephen Davis went through his first full-padded practice in more than 10 months Tuesday -- as the team's first-string ball carrier.

DeShaun Foster had been working with the starters throughout camp, but Davis was the first running back in on team drills Tuesday. Davis, 31, is trying to make it back from microfracture surgery on his right knee, which limited him to just two games in 2004.

And, for the most part, he looked like the same player who ran for a franchise-record 1,444 yards two years ago and led Carolina to its first Super Bowl appearance.

Davis had his knee wrapped in ice after practice, but said he felt good about making another step in his recovery.

"It's more of a relief," Davis said. "It's a long road I've had and I've got a long road ahead of me still. That's why I'm taking it one day at a time."

New York Giants: Defensive end Michael Strahan experienced tightness in his rib cage after doing drills Tuesday and left practice early. He was scheduled to have tests later in the day to determine the source, coach Tom Coughlin said.

Strahan, meanwhile, acted as though nothing had happened.

"I'm fine. Everything's great," he said.

Strahan is coming off a torn pectoral muscle that sidelined him for the last eight games of 2004, and he has been limited to a handful of plays in the Giants' first two preseason games.

Meanwhile, Eli Manning said his sore elbow felt better than it did on Monday, but that the difficult part has been not being able to participate in practice.

• The Giants have extended their commitment to hold their annual training camp at the State University of New York's Albany campus through 2008, officials announced Tuesday.

The National Football League team has been using the SUNY-Albany facilities since 1996 for the annual training camp that runs from late July through the first three weeks in August.

The Giants hope to have a new training facility built by 2009 in East Rutherford, N.J., as part of a new, $750 million stadium complex.

"We look forward to the next few years here, and we certainly appreciate the support and cooperation of the good people here in helping us annually get ready to compete at the highest level," said Giants Executive Vice President John Mara.

• The Giants want the Xanadu retail and entertainment complex at the Meadowlands to be closed on game days.

In an amended lawsuit filed Tuesday in state Superior Court for Bergen County, the team said its lease with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority forbids any activity that would conflict with game-day operations.

"Our rights under the lease are clear, and we are committed to enforcing them," said John Mara, Giants' executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Simply stated, our lease does not permit Xanadu to operate on game days and we are asking that the court affirm our rights now before Xanadu's tenants begin planning, spending and operating in a manner that interferes and is inconsistent with our rights."

The Giants are suing the authority and developers of the $1.3 billion project. The team is worried that Xanadu will create traffic nightmares for football fans who pack Giants Stadium at the sports complex.

"We're shocked that they've actually taken it this far," said Michael Turner, a spokesman for the project's developers. "We have been the catalyst for close to $300 million in regional transportation improvements that experts on all sides have agreed will improve conditions on game day."

Philadelphia Eagles: The leading punter in NFL history is still looking for a roster spot.

On Tuesday, Sean Landeta signed with the Eagles in case starter Dirk Johnson isn't ready for the regular-season opener.

Johnson has missed training camp following surgery to repair a sports hernia. He said he is very close to being recovered and expects to be ready for the Falcons on Sept. 12.

If Johnson is ready, Landeta's second stint with the Eagles would be short.

"If I come here and punt well these two weeks, maybe I'll have a chance to play here if Dirk is not ready," Landeta said. "If he's ready, I'm pretty sure they'll go with him because he's their guy. Hopefully I can ... get a chance somewhere else."

Landeta, 43, ranks first in the NFL with 1,367 career punts going into his 21st season. He spent the 1999-2002 seasons with the Eagles, punting 342 times for a 42.7-yard average, and was with the Rams the past two seasons.

Kansas City Chiefs: Seventh-year veteran linebacker Mike Maslowski, who was attempting to come back from radical surgery on his left knee, was released by the Chiefs on Tuesday afternoon. Agent Joe Linta, who said his client should be ready to play again in about four weeks, called the release "am amicable parting."

