NFL | Panthers send receiver Steve Smith packing

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Panthers receiver Steve Smith was sent home from training camp Friday after he punched teammate Ken Lucas at practice, leaving the starting cornerback holding an ice pack to his left eye before he was carted to the locker room.

Panthers coach John Fox said Smith and Lucas returned to Charlotte, about 80 miles away, after the fight. Neither was present for the team's second practice Friday night.

The Panthers didn't provide an update on the extent of Lucas' injuries, and club officials declined to say if the volatile Smith would be suspended.

"We're going to handle this matter internally," general manager Marty Hurney said.

While training camps often include shoving matches between teammates — and Smith and Lucas, an ex-Seahawk, routinely jaw at each other in practice — this melee occurred on the sideline after both players had taken off their helmets in a break for starters during a special-teams drill. It was unclear what provoked the fight.

"When that happens on the field, usually guys have helmets on," quarterback Jake Delhomme said. "But this happened on the sidelines, so it probably wasn't a good idea."

A three-time Pro Bowl pick, Smith has had trouble controlling his temper. He was suspended for a game in 2002 after punching teammate Anthony Bright during a film session. Smith received counseling for anger management.

Notes

• Brett Favre's reinstatement to the NFL was held up again as the three-time MVP mulled getting paid not to play through a marketing deal with the Packers that could resolve the standoff over his retirement.

Coach Mike McCarthy made it clear Friday that, from the team's perspective, the agreement — worth a reported $20 million over 10 years — would be more than a buyout to make an awkward situation go away. In fact, it's been in the works for months. He first heard about it at Favre's retirement news conference in March.

"I know [team president] Mark Murphy talked to me about it in the past, how important it was for Brett to continue to be part of the organization after he was done playing," McCarthy said. "And frankly, it's good for Brett. Brett needs to stay a part of football."

• A precautionary MRI turned up nothing wrong with the sore left knee of Broncos C Tom Nalen, but he still didn't take part in practice.

• The Cardinals placed OL Scott Peters on injured reserve, ending his season. He was carted off the practice field Thursday with a knee injury.

• Bills rookie Alvin Bowen sustained a severe right knee injury in practice, and coach Dick Jauron expressed fear that the linebacker could miss the entire season.

• Ravens CB Fabian Washington was suspended one game without pay for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy, a punishment stemming from a domestic-violence arrest in February involving his girlfriend.

• Colts WR Marvin Harrison (knee surgery) likely won't play Sunday in the Hall of Fame exhibition game.

• A Nevada grand jury has indicted a Renton man accused of shooting three people in a strip-club melee involving Adam "Pacman" Jones. Arvin Kenti Edwards, 29, is charged with felony attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon causing substantial bodily harm, and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

• Former Giants DE Michael Strahan was on the field with the Cowboys at training camp, visiting as "an observer" for his new role as part of Fox's NFL pregame show.

"It's good to be back at training camp where I don't have to participate," he said. "For about 30 seconds, I was like, 'Um, I kind of miss it.' I had my Favre moment, then realized that I'm not going to do that. I'm done."