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The Dallas Cowboys have signed receiver Terry Glenn to a five-year, $20 million deal, replacing the final year of his old contract, under which he was scheduled to make $2 million.

Per NFLPA records, Glenn will earn base salaries of $2 million in 2006, $820,000 in 2007, $1.74 million in 2008, $2 million in 2009, and $4.95 million in 2010.

That leaves $8.49 million in bonus money, some of which undoubtedly was paid upon signing and/or as a 2006 roster bonus. Based on the salaries, it looks to us like a three-year deal.

Glenn will enjoy plenty of single coverage operating across from Terrell Owens in Dallas. Glenn had the second highest receiving yardage of his career in 2005, with 1,136 yards. His seven receiving touchdowns were the most of his ten-year career.

One of the curiosities of the schedule of prime time games for the first weekend of the 2006 regular season is the omission of the Seattle Seahawks from the Monday night doubleheader.

Starting in 2004, the Super Bowl champ has hosted the season opening Thursday night game -- and the runner-up has played in the Monday nighter to finish the kickoff weekend.

This time around, the Steelers host the Thursday game. But the 'Hawks are nowhere to be found on Monday night.

Seahawks fans could interpret the move as a deliberate slap at the franchise in retribution for the firestorm of criticism targeted at the officiating in the Super Bowl.

The official game ball will be renamed "The Duke," in honor of late Giants owner Wellington Mara.

Bengals WR Chad Johnson is undeterred by the restriction on touchdown dances: "I don't follow the rules anyway. I don't think that affects what I do. I'm not going to get a penalty. I don't use the ball for a prop." (Actually, he does -- but if he says he doesn't, then we suppose he doesn't.)

The Commish outlined on Monday the qualities for the job: (1) vision; (2) intelligence; (3) persuasiveness; (4) work ethic; (5) integrity; (6) ability to put together a leadership team. ((7) a droning, monotonous voice.)

The Steelers will visit the Cardinals for the first game of the preseason, which will be in Cards' new stadium (and which means that there will be at least one sellout in 2006).

On Monday, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was expected to appoint a search committee that would work to locate his successor.

And there are indications that the overall process will take a while. An external search firm might be used, and all 32 owners might be interviewed.

Tags intends to get his chicken dinner and gold watch in July 2006, but he might need to revise those plans. We can't imagine the committee being assembled, the candidates being identified, the interviews being conducted, the input of everyone who wants to have input being considered, and 22 of the owners being able to reach agreement within four months.

It's the second new deal that Fox has received. He took the team to the Super Bowl in 2003, and to the NFC title game in 2005.

At a time when Steelers coach Bill Cowher is in line for a new deal, Fox's deal arguably establishes the floor for Cowher's new contract.

Jones and a female were obstructing traffic in front of the Snatch Rock 'N' Roll Bar & Lounge. At the station, Jones was "very apologetic." He signed an affidavit promising to appear in court for an arraignment.

On Thursday, September 7, the Dolphins visit the Steelers on NBC. On Sunday, September 10, FOX airs at 4:15 p.m. EDT the Cowboys and the Jaguars, in Jacksonville.

That night, NBC televises the Colts at the Giants. It will be the first meeting between Peyton and Eli Manning -- and the first time in league history that brothers line up as the starting quarterbacks for opposing teams.

The weekend finishes with a Monday night doubleheader on ESPN. In a 7:00 p.m. EDT game, the Vikings visit the Redskins. At 10:15 p.m. EDT, the Chargers face the Raiders.

On Thanksgiving, the Dolphins play at the Lions in the early game on CBS, and the Bucs travel to the Cowboys for the afternoon game on FOX. At 8:00 p.m. EST, the Broncos travel to the Chiefs on the NFL Network.

Ironically, the Chiefs previously have complained about the monopoly that the Lions and the Cowboys have enjoyed as to the Thanksgiving games. But the league has not been inclined to take those games away from Detroit and Dallas, since both franchises offered to host them at a time when most other teams weren't interested.

