The Cardinals may be eyeing a run at quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, according to The National Football Post. The report is that Arizona has an "understanding" with veteran Marc Bulger, who has been linked to the team. Sources have said the Cardinals are quietly hoping that they can make a run at Hasselbeck in free agency assuming he doesn't return to Seattle.

Matt Hasselbeck's time with the Seahawks may be over. ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer said on Saturday's NFL Draft broadcast that "Matthew Hasselbeck is not going back" to Seattle.

Saints coach Sean Payton expects Reggie Bush to be with the team when football is played. Payton said as much during an on-air interview with ESPN2 during Friday night's coverage of the second round of the NFL Draft. "I do," Payton said when asked if he felt Bush would be on the team's roster when the 2011 season begins. "I had a good visit with him this morning. A lot has been talked about, and I get back to looking at his role and it's uniquely different than some of our other players," Payton. "I had a chance to talk with him this morning, much like I met with Deuce McAllister five years ago when we drafted Bush."

Tiki Barber says his attempt to return to the NFL after four years in retirement is not about money, according to an ESPN.com report on Thursday. The 36-year-old former Giants' running back has asked the team to take him off the reserve-retirement list, and the Giants say they will release him once the league allows it.

Adam Vinatieri is optimistic that he'll end up re-signing with the Colts. Indianapolis attempted to re-sign Peyton Manning and Vinatieri to long-term contracts prior to the owners locking out players on March 11. "There is no place I'd rather be," he said. "I've expressed interest in wanting to stay here and they've expressed interest in wanting to keep me around. But talk is cheap. You never know what's going to happen."

The NFL is currently stuck in a lockout, but there are a number of teams interested in soon-to-be free agent cornerback Ike Taylor. The Giants, Eagles, Broncos, Rams, Cardinals and Texans are just some of the teams targeting Taylor, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Ravens, Panthers, Redskins, Bears, Browns, Lions and Cowboys could also show interest in the cornerback. "I still say the Giants, but I'm hearing Denver and Houston. St. Louis loves him a lot," said Dave-Te' Thomas, who operates Scouting Services Inc. "The Giants have always been high on Taylor. And with his agent's relationship with the Giants, I could see them getting involved." Remaining in Pittsburgh is an option as well.

49ers general manager Trent Baalke admitted this week that the team has extended an "olive branch" to quarterback Alex Smith. Smith can't sign with San Francisco -- or any other team -- until the labor situation is settled and free agency begins. New coach Jim Harbaugh already has expressed confidence in Smith as a quarterback in his system, and Baalke made it clear that the 49ers made an offer for the free agent to return. "It's up to Alex to make the decision on whether he wants to be a 49er again," Baalke said. "I think Jim's made it clear. We've made it clear through the process that the olive branch has been extended."

Matt Hasselbeck still wants to remain with the Seahawks. "Nothing has really changed for me," Hasselbeck said. "The only thing that's changed is time has elapsed." The quarterback said prior to the 2010 season that he wanted to re-sign with Seattle and that remains true. "I think that it's just one of those things, they were trying to get a lot of guys done," Hasselbeck said of discussions before the lockout. "There were a ton of free agents. It was hard to structure because we didn't know the labor deal."

Raiders safety Michael Huff's contract is expected to allow him to become a free agent. A little-known rule prevented Oakland from re-signing Huff this past season, as much as they would have liked to, according to an NFL source. Any player whose salary escalated at a higher rate than 30 percent from 2009 to 2010, as Huff's and other players' did, was precluded from signing a contract extension with his team.

Shortly after the season it was believed that kicker Olindo Mare would like a job closer to his home state of Florida, but he now appears sold on Seattle. He enjoys the city so much that he's willing to give the Seahawks a discount if they re-sign him.