On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Mark Bruener, arguably the best blocking tight end in the league, a new five-year contract for roughly $14 million.

Ken Dilger, released by the Colts for cap reasons, is getting plenty of attention on the free-agent market. Dilger, like Bruener, is considered a good blocker.

Many teams are interested in signing free agent Ken Dilger.(Allsport)

Teams are placing a premium on tight ends who can handle defensive ends, which help key the run game.

They're hard to find.

"Name me five good blocking tight ends in the league," said Vikings coach Mike Tice.

Bruener, Kyle Brady of the Jaguars, Dilger.

"And?" Tice asked.

Point made.

While Bruener, Brady and Dilger are all known more for their blocking, they also can be factors in the passing game. Not deep factors, but medium-range threats in the middle of the field.

By contrast, players such as Shannon Sharpe and Stephen Alexander are more dangerous down the field but block mainly by relying on technique or a finesse style.

In summation, complete tight ends are a rare commodity.

"If you get one, you're very lucky," said one AFC personnel director.

Luckily for teams in search of tight ends -- and there are plenty -- the April draft is loaded. The question is whether any of them is capable of being both a good blocker and a receiving threat.

Miami's Jeremy Shockey, regarded as the top tight end, is more receiver. It's the same for Daniel Graham, ranked second out of Colorado. They don't overpower people at the point.

So who has the chance to be good at both?

Alabama's Terry Jones Jr. has shown that ability. His father, Terry Sr., played for the Packers.

At 6-feet-3, 270 pounds, Jones is a willing blocker who can get down the field in the passing game. He suffered a knee injury in 2000 but recovered enough to show well in 2001.

Jones might be that all-purpose tight end. If he is, in a couple of years when his contract is up, expect him to be getting that big money.

