NFL Wire Notes | RB Stewart sidelined by surgery

EUGENE, Ore. -- Former University of Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a right toe injury he suffered in November.

Recovery is expected to take four to six months, preventing the Timberline of Lacey graduate from working out for scouts as scheduled at Oregon's pro day and potentially hurting his stock heading into the April draft.

But his agent, Ben Dogra, said the 45-minute procedure went smoothly and Stewart would be ready for training camp in July.

He is expected to be a first-round draft pick.

"At the same time, there's nothing you can do about it," said Stewart. "So there's no need to stress about it."

He sustained the turf toe injury against Arizona on Nov. 15, and it hadn't healed on its own. NFL general managers and scouts recommended Stewart have the surgery now rather than risk missing training camp or games, Dogra said.

Giants re-sign Ward

Oft-injured Derrick Ward re-signed with the New York Giants on Friday after a season in which he was part of a group of running backs who did an outstanding job in replacing Tiki Barber and helped New York win the Super Bowl.

Ward rushed for 602 yards and three touchdowns before a broken left leg ended his season in December. He shared the halfback spot with Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Reuben Droughns.

An unrestricted free agent, Ward tested the market but decided to stay.

"The Giants gave me my start," he said. "Hopefully, I'll be able to finish my career here."

Ward moved into the starting lineup in the second game of the season after Jacobs sprained a knee in the season opener against Dallas. He started five of eight games before ankle and groin injuries sidelined him.

Notes

• Veteran QB Mark Brunell, a former Washington Husky, agreed Thursday night to a two-year contract with New Orleans, ESPN.com reported.

• Derrick Pope signed a one-year contract with Minnesota, leaving Miami and joining a Vikings team looking to add depth at linebacker. Pope, entering his fifth season in the league, will be the fourth linebacker on the depth chart, behind starters Ben Leber, E.J. Henderson and Chad Greenway.

• TE Ben Utecht signed an offer sheet with Cincinnati for a three-year contract. The fourth-year pro is a restricted free agent from Indianapolis, which can keep him by matching the Bengals' offer within a week.

• Detroit released S Kenoy Kennedy and signed CB Brian Kelly to a three-year deal.

• Oakland signed free-agent DT William Joseph, adding a former first-round pick whose career has been plagued by injuries. Joseph missed all of last season for the Giants with a back injury.

• Mark Lamping, formerly president of baseball's St. Louis Cardinals, has been hired to oversee construction and operations of the new stadium for the New York Giants and Jets at the Meadowlands.

• The trial of suspended QB Michael Vick on state dog-fighting charges has been delayed.

Vick, who was scheduled to stand trial on April 2, is serving a 23-month federal prison term in Leavenworth, Kan. Officials had already delayed the trials of co-defendants Quanis Phillips and Purnell Peace. All three pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiring to run an interstate dog-fighting operation on land owned by Vick.

The delays are based on the logistics of transporting the men back to Virginia, which is the responsibility of the local prosecutor's office.