A few weeks ago, we wondered which of Green Bay’s two free agent tackles would return for 2010. Left tackle Chad Clifton? Right tackle Mark Tauscher? Neither?



As it turns out, the Packers have chosen a fourth option: All of the above. Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com reports the Packers have agreed to terms with Tauscher on a two-year contract, about a week after Clifton signed a three-year deal. The team hasn’t officially announced the deal, but coach Mike McCarthy hinted a deal was looming while speaking to reporters Friday at the Packers’ FanFest event.



As we discussed last month, Green Bay had a complex decision to make. Tauscher finished the season in better physical standing than Clifton, who has struggled with knee, ankle and shoulder injuries over the past two years. But the Packers’ top in-house backup, T.J. Lang, is more suited to play right tackle and there are no guarantees the team will find an immediate replacement in the draft.



Tauscher, on the other hand, performed too well over the second half of the 2009 season to be cast aside. So the answer in the NFL’s uncapped environment was to bring both players back. I presume Lang will a serve as a super-backup who could one day take over for Tauscher. But not yet.



The only remaining question mark for the Packers’ 2010 offensive line is left guard Daryn Colledge, a restricted free agent who has not yet signed his tender. Assuming he returns, Colledge might have to compete with Lang or fellow restricted free agent Jason Spitz to retain his job.

The Philadelphia Eagles will host running back Justin Fargas and wide receiver Hank Baskett on campus Friday. Fargas, 30, had a 1,000-yard season in ‘07 but his numbers fell off significantly in ‘09 with the Raiders. I’ve talked to Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete about Fargas in the past and he loved him when the two were together in Oakland. The Eagles were reportedly interested in 33-year-old Kevin Faulk before he re-signed with the Patriots.



Baskett is a former Eagles player who spent the past season with the Colts. He’ll always be known as the guy who mishandled the Saints’ onside kick in the Super Bowl, but he’s a very capable player. Baskett had 72 catches for 1,080 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons with the Eagles. With the Reggie Brown trade this week, the Eagles needed to add some depth at receiver.



They also signed former Air Force running back/receiver Chad Hall, who’s been on active duty the past two seasons. Once Hall negotiates his release from the Air Force, he should be able to join the Eagles’ offseason conditioning program. But something tells me Hall’s kept himself in pretty good shape at Hill Air Force Base in Salt Lake City.

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.

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.