Palmer Says He’ll Play Monday

Carson Palmer is ready to play.

With his rebuilt knee holding up in practice, the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback said Thursday that he would play in the next exhibition, stepping on the field and taking a hit for the first time since his injury in the playoffs seven months ago.

Palmer is expected to start against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, when his left knee will get its biggest test yet.

“I’m going to play,” Palmer said. “Nothing’s changed. We set out this date a while back, and everything’s been on schedule and I’ve been fortunate enough to progress from day to day and week to week. So, I’ll be out there for the first time this year.”

Palmer hasn’t talked to Coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski about how much he will play.

When he jogs onto the field at Paul Brown Stadium on Monday, Palmer will have come full circle. He was carted off the same field on Jan. 8 after Pittsburgh’s Kimo von Oelhoffen hit the side of his knee on his first pass during a 31-17 playoff loss, tearing two ligaments and causing other damage.

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Drew Henson was released by the Dallas Cowboys, a day after Coach Bill Parcells said the quarterback wouldn’t be on the roster this season.

Receiver Terrell Owens, bothered by a hamstring injury, sat out practice again, virtually ensuring he would miss his third straight exhibition for the Cowboys this weekend.

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DeAngelo Williams returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown as Carolina beat visiting Miami, 19-10, in an exhibition. Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper completed 14 of 19 passes for 130 yards in one half.

Williams had nine carries for 41 yards, but the Panthers’ first-team offense struggled. Jake Delhomme was six for 15 for 58 yards and failed to lead Carolina to a touchdown in nearly three quarters.

Panthers starting outside linebacker Na’il Diggs injured his right knee in the first quarter and did not return.

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Ashley Lelie’s departure from Denver was a costly one.

Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan confirmed that in order to be free from the final year of his contract, the receiver agreed to pay the Broncos a hefty sum.

The amount is believed to be $982,000.

Not counting players’ days off, Lelie skipped 23 days of training camp, making him liable for $14,000 in daily fines totaling $322,000.

The Broncos also wanted Lelie to repay a prorated portion of his $3.3-million signing bonus, which would amount to $660,000 if divided by five (because his sixth year was voided when he reached certain incentives).

Lelie was traded to Atlanta in a three-team deal that sent T.J. Duckett to Washington and a conditional package of picks from the Redskins to Denver.

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Nearly five months after he visited as a free agent, Grady Jackson finally plays for the Atlanta Falcons.

The 10th-year veteran nose tackle passed a physical, clearing the final prerequisite to a three-year contract he and the Falcons agreed to this week. During the last 2 1/2 years with Green Bay, Jackson started 27 of 34 games.

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The Cleveland Browns acquired center Lennie Friedman from the Chicago Bears for a 2007 conditional draft choice.... Oakland Raiders center Jake Grove was told by doctors he would not need surgery on his injured left shoulder. He is expected to miss less than a month.

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Jerry Rice signed a one-day contract to retire with the San Francisco 49ers, officially ending the receiver’s career back where it began. Rice, the NFL’s leader in touchdowns (208), receptions (1,549) and receiving yards (22,895) played 16 of his 20 seasons with the 49ers.