NFL: Warner, Cards inch closer to deal

The Cardinals and the agent for Kurt Warner appear to be creeping toward agreement on a new contract, but there remains significant ground to cover before free agency starts on Friday. General Manager Rod Graves and Warner's agent, Mark Bartelstein, spoke several times at the NFL Scouting Combine in the past few days, and it appears the gap between their points of view have narrowed, at least a little.

Bartelstein is believed to be asking for a deal that put Warner among the top five highest paid quarterbacks in the league, an average of $12 million to $16 million or so. The Cardinals would like to stay in the $10 million range. Bartelstein has returned home to Chicago, but the two sides plan to talk in the coming days. Bartelstein declined to discuss details of negotiations but said "a significant gap" remained. -- Arizona Republic