Moving forward, it's unlikely that the Chiefs will become the permanent hosts for the Thanksgiving night game. Instead, look for this one to rotate, with every city eventually getting a crack at hosting it.

Keeping with recent tradition, the Steelers will host the Thursday night season opener, on September 7.

It'll be the second straight season that an offensive cornerstone traded away by the Minnesota Vikings will visit the defending Super Bowl champs. In 2005, receiver Randy Moss and the Oakland Raiders traveled to New England for a game against the Patriots. This time around, quarterback Daunte Culpepper and his new team head to the 'Burgh.

Some surely will interpret the move as a hint that the Dolphins and the league office are confident that quarterback Culpepper's torn up knee will be sufficiently recovered to permit him to play in the opener. Then again, if Culpepper can't play and if the Dolphins sign former Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox to be the backup, the whole Christian-getting-fed-to-the-lions angle might be even more compelling.

Miami finished the 2005 season with six straight wins, and has upgraded the roster with the addition of Culpepper.

Surely, the Miami Dolphins don't expect Texas quarterback Vince Young to be available when they exercise their first-round pick with the sixteenth overall choice. So why bring him in for a personal visit?

In our view, coach Nick Saban wants to ensure that Young is taken before the Fins exercise their pick, which will mean that one of the guys in which the team truly is interested will get pushed farther down. And our guess is that Saban hatched the plan to bring in Young before Young's stock was nudged upward in the wake of last week's pro day workout.

Of course, there's a chance that the Fins will try to trade up in an effort to snag Young. Or maybe they intend to try to trade up and get someone else -- and are trying to create the impression that if they trade up they'll tap Uncle Rico.

We've heard on multiple occasions over the past 11 months that Saban put the word out to the organization and beyond that he planned to select receiver Braylon Edwards with the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, all in the hopes of squeezing a pick or two out of the Browns at number three -- or from someone else who wanted to jump in front of Cleveland to snag Edwards. As we've heard it, Saban did an abrupt about-face moments before pulling the trigger, going with running back Ronnie Brown instead.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Steelers soon could be extending the contract of head coach Bill Cowher.

Cowher's deal, which currently runs through 2007, typically has been reworked with two years remaining on it. Since this is the first time in his 14 seasons that he's entering the process with a Lombardi on his lap, more years -- and more money -- would seem to be in order.

"We'll sit down and talk," team president Art Rooney II told Bouchette. "We typically have tried to wait until after the league meeting and things calm down a little bit to have those conversations. We'll start having those conversations in the near future."

In the past, Cowher's contract extensions have created some local consternation. Indeed, his last two extensions came after seasons (2000 and 2003) in which the team missed the playoffs. On both occasions, however, Cowher justified the renewed faith by earning the top seed in the AFC playoff field. In 2004, the front office waited a little longer than usual to pull the trigger; since doing so, the Steelers have been one of the best teams in the league.

Before Cowher signed his most recent extension in July 2004, he was receiving more than $3 million per year. He got a raise at the time, and could be in line (we think) to crack the $5 million barrier this time around.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Texans are interested in swinging a trade with the Bills for disgruntled receiver Eric Moulds.

"We're exploring an opportunity for Eric to play for the Texans," said Greg Johnson, who works for Moulds but really isn't his agent. "If all sides can see eye to eye, we'll make it happen."

To make it happen, the Texans and Moulds need to work out a contract, and the Texans and the Bills likewise need to hammer out a trade.

Although the latest trend in offer sheets -- the use of terms that make the full deal guaranteed if the original team matches but not guaranteed if the new team gets the player -- does not violate the CBA by requiring the old team to pay more money under the duration of the contract than the new team would have to cough up, we've concluded that such devices violate the CBA by forcing the team that matches to sacrifice its prerogative to terminate the deal prematurely.

For years, players and agents have been carping about the fact that contracts are generally not guaranteed, and that the team can walk away at any time. So by forcing the old team to give up its right to walk away prematurely, but by allowing the new team to cut the player and avoid the balance of the salary due, the old team necessarily is forced to pay more money.

