Home > News > Cowboys sign Lance Frazier to replace injured Bruce Thornton

Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Oct. 12, 2004, 5:32 p.m. (CDT)

IRVING, Texas -- - Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells once again has turned to an unlikely source to help combat his team's injury troubles over the past two weeks - the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad.

The Cowboys signed rookie cornerback Lance Frazier to their 53-man roster Tuesday to replace cornerback Bruce Thornton, who has been placed on injured reserve with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Frazier had been on Baltimore's practice squad after signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in April and getting released on the final cut.

Frazier becomes the second Ravens practice squad player to join the Cowboys' active roster in the past two weeks. The Cowboys signed tight end Brett Pierce on Oct. 2 to replace Dan Campbell, who was moved to injured reserve following surgery to repair torn ligaments in his foot.

Frazier (5-10, 183 pounds) was a three-year starter at West Virginia, totaling 192 tackles, eight interceptions and eight forced fumbles. As a senior in 2003, Frazier had a career-high 67 tackles, five interceptions and 14 passes defensed.

Thornton suffered the torn ACL in his first regular-season game, playing some defense and returning two kickoffs for 43 yards against the Giants. Parcells planned to rotate him with rookie Jacques Reeves at right corner, and possibly in the slot on the nickel defense with rookie Nate Jones and Tyrone Williams, who signed with the Cowboys during the bye week.

The Cowboys have rookie cornerback Lenny Williams on their eight-man practice squad, but decided to sign Frazier to the active roster rather than Williams. The Cowboys released Lenny Williams from the practice squad after the season opener, but re-signed him Sept. 30.

Parcells also brought in Pierce from Baltimore instead of moving up two of his own practice squad tight ends, fifth-round pick Sean Ryan and undrafted rookie Landon Trusty.

The Cowboys' secondary has been decimated by injuries since their 21-18 victory over Washington. Starting right cornerback Pete Hunter tore his ACL in that game and was placed on injured reserve. Parcells was left with three rookies - Thornton, a fourth-round pick, and seventh-round picks Reeves and Jones - at cornerback alongside starting left corner Terence Newman.

Parcells did sign cornerback Tyrone Williams, an eight-year veteran, to replace Hunter during the bye week, but decided to keep him inactive against the Giants, saying he wasn't quite ready.

"You don't want to go out there and not know what you're doing," Tyrone Williams said this week. "When I first got here, they told me they would try to get me ready in two weeks. So this is really the second week."