The Saints and their popular veteran Deuce McAllister reached agreement on a restructured contract, ensuring that the running back will return to training camp with New Orleans.

McAllister had a $1 million roster bonus due Tuesday but before paying it, the Saints and the running back reached agreement on a deal that will offer each side protection. Should the 29 year old McAllister return and play up to the level that made him one of the league’s top running backs, he will have a chance to make much if not all of the $4.7 million that he could have this season. But if McAllister struggles to return to form on his two surgically repaired knees, the Saints will not have to pay him what he was scheduled to make this season.

The 25 year old Kerry Rhodes, entering his fourth season, had a year left on his rookie contract, he was due to make $927,000 this season and would’ve become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

The Jets signed Kerry Rhodes to a five year extension for $33.5 million, including $20 million guaranteed. It’s just short of the five year, $37.5 million deal Indianapolis’ Bob Sanders, the defensive player of the year, got before last season.

Rhodes is focused now on having a big year and helping the Jets avoid the slow starts that plagued the defense the last few seasons. He even rejected a few offers to act in the offseason so he could concentrate on rebounding from last year’s 4-12 season.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio signed a five year contract extension, a reward for winning his first playoff game. The Jaguars, who were 11-5 last season, defeated Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs and then ended the season with a loss at New England.

Del Rio’s salary was not disclosed, but it was believed to be a big jump from the original five year, $6.5 million contract he signed in 2003. 

Jacksonville is 45-35 in five years under Del Rio and has two playoff appearances, the first of which landed the coach a contract extension that paid him $3 million annually the last two years.

League owners approved a communication device for defenses at the NFL Annual Meeting. One defensive player will wear a helmet similar to what the quarterback is allowed on offense. Should that player leave the game, a teammate can be designated to also have the device. But only one defender with the device can be on the field at a time.

The vote was 25-7 in favor, 24 yes votes were required and all seven negatives came from head coaches with offensive backgrounds. Voting against were Seattle (Mike Holmgren), Tampa Bay (Jon Gruden), Oakland (Lane Kiffin), Philadelphia (Andy Reid), St. Louis (Scott Linehan), Washington (Jim Zorn) and Green Bay (Mike McCarthy).

The Ravens and Bengals each received four picks, beginning in the third round of the April 26-27 draft.

Those picks are slotted at the end of each of the last five rounds. Baltimore lost four compensatory free agents in 2007 and didn’t sign any. Cincinnati lost five compensatory free agents. Only Washington, which was given the top compensatory selection, 96th overall (33rd in the third round), Cincinnati (97th), Atlanta (98th) and Baltimore (99th) got extra choices in the third round.

In all, 15 teams were awarded compensatory picks. Washington, Chicago, Indianapolis and Philadelphia each got three selections. Receiving two were Buffalo, Carolina and Miami. Getting one apiece were Atlanta, Green Bay, St. Louis, San Diego, Tennessee and the New York Giants.

The Steelers signed former Titan and Panther Justin Hartwig to a $3,725,000 that includes a $975,000 signing bonus, two year contract.

Last year, the Steelers signed Sean Mahan away from Tampa Bay by giving him a $17 million, five year contract that included a $4 million signing bonus. They plan to use Mahan as a backup at several positions, including guard and center.

The Steelers were third in the NFL in rushing last season, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 47 times, the second most in club history.

Reche Caldwell got a one year contract with the Rams. The 28-year-old Caldwell played for the Redskins last year when Al Saunders was that team’s offensive coordinator. Saunders now has that same job with the Rams.

Caldwell caught 15 passes in eight games last year, with a 17.6 yard average. In 2006, he caught 61 passes with a 12.5 yard average and four touchdowns for New England. He spent his first four seasons with the Chargers after being selected in the second round of the 2002 draft.

In the most bizarre off season injury to date, Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall said he slipped on a McDonalds bag and wound up with his arm wrapped in a cast. Marshall said he was at the Westgate Lakes Resort in Orlando, Fla. on Saturday and slipped and fell on a McDonald’s wrapper. When he slipped, he said he stuck out his hand to brace his fall and it went through a TV entertainment center.

In a statement, Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos confirmed reports Marshall “Marshall sustained right forearm lacerations to one artery, one vein, one nerve, two tendons and three muscles. All have been repaired, and his right forearm and elbow will be immobilized for six weeks,” Antonopulos said. “Rehabilitation will begin in six weeks. Full recovery is expected to take three to four months.”

That means Marshall might be ready to resume football activities in time for the start of training camp in late July.

The Raiders have reached agreement with cornerback DeAngelo Hall on a seven year, $70 million contract that includes $24.5 million in guaranteed money. Oakland will send a 2008 second round pick and a 2009 fifth-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons now will have four of the top 48 selections in the upcoming draft.

The Raiders wanted to sign Hall to a new contract before completing the deal with the Falcons in order to make sure they would have Hall for more than one year. Oakland will send a second-round pick, the 34th overall, in next month’s draft and an additional pick to Atlanta in the deal.

Oakland has already traded its third-round pick in this year’s draft to New England for the pick used to select offensive lineman Mario Henderson in 2007, and its fifth-round pick to Denver for defensive tackle Gerard Warren.

Two time Pro Bowl wide receiver signed a $40 million, four year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. The deal includes $30 million guaranteed.

Fitzgerald, a one-time ballboy for the Minnesota Vikings, led the NFC in receptions with 100 last season for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning his second Pro Bowl bid in four seasons. At 24, he has 330 career catches for 4,544 yards and 34 scores in 60 games. He and Anquan Boldin have formed one of the league’s top receiving tandems. Boldin also has made the Pro Bowl twice. In 2005 they became the 3rd team in NFL history to have have two wide recievers to finish with 100-plus receptions in one year.

So after all the hype that he might go somewhere else to play football in ‘08 he has said all along that he wanted to remain with Arizona, the team that chose him as the third pick overall out of Pittsburgh in 2004.