We're still amazed by the decision of the Seattle Seahawks to abandon an argument that the poison pill contained in the offer made to Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson violated the CBA, and to attempt instead to restructure the contract of left tackle Walter Jones in order to avoid the trigger. Now, if the Vikings and the NFL attempt to force the issue as to the offer sheet that receiver Nate Burleson has signed with the Seahawks, the argument can be advanced.

It remains to be seen whether a challenge will be pursued, especially since the Vikings aren't inclined to match the offer sheet if the guarantee is invalidated.

Even if the issue isn't addressed in conjunction with the Burleson deal, we can't imagine the NFL allowing this practice to persist. So whether it's through a subsequent grievance or an amendment to the CBA, we expect that the poison pill will be dissolved by next year at this time.

Although agent Gary Uberstine was not in violation of NFLPA regulations if he initiated contact with former Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri about a potential agent change (scroll down for more on this), the apparent involvement of former Pats linebacker Willie McGinest in the recruitment of Vinatieri could invite scrutiny.

Section 3(B) of the regs sets forth a laundry list of prohibited actions. The violations include "[f]ailing to disclose in writing to any player represented by Contract Advisor any fee paid or received by Contract Advisor to or from a third party in return for providing services to that player." So if, for example, McGinest gets a piece of the fee that Uberstine will be paid as a result of Vinatieri's new deal with the Colts -- and if Uberstine didn't disclose this fact in writing -- then Uberstine could be on the wrong side of the rule.

The fact that Uberstine and McGinnest and Snoop Dogg have formed a business aimed at assisting athletes with marketing potential enhances the possibility that Uberstine has thrown a bone to McGinest for delivering Vinatieri.

As to the question of whether Uberstine solicited Vinatieri, either on his own or through McGinest, keep in mind that the regs permit contact with players who have less than 60 days remaining on their player contracts (and, presumably, after their contracts expire). The more troubling question is whether Uberstine was actually working on behalf of Vinatieri before he terminated the Neil Cornrich group. Although Colts president Bill Polian has since attempted to blur prior admissions indicating that there was an overlap, it appears that Uberstine was working the Colts while Vinatieri was still being serviced by the Cornrich clan.

MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The appeal of Ricky Williams' positive drug test will be held in early April.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Steelers have signed RB Verron Haynes -- with zero credit to us for breaking it or to ESPN.com for confirming it (you'd think we'd be used to that by now, but we're not).

The Texans have signed DE N.D. Kalu to a one-year, $750,000 deal.

LB LaVar Arrington might be making a second visit to Miami this week.

The Packers have signed WR Marc Boerigter to a one-year deal.

Team president Art Rooney II says that the Steelers are essentially done with free agent signings.

The Packers claim that they have set a non-binding deadline of April 1 for Lord Favre's decision. (We've got two observations: (1) he's already told them he's coming back; and (2) if it's a "non-binding deadline," it's not really a deadline, is it?)

The Dolphins have expressed an interest in QB Joey Harrington.

Four players who visited the Fins last week signed elsewhere.

Ted Miller of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has had enough of the tit-for-tat poison pill thing.

Lions CEO Matt Millen addresses the looming departure of QB Joey Harrington: "I think it's best for him and it's best for us," Millen said. "It won't surprise me in the least bit when Harrington has great success, and I hope he does." (Sure you do, Matt. Sure you do.)

The NFL continues to say that a return to L.A. is still a key priority (but there's no business reason to do it until the new TV deals come closer to expiring).

The Packers have signed K Billy Cundiff.

Steelers CB Ike Taylor has been working out with Tom Shaw since four days after the Super Bowl.

Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson won't rule out the possibility of trading for Lions QB Joey Harrington.

The Panthers could face the Cowboys and Bucs in prime time games.

P Jason Baker expects to pick a team by the end of the week.

New Panthers WR Keyshawn Johnson will meet coach John Fox in conjunction with the ownership meetings.

