Notes

VIKINGS Ex-Hog suspended

MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle DeMarcus Love (Arkansas Razorbacks) has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.

The league announced the punishment Thursday. Lovewill remain eligible to practice this month and play in exhibition games, but once the regular season starts he must be away from his team through Sept.29, when the Vikings play Pittsburgh in London.

Love might not make the team, though. He has never played in a regular-season NFL game.

Love was inactive for all 16 games of his rookie season after being drafted in the sixth round out of Arkansas. Last year, he was on injured reserve with a damaged pectoral muscle.

COWBOYS Help on way

OXNARD, Calif. - The Dallas Cowboys are bringing in reinforcements on the offensive line after a couple of training camp setbacks at guard.

The Cowboys signed former TCU guard Jeff Olson and former UTEP tackle James Nelson, who went to high school near the team’s camp facility in Oxnard, Calif. Dallas released injured defensive tackle Cameron Sheffield and cornerback Devin Smith on Thursday.

The additions of Olson and Nelson came after Kevin Kowalski sustained a knee bruise Tuesday and Nate Livings didn’t come out for Thursday’s walkthrough because of knee soreness. Kowalski is expected to miss at least two weeks.

Even with Olson, the Cowboys have only five healthy guards heading into their preseason opener Sunday against Miami in Canton, Ohio.

49ERS Injuries on rise

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Injuries are piling up fast for the San Francisco 49ers.

All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis was wearing a black cast around the base of his right hand and wrist and was among more than a dozen players not participating in practice Thursday. Barely 45 minutes into the workout, trainers carted cornerback Chris Culliver off the field with an apparent left knee injury.

Willis injured his hand during one-on-one blocking drills Wednesday. He stood on the sidelines the rest of practice with his wrist and hand heavily wrapped.

Culliver’s injury appeared even more serious. He was covering a punt in a non-contact drill when he went down in pain. He held his left knee and buried his head in his hands before being taken off the field.

SEAHAWKS Harvin has surgery

RENTON, Wash. - Coach Pete Carroll said wide receiver Percy Harvin faces a long rehab process after having surgery Thursday to repair his injured hip.

Carroll said the surgery performed in New York went “very well” but that the team doesn’t have a timetable for his recovery. Harvin will remain in New York for the next few weeks for the beginning of his rehab before returning to Seattle.

Carroll said the team feels even more hopeful that Harvin will be able to play this season after getting all the information from the surgery. He is still likely to miss significant time this season.

Harvin was placed on the physically unable to perform list prior to training camp and seems destined to remain there to start the regular season.

DOLPHINS Hartline returns

DAVIE, Fla. - Brian Hartline returned to practice with Miami Dolphins on a limited basis Thursday afternoon, while fellow wide receiver Mike Wallace replaced him on the sideline.

Hartline took part only in individual drills, and Wallace spent time working with a trainer. Neither player participated in the team’s scrimmage Monday night after doing position drills.

Dolphins Coach Joe Philbin has a standing policy of not discussing injuries, but Hartline was wearing a compression sleeve around his left calf Thursday.

Absent from practice Thursday were guards John Jerry and Brian Thomas, along with wide receiver Rishard Matthews. Rookie Caleb Sturgis kicked Wednesday night for the first time in a week and ended the practice by making a 42-yard field goal.

The Dolphins open the preseason Sunday night against Dallas in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.PANTHERS

Hangartner released

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Panthers have announced they’ve released offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner, leaving the starting right guard spot up for grabs.

Hangartner has started 83 games, including 12 last season for Carolina, during his eight-year career with the Panthers and Buffalo Bills.

The move Thursday is a bit surprising considering Hangartner had been running with the first team at camp, and the player they drafted to replace him - Edmund Kugbila from Valdosta State - has missed the majority of training camp with a pulled hamstring after sitting out OTAs with a knee injury.

Quarterback Derek Anderson called Hangartner one of the most popular players in the locker room, saying “It’s tough, but somebody is going to have to step up.”

Hangartner was scheduled to make $1.575 million this year.

Sports, Pages 19 on 08/02/2013

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