Monday could go down as one of the busiest offseason ays in the AFC North.



Two developments Monday night include include receiver Terrell Owens planning a visit with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns trading for Seattle’s Seneca Wallace. Both reports are via ESPN’s Adam Schefter.



Wallace will rejoin Cleveland president Mike Holmgren, the former coach of the Seahawks. The Browns have been searching for help at quarterback and Wallace was the first move. The team mostly likely will release Derek Anderson before his $2 million roster bonus is due March 19.



What this means for Cleveland’s quarterback situation is uncertain. Wallace has been a backup for most of his career, and the team has yet to publicly endorse Brady Quinn. This situation remains fluid, so stay tuned.



Cincinnati’s visit with Owens Tuesday will be important, as the team will get a feel of whether he fits with the Bengals. Owens is good friends with Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ochocinco, who has been lobbying for the team to sign T.O.

Desperate to deliver any kind of Buffalo Bills nuggets during a silent time for them compared to the rest of the AFC East, I bring you a text from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer to Bengals.com reporter Geoff Hobson.



The question from Hobson was if Palmer would like to have Terrell Owens on the team.



Pamer’s response:

“I’d love to. His past doesn’t bother me at all. If any qb can deal with extravagant wrs, it’s me.”

Chad Ochocinco has been lobbying the Bengals to add Owens. Palmer’s voice probably will resonate more loudly with the front office.



Hobson reports Palmer has been in contact with free-agent receiver Antonio Bryant to talk about joining the Bengals and would be willing to talk with T.O., too.

As expected, veteran quarterback Chad Pennington has returned to the Miami Dolphins.



ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports Pennington re-signed for one year and $2.5 million to be Chad Henne’s backup.



The signing was delayed because of haggling over a no-trade clause Pennington insisted upon, but an accord was reached when Pennington dropped the demand in exchange for a $1.515 million bonus if the Dolphins trade him.



The no-trade question was important for both sides. An eventual trade is foreseeable because Pennington gives the Dolphins four quarterbacks, counting reserves Tyler Thigpen and Pat White.



The Dolphins wanted to maintain their trade options. But Pennington didn’t want to be the one to leave because he likes South Florida and wants his family to remain there.



Pennington is coming off a third surgery to his throwing shoulder. He will serve as a quasi-coach for Henne and provide veteran insurance.



Worth watching is what happens with Thigpen and White. Thigpen is the superior quarterback, but the Dolphins used a second-round draft choice on White a year ago.

Perhaps you’ve seen this report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter: Green Bay has re-signed left tackle Chad Clifton to a three-year contract that includes $7.5 million guaranteed.

Clifton

The deal came amid reports that Clifton was visiting Washington, which is looking for a new left tackle following the retirement of veteran Chris Samuels. Did the visit loosen the Packers’ purse strings? Or did Clifton merely realize he didn’t want to leave Green Bay? Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel suggested the latter rationale earlier Friday. We might never know the truthful answer to that question, but in the short term it means the Packers won’t be transitioning their left tackle position in 2010.



As we’ve discussed recently, the Packers are in a difficult situation. Clifton has struggled at times during the past two years and is nearing the end of his career, but the Packers have no obvious replacement on their roster. I don’t think anyone considers T.J. Lang a short- or long-term answer at the position. It’s possible the Packers will draft a starting-caliber left tackle next month, but obviously there are no guarantees.



Now the question is whether the Packers will re-sign right tackle Mark Tauscher or whether they will turn the position over to Lang. Part of the difficult situation is that Tauscher might have more career longevity than Clifton — but the need to retain the incumbent was more acute at Clifton’s position.



I have a feeling that this post wouldn’t be complete without the near-obligatory “stay tuned.”



Two other quick Packers notes from Friday: The team released defensive end Mike Montgomery and safety Matt Giordano.

I’m spending some time on the East Coast this week and obviously missed out by passing out Friday morning at 2 a.m. ET. So let’s catch up on the moves and news that occurred literally in the middle of the night. I’ll be back with analysis on all of them and more throughout the day. (“Black and Blue all over” is moot at this point.)

• Detroit signed free agent receiver Nate Burleson to a five-year contract worth $25 million, according to ESPN’s John Clayton. Burleson was an excellent No. 2/No. 1 receiver for Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan when the two were in Minnesota earlier this decade. From the top, I can tell you Burleson is an upgrade over Bryant Johnson, that he is sure-handed and runs precise routes. He’s also a more-than-willing downfield blocker and a really decent guy. I like what the Lions have done in the past 24 hours.
• Washington has scheduled a Friday visit with Green Bay left tackle Chad Clifton, who failed to reach an agreement with the Packers before Thursday night’s deadline. As we’ve discussed before, first-day visits usually lead to agreements. If that’s the case, the Packers will not have an obvious replacement at left tackle (sorry, T.J. Lang), with Julius Peppers apparently entering the division via Chicago. Yikes.
• The Bears have reached agreement with the first of their three Friday visits, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna has agreed to a five-year contract, calling into question the Bears’ plans for veteran blocking tight end Desmond Clark. Manumaleuna is more of a blocker than a receiver. We’ll keep you updated on progress with Peppers and running back Chester Taylor.

Packers left tackle Chad Clifton will be in Ashburn, Va., on Friday to visit with the Redskins, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole. The Redskins are looking to replace Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels, who announced his retirement Thursday.



