NFC

Sporting News, The, March 6, 2000

Arizona

APOLOGY ACCEPTED: TE Chris Gedney's one-year minimum deal with the club happened only after he received an acknowledgment that the club handled his release badly last July. Gedney was recovering from the first of two major colon surgeries when he received a brusque phone call from G.M. Bob Ferguson informing him he had been released. Gedney adds a dimension missing from the offense last season: a tight end who can find seams in the middle of defenses and make big catches. Gedney has regained the 52 pounds and the strength he lost during his medical ordeal. He is currently the team's second-string tight end behind starter Terry Hardy.

MAC'S BACK: The club retained the services of MLB Ronald McKinnon with a three-year, $6 million contract after it made a strong play for LB Hardy Nickerson. Tampa Bay called McKinnon the day Nickerson signed with Jacksonville, but by then the Cards were entrenched in negotiations to bring back their leading tackler.... Backup QB Dave Brown quickly re-signed-his pay was cut virtually in half-once he learned there was no chance for a No. 1 job elsewhere.... Signing OL Matt Joyce means the team kept the unit's top reserve, but it also is a hedge at left guard, where James Dexter and the team have been unable to forge a contract agreement.... The Cards likely are out of the running for free agent DE Marco Coleman, leaving few attractive free agents to shore up a defensive line replete with injury questions and possible holdouts by three members: Simeon Rice, Eric Swann and Mark Smith. --Lee Rasizer

Atlanta

END RESULTS: The team lost its second starting defensive end last week when Lester Archambeau signed a seven-year, $17.5 million deal with the Broncos. Archambeau, 32, turned down a better offer from the Falcons last season, but this time there was concern about his age after Archambeau's play slipped in 1999. Patrick Kerney, a first-rounder in 1999, and former Saints DE Brady Smith, 26, will compete for starting jobs this season.... The team let DE Chuck Smith sign with the Panthers without matching the five-year, $21.75 million offer. Smith, 30, led the team with 10 sacks in 1999. The Falcons weren't convinced Smith could continue to play at the level he has shown the past few seasons. At 6-2, 262, Smith is small for the position, and he was bothered by a knee and a nasty turf toe injury last season.

MAKING ROOM: The team remains about $1.4 million to $2 million under the salary cap. It has glaring needs on the offensive line, at running back, at linebacker, in the secondary and possibly at quarterback. Signing an outside linebacker is a big concern after top reserve Craig Sauer signed a three-year, $1.5 million deal with the Vikings. Saner was the top reserve behind second-year weakside LB Keith Brooking last season and also was a top special-teams player.... The Falcons probably will create even more cap room by cutting disappointing CB Michael Booker after June 1. Booker, a first-rounder in 1997, probably lost a roster spot when the team signed Ashley Ambrose to start opposite Ray Buchanan. --Mark Schlabach

Carolina

THERE'S A HITCH: Signing CB Jimmy Hitchcock to a four-year, $11.2 million contract set off shockwaves when Hitchcock said the coaching staff told him he will be given every opportunity to win a starting job. Doug Evans and Eric Davis were thought to be set at cornerback. Hitchcock, a starter for all 16 games last season for the Vikings, has started his last 47 regular-season games. Hitchcock tried to make it clear he doesn't plan to ride the bench behind anyone-leading to speculation that Evans or Davis could be in danger after June 1 when salary-cap implications become more palatable. Evans makes more money and has been the bigger disappointment since signing a five-year, $22.5 million free-agent contract two years ago. But there also is a chance the team could look to move Evans to strong safety.

SEIFERT'S PHILOSOPHY: LB Mike Barrow apparently made too few high-impact plays to suit coach George Seifert, so despite being the team's leading tackler the past two years, he was cut to make room for DE Chuck Smith's five-year, $21.75 million contract. Barrow's replacement at weakside linebacker will be either Hannibal Navies or Donta' Jones. It is clear that Seifert believes less money should be channeled at linebacker and more devoted to the defensive line and secondary.... The next move in free agency likely will be to sign a safety. Shawn Wooden and Tory James have visited and Tim McDonald, an old Seifert favorite, also is available. SS Brent Alexander, the starter the past two seasons, is in jeopardy. --Joe Menzer

Chicago

RECEIVING END: The Wade for Eddie Kennison added who the Bears hope will be the outside speed receiver to complement Marcus Robinson, but it is not likely to be the last move the Bears make at receiver this year. Short-term, Kennison is low-risk ($1.02 million for his final contract year) but could be a huge addition if he is the wideout who caught 54 passes as a rookie and 61 last season and not the one who slumped in his second and third seasons. A knock on Kennison is that he won't go over the middle, something that he wants to dispel. What the Bears like is his fit in their offense, which is designed to get the receiver the ball via hitch screens designed to turn him into an open-field scoring threat. Bobby Engram's inability to go the distance often enough was the reason for the Kennison move. Robinson and power wideout Marty Booker are set, but the team isn't ruling out a move for a wideout high in the draft if a blue-chipper can be had.