Eagles sign S Nelson to replace injured Anderson

The have signed safety Tom Nelson to a two-year deal and placed special teams star Colt Anderson on the Injured Reserve list with a torn ACL.

Originally a rookie free agent signing of Cincinnati in 2009, Nelson (5-11, 200) appeared in 21 games (3 starts) for the Bengals from 2009-10, notching 34 tackles, two pass deflections and an interception. He spent the 2011 preseason with Cincinnati, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.

The 25-year-old Nelson started in 46 consecutive games in his four years at Illinois State. As a senior in 2008, he registered a team-high 81 tackles and led the Missouri Valley Conference with a 15.8 average on punt returns, which included an 82-yard return for a touchdown. He also scored on a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that season.