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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 9, 2002
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Packers defensive end Joe Johnson will miss the season after tearing his left triceps muscle in Green Bay's 34-21 win over the Bears on Monday night.
"He's out," coach Mike Sherman said Tuesday night. "I'll put him on injured reserve tomorrow. ... In talking to the doctors, I just know it would be difficult to come back this season."
Johnson will need surgery to fix the tear.
The Packers already were thin at defensive end with starter Vonnie Holliday sidelined until November by a torn pectoral muscle.
"Those are two premier players, what you classify as star players," Sherman said. "It's not the way you'd draw it up, but there's no time to despair. We've got to play the New England Patriots on Sunday. Where there's injury, there's opportunity and hopefully a player steps up."
Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said the team's personnel department was looking for a reinforcement, "but it's not really easy to find a quality defensive lineman who doesn't have a job at this time of year."
Losing Johnson for any amount of time is a blow to the Packers, who paid him $6.5-million in bonuses this season as part of a six-year, $33-million contract.
This season, Johnson had eight solo tackles, eight assists, two sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one pass deflected.
"I don't like to use the word "devastating,' but it is a setback," Donatell said. "Sometimes it takes a guy a few games to get used to another system, and I really liked what he was doing for us these last two weeks. He had two really solid games."
Johnson's injury will force more shuffling on the defensive line, which was Green Bay's strength when the season began.
Rookie Aaron Kampman played the past two games in Holliday's spot. Billy Lyon, who weighs 285 pounds, is the likely replacement for Johnson, though pass rushers Gbaja-Biamila and Jamal Reynolds likely will play some early downs.
Nose tackle Rod Walker spelled Kampman on some passing plays Monday, and tackle Cletidus Hunt also plays the outside.
BEARS: Left guard Rex Tucker is out for the season with a broken leg and wide receiver David Terrell has a broken right foot that might need surgery. Terrell, the top draft pick out of Michigan in 2001, hurt his foot late in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Packers. Tucker dislocated his left ankle and broke a bone in his leg in the third quarter.
BROWNS: Backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb broke his left leg and sprained his knee during a fourth-quarter comeback Sunday night against the Ravens. Holcomb, who threw two touchdowns in the fourth, is sidelined indefinitely.
EAGLES: Second-year quarterback A.J. Feeley was added to the roster and safety Julian Jones was released. A fifth-round pick last year, Feeley got his only action during the fourth quarter of the regular-season finale against Tampa Bay. He completed 10-of-14 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
49ERS: Receiver J.J. Stokes is questionable for the game at Seattle Monday after an MRI revealed a sprained knee ligament. If he can't play, Tai Streets likely will replace him. The eight-year pro has 13 catches for 149 yards and a TD this season after catching 54 passes for 585 yards and seven TDs in 2001.
GIANTS: Cornerback Reggie Stephens was signed and wide receiver Jonathan Carter was waived. Stephens played in 15 games for the Giants in 2000 and was with the Chiefs in training camp this year. The Giants signed him because of injuries to William Peterson (toe) and Will Allen (leg), and because Jason Sehorn thinks he is not healthy enough to play cornerback full time.
JETS: Cornerback Jamie Henderson was placed on injured reserve and will miss the season. Henderson, a second-year player from Georgia, dislocated his right shoulder in Sunday's loss to Kansas City.
PANTHERS: Tight end Jermaine Wiggins was signed and linebacker Brad Jackson was waived. Wiggins played in a reserve role for the Patriots last season, catching 14 passes for 133 yards in the regular season. In the Patriots' playoff win over Oakland, he had 10 receptions for 68 yards.
ARENA LEAGUE: The Storm traded backup quarterback and former Buc Scott Milanovich to the Detroit Fury for lineman Kelvin Kinney. Milanovich, signed before the start of the 2002 season, started four games. He completed 101-of-181 for 1,223 yards, 22 TDs and four interceptions.
The trade leaves Shane Stafford as the only quarterback under contract. John Kaleo, who started in 2000 and 2001, is an unrestricted free agent. Kinney, a sixth-round pick of the Redskins in 1995, played 14 games for Detroit last season. He had 181/2 tackles, including 51/2 for loss and three sacks.
-- Staff writer Frank Pastor contributed to this report.