The Jacksonville Jaguars today signed tight end Craig Thompson, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992 and '93, and they placed wide receiver Terrence Warren on injured reserve. Warren, who suffered an avulsion fracture in his right thumb in practice last Wednesday, underwent surgery on his thumb yesterday with a surgical team from the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute. The team's roster is still at 82 players.
Thompson, 27, caught 36 passes for 281 yards in two seasons for the Bengals, scoring three touchdowns. He was cut by Cincinnati in the 1994 training camp and again by Pittsburgh on August 22, 1995. A fifth-round draft pick by Cincinnati in 1992 out of North Carolina A&T, Thompson has played in 29 NFL games.
Quarterback Mark Brunell returned to practice today after missing yesterday afternoon's session with a strained left calf. Tight end Rich Griffith "will be out for an extensive period of time," said head coach Tom Coughlin. "It'll be a good test for some of these people," added Coughlin. Since Griffith was the team's long snapper on punts, now vying for the job are DT John Jurkovic, TE Pete Mitchell, DE Paul Frase and C Dave Widell.
S Monty Grow (shin contusion) and OT Jason Dukes (sprained left ankle) continue to miss practice, and LB Brant Boyer (hip strain) has practiced on a limited basis.
Coughlin said Tuesday's drills were sharper than the previous two days. "More people were on the right page," he said. "Two-a-days last a while longer, so let's make the best of it."
The Jaguars will practice at 8:40 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday. They will travel to St. Louis on Thursday, and they face the Rams at 8:00 p.m. EDT Friday in the Trans World Dome.
SPORTS EDITOR'S NOTE: For purposes of updating your rosters, Craig Thompson will wear No. 48.
