ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -Shaun Rogers returned to practice Tuesday but probably won’t play in the Detroit Lions’ third preseason game.
The defensive tackle, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was activated from the physically unable-to-perform list on Monday and saw action on a handful of contact snaps on Tuesday.
“Right now, I’m going day by day with him,” Coach Rod Marinelli said. “My biggest thing is to do everything I can to get him in the best condition he can be.”
Rogers had his helmet off after nearly every snap he played and did not appear to be in game shape.
“Football shape is something totally different – the pounding and the pace of the game,” Rogers said. “I still have a long way to go to get there. I just want to be ready for September.”
It’s doubtful he will be on the field when the Lions travel to Indianapolis on Saturday for their third preseason game.
Rogers would not discuss his tumultuous year, which included a four-game suspension for using a banned supplement that was in a weight-loss supplement and allegations he improperly touched an exotic dancer. The Wayne County prosecutor’s office did not bring charges.
After serving the suspension, Rogers missed the team’s last six games with a knee injury. He had offseason surgery and surgery on his shoulder.
His return coincided with defensive end Dewayne White, a free agent from Tampa Bay, who missed most of training camp with a knee injury. White took part in most drills Tuesday and defensive end Kalimba Edwards was kept out of workouts because of a shoulder injury sustained during the Aug. 9 preseason opener.
Rogers earned his first Pro Bowl trip after finishing 2004 with four sacks and 75 tackles and went back to Hawaii the next season, when he had a career-best 5 1/2 sacks and 36 tackles.
Marinelli, a longtime defensive line coach at Tampa Bay, said he plans to use Rogers under tackle more this season. It should still showcase the speed the seven-year veteran showed during his Pro Bowl seasons.
“He can be even more disruptive in there,” Marinelli said. “I’ve never really had a guy that can really disrupt in there.”
Quarterback Jon Kitna left practice Tuesday with what Marinelli called mild back spasms.
The Lions begin the regular season Sept. 9 at Oakland.
Notes: QB Dan Orlovsky missed practice with a turf toe injury he suffered during Saturday’s preseason game at Cleveland. Marinelli did not know when he would return. Paul Horvath was signed as the team’s third quarterback. … LB Ernie Sims (knee), G Frank Davis (knee) and G Damien Woody (ankle) did not practice Tuesday and are day-to-day. … Persistent rain Monday forced the Lions to conduct practice indoors Tuesday.
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