PRO FOOTBALL : 49ers Re-Sign One Piece of Quarterback Puzzle

The San Francisco 49ers, stung by Reggie White’s rejection and Pierce Holt’s defection, regrouped Wednesday to re-sign quarterback Steve Bono.

The signing of Bono to back up Steve Young, last season’s most valuable player and the 49ers’ designated “franchise player,” puts the squeeze on Joe Montana, the apparent odd man out in a crowded 49er quarterback picture that includes third-stringer Bill Musgrave.

Montana, who has a year left on his contract, has narrowed the list of teams for which he’d play to Kansas City, Phoenix and Tampa Bay.

“I’m just looking for an opportunity to play and that isn’t going to be the case there (San Francisco),” Montana said upon arrival Wednesday night in Kansas City. “That’s all right as long as I can find a home somewhere and get on the field.”

Phoenix General Manager Larry Wilson said Wednesday that the Cardinals are intent on working a trade for Montana and will bring him in Friday for a physical.

The 49ers also said they extended an offer sheet to defensive lineman Jeff Wright, a transitional free agent from Buffalo. Wright has been offered a four-year package worth $6 million.

San Francisco needs defensive line help since losing Holt, their best defensive player, to NFC West rival Atlanta, which signed him as a free agent.

The Raiders signed Donald Frank, a third-year cornerback with the San Diego Chargers, to an offer sheet, but the Chargers quickly matched their two-year, $1.375-million contract offer to keep the restricted free agent.

Frank, who signed with San Diego as a free agent in 1990 from Winston-Salem State, played in all 16 regular-season games last season. Frank, a key special teams member for the Chargers, had four interceptions and 29 tackles.

Wide receiver Mark Carrier, an unrestricted free-agent from Tampa Bay, has agreed to contract terms with the Cleveland Browns, owner Art Modell said Wednesday. Carrier, 27, will sign a three-year deal worth an estimated $1.2 million a year.

Former Tampa Bay quarterback Vinny Testaverde signed with the Browns earlier.

In six seasons with the Buccaneers, Carrier made 321 catches for 5,018 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Phoenix, which lost strong safety Tim McDonald to San Francisco Tuesday, signed free safety Chuck Cecil, who played with the Green Bay Packers last season. Cecil signed a three-year contract worth $5.4 million.

The business manager for Lawrence Taylor had contract talks with the New York Giants, the second session this week in an attempt to bring the linebacker back for a 13th season. Taylor missed the final seven games of last season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury and announced his retirement.