Erik Ainge Placed on Non-Football Illness List

Along with the rookies, the quarterbacks and select veterans were at Florham Park today, and Manish Mehta of the Daily News reports that backup QB Erik Ainge has been listed as a reserve non-football illness, which means he won't count against the 80-man roster.  Apparently, he had some sort of illness which the team chose not to disclose.

Meanwhile, as John B. posted, RB Joe McKnight is apparently not in football shape and is on the active non-football injury list, which means he is occupying a roster spot.

Mehta also shares that backup QB Kevin O'Connell will not soon be released, as he has been told that he will have an opportunity to compete.

And it turns out that the other linebackers are better than Ezra, as Butler has been cut, and S Emanuel Cook has been signed.  Butler, who wore #53, was limited during OTAs in the spring.  Cook was with the team briefly last year.

As for numbers, David Wyatt mentioned that OLB Bryan Thomas will now be #58.  That number was previously worn by LB Josh Mauga, who was mostly on and off the practice squad last year.

CORRECTION: I wrote earlier that Ainge was on non-football injury, but the actual designation is non-football illness.  I don't think it makes much of a difference as far as these lists go though, as McKnight isn't actually injured either.