THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

METAIRIE, La. -- The "piano man," Joey Harrington, has landed a new gig in New Orleans. He'll be playing third fiddle behind Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees and backup Mark Brunell.

Harrington signed with the NFL club and participated in his first practice Friday at the team's suburban training centre, a day before the Saints were set to leave for Sunday's game at Denver.

Harrington, a standout at Oregon also known for his talent as a pianist, has spent six seasons in the NFL since being drafted third overall by Detroit in 2002. He played for Miami in 2006 and for Atlanta last season.

He appeared in 12 games for the Falcons, completing nearly 62 per cent of his passes for 2,215 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The Saints opened training camp with three quarterbacks, but cut Tyler Palko before the regular season.

To make room on the active roster, the Saints waived defensive tackle Alvin McKinley.