The Jaguars have signed offensive lineman Todd Fordham and have waived/injured offensive tackle Gannon Shepherd. The moves were announced today as the Jaguars began preparations for Sunday's game in Seattle, which could become the second consecutive game star offensive tackle Tony Boselli will have missed due to his shoulder injury.
Fordham started the final eight games of the 2000 season at right tackle for the Jaguars, who signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent from Florida State in 1997. His performance in the second half of last season was impressive enough to have received a handsome offer from the Denver Broncos in unrestricted free agency. However, the Broncos waived Fordham in final cuts this past summer.
The Jaguars did not have the salary cap room to sign Fordham following his release in Denver. They are able to sign him now because the Jaguars have already received $216,000 of cap relief in the form of the salary R. Jay Soward would've earned during a six-game "substance abuse" suspension that is expected to be announced by the league in the next few days.
Fordham would earn just over $325,000 in base salary if he's with the Jaguars for the rest of this season.
With the addition of Fordham, the Jaguars are left with $64,000 of cap room.
