New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced today that the team has placed fullback Heath Evanson the reserve/injured list after the veteran suffered a season-ending knee injury in Sunday's win at Miami. The Saints have signed free agent fullback Charles Grant/Kyle Eckel.aspx">Kyle Eckel to take Evans' spot on the roster.

Evans, a nine-year veteran is in his first season with the Saints after signing with the club as an unrestricted free agent in March. Playing in all six games and starting five of them, Evans caught 10 passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns and carried five times for 16 yards and an additional score.

Eckel is a third-year player out of the Naval Academy who has played in 17 career regular season games in stints with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, gaining 169 yards on 57 carries with one catch for six yards and 13 tackles on special teams. The 5-11, 237-pound fullback first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and spent two seasons on the Miami Dolphins' reserve/military list.

The Philadelphia native played in 2007 with the Patriots and 2008 with the Eagles, gaining postseason experience in each season with a total of five playoff games played. He posted career-highs in rushing with 33 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns in '07 in New England.

The Saints also announced the signing of running back Herb Donaldson to the team's practice squad, taking the place of P.J. Hill who was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles to their active roster. Donaldson participated in training camp with the Saints and gained 64 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown in preseason action.