SAN DIEGO - Newly acquired wide receiver Keenan McCardell will make his season debut on Sunday and might even start for the Chargers in their road game against the Panthers.
The Chargers obtained McCardell from the Buccaneers for two draft picks on Tuesday, just before the NFL trading deadline. McCardell was the league's last holdout, skipping the first six games with Tampa Bay because he was unhappy his contract wasn't renegotiated.
"It's not out of the realm of possibility that Keenan starts," coach Marty Schottenheimer said Friday.
"He has some history in this system, but it was a long time ago," Schottenheimer said. "But he has come along and had no problems at all."
If McCardell starts, it will be opposite Eric Parker. Reche Caldwell, San Diego's leading wideout, sustained a season-ending knee injury in last Sunday's loss at Atlanta.
Schottenheimer wasn't sure if wide receiver Bobby Shaw, signed as a free agent on Tuesday, will play against Carolina.
Clarett stymied again
NEW YORK - A federal appeals court has rejected running back Maurice Clarett's longshot bid to get the court to reconsider his lawsuit challenging the NFL's eligibility rule for the draft.
Lawyers on both sides were told this week that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had rejected a request for a rare rehearing by all 11 judges. The former Ohio State player must now decide whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In May, a three-judge appeals panel said federal labor policy allows NFL teams to set rules for when players can enter the league, stopping Clarett from entering the draft.
A telephone message seeking comment was left for Clarett's lawyer, Alan Milstein. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment.
BEARS: Quarterback Tim Couch took a physical and worked out, but the team has not determined whether to sign the former top draft pick. ... The team gave scarce flu vaccines to two players who have asthmatic conditions that placed them at high risk of developing influenza. Healthy players who asked whether they should receive the vaccinations were told no, Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said.
EAGLES: Defensive end Jerome McDougle missed practice because of an irregular heartbeat and was doubtful for the Eagles' game this weekend against Cleveland. Head trainer Rick Burkholder said McDougle complained after Thursday's practice of feeling a little lightheaded, shortness of breath and upper respiratory infection symptoms.
RAIDERS: Defensive line coach Sam Clancy was released from a hospital a day after he was taken from the team's practice facility in an ambulance because of chest pains and shortness of breath. Doctors told Clancy, 46, he could coach Sunday in the home game against the Saints despite being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.
TITANS: Cornerback Andre Woolfolk was added to the injury report after back spasms forced him to leave practice early. Woolfolk, a first-round draft pick in 2003, began having difficulties when he landed awkwardly jumping for a ball. ... Starting right offensive guard Benji Olson, whose team-high streak of 85 straight starts ended last weekend because of a groin strain, was allowed to practice for the first time since he was injured Oct. 11 at Green Bay.
VIKINGS: Receiver Randy Moss tested his strained right hamstring, but his status for Sunday's game against Tennessee remained uncertain. Moss ran on a treadmill and missed his third straight practice. Coach Mike Tice said his star receiver looked "pretty good" and would do more work today. Tice said he expected to decide Sunday morning whether to play Moss.
