PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AFC : Oilers Sign Thomas, Cut Richardson

Quarterback Bucky Richardson, a crowd favorite because of his aggressive style, became the latest casualty in General Manager Floyd Reese’s attempts to keep the Houston Oilers under the salary cap.

Rodney Thomas, a running back chosen in the third round, signed a three-year, $852,500 contract and could become the backup for starter Gary Brown. The Oilers cut Richardson and his $400,000 salary to make room for Thomas.

Speculation continued that guard John Flannery and his $900,000 salary could be the next to go to make room for all-pro center Bruce Matthews, who has agreed to a four-year, $10.4 million deal.

“They’ve told me it’s not a matter of performance, it’s a matter of money,” Flannery said. “That helps me to deal with it. If it happens, it doesn’t mean my career is over. It’s just over with the Oilers.”

Richardson lost his battle with Will Furrer as the Oilers’ backup to starter Chris Chandler. Steve McNair, the team’s No. 1 draft choice, currently is No. 3.

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New England learned it will be without linebacker Vincent Brown for at least two weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday. The Patriots have lost three inside linebackers in the first two weeks of training camp--Brown; Todd Collins, who retired, and Andre Bowden, who broke his leg. That leaves second-year player Marty Moore and rookie Ted Johnson, this year’s second-round draft pick.

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The Cincinnati Bengals claimed fourth-year defensive tackle Bill Johnson off waivers from the Cleveland Browns, the team said.

Johnson, 26, was a third-round draft pick of the Browns in 1992. He played in 14 games last season, making 54 tackles and one sack.

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Jacksonville Jaguar running back Leon Brown broke his left ankle during practice at Stevens Point, Wis. He is scheduled to return to Jacksonville today and have surgery later this week.

The Jaguars also announced that Vidal Mills, a first-year safety from Bethune-Cookman, was released. Mills, 23, joined the Jaguars as a free agent after spending the 1994 season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad.