By The Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. - William Green took several steps forward Friday in trying to regain his position as the Cleveland Browns' starting running back and his place in the hearts of their fans.

Green, now behind second-year back Lee Suggs on Cleveland's depth chart, broke loose for a long gain during the Browns' first of two joint practices with Buffalo at the Bills training camp site in suburban Rochester. The two teams will hold a scrimmage Saturday.

Green's run was impressive enough to elicit a cheer from fans.

"It was good to hear the crowd," Green said. "On the offensive line, everybody did a good job and I took it to the hole."

Green also caught the attention of coach Butch Davis.

"Our running backs looked good," Davis said. "William Green, in particular, had really good runs, like the inside run this morning where he was able to get into the secondary."

And it didn't seem to matter that Green fumbled once in the afternoon.

"I don't think that's a problem," Davis said.

Green, the Browns' first-round pick in the 2002 draft, is attempting to make a comeback and, in the scrimmage against Buffalo, will line up against his first opponent since October. He missed one game because of a shoulder injury, and the final eight because of a suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

The troubles opened the door for Suggs to get his chance, coming off the reserve-non-football injury list, to play seven games last season. He gained just 289 yards rushing, with 186 of those in the season's final game against Cincinnati.

Suggs has come to camp eager to retain the top spot and show that his performance against Cincinnati was no fluke.

"It didn't matter whether I had fresh legs or not," Suggs said. "I'm still one of the fastest people on the field."

Both backs said the competition for playing time is good.

"It's a nice, healthy competition," Green said. "It's pushing both of us to do better, and the coaches know they have two good running backs."

Memories of last season are also pushing Green.

"I learned it's not a place I want to be," Green said. "To be off the field, especially watching your teammates play, is something I don't want to experience again."

Suggs is familiar with competing for a job, having also shared playing time at Virginia Tech with Kevin Jones, now a Detroit Lions rookie.

"The competition is going to be good for the whole team," Suggs said.

Right guard Kelvin Garmon agreed, saying, "I think we're going to surprise a lot of people."

Garmon, however, didn't give any insight into which running back might win a majority of the playing time.

"I don't even see the numbers," he said. "I just see a guy hitting the hole."

BOYER OUT: Linebacker Brant Boyer is out indefinitely after breaking a bone in his right foot during practice with the Buffalo Bills on Friday.

The injury happened late in the first of two sessions between the teams at the Bills' training camp site in suburban Rochester, N.Y., where they will scrimmage Saturday. Boyer was carted off the field by the Browns' training staff.

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Rams

It could be another lost season for Jimmy Kennedy, the St. Louis Rams' first-round draft pick a year ago.

The 330-pound defensive tackle broke his right foot Thursday and could be out for the season. He was injured during a non-contact drill at the team's training camp in Macomb, Ill., but it was not considered serious at first.

However a later exam revealed the break. He will undergo surgery next week.

Kennedy was the 12th overall pick in 2003 but was a huge disappointment last season. He showed up for training camp overweight and played only sparingly in 13 games.

Things had been looking up for him this season. New defensive coordinator Larry Marmie was allowing Kennedy to play at 330 pounds, closer to his playing weight at Penn State. Lovie Smith, the Rams' defensive coordinator last season and now head coach of the Bears, directed Kennedy to play at around 305 pounds.

Coach Mike Martz had seen improvement.

"He's not where he needs to be, but he's made terrific progress," Martz said earlier this week.

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Panthers

Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad has a compound fracture of his right ring finger that is expected to keep him out of several practices.

Despite the pain, Muhammad said it may be a good omen.

In 1999, Muhammad had the same injury to a finger on his other hand. He came back to catch 96 passes for a career-high 1,253 yards and eight touchdowns and was named to his only Pro Bowl.

"Maybe it's a sign of good things to come," Muhammad said with a laugh.

Muhammad, who has started 87 games over the past six seasons for the Panthers, left practice Thursday afternoon after a ball deflected off his right ring finger.

"It's something I can play with, but right now I'm going to let it heal up and rest it for awhile," Muhammad said.

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Jets

Santana Moss will skip practice against the New York Giants in Albany, N.Y., on Saturday with a sore hamstring.

Moss didn't practice Thursday or Friday, and coach Herman Edwards said he was holding Moss out for precautionary reasons. Moss had a breakout year last season, catching 74 passes for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns and averaging 11.1 yards on punt returns.

Safety Reggie Tongue (left calf) and linebacker Eric Barton (left hamstring) are still out with their injuries. Both signed as free agents in the offseason and are expected to start on the Jets' revamped defense. Josh Evans will be able to go against the Giants after sitting out a few days with a sore left knee.

First-round pick Jonathan Vilma is questionable for the practice with a sore left calf. Vilma was injured Tuesday, and Edwards also wants to be cautious with the rookie middle linebacker.

The team signed veteran guard Pete Kendall on Friday to help shore up their offensive line. Kendall, entering his ninth season, was released Sunday by the Arizona Cardinals.

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Redskins

Linebacker LaVar Arrington didn't practice Friday morning because of a bruise on his lower left leg. He spent the morning session walking gingerly, with the leg wrapped.

"It's sore," Arrington said. "I've been fighting a little sprained ankle and the bruise to my shin kind of made my whole lower region kind of worse. They felt like, for whatever reason, they didn't want to let me go today, but I'm always prepared to try."

Linebacker Mike Barrow aggravated an injury to his left knee in the morning practice. Coach Joe Gibbs said he expected both linebackers to be fine.

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Chiefs

Backup tight end Billy Baber injured his left knee during a joint practice Friday with the Minnesota Vikings in Mankato, Minn.

Baber was sandwiched by Vikings safeties Corey Chavous and Brian Russell after catching a pass from Trent Green. Baber came down awkwardly on the knee after Russell drove his shoulder into him.

Coach Dick Vermeil said preliminary examinations show a sprain.

The injury sparked a couple of brief squabbles between the teams. No one was hurt in either fight, but a few punches were thrown, helmets were ripped off, and former pro wrestler-turned NFL hopeful Brock Lesnar walked around looking like he had just pummeled someone in the ring.

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Giants

Linebacker Carlos Emmons missed his third straight practice because of pain in his left leg, the same one he broke late last season while playing with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Emmons downplayed his absence, noting that doctors told him he would occasionally have swelling in the leg. The nine-year veteran who signed with the Giants as a free agent said he wasn't even supposed to practice during the first week of camp, adding he probably did a little too much work.

"It is nothing out of the ordinary, it's part of the injury," Emmons said, adding there is a chance he might do some work in the practices with the Jets on Saturday.

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Eagles

Several injured Eagles did not practice Friday, including S Brian Dawkins (knee), C Alonzo Ephraim (hamstring), TE Ronnie Ghent (concussion), WR Greg Lewis, DE Jerome McDougle (shoulder), DT Darwin Walker (hamstring), LB Nate Wayne (ankle), and WR Jerome Leslie (knee).

Linebacker Ike Reese (knee), DE Corey Simon (foot) and G Jermane Mayberry (hamstring) all tried to practice before Reid sent them back for more rehabilitation.

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