The San Francisco 49ers arrived for the American Bowl in Osaka, Japan, and announced that they want to keep a Japanese player added to the roster just for the game.

Linebacker Masafumi Kawaguchi impressed Steve Mariucci so much that the San Francisco coach asked the NFL for a special roster exemption so Kawaguchi can return to training camp after the game against the Washington Redskins on Sunday (Saturday night CDT).

The Redskins, meanwhile, landed in Japan with one fewer player than expected.

Reserve defensive end Otis Leverette, expected to be a regular part for the defensive line rotation this season, was diagnosed with a ligament injury that will sideline him about six weeks.

Kawaguchi joined the 49ers’ camp in Stockton, Calif., last week, signing the usual 10-day contract as part of the NFL’s traditional gesture of giving local American Bowl fans a special rooting interest. The Redskins were assigned receiver Akihito Amaya.

A six-year veteran of NFL Europe, he came to camp hoping his teammates would see him as something more than an Osaka tour guide.

“I told the guys that if I take care of them in Japan, they’ve got to take care of me with a job,” Kawaguchi said.

Colts

Dwight Freeney knows how to sack quarterbacks. He proved that at Syracuse.

These days, Indianapolis’ top draft pick is back in the classroom learning the art of NFL pass rushing.

After three offseason minicamps and four days of training camp, Freeney has discovered what works in college won’t always work in the pros.

“It is different because these guys are so big and strong,” he said.

Titans

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, has a severe sprain of the right ankle and might miss a month of camp. Tests Thursday showed that Haynesworth sustained ligament damage when he stepped on the foot of a teammate during a workout Wednesday.

“He’ll have to be completely immobilized for a week to 10 days, and I’ve been told that this could take as long as a month for him to come back,” coach Jeff Fisher said.

Buccaneers

Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman, sidelined this week by a right ankle sprain, might return to practice today. Pittman, signed during the offseason after the Bucs lost Warrick Dunn to free agency, has been limited to light jogging and personal drills since spraining his ankle Monday the first day of training camp.