Carolina starting defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu is likely lost for the season because of a torn right Achilles tendon.

Kemoeatu, a Kahuku High and University of Utah alum, was injured minutes into the Panthers' opening training-camp practice yesterday at Spartanburg, S.C., while running during a position drill. He was carted to the locker room, then taken to Charlotte, where the tear was discovered.

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said they have yet to determine if they will place Kemoeatu on injured reserve. Recovery time from that injury is several months.

"We have to figure out what the next step is," general manager Hurney said. "You never like to lose anybody to an injury for any amount of time."

The only backup defensive tackle with any playing experience is second-year man Nick Hayden, who appeared in two games last season. Undrafted rookie free-agent Marlon Favorite took Kemoeatu's place with the first team in practice.

Kemoeatu is one of the Panthers' most important players defending the run. At 6-foot-5, 345 pounds, he not only makes tackles (40 last season), he also takes up blockers to clear the way for Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jon Beason.

"That's one of my bodyguards, him and Damione" (Lewis), said Beason.

IN COURT

BURRESS INDICTED ON WEAPONS CHARGES

Former New York Giants star Plaxico Burress was indicted by a grand jury on weapons charges for shooting himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub and faces a minimum prison sentence of 3 1/2 years if convicted, prosecutors announced yesterday.

The indictment charged the 31-year-old Burress with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

"The grand jury applied the law to the facts of this case," Morgenthau said. He said the accidental shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub Nov. 29 was treated "like any similar case against any other defendant."

Burress' lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the indictment, which came after Burress testified before the grand jury and expressed remorse.

"When you have the mayor and the district attorney both publicly demanding a maximum prison sentence, it was perhaps too much to hope for the grand jury to conduct a sympathetic review of the unique facts of this sad case," Brafman said in a statement.

Burress' former teammate Antonio Pierce, who was with Burress in the club and drove him to the hospital, was not indicted.

Pierce, who also testified before the grand jury last week, was practicing with the Giants in Albany when he learned of the panel's decision.

Burress was at the Latin Quarter nightclub Nov. 29 when a gun tucked into his waistband slipped down his leg and fired, shooting him in the right thigh.

Prosecutors said yesterday that after taking Burress to the hospital, Pierce drove the gun to his own home in New Jersey — not to Burress' home, as was originally reported. They said he later arranged for it to be taken to Burress' home.

The gun was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey, where Burress lived, prosecutors said. Burress' license to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Florida had expired in May 2008.

Burress pleaded not guilty to weapons charges earlier this year and is free on $100,000 bail.

The Giants released Burress in April and he has yet to sign with another team.

BILLS

RUNNING BACK'S SUSPENSION UPHELD

Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy will stand.

The league announced that Lynch's appeal was denied in a statement released yesterday afternoon.

Lynch's suspension begins Sept. 5 and ends Sept. 28, a day after the Bills play the New Orleans Saints in their third regular-season game.

Lynch, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons with the Bills, will be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games before Sept. 5.

Lynch pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor gun charge in Los Angeles. He was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and three years' probation.

TITANS

MOUTON HOPING TO BRING NICE RETURNS

Wanted: A fast, surehanded player needed to follow blocks and pick up yards returning kickoffs and punts. Ability to score touchdowns a plus.

That's one job Tennessee is looking to fill at this training camp after leading the NFL in kickoff return average in 2008. They did that thanks to Chris Carr who also handled all but two punt returns but left for Detroit this offseason in free agency.

Ryan Mouton, a rookie defensive back from the University of Hawai'i, could fit the bill.

Mouton, a third-round pick, is eager to do whatever is necessary.

"It'd be very nice to come in and contribute and try to keep that high level where it was. Chris Carr did a great job. Now they need somebody to step in," Mouton said. "A lot of guys back there have potential to do it. Whoever gets the job, I think they'll do a great job at it."

Mark Jones, Chris Davis, Tanard Davis, Lavelle Hawkins, Rafael Little and Jason McCourty also are candidates to handle punt and kickoff returns.

ELSEWHERE

Eagles: Upset by press reports that starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley could miss the season with a knee injury, Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said yesterday he's not talking about it.

The Eagles confirmed Sunday night that Bradley suffered a knee injury in practice. Yesterday, reports surfaced that the third-year pro has a torn ACL and is likely lost for the season.

"We won't talk about injuries today," Reid said. "Some of your colleagues here decided that they would go to the players and/or other personnel here and ask about injuries."

Vikings: Minnesota quarterback Tarvaris Jackson missed both practices again yesterday at Mankato, Minn., while doing rehab work on his injured left knee.

Jackson joined his teammates outside for the first time since spraining his MCL on Saturday. But he was only able to ride a bicycle, do some light jogging and watch practice while wearing a sleeve on his knee. He still walked with a slight limp.

Coach Brad Childress said he does not have a timetable for Jackson's return.

Bengals: Cincinnati sustained its first significant injury of training camp when tight end Reggie Kelly ruptured his Achilles' tendon, a notable setback to an offense that finished last in the NFL.

Kelly hurt his left leg during a morning practice at Georgetown, Ky., and will have surgery tomorrow.

Kelly finished third on the team in receiving last season with 31 catches for 207 yards.

Broncos: Denver signed first-round pick Robert Ayers to a five-year deal, leaving Knowshon Moreno, the team's top pick, as the only unsigned player from its 10-member draft class.

The Broncos used the 18th overall selection to take Ayers, a defensive end out of Tennessee.

Moreno, a running back out of Georgia, was taken with the 12th overall selection.

Cardinals: Arizona wide receiver Early Doucet went down with a sprained left shoulder making a spectacular catch during training camp at Flagstaff, Ariz.

The second-year player said that he initially thought he had dislocated his shoulder and was relieved to find out it was only a sprain.

Eagles: Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and Philadelphia agreed to terms on a five-year contract, ending the first-round pick's holdout.

Maclin caught 102 passes for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns at Missouri last season.