Injuries shake up Saints roster

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 20, 2008 - UPDATED: 7:08 a.m.

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The ever-changing New Orleans Saints roster added two more names Wednesday when the team signed running back Mike Bell and fullback Darian Barnes.

To make room on the 53-man roster for Bell, a three-year veteran who played his first two seasons with the Denver Broncos, and Barnes, a seventh-year pro who has had stints with six teams, the Saints put tight end Mark Campbell and running back Aaron Stecker on injured reserve.

Campbell injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee late in the final quarter of Sunday’s 30-20 win at Kansas City and Stecker, who missed the first four games with a hamstring problem, aggravated the injury early in the game with the Chiefs.

Campbell and Stecker become the 12th and 13th players to land on injured reserve, which ends their season. Campbell, who missed the 2007 season after undergoing back surgery, caught 12 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns in nine games this season, while Stecker had eight carries for 43 yards and nine catches for 52 yards and a TD in six games.

Bell, a 6-foot, 225-pounder, rushed for 680 yards and caught 21 passes for 165 yards in 20 games with the Broncos. He gives the Saints some depth at running back as only Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas were available Sunday after Stecker was sidelined.

The Saints are optimistic that running back Reggie Bush, who’s missed the last three games after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee on Oct. 20, will be ready for Monday night’s game with the Green Bay Packers in the Superdome.

The Saints also signed wide receiver Chris Francies and running back Lavarus Giles to their practice squad.