News briefs: Patriots re-sign Bodden to four-year deal

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have kept another free agent from leaving, re-signing cornerback Leigh Bodden to a four-year deal.

Bodden's deal, which was announced by his agent on Twitter, comes on the same day the Patriots confirmed that they re-signed defensive lineman Vince Wilfork. Wilfork and his agent announced the deal on Saturday.

"We don't think there's a better player on the marketplace for this team" than Wilfork, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said on WEEI-AM. "We've been able to sign a number of our guys this year that we felt were No. 1 or 2 in the marketplace."

The team also announced that offensive lineman Stephen Neal would return. Last week, the team re-upped pass rusher Tully Banta-Cain, part of the team's offseason philosophy to bring back its own players rather than make splashy and expensive new acquisitions.

"We're in the business of quality depth management," Kraft said. "If you lose someone you have to have depth. And if you don't have depth, you're in trouble."

"It's unfortunate in this business you can't keep everyone you want to keep," Kraft said. Full story

Broncos sign DL Green, Williams

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos continued beefing up their defensive line, signing unrestricted free agents Jamal Williams and Jarvis Green.

Williams, a 12-year veteran, was the run-stuffing anchor of the San Diego Chargers' defensive line. He injured an arm in last season's opener and missed the rest of the year. The 6-foot-3, 348-pound Williams will turn 34 next month and also has a history of knee injuries.

He was released by the Chargers last Thursday before the free agency period began.

Williams was one of just two players left from Bobby Beathard's tenure as Chargers general manager. Beathard, who retired in 2000, picked Williams in the second round of the 1998 supplemental draft.

Saints bring back Torrence

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says the club has agreed to re-sign reserve defensive back Leigh Torrence to a one-year contract.

Torrence has been with the Saints since being claimed off waivers in November 2008.

He played in five games for New Orleans in 2009 before injuring his shoulder and finishing the year on injured reserve.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound former Stanford standout has played four NFL seasons, including stints with Atlanta and Washington.

Jury gets case in Williams trial

DENVER -- A man accused of firing the shots that killed Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams lived in a gang culture where an insult following a confrontation in a nightclub proved to be enough to send him into a murderous rage, prosecutors said.

"He wouldn't take a fist fight he can't win, but he'd take a gun fight he can't lose," Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Levin said of Willie Clark during closing statements in the 26-year-old's trial.

Clark faces 21 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault in the New Year's Day 2007 shooting. Two others were injured in the shooting that killed Williams, a rising star in the NFL in late 2006. Jurors were to begin deliberations Wednesday morning.

Clark's attorney, Abraham Hutt, said the evidence presented during the trial pointed to Clark not being in a white SUV from which more than a dozen gunshots were fired into the rented Hummer limousine carrying Williams and other football players.

Bears release RB Jones

CHICAGO -- Injury-plagued running back Kevin Jones has been released by the Chicago Bears.

The Bears let Jones go after signing running back Chester Taylor away from Minnesota last Friday, when they also lured Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers from Carolina and blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna from San Diego.

Jones missed last season after tearing ligaments in his left ankle in the preseason finale against Cleveland. He appeared in 11 games and ran for 109 yards with Chicago in 2008 while trying to come back from foot and knee injuries that plagued him the previous two years in Detroit.

He missed the final three games of the 2006 season and the first two of 2007 because of a foot injury. Then he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee late that season."

Vikings agree with Sapp

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings and cornerback Benny Sapp have agreed to terms on a new contract.

Sapp started a total of seven games last season while filling in for injured starter Antoine Winfield, totaling 25 tackles, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles during a particularly strong six-game stretch. He finished the regular season with 55 tackles, the most in his NFL seasons.

Sapp served the rest of the season as the nickel back, and his presence this year will be important since Winfield and fellow starter Cedric Griffin are coming off injuries.

Sapp first signed with the Vikings in 2008 as an unrestricted free agent.

Sorgi heads to Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After six years backing up Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, Jim Sorgi will get a chance to do the same for Peyton's brother Eli.

The New York Giants announced that they have signed Sorgi to a one-year deal. Contract terms were not disclosed.

Sorgi will compete with second-year man Rhett Bomar for the Giants' backup quarterback job.

The 6-foot-5, 196-pound quarterback was the Colts' sixth-round draft choice in 2004.

K. Williams takes stand in lawsuit

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams testified that he was under pressure to lose weight and earn a $400,000 bonus when he took a weight-loss supplement two years ago -- a supplement he didn't know contained a substance banned by the NFL.

The testimony was the first from a player in the closely watched trial deciding whether the NFL's use of its anti-doping policy broke Minnesota labor law.

Williams said he learned about the StarCaps supplement from a teammate and thought that the over-the-counter drug contained natural substances, which his attorney identified as "papaya and garlic." After undergoing surgery on his left knee in 2006, Williams said he began taking StarCaps at the start of training camp in 2007 to "help me shed a couple extra pounds, for health reasons, keep the coach off my back" and to make his weight bonus.

Williams, whose playing weight is 310 pounds, said his weight will rise to 315 pounds in the offseason. When he's not at his playing weight, the lineman said Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar makes him "feel real bad."