FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday signed cornerback Kevin Mathis and injury-plagued defensive end Reggie McGrew.
Mathis spent three years with the Dallas Cowboys and the last two with the New Orleans Saints, but was waived before training camp due to neck and back problems. He started 29 games over the last two seasons with the Saints.
The Falcons hope he will help offset the loss of starting cornerback Ray Buchanan, who will miss three more games due to his steroid suspension.
McGrew was a first-round pick of the 49ers in 1999. He played in 12 games last season and then made his first start in San Francisco's playoff loss at Green Bay. McGrew missed all of his rookie season with a triceps tendon tear and played in 10 games in 2000 as a reserve.
The Falcons on Tuesday also signed returner-receiver Damon Gibson and waived cornerback Rodney Heath, defensive end Ronald Flemons and rookie receiver Kahlil Hill.
Gibson was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars after he fumbled a punt return in their season-opening loss to Kansas City. He also played for Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Heath was signed by the Falcons last Wednesday after the Buchanan suspension was announced. He was waived by the Carolina Panthers in training camp after playing three seasons with Cincinnati.
Flemons, a seventh-round pick in 2001, played in just one game as a rookie and on a limited basis this season.
Hill was the Falcons' sixth-round pick in 2002 and was moved from the practice squad to the 53-man roster last Saturday in a move necessitated by a hamstring injury to cornerback-returner Allen Rossum.
