PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Lions’ Sanders Reportedly to Sign

Barry Sanders, the Detroit Lions’ all-pro running back, will end his holdout today, the Oakland Press reported in Pontiac, Mich. No terms of the contract were reported, but Sanders might become the second highest-paid running back in the NFL, the newspaper said.

Sanders has been seeking about $2 million per year. He is currently in the third year of a five-year, $5.9 million contract that runs through 1993.

The Indianapolis Colts’ Eric Dickerson is the highest-paid running back in the league at $2.65 million per year.

Playing just the first half of Minnesota’s 34-24 exhibition victory over Pittsburgh, Hershel Walker rushed for 107 yards in 15 carries and caught five passes for 41 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass from Wade Wilson. It was the first time since his Viking debut Oct. 15, 1989, that Walker rushed for more than 100 yards.

“It’s just a preseason game,” Viking Coach Jerry Burns said. “But I thought he ran hard and caught the ball well.”

Quarterback Sean Salisbury, elevated to No. 2 ahead of Rich Gannon, passed for 142 yards in a little over a quarter, with 83 coming on a pass-play touchdown to Wayne Walker.

Former Raider Vann McElroy, a safety for the Seattle Seahawks, will miss three to four weeks because of a sprained right ankle. . . . Rookie running back Tony Stewart, an 11th-round draft pick out of Iowa, will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb late last week.

All-pro left tackle John Alt ended his holdout and agreed to a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Terms of the contract were not released.

Quarterback Joe Montana was held out of the San Francisco 49ers’ practice because of a sore right elbow, but he called the move merely precautionary measure. “It’s just sore from throwing so much,” said Montana, who twice has had surgery on the elbow. “There’s no swelling or anything.”