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 WR Harper was placed on IR

On this Sunday, the 4-0 New Orleans Saints will play against the 5-0 New York Giants. But first-year receiver Rod Harper will not be able to experience such a matchup between two strong teams or a chance to help his team to achieve 5-0.

Harper was placed on injured reserve with a stress fracture in his left foot. Returning two punts for touchdowns in the preseason, Harper was unfortunately stuck behind a deep group of receivers and has not had any chance to play a regular-season game in Saints jersey.

And the Saints finally decided to place the receiver on injured reserve after he missed so many games, because they need a room on roster to bring back rookie quarterback Chase Daniels, who was waived by the Saints just five days ago.

Lawmakers approved final step to keep Saints in New Orleans

Louisiana lawmakers approved Friday a lease arrangement as the final step of a financial deal to keep the Saints in New Orleans.

The lease arrangement will have the state renting downtown New Orleans office space from team owner Tom Benson as a measure to funnel money to the team for direct cash subsidies from the government is limited.

Thus, with a 10-2 vote of senators and a 17-7 vote of House members agreeing to the lease, the deal was finalized between Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration and the NFL team to keep the Saints in Louisiana through 2025.