News & Info/Headlines

As initially reported by ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, the Chicago Bears have reached an agreement in principle with unrestricted free agent tailback Thomas Jones, an acquisition that could eventually result in the end of Anthony Thomas' three-year tenure with the club.

While some details still need to be hammered out, Jones is expected to sign a four-year contract worth approximately $10 million with a signing bonus of about $3.5 million.

After three disappointing seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, who had selected him as the seventh overall player in the 2000 draft, Jones was traded to Tampa Bay last spring and resurrected his career with the Bucs. He rushed for 627 yards and three touchdowns on 137 carries, taking over as the Tampa Bay starter late in the season, and positioned himself as one of the top free agent running backs in a lean market.

According to Pasquarelli, general manager Jerry Angelo's high regard for Jones was one of the NFL's worst-kept secrets. Despite Thomas' two 1,000-yard performances in three seasons, Angelo was not believed to be a big fan of the NFL's 2001 rookie of the year. It is also felt that Jones, 25, might be a better fit for the offense that will be installed by the team's new coordinator, Terry Shea.

Jones was a first-round bust in Arizona, where he lost the starting tailback job in three consecutive seasons before the Cardinals finally gave up on him. But he played well as Tampa Bay's No. 2 back and then, after replacing Michael Pittman as the starter, really hit his stride.

In four NFL seasons, he has carried 499 times for 1,891 yards and 12 touchdowns and also has 97 receptions for 652 yards and no scores. ...

In a related note. ... The Bears also reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent quarterback Jonathan Quinn, who spent the last two seasons in Kansas City, where he appeared in just one game. A six-year veteran, Quinn is familiar with Shea's offense and could challenge for the primary backup job.

Quinn, 29, has appeared in 12 games and started three during a six-year career, and has completed 66 of 125 passes for 748 yards. He has three touchdown passes and four interceptions. Contract details for Quinn were not yet available. ...

Other Fantasy-specific news and notes of interest today. ...

According to Associated Press sports writer Tom Canavan, Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne is going to get a chance to contribute in the final year of his contract with the New York Giants.

"This is a do-or-die-situation for him," running backs coach Jerald Ingram said of Dayne on Tuesday, a day new head coach Tom Coughlin let his assistants meet the media.

"At the same time, it's a positive situation for us. The guy is fresh. He has no injuries. He has new belief and new life that, hey, this is going to be my year. Can we create a storybook ending for this guy somehow or other?"

Despite the Giants disappointing 2003 performance, Dayne never got into the lineup. He was inactive for 16 regular-season games as he fell behind Tiki Barber, Dorsey Levens, Brian Mitchell and Delvin Joyce on the depth chart, and deeper and deeper into Jim Fassel's doghouse.

Fassel was fired after the season and Mitchell and Levens were waived recently.

Canavan went on to suggest the fumble-prone Barber will still be the back to stretch defenses, Coughlin wants the Giants to play old-style smash-mouth football in the cold of November and December. That means having a back to push the pile. Dayne has the bulk to do that, if he wants the job.

Ingram has watched tapes of Dayne's first three seasons with the Giants and he doesn't want to see the former Wisconsin product tiptoeing when he carries the ball.

"We want to see in the fourth quarter a north-south guy who will bang people," Ingram said. "When we play in November and December in the fourth quarter, we want a guy who will carry people on his back. He is going to wear secondary players down, to kill, finish. That's all you want to do in the NFL, you want to find a way to finish."

Ingram wants Dayne to develop an attitude that shows he is not hesitant to run into defensive tackles and linebackers and knock them over.

Ingram insisted that Dayne won't be used solely as a between-the-tackles runner when Barber isn't in the game. He pointed out that Dayne ran both inside and outside with success as a rookie.

"The thing is to find what they really do well and then find a crossover with the things they both do well, so the defense has to defend all of it," Ingram said. "When you do need it, you have to know what the hammer is, thunder and lightning. It's not all finesse. It's not all power. ..."

In Dallas. ... The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that Keyshawn Johnson has agreed to a five-year contract with the Cowboys, setting the stage for a possible long-rumored trade that would also send Joey Galloway to the Buccaneers.

However, the swap can only be completed if Galloway and Tampa Bay can agree on a new contract as well. And negotiations between the two sides have been slow to develop.

Johnson and Dallas have come to terms on a restructured contract that would pay the Bucs receiver approximately $25 million over the next five years, a source close to the negotiations told the newspaper.

"We've taken some big steps with potentially bigger ones on the way," Johnson told the newspaper. "It's exciting, close, and we still have work to be done."

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones told the newspaper on Tuesday that "we're progressing."

Johnson had his best years in the NFL with the Jets in 1998 and 1999 when Parcells was his head coach. Last season, Johnson had just 45 catches for 600 yards and three touchdowns.

In a related note. ... The Bucs positioned themselves to be an active participant in free agency Tuesday by releasing five players, including tights end Ken Dilger and Roland Williams as well as receiver Karl Williams.

Dilger, who would have earned $700,000 this year, started 15 games last season and had 22 receptions for 244 yards and one touchdown. Karl Williams, who would have made $660,000, played eight seasons for Tampa Bay after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 1996.

Roland Williams signed with the Bucs in November and appeared in one game. He was due to earn $550,000. ...

In an article published Tuesday, San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Jim Trotter reminded readers that Jon Kitna had a career year for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, setting personal bests in completions, yards passing, touchdowns and passer rating, among other things.

His reward: a spot on the bench.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis announced that 2003 first-round draft choice Carson Palmer will replace Kitna as the starter this coming season. The news wasn't shocking to Kitna, who knew a change would come sooner than later because of the financial investment the team has made in Palmer.

