| | SAN DIEGO -- Ryan Leaf returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since hurting his right shoulder on July 23, running the scout team for the San Diego Chargers.
| |  | | | Leaf |
Leaf, whose four-week suspension for insubordination ended Monday, hadn't worked with the team since the opening minutes of training camp, when he aggravated an injury in his right shoulder that required surgery.
"It feels good to know that my body works again," said Leaf,
who admitted he was a bit rusty since he hasn't played in a long time.
Leaf, a native of Great Falls, Mont., said he missed "just
having people running after me, the rush. Playing football.
He said he's not behind in the offense, but didn't want to
"look like a scared puppy out there when I'm throwing."
Leaf will be the No. 3 quarterback for Sunday's home game
against the Cleveland Browns. In a week or two, coach Mike Riley
might put Leaf in for a series or two in the first half, like the
Chicago Bears had been doing with rookie Cade McNown.
"I thought he looked good today," Riley said. "My biggest
concern was his throwing too much on the first day. I think he probably got tired at the end. But he said he probably had 500 more in (his) arm."
Leaf, who was benched after nine starts during his disastrous
rookie season of 1998, seems to understand his role.
"He'll (Riley) play me when he wants. If it's Sunday or the
first game of next year, whenever my number's called, I'll be mentally prepared."
Of more immediate concern to the Chargers (4-7) is the pending
return of Pro Bowl strong safety Rodney Harrison, expected back
after missing six games with a shoulder injury. His absence
coincided with the Chargers' losing streak.
"I've been wanting to play, but I just couldn't," Harrison
said. "I feel a lot better today, probably 75 to 80 percent and ready to go.
"It feels like my first game again, like I'm a rookie. I'm excited about it. I probably have the most energy out there of anybody. I couldn't stand still."
Running back Natrone Means, who has missed five games after undergoing knee surgery, practiced Wednesday, but linebacker Junior
Seau, bothered by a stomach muscle pull, did not. | |
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