Broncos owners Pat Bowlen says he's not interested in succeeding Paul Tagliabue.

The Broncos were only interested in T.O. under a short-term, incentive-based deal.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen would be willing to play a preseason game in China.

Bills DT Ron Edwards has signed with the Chiefs.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen isn't in favor of splitting the Commissioner position into two jobs.

Ditto for Pats owner Bob Kraft: "I don't think that's a good idea at all," he said. "Any business our family's involved in, we always require accountability."

The Chiefs could be interested in Bills WR Eric Moulds: "If Buffalo wants to shop him around, we'll see what they have to say and see what they're asking for," G.M. Carl Peterson said. "That hasn't happened yet."

Click here for more of the best NFL news and information (or you can throw a steak at your nephew's head).





	New Colts and Cards Links Up! Breaking NFL News NFL.com NFLPA CFL Arena Football NFL Europe 2006 Free Agents PFT Chronicles Click Above!	CHECK OUT THE RUMOR MILL ARCHIVES! CLICK HERE FOR THE PFT PODCAST! POSTED 8:45 p.m. EST; LAST UPDATED 9:55 p.m. EST, March 27, 2006 GLENN GETS $20 MILLION DEAL The Dallas Cowboys have signed receiver Terry Glenn to a five-year, $20 million deal, replacing the final year of his old contract, under which he was scheduled to make $2 million. Per NFLPA records, Glenn will earn base salaries of $2 million in 2006, $820,000 in 2007, $1.74 million in 2008, $2 million in 2009, and $4.95 million in 2010. That leaves $8.49 million in bonus money, some of which undoubtedly was paid upon signing and/or as a 2006 roster bonus. Based on the salaries, it looks to us like a three-year deal. Glenn will enjoy plenty of single coverage operating across from Terrell Owens in Dallas. Glenn had the second highest receiving yardage of his career in 2005, with 1,136 yards. His seven receiving touchdowns were the most of his ten-year career. LEAGUE BREAKS FROM RECENT TREND One of the curiosities of the schedule of prime time games for the first weekend of the 2006 regular season is the omission of the Seattle Seahawks from the Monday night doubleheader. Starting in 2004, the Super Bowl champ has hosted the season opening Thursday night game -- and the runner-up has played in the Monday nighter to finish the kickoff weekend. This time around, the Steelers host the Thursday game. But the 'Hawks are nowhere to be found on Monday night. Seahawks fans could interpret the move as a deliberate slap at the franchise in retribution for the firestorm of criticism targeted at the officiating in the Super Bowl. MONDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS The NFL has announced the compensatory draft picks resulting from net free-agent losses in 2005. The official game ball will be renamed "The Duke," in honor of late Giants owner Wellington Mara. *[September can't get here soon enough.]* The Bills have re-signed DE Ryan Denney. We don't have a problem with taming down the end zone celebrations, but please don't try to justify the move by claiming that they prolong the game. Bengals WR Chad Johnson is undeterred by the restriction on touchdown dances: "I don't follow the rules anyway. I don't think that affects what I do. I'm not going to get a penalty. I don't use the ball for a prop." (Actually, he does -- but if he says he doesn't, then we suppose he doesn't.) The Jets have signed Broncos DT Monsanto Pope. The Steelers have re-signed WR Quincy Morgan. The Texans have signed LB Zeke Moreno and LB Kenneth Pettway. The Commish outlined on Monday the qualities for the job: (1) vision; (2) intelligence; (3) persuasiveness; (4) work ethic; (5) integrity; (6) ability to put together a leadership team. ((7) a droning, monotonous voice.) Tony Dungy for Commissioner? (He's got quality #7 down pat.) The Steelers will visit the Cardinals for the first game of the preseason, which will be in Cards' new stadium (and which means that there will be at least one sellout in 2006). POSTED 8:32 p.m. EST, March 27, 2006 SLOW START FOR SEARCH PROCESS On Monday, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was expected to appoint a search committee that would work to locate his successor. He didn't. Per ESPN.com, the committee might not be identified until later this week. It's possible that the composition of the committee won't be finalized until next week. And there are indications that the overall process will take a while. An external search firm might be used, and all 32 owners might be interviewed. Tags intends to get his chicken dinner and gold watch in July 2006, but he might need to revise