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Although there were no earth-shattering announcements Wednesday, the free-agent signing period did roll on with a few names of interest landing gigs with new teams.
We'll get the ball rolling in Tennessee, where the Titans agreed to terms with receiver Justin McCareins on Wednesday, bringing him back to the team that drafted him.
The Titans drafted McCareins in the fourth-round in 2001 and traded him to the New York Jets in 2004 for a second-round draft pick that year. McCareins started each game his first two seasons with New York but totaled only 13 starts over the past two seasons with 42 combined catches in that time.
He was cut earlier this month by the Jets.
As Nashville Tennessean staffer Jim Wyatt noted, in his first stint with the Titans, McCareins learned the NFL ropes with help from some of the team's veterans. Now, he envisions a different role this time around thanks to his familiarity with offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.
"I think I could be a help to a bunch of the receivers who haven't had a chance to play with him," McCareins said. "It will give me a chance to step into the leadership role and help guys prepare each week. ... And I look forward to doing that."
It remains to be seen what kind of role McCareins, 29, will have on the field this time around but Wyatt believes the veteran wideout will have an opportunity to contribute on a playmaker-starved offense.
His one-year deal is worth roughly $1 million and includes a base salary of $730,000.
"I am excited to have him back," Heimerdinger said. "Justin gives us someone who can catch it, make someone miss and get yards after catch. He also gives us some toughness in the run game, digging out defensive backs, and has the ability to help on special teams."
McCareins' best season so far is 2003, when he caught 47 passes for 813 yards and seven touchdowns for a Titans team that went 12-4.
In seven NFL seasons he has 57 starts with 210 catches for 3,264 yards and 16 touchdowns. Last season he appeared in all 16 games for the Jets but caught only 19 passes for 232 yards with no touchdowns. New York cut him last month.
McCareins said he plans to return to Nashville on March 24 for the start of the team's offseason program.
"I am just excited," he said. "It is great for my family to get back to Nashville, where we had such great memories first time around. Getting back on this team, it is exciting to get back and contribute.
"No one has said what my role might be and that is fine. And I would prefer just to come in and be a part of the group and have a great offseason and get myself ready to play. However I can contribute, whether it is a big role on this team or on special teams, I just look forward to getting a chance to be productive again and being the player I know I can be.
"I think it is a great opportunity. ..."
McCareins is right. ... With Brandon Jones' inability to avoid injury keeping him from achieving as expected, Roydell Williams and Justin Gage emerged as the most consistent weapons on the outside last season. Still, the Sports Xchange recently characterized the team's wideouts as "an unimpressive bunch."
Certainly at this point, none appear to be bona fide No. 1 talents -- and that includes McCareins. ...
In Oakland. ... The Raiders ongoing effort to improve their corps continued Wednesday, when they reached a contract with former Panthers wide receiver Drew Carter.
Terms of the deal -- including the length of the contract -- weren't immediately known.
Carter, 26, started seven games last season for the Panthers. He was a fifth-round pick in 2004. He started seven games in 2007, catching 38 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns -- all career highs.
As ESPN.com insider John Clayton notes, Carter was considered one of the fastest receivers remaining on the market. With Javon Walker and Carter now added to the roster, the Raiders believe they have added more explosiveness to the offense.
With JaMarcus Russell boasting one of the strongest arms in football, the need for experienced wideouts capable of getting down the field clearly has clearly been a priority.
The Raiders lost Jerry Porter to the Jaguars at the beginning of free agency leaving Ronald Curry as the most experienced and accomplished receiver on the roster prior to this month's additions.
Walker has 252 career catches for 3,815 yards and 30 scores. He's also had had three knee surgeries since 2005 and as SI.com's Don Banks reminded readers last week, is said to be playing with a bone-on-bone situation in one of his knees.
Curry led the Raiders with 55 receptions for 717 yards last season, but had only 11 catches in the final five games. He has 174 career receptions for 2,166 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The other receivers under contract are Johnnie Lee Higgins, who had six catches as a rookie last season for 47 yards, Will Buchanon, who has one career reception, and Drisan James and Todd Watkins, who have never caught a pass in the NFL.
It's safe to say Carter will get a chance to prove his worth in Oakland. Seems to me, however, he had every opportunity to do the same in Carolina but never did. ...
In New York. ... The Giants on Wednesday signed David Carr as Eli Manning's backup. According to NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, Carr was given a one-year, $1 million deal. He can earn more in incentives.
Carr spent last year with the Panthers, playing in just six games, and completed 53.7 percent (73-of-136) of his passes for 635 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions.
He was eventually beaten out for the starting job by 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and former undrafted free agent Matt Moore.
The expansion Houston Texans selected Carr with the top pick in the 2002 draft, but he suffered through five disappointing years with the team and was released after the 2006 season.
"David Carr is a talented player who came out as the No. 1 pick in the draft," head coach Tom Coughlin said. "He is a smart and athletic player who has put up some big passing game numbers. We look forward to working with him on the fundamentals of the game."
With the Giants, Carr will be reunited with quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, his offensive coordinator during his first four seasons with the Texans.
"If we can place him in a positive environment, perhaps he can reclaim some of the things that people saw to draft him in the first round," Coughlin added.
The Giants' current backups are Jared Lorenzen and Anthony Wright. ...
And finally tonight, in Denver. ... Ted Sundquist is no longer the Broncos' general manager. In a brief statement Wednesday, head coach Mike Shanahan said it was time for the organization to move forward and look at new directions.
Details of Sundquist's departure were not immediately released.
It might be worth noting, however, that Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio first reported last November that Shanahan might try to pin the team's 2007 shortcomings on Sundquist. Rumors at the time had former Raiders personnel man Mike Lombardi replacing Sundquist.
For now, other members of Broncos' management, including director of player personnel Jim Goodman and assistant general manager Jeff Goodman will have increased roles in football operations, while Joe Ellis, chief operating officer of the Broncos, will perform operational and administrative issues. ...
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.