Chicago Bears 03/22/2008 9:18 AMThe Chicago Sun-Times reports when Bears GM Jerry Angelo promised competition at running back for former first-round pick Cedric Benson, he didn't say who or how. ''Who'' might wind up being RB Matt Forte and ''how'' could be with a second-round draft pick. The Bears have high interest in the Tulane running back and will travel Wednesday to New Orleans to meet with him. Head coach Lovie Smith and running-backs coach Tim Spencer are scheduled to travel there April 3 for a second meeting and a private workout the next day. That's sizable interest five weeks from the draft. Forte's stock has been rising since a solid combine performance. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, the seventh-fastest time for running backs, and did 23 reps on the bench press at 225 pounds. Earlier this month, the Bears attended his pro day, during which he only did position drills, letting his testing numbers from Indianapolis stand on their own.Read more
Green Bay Packers 03/22/2008 9:11 AMThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Green Bay Packers S Atari Bigby, whose contract expired at the end of last season, has signed his one-year, $445,000 qualifying offer. Bigby is an exclusive-rights free agent, which means he doesn't have enough years in the league to qualify for restricted or unrestricted free agency and wasn't able to shop himself on the market.Read more
Pittsburgh Steelers 03/22/2008 9:08 AMThe Post-Gazette reports besides sending a message, the Steelers received something in return when they terminated the contract of WR Cedrick Wilson hours after he was arrested for punching his former girlfriend Wednesday night. They gained more than $2 million in salary cap room that might be used in signing a free agent or put toward signing one of their own players to a long-term contract. As of yesterday, counting Wilson's Thursday release, the Steelers have $2.3 million in salary cap room after dipping to about $300,000 in room Wednesday. Wilson was scheduled to earn a salary of $2,085,000 in 2008 but because it is not guaranteed, that money no longer has to be paid -- players receive their salaries during the regular season -- and the Steelers' salary cap was the immediate beneficiary.Read more
New Orleans Saints 03/22/2008 9:03 AMThe Times-Picayune reports when veteran QB Mark Brunell suddenly found himself on the open NFL market after being released by the Washington Redskins at the outset of the free-agency signing period, he suddenly had the opportunity to travel the country on a recruiting trip of sorts. He could have sat and listened to sales pitches from teams looking for a solid, worst-case-scenario backup, taken his time, eaten a few meals on someone else's nickel, and strung out the bargaining process by playing one team, or one city, against the other.Read more
