PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Montana Ready to Return, but . . .

Joe Montana’s elbow is fine. Now, it’s the condition of the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive line, or lack of it, that might delay plans to activate Montana from injured reserve this week.

“We’re going to try to bring Joe up,” Coach George Seifert said. “But I want to first make sure that we’re settled as far as the offensive line is concerned. Once I get that established, then it will be, ‘OK, now, how does Joe get on the club?’ ”

In order to activate Montana, the 49ers must use one of their two remaining moves. Seifert wants to make sure the team won’t need either of those moves or the roster space to fill a more critical need.

The team is desperate for line help and a long snapper because of injuries over the past two weeks that sidelined right tackle Harris Barton and his replacement, guard-tackle Ralph Tamm, who doubled as the club’s long snapper.

Montana has been sidelined since tearing his right elbow tendon in August of 1991. Should he be activated for Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay, he would return as a backup to Steve Young.

Dennis Byrd’s neurological condition “has improved some” as he continues his rehabilitation program for paralysis below the waist caused by a broken neck, and the New York Jet defensive end has had some movement in his feet and toes and certain leg muscles.

His doctor, Kristjan Ragnarsson, said: “Dennis is generally feeling well and has started on his rehabilitation program. He is tolerating the physical exercises very well. His neurological condition has improved some and now there are scattered muscle contractions and active motion in both legs, but they are too weak to be of any significance to him.

“The appearance of these motions and the presence of sensation allows us some optimism in regards to his further recovery, but nobody can predict the exact neurological outcome at this point with any accuracy.”

John Elway, who has sat out the Denver Broncos’ last four games--all losses--because of a bruised right shoulder, said that the shoulder has healed enough for him to play next Sunday against Seattle. “I think the way I am right now, I think that there’s no question I’ll be out there on Sunday,” Elway said. “Will I be totally 100%? No, probably not. But I think that I can go out and be effective.” . . . Michael Young, the Broncos’ leading receiver in 1991 who was cut on Dec. 4, on Monday turned down Coach Dan Reeves’ invitation to rejoin the team. “It’s been a roller-coaster ride this season and I just didn’t feel I was mentally ready to come back,” said Young, who passed up $80,000 in pay by not returning for the Broncos’ remaining two games. “It’s hard to turn down the money, but if I came back just for the money it would be the wrong decision.”