Harris: I won't play until I'm ready

Carolina Panthers strong safety Chris Harris practiced on a limited basis Thursday and said he hopes to play Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

Harris, who missed the first two games with a knee injury, said he is more than ready to do anything he can to help the Panthers out of their 0-2 start.

“I hate seeing what’s going on out there and not being able to do anything about it,” Harris said. “I’ve been able to be vocal on the sideline and I help out as much as I can. But that’s just being on the sideline.”

Harris, whose knee was banged in practice the week of the Panthers’ season opener against Philadelphia, said he won’t play until he’s certain he’s ready.

“There’s no temptation,” he said. “The moment I feel as close to 100 percent and that I can be valuable the team, I’ll be there. I won’t just be out there.”

Offensive tackles Jordan Gross (knee) and Jeff Otah (shoulder) and defensive tackle Nick Hayden (toe) also practiced on a limited basis.

Missing practice were linebacker Na’il Diggs (rib), running back Mike Goodson (illness), fullback Brad Hoover (back) and running back Jonathan Stewart (Achilles).

Notes

-- Defensive tackle Antwon Burton, signed earlier this week after Louis Leonard went on injured reserve with a broken ankle, hasn’t played since 2007, when he had eight tackles in six games for the Denver Broncos. He spent last season with Cincinnati and St. Louis, although he didn’t get in any games.

“I feel like I’m a little quicker than advertised,” said Burton (6-foot-2, 325 pounds), who played at Temple. “I can get up the field. I’m a pretty stout individual and get some leverage (on blockers).”

-- Quarterback Jake Delhomme said his favorite Monday Night Football memory is the 99-yard run by the Cowboys’ Tony Dorsett in 1983 against the Minnesota Vikings. Delhomme was seven, watching with his brother Jeff on a small, black-and-white television in their bedroom in Breaux Bridge, La.

“I remember saying (before the play), ‘What if Tony Dorsett goes 99 yards?’ ” Delhomme said. “I think we got in trouble with my mom and dad because we were hollering so much when we should have been going to bed.”

-- Members of the Dallas media asked Panthers receiver Steve Smith about his comments to Delhomme during a season-opening loss against Philadelphia. Smith, who had a microphone on for NFL Films, jokingly told Delhomme that he “wasn’t a very good looking guy” and that he “never liked (him) as a quarterback.”

“I was saying that to joke with him,” Smith said. “But also meaning that at the end of the day when he’s no longer the quarterback and I’m no longer the wide receiver … people are going to come and go and friends are going to come and go as a performer. But as a person, you always know who your real friends are. That’s what I meant and that’s what I stand by.”

-- Mike Jenkins will start for the Cowboys on Monday at right cornerback instead of Orlando Scandrick, who struggled in Dallas’ loss last week to the New York Giants.

“Ah, well, 32 (Scandrick) I remember 32 because they’ve been playing him on ESPN pretty frequently,” Smith said. “I’m not sure exactly about him by the scouting report we go, he probably won’t be in because he’s being played repeatedly on the rotation on ESPN, so I would expect Jenkins to play a little more than him.”

Smith also said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys’ other cornerback – Terence Newman – shadows him the entire game.

“I like Terence Newman,” Smith said. “He’s a competitor. I think he’s a great guy. I respect him. I think with a guy like that, playing against Terence I really have to pay attention and be on point. I can't have any mistakes because he’ll take advantage of it.” -- David Scott