NFL Notebook: Skinner to get Giants tryout

l GIANTS: Riley Skinner, Wake Forest's record-setting quarterback, wasn't selected in last weekend's NFL Draft but yesterday was invited to attend the New York Giants minicamp on a tryout basis.

Skinner, a four-year starter, set school records for completion percentage (.669), passing yards (9,762), completions (903), attempts (1,349), touchdown passes (60) and passing efficiency (136.9) and started in more victories (31) than any other quarterback in school history. He also set single-season records as a senior for passing yards (3,160), touchdown passes (26), passing efficiency (147.81) and total offensive yards (3,216).

Skinner, the 2006 ACC rookie of the year, was a two-time All-ACC selection.

l PACKERS: Green Bay lost one former Wake Forest player yesterday and added another.

The team released outside linebacker Jeremy Thompson, who said he intends to retire from football after suffering a neck injury last season, and signed John Russell, an undrafted rookie free agent.

Thompson, a fourth-round draft pick out of Wake Forest in 2008, was hospitalized after injuring his neck in a collision during practice in December and was unable to play the rest of the season.

Russell, a defensive tackle in college who is expected to move to outside linebacker, played in 51 games for the Deacons, starting 29, and had career totals of 137 tackles, 20½ tackles for losses and 10½ sacks.

l PANTHERS: Carolina went through the draft without taking an offensive lineman for the first time in 12 years but yesterday announced that it had reached teams with four undrafted rookie linemen. The Panthers, who have a minicamp scheduled this weekend, reached deals with 13 players, including linemen Noah Franklin of Oklahoma State, Kurtis Gregory of Missouri, Ray Hisatake of Hawaii and Mark Ortmann of Michigan.

The Panthers also signed: running back Daniel Porter of Louisiana Tech, fullback Rashawn Jackson of Virginia, receiver Trey Young of S.C. State, tight end Andrew George of BYU, defensive tackle Andre Neblett of Temple, linebacker Sean Ware of New Hampshire, safety Matt O'Hanlon of Nebraska, kicker Aaron Pettrey of Ohio State and punter Blake Haudan of Minnesota.

l TITANS: LeGarrette Blount, the Oregon running back suspended for punching a player last season, agreed to terms with Tennessee as an undrafted free agent. Blount missed eight games in 2009 for punching Boise State's Byron Hout in the season-opener Sept. 3. He returned late in the season and played in the Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State.

Coach Jeff Fisher of the Titans said in a statement that the team talked to a number of people, including Blount, before making its offer. "He was a good college-football player who, after talking to a number of people, merits a second chance," Fisher said.

Tennessee also agreed to terms with running back Stafon Johnson of Southern California, who had his larynx crushed in a weightlifting accident last September but returned to play in the Senior Bowl in January.

l JAGUARS: Jacksonville released two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson, opening up a starting spot for first-round draft pick Tyson Alualu.

The team also released linebacker Brian Iwuh, defensive tackle Montavious Stanley and linebacker Tank Daniels, and withdrew its qualifying offer to linebacker Clint Ingram.

A first-round pick in 2002, the 6-7, 335-pound Henderson averaged 84 tackles and 41/2 sacks during his first four seasons. He averaged 561/2 tackles and 21/2 sacks the last four years.

l PATRIOTS: New England yesterday released linebacker Adalius Thomas, who signed as a high-profile free agent in 2007 but fell into disfavor with Coach Bill Belichick last season. Thomas, 32, signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Patriots after seven seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, including two Pro Bowl appearances. He had 14½ sacks in three seasons in New England.

l PASTORINI ARREST: Dan Pastorini, a former quarterback for the Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, was charged with driving while intoxicated early yesterday after a traffic accident in Bryan, Texas. Pastorini, 60, also was cited for not having a driver's license.