Jaguars place G Manuwai on injured reserve

Sep 9, 2008 - 9:46 PM JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) - The Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday placed guard Vince Manuwai on injured reserve and signed two players to bolster their injury-wracked offensive line.

Manuwai suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's season-opening loss at Tennessee. The Jaguars also lost guard Uche Nwaneri (knee) and tackle Maurice Williams (biceps) in the game, depleting a line that already was without tackle Richard Collier, who remains hospitalized with gunshot wounds suffered last week.

That contributed to the Jaguars' vaunted rushing attack being limited to 33 yards in 17 carries.

Jacksonville brought in reinforcements Tuesday, signing veteran free agent offensive linemen Milford Brown and Chad Slaughter. The team also waived rookie cornerback Isaiah Gardner and waived offensive tackle Cliff Louis from the practice squad.

A third round draft choice by the Jaguars in 2003, Manuwai had started 78 of 79 career games with Jacksonville.

Brown, 28, signed with the Carolina Panthers as an unrestricted free agent on March 28, but was released in final cuts on August 30. The 6-5, 330-pound guard has started 43 of his 48 career games with Houston, Arizona and St. Louis.

Slaughter, 30, signed with Baltimore on July 31 but was released one month later. The 6-8, 340-pound offensive tackle spent five seasons with the Oakland Raiders (2001-06) after splitting his his rookie season in 2000 with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.