Brooks Will Start for Saints

Aaron Brooks was selected the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, beating out veteran Jeff Blake.

“A number of things came into the decision,” Coach Jim Haslett said. “Jeff is coming off an injury, and it takes time to get back to 100%.

“We weren’t trying to replace Jeff. He was the guy we signed last year to be our quarterback. It just so happened he got hurt. Aaron stepped in and did a great job and he really took over the job.”

Brooks became New Orleans’ starter after Blake broke his right foot against the Oakland Raiders in the 11th week of the 2000 season.

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Philadelphia Eagle Coach Andy Reid banned and then reinstated a newspaper and four local television stations from training camp for taking to the air Monday to watch the Eagles testing the new artificial turf at Veterans Stadium.

The stations foiled Reid’s plan to keep the turf-testing session secret by broadcasting video of the practice taken from helicopters.

The Philadelphia Daily News ran aerial photographs showing the Eagles milling about on the NeXturf surface.

“I asked for a simple favor [Monday],” Reid said. “I felt that was neglected by certain parties.”

The ban lasted only about six hours and all reporters were invited to an afternoon news conference announcing the signing of kicker David Akers.

The turf failed its football debut last week when heavy rains softened the ground beneath it and forced cancellation of an exhibition game with the Baltimore Ravens.

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The Green Bay Packers claimed quarterback Michael Bishop on waivers and released quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver and tight end Troy Drayton. Bishop was waived Friday by New England.

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Safety Keith Lyle, who played seven years for the Los Angeles and St. Louis Rams, signed with the Redskins.

Lyle, released by St. Louis after they signed Kim Herring from Baltimore as a free agent, was signed as insurance for David Terrell, the starting free safety, who has never started an NFL game.

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Miami Dolphin kicker Olindo Mare, second on the NFL’s career field-goal accuracy list, has an inflamed tendon in his right foot and is considering playing with the injury this season.

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Cleveland tight end Mark Campbell has a hairline fracture in his left shin and could be sidelined for seven regular-season games.

Campbell was injured at practice Aug. 13 when a teammate fell on his left knee. It took the team several days to diagnose the injury.

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The Dallas Cowboys released tight end David LaFleur, their first-round draft pick in 1997. LaFleur was nagged by a groin injury last season and a herniated disc in his lower back sometimes makes walking painful.

Cornerback Dwayne Goodrich, the Cowboys’ top draft pick in 2000, could be out for the season after tearing his right Achilles’ tendon during practice.