Chargers tweak roster

SAN DIEGO – The Chargers have signed linebacker Antwan Barnes and long snapper Mike Windt to the active roster Wednesday, released long snapper Ethan Albright and added receiver Kole Heckendorf to the practice squad.

In Barnes, the Chargers add a 6-foot-1, 251-pound fourth-year player who can line up at outside linebacker. He was a fourth-round pick in 2007 and spent his first three seasons in Baltimore and was traded to Philadelphia on Sept. 4 for a seventh-round draft choice. Barnes was traded waived by the Eagles on Saturday.

San Diego signed Barnes after the team placed outside linebacker Shawne Merriman on Reserve-Injured, freeing a roster spot.

In three seasons with Baltimore, Barnes tallied 20 tackles, five sacks and an interception off Philip Rivers when the Ravens faced the Chargers in San Diego in 2009. He made three tackles for the Eagles this season.

A Miami native, Barnes is one of the best players ever to wear Florida International University’s jersey. He finished his career there as the school’s all-time sacks leader with 23. A two-time first-team All-Sun Belt choice, he made 224 total tackles during his career with the Golden Panthers.

Windt, a 6-foot-1, 252-pound rookie, went to training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals after an outstanding three-year career (2007-09) at the University of Cincinnati. Windt was flawless in 395 career snaps for the Bearcats.

Windt becomes the Chargers' fifth long snapper in 2010. David Binn, James Dearth and Ryan Neill all are on Reserve-Injured and Albright snapped in the Chargers' last two games.

Heckendorf, 6-foot-2, 191 pounds, was on Detroit’s practice squad in 2009 and went to camp with Seattle this year.