And now, in terms of starting quarterback vacancies, there is one.

ESPN.com has learned that free agent quarterback Jeff Blake, who played last year for the Baltimore Ravens, agreed to contract terms on Wednesday with the Arizona Cardinals, leaving the Chicago Bears the lone franchise still seeking a starter.

	Blake

Blake had been the fallback quarterback for the Bears, who are still pursuing free agent Kordell Stewart, but grew weary of waiting for a resolution of that decision, and received a significantly better offer from the Cardinals.

He will sign a three-year contract worth $7.5 million, ESPN.com confirmed through NFL sources, and his compensation for 2003 is $3.5 million. Agent Ralph Cindrich, who negotiated the contract, was traveling on Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.

But the $3.5 million for 2003, which represents Blake's signing bonus and base salary, is nearly double the first-year compensation that the Baltimore Ravens offered to retain his services during recent negotiations.

The Bears, ESPN.com has learned, have placed a Thursday deadline on their proposal to Stewart, but it remains to be seen how solid they are on an offer that is believed to be worth about $3 million annually.

Contract negotiations between the Ravens and Blake spiraled from neutral to non-existent last Thursday, when the team rescinded its offer, after learning the quarterback planned to visit with other franchises. The Ravens had been offering Blake a three-year contract for what Cindrich characterized last week as "backup money."

Barring a monumental upset, Blake will go to camp as the Arizona starter. The Cardinals lost six-year starter Jake Plummer in free agency and do not have another viable option to Blake at this point.

Blake, 32, is an 11-year veteran and has started 87 regular-season games, while appearing in 102 contests. In stints with the New York Jets (1992-93), Cincinnati (1994-99), New Orleans (2000-2001) and Baltimore (2002), he has completed 1,593 of 2,828 passes for 19,283 yards.

The former East Carolina star has 119 touchdown passes, 83 interceptions and a passer rating of 79.2.

Last season, he completed 165 of 295 passes for 2,084 yards, with 13 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and a passer rating of 77.3.

He signed a one-year contract with Baltimore last season, ostensibly to back up Chris Redman, but assumed the starting role when the youngster suffered a disc injury in October.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.