Just to update you on the latest: Free-agent running back LaDaininan Tomlinson dined Wednesday night with Minnesota officials and at least one player in downtown Minneapolis. Tomlinson also spoke with several media outlets, including the Star Tribune and WCCO.

Tomlinson

He told the Star Tribune that he understands the role he would have with the Vikings and could “possibly” sign Thursday if all goes well. He said he has “heard what I like to hear” and that one of his agents made the trip with him. Tomlinson has a second visit lined up with another team but wouldn’t identify it.



Meanwhile, he told WCCO that it would be a “blast” to play with quarterback Brett Favre and said he is confident he would coexist well with starting tailback Adrian Peterson.



“I definitely can,” Tomlinson said. “I would be coming here for him. He’s in the prime of his career. I’ve done what he’s trying to do, except win a championship.”



We’ll keep you updated Thursday as warranted.

The Buffalo Bills have been slow to act in free agency. That’s not unusual for them, and new general manager Buddy Nix has stated his intention to build through the draft.



But this year the Bills have many holes to fill. They’re overhauling their defense, converting to a 3-4. Suitable personnel is missing.



The Bills finally might act on their defensive conversion. Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports the Bills will host defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy on Thursday.



Can the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Kennedy handle the Bills’ opening at nose tackle?



The Bills would have to project how he’d look at nose tackle because the four teams Kennedy has played for operate out of 4-3 defenses.



Kennedy’s career has been a disappointment. The St. Louis Rams drafted him 12th overall in 2003. He has been with five teams (released by the Denver Broncos in 2007 before getting into a game) and has started only 31 games.



He is coming off a decent season with the Minnesota Vikings. They picked him up in late 2008 as an emergency replacement when the Williams Wall (defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams) faced suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.



Kennedy was the primary backup in 2009 and, as NFC blogger Kevin Seifert writes, “made more plays than you would think, but probably had something to do with at least one Williams and Jared Allen usually being on the field with him.”



Kennedy recorded 18 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for losses and seven hurries in the regular season. In three postseason games, he notched three tackles and one sack.

The Baltimore Ravens re-signed receiver Derrick Mason to a two-year contract Wednesday, further strengthening a group of receivers that also includes newly acquired Anquan Boldin.



Mason contemplated retirement after last season but wanted a two-year commitment. He got it from Baltimore and will join a potentially potent offense that includes two 1,000-yard receivers (Mason, Boldin) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Ray Rice) from a year ago.



“We know exactly what we’re getting with Derrick, and that’s production,” Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said in a statement. “Every Ravens fan knows what Derrick brings to this team.”



Baltimore could still use a blazer at receiver in the NFL draft and perhaps an additional tight end to pair with veteran Todd Heap. The Ravens own the No. 25 overall pick in April.

Options on the interior offensive line rated as a big need for the Texans heading into the offseason, and they landed one Wednesday with Wade Smith, the free agent from Kansas City.

Smith

Smith agreed to a four-year, $12 million deal, according to a source, that has $6.25 million in guarantees.



A big part of Houston’s offensive troubles last year were related to the interior line, where starting guard Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel went down early with season-ending injuries. Kasey Studdard and Chris White were less than stellar as fill-ins.



Pitts is unrestricted and unlikely to return, and now Smith will jostle with the rest of that group and last year’s offensive line pick, Antoine Caldwell, who backed up center Chris White, for a role. I’d expect they expect Smith’s an upgrade who will start. And while they could take another interior lineman in the draft, it shouldn’t be a spot they prioritize ahead of cornerback, free safety or running back.



Here’s Scouts Inc.’s review of Smith, which makes him sound very much like a guy that fits what the Texans like to do up front:

Smith had been pretty much a career backup up until he started seven games in 2008. He is athletic with good short-area quickness, agility, balance and body control. His most glaring weakness is his inability to stop powerful bull rushers on the inside. He understands angles and can react to movement and adjust to counter moves. He is more of a finesse blocker than a road-grader. He gives the Chiefs solid depth in that he can back up multiple positions.

When we last heard from outside linebacker Greg Ellis in the NFC East, he was finally talking his way out of town. He’d been unhappy with his role with the Cowboys in 2008 because they were attempting to make Anthony Spencer the full-time starter. He continued to be a mentor to Spencer, but his annual offseason complaints were starting to wear thin with the club. He was even unhappy when the Cowboys spent a couple of mid-round picks on outside linebackers in the ‘09 draft.



Ellis signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Raiders after being released last June and he finished the ‘09 season with seven sacks as a 4-3 defensive end. But the Raiders released the 34-year-old player Monday, and Ellis’ agent told ESPNDallas.com’s Calvin Watkins that his client would be open to filling a reserve role for the Cowboys in 2010.