those plans. We can't imagine the committee being assembled, the candidates being identified, the interviews being conducted, the input of everyone who wants to have input being considered, and 22 of the owners being able to reach agreement within four months. RICH LIKE A FOX The Carolina Panthers have rewarded coach John Fox's four seasons of solid performance with a five-year, $25 million contract. It's the second new deal that Fox has received. He took the team to the Super Bowl in 2003, and to the NFC title game in 2005. At a time when Steelers coach Bill Cowher is in line for a new deal, Fox's deal arguably establishes the floor for Cowher's new contract. POSTED 3:15 p.m. EST, March 27, 2006 DHISCO DHANI GETS BUSTED Susan Anasagasti of the Miami Herald reports that Eagles linebacker Dhani Jones was arrested early Sunday for failing to obey a police officer. The officer had asked Jones to stop dancing in a South Beach street. Jones and a female were obstructing traffic in front of the Snatch Rock 'N' Roll Bar & Lounge. At the station, Jones was "very apologetic." He signed an affidavit promising to appear in court for an arraignment. POSTED 2:54 p.m. EST, March 27, 2006 LEAGUE ANNOUNCES KEY GAMES NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced on Monday the schedule for nationally televised games during the opening weekend of the regular season, and the schedule for an unprecedented Thanksgiving Day triple header. On Thursday, September 7, the Dolphins visit the Steelers on NBC. On Sunday, September 10, FOX airs at 4:15 p.m. EDT the Cowboys and the Jaguars, in Jacksonville. That night, NBC televises the Colts at the Giants. It will be the first meeting between Peyton and Eli Manning -- and the first time in league history that brothers line up as the starting quarterbacks for opposing teams. The weekend finishes with a Monday night doubleheader on ESPN. In a 7:00 p.m. EDT game, the Vikings visit the Redskins. At 10:15 p.m. EDT, the Chargers face the Raiders. On Thanksgiving, the Dolphins play at the Lions in the early game on CBS, and the Bucs travel to the Cowboys for the afternoon game on FOX. At 8:00 p.m. EST, the Broncos travel to the Chiefs on the NFL Network. Ironically, the Chiefs previously have complained about the monopoly that the Lions and the Cowboys have enjoyed as to the Thanksgiving games. But the league has not been inclined to take those games away from Detroit and Dallas, since both franchises offered to host them at a time when most other teams weren't interested. Moving forward, it's unlikely that the Chiefs will become the permanent hosts for the Thanksgiving night game. Instead, look for this one to rotate, with every city eventually getting a crack at hosting it. POSTED 6:55 a.m. EST; LAST UPDATED 8:53 a.m. EST, March 27, 2006 FINS, STEELERS TO OPEN 2007 SEASON Keeping with recent tradition, the Steelers will host the Thursday night season opener, on September 7. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Armando Salguero and Jason Cole of the Miami Herald report that the NFL will announce on Monday that the Steelers and the Dolphins will get together at Heinz Field for the first official game of 2006. It'll be the second straight season that an offensive cornerstone traded away by the Minnesota Vikings will visit the defending Super Bowl champs. In 2005, receiver Randy Moss and the Oakland Raiders traveled to New England for a game against the Patriots. This time around, quarterback Daunte Culpepper and his new team head to the 'Burgh. Some surely will interpret the move as a hint that the Dolphins and the league office are confident that quarterback Culpepper's torn up knee will be sufficiently recovered to permit him to play in the opener. Then again, if Culpepper can't play and if the Dolphins sign former Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox to be the backup, the whole Christian-getting-fed-to-the-lions angle might be even more compelling. Miami finished the 2005 season with six straight wins, and has upgraded the roster with the addition of Culpepper. OUR TAKE ON THE FINS' INTEREST IN UNCLE RICO Surely, the Miami Dolphins don't expect Texas quarterback Vince Young to be available when they exercise their first-round pick with the sixteenth overall choice. So why bring him in for a personal visit? In our view, coach Nick Saban wants to ensure that Young is taken before the Fins exercise their pick, which will mean that one of the guys in which the team truly is interested will get pushed farther down. And our guess is that Saban hatched the plan to bring in Young before Young's stock was nudged upward in the wake of last week's pro day workout. Of