Gene Chamberlain of AOL.SportingNews confirms Marion Barber's calf is not serious.

Per Chamberlain, the injury is not a reason to keep Chester Taylor around. Barber will be held out of the preseason finale, but he should be fine to enter the season as Matt Forte's primary backup.

Chester Taylor's impending release is a sign that Marion Barber's calf injury is not serious.

Barber has a history of leg injuries, but the Bears are apparently confident he can help solve their short-yardage woes. He projects to vulture some goal-line carries from workhorse Matt Forte.

Marion Barber left Saturday's preseason game with a calf injury.

His night is done. Not good news for a player with a lengthy history of lower-body injuries. Barber had carried the ball just one time for two yards before