Long Signs As Miami's Top Pick

DAVIE - Jake Long seemed at ease in his new role as the NFL's No. 1 draft pick, leaning into a news conference microphone to talk about his mean streak while his mother sat in the corner, nodding as she smiled.

The Miami Dolphins were grinning Tuesday, too. They signed the Michigan left tackle to a five-year contract with $30 million guaranteed, and they'll select him with the top pick in the draft Saturday.

"It's really important for us to know Jake is going to be on the field for us on time when training camp begins in July," Coach Tony Sparano said. "That was critical."

Long's total contract package is for $57.75 million, said a person familiar with the negotiations who didn't want to be identified because the Dolphins declined to reveal terms.

Vikes Sack Bucs' Hopes To Land Allen

TAMPA - Any dreams the Bucs might have had of watching Jared Allen sack opposing quarterbacks for them were shattered late Tuesday, when the Minnesota Vikings finalized a trade agreement for Allen with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The trade is expected to be announced today by the Vikings, who spent the weekend wooing and apparently wowing Allen, who led the NFL in sacks last year with 15.5.

Terms of the deal for Allen were not known, but the Vikings are expected to surrender their first-round pick in this year's draft (No. 17 overall) and one other pick (possibly a second rounder).

The Bucs were one of a handful of teams that had interest in possibly pursuing Allen.

Roy Cummings

Seahawks Decide To Cut RB Alexander

SEATTLE - The Seahawks released former MVP Shaun Alexander 26 months after he signed a $62 million deal.

Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said the team released Alexander unconditionally hours after the running back passed a physical. It's been a rapid fall for the 30-year-old Alexander. When he signed that mammoth deal, he was coming off an MVP season in 2005 and a Super Bowl appearance. Now he's looking for work, coming off of two unimpressive and injury-filled seasons.

The move had been expected in Seattle for six weeks, since the signings of running backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett.

BENGALS: Turned down a trade offer from Washington for disgruntled receiver Chad Johnson. After initially denying that an offer had been made, the Bengals reversed themselves and said the Redskins had been willing to give up their first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in 2009.

PANTHERS: A tearful Mike Rucker said goodbye to football, retiring as the team's second-leading tackler. Rucker ranks second in team history with 553 tackles and 55 1/2 sacks.

VICK CASE: A federal judge denied the NFL's motion that he vacate his earlier ruling that allows suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick to keep $16.5 million in bonuses.

U.S. District Judge David Doty also declined the NFL's motion that he recuse himself from the case. The league had accused him of bias.