Maslowski, 31, set a franchise record for tackles in 2002, posting 162 stops from his weakside position. That broke the previous Kansas City record, 159 tackles, set by linebacker Gary Spani in 1979. Maslowski moved to middle linebacker in 2003, started the first 10 games of the season there, and then suffered a severe knee injury. The injury sidelined him for the entire 2004 season as well.

Last September, Maslowski underwent a procedure known as a tibial osteotomy, a technique designed to correct the alignment of the knee. The former Wisconsin-La Crosse star recently had surgery to remove a plate from the knee. If he is able to come back with another team, Maslowski would be the first known NFL player to return from tibial osteotomy surgery. He will continue to rehabilitate the knee and has no immediate plans to retire.

In 65 games, Maslowski, who began his career as a special teams standout, posted 233 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, 18 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and three recoveries.

-- ESPN.com senior NFL writer Len Pasquarelli

New England Patriots: Several team sources told The Boston Globe that offensive tackle Matt Light has suffered a leg injury.

According to The Globe, Light wore a protective boot at Gillette Stadium on Monday and was on crutches.

Light has started at left tackle in 60 straight games, a run that began with the 10th game of his rookie season in 2001.

Tennessee Titans: In an effort to shore up the No. 3 quarterback spot behind starter Steve McNair and top backup Billy Volek, the Tennessee Titans have signed veteran free agent Chris Redman, who was out of the league in 2004.

Redman, 24, worked out for the team on Sunday, practiced on Monday, and is expected to see action in this weekend's preseason game. The former Louisville standout, a third-round choice of the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, is coming off shoulder surgery. He was signed by New England early in the offseason, but released on June 2.

In 10 appearances, Redman has completed 106 of 198 passes for 1,111 yards, with seven touchdown passes, five interceptions and a passer rating of 71.3. He opened the 2002 season as the Ravens' starter, and started the first six games that year before being sidelined by a back injuury. Baltimore released him after the 2003 season.

Tennessee went to camp with four undrafted free agent quarterbacks and just one, Shane Boyd of Kentucky, now remains. Former Heisman Trophy winner Jason White of Oklahoma retired last week. The Titans moved Marcus Randall of LSU to safety and on Monday released former University of Cincinnati standout Gino Guidugli. Boyd and Redman will vie for the final spot on the depth chart.

-- L.P.

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks released veteran defensive tackle Cedric Woodard after Woodard missed most of training camp with a knee injury.

Seattle also released running back Jesse Lumsden, an undrafted free agent from McMaster University in Canada.

To take Lumsden's spot, Seattle claimed running back Josh Scobey off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals.

Woodard started all 16 games last year, with 49 tackles and one sack. In his five years with the Seahawks, Woodard played in 61 games with 21 starts, and had 110 tackles.

Woodard had surgery on his left knee in the offseason and was hampered by problems with the knee during training camp. He left the team last week to have the knee examined by the surgeon who performed the operation.

San Francisco 49ers: Receiver P.J. Fleck and defensive end Chris Cooper will be placed on the 49ers' injured reserve list with season-ending shoulder injuries, coach Mike Nolan said Tuesday.

Fleck, an undrafted free agent, worked his way from the practice squad to a job as the No. 4 receiver late last season. But he hurt his left shoulder on the opening kickoff of the 49ers' first preseason game, and his rotator cuff was damaged when he landed on the shoulder while making a diving catch during practice Friday.

Fleck recently underwent surgery on his rotator cuff.

Cooper, expected to be a key reserve on the 49ers' defensive line, apparently hurt his right shoulder during practice last week. The fourth-year pro played for Dallas and Oakland before signing with San Francisco midway through last season.

Tight end Eric Johnson, the 49ers' leading receiver last season, will be out at least another week with plantar fasciitis. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer was back at practice with the 49ers on Tuesday after struggling with a hamstring injury, while center Jeremy Newberry could return next week from his knee injury -- or he also could be ruled out for the season.

Information from the The Associated Press was used in this report.