Berea, Ohio ? Jamir Miller will miss the entire 2002 season after tearing his right Achilles’ tendon during Cleveland’s 27-15 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.

“He’s out for the year,” Browns coach Butch Davis said Sunday. “He was not hit. Nobody rolled up on the back of his leg. It just snapped and gave away. It’s one of those really unfortunate things.”

Davis said Miller will have surgery this morning and will need five to six months to make a total recovery.

Losing Miller in their exhibition opener is the latest blow for the Browns, who had a rash of serious injuries last season in Davis’ first year as coach. Cleveland led the league with 16 players on injured reserve.

Miller was the top playmaker and leader of Cleveland’s young defense, which led the NFL with 42 takeaways and a team-record 33 interceptions in 2001.

After Davis installed a defensive scheme suited to his talents, Miller had a breakout year in 2001. He tied for the AFC lead with 13 sacks and became the first Browns player to earn a trip to Honolulu since 1999.

Expectations this season were as high for Miller as they are for the Browns.

“On the bus, he was clearly disappointed,” said Davis, who spoke to Miller, one of his four team captains following Saturday’s game. “He made the Pro Bowl last year and he wanted to go back. He really felt bad and you can imagine how crushed he was.”

Miller, who played Cleveland’s strong side, was injured as Minnesota’s Moe Williams scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Davis said Miller didn’t do anything unusual on the play; his tendon just snapped.

Davis said doctors told him there could have been “four or five reasons” Miller got hurt but the injury was not caused by the Metrodome’s artificial turf.

Seahawks

Seattle starting quarterback Trent Dilfer is out indefinitely because of a sprained ligament in his right knee.

Team officials would not say when Dilfer could return. Dilfer and coach Mike Holmgren were both unavailable for comment.

Redskins

Chris Samuels might be able to return from a sprained left ankle in time for Washington’s first regular season game.

The Pro Bowl left tackle is expected to miss the remaining exhibition games.

Broncos

Injury-plagued running back Terrell Davis had an MRI exam on his swollen left knee a day after he missed the Denver Broncos’ preseason opener Saturday.

Results were not expected until today, and coach Mike Shanahan said he didn’t know the severity of the injury.

Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals released offensive tackle John Jackson, the oldest player on their roster, before he could resume workouts.

Jackson, 37, had an angiogram early in training camp that found nothing wrong with his heart. He had been limited to individual workouts while he healed from the procedure.

Linebacker Takeo Spikes slightly tore a muscle in his chest during the Bengals’ first preseason game Friday night and could be sidelined for a couple of weeks.

Steelers

Left tackle Wayne Gandy turned his left ankle and had to be helped off the practice field. The initial diagnosis was a lateral sprain that might keep Gandy from practicing for a couple of days.

Cowboys

Rookie Scott Zimmerman, a college linebacker converted to fullback, will be out at least two weeks after spraining an ankle in Friday’s victory over Oakland.

Zimmerman is considered the Cowboys’ No. 2 fullback behind Robert Thomas.

Lions

Wide receiver Bill Schroeder sustained a “little groin pull,” and safety Corey Harris “just wasn’t feeling well,” forcing them to both leave midway through morning practice, coach Marty Mornhinweg said.

Rookie running back Luke Staley, who will have surgery on Wednesday to repair a knee ligament, said he plans to be fully recovered in six months.