Pro Football weekly

The Falcons placed Peterson and cornerback Kelvin Hayden on injured reserve Tuesday night, ending the season for both veteran players.||||||| Peterson, a 13-year veteran in his third season with Atlanta, played four games, including Monday's 45-16 loss at New Orleans, in place of injured Stephen Nicholas.

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a one-year contract with linebacker Mike Peterson. The deal was announced Thursday. Free agents can formerly sign on Friday, when the Falcons are scheduled to hold their first practice of training camp.||||||| Peterson started 13 games for the NFC South champions last season, making 79 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. The signing comes after another linebacker, Stephen Nicholas, agreed to stay with the team for a five-year deal worth $17.5 million.

The Atlanta Falcons bulked up their depleted linebacker corps, signing Peterson on Tuesday.||||||| Peterson will be reunited with Falcons coach Mike Smith, who previously served as defensive coordinator in Jacksonville. Terms of the three-year contract were not immediately available. The 32-year-old Peterson played the last six seasons with the Jaguars. He started his 10-year career in Indianapolis.

Peterson assumed his usual spot in the middle of Jacksonville's defense Wednesday, but isn't sure how long he'll stay there. Peterson believes the Jaguars are ready to move in another direction, willing to keep the 32-year-old team captain on the sideline for the rest of the season.||||||| Peterson was sent home twice last week for insubordination, fined $10,000 by coach Jack Del Rio and then was inactive against Detroit. It was the first time in his 10-year career he missed a game without being injured. "The season's not going well, older guy, move him out of the way and get ready for next year," Peterson said Wednesday. "I guess that's the way it is. That's the way I'm taking it."