PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : Boselli Returns, Stokes Waits

The NFL’s top draft pick, Ki-Jana Carter of Cincinnati, is out for the season. But the player chosen right after him is ready to make his pro debut.

Offensive tackle Tony Boselli, sidelined since the early days of his first training camp after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, is expected to play Sunday night when the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars play host to Green Bay.

The Jaguars have scored only 30 points while surrendering an NFL-high 17 sacks in three losses. Still, everyone from Coach Tom Coughlin to the quarterback he’ll be trying to protect is downplaying the impact of the former USC player’s return.

“Tony is a fine player and it’s going to help to get him back,” said Mark Brunell, who will make his second start in place of injured quarterback Steve Beuerlein. “But we’ve got to be realistic. One guy is not going change the offense around.”

*

It appears wide receiver J.J. Stokes will wait another week to make his NFL debut.

The San Francisco 49ers’ top draft pick from UCLA, sidelined since breaking a bone in his right hand Aug. 17, practiced with a smaller cast this week but still had some difficulty.

“He’s catching at 75%, but that’s not good enough,” Coach George Seifert said. “I’d say right now the odds are he won’t play [Monday night at Detroit].”

Two players who will return for that game are right tackle Harris Barton, out since pulling a calf muscle Aug. 5, and receiver John Taylor, who sat out the last two games while recovering from a knee and calf strain.

*

With NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue meeting with Dodger owner Peter O’Malley, representatives from Disney and others this week in Los Angeles, the City Council announced that it will hold hearings to discuss “issues surrounding appropriate venues” for an NFL team here.

Meanwhile, O’Malley issued a statement about his talks.

“Los Angeles needs and deserves to have a state-of-the-art, fan-friendly football stadium,” O’Malley said, “and participating in a project like that appeals to me very much. We will work to ensure that the needs of the fans, the community at-large, and the surrounding neighborhoods are considered and addressed in the process.”