At the same time he said he believes he still can be an effective starter and would like to do it elsewhere this year, with San Diego at the top of his list.

"When I was a free agent three years ago, San Diego was the place I really wanted to be," Kitna told Trotter. "But there was no interest on their part."

Since then, the Chargers have gone old and young, trotting out Doug Flutie and Drew Brees. Neither has had consistent success, and now the Chargers openly acknowledge they're in the market for a capable veteran.

Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith is prohibited by league rules from commenting on Kitna because the quarterback's rights still belong to the Bengals. But there apparently are no restrictions on Kitna talking about the Chargers.

"For me, I would love nothing more than to continue playing -- and starting -- in this league. ... In San Diego," he said. "I'm a West Coast guy and have always wanted to play in San Diego. That would be perfect if it worked out that way."

Cincinnati has approached him about signing an extension, but Kitna said he's more interested in playing than sitting. The Chargers could seek a trade for Kitna, but the likelihood is that, if interested, they will wait to see if the Bengals will release him outright.

Late last week, Smith declined to discuss quarterbacks who might be on his wish list. But two sources, speaking on the condition their names not be used, told Trotter the Chargers are intrigued with Tennessee backup Billy Volek, a Fresno State alum who impressed scouts and opponents in the two games in which he saw significant playing time last season.

Tennessee has been discussing an extension with Volek, who completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 545 yards and four touchdowns (with one interception) last season. But as of last night, his agent, Ken Staninger, said he doubted a deal would get done before the start of free agency.

As for Kitna, he is coming off a career season in which he completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 26 touchdowns (against 15 interceptions) and 3,591 yards. His passer rating of 87.4 ranked ninth in the league, 19 spots ahead of Brees, who had a 67.5 rating.

Kitna said he's interested in San Diego not only because it has the "best backfield in football" in LaDainian Tomlinson and Lorenzo Neal, but also because it's where former Chargers safety Miles McPherson makes his home and conducts his ministry.

Kitna, a devout Christian, has been friends with McPherson for several years and said he would like to help McPherson reach out to the community through the construction of a new church. ...

Also in San Diego. ... Flutie, who turns 42 next season, was able to avoid being cut by agreeing to a restructured, three-year contract. Before work was done on his deal, he was scheduled to count $6.2 million against the cap.

Flutie spent the bulk of last season backing up Brees, but saw action in seven games -- including five starts. He completed 54.5 percent of his passes for 1,097 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. His most memorable effort came on November 9 against Minnesota, when he passes for 248 yards and two TDs and ran for a pair of scores in a 42-28 victory.

The Chargers also restructured the contracts of and wide receivers Tim Dwight and Micah Ross. Dwight, a six-year veteran, made just three starts last season and caught 14 passes for 193 yards. He also carried nine times for 88 yards and averaged 23.1 yards on 22 kickoff returns.

Oft-injured tight end Stephen Alexander was released. ...

In Baltimore. ... Ravens head coach Brian Billick defended Jamal Lewis on Tuesday and predicted the star running back will be acquitted of drug conspiracy charges.

Lewis, the NFL offensive player of the year who gained the second-most rushing yards in league history last season with 2,066 yards, has pleaded innocent to helping arrange a cocaine deal in 2000 for a childhood friend in Atlanta.

If convicted, Lewis could face 10 years to life in prison.

"We're very proud of the human being that Jamal Lewis is today," Billick told the AP. "I have no doubt that he will fight his way out of this difficulty."

General Manager Ozzie Newsome said Lewis' legal trouble will not affect the team's approach to free agency, which begins Wednesday, or the draft April 24-25.

"We stand by Jamal," Newsome said. "Nobody knows Jamal as well as we do, but, right now, that hasn't altered our offseason plans at all."

In an article published Sunday, Sporting News columnist Dan Pompei reminded readers the Ravens used a third-round pick on Georgia junior running back Musa Smith last April and the team had him rated as a first-round talent.

Though he was injured quite a bit as a rookie, Smith showed the Ravens enough in training camp and down the stretch that they have confidence he can carry the load if necessary. ...

In Detroit. ... The Lions released running back James Stewart and wide receiver Bill Schroeder on Tuesday in salary-cap moves.

Stewart replaced Barry Sanders after the superstar retired and had his best season with Detroit in 2000m when he rushed for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns. He missed last season with a shoulder injury.

Schroeder, who signed as a free agent in 2002 to fill the void left by Herman Moore and Johnnie Morton, never had much success in Detroit. In two seasons with the Lions, Schroeder caught 72 passes for 992 yards and seven touchdowns. ...

In Tennessee. ... The Titans reached an agreement on a long-term contract for tight end Erron Kinney, who would have become a free agent today. The team couldn't afford to let him leave because veteran Frank Wycheck announced his retirement last month. ...

In Buffalo. ... Veteran tight end Dave Moore was released by the Bills as they continue to clear cap space for free agency. The move was announced early Wednesday.

Moore, a 12-year NFL veteran, spent the past two seasons in Buffalo, where he had 11 starts in 29 games. He had only seven catches for 82 yards last season. ...

Also of interest. ...

Two trades were made official Wednesday when the Dolphins announced the acquisition of A.J. Feeley from the Philadelphia Eagles for a second-round pick in 2005 and the Redskins introduced veteran signal caller Mark Brunell, who was acquired from Jacksonville in exchange for a third-round draft pick.

An official announcement of the deal sending Denver tailback Clinton Portis to Washington for Champ Bailey is expected Thursday. ...

And finally, for you IDP fans. ... The Eagles reached an agreement with Tennessee's Jevon Kearse on an 8-year, $66 million deal while defensive tackle Ted Washington is heading to Oakland.