One thing you can count on as NFL training camps open: There are usually as many holdouts as wideouts.
Welcome to the club, Jerome Bettis, Natron Means and Eric Turner.Those three were among the many dissatisfied players as most of the league's 28 teams continued the first week of training camp.
Bettis wants to rework his contract with the St. Louis Rams, Means with the San Diego Chargers and Turner with the Cleveland Browns.
"The latest is the same . . . there is no latest," Rams coach Rich Brooks said of negotiations with Bettis. "I haven't had any communication and nobody in our organization has, to my knowledge."
Bettis' agent, Lamont Smith, said last week that Bettis wants a new contract. Bettis, a 1993 first-rounder who has rushed for 1,000 yards in both of his NFL seasons, is in the third year of a five-year, $4.65 million deal.
The Rams have been fining Bettis $4,000 a day for missing camp. As of Sunday, the tab was $12,000.
Means, the NFL's No. 4 rusher last season, didn't report to the Chargers' training camp Sunday because of a contract dispute.
Means, a third-year pro, has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $1.6 million pact. He's asking for $21 million over five years, with a $4 million signing bonus.
The Chargers, who are struggling to stay under the salary cap, have countered with a four-year, $6.2 million offer. The 5-foot-10, 245-pound Means, the club's MVP last year, is scheduled to make $231,900 in base salary this season, with a $100,000 reporting bonus.
Turner, an All-Pro safety, and first-round pick Craig Powell were also no-shows when the Browns opened full training camp on Sunday.
Also absent for various reasons from the Browns' camp were Bill Johnson, last year's starting nose tackle, and Mike Miller, a rookie with special-teams potential.
Vikings
Running back Robert Smith remained Minnesota's only unsigned veteran.
The Vikings hope Smith, paid $426,200 in base pay last season, can step into the starting spot vacated by the release of Terry Allen, but vice president Jeff Diamond said contract talks have been stalled for days.
Smith isn't the only player the Vikings can't make happy. First-round pick Derrick Alexander and second-rounder Orlanda Thomas had not signed in time to report.
Steelers
Mark Bruener, who will replace Eric Green in a Pittsburgh offense that keys on the tight end, ended a week-long holdout by signing a contract worth at least $3 million.
Bruener, from Washington, became the last of the Steelers' 10 draft choices to reach terms. He received a signing bonus in the $1 million range.
"We definitely got a fair deal," Bruener said. "The Steelers did more than a fair job to get me in here."
Patriots
William Roberts, an offensive lineman, signed with the Patriots.
Roberts was released earlier this year by the New York Giants. The 6-foot-5-inch, 300-pound lineman was drafted by New York in 1984. The former Ohio State star played tackle for six years before switching to guard in 1989. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1990.
Eagles
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Shawn Collins signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia. The Eagles released Patrick Rowe to make room for Collins.
In other developments, two Eagles running backs were injured. Kevin Hebron injured his right knee when he collided with defensive lineman Rhett Hall in a morning practice on the first official day of training camp. Kevin Bouie separated his left shoulder.
Seahawks
Nate Odomes, a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback who missed last season because of a knee injury, re-injured his right knee in a practice Sunday.
Odomes, who was being counted on to be Seattle's starting right cornerback this season, will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery to determine the extent of the latest damage, coach Dennis Erickson said.
Raiders
Kerry Cash, a free agent who will compete with returning starter Andrew Glover for the Oakland Raiders' tight end job, is expected to be out less than a week with a knee injury. An MRI of Cash's left knee showed no serious damage, coach Mike White said Sunday.
White said Cash, who sprained his knee during practice on Saturday, should be able to return when the team is in Texas. The Raiders will work against the Dallas Cowboys in Austin starting July 31.
Buccaneers
Running back Tiger McMillon suffered a knee injury that threatens his football career.
McMillon sprained his left knee during the Buccaneers' first workout in full pads Saturday night and will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
"It's devastating. I worked hard all this time and we go out there the first day in pads and I can't do anything," said McMillon, whose college career at Florida State was altered by another knee injury two years ago.
49ers
Coach George Seifert has ditched plans to shuffle his offensive line.
Seifert dashed a tentative offseason plan by line coach Bobb McKittrick to switch guard Jesse Sapolu, 34, back to center in place of 36-year-old Bart Oates.
As the 49ers begin their second week of training camp, the line that helped win the Super Bowl is intact. McKittrick said he agrees with maintaining the status quo.
So the line remains 1994 Pro Bowlers Sapolu and Oates, along with right guard Derrick Deese plus tackles Harris Barton and Steve Wallace. The veterans have 47 years of NFL experience.