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Dallas Cowboys: Fullback Richie Anderson, always one of coach Bill Parcells' favorite players, was released Thursday.

Anderson ended last season on injured reserve with a pinched nerve in his neck and had neck surgery last week that will require a recovery time of at least five months. The 33-year-old Anderson has played 13 NFL seasons.

Dallas also released receiver Randal Williams, a special teams specialist whose biggest play in his four seasons was returning an onside kick attempt by Philadelphia 37 yards for a touchdown to start a 2003 game. He had just one catch for 14 yards in his career, and carried once for 13 yards.

The Cowboys also signed 16 free agent rookies in advance of their minicamp that runs Friday through Sunday.

Anderson played in just 12 games last season, missing games with a sprained knee and lingering effects from a concussion before going on the injured list the week of the season finale.

Primarily a third-down back, Anderson had 57 carries for 246 yards and one touchdown and caught 26 passes for 207 yards last season, his second with the Cowboys. He played from 1993-2002 with the New York Jets, where he also played for Parcells.

Known for their quickness on the field, the St. Louis Rams apparently are prepared to carry over that same kind of speed to the bargaining table this year.

St. Louis Rams: Wasting little time, the club signed fourth-round safety Jerome Carter to a three-year contract. The standout Florida State defensive back, who was the 117th player chosen overall, is the first of the 255 players selected last weekend to reach contract terms.

The three-year deal is worth $1.239 million, ESPN.com has learned, and it includes a signing bonus of $319,000. The base salaries are the standard NFL minimums typically awarded to most rookies outside of the first two rounds: $230,000 (for 2005), $305,000 (2007) and $385,000 (2008).

Compared to the 117th player chosen in the 2004 draft, Carter received a 6 percent raise on the signing bonus.

Not surprisingly, Carter is represented by Sportstars, a Manhattan-based agency noted for negotiating speedy contracts, but deals that hold up exceedingly well even after the draft market is better defined. The Carter deal was negotiated by former NFL defensive tackle Dave Butz, one of several Sportstars agents.

Carter, 22, was a three-year starter for the Seminoles and, given the Rams' situation at safety, could quickly contribute. In 45 games, including 36 starts, Carter had 257 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 11 passes defensed. He also posted 2 ½ sacks and two forced fumbles.

Mostly an in-the-box safety in college, Carter will have to upgrade his coverage skills a bit, but certainly has the tools to do so, including 4.48 speed in the 40. Carter was one of three defensive backs chosen among St. Louis 11 selections.

In other roster knews, the Rams also signed a pair of veteran cornerbacks, Terry Fair and Corey Ivy. Fair was a first-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in 1998 but, after a strong start, his career was sidetracked by injuries. Ivy is a three-year veteran who spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

New York Giants: Forty-two-year-old quarterback Doug Flutie met with team representatives and underwent a physical that could result in the veteran signing on to back up Eli Manning, ESPN.com's John Clayton has learned.

"Hopefully he'll have a decision by the weekend or as early as [Friday]," Flutie's agent Kristen Kuliga told CBC Sports Online, adding an offer hasn't been made.

Indianapolis Colts: The club released two veterans, guard Tupe Peko and safety Anthony Floyd.

Peko started eight of the 11 games in which he played last season. The Colts signed Peko as a free agent in 2002 and he was originally a seventh-round draft choice of the New York Jets.

Floyd was slowed by injuries after the Colts signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville in 2003. He played primarily as a backup and on special teams but also started two games in 2004.

Minnesota Vikings: Linebacker Keith Newman re-signed with the team.

The seven-year veteran started 14 games for Minnesota last season, totaling 71 tackles and 3½ sacks.

A significant problem in 2004, the linebacker position has been revamped by the Vikings. They acquired Napoleon Harris from the Oakland Raiders in the Randy Moss trade and got Sam Cowart from the New York Jets in another deal.

Dontarrious Thomas is expected to be the other starter at linebacker for the Vikings, who begin a three-day minicamp Friday.

Cleveland Browns: The team signed 20 undrafted free agents including Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs and Ohio State defensive end Simon Fraser.

Cribbs threw for 55 touchdowns and rushed for another 38 during his career with the Golden Flashes but will attempt to become a wide receiver in Cleveland.

Fraser agreed to terms earlier in the week with the Browns. He had expected to be selected in the NFL draft.

Other Ohio college players signed by the Browns are defensive lineman Larry Burt and defensive back Matt Pusateri of Miami, defensive lineman Kevin Carberry of Ohio, linebacker Eric Mahl of Kent State and Toledo wide receiver Lance Moore.

All will participate in this weekend's rookie mini-camp.

The Browns will also give tryouts to 22 free agents, including linebacker Chase Blackburn and offensive tackle Mike Grzeskowiak of Akron, offensive lineman Mike Kne of Ohio State, offensive guard Clint Stickdorn of Cincinnati and Wooster running back Tony Sutton.

Information from ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli and The Associated Press was used in this report.