White Is Back as a Panther

Reggie White, the NFL’s career sacks leader, agreed in principle Friday with the Carolina Panthers to come out of retirement and play again this season.

“We’ve got most of it worked out,” White said outside of the Panthers’ training camp facility at Spartanburg, S.C. “Hopefully it will all be done by Monday.”

White, 38, met with Panthers all day Friday. He passed a physical in Charlotte, N.C., then traveled the 80 miles to training camp for a workout and meeting with Coach George Seifert.

One technicality is the Green Bay Packers still have to release White, who had one year left on his contract when he retired after the 1998 season.

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Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne signed a five-year, $7.14 million contract with the New York Giants, opting not to haggle over money so he could report to training camp on time. The Wisconsin halfback got a $4.5 million signing bonus, but the total value of the deal was less than the $8.175 million package signed by defensive end Shaun Ellis, who was drafted No. 12 by the New York Jets. Dayne was the 11th pick overall.

“After a while, I just said no matter what it is I want to do it,” Dayne said after attending the opening meeting at training camp.

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Washington Redskin running back Stephen Davis ended his holdout, agreeing to a one-year contract that will pay him $3.532 million. Stephens was trying to get a long-term contract and a big signing bonus, but the Redskins wouldn’t offer more than a $5 million bonus and then broke off negotiations for several months.

Meanwhile, No. 2 overall draft pick LaVar Arrington remained unsigned despite owner Dan Snyder’s vow that all his draftees would be in camp on time. A league source said Arrington is insisting on a deal worth more than the one top pick Courtney Brown got from Cleveland.

Arrington is now the team’s lone holdout.

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The St. Louis Rams are still trying to work out a long-term contract with NFL and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner, but in the meantime the team has signed the quarterback for $358,000, the league minimum for a third-year player. Warner signed because he didn’t want to hold out.

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Minnesota Viking nose tackle Jerry Ball, 35, retired after 13 NFL seasons. Ball, who weights 330, played for the Vikings from 1997-98 before signing with Cleveland as a free agent in April 1999. He spent three games with the Browns before the Vikings reacquired him in a trade.

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The Raiders and first-round draft choice Sebastian Janikowski finalized a five-year, $6.05-million contract that includes a $2 million signing bonus and a clause that will force the kicker to pay back $25,000 for every game he misses because of suspension. The Raiders also signed veteran linebacker William Thomas, who was released in March by the Philadelphia Eagles. . . . Cincinnati Bengal receiver Darnay Scott, accused of writing a bad check to a motorcycle shop, spent a night in jail in Florence, Ky. He was released after posting $5,000 bond. Scott’s check for $5,158 was for rebuilding a motorcycle. . . . The Tennessee Titans, who missed out on Reggie White, are trying to win over Carl Pickens. The receiver became available Thursday when Cincinnati released him after reaching a settlement with the NFL Players Assn. over the team’s use of the “franchise player” tag. . . . Titan cornerback Denard Walker, who pleased guilty last summer to assault for an incident involving the mother of his son, had his suspension reduced from two games to one by the NFL.

Trevor Pryce, who led NFL defensive tackles with 13 sacks last season, told the Denver Broncos he believes he is underpaid and was absent as the team opened training camp at Greeley, Colo. . . . Defensive end Erik Flowers, Buffalo’s No. 1 draft choice from Arizona State, is holding out, leaving a big hole on the right side of the line. Bruce Smith is now with the Washington Redskins, and Marcellus Wiley, Smith’s successor, is out for at least three weeks while he recovers from back surgery. . . . Miami receiver O.J. McDuffie is unable to practice because he is still bothered by a sore left big toe.