Bengals’ Palmer Passes a Big Test

Carson Palmer aced the test.

With a bulky brace protecting his rebuilt knee, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback took the hits, avoided the rush and threw three first-half touchdown passes Monday night in his first exhibition of the year.

By the time the Bengals jogged to the locker room with a 48-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati, Palmer had convincingly made his case that he’d be ready to start the season opener.

“I can’t say I felt real emotional,” Palmer said. “It just felt like a business day, a chance to get some work in.”

Showing no hesitation to take a hard tackle or take off on a scramble, Palmer completed nine of 14 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns.

“He hasn’t lost a thing,” right tackle Willie Anderson said. “He’s our leader, and he’s back. That’s got to make any Bengals fan feel real happy.”

Unless his left knee swells up in the next few days, Palmer will be on schedule to start in Kansas City on Sept. 10, his goal all along during a grueling comeback from an injury that had overshadowed the franchise since a playoff loss to Pittsburgh.

“He dropped back, he rolled out, he got hit a few times, he had a chance to run the ball,” Coach Marvin Lewis said. “He looked very good, very sharp. It’s still just preseason, but it’s encouraging.

“I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Maybe he was a little sharper than you’d expect, but we’ve seen him working every day for six months.”

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The Oakland Raiders signed Jeff George to a contract, bringing back a player who hasn’t thrown an NFL pass in five seasons.

George, the No. 1 overall pick by Indianapolis in 1990, joined the team in time for Monday’s afternoon practice.

George hasn’t played since 2001, when he was cut after two games with the Washington Redskins.

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The Tennessee Titans signed veteran quarterback Kerry Collins, deciding they needed more experience after trading Steve McNair.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Collins already met with offensive coordinator Norm Chow for about an hour and would be at practice today. Fisher said Billy Volek remains the starter, with rookie Vince Young backing him up while Collins learns the offense.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Greg Jones will miss the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee.

Jones, the team’s starting fullback and Fred Taylor’s primary backup, injured his knee Saturday against Tampa Bay.

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Priest Holmes, who hasn’t practiced at all in training camp, will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season and his career is in doubt.

Kansas City put the three-time Pro Bowl running back on the physically unable to perform list. He will be out for a minimum of six weeks, then the Chiefs will have 21 days to activate him.

Holmes missed the last nine games of the 2005 season because of head and neck injuries, and doctors haven’t given him medical clearance to play.

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The Philadelphia Eagles acquired wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth from the New Orleans Saints for veteran linebacker Mark Simoneau and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2007.

Stallworth had 70 receptions for 945 yards last season.

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A.J. Feeley was waived by the San Diego Chargers, whose remaining three quarterbacks have zero career NFL starts.

The Chargers also released two draft picks and learned they’ll be without left tackle Roman Oben for the season’s first six weeks. Feeley had been second on the depth chart behind Philip Rivers, but was outplayed in training camp by rookie Charlie Whitehurst.