Keyshawn weekends in Dallas

Keyshawn Johnson is in Dallas and he says he's closer than ever to joining the Cowboys.

He said he had lunch at the home of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, spent the afternoon looking at houses and attended the Mavericks game Saturday night.

Johnson said an agreement on a restructured contract could be completed within a few days, the precursor to a trade that would send him to the Cowboys for receiver Joey Galloway. Johnson has four years left on an eight-year, $56-million contract.

"They're as excited about the possibility of me playing for the Cowboys as I am," Johnson said.

"We've got to keep working. We're still crunching some numbers, but I'm hopeful that possibly something can happen in the next few days."

Johnson said he arrived in Dallas on Friday night and had dinner with former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin.

"It's great that Michael was up to talking to me about (playing for the Cowboys)," Johnson said. "He's been very influential touching base throughout my career. To have him semirecruit me on his own makes you feel wanted here."

If Galloway can't reach an agreement on a restructured contract with the Bucs, it won't necessarily kill the deal. Dallas appears willing to send a draft pick to Tampa Bay for the estranged receiver.

In other Bucs news, tight end Rickey Dudley decided to forgo free agency and return to the Bucs, according to ESPN.com.

Dudley, 31, a favorite of coach Jon Gruden who played for Tampa Bay the past two seasons, is expected to sign for the veteran minimum.

Dudley was limited to seven games last season after injuring his ankle in training camp.

OBITUARY: Walter Riker Jr., a pharmacology expert and the league's first drug adviser, died at 87. In 1990, Riker, who began with the league in 1973, warned of steroids' dangers. The league then began random testing.

-Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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