Around the league

• The Falcons' decision to pay Seattle tackle Todd Weiner a bunch of money might surprise some. But Weiner is considered one of those rising players, a guy who is only going to get better, The Falcons studied him closely on tape and were thrilled with the way he played last season. Weiner opened the season as the backup to Chris McIntosh but went into the lineup when McIntosh suffered a neck injury. He played well enough to earn the big raise from the Falcons, getting a five-year, $17.5 million contract. Speaking of the Falcons, they were expected to name Tim Ruskell as the general manager sometime this week, but those plans have hit a snag and that he might not be coming. While Ruskell is a solid personnel man and deserves a chance to move up, the real question is whether he is any better than Ron Hill, who's already with the Atlanta organization? Hill, who received a new contract and promotion last year to VP of football operations, has one year left on his deal. But if Ruskell came on board, it would seem to usurp some of his power. Said one league scout: "If Ron Hill wasn't already with the Falcons, he'd be the guy they'd be going after." Maybe that's something new owner Arthur Blank has finally realized. Plus word has it that coach Dan Reeves is strongly pushing to keep the current regime in place.
• Can Seahawks owner Paul Allen be happy with the way coach Mike Holmgren has botched the quarterback situation? A year ago, Holmgren traded for Matt Hasselbeck, thinking he would be the quarterback of the future. Not only did Holmgren give up draft picks, but the team also signed Hasselbeck to a five-year, $24 million contract. A year later, Trent Dilfer is the starter. Dilfer, signed late last season to a one-year deal to back up Hasselbeck, clearly outplayed him when given the chance in 2001. That led to the Seahawks re-signing Dilfer last week to a four-year deal that could pay him as much as $18 million if he hits some incentives. Holmgren quickly anointed him the starter. "How can Holmgren look that owner in the eye after what he's done?" said one NFC personnel director.
• The Rams couldn't get rid of right tackle Ryan Tucker fast enough. The spinning top on their line, Tucker was released last week. Before that, the Rams had offered him around the league in trade talks, calling Miami, the team that had signed him to an offer sheet the year before. The Dolphins didn't want him. The Rams matched that offer sheet last year, thinking Tucker would develop into a solid player. But he struggled badly, although he was slowed some by injuries. The Browns signed Tucker to a four-year, $9 million deal Thursday, including a $2.8 million signing bonus. The Rams certainly had to be laughing. Tucker, who came into the league as a center, might move inside for the Browns. If he does, that's pretty steep money for an average guard.
• Any who doubted that the Saints' plan to go with Deuce McAllister as their starting back would have only had to see their interview room at the combine. They had two posters of McAllister up. There was no mention of Ricky Williams.
• A lot of people around the league are wondering what the Ravens are going to do at quarterback. Here's what: Be better off with Chris Redman than Elvis Grbac. Redman has a chance to be a special player. The third-year player from Louisville has a big arm and a good understanding of the passing game, having played in a pro-style attack in college. The decision by the Ravens to let Grbac walk was the right one. His teammates never really liked him, and he simply wasn't very good last season. Redman has a chance to be a very good player if coach Brian Billick allows him to play a more up-tempo style.
• The Texans are excited about the prospects of signing Rob Johnson to a one-year deal for $1 million. The thinking is this: If Johnson plays well, he will go the entire season and allow David Carr, who will be the top pick in the draft, to develop behind him. If Johnson struggles, then Carr would be forced to play. The only drawback will be whether Johnson can handle the pressure of having fans clamoring to see the kid. The Texans do not think that will be a problem, since this will give him a chance to jump-start his career -- if he does agree to sign. Carr said last week at the combine that he talks with Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer on a regular basis. Carr said there has been some discussion about his delivery of the football, which is a little too low for Palmer. "He said he would change a little bit of my throwing motion," Carr said. "Hey, I've got no problem with that. I've never really paid too much attention to it until about halfway through the season, and then I started hearing a little too much about it. It's the way I've always thrown, so I don't want to change. But if someone really wants me, I guess I could."
• While there are major concerns about the knee of Texas tackle Mike Williams, one coach said their team doctors had no problem with it and would love to have a shot at taking him. "The guy is a monster," said the coach. Williams weighed 375 pounds at the combine but did not look overweight. He played the right side at Texas, but many teams feel he has more than enough athletic ability to move to the left in the NFL. Some teams are concerned about Williams' knee, saying it has a ligament injury that will require major surgery. But he played on it all of last season and denies surgery is necessary before next season. If he falls out of the top 10, somebody is going to get one heck of a player, a player some scouts are comparing to Arizona guard Leonard Davis, a former Longhorns player who dominated last season as a rookie.
• A free-agent signing that won't get much fanfare but is one of the better ones thus far is the Bears' signing of Tampa Bay running back Rabih Abdullah. It's not that Abdullah is going to find his way into the starting backfield, but he's one of the best special teams cover players in the league. With Larry Whigham and Abdullah, the Bears should be among the best in covering kicks and punts next season.
• If the Jaguars think they are going to get cap relief from quarterback Mark Brunell, they need to think again. Sources have indicated Brunell is so upset with the handling of the offseason so far -- such as placing good friend Tony Boselli in the expansion pool -- that he has no intention of offering to help out. Brunell's cap figure for 2002 is $8.25 million and the Jaguars are roughly $395,000 under the cap. Brunell is open to a trade, but while the Jaguars have made inquiries, they now say they intend to hold onto the quarterback. By not restructuring, Brunell can make that a tough thing to do. This one could get interesting in the next couple of months.
• One of the more intriguing prospects to emerge the past week is a big corner from a small school: Tony Beckham, a 6-3 corner from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Beckham ran 4.35 at the combine, which has many teams doing a more intense study on him. Beckham didn't run during a pro day at the University of Wisconsin on Wednesday, which is a sign that he has done enough. The book on Beckham is that he can turn and run and cover, but that he's not much when it comes to hitting. But he is good in man defense, which is something that can't be taught. He should be drafted now after coming from nowhere.