Lake Forest, IL  - The Chicago Bears officially announced the signings of defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna on Friday.

"We had to play free agency very hard because we didn't have a first and second round pick (in this year's draft)," said Bears general manager Jerry Angelo.

Peppers inked a six-year contract that was reportedly worth up to $91.5 million, with $42 million guaranteed, according to the Chicago Tribune. He is due to make $20 million in the first year and can take home $40.5 million in the first three years. The 30-year-old is coming off a season with Carolina in which he played under the franchise tender, recording 10 1/2 sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles and a touchdown in 16 games.

"I'm excited to be here, and I'm looking forward to doing big things," Peppers said. "Getting to come to a place with the deep rooted tradition of winning is a great thing for me. It's one thing to play football in this league and make a living, but it's a totally different thing to come to a team with a rich tradition like the Bears."

Peppers, who was the second overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Panthers. He missed only six regular season games during his stint with Carolina and has reached double-digits in sacks six times.

Widely viewed as the marquee free agent of this offseason, Peppers has totaled 81 sacks, six interceptions, 30 forced fumbles and two touchdowns in 122 regular season games.

"Being able to generate pressure from the front four is huge," said Bears head coach Lovie Smith. "Julius will help all of our players...He'll just make it better for our coverage."

Taylor, also 30, signed a four-year deal that is reportedly worth $12.5 million, with $7 million guaranteed, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The Toledo product recently finished his fourth season in Minnesota and third straight as the backup to two-time All-Pro Adrian Peterson. He ran for 338 yards on 94 carries last season and caught 44 passes for 389 yards, totaling two touchdowns.

"I can run outside or in between the tackles," Taylor said. "As long as the offensive line gives me a good crease, I can just hit it."

His best season came in 2006, when he was the primary back for the Vikings. In 15 games, Taylor carried the ball 303 times for 1,216 yards -- both career- highs -- and ran for six scores. Through 123 regular season games in eight seasons with Minnesota and Baltimore, the durable Taylor has totaled 4,396 rushing yards, 2,094 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.

"(Taylor's signing) has nothing to do with any pecking order," Angelo said, referring to a possible depth chart battle between Taylor and current starter Matt Forte.

Hampton, GA  - Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date: Sunday, March 7. Race: Kobalt Tools 500. Site: Atlanta Motor Speedway. Track: 1.54-mile oval. Start time: 1:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 325. Miles: 500.5. 2009 winner: Kurt Busch. Television: FOX. Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.

Since his disappointing 35th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson has soared to fifth in the points standings with consecutive victories at California and Las Vegas.

Johnson's win at California came with a little bit of luck. The four-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion benefited from a late-race caution when he pitted just before the yellow flag was displayed. He then held off a hard- charging Kevin Harvick in the closing laps.

Last Sunday, Johnson spoiled Jeff Gordon's dominate day at Las Vegas. Gordon led a track-record 219 laps, but he took two new tires only during his final pit stop. After putting on four tires, Johnson chased down his Hendrick Motorsports teammate and then made the winning pass with 17 laps to go.

It's early in the season, but Johnson's "drive for five" straight titles appears to be in full gear.

"We're excited," Johnson said. "It's early in the year, and it's a relief to know that we worked in the right areas over the off-season. Richmond [fall race] is a long way away from right now. We need to keep collecting points, winning races, make the Chase and then get to work for what we're really here for."

If Johnson wins this weekend at Atlanta, it will be his 50th career victory, which will place him in a tie with Ned Jarrett and 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Junior Johnson for 10th on the series' all-time race winners list.

Johnson has three victories at Atlanta, including a season sweep at the fast 1.54-mile track in 2007.

Heading into Atlanta, Harvick holds a 47-point lead over his Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer. The resurgence of RCR continued at Las Vegas, with Harvick, Bowyer and Jeff Gordon turning in impressive performances once again. All three drivers have finished no worse than 11th in the first three races.

Atlanta has been one Harvick's best tracks. Despite a 19th-place result in points last season, Harvick finished fourth at Atlanta one year ago and then followed up with a second-place run there last September.

"We are really looking forward to Atlanta based upon how we ran there last time," Harvick said. "It has become one of those tracks that has been really good for us in anything that we have been racing there over the past three or four years."

Harvick's first Cup victory came at Atlanta on March 11, 2001, just weeks after RCR named him as replacement driver for Dale Earnhardt following Earnhardt's fatal crash in the Daytona 500. Harvick edged Gordon by 0.006 seconds at Atlanta for his maiden win in just his third start.

New York, NY  - The National Football League announced on Tuesday that the 2011 Pro Bowl, which is to return to Honolulu after a one- year absence, will be once again played the week before the Super Bowl.

The decision to hold the game, which features the NFL's best players, the week before Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas was made easier after ratings for the 2010 game were the best since 2000.

"Playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl generated more excitement and interest in the event and also kicked off Super Bowl week in an innovative new way," said league senior vice president of events Frank Supovitz. "We are pleased to return to the State of Hawaii, which has embraced the Pro Bowl for 30 years.

The contest will return to Aloha Stadium in Honolulu for both 2011 and 2012. The NFL had announced major changes to their annual All-Star event last season, moving the 2010 Pro Bowl to Miami and playing it one week prior to the Super Bowl.

The Pro Bowl had been played one week after the championship game and was hosted by Honolulu from 1980 through 2009. Texas last hosted a Pro Bowl in 1973, at the then-new Texas Stadium in Irving.

New York, NY  - The National Football League set the order for the first round of the 2010 draft with three tiebreaking coin flips.

The Jacksonville Jaguars won a flip with the Denver Broncos for the 10th pick in April's draft. Denver, which acquired the pick from Chicago in the Jay Cutler trade, will select 11th.

Tennessee won a flip for the 16th pick. San Francisco, which obtained the choice from Carolina, will choose 17th. Also, Atlanta gained the 19th pick after winning a flip with Houston, which will select 20th.

The first round of the draft is scheduled for Thursday, April 22.

St. Louis has the first pick, followed by Detroit, Tampa Bay, Washington, Kansas City, Seattle, Cleveland, Oakland, Buffalo and now Jacksonville.

Denver will be followed by Miami, San Francisco, Seattle (from Denver), the New York Giants, Tennessee, San Francisco (from Carolina), Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Houston.

Cincinnati, one of 12 playoff teams from 2009, will have the 21st pick, followed by New England, Green Bay, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Arizona, Dallas, San Diego, the New York Jets, Minnesota, Indianapolis and Super Bowl champion New Orleans.