With versatile veteran linebacker Reggie Torbor again lost for the season with a shoulder injury, Buffalo made a heck of an acquisition to fill the void signing six-year linebacker Kirk Morrison Friday.
A full-time starter for almost his entire career, Morrison has been extremely productive and durable having never missed a game in his six NFL seasons. Morrison (6'2" 240) thrived in Oakland's defense the first five years of his career leading the Raiders in tackles four times in five seasons.
He's also proven himself capable in pass coverage with seven career interceptions including a career-high four in 2007.
The 29-year old spent the 2010 season with Jacksonville after they acquired him from Oakland along with a fifth-round pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman had been in touch with Morrison for the past week and a half knowing he was a free agent, as he put his recruiting skills to work.
"The bottom line is I want to win and we all want to win, and we have guys here who can play," said Merriman. "But it's always good to get a guy like Nick (Barnett) and get a guy like Kirk to help us get where we want to go."
Being able to land a proven linebacker like Morrison this close to the regular season is considered a quality addition for the Bills.
Torbor to I-RReggie Torbor is a player whose role may not have been huge on the defensive side of the ball, but his leadership and locker room presence was valued.
"We put Reggie on I-R today and it's tough for him and tough for us. It's tough for everybody," said head coach Chan Gailey. "Reggie Torbor was a strong person on our football team and we're going to miss him. It's just one of those things. He'd been getting evaluated for the last couple of days and that's the situation. It was a shoulder."
Torbor's season ended prematurely last season due to a torn labrum, so it's not the first time he's encountered shoulder problems. He suffered the injury in the preseason game last weekend against Denver.
With Torbor moved off the active roster and onto injured reserve Buffalo now has 87 active players.
