Faced with a manpower shortage at running back, the Detroit Lions signed All-Pro back Barry Sanders' older brother Byron, 25, to an unspecified contract Thursday.
"We needed to bring another running back in," coach Wayne Fontes said. "Barry's brother was available, we offered him a contract and he's here."Lions running back D.J. Dozier, a first-round draft pick by Minnesota in 1987, is without a contract for the 1992 season. He's playing baseball in the New York Mets farm system, and has given no indication he'll return to the Lions until the end of baseball season.
Byron was a ninth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1989, the same year Barry, now 24, was a first-round pick by the Lions.
The older Sanders played at Northwestern, where he returned for his degree when he didn't make it with the Bears.
Giants
While the New York Giants left the door open for Lawrence Taylor, the Chicago Bears are about to close it on William "The Refrigerator" Perry.
The Giants' wait for their 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker came to an end Thursday evening when Taylor arrived in training camp after missing the first four days of workouts and meetings.
For the past few years, there have been questions about how long Taylor will continue to play. He is entering his 12th NFL season and has frequently hinted that he is close to quitting.
Bears
Meanwhile, Bears coach Mike Ditka expressed dismay with Perry's perennial weight problems and said it might be time for a trade.
Ditka said the unsigned Perry won't take the field in training camp unless he passes a physical, a stress test and a running test. If he fails, Ditka said, the Bears probably will try to get him in shape without putting him on the field.
Perry weighed close to 400 pounds last season. Ditka hoped that Perry would trim down to 320 for camp.
Bills
Strong safety Leonard Smith, cut by the Bills after failing his physical, said he plans to sue the team for causing the knee infection that ended his career in Buffalo.
Smith, who missed January's Super Bowl because of the infection, said a specialist told him it appeared he was infected when he received a cortisone shot 45 minutes before last season's AFC Championship game against Denver.
Jets
Raul Allegre and Jason Staurovsky are battling for the New York Jets' placekicking job to replace the retired Pat Leahy, the NFL's 3rd-all-time leading scorer.
Staurovsky, 29, and Allegre, 33, both have experience and coach Bruce Coslet is confident both can hit from 45 yards and in.
Rams
The Rams made an effort to get all their players into camp on time this year, but four players remained absent on Thursday.
Second-round draft pick Steve Israel, veteran running back Bobby Delpino, safety Michael Stewart and tackle Jackie Slater remained holdouts.
Eagles
The Eagles signed two veterans and two draft picks, leaving 16 players unsigned one day before practice officially begins.
Veteran offensive lineman John Hudson, linebacker Ken Rose, running back Tony Brooks, a fourth-round draft pick and cornerback Corey Barlow, a fifth-round draft pick, all signed before the Eagles held their first meeting.
Seahawks
The Seahawks signed veteran center Joe Tofflemire and fifth-round draft pick Gary Dandridge.
Cardinals
Ed Cunningham, the Cardinals' second draft choice this year, agreed to terms.
The contract put the Cardinals among the first six NFL teams to sign all their draft choices. The others are Denver, San Diego, New York Jets, Los Angeles Raiders and Buffalo, which also signed its last rookie Thursday.