Pittsburgh Steelers: Five-year veteran linebacker John Fiala, the special teams captain for the Steelers in each of the last four seasons, was released Thursday. The club had attempted, without success, to trade Fiala before the 2003 draft.

The former University of Washington standout, signed as an undrafted college free agent in 1997, appeared in 72 games and started two of them during his Steelers tenure. He had 19 tackles from scrimmage and one pass defensed, but his biggest role was in covering punts and kickoffs, and Fiala totaled 90 special teams tackles in five years.

Fiala, 29, essentially was victimized by the numbers game, since the Steelers have one of the deepest linebacker corps in the league. The move will save Pittsburgh about $608,000 on its 2003 salary cap total. Fiala, who played in 11 games in 2002 and finished the year on injured reserve, was scheduled to earn a base salary of $800,000 for the 2003 season.

Pittsburgh also released running back Antwon McCray, a former University of Toledo player who spent the 2002 season on the team's practice squad.

--Len Pasquarelli

New York Giants: Fifth-round draft choice Dave Diehl, an offensive guard who has drawn strong reviews in the Giants' offseason workouts, has signed his first NFL contract, ESPN.com has learned. The three-year deal totals $1,018,500.

The contract includes a signing bonus of $108,500 and rookie minimum base salaries of $225,000 (2003), $305,000 (2004) and $380,000 (2005). The salary cap charge for the '03 season is $261,167.

Diehl, 22, appeared in 24 games at the University of Illinois over the last two seasons. He started 12 games in 2002 and was an All-Big 10 second-team choice. He was credited by the Illini coaching staff with 91 "knockdown blocks" in 2002. Diehl has been playing at right guard for the Giants in mini-camps and, with the team rebuilding the right side of its line because of free agency defections, has a chance to vie for a starting job.

He is the first of the Giants' 11 choices in the 2003 draft to reach a contract agreement.

--Len Pasquarelli

Green Bay Packers: Wide receiver DeAndrew Rubin of South Florida, the second of the Packers' four choices in the seventh round of the 2003 draft, has signed a three-year contract with the team. Sixth-round pick Brennan Curtin, an offensive tackle from Notre Dame, was also signed.

They join fifth-rounder James Lee, a defensive tackle from Oregon State, as the only Packers' draft picks to sign. Green Bay selected nine players in the April draft.

Rubin signed a three-year, $935,000 contract that included rookie minimum salaries and a signing bonus of $25,000. His salary cap charge for 2003 is $233,333.

The speedy wide receiver totaled 91 catches for 1,306 yards and 14 touchdowns in his four years at South Florida, but his greater value to the Packers might come in the return game. Rubin returned 59 kickoffs for a 26.0-yard average and one touchdown. He also averaged 16.4 yards, and scored four touchdowns, on 64 punt returns.

--Len Pasquarelli

New York Giants: Wide receiver Ron Dixon had arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday, and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp next month.

Dixon missed five games last season after undergoing knee surgery. He had 22 receptions for 377 yards, (a 17.1-yard average), and two touchdowns last season, all career-high.

He is expected to compete this season for the third wide receiver spot with second-year man Tim Carter.

The Giants also waived linebacker Brad Rice and defensive end Sean Guthrie.

--Associated Press

Cleveland Browns: Team president Carmen Policy has signed a five-year contract extension that runs through the 2008 season.

Policy, who owns 10 percent of the team, agreed in principle to a new deal in March. He signed the agreement earlier this week, Browns spokesman Todd Stewart said.

Policy signed a five-year deal with the club in 1998.

He was team owner Al Lerner's choice to build the expansion franchise when the club returned to the NFL in 1999.

Policy had considered leaving the Browns after Lerner's death last year, but the former San Francisco 49ers' president decided to make a long-term commitment to stay with the Browns, who are owned by Lerner's son, Randy.

--Associated Press