Former University of Hawai'i quarterback Tim Chang signed a contract with the Detroit Lions after working out yesterday, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Chang, who passed for an NCAA record 17,072 career yards with the Warriors, went undrafted in April, but signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent. He was released by Arizona on Aug. 9, five days before the Cardinals' first exhibition game.

Chang also set the NCAA season record with 64 touchdown passes last season while running coach June Jones' run-and-shoot offense.

Joey Harrington has been named the starter and Jeff Garcia the backup by Lions coach Steve Mariucci. Dan Orlovsky, a fifth-round draft pick from Connecticut, has played in both exhibition games. Rookie Todd Mortensen of San Diego also is in camp.

"The kind of college career he had and success he had, we just wanted to take a look at him, see his arm, watch him move around," team president Matt Millen told the paper. "He made all the throws. It was a good little workout. There are a lot of guys we're going to bring through."

BEARS

FIRST-ROUNDER VISITS

Cedric Benson paid a surprise visit to Chicago's training facility yesterday, the 33rd day of the first-round draft pick's holdout.

Benson, a running back out of Texas who was the No. 4 selection overall, showed up at Halas Hall and met with general manager Jerry Angelo, but there were no negotiations. Benson's agent, Eugene Parker, was not present. Benson stayed for about half an hour.

Benson is the only first-round draft pick still unsigned. Last week, Angelo issued a statement saying the Bears had made their final offer and there was no more money on the table.

REDSKINS

LB ARRINGTON WILL SIGN

LaVar Arrington and Washington reached a settlement yesterday, ending a contract dispute that stretched 17 months and strained relations between the team's front office and its star linebacker.

The resolution comes after several postponed arbitration hearings stemming from a grievance Arrington filed against the Redskins in March 2004. Arrington had contended that the Redskins cheated him of $6.5 million in bonus money as part of an eight-year, $68 million contract extension signed in December 2003.

The Redskins contended they had not, and Arrington eventually dropped the arbitration case.

SECURITY CHECK

PATDOWNS COMING

Fans attending NFL games this season will be subject to pat-downs as part of enhanced security implemented by commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Tagliabue emphasized in a letter to teams that there was no specific additional threat.

But he noted that some stadiums had done hand searches of fans for several years under the increased security in place since Sept. 11, 2001. The searches also have been used during playoff games and at the Super Bowls played since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Tagliabue said that owners decided at their meeting of Aug. 10 to extend it to all stadiums.

PANTHERS

TEAM OFFICIALS CLEARED

Carolina officials didn't know some of its players visited a South Carolina doctor suspected of writing illegal steroids prescriptions, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

The NFL began its investigation into allegations of steroid use after a CBS News report in March identified center Jeff Mitchell, tackle Todd Steussie and punter Todd Sauerbrun as having filled prescriptions written by Dr. James Shortt of West Columbia, S.C., for steroids. Several other former Panthers have also been named as Shortt's patients in subsequent media reports.

VIKINGS

CENTER TO HAVE SURGERY

Minnesota center Matt Birk could miss three months because of hip surgery after the Vikings declined to guarantee his contract for 2006.

Birk, a former Pro Bowl player, had been cleared to play with painkilling injections, but asked Minnesota to guarantee his nearly $4 million salary for 2006 in exchange for him taking a risk and playing with the pain.