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The free-agent signing period continues to move forward at an increasingly slower pace. In fact, Saturday's moves were limited to just two. At least one of them, however, is of some interest to Fantasy owners. ...

So, we'll get the ball rolling tonight in San Francisco, where the team's fast-evolving receiving corps evolved even further. As Santa Rosa Press-Democrat beat man Matt Maiocco framed it this afternoon: "A week ago, veteran Darrell Jackson was considered a starting receiver for the 49ers.

"Today, he is no longer on the team. ..."

According to Maiocco, Jackson received a phone call late last night from head coach Mike Nolan, who informed Jackson of the club's plan to release him on Monday.

The club went ahead and announced the termination of Jackson's contract this morning.

"I always had a great deal of respect for Darrell as a player in the NFL," Nolan said in a statement released this morning. "I appreciated his dedication and work ethic during his season with the 49ers. He always had a positive attitude every day he came to work. While we are going in a different direction, I know he can still produce and be an asset to an NFL team this year."

The move comes after the recent acquisitions of receivers Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson.

After signing Bruce, general manager Scot McCloughan told reporters he envisioned the former Ram and Jackson as the team's starting wideouts.

Apparently, he had a change of heart.

And one could easily argue that Jackson's failure to establish himself as a legitimate No. 1 receiver made the team's decision much easier than it might appear on the surface.

Indeed, Jackson dropped seven passes, tied for ninth most in the NFC, according to STATS, Inc. Jackson caught 46 passes for 497 yards and three touchdowns. He accounted for 18.5 percent of the team's passing yards.

In comparison, Johnson -- added to the roster Friday -- had 46 receptions for 528 yards and two touchdowns with the Cardinals while playing behind Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.

Johnson had 12.5 percent of the Cardinals' passing yards.

The move creates an additional $4 million in salary-cap room for the 49ers.

Jackson, 29, was scheduled to earn $3.8 million in base salary and a $200,000 workout bonus. The 49ers off-season conditioning program is scheduled to begin Monday.

He was scheduled to make $4.5 million in 2009.

Because they acquired Jackson in a trade with the Seahawks last year for a fourth-round draft pick, the 49ers will not have any "dead money" with this move.

Now, Johnson, Bruce, Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill and Ashley Lelie -- and a possible draft pick -- are expected to compete for playing time for the 49ers this season. ...

In Minnesota. ... The Vikings, who upgraded their receiving corps with the addition of ex-Bear Bernard Berrian, maintained their depth at the position when Robert Ferguson accepted a one-year offer.

According to ESPN.com insider John Clayton, the deal is worth about $1 million and there are chances for him to make an additional $500,000 to $600,000 with incentives.

Ferguson, 28, went to the Vikings last season after being cut by the Green Bay Packers, where he had spent the first six years of his career.

Plagued by injuries during his seven-year career, Ferguson stayed healthy for much of 2007. He played in 15 games and started eight times, including seven of the final nine, and finished the year as Minnesota's second-leading receiver (behind Bobby Wade) with 32 catches for 392 yards.

Still, he attracted little interest on the free-agent market.

Ferguson's agent, Brian Overstreet, told Minneapolis Star-Tribune staffer Judd Zulgad that Chicago, Pittsburgh and "a couple other" teams also expressed interest in the veteran but that his client did not make any visits.

"[Minnesota] is a situation he was comfortable with," Overstreet said. "It's kind of like this: Do you take $1.5 million to go somewhere and maybe not even make that if you're not going to get a fair opportunity, or do you take it somewhere where you've done some things and have a level of confidence?"

Ferguson returns to a receiving corps that added Berrian and includes Wade, Sidney Rice and Aundrae Allison in its top five.

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.