Former Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme canceled his visit with the Saints on Saturday and agreed to a two-year contract at $7 million per year, a starter's salary.

Delhomme, 35, is expected to go to Cleveland to be the starting quarterback. He would have been a backup to Drew Brees had he chosen to join the Saints again.  Late Sunday, the Browns and the Broncos announced they've reached an agreement to trade the Browns’ quarterback, Brady Quinn, for fullback Peyton Hillis a sixth-round draft choice two years ago.

Delhomme spent three seasons learning Browns president Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense from Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, who was his offensive coordinator with the Saints from 2000-2002.   Those close to Delhomme are convinced he can regain the form that helped him led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 and earn a Pro Bowl berth in 2005. He had a 58-40 record as a starter for Carolina.

The Browns hope Delhomme can rebound from the tailspin he's been in since his six-turnover divisional playoff game against the Cardinals in 2008. He followed that with a five-turnover debacle against the Eagles in the 2009 opener. By the time he left in Week11 with a broken middle finger, he had a career-high 18 interceptions against only eight touchdowns and a 4-7 record. That's when he lost the starting job to Matt Moore.

The Panthers still owe Delhomme $12.6 million guaranteed from his 2009 contract extension -- a five-year, $42.5 million deal.

The Panthers begin their start of the voluntary off-season on Monday.

When he was released by the Panthers a tearful Delhomme said, "Six of my seven years playing here have been outstanding. It's been a great run. I'm leaving with no animosity whatsoever."

Free agent defensive end James Hall visited the Saints this weekend, but didn't sign a contract.  The Saints are also planning to bring defensive end Leonard Little in for a visit. Both Hall and Little are former Rams. There has been speculation that the Saints might make a run at Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards. a restricted free agent who has been tendered at the first round level.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis said Friday that Reggie Bush will come back this season at a salary of $8 million. Pro Football Weekly publisher Mike Florio wrote that decision has more to do with business and less with football. Wrote Florio: "It can't be about football because Bush doesn't bring $8 million worth of football to the table. Indeed, if Bush is worth $8 million as a matter of football value, then Darren Sharper should get $14 million and Drew Brees $25 million.  No, this about maintaining the post Super Bowl buzz, about selling jerseys, about keeping the fans from engaging in all-out revolt. The situation will get more interesting  in 2011 when his salary jumps to $11.8 million, and then when a salary cap quite possibly will return. And when the Saints may not be riding the waves of an NFL title."

Where's Marcus Dupree? You'll find the former USFL Breakers running back in his hometown of Philadelphia, Miss., where he is involved in several businesses with his agent, Bud Holmes, who was also Walter Payton's agent. The madness surrounding his college recruitment was so large-scale that prominent novelist Willie Morris even wrote about it entitled "The courtship of Marcus Dupree."  Dupree signed with Oklahoma and made second-team All-American as a freshman, but a much-publicized rift with coach Barry Switzer resulted in his transferring to Southern Mississippi. But he never played a down there and at 19 signed with the Breakers. After his third knee surgery, he landed with the Rams but he played sparingly because of bad knees and retired. He still follows football, particularily the Saints. Former Saints running back Buford Jordan is his cousin. 

The Saints have the fourth-highest payroll in the NFL at $121,552,424. The Giants have the highest at $138,345,866, followed by the Dolphins ($126,855,921) and  Texans ($122,258,619), Team on the bottom is the Chiefs ($81,829,650)...Ex LSU receiver Michael Clayton is due a $1 million roster on Monday but the Bucs, and the bonus whether he's on the rooster or not and Tampa Bay said it won't make a decision on him until after training camp. The Bucs signed him to a horrid five-year $24 million deal last offseason. He caught 16 passes for 230 yards last season...Former Saints safety Josh Bullocks has been re-signed by the Bears to a one-year contract. He made four starts last season...