Kurt Warner should be high on Chicago Bears’ shopping list. From a marketing standpoint, Chicago would be an ideal spot for Kurt Warner to position himself for life after football, especially if he’s interested in broadcasting. But from a football standpoint, Warner or any other quarterback might need a psychological exam if he chose the Bears over a Cardinals team with a Pro Bowl tandem of wide receivers. Still, money can be persuasive even to the most philanthropic of quarterbacks. So if the Cardinals allow Warner to enter free agency and a bidding war ensues in March, the Bears truly have to consider putting themselves in the middle of it. — Chicago Tribune

Pats Scott Pioli talks with Kansas City. Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli met with Chiefs owner Clark Hunt yesterday to interview for Kansas City’s general manager job. It’s unclear where the two met, though sources said it was not in Kansas City. The interview was Pioli’s second in as many weeks, coming on the heels of a meeting with Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner in New York. Pioli is considered the hottest general manager on the market, thanks to the three Super Bowl titles he helped orchestrate with the Patriots. He might decide to stay in New England, but there are reasons to go to Kansas City, where fans held signs proclaiming, “We want Pioli,” during the team’s final home game. The roster is loaded with young, cheap players, the team projects to be $30 million under the salary cap, and renovations on Arrowhead Stadium are scheduled to be completed by 2010, giving the team what will amount to a new home. — Boston Herald

Steelers need to pay James Harrison. Time to pay up, Steelers. James Harrison has more than paid his dues. The NFL’s newest defensive player of the year is a wedge-buster on kickoffs who also doubles as a two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker. How many Pro Bowl players willingly sacrifice their bodies on special teams? How about this one, and only this one? I don’t know what’s more impressive: Harrison’s franchise-record 16 sacks, his NFL-high seven forced fumbles, or his 12 special-teams tackles, good for third on the team. “To sit here and tell you I could have been defensive MVP and I could have been a Pro Bowler two times in a row, I’d be lying to you,” Harrison said Monday. Harrison, who’s in the next-to-last year of his contract, deserves a new, break-the-bank deal — the sooner, the better. — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Stanford’s Harbaugh up for Lions job?. The Lions have interviewed Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, whose teams had first-round byes, and Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray, whose team missed the playoffs. It is unclear whether Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is a candidate. He reportedly has removed his name from consideration, but some say that is untrue. Another name popped up Monday: Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, who played quarterback at Michigan and spent time with the Lions before the 2001 season. Nationalfootballpost.com listed the Lions as one of three teams interested in him. — Detroit Free Press