Rob Johnson Now a Starter

Former USC quarterback Rob Johnson, who did not play a down last season and has thrown only seven passes in two seasons in the NFL, will take over as the starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars as Mark Brunell waits to learn the extent of his knee injury.

Johnson will make his first start Monday when the Jaguars play the San Francisco 49ers.

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Gino Torretta, who won the Heisman Trophy at Miami under Dennis Erickson in 1992, was released by the Seattle Seahawks and his former college coach. The move leaves Jon Kitna as the team’s No. 3 quarterback behind starter John Friesz and Warren Moon.

Erickson also said a right shoulder injury that Jason Kyle suffered in Saturday’s loss at San Francisco will force the reserve linebacker to sit out the season.

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A week after rupturing a right biceps tendon, John Elway returned to practice, increasing speculation he would play in Denver’s exhibition Sunday at New England. . . . First-round draft pick Tarik Glenn, an offensive lineman from California, and veteran fullback Roosevelt Potts ended holdouts and came to terms with the Indianapolis Colts. . . . Running back Freddie Bradley of the San Diego Chargers needs arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.