Holmes appears closer to activation

Priest Holmes went through another impressive workout Thursday and the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be leaning toward activating the 34-year-old running back.

Attempting an improbable return to the NFL after being out for 22 months, Holmes had his first practice Wednesday and coaches said they would pay particular attention to how he did Thursday.

“He was still fresh, wasn’t sore,” Coach Herm Edwards said with a wry shake of his head. “He went through practice, had a good practice.”

The Chiefs made roster room for Holmes this week when they traded Larry Johnson’s backup, Michael Bennett, to Tampa.

Suspended defensive tackle Tank Johnson will be allowed to practice starting today, which will be his first team session with the Dallas Cowboys since they signed him last month.

Johnson has two games left on his eight-game NFL suspension for violating probation on a gun charge. Unless the suspension is reduced by Commissioner Roger Goodell, Johnson will be eligible to play when the Cowboys play at the New York Giants on Nov. 11.

Johnson, who was released by the Chicago Bears after his suspension, signed with the Cowboys last month.

Quarterback Trent Dilfer will start for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday against the New York Giants, though Alex Smith also will be in uniform.

Coach Mike Nolan made his decision after watching two days of practice with Dilfer and Smith, who separated his right shoulder on the third play of San Francisco’s 23-3 loss to Seattle on Sept. 30.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young threw a little, but remained sidelined during practice by his strained right quadriceps muscle.

Coach Jeff Fisher has said Young might be able to skip practicing and still play Sunday against the Houston Texans.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker needs another surgery on his right knee, the one he tore up in the 2005 opener for Green Bay that caused him to miss the entire season.

Walker will have an operation today and will be out “for a few weeks,” Coach Mike Shanahan said.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme underwent ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow. Delhomme’s rehabilitation is expected to take at least seven months. Delhomme has said he’s confident he’ll be ready for the start of training camp in July. . . . The Buffalo Bills announced they are seeking approval to play an exhibition and at least one regular-season game in Toronto.

New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney, who has missed three consecutive games because of a groin injury, said he won’t jeopardize his health to return to the lineup. “You’ve still got to know your body and know your injury,” he said. . . . Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, who tore a ligament in his left -- non-throwing -- elbow early in Sunday’s loss to Carolina, said he is “very optimistic” about being able to play Sunday at Washington.