Injuries pile up in training camp

Cowboys activate defensive end Gregory

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera may have figured out the only way to avoid injuries to key players in training camp.

“Not practice,” Rivera said after Wednesday’s session.

The Panthers are less than a week into training camp but have already lost two key players to potential season-ending injuries.

Right tackle Daryl Williams dislocated his patella and tore his medial collateral ligament during blocking drills Saturday. Two days later, cornerback Ross Cockrell broke two bones in his leg.

The Green Bay Packers have lost inside linebacker Jake Ryan and safety Kentrell Brice to severe leg injuries, while Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett also went down. Other teams have lost important players to injuries, too.

COWBOYS: Dallas has activated defensive end Randy Gregory off the non-football injury list after a year away from football on a substanceabuse suspension.

He participated in a walkthrough practice for the first time Wednesday.

BRONCOS: Denver is singing the praises of rookie outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, even if carrying a tune isn’t necessarily his specialty.

The No. 5 overall pick recently paired with fellow rookie Courtland Sutton to perform a duet in front of the team.

“I messed up the lyrics a little bit,” Chubb said.

No big deal. They didn’t bring him in for his voice, just his voracious intensity. In that respect, he’s hitting all the right notes.

Chubb believes this group of pass rushers can create quite a bit of “chaos” this season. The defense even has a scheme dubbed “NASCAR” to take advantage of the speed and power of Chubb, Von Miller, Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett.

“Now, that will be dangerous,” Ray said. “You can’t block any of us oneon-one. It would be too tough, especially if you have all four of us in the game. We have the guys to get a lot of sacks this year.”