[EDITOR'S NOTE 10:45am] - I had just posted a one line story about this, but nostocksjustbonds posted a little more from the actual espn.com story, so we'll roll with this one. I'll look into getting a scouting report on Banta-Cain.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789594

San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers added their fourth potential starter to their defense by reaching an agreement Tuesday with Patriots linebacker Tully Banta-Cain.

Terms of the deal weren't immediately available.

Banta-Cain was being looked at by 4-3 teams as a defensive end and 3-4 teams as a linebacker. He was replaced by Adalius Thomas in New England.

Banta-Cain, who has good speed, was a seventh-round pick from California who gets a chance to return to the Bay Area.

-- John Clayton

[EDITOR'S UPDATE 2:55PM] - As updated by John Clayton, and mentioned in the comments below, the Tully Banta-Cain contract is 3 years, $12.2 million, with Banta-Cain receiving $4 million in 2004. Based on the way it pays out in year one, it doesn't appear to be a backloaded contract. Although even if it was it's not long enough for that to be a major issue.

[EDITOR'S UPDATE 4:55PM] - Matt Maiocco had a rather prodigious update with some interesting tidbit, some discussed here and some not. CB Donald Strickland was resigned, Andy Lee was signed to an as yet undisclosed offer sheet and Jeremy Newberry is expected to finalize his contract with the Raiders after a physical. Also, from earlier, Moran Norris signed a 3-year extension and Tony Wragge signed a 2-year extension.