NFL looks at Anaheim

The NFL has approached Anaheim city officials about possibly building a stadium complex for an NFL franchise that could begin play as soon as 2008.

The area has been without an NFL team since the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis and the Raiders went from Los Angeles to Oakland before the 1995 season.

“We’re evaluating a possible stadium project in Anaheim with city officials along with the three sites in the Los Angeles area,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said late Wednesday by telephone from New York. “The discussions are exploratory and preliminary at this point.”

Aiello referred to the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the Raiders played before returning to Oakland; the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and a proposed site in Carson.

“We’re working off a time line that would have us make a decision next May,” Aiello said. “As far as when a team could start playing there, it could be ‘08, it could be ‘09. We haven’t addressed the issue of a team in the Los Angeles area.

“Our sole purpose at this time is to develop some stadium alternatives for the league. This is part of our due diligence in terms of identifying outstanding potential stadium sites in the best markets.”

The proposed site in Anaheim is located next to Angel Stadium, where the Rams played. Anaheim Arena, where the NHL’s Mighty Ducks of Anaheim play, is also located nearby.

Turner expects Woodson in camp next week

Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner expects holdout cornerback Charles Woodson in camp next week, and it seems like a realistic possibility.

Turner said the four-time Pro Bowler needs to be in practice “as soon as he can” to be ready for the season. Turner said he doubted Woodson would be prepared for the season opener Sept. 12 at Pittsburgh if he waited until after the final preseason game Sept. 2 to join the team.

Even if he reports Monday, it’s unclear whether Woodson would play in the Raiders’ final exhibition game next Thursday at home against St. Louis.

“I’d hate to answer that either way,” Turner said, when the Raiders broke camp in Napa and returned to their regular practice facility in Alameda. “We’d have to see where he’s at.”

A call to Woodson’s agent, Carl Poston, wasn’t returned. But Poston, in a rare interview, told the Contra Costa Times on Tuesday that Woodson would report next week and is anxious to get started.

NFL rejects Mixon’s appeal

The NFL rejected Minnesota defensive end Kenny Mixon’s appeal of a two-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Mixon, who hasn’t missed a start since signing with the Vikings two seasons ago, will be eligible to return to the active roster Sept. 21.

Warner gets start for Giants

Kurt Warner will start at quarterback for the New York Giants this week, although his competition with rookie Eli Manning for the regular-season job continues.

Coach Tom Coughlin announced that the two-time MVP will start Friday against the New York Jets, but that Manning, the No. 1 pick in the draft, will get about the same amount of snaps with the first-team offense.

“It’s Kurt’s turn,” Coughlin said of the starting nod, adding that it was his plan all along to have the two quarterbacks alternate starting assignments in the first three preseason games.

Warner started against Kansas City in the preseason opener and Manning got a start last week against Carolina.

Coughlin said he will name a starter for the season opener at Philadelphia on Sept. 12 “at the right time.”

Bills rookie QB to have surgery

Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback J.P. Losman will have surgery today to repair the left leg he broke in practice.

Coach Mike Mularkey said that he anticipates Losman will be back at some point this season, but won’t know when until after the operation.

The initial prognosis is Losman will miss between two and three months. The injury is being described as similar to one sustained by Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick last preseason. Vick required 3 1/2 months of recovery before he returned.

Around the league

All-Pro linebacker Julian Peterson ended his holdout and signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Peterson signed a $6.073 million offer tendered to him by the team to play this season. 49ers’ backup quarterback Ken Dorsey is day-to-day with two protruding disks in his back. … Green Bays Packers signed former New York Giants defensive end Kenny Holmes to a one-year, minimum-wage deal worth $660,000. … St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger expects to play Friday against Washington despite bruising his knee this week in an exhibition loss to Kansas City. Cornerback Travis Fisher had surgery on his broken right arm, but coach Mike Martz would not speculate how long the third-year pro may be sidelined. … Michael Vick practiced for the second straight day, and he doesn’t think his sore right hamstring will prevent him from playing Saturday night against Cincinnati.