NFL Notebook: Panthers may get linemen back

■ Panthers: Carolina could have two of its three injured offensive linemen back for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay.

Left tackle Jordan Gross and right tackle Jeff Otah practiced for a second straight day yesterday, while center Ryan Kalil missed his third straight workout and is listed as doubtful to play against the Buccaneers.

Gross and Otah are listed as questionable, but participated fully in yesterday's practice. Gross missed last Sunday's win over Kansas City after being knocked unconscious a week earlier against Atlanta when he was kneed in the head. Otah sat out the win over the Falcons with a sprained right ankle.

Kalil injured his right ankle against the Chiefs. Geoff Hangartner is expected to start in his place.

■ Seahawks: Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck served as spectator all week during practice.

He'll likely reprise that role Sunday for the Seahawks (1-3).

Hasselbeck and his sore right knee haven't received clearance to play against Green Bay, meaning that Charlie Frye will likely be the starter against the Packers, Coach Mike Holmgren said after practice yesterday.

Frye, the only completely healthy quarterback on the roster, took almost all the snaps in practice this week, while Hasselbeck rested his knee and backup Seneca Wallace nursed a sore calf.

Holmgren said there is still a slight chance Hasselbeck could get cleared to play, but Holmgren must have the belief Hasselbeck won't be at an increased risk with his knee not 100 percent to consider putting him in the game.

The Seahawks likely won't have receiver Deion Branch, who didn't practice all week and was listed as questionable with a bruised heel. But Holmgren plans on starting Bobby Engram and Koren Robinson at receiver after Robinson had a full week of practice without any problems from a sore knee.

Keary Colbert, Billy McMullen and Michael Bumpus will rotate in as Seattle's other receivers.

■ Packers: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, despite not making a single throw in practice this week, is prepared to start for Green Bay on Sunday at Seattle.

Coach Mike McCarthy said the team made a medical decision to keep Rodgers, who has a sprained right shoulder, from throwing in practice yesterday.

The Packers listed Rodgers as probable on their injury report.

Rodgers made only a few throws in practice last week after suffering the injury Sept. 28 at Tampa Bay.

Rookie backups Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm handled the practice reps in live drills.

Besides Rodgers, other starters listed as probable are LT Chad Clifton (hamstring), FB Korey Hall (knee), CB Charles Woodson (toe) and LB A.J. Hawk (groin). Safety Aaron Rouse (knee) also is probable and likely will start in place of an injured Atari Bigby (hamstring), who is doubtful.

■ Bengals: Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said quarterback Carson Palmer will not start Sunday's game against the New York Jets because of a sore right elbow, but that Palmer could play.

Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick will get his second start of the season for the Bengals.

■ Broncos: Travis Henry, a former Denver running back, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on Oct. 30 on cocaine trafficking charges.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby initially set Henry's arraignment for Oct. 14, but yesterday delayed it by two weeks at the request of attorneys. Henry is expected to enter a plea to a three-count indictment charging him with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in the Billings area from March 2006 until September.

■ Vikings: The NFL fined Minnesota's Antoine Winfield $10,000 for his celebration of a touchdown on Monday night against the Saints.

Winfield returned a blocked field goal for a score, then jumped onto the goalpost and slid down it like a fire pole. He was flagged for excessive celebration and then fined for using the goalpost as a prop.

Linebacker Chad Greenway was fined $7,500 for his facemask pull of Reggie Bush.

even though referee Ed Hochuli's crew didn't flag him for a penalty. The missed call infuriated Saints coach Sean Payton and resulted in a fumble by Bush recovered by Vikings safety Tyrell Johnson.

Receiver Robert Ferguson was fined $5,000 for a late hit on a punt return in the third quarter.