NFL News and Notes

Grant Wistrom has done it all in his college and NFL careers, winning three national championships at Nebraska and a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams. Now he's looking to add the title of "coach" to his football résumé, and he's willing to start small.

Released last month from the Seattle Seahawks, the 30-year-old defensive end plans to move home to southwest Missouri and become an assistant coach at the Springfield high school where his older brother, Chance, is principal.

Wistrom hasn't officially retired from the NFL, but said Monday he is "99.9 percent sure" he won't be playing an 11th season in the pros.

The Wistrom brothers and Parkview High School head coach Wes Beachler confirmed Monday that Grant Wistrom would be joining the Parkview staff.

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Spurned by their primary offseason target for bolstering the offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks are bringing back veteran guard Chris Gray with a two-year contract worth $2.1 million in base salary, plus bonuses, according to the NFL players association.

Gray, who turns 37 in June, will be starting his 15th season -- his 10th with the Seahawks -- when Seattle has its first minicamp next month. His team record of 121 consecutive starts ended last Dec. 31 in the regular-season finale because of a bruised right quadriceps, but he returned to start both of Seattle's playoff games in January.

His base pay is $820,000 for the upcoming season and would be $1.28 million for 2008.

The Seahawks were close to signing San Diego free agent guard Kris Dielman early last month after they flew him to Seattle on a private jet. While he was out to dinner with Matt Hasselbeck and some other Seattle players, Dielman got a text message from his agent that a Seahawks contract worth approximately $49 million was all but ready to be signed.

But Dielman instead heeded his own doubts, plus constant calls from Chargers teammates to stay with the defending AFC West champions. The next morning, he signed a six-year deal with San Diego worth $39 million, with $17 million guaranteed in the first two years.

Seattle starting offensive line entering the 2007 season will likely have Gray at right guard and oft-injured veteran Floyd Womack, who re-signed earlier this offseason for $700,000 and one year, at left guard. Sean Locklear, a third-round draft pick in 2004, will be beginning his third season at right tackle opposite Jones. Chris Spencer, the team's first-round pick in '05 who started 13 games plus both playoff games last season, will be back at center.

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Making only their second dip into the free agent market this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday signed unrestricted defensive end Nick Eason, who played the past two seasons for the Cleveland Browns.

Expected to add depth and flexibility to the defensive line, Eason signed a one-year contract, believed to be for the league minimum base salary.

The only other unrestricted free agent signed by the Steelers this spring was offensive lineman Sean Mahan, formerly of Tampa Bay, who will contend for a starting spot at either center or guard. The Steelers traditionally rely more on the draft than on free agency to build their team and that philosophy will not change under first-year coach Mike Tomlin.

Eason, 26, is coming off the most productive season of his career, having notched 23 tackles in a backup role with the Browns in 2006. He is a good fit for the Pittsburgh defense because he has the kind of size the Steelers want at defensive end in their 3-4 front, and can also slide inside to tackle on occasion.

Pittsburgh last week lost top veteran backup Rodney Bailey, who signed with Arizona as an unrestricted free agent, and Eason will ostensibly replace him on the roster.

A former Clemson standout, Eason was chosen by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve, spent some time on the Denver and Cleveland practice squads, then earned a roster spot with the Browns in 2005.

Eason has 44 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in 30 regular-season appearances.