Falcons get depth by signing Leftwich

The Atlanta Falcons signed former Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich on Tuesday, giving the team immediate depth and a potential contender for the starting job.

“First of all, I’m a football player and the last couple of weeks have been tough on me,” said Leftwich, 27, who was cut the week before the season by the Jaguars. “I appreciate the opportunity and I look forward to doing whatever I can to help our team.”

Leftwich’s agent, Tom Condon, said the former first-round draft pick passed a physical, worked out for the team and signed a two-year, $7-million deal.

The Falcons needed help. Joey Harrington, who took over as the starter when Michael Vick was suspended by the NFL, has lost his first two starts with Atlanta and the offense has scored only 10 points.

Harrington’s other backup is Chris Redman, who has not played in an NFL game since 2003.

To clear a roster spot for Leftwich, the team released third-string quarterback Casey Bramlet, whose only professional experience came in Europe. The team lost another backup, D.J. Shockley, to a preseason knee injury.

“Joey Harrington remains our starting quarterback and Chris Redman is still No. 2,” Coach Bobby Petrino said, “but signing Byron Leftwich presented us a unique opportunity to add a veteran with tremendous experience to our quarterback group.”

Suspended defensive tackle Tank Johnson signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnson, who played the last three seasons for the Chicago Bears, can’t play for the Cowboys and won’t be paid until he completes his eight-game NFL suspension for violating probation on a gun charge. He has served the first two games of that suspension and will still have to apply for reinstatement.

Johnson signed after visiting with the Cowboys and taking a physical. He will make about $255,000 this season, the prorated portion of a minimum contract.

Philadelphia Eagles star Donovan McNabb says black quarterbacks face greater scrutiny than their white counterparts.

In an interview on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” to be broadcast Tuesday, McNabb said black quarterbacks “have to do a little bit extra” because there are relatively few of them, adding “people didn’t want us to play this position.”

Asked if white quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer are held to the same standards, McNabb replied: “Let me start by saying, I love those guys. But they don’t get criticized as much as we do. They don’t.”

The New York Jets put Pro Bowl kick returner-cornerback Justin Miller on injured reserve because of a knee injury. . . . Safety Jordan Babineaux signed a five-year extension with the Seattle Seahawks, opting not to test free agency in the off-season. . . . Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison has been cleared to play against San Francisco this week despite being carried off the field on a stretcher during Sunday’s game against Buffalo.