Chiefs' RB Holmes on verge of triumphant return

Priest Holmes went through a full practice Wednesday, a giant step toward what could be turning into one of the NFL's great comebacks.

Now 34 and out of football since suffering neck and spinal injuries two years ago, Holmes was cleared to practice for the first time since he shocked the Chiefs last summer and showed up at training camp.

He has been working out diligently and trimming away the 15 or so pounds he gained while staying home the previous 22 months, hardly going near a football field.

Now, he says, he's ready to resume a career that took him to three Pro Bowls and made him one of the league's most productive backs before the injury that just about everyone assumed ended his career.

"One of the things I can take from practice is I still have a lot in me," he said. "That was one of the surprising things not so much for the team to see, but also for myself to see, how well I performed."

He admitted he's not yet the athlete who had almost 6,000 yards rushing and 2,360 yards receiving from 2001-06, and in 2003 scored a then-NFL record 27 touchdowns.

"There were a few things that took me by surprise," he said. "There was one play where they sent two linebackers in on me and … my awareness wasn't there initially.

"I'm seeing two guys coming at me. Which one do I take? And the better one gets a good hit on me. But I stood in there. I got my wig split. I got hit pretty hard. But I bounced back and got ready to play the next snap."

Coach Herm Edwards said he still did not know if Holmes would be activated for this week's game at Oakland -- or, for that matter, ever.

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow," he said. "That's the whole key now, how is he going to feel tomorrow? And then the next day? Where is he going to be the next couple of days?"

WR Robinson reinstated: The NFL reinstated suspended Green Bay Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson on Wednesday.

"It's been a year since we've seen Koren, so our first step is to have him return to Green Bay," said Packers general manager Ted Thompson in a statement. "The Packers will request a roster exemption, during which time we would see where Koren is at in terms of football shape."

The Packers have a full 53-man roster, but cornerback/kick returner Will Blackmon has not been placed on injured reserve despite breaking his right foot. The team initially said he would be out for the season but has not made a move since.

Robinson was suspended after an August 2006 incident in which police said he led them on a car chase at speeds over 100 mph, and his blood-alcohol content was found to be 0.11 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08. Robinson was cut by the Vikings and signed a two-year deal with the Packers.

He has been working out in Arizona.

Rams getting healthier: Randy McMichael looked around the huddle in practice Wednesday and Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson and Isaac Bruce looked back at the tight end. The St. Louis Rams are still winless, but finally there is some hope.

"It's been a frustrating year, all the losing, and it seems like you're always losing a teammate," McMichael said.

Bulger is back after broken ribs forced him to miss two games, a pair of losses in which backup Gus Frerotte threw 8 interceptions.

Jackson and Bruce still were limited in practice, with Bruce a better bet to return this week at Seattle. Coach Scott Linehan said Jackson, recovering from a partially torn groin that has sidelined him for three games, had an "outside chance" of playing.

Leftwich to start for Atlanta: Byron Leftwich has replaced Joey Harrington as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback.

Hoping to spark an offense that has struggled without suspended quarterback Michael Vick, coach Bobby Petrino said he plans to keep Leftwich as his starter for the rest of the season.

QB Green's future in doubt: Miami Dolphins quarterback Trent Green said the decision whether he should retire may be made for him by doctors who have yet to clear him to play following his second severe concussion in 13 months.

"I would like to play again," Green said Wednesday. "It's what I love doing. It remains to be seen whether they will clear me."

Since being knocked unconscious Oct. 7 at Houston, all of Green's test results have been normal, including the latest round Tuesday, he said. But concerns about possible long-term effects left the two specialists he consulted unwilling to give him an OK to practice or play.