A woman who accused Steelers running back Najeh Davenport of domestic violence testified yesterday in Cleveland that he slapped and choked her and punched her stomach.

"And it wasn't until I heard somebody yelling, like, get off her, get off her, is what finally made him stop," Anita Person, the mother of Davenport's 5-year-old child, said in a courtroom.

Davenport is charged with misdemeanor domestic violence and child endangering. City prosecutors say he slammed Person to the ground, hit her and tried to choke her after he drove from Pittsburgh to Cleveland Oct. 4 to pick up his 5-year-old son for a weekend visit.

Person said Davenport had physically abused her on several occasions, at times more severely.

Davenport's attorney, Patrick D'Angelo, has said photos showed that Person had no marks on her face and neck.

If convicted, Davenport could face a jail sentence of 14 months and a suspension from the NFL.

According to police, Davenport threatened to keep the child. Person said Davenport drove off as she unbuckled the child's seat belt and then slapped and choked her and slammed her to the ground while she held the boy.

According to Davenport, Person became upset over his plans to seek custody, climbed into the back seat of his moving car, kneeled on his 2-year-old son and grabbed the 5-year-old, then scratched Davenport's face outside the car.

The 5-year-old sustained a swollen lip.

Quarterback David Garrard probably could have gotten Jacksonville to pay him more money. But he was tired of negotiating.

Garrard ended the contract process, signing a seven-year, $60 million contract that is the richest in franchise history. He and his agent had been seeking something similar to the six-year, $67.5 million contract Dallas quarterback Tony Romo signed last season. But Garrard settled for the latest offer because he "felt like it was time."

Linebacker Brian Urlacher might skip the team's voluntary offseason workouts while he seeks a contract extension. The Bears declined to disclose whether Urlacher participated yesterday, and the workouts are closed to the media. Urlacher has a contract that runs through 2011. He made $3.95 million last season and is slated to make the same amount this season.

New Orleans signed free agent Aaron Glenn, hoping the veteran cornerback can shore up a shoddy pass defense. He ranks fifth among active interception leaders in the NFL.

New England signed free agent Victor Hobson, bolstering their aging linebacker corps. Hobson, 28, has spent all five of his seasons with the New York Jets.

Running back Quincy Wilson has been waived by Cincinnati. It is the second time in the past five days the Bengals released a player who had been arrested.