Cincinnati Bengals sign kicker Josh Brown

The Bengals have signed kicker Josh Brown to potentially replace the injured Mike Nugent.

Nugent reportedly left practice this week with a calf injury. It's unknown how serious the injury is, or if Nugent will be ready to go when the Bengals take on the Dallas Cowboys at Paul Brown Stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday. If Nugent isn't ready, Brown will be on the roster, ready to get the nod.

Brown, a 10th-year player from Nebraska, has scored 962 career points over five seasons with Seattle and four with St. Louis. He has made 220 field goals in 272 attempts (80.9 percent), and he also has 60 points in eight career postseason games, going 14-for-17 on field goals. He played in all 152 possible games of his career from 2003-11, including postseason.

Brown entered the NFL in 2003 as a seventh-round draft choice with Seattle and played for the Seahawks through 2007. He signed with St. Louis as an unrestricted free agent for 2008 and played four seasons (2008-11). He was released by the Rams on April 30 of this year. He signed with the New York Jets on May 2 and made three of four FG attempts in preseason, including a 42-yarder against the Bengals on Aug. 10 at Paul Brown Stadium.

Brown was released by the Jets on Aug. 27.

Nugent has made only 82.6 percent of his field goals this season (19-for-23), and struggled down the stretch of the 2011 season, missing four field goals in his final three games that included a playoff loss at Houston. There's no wide speculation that Brown could be a permanent replacement, but it will certainly add an option for the Bengals to consider depending on how long-term Nugent's injury is.

The Bengals also Thursday waived center Jeff Faine.