NFL Wire Notes | Giants land Carr, Falcons re-sign QB Harrington

Eli Manning and the New York Giants have a new backup quarterback.

David Carr signed Wednesday in a move that gives the Super Bowl champions an experienced backup who like Manning was a No. 1 pick overall.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons re-signed Joey Harrington, one week after cutting the six-year veteran quarterback from Oregon.

Carr's deal was for one year and $1 million, plus incentives, ESPN.com reported.

"I have a lot of calluses," Carr said. "I'm like an old carpenter; I've been through it. If you let that stuff affect you, you're not going to be able to do your job. One of the reasons I'm excited about coming here is they protect the quarterback well and they have playmakers on the outside."

Taken first by Houston in the 2002 draft, Carr's career has faltered in recent seasons. He was released by the Texans after the 2006 season and signed a two-year, $6 million deal last year with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers released him after the 2007 season.

Carr had a 58.3 passer rating with just three touchdown passes and five interceptions after replacing the injured Jake Delhomme. Carr was eventually replaced by 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and then undrafted rookie Matt Moore.

Carr will compete with Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen for the backup job to Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in 2004.

"I think any player coming into a situation like this has to prove something," Carr said. "I have to work just as hard or harder than the guys there. They've been to the top. They won a Super Bowl. They don't need our help."

Harrington, 29, started 10 games last season, but he returns as a probable backup — the role he would have played before Michael Vick's legal troubles.

Also returning with Harrington are Chris Redman and D.J. Shockley, who missed last season with a knee injury.

Though the names of the quarterbacks haven't changed, they presumably will be listed in a different order than at the beginning of last season, when Harrington was the starter.

Redman started the last four games and, according to the Falcons, will have the first shot at the starting job in 2008. Redman was selected NFC offensive player of the week after passing for four touchdowns and 251 yards against the Seahawks in the final game of the 2007 season.

Even after re-signing Harrington, the Falcons are expected to add a quarterback to the competition as early as the No. 3 overall pick in the April 26 draft.

Harrington completed 215 of 348 passes for 2,215 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in 12 games. But the Falcons were only 3-7 in his starts.

Detroit drafted Harrington No. 3 overall in 2002.

Harrington was released last week to clear about $3.5 million in salary cap space for 2008. Terms of his new contract were not released.

Notes

• Ted Sundquist is no longer the Denver Broncos' general manager. In a brief statement, coach Mike Shanahan said it was time for the organization to move in a different direction. Sundquist, 45, became general manager in 2002 after 10 years in a player-personnel role for the team.

• Free-agent receiver D.J. Hackett, the former Seahawk, arrived in Washington for a meeting with the Redskins and new coach Jim Zorn, the Seahawks' quarterbacks coach last season. Hackett, one of the top receivers available in free agency, also has visits planned with Tampa Bay and Carolina.

• Sean Taylor's generosity may have led to a botched robbery at his Miami home last year, according to defendant interrogations released Wednesday. Jason Mitchell, one of four men charged in the Washington Redskins star's murder, told Miami-Dade detectives that Taylor gave wads of cash — $10,000 each — to Taylor's brother and sister. The siblings, Sasha and Jamal Johnson, flashed the cash in front of their friends during Sasha's September birthday party. Mitchell, 20, also told detectives that Taylor gave him $300 — "in all 50s" — for helping mow Taylor's lawn before the party. Two months later, Taylor, 24, was shot in the groin during an attempted home-invasion robbery. Taylor died the next day.

• The Oakland Raiders have added another wide receiver, agreeing to a $2 million, one-year contract with free agent Drew Carter.

• Free-agent linebacker Keyaron Fox signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers that will pay him the minimum salary of $605,000 for a four-year veteran.

• The Detroit Lions re-signed unrestricted free-agent cornerback Travis Fisher to a three-year contract and released guard-center Blaine Saipaia.

• Olympic sprint champion Justin Gatlin showed off his skills to NFL scouts during Tennessee's pro timing day.

• The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with receiver Justin McCareins, bringing him back to the team that drafted him in the fourth round in 2001.

• Kicker Dave Rayner signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.

• Police records show Carolina Panthers receiver Dwayne Jarrett's blood-alcohol level was .12 when he was arrested on a driving-while-impaired charge, above North Carolina's legal limit of .08.