Former Saints RB Bell joined Eagles on a one-year contract

Now running back Mike Bell officially has taken off his New Orleans Saints jersey and said goodbye to free agency. In the 2010 season, he will play for the Philadelphia Eagles, who offered the veteran running back a one-year deal worth $1.7 million with $500,000 guaranteed on March 16, and Bell has already signed the offer.

As a restricted free agent, Bell signing with another team allows the Saints to have seven days to match the offer, however, the Saints finally decided not to match it as the cost was too high to the team that has to pay one of their remaining running backs, Reggie Bush, $8 million for playing in the 2010 season. The other running back is Pierre Thomas.

With addition of Bell, the Eagles will get much help in the backfield. Bell’s role in the new team will be the similar to what he played in the Saints, a backup role to the starter, which is to be LeSean McCoy in the Eagles.

Saints DE Grant went on IR to miss playoffs

The New Orleans Saints will have someone else start at defensive end for the playoffs as original starting defensive end Charles Grant will not be able to play in his NO. 94 Saints jersey with a triceps injury, which has caused him to be placed on injured reserve by the team.

The injury is similar to the one that ended Grant’s season in 2008 season after he played eight games. Perhaps it is better than last season’s as Grant anyway finished the regular season. As old as 31, the first-round pick of the Saints in 2002 anchored the left side of the line and started in all 16 regular season games, having totally 53 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks.

Losing Grant may add another disadvantage to the Saints, who finished the regular season as top of the NFC 13-3 but enter the playoffs with a three-game losing streak. Veteran Paul Spicer was signed back to the roster to fill the void, a whole season after he was released by the team in pre-season.

Saints remain unbeaten after 30-20 victory over Panthers

Another team became the New Orleans Saints’ springboard to the playoff. The Carolina Panthers lost to the unbeaten team by 20-30 on Sunday and had to admit it’s a hopeless season with a 3-5 start.

It is absolutely contrary to the 8-0 Saints, who are off to the best start in club history. While it was Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme’s first loss in the Louisiana Superdome since he put on Panthers jersey, it was just Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ another win.

But the Panthers still set a “first” for the Saints any way-they did not allow the Saints’ defense to intercept a pass. Nevertheless, the Saints still won; even though the Panthers blew a 17-3 lead in the first half. The Saints soon caught up. Devery Henderson’s 63-yard gain on a short slant pass set up Pierre Thomas’ 10-yard scoring run and cut the Panthers’ lead to 17-13; then by Robert Meachem’s leaping catch and run for a 54-yard score, the Saints tied it at 20; with John Carney’s 40-yard field goal, the Saints went ahead on 23-20; and in the last 30 seconds of the second quarter, Brees’ 45-yard completion to Marques Colston and a roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Saints a first down at the Carolina 7. The Panthers became the eighth team failing in challenging the Saints.

Saints RB Bell to miss Sunday game against Bills

The New Orleans Saints was to rotate with running backs after leading rusher Mike Bell missed practice all week with a sprained MCL in his right knee. They will not only do so in practice, but also probably in this Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.

Since it has been confirmed that Bell will not play in the game against the Bells, Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Lynell Hamliton will be the trio of running back to rotate in the game, as they had done in practice since Bell was out with injury. Not any single of the three has been considered to be able to play the same role of Bell, who was the Saints’ most productive runner through the first two games, rushing for 229 yards and a touchdown.

Along with Bell, wide receiver Lance Moore and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy have also been ruled out for Sunday’s game as they are still staying on Saints’ injury report, with Moore injured on right hamstring and Clancy hurting right knee.

Jets waived punter Parrish and LB Mauga, claiming punter Pakulak

On Friday, the New York Jets announced that that they have claimed punter Glenn Pakulak off waivers from New Orleans, and waived punter Ken Parrish and linebacker Josh Mauga, in an attempt to end worries about the team’s punters.

Previously, Parrish was working with Reggie Hodges on the punter, but coach Rex Ryan has said that their performance was not satisfying. Both Parrish and Mauga were signed by the Jets on Aug. 16.

Pakulak was waived the next day by the Saints after he played eight regular-season games for the team. He used to stay with several other NFL teams and play in NFL Europe.