Clifton, 33, is the top offensive tackle on the free-agent market and he’s apparently seeking somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 million a year. With the Redskins desperate for help along the offensive line, it’s reasonable to think they’ll outbid the Packers for Clifton’s services.



We’ll be talking to folks at Redskins Park in the morning and we’ll let you know if there are any updates. Clifton has started 138 games since being selected in the second round of the 2000 draft.

A source told Palm Beach Post reporter Edgar Thompson that quarterback Chad Pennington would re-sign with the Miami Dolphins, “barring something crazy.”

Pennington

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has learned contract talks have hit a snag that could jeopardize Pennington’s return.



Mortensen, citing multiple sources, notes Pennington was on the verge of signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, but pen hasn’t scratched paper because the Dolphins are balking at Pennington’s request for a no-trade clause.



Pennington wants the clause because he would be the fourth quarterback on Miami’s depth chart and doesn’t want to be the odd man out.



He would be Chad Henne’s backup, but the Dolphins also have reserves Tyler Thigpen and Pat White, a second-round draft choice last year.

Edgar Thompson of the Palm Beach Post reports the Miami Dolphins will bring back Chad Pennington, “barring something crazy,” an unnamed league source said.



Pennington would return as Chad Henne’s backup, a development that would create an interesting situation on the Dolphins’ depth chart. They also have Tyler Thigpen and Pat White, a second-round draft choice last year.



Pennington likely would have gotten a lukewarm reception when free agency began at midnight because he’s unable to tryout for teams. He’s still recovering from a third surgery on his throwing shoulder, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of the season.



His value to the Dolphins would be as a leader who could help groom Henne into the role as franchise quarterback.

Will the free-agent market open with both of Green Bay’s starting tackles unsigned? We’ll find out in a few hours.



Talks are continuing Thursday with left tackle Chad Clifton, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The status of right tackle Mark Tauscher is also unclear.



Two other potential 2010 starters, guard Daryn Colledge and center/guard Jason Spitz, are restricted free agents. Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reviewed the uncertainty earlier Thursday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona’s Ken Whisenhunt is now one of the NFL’s highest-paid head coaches.



“There’s no question he is in the upper portion of the league,” team president Michael Bidwill said Saturday from the NFL combine.



Whisenhunt’s extension through 2013 marked the first time the Cardinals extended a head coach’s contract since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. It’s a significant step because Whisenhunt, an ascending coach with a 4-2 postseason record, wouldn’t have agreed to a new deal without knowing the organization would arm him with sufficient resources.



“The ability of an organization to have a plan, stick to that plan and have success certainly makes (the job) attractive,” Whisenhunt said. “There were a lot of questions about Arizona that have been answered about certainly with a new stadium, could they win if they had a plan? And I think we’ve shown that to a degree.”



Although labor uncertainty will affect plans across the league in the short term, I would expect the Cardinals to eventually grow their 16-man coaching staff (the other NFC West teams have at least 20). Whisenhunt will have more control over hiring his coaches and more control over the roster, another perk successful coaches tend to enjoy. Building an indoor practice facility should be another expectation.



These are the long-term investments a team can make to weather a down season or two. The Cardinals have gone 8-8, 9-7 and 10-6 under Whisenhunt, a trajectory they’ll have a hard time maintaining in 2010.



With quarterback Kurt Warner and pass-rusher Bertrand Berry retiring, free safety Antrel Rolle likely hitting the market and linebacker Karlos Dansby all but gone, the Cardinals will rely heavily on their college scouting department to find players and Whisenhunt’s staff to coach them up.



“We are a football team that I think is positioned correctly to withstand transition, whether we are losing Karlos Dansby or whether we lose Kurt Warner,” general manager Rod Graves said. “I just feel like Ken has done a tremendous job of instilling the right qualities and setting the proper standards for our football team. If we lose players from time to time, I feel like we can keep going.”



The Cardinals have gone into quite a few offseasons with relatively few players under contact, and that is the case as free agency approaches on March 5. Some of that reflects questionable planning (see Rolle’s rookie deal) and some reflects the team’s confidence — so far rewarded — in the personnel department’s ability to find replacement parts. Whisenhunt’s unsolicited reference to college scouting director Steve Keim during his media session Saturday was appropriate.



Much like Whisenhunt’s former organization, the Steelers, Arizona has succeeded in using the draft to replace key veterans lost in free agency. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, running back Beanie Wells, defensive end Calais Campbell, running back Tim Hightower and running back LaRod Stephens-Howling made significant contributions beginning as rookies.



Outside linebacker Will Davis, outside linebacker Cody Brown, cornerback Greg Toler and offensive lineman Herman Johnson could emerge this season.



Most of them will be needed.



“What we’ve been trying to do is build the depth on our team and we feel like we have done that to a great degree,” Whisenhunt said.



Matt Leinart is the only quarterback signed for 2010, but his price tag beyond this season becomes untenable unless Leinart enjoys a breakout season. I would expect the Cardinals to pursue Chad Pennington or another veteran to compete with Leinart and probably back him up.



Warner made that depth look a lot better.



Whisenhunt has already pulled off the near-impossible by turning the Cardinals into a playoff contender with front-office stability and a long-term plan.



They’ll need his best coaching job yet in 2010.