Dispatches

After Bill Walsh stepped down as the 49ers ' general manager last week, club co-owner John York told him that he'll be earning every cent of his consultant's salary. Terry Donahue takes over as general manager, but Walsh is expected to become a sounding board for York and a key voice in the long-term structuring of the team....

Embarrassment of the Week: The Browns employ the former director of the Secret Service , Lew Merletti, and still got stung by their fifth-round draft pick, Washington linebacker Jeremiah Pharms, who was arrested last week for his alleged involvement in a drug-related robbery near campus in March 2000. "I'm convinced that even his college coach [ Rick Neuheisel ] didn't know about it," Cleveland coach Butch Davis says. Pharms says he will plead not guilty....

Look for wideout Herman Moore , who is scheduled to be paid $5 million this year, to reject Detroit 's request to slash his salary to $1 million. If he does, the team will almost certainly cut him. And if that happens, expect Jerry Rice to take the same deal and finish his career in Detroit ....

As of Monday 19 teams had less than $1.5 million in salary-cap space, meaning they'll need to clear money to sign their recent draft picks. That means the overstocked free-agent pool will be even more crowded with veterans come June....

Fatsos of Spring Department: At a recent minicamp new Bears nosetackle Ted Washington checked in at more than 380 pounds, 50-plus pounds over his listed playing weight of last year....

The Dolphins had been trying for three years to replace tackle Richmond Webb , 34, and when he finally left as a free agent, the Bengals gave him a three-year, $9 million deal. What in the world was Cincinnati thinking?