Disgruntled Defensemen Rejoin Colts

Ray Buchanan and Tony Siragusa ended their holdouts Monday and returned to the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp.

Neither, however, promised they would stay through the rest of camp at Anderson University.

“I still have a bittersweet taste in my mouth,” said Siragusa, a defensive tackle. “But … I didn’t think I could get anything done out of camp.”

“I’m here - right now - seeing what’s going on,” said Buchanan, a third-year cornerback. “I’m pretty sure they’re taking me seriously.”

The team had told Buchanan, who had left camp Thursday, it would not resume negotiating a new contract until he returned. He is to earn the league minimum of $178,000 for a third-year player.

The Colts have told Siragusa, who was away from camp for a week, they will not renegotiate his contract at all. It will pay him $925,000 in salary this year and has another year to run.

Stokes struggles to keep up

Wide receiver J.J. Stokes had his first serious training camp practice and it was brutal.

Dragging in the heat and taking a beating during contact drills, the San Francisco 49ers’ top draft pick struggled to keep up with the workout tempo of his teammates. At one point, coach George Seifert yelled at Stokes to pick it up.

“It’s nice to get one under my belt. I wouldn’t say it was a good practice for me, though,” Stokes said. “Once the coaches get on you, you know you’re not having a good day.”

The 49ers continue to talk about signing running back Marion Butts but await word from Miami and St. Louis - two clubs who are also interested in signing the free agent.

Raiders expect help from Walsh

The Oakland Raiders can expect some help from former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh this season because of his longtime friendship with Raiders coach Mike White.

Walsh, who won three Super Bowls in his 10 years with the 49ers, told the Contra Costa Times of Walnut Creek, Calif., that he plans to visit White and the Raiders regularly during the season.

Walsh’s first visit will likely be after the team’s opening exhibition game Saturday at Texas Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. Walsh plans to visit the Raiders at their Oxnard, Calif., training camp, then make regular visits to their in-season workout base at El Segundo, Calif.

White and Walsh are longtime friends and coaching associates, dating to when they were collegiate assistants together at California and Stanford, and White was Walsh’s administrative assistant and line coach with the 49ers in 1979-80.

“My affiliation will always be with the 49ers, but in Mike’s case, I can root 100 percent for Mike and the Raiders and not feel a hint of conflict between the two organizations,” Walsh said.

Montana’s Gragg injured

The University of Montana’s Scott Gragg, a big rookie offensive tackle, who was the New York Giants’ second-round draft choice, broke his right foot and will be sidelined four-to-six weeks.

Gragg, 6-foot-8 and 316 pounds, broke the second metatarsal while running sprints after Saturday’s scrimmage.

“He’s a great prospect and he needed all the playing time he can get,” Giants coach Dan Reeves said. “He is going to miss all that time. It’s a big-time setback, no question about it.”

Gragg, who never missed a game or a practice while playing for the Grizzlies, had been the primary backup to Doug Riesenberg at right tackle in camp.

There are indications that Tyrone Wheatley, the Giants’ first-round draft pick, has agreed in principle to a multiyear contract and could report to camp as early as Wednesday.

Eagles seeking defensive help

Defensive lineman Byron Evans said his right knee is about 90 percent ready for football, but he’s 100 percent sure he will not accept the Eagles’ latest two-year, $400,000 offer.

“There’s no way I can accept that deal,” Evans said by telephone from his home in Phoenix. “Things are going good on my end, but it’s like pulling teeth as always on their end.”

As a result, the Eagles are reportedly inquiring about San Francisco defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, who has 19 sacks in just two NFL seasons.

Stubblefield has been holding out from the 49ers training camp and his agent, Neil Cornrich, said he would like to talk “about what’s going on, but I can’t.

“Does Dana love (Philadelphia coach) Ray Rhodes? Absolutely,” Cornrich said. “Is it possible the Eagles have shown an interest through informal channels? You never know.”

Bengals shuffling linemen

Bruce Kozerski is tackling a new position as the Cincinnati Bengals shuffle their offensive line two weeks into training camp.

Kozerski, primarily a center and guard in his 11-year career, is being moved to left tackle - one of the most important spots on the line.

Coach Dave Shula made the move because left tackle Kevin Sargent from Eastern Washington was performing so poorly in camp. Kozerski’s spot at right guard will go to another Eastern Washington grad, Trent Pollard, a second-year pro who hasn’t started a game.

Everett hopes to raise expectations

The New Orleans Saints gave Jim Everett a lot of what he wanted last year - a chance to show he still had the skills and the guts to lead an NFL team. This year, he wants the rest - to show the world that he’s with a team that can win.

Everett, at 32, has not played on a winning team since 1989, when he led the Los Angeles Rams to the NFC title game and was billed as “the quarterback of the ‘90s.”

After being run out of Los Angeles, Everett regained his form and is now being touted as the key to the Saints offense. But Everett refuses to put much stock in what he hears from the fans and media.

“If I wouldn’t believe the stuff they told me when they said I was washed up, why would I believe the people that say it’s all on me now?” Everett said. “I’m playing with a group of professionals. We all know our responsibilities and we’ll all live up to them.”

Around the league

Philadelphia signed former Washington State University tight end Clarence Williams… . New England inside linebacker Vincent Brown underwent minor arthroscopic surgery on his left knee… . Cleveland first-round draft pick Craig Powell, a linebacker from Ohio State, agreed to a four-year contract and took part in two training camp practices… . Kansas City will be without backup linebacker Jaime Fields for at least a month following surgery to reattach the triceps tendon in his right arm… . Green Bay announced the retirement of defensive tackle Terry Connealy.