Carter

The team also shook up the backfield by claiming running back Sedrick Shaw of waivers from the Cleveland Browns and releasing fullback Brian Milne.

Carter suffered the injury on an interception return by Carolina in the first quarter of Sunday's 27-3 loss. He played only three games this season, bringing his five-year total to 35.

The first overall pick out of Penn State in 1995, Carter suffered a season-ending broken wrist in the opener last year. He missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL.

Carter, who was hampered most of 1997 by a torn rotator cuff, has carried 227 times for 747 yards and 16 touchdowns during his career. He also has 52 catches for 375 yards and a score.

The 26-year-old Carter began this year as the backup to Corey Dillon and was used in goal-line situations. He carried six times for 15 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 24 yards.

Shaw, a third-round pick by New England in 1997, was waived today by the Browns. He had two yards on three carries and eight yards on a pair of catches in three games.

Milne, a fourth-year pro, played in only one game this year, rushing three times for 30 yards. He said he was shocked to hear of his release.

"I'm very stunned," Milne said moments after hearing the news from a Bengals assistant coach. "Out of all the guys on this team, if you want to talk dedication -- I've lived in Cincinnati, I've been training here every day for the past four years. I'd give my left arm to this organization."

While other veterans fled as free agents, Milne had talked about staying and being part of a turnaround for a team that hasn't had a winning record since 1990.

The Bengals and Rams have lost 99 games apiece in the decade, the most in the NFL. They'll play Sunday in Cincinnati to decide which is the league's most forlorn franchise.

By waiving Milne and claiming Shaw, the Bengals (0-3) made the least-experienced roster in the NFL even less experienced.

"There's not a lot of people that want to play here," Milne said. "You can go around locker to locker and they may not tell you that, but if you look in their eyes -- they don't want to play here. (Carl) Pickens was the only one who would speak up.

"But I wanted to play here. I made it known that I wanted to play here. I was here every day training. I didn't go on vacation."

Milne, 26, was claimed off waivers by the Bengals in 1996 and started five games. He started all 16 in 1997 and 14 last year, playing lead blocker for Corey Dillon's back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

He started the first game this season but was inactive for the last two because of a sprained knee. The Bengals listed him as day-to-day Wednesday before he was waived.

Milne said he would file a grievance because he was waived while injured, which is prohibited.

"I was questionable for this week. I am injured. I will file a grievance," Milne said.

General manager Mike Brown said the team's medical staff had approved him to play this week.

With Milne gone, the Bengals have two fullbacks: rookie Nick Williams, who has a sprained ankle and is listed as doubtful for the game against the Rams, and Clif Groce.

"If Clif goes down, they don't have a fullback," Milne said.

Coach Bruce Coslet declined to talk about the decision to waive Milne to open a roster spot for Shaw.

"We thought it would help the club," Brown said. "We are short at running back and we acquired a player we think will help us shore up that position."

Milne, who survived Hodgkin's Disease as a teen-ager growing up in Pennsylvania, told his teammates not to worry about him.

"It's not like I'm going through chemotherapy again," he said. "I was fired. I'll get another job."