ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- With Reggie Torbor's status uncertain, the Buffalo Bills strengthened their inside linebacker position Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year contract with Kirk Morrison.
The deal was agreed to verbally Wednesday, Morrison's agent, Bruce Tollner, told The Associated Press. Financial terms weren't disclosed.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Morrison is a six-year starter who spent last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who elected not to re-sign him this offseason.
"He's fired up," Tollner said. "He's been working out for quite a while and has had several offers from other teams. He's excited to be going to Buffalo."
The Bills haven't confirmed the deal as they have a policy of not announcing acquisitions until the player has been signed.
The agreement comes one day after Bills coach Chan Gailey said Torbor was having "some things taken care of medically." Gailey didn't go into further detail.
The Bills already retooled the inside linebacker position earlier this month by signing eight-year veteran Nick Barnett to replace the free-agent loss of Paul Posluszny, who's now with the Jaguars.
The Jaguars were considering re-signing Morrison before they landed Posluszny on a six-year, $45 million contract last month.
Morrison was selected in the third round of the 2005 draft by the Oakland Raiders and spent the next five seasons with them. He struggled in his one season with the Jaguars in which he had no sacks or interceptions. His most memorable game came Dec. 12, when he was credited with seven tackles in a 38-31 victory over the Raiders.
Overall, Morrison has five sacks and seven interceptions in 96 career games.
Morrison was the second player the Bills added Wednesday after the team addressed its banged-up group of receivers by signing free agent Ruvell Martin.
Martin has five seasons of NFL experience after spending last year with the Seattle Seahawks. He has 65 catches for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns in 53 games, including nine starts.
Martin also has played with the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams.
The Bills are in need of healthy receivers as they prepare to host the Jaguars. Roscoe Parrish (left calf), Donald Jones (head), Naaman Roosevelt (right ankle) and Craig Davis (undisclosed injury) all have missed the first two days of practice this week.
Buffalo's receiving corps already has been depleted after the team traded seven-year veteran Lee Evans to the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago.
Martin practiced with the team Wednesday and is expected to see some playing time -- mostly on special teams -- Saturday, Gailey said.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
