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Detroit Lions: Tight end Mikhael Ricks, who became expendable when the Detroit Lions signed unrestricted free agent Stephen Alexander a week ago, has been released.

A six-year veteran, Ricks, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Lions, catching 64 passes. He started six games in 2003, splitting the No. 1 job with rookie Casey Fitzsimmons, and had 37 receptions for 434 yards.

Ricks was under contract through the 2005 season. He was scheduled to earn a base salary of $1 million for this season and next and was also due a $200,000 roster bonus for 2005. The Lions will count $400,000 each in 2004 and 2005 against their cap, but will recoup $1 million on this season's spending limit.

A former Stephen F. Austin standout, Ricks still has good speed and solid hands and should be able to land a job before training camps open. He originally entered the NFL as a wide receiver, a second-round draft choice of the San Diego Chargers in 1998, but then subsequently moved to tight end.

After spending his first three NFL seasons with the Chargers, he signed with Kansas City and played two years with the Chiefs before joining the Lions in 2002. For his career, he has 155 catches for 1,939 yards and eight touchdowns. His best season came in '99, when he had 40 receptions. Ricks has appeared in 81 games and started 43 contests.

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Cliff Crosby, a four-year veteran who played the last three seasons for the Indianapolis Colts.

Crosby signed a one-year contract for $535,000, the minimum base salary for a player with four years of experience. The former Maryland standout, who was released five different times before finally earning a regular-season roster spot in 2000, likely will be used as a fourth cornerback and on special teams.

In 44 games, Crosby has 25 tackles and three passes defensed. His special teams skills were evidenced, however, by 25 tackles on punt and kickoff coverage units in 2003. Under coach Dick Vermeil, the Chiefs have one of the NFL's premier special teams units and Crosby should be an excellent fit.

Philadelphia Eagles: Backup quarterback Koy Detmer, injured during an Eagles minicamp practice on Wednesday, has undergone surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Detmer injured the knee dropping back to pass and initial fears were that the injury might be far more serious.

The primary backup to starter Donovan McNabb for the past four years, Detmer, 30, is expected to be fully recovered by training camp.

The seven-year veteran is held in high esteem by his teammates and Eagles coaches and was having an excellent offseason. His stature notwithstanding, Detmer could be pushed in camp for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart by recently acquired Jeff Blake. The 12-year veteran, who signed a one-year contract with the Eagles two weeks ago, is said to have been very sharp in recent workouts.

St. Louis Rams: With the status of their two starters questionable for the start of training camp, the Cardinals have added depth at offensive tackle, signing street free agent and two-year veteran Jeff Hatch.

The former Penn standout was recently waived by the New York Giants, who chose him in the first round of the 2002 draft. Hatch missed his entire rookie season following back surgery in the spring of 2002, but started at right tackle for the Giants in the final four games last year. The new coaching staff, however, did not retain him.

Hatch, 24, has great size (6-feet-6, 302 pounds) and movement skills, but some people have questioned his toughness. He should get plenty of snaps in training camp since Kyle Turley, the Rams' starting right tackle, is coming off back surgery. Left tackle Orlando Pace, the club's franchise player, remains at an impasse in contract negotiations and could miss the start of camp.

St. Louis also added two more free agents, defensive back Nijrell Eason, who has been in two other NFL training camps, and wide receiver Brian Stump from the Arena League.

Denver Broncos: The Broncos have signed sixth-round draft choice Triandos Luke, a wide receiver from Alabama, to his first NFL contract. The 171st player selected overall, Luke is the first of Denver's 10 choices in the 2004 lottery to reach a contract accord.

The three-year contract is worth about $1 million.

One of the fastest prospects in the entire 2004 draft pool, having been clocked in sub-4.4 times, Luke was a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide. He finished his career with 90 receptions for 1,072 yards and nine touchdowns, and started in 26 of 44 appearances. He also returned 13 kickoffs for a 19.7-yard average.

New England Patriots: Patriots tight end Christian Fauria, who has started 27 games in his two seasons with the club, has signed a one-year contract extension through 2005.

Fauria, 32, was entering the final season of his contract and the extension provided him security and gave the Patriots some modest cap relief. Scheduled to have a base salary of $1 million for 2004, Fauria dropped his base to $660,000 and took the $340,000 balance in a signing bonus. New England then added an extra year to the deal, at a base salary of $765,000, with a $35,000 roster bonus.

On a roster that now includes a pair of tight ends drafted in the first round over the past three years, Fauria remains a key role player. The nine-year veteran is a very effective receiver in the red zone and a solid blocker. Fauria posted 28 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in 2003.

Dallas Cowboys: Second-year tailback Erik Bickerstaff underwent Friday surgery to repair an Achilles tendon ruptured Wednesday in practice and will likely miss the '04 season.

The injury to Bickerstaff, who made the Dallas roster as an undrafted free agent in 2003, further thins an already shallow tailback position. Rookie Julius Jones, a second-round pick in this year's draft, is projected as the starter. The most veteran tailback now on the roster, Aveion Cason, has just 77 carries in three seasons, and is more a situational type player. ReShard Lee has never played in a regular-season game.

The Cowboys released their 2003 starter, Troy Hambrick, last month. The club may now be forced to sign one of several veteran tailbacks still in the free agent market. Bickerstaff carried 19 times for 56 yards and one touchdown in 2003.