San Francisco 49ers: The subject of considerable offseason trade discussions, wide receiver Tai Streets will return to San Francisco for at least one more year, as the three-year veteran on Thursday re-signed with the 49ers, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

A restricted free agent, Streets, 26, signed a one-year deal for $1.318 million. That is the amount of the qualifying offer the 49ers made to Streets back in February to retain a right of first refusal in the event he signed an offer sheet with another team.

Streets enjoyed a breakout year in 2002, his first as a full-time starter, as he registered 72 catches for 756 yards and five touchdowns, while serving as an effective complement to 49ers star wide receiver Terrell Owens. The former University of Michigan standout was a fourth-round choice in the 1999 draft.

Because of a technicality involving an injury that occurred in his rookie season, Streets was not eligible for unrestricted free agency this spring, as he and his agents thought was the case. Unless he signs an extension to his new contract, he will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2003 season and should generate solid interest.

During this offseason, both the New York Jets and Detroit Lions considered trading for Streets, but then backed off those efforts. For his career, Streets has 121 catches for 1,413 yards and six touchdowns. A bit of a longstrider, he is a solid possession-type receiver, and is already penciled in as a starter again this year. San Francisco will release former first-round draft choice J.J. Stokes next month, further enhancing Streets' profile.

The 49ers also re-signed free agent safety Ronnie Heard, a special teams standout, to a one-year contract believed to be worth $450,000. Heard, 26, started six games in 2002 and had four interceptions in replacing the injured Zach Bronson, but his strong suit is in covering kickoffs and punts. He has appeared in 41 games in three seasons.

San Francisco released defensive tackle D'Marco Farr, officially ending the comeback attempt of the former St. Louis Rams star. A seven-year veteran who had not played since his release following the 2000 season, Farr attended the 49ers mini-camp last week but was beset by knee problems and told the 49ers he likely would retire.

Atlanta Falcons: Facing a logjam at the strong safety spot, the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday released four-year veteran Johndale Carty, in a bit of a surprise even given the numbers at the position, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports.

Carty, 25, was a fourth-round choice in the 1999 draft and the former Utah State standout was believed to be well regarded by Falcons coaches. But the Falcons signed unrestricted free agent Cory Hall in March and second-year veteran Kevin McCadam, and Carty was to some extent a victim of the numbers game.

He was scheduled to earn a base salary of $530,000 for this season and is now subject to league waivers.

In four seasons, Carty appeared in 61 games and started three of them. He had 38 tackles from scrimmage, and two interceptions, and also posted 42 special teams tackles.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars on Thursday retained one of their solid young defenders, with restricted free agent linebacker T.J. Slaughter signing a one-year contract that is worth $605,000, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports. The team made Slaughter a qualifying offer at that amount in February in order to retain a right of first refusal.

A versatile performer, Slaughter has started 26 games in three seasons, logging time at both the middle linebacker and weakside linebacker positions. In 36 career appearances, he has 306 tackles, one sack, two fumbles forced and two fumbles recovered.

Slaughter, 26, was chosen in the third round of the 2000 draft from Southern Mississippi. He is one of just four players in Jags history to total 100 tackles as a rookie. Slaughter missed the first month of the 2002 season because of an elbow injury and NFL-imposed four-game suspension for violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

St. Louis Rams: The Rams promoted Lawrence McCutcheon to director of player personnel Thursday.

McCutcheon, with the franchise 30 seasons, was director of scouting for four years.

He was a five-time Pro Bowl running back with the Rams from 1972-79 and is second in franchise history in carries (1,425) and yards (6,186). He's the team's postseason rushing leader with 687 yards on 173 carries.

McCutcheon led the team in rushing in five consecutive seasons from 1973-77 and had four 1,000-yard seasons.

His son, Daylon, is a cornerback for the Cleveland Browns.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.