Saints DT Thomas put on injured reserve for rest of season

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METAIRIE, La. -- Hollis Thomas, who already was expected to miss the first six weeks of the season with a torn triceps, has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Thomas

The Saints also waived reserve tight end Billy Miller.

Thomas, a 12-year veteran defensive tackle, has spent the past two seasons with the Saints, playing in 30 games and starting 26. Last season, he was credited with 58 total tackles and 3½ sacks.

Thomas got hurt during joint practices with the Houston Texans on Aug. 13 and was expected to need two months to recover. Coach Sean Payton chose to keep Thomas on the active roster after training camp, but depth on the interior defensive line became a problem when Antwan Lake injured his left groin in Sunday's season opener against Tampa Bay.

"We were hoping to keep [Thomas] alive, but we're banged up a little bit there and it really came down to having to get another body in here. That was the hard part about it," Payton said. "Now he just has to rehab and get better and we have to move on."

The Saints on Wednesday signed defensive tackle Alvin McKinley, an eight-year veteran who played 15 games for Denver last season, starting 10.

The Saints also re-signed offensive lineman Matt Lehr, who had been waived during Week 1 when the Saints moved linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar from the practice squad to the active roster.

Meanwhile, rookie safety David Roach was added to the practice squad.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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