A club source informed me Wednesday afternoon the Cowboys have no interest in Ellis at this time. The club feels like second-year players Victor Butler and Brandon Williams both have a shot to emerge as talented backups at outside linebacker. In fact, none other than All-Pro DeMarcus Ware told me recently that Williams has a lot of potential and he plans to take the former Texas Tech player under his wing.

The quarterback news continues for the Cleveland Browns.

Delhomme

After trading for Seneca Wallace this week and releasing Derek Anderson, the Browns reportedly will visit with free agent quarterback Jake Delhomme Thursday. The 12-year veteran was cut recently by the Carolina Panthers.



Delhomme, 35, is seeking an opportunity to bounce back after arguably the worst season of his career in 2009. He threw for 2,015 yards, eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions.



If the Browns decide to trade Brady Quinn, they will need a veteran replacement. It’s to be determined whether Delhomme has anything left in the tank. But new Browns president Mike Holmgren will try to find out this week.

It’s expected that free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson will have some questions for Minnesota officials when he visits the team’s practice facility Thursday. But it’s hard to imagine he doesn’t already have a decent idea of how he would be used — and not used — in the Vikings’ offense.

Tomlinson

Tomlinson spoke Tuesday with Vikings coach Brad Childress, and they will continue their discussions. Childress, speaking to Twin Cities reporters Wednesday, said that role shouldn’t be a mystery.



“I would think he knows,” Childress said, “but I always want to over-communicate clarity so we won’t hopscotch around that. We’ll have to show him what his role will be.”



In the opening frenzy of free agency, first visits almost always lead to a contract agreement. Tomlinson’s situation is a bit more difficult to read. If he wants to be a lead back in 2010, Minnesota isn’t the right fit. If that’s his goal, he might need to wait until a team loses its starter to injury in training camp or early in the regular season.



We could know the answer in less than 24 hours. Stay tuned.

Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cincinnati had discussed the possibility of pursuing Denver restricted free agent receiver Brandon Marshall.



The team probably won’t consider that option any longer. The Bengals just signed free agent receiver Antonio Bryant. The Bengals are likely no longer in the market for a receiver. The Bengals were also considering receiver Terrell Owens. He will likely not sign with the Bengals.



So far, only Seattle has visited with Marshall. Teams such as Miami, New England and the Jets could eventually show interest in Marshall. It would behoove Denver if there is more interest. That would drive up the price tag. The Broncos want a first-round pick for Marshall.



However, Seattle likely will be reluctant to send one of its two first-round picks to Denver for Marshall. The fact that Cincinnati is probably out of the Marshall mix won’t increase Seattle’s offer.

Despite various pleads from Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco, the Cincinnati Bengals went against his advice.



Cincinnati passed over Terrell Owens and signed free agent receiver Antonio Bryant Wednesday to a four-year contract. According to ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton, the deal is worth $28 million, which is very similar to the numbers the Bengals gave Laveranues Coles last season.



Meanwhile, barring an unforeseen spending spree, Owens is out in Cincinnati. It has been speculated for weeks that the Bengals were interested and things reached a climax during this week’s visit. Ochocinco also put on a full-fledged recruiting campaign for the Bengals to sign his good friend, but Bengals management didn’t take the bait.



Bryant, who turned 29 this week, is seven years younger than Owens and an upgrade over Coles as a No. 2 receiver. Cincinnati now needs to add a play-making tight end and some help on the offensive line for quarterback Carson Palmer. With Cedric Benson running the ball and Ochocinco and Bryant at receiver, this unit should be more balanced next season.

Well, perhaps it had something to do with the $15 million in guaranteed money they paid him. In committing an unprecedented amount for a starting safety, the New York Giants made a statement that the pass coverage in ‘09 was completely unacceptable.



As you might expect, the recipient of that massive contract, Antrel Rolle, wants to show his gratitude. He even took a little parting shot at the Bidwill family by noting that the Giants organization was just a little classier than the Cardinals during a radio interview with Mike Francesa on New York’s WFAN. Rolle compared his recruitment to how he felt when he signed with the University of Miami:

“When I went to New York, I got the same feeling I got when I was being recruited out of high school to the University of Miami,” Rolle told WFAN. “It’s just a feeling of feeling like this is where you belong. It’s just a feeling of comfort and feeling like that’s where you need to be. I think I made a pretty good decision when I attended the University of Miami and I’m just following my gut instinct and I became a New York Giant. So I think it’s going to work out for the best. I’m pretty sure it will.”

So what was Tom Coughlin’s message to Rolle?

“Coughlin pretty much sat me down and told me eye to eye that he wants me to be that guy, to be that leader that he knows I can be,” said Rolle. “Lead by example, and pretty much bring that intensity, bring that attitude and that swagger to the defensive backfield. Just be myself. He told me to bring my “A” game every day, and just to be a leader. That’s something that I am already. There wasn’t anything he was asking that can’t be delivered on my behalf.”

No word on when the Cardinals will release their next starter.