SAN DIEGO — Even though LaDainian Tomlinson got in his first full practice with the San Diego Chargers, he'll have to wait a week before seeing game action.
Tomlinson, the Chargers' first-round draft pick who ended his four-week holdout on Wednesday, impressed his coaches and teammates in the workout, but will not play in the Chargers' exhibition game against the St. Louis Rams on Saturday.
"I thought he looked in good shape, making full-speed cuts," coach Mike Riley said. "I thought he looked good running the football, running to daylight, making moves. He's a very smooth player."
STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Steelers' first exhibition game in Heinz Field on Saturday will feature another first — a Steelers defense in a 4-3 alignment.
The Steelers, who recently began practicing the 4-3 defense to augment their normal 3-4, will use both defenses against the Detroit Lions as they play the first of two preseason games in their new home in a span of six days.
The Steelers are the last NFL team to use the 3-4 (three down linemen, four linebackers) as their base defense, mostly because they prefer their linebackers to be the primary pass rushers, rather than the defensive ends.
CARDINALS: While offensive tackle L.J. Shelton stays home with the aches and pains of a car accident, wide receiver Rob Moore will play for the first time in more than a year when the Arizona Cardinals meet the Bears Saturday night.
JETS: Desperate for kick return help, the New York Jets acquired Chad Morton from New Orleans for cornerback Earthwind Moreland and a 2002 sixth-round draft pick.
Morton became expendable when the Saints chose Deuce McAllister in the first round of the draft and decided to use McAllister to return kicks as well as back up Ricky Williams.
GIANTS: Cornerback Jason Sehorn is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee and is expected to return in time for the New York Giants' season opener against Denver on Sept. 10.
Sehorn missed the Giants' preseason game with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 16 after complaining of soreness in the knee.
PACKERS: Antonio Freeman's concussion is Donald Driver's big chance.
The third-year pro who has caught just two dozen passes in the NFL will start Saturday night against Miami in place of Freeman and instead of Corey Bradford.
Driver is Freeman's primary backup at flanker, while Bradford is more accustomed to catching Brett Favre's passes from the split end position.
DOLPHINS: Quarterback Cade McNown is hoping to put his tumultuous past behind him and start anew with the Miami Dolphins.
The former first-round draft pick made his debut with the Dolphins, a day after the Chicago Bears traded him for a sixth-round pick in 2002 and a conditional seventh-round pick the next year.
"There's a lot of things that happened in Chicago, but right now I'm trying to turn my focus in a forward direction and ... get off to a fresh start," McNown said.
BENGALS: Linebacker Corey Moore was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals, a day after he was released by the Buffalo Bills.
Bengals coach Dick LeBeau plans to use Moore in pass rushing situations at defensive end, despite being considered undersized at 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds.
Moore had 17 sacks as a defensive end as a senior at Virginia Tech in 1999, but struggled at linebacker last year after joining the Bills as a third-round pick.
"We've seen him play and we like his speed," LeBeau said. "We think he's got a chance to be a top-flight pass rusher."