[vincesanity82]

Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes -- assumed by almost everyone to be on the road to retirement -- is likely to participate in training camp.

Per Schefter, the 33-year-old Holmes has been medically cleared to play after spending two years recuperating from a spinal injury. The feeling within the Chiefs' organization is that Holmes hasn't said he's retiring and hasn't filed retirement papers with the league, and that he'll be on the field Friday when the Chiefs open training camp.

“Priest is counting on our roster right now as an active player,” one Chiefs official told Schefter.

The most significant part of the potential return of Holmes may be that it will provide the Chiefs with leverage in their contract negotiations with running back Larry Johnson, who is unhappy with his current deal, which has one year remaining. Johnson thinks he's at least as good a player as Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, who got a $30 million guarantee, and that he should be paid accordingly. The team thinks Johnson's guarantee should be about half of that.

ProFootballTalk.com -- The Best Pro Football Scoop on the Internet

[Lefty Noob]

So does this make an LJ trade even more likely? Holmes won't get you as many carries, but he has been a good runner in the past.

[Kansas City Chiefs News]

River Falls, Wis. - Priest Holmes had a dream.

Two weeks ago, football wasn't on his mind, at least not a football comeback.

Holmes, the Kansas City Chiefs' three-time Pro Bowl running back, hadn't played since suffering head and neck injuries from a hit to the helmet by San Diego's Shawn Merriman on Oct. 30, 2005.

That seemingly ended his career. Then on Tuesday, Holmes announced he was returning to football. Making his first appearance at the Chiefs' training camp Sunday, he explained why.

"One thing was I had a dream," Holmes said. "I saw myself playing football. I asked my children if they could see me playing football, and they said, 'Yes.'

"Will I be the same runner? That's to be determined."

His return comes as Larry Johnson, who has succeeded Holmes as the Chiefs' star running back, is in the midst of a contract holdout.

Whether Holmes, 33, can be the same electrifying runner who averaged 1,530 rushing yards per season from 2001 to 2003 and set an NFL record with 27 touchdowns in 2003 is only the second-biggest question of his comeback.

DesMoinesRegister.com

[Lefty Noob]

So clearly Holmes is serious about coming back. I sure hope he's healthy enough to not get himself killed out there.