Buccaneers sign ex-Jayhawk Warner

Tampa, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed defensive end Ron Warner to a one-year contract Thursday and placed defensive end Corey Smith on injured reserve.

Warner, a former Kansas University standout who was released by the Bucs in October, missed the first four games of the season while serving a suspension for an undisclosed reason.

Warner spent all of 2001 on the Buccaneers’ practice squad.

Smith, signed in April as an undrafted free agent from North Carolina State, had two tackles and one sack in six games this season.

Dolphins’ Fiedler slowly improving

Davie, Fla. – Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler took some snaps with the first-team offense Thursday, another step back from a broken right thumb.

Fiedler practiced for the second straight day as he tries to work into playing condition after being injured Oct. 13 at Denver.

“Jay took more work than he did (Wednesday),” coach Dave Wannstedt said. “He’s not where he would like to be, but I think he’s right on schedule where we hoped he would be.”

Wannstedt said Wednesday that Fiedler probably will be uniform as the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback Sunday at Buffalo.