Bengals’ Top Pick Gets Injured Again

Offensive tackle Willie Anderson, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-round draft pick this year, injured his right knee Saturday night in an exhibition game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The team said Anderson sprained his medial collateral ligament, apparently when Arizona defensive tackle Chris Maumalanga rolled onto Anderson’s leg. Anderson also twisted his right ankle, and was taken to the locker room for observation.

Anderson’s status was not known.

Anderson, a 325-pound tackle from Auburn, was the 10th overall selection.

The injury in the team’s second exhibition game is the second in two years for Cincinnati’s top draft pick. Ki-Jana Carter, the first player drafted in 1995, tore knee ligaments and missed the entire 1995 season after having reconstructive surgery.

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Despite a strong performance in the preseason, David Klingler is still firmly entrenched as the Oakland Raiders’ No. 3 quarterback.

The depth chart still stands with Jeff Hostetler in the top spot and Billy Joe Hobert at backup, Raider Coach Mike White said.

But that doesn’t mean the Raiders aren’t happy with Klingler’s progress.

“He’s not one of those guys always asking where he stands,” White said. “He’s working on the things we expect of him.”

Klingler completed 12 of 27 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown in Thursday’s exhibition game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Meanwhile, the debut of the newly renovated Oakland Coliseum in its football configuration delighted the Raiders, but caused some headaches for the other tenant, the Athletics.

After the Raiders’ exhibition against the Seahawks, workers had about 17 hours to get 350 tons of seats out of center field and reinstall the outfield wall and almost didn’t make it.

Less then two hours before the A’s game Friday night, a large crane was still in the outfield. The A’s and the Indians couldn’t take batting practice.

The A’s had received permission to postpone the game and play a doubleheader Saturday, but in the end, the game started a half-hour late.