ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins, riddled with injuries along their offensive line, signed former Indianapolis Colts guard Rick DeMulling on Thursday, reports NFL Network's Adam Schefter.
DeMulling will help offset the loss of Redskins guard Randy Thomas, who tore his left triceps and is expected to miss 10-12 weeks. Thomas, who had surgery on Wednesday to repair the triceps, will wear a splint for six weeks and is holding out hope that he can return this season.
However, the Redskins must decide whether it's worth using a roster spot for a player who will miss most of the season. Instead, the team could place Thomas on injured reserve, officially ending his season, and sign another player in his spot.
Coach Joe Gibbs said he wanted a full medical evaluation on Thomas before deciding whether to put him on injured reserve.
"It's in their hands," Thomas said. "If there's a percentage (chance) of me being able to play this year, I want to be there. Even if it doesn't go my way, I'm still going to be around."
Thomas was uncertain how he was hurt. He said he was in a usual hard tussle with a defensive player during pass protection late in the first quarter of Monday night's game against Philadelphia.
"I do what I always do," Thomas said. "I hit him hard, and he hit me on the arm, and I guess the tightness of the muscle, it just gave. I don't know."
Thomas is the second Redskins offensive lineman to have surgery in two weeks. Right tackle Jon Jansen was lost for the season with an ankle injury in the season opener. Tenth-year veteran Jason Fabini is taking Thomas' spot in the lineup.
Thomas, renowned for his extremely voracious appetite, reassured his teammates that he can still host cookouts at his house.
"What do you mean?" he said. "I can flip steaks with my right hand, brother."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
