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Just when it was starting to look like the third day of the free-agent signing period was going to be the most uneventful so far, the best available running back found a new home.

Before we get to that, however. ...

Day 3 of the "Randy Moss Watch: Fantasy Nation Held Hostage."

Make no mistake about it, the ongoing saga just keeps getting better (or worse, depending on your point of view) as various media types try to distinguish their reporting from the rest.

My new favorite?

In an article published this morning, ESPN.com insider John Clayton advised readers that Moss came up with an interesting idea on Saturday night. He reached out to Daunte Culpepper, his quarterback with the Vikings.

Per Clayton, the two former teammates "discussed the possibility of finishing what they started" in Minnesota on any NFL team interested.

It seems the two have remained friendly since parting ways with the Vikings and joked that at some point they might be free agents at the same time giving them a chance to reunite. So, as Moss spent his second day in unrestricted free agency Saturday, he apparently started to think about Culpepper, who also is a free agent. What they had talked about for years all of a sudden was true.

Clayton added: "Don't necessarily confuse this as a package deal. It's an option for teams looking for a quarterback and a wide receiver and solving both needs at the same time. ..."

And perhaps helping a reporter fill his daily quota.

I'll go ahead and suggest that in addition to not confusing this as a package deal, nobody should confuse it for a realistic possibility, either.

As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggested upon reading Clayton's piece, if Moss was putting this story out in order to convince other teams he's truly willing to leave New England, "then it's sort of brilliant."

But, Florio added: "If, in contrast, Moss is doing it because he genuinely wants to go to a new team that would sign Culpepper and install him as the starting quarterback, it's one of the stoopidest things we've ever heard."

No argument here. ...

Oh yeah. ... ESPN's Chris Mortensen, apparently playing catch-up with NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, is advising viewers across the World-Wide leader's vast array of platforms that "he thinks" Brett Favre wants the Packers to pursue Moss -- and "he believes" their failure to do so could have a detrimental impact on Favre's pending decision about returning for another season.

Yawn. ...

Schefter, meanwhile, (abandoning his Favre-Moss theory) began reporting earlier tonight that New England has an offer on the table that would make Moss one of the highest-paid receivers in the league, and it's sounding more and more as if a deal will get done.

Now that sounds like the surest thing I've heard all week.

Although I've been doing this long enough to realize just about anything is possible -- I was as skeptical when the first rumors New England might be interested in Moss surfaced last April as I am of the ones outlined above -- at some point the stories have to make sense.

In this case, I find very hard to believe Moss is interested in moving on. For what? To add a few more dollars to an already considerable fortune (remember the $75 million contract the Vikings handed him in 2001?) by walking away from a perennial Super Bowl contender??

Indeed, Boston Herald staffer John Tomase might have summed it up best when he blogged a short time ago: "Here's where things stand now. The silence on Moss is deafening. It's hard to believe another team could show serious interest in him without word leaking out, which leads us to believe there are no other suitors, because no one believes he's leaving the Patriots."

Hey now! A common sense approach used to reach a logical conclusion? Imagine that.

Tomase went on to suggest, "Think about it. Moss is the premier free agent on the market. Teams looking to upgrade their passing attacks would be crazy not to put in a call. And yet not a single team has been seriously linked to him, with big money instead going to the likes of Bernard Berrian and even Donte' Stallworth.

"That tells us we should have stuck with our original feeling that Moss isn't going anywhere. He and the Patriots need each other and that's the bottom line. ..."

Once again, no argument here.

But at this point, I'd be fine with even the wildest of Moss rumors coming true (making me look like an idiot for dismissing it) as long as it put an end to the current onslaught of TMZ.com-style reporting this story is generating.

With that out of the way, let's get to the good stuff: The real deals. ...

And the biggest story of the day is in Atlanta, where the Falcons agreed to terms with San Diego free-agent running back Michael Turner Sunday, landing the player they desperately sought to bolster their running game.

Atlanta was Turner's first stop in the free-agency period and Falcons officials made sure he didn't make any other visits. According to ESPN.com's Michael Smith, Turner, who has been the Chargers' insurance policy for LaDainian Tomlinson, received a six-year contract worth $34.5 million, with $15 million guaranteed.

The 5-10, 237-pound Turner gained 316 yards on 71 carries with one touchdown last season. During the postseason, with Tomlinson battling a knee injury, Turner gained 164 yards on 43 carries.

"We are pleased to be able to add a very talented running back and a player who has produced at a high level in this League when given the opportunity," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "We think he's ready to take the next step and have a more prominent role in an offense and we are happy he decided that opportunity is going to be here in Atlanta."

Turner has 228 carries for 1,257 yards and six touchdowns in four seasons with San Diego. He also has three of the longest 11 carries in team history -- 83, 74 and 73 yards.

He has averaged 5.5 yards per carry in his career.

Turner began his weekend visit on Friday and attended an Arena Football League game in Atlanta with Falcons head coach Mike Smith and Dimitroff on Saturday. Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who also owns the AFL's Georgia Force, joined them and later took Turner out to dinner.

"Besides being a quality football player, Michael Turner is a quality person," Smith said. "He is the type of player we are looking for to help build our football team. I'm excited that he is joining the Atlanta Falcons."

More specifically, Turner is the kind of punishing back Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey felt necessary to get the franchise turned around.

It's safe to assume the former Charger will take the lead in Mularkey's scheme with Jerious Norwood handling a complimentary role similar to the one he's served since his arrival in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Journal-Constitution staffer Steve Wyche noted that "amid the tempered elation of securing the bruising tailback with game-breaking speed," comes the probable release of veteran tailback Warrick Dunn.

Dunn has been one of the Falcons most notable and popular players for the past six seasons.

But at 33 years old -- and due $4 million in base salary this year, Dunn is all but certain to be looking for work soon. In fact, SI.com's Jim Trotter is reporting tonight that Dunn has asked for his release.

One possible destination? According to the Tampa Tribune, the Buccaneers could make a play on Dunn, whose loss has been lamented by head coach Jon Gruden since it happened seven years ago.

According to Trotter, Houston, Dallas and Denver might also be interested. ...

The Falcons also signed tight end Ben Hartsock, an unrestricted free agent from Tennessee.

The 6-4, 265-pound Hartsock is a four-year veteran who was originally selected in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft by Indianapolis out of Ohio State.

In 45 career games played, he has totaled 24 receptions for 247 yards (10.3 avg.). Last season with Tennessee, Hartsock set a career high with 12 receptions for 138 yards. ...

I'll go ahead and note the reports indicating Alge Crumpler has agreed to terms with the Titans and that Cardinals wideout Bryant Johnson has come to terms with the Bills. I'll have more on both players in the next edition assuming both deals are officially announced. ...

That's it for this installment. ... Once again, I'll remind those interested in following along more closely to keep an eye on the News & Views and ESPN News Feed sections of the site. And as always, those looking for something a little more in-depth should keep an eye out here, in the Headline News section.