Belichick says TE Ballard fair game

Coach Bill Belichick scoffed that he violated an unwritten rule by claiming TE Jake Ballard from the Giants, who were trying to get him to IR. "First of all, there aren't any unwrittens," Belichick said. "... You can't negotiate a contract with a player while he's under contract -- you can't negotiate a contract, release him and then renegotiate another contract that was already done in advance, so I'm sure the Giants weren't doing that. If a player's on waivers, he's on waivers. Anytime you put a player on waivers, you know there are 31 teams out there that can take him if they want him."