PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : NFC / Ex-Ram Kelly Joins Packers

Former Raider and Ram veteran Joe Kelly signed Friday with Green Bay, shoring up the Packers’ injury-depleted linebacking corps.

Coach Mike Holmgren said Kelly, who suited up for Friday’s final exhibition game, will play middle linebacker.

Terms were not disclosed.

Cornerback Steve Israel, claimed on waivers from the St. Louis Rams Aug. 4, was waived to make room for Kelly.

Kelly, 31, became an unrestricted free agent Thursday when the Rams waived the right of first refusal in his old contract. The Rams had rescinded their $550,000 offer to him in mid-July.

The Rams signed free agent Carlos Jenkins of Minnesota in March to replace Kelly but wanted Kelly back as a fourth linebacker.

Kelly has started at both middle linebacker and inside linebacker, where Fred Strickland and George Koonce are the Packer starters.

Strickland’s status for the Sept. 3 game is uncertain because of a stretched Achilles’ tendon, and the Packers probably won’t start free agent Bernard Carter at inside linebacker against St. Louis.

*

Running back Robert Smith ended his monthlong holdout with the Minnesota Vikings, agreeing to a one-year contract that could pay him as much as $1 million for an All-Pro season.

Smith, expected to challenge for the starting running back job, will earn $700,000 in base pay and as much as $300,000 in incentives.

“I’m disappointed that it took as long as it did,” Viking Vice President Jeff Diamond said. “I don’t think it was necessary, but it happened and let’s move on and get him ready.”

Both sides had agreed on a base salary weeks ago. The incentive package had been the biggest point of contention, with Smith’s agent, Neil Cornrich, believed to be asking for a deal that would have reached $1.2 million or more.

*

The NFL suspended second-year wide receiver Chuck Levy of the Arizona Cardinals for one year for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

The suspension will cost Levy $300,000 in salary. The two-paragraph statement did not give details of Levy’s case.

AFC / Bengals’ Carter Undergoes Surgery

The Cincinnati Bengals’ Ki-Jana Carter, this year’s No. 1 draft choice, underwent surgery in Birmingham, Ala., to repair a torn knee ligament that has forced him out for the season.

Birmingham orthopedic surgeon James Andrews grafted material from Carter’s patella tendon to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee.

He tore the ligament Aug. 17 in an exhibition game at Detroit. He had missed the two previous exhibition games because of a strained Achilles’ tendon in the right leg.

“Everything went fine with the surgery and other procedures,” Andrews said.

The Bengals said they think he has an excellent chance of returning for training camp next year.

*

The new marketing firm for Oakland Raider tickets insists there’s still time to make the homecoming season a sellout.

“This program is on track and on schedule,” said Max Muhleman of Muhleman Marketing Inc., which took ticket sales over from a Chicago company last week.

Oakland officials said Thursday that only 31,213 season tickets have been sold to date, representing about 60 percent of the seats at the Coliseum. That’s well below the 80 percent necessary for Oakland and Alameda County to break even on the deal to bring the team back from Los Angeles.

“It looks a lot more shaky now than when we first got involved with it,” said Joe Debro, chairman of Taxpayers for a Vote on the Raiders Deal.

Debro and other critics of the deal said the poor sales were proof that the agreement with Raiders owner Al Davis was too risky. They contend it could force taxpayers to pay off some of the $225 million in bonds being floated to finance the Coliseum expansion and other elements of the package.

*

San Diego Charger Coach Bobby Ross rested after Thursday’s abdominal surgery to remove scar tissue that was pinching his small intestine and causing pain.

Ross is expected to remain hospitalized at least until Sunday, and probably won’t be back coaching until Wednesday.

EXHIBITION GAMES / Hobert’s Field Goal Caps Raider Rally

Quarterback Billy Joe Hobert, pressed into duty in place of injured kicker Jeff Jaeger, converted a 45-yard field goal with 3:45 remaining, and the Oakland Raiders (3-1) rallied to beat the New England Patriots (1-3), 32-24, in an exhibition finale at Stanford.

Trailing, 24-7, heading into the final period, the Raiders closed in behind two fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Vince Evans. Derrick Hoskins then intercepted a Scott Zolak pass, returning it 19 yards to the New England 30.

Oakland failed to get a first down, and after some apparent indecision, opted to let Hobert try the field goal. Hobert, a kicker and punter as well as a quarterback during his prep career, kicked a low line drive that just cleared the cross bar. He also had three extra points.

New England’s Drew Bledsoe, who passed for a league-leading 4,555 yards last season, threw for three touchdowns.

The game was played at Stanford Stadium before a crowd of 51,709 because of a scheduling conflict with the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum.

*

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) got another steady performance from Trent Dilfer (seven of 10 for 109 yards and a touchdown) and wrapped up their most successful exhibition season in four years with a 24-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins (1-3) at Orlando. The only negative was when wide receiver Alvin Harper, sidelined for two weeks because of a sprained knee and foot, bruised his left ankle on his only reception. . . . Dorsey Levens scored on two five-yard runs and caught a one-yard touchdown pass as the Green Bay Packers (3-1) stopped the Washington Redskins (1-3), 35-23, at Green Bay, Wis. Packer running back Edgar Bennett suffered a twisted ankle. . . . Jim Kelly, coming off knee surgery, completed eight of 10 passes for 68 yards and stayed healthy in leading the Buffalo Bills (2-3) to a 20-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons (2-2) at Orchard Park, N.Y. Thurman Thomas played one series and had 21 yards on six carries. . . . Vaughn Dunbar, New Orleans’ No. 1 draft pick in 1992 who spent two years hampered by major knee surgery, rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 26 yards in the Saints’ first exhibition victory, a 24-10 victory over the Detroit Lions (3-1) at New Orleans. . . . Mark Brunell did his best to create a quarterback controversy in Jacksonville, throwing for 185 yards and directing two second-half touchdown drives as the expansion Jaguars (2-3) rallied to beat the Denver Broncos (3-2), 23-17, at Jacksonville. Jacksonville starter Steve Beuerlein was solid, completing nine of 15 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. . . . Boomer Esiason threw his only touchdown pass of the exhibition season and Nick Lowery kicked five field goals at Cincinnati, leading the New York Jets (2-2) to a 30-24 victory over the Bengals (1-3).