NFL Wire Notes | 49ers cut ties with veteran QB Dilfer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers terminated quarterback Trent Dilfer's contract Thursday, possibly signaling the end of the 14-year veteran's career.

Dilfer, a former Seahawk, started six games for the 49ers last season, passing for 1,166 yards with seven touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 55.1 passer rating before incurring a season-ending concussion.

"Trent Dilfer is a true professional in every meaning of the word," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "He is one of the most respected players in the league for good reason. Trent has provided great value to our team over the past two years in terms of his leadership, knowledge of the game and play on the field."

Dilfer missed the 49ers' final three games last season with the latest in a series of concussions, and the 49ers were unlikely to bring him back this year after third-stringer Shaun Hill performed well in two starts last December.

San Francisco also recently signed veteran quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, a favorite of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who has said Alex Smith and Hill will compete for the starting job.

Dilfer didn't play at all in his first season with the 49ers in 2006, instead serving as a mentor to Smith. After last season, Dilfer said he hoped to continue playing, but he also prepared for life after football with a temporary job as a studio analyst for the NFL Network.

Browns give Baxter

one more chance

CLEVELAND — Cleveland defensive back Gary Baxter, determined to become the first NFL player to make it back from two torn patellar tendons, signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Browns.

Baxter's amazing comeback fell a little short last season. He defied doctors' predictions his career was over by returning to the practice field in July. However, he never regained the strength in his knees, which he injured while defending a pass against Denver in 2006.

The Browns finally placed him on injured reserve on Oct. 23, one day before the one-year anniversary of his knee operations and the same date on which he underwent surgery to repair a torn chest muscle in 2005, an injury that sidelined him for 11 games.

Baxter has played in just eight games with the Browns, who signed him to a six-year, $30 million free agent deal in March 2005. The club restructured his contract last year, which made him a free agent at the end of the 2007 season.

"This is very important for me to sign a one-year deal here and to finish something I started," the 29-year-old Baxter said. "This has been a long process, but right now everything is going well and I'm going to continue my quest to make history."

Notes

• Detroit cut RB Kevin Jones and DE Kalimba Edwards. The Lions also re-signed RB Tatum Bell to a one-year deal and signed restricted free-agent S Kalvin Pearson to a three-year deal.

• Houston signed free-agent RB Chris Brown. He'll join Ahman Green at running back with the Texans, and his signing could mean the end of unrestricted free agent Ron Dayne's tenure in Houston.

• The New York Giants signed free-agent LB Danny Clark to a two-year contract. Coach Tom Coughlin said Clark is being brought in as an outside linebacker for the Super Bowl champions, who lost both Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor to free agency.