course, there's a chance that the Fins will try to trade up in an effort to snag Young. Or maybe they intend to try to trade up and get someone else -- and are trying to create the impression that if they trade up they'll tap Uncle Rico. Would Saban go to such lengths in support of a smokescreen? Hell, yes. We've heard on multiple occasions over the past 11 months that Saban put the word out to the organization and beyond that he planned to select receiver Braylon Edwards with the second overall pick in the 2005 draft, all in the hopes of squeezing a pick or two out of the Browns at number three -- or from someone else who wanted to jump in front of Cleveland to snag Edwards. As we've heard it, Saban did an abrupt about-face moments before pulling the trigger, going with running back Ronnie Brown instead. NEW DEAL FOR COACH CHIN? Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Steelers soon could be extending the contract of head coach Bill Cowher. Cowher's deal, which currently runs through 2007, typically has been reworked with two years remaining on it. Since this is the first time in his 14 seasons that he's entering the process with a Lombardi on his lap, more years -- and more money -- would seem to be in order. "We'll sit down and talk," team president Art Rooney II told Bouchette. "We typically have tried to wait until after the league meeting and things calm down a little bit to have those conversations. We'll start having those conversations in the near future." In the past, Cowher's contract extensions have created some local consternation. Indeed, his last two extensions came after seasons (2000 and 2003) in which the team missed the playoffs. On both occasions, however, Cowher justified the renewed faith by earning the top seed in the AFC playoff field. In 2004, the front office waited a little longer than usual to pull the trigger; since doing so, the Steelers have been one of the best teams in the league. Before Cowher signed his most recent extension in July 2004, he was receiving more than $3 million per year. He got a raise at the time, and could be in line (we think) to crack the $5 million barrier this time around. TEXANS IN THE HUNT FOR MOULDS John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Texans are interested in swinging a trade with the Bills for disgruntled receiver Eric Moulds. "We're exploring an opportunity for Eric to play for the Texans," said Greg Johnson, who works for Moulds but really isn't his agent. "If all sides can see eye to eye, we'll make it happen." To make it happen, the Texans and Moulds need to work out a contract, and the Texans and the Bills likewise need to hammer out a trade. The Bills reportedly want a fourth-round draft pick. OUR TAKE ON THE POISON PILL CONUNDRUM Although the latest trend in offer sheets -- the use of terms that make the full deal guaranteed if the original team matches but not guaranteed if the new team gets the player -- does not violate the CBA by requiring the old team to pay more money under the duration of the contract than the new team would have to cough up, we've concluded that such devices violate the CBA by forcing the team that matches to sacrifice its prerogative to terminate the deal prematurely. For years, players and agents have been carping about the fact that contracts are generally not guaranteed, and that the team can walk away at any time. So by forcing the old team to give up its right to walk away prematurely, but by allowing the new team to cut the player and avoid the balance of the salary due, the old team necessarily is forced to pay more money. We're still amazed by the decision of the Seattle Seahawks to abandon an argument that the poison pill contained in the offer made to Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson violated the CBA, and to attempt instead to restructure the contract of left tackle Walter Jones in order to avoid the trigger. Now, if the Vikings and the NFL attempt to force the issue as to the offer sheet that receiver Nate Burleson has signed with the Seahawks, the argument can be advanced. It remains to be seen whether a challenge will be pursued, especially since the Vikings aren't inclined to match the offer sheet if the guarantee is invalidated. Even if the issue isn't addressed in conjunction with the Burleson deal, we can't imagine the NFL allowing this practice to persist. So whether it's through a subsequent grievance or an amendment to the CBA, we expect that the poison pill will be dissolved by next year at this time. UBERSTINE ASKING FOR SCRUTINY? Although agent Gary Uberstine was not in violation of NFLPA regulations if he initiated contact with former Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri about a potential agent change (scroll down for more on this), the apparent involvement of former Pats linebacker Willie McGinest in the recruitment of Vinatieri could invite scrutiny. Section 3(B) of the regs sets forth a laundry list of prohibited actions. The violations include "[f]ailing to disclose in writing to any player represented by Contract Advisor any fee paid or received by Contract Advisor to or from a third party in return for providing services to that player." So if, for example, McGinest gets a piece of the fee that Uberstine will be paid as a result of Vinatieri's new deal with the Colts -- and if Uberstine didn't disclose this fact in writing -- then Uberstine could be on the wrong side of the rule. The fact that Uberstine and McGinnest and Snoop Dogg have formed a business aimed at assisting athletes with marketing potential enhances the possibility that Uberstine has thrown a bone to McGinest for delivering Vinatieri. As to the question of whether Uberstine solicited Vinatieri, either on his own or through McGinest, keep in mind that the regs permit contact with players who have less than 60 days remaining on their player contracts (and, presumably, after their contracts expire). The more troubling question is whether Uberstine was actually working on behalf of Vinatieri before he terminated the Neil Cornrich group. Although Colts president Bill Polian has since attempted to blur prior admissions indicating that there was an overlap, it appears that Uberstine was working the Colts while Vinatieri was still being serviced by the Cornrich clan. MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS The appeal of Ricky Williams' positive drug test will be held in early April. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Steelers have signed RB Verron Haynes -- with zero credit to us for breaking it or to ESPN.com for confirming it (you'd think we'd be used to that by now, but we're not). The Texans have signed DE N.D. Kalu to a one-year, $750,000 deal. LB LaVar Arrington might be making a second visit to Miami this week. The Packers have signed WR Marc Boerigter to a one-year deal. Team president Art Rooney II says that the Steelers are essentially done with free agent signings. The Packers claim that they have set a non-binding deadline of April 1 for Lord Favre's decision. (We've got two observations: (1) he's already told them he's coming back; and (2) if it's a "non-binding deadline," it's not really a deadline, is it?) The Dolphins have expressed an interest in QB Joey Harrington. Four players who visited the Fins last week signed elsewhere. Ted Miller of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has had enough of the tit-for-tat poison pill thing. Lions CEO Matt Millen addresses the looming departure of QB Joey Harrington: "I think it's best for him and it's best for us," Millen said. "It won't surprise me in the least bit when Harrington has great success, and I hope he does." (Sure you do, Matt. Sure you do.) The NFL continues to say that a return to L.A. is still a key priority (but there's no business reason to do it until the new TV deals come closer to expiring). The Packers have signed K Billy Cundiff. Steelers CB Ike Taylor has been working out with Tom Shaw since four days after the Super Bowl. Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson won't rule out the possibility of trading for Lions QB Joey Harrington. The Panthers could face the Cowboys and Bucs in prime time games. P Jason Baker expects to pick a team by the end of the week. New Panthers WR Keyshawn Johnson will meet coach John Fox in conjunction with the ownership meetings. Broncos owners Pat Bowlen says he's not interested in succeeding Paul Tagliabue. The Broncos were only interested in T.O. under a short-term, incentive-based deal. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen would be willing to play a preseason game in China. Bills DT Ron Edwards has signed with the Chiefs. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen isn't in favor of splitting the Commissioner position into two jobs. Ditto for Pats owner Bob Kraft: "I don't think that's a good idea at all," he said. "Any business our family's involved in, we always require accountability." The Chiefs could be interested in Bills WR Eric Moulds: "If Buffalo wants to shop him around, we'll see what they have to say and see what they're asking for," G.M. Carl Peterson said. "That hasn't happened yet." Click here for more of the best NFL news and information (or you can throw a steak at your nephew's head).













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