Reggie White's interest in returning to the NFL goes back to when Bruce Smith signed his contract with the Washington Redskins in excess of $4 million per season. However, it is Smith's massive contract that could nix the return of the NFL's all-time sack leader.

	The "Minister of Defense" was dominant in the trenches.

To lock up Eddie George, the Titans will have to make him the league's highest-paid running back, which will make it difficult to muster an offer of even $1 million a year for White. Smith's big contract also is making sack specialist Neil Smith say no to offers for the minimum of $440,000.

Budget buster
Despite forking out more than $17 million in signing bonuses for Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Jeff George and Mark Carrier, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder still vows he won't go over budget.

But, he still has to sign first-round picks LaVar Arrington and Chris Samuels, along with Stephen Davis. Plus, the 'Skins want to extend Brad Johnson's contract. Thanks to deferred payments, the Redskins are on target for a $77 million payroll, including $22 million in signing bonuses. As far as next year's cap, 14 teams are in worse shape.

Good news for Gruber
All signs are go on left tackle Paul Gruber's recovery from a broken right leg. The Bucs will try to sign Gruber before training camp but keep him on the injury list until October, leaving the starting job to Jason Odom.

As for the pool of accomplished left tackles still out there, there seems to be little interest in Bruce Armstrong, John Jackson and Jumbo Elliott, whom Jets teammates say can be talked out of retirement.

Barnes bounces back
Frankfort Galaxy quarterback Pat Barnes, expected to sign with New Orleans on Thursday, took two successful NFL Europe seasons to recover from the one he skipped in 1998.

A broken wrist suffered at the 1997 Senior Bowl that took more than a year to heal made him refuse a Chiefs' invitation to go to Europe in 1998. Kansas City then let him bounce to Jacksonville and Oakland before he could re-establish himself in Frankfort the past two seasons.

Guarded approach
The Packers started an interesting negotiation last week with Ross Verba, whom they switched from left tackle to left guard before his free-agent season.

The debate is whether to pay Verba a contract in excess of $4 million for blocking the great right defensive tackles of the NFC Central -- Warren Sapp, John Randle, Luther Elliss and Mike Wells. In the past, the Packers said goodbye to guards Aaron Taylor, Adam Timmerman and Raleigh McKenzie before their big paydays.