The Associated Press

Saints rookie defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan (right) goes up against offensive lineman Melvin Paige Thursday. It was the first workout of training camp for Sullivan, New Orleans' No. 1 pick. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The stitches dissolved soon after the surgery, and the 3-inch scar on the front of Keion Carpenter's neck is barely noticeable.

But make no mistake. Carpenter was terribly frightened as he lay motionless in the frozen end zone at Veterans Stadium six months ago during the Atlanta Falcons' playoff game with Philadelphia.

The Falcons' starting free safety experienced brief paralysis after colliding head-on with Duce Staley. After a couple of minutes, the feeling returned to his legs, and Carpenter was able to sit on a cart that carried him into an X-ray room.

"Without question, any time you land on the ground defenseless and you don't even know why - you've been playing football all your life - and then you're in that type of state?" Carpenter said Thursday. "It's very aggravating, but I got through it."

After he returned to the locker room, Carpenter felt his arms, but the fear remained for the next several months. He underwent surgery to repair two fractured vertebrae.

Then he became an unrestricted free agent.

Carpenter had to wait until April 10 before he and the Falcons agreed to a one-year, $530,000 contract. He visited the Houston Texans and talked on the phone with the New Orleans Saints, but always wanted to return to Atlanta.

"It's just a good situation for me," Carpenter said. "I never wanted to leave."

In setting a career high with 43 tackles and leading the Falcons with four interceptions, Carpenter showed why he beat out Keith Lyle for a starting job last year.

"He commands a lot of respect from the other guys," secondary coach Emmitt Thomas said. "They believe in him."

COLTS: Dallas Clark, the team's top pick in this year's draft, has agreed to terms on a contract and was expected to sign in time to practice with the team today, agent Neil Cornrich said.

Cornrich said the contract prohibited him from discussing terms of the deal. The Colts made no announcement.

Clark, selected 24th overall, caught 43 passes for 742 yards and four touchdowns last year at Iowa before leaving school after his junior season.

EAGLES: First-round pick Jerome McDougle ended a one-week holdout by signing a six-year contract.

The deal would pay McDougle up to $12.6 million with incentives over the first five years, including a $6.1 million signing bonus. A sixth year is voidable if he attains certain performance incentives.

McDougle, 6-feet-4 and 271 pounds, had 114 tackles and 14 sacks in two seasons for the University of Miami. He is expected to replace three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas.

SAINTS: Defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, a first-round draft choice out of Georgia, agreed to a seven-year deal Thursday. The contract includes an $11.4 million signing bonus, said agent Len Rowe, who declined to say how much the total deal is worth.

PANTHERS: Wide receiver Steve Smith is expected to miss at least two weeks of practice because of a pulled hamstring.

"Our training staff doesn't think it's real serious, but he will miss some time," Coach John Fox said of Smith, who had 54 receptions for 872 yards and three touchdowns last season. "With these things it's always kind of day to day."

Fourteen-year veteran Ricky Proehl, Terrence Wilkins and rookie Walter Young will share Smith's position. Muhsin Muhammad is the team's other starting receiver.

• Reserve offensive tackle Melvin Tuten will miss the entire season after tearing ligaments in his left knee. He started seven games for the Panthers last season.

LIONS: Earl Holmes is not just Detroit's new starting middle linebacker. He comes with the mayor's seal of approval.

That's because he played football with Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at Florida A&M.

"I called him 'Slash,' " Holmes said of Kilpatrick. "If the guy were given an opportunity to play in this league, he would have made it. He was good, not because he's the mayor, not because he's my ex-teammate, but really, the guy was good. He could play."

The same can be said for Holmes, who has led his team in tackles the last four seasons - first Pittsburgh and then Cleveland.

DOLPHINS: Receiver Oronde Gadsden could miss several weeks of training camp because of a sprained left ankle, but will not need surgery.

"It's not really day-to-day," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "It's more like week-to-week."

Tests ruled out a break in the ankle and Gadsden will be re-evaluated. He was carted off the practice field Wednesday and was in a cast Thursday.

Gadsden played only six games last season because of a torn ligament in his left wrist. He caught 56 passes in 2000 and 55 in 2001.

BROWNS: Defensive back Chris Crocker agreed Thursday to a five-year deal with Cleveland and will get a chance to move into a starting position on the team's weak secondary.

The agreement means the Browns have signed four of their seven draft choices, including their top three, in this year's draft after going a week without having any of them at training camp.

Crocker played both cornerback and safety as a three-year starter at Marshall.

The Browns need help in the secondary after releasing Corey Fuller in the offseason.

Crocker signed about 18 hours after the Browns reached agreement with linebacker Chaun Thompson, a second-round choice who reported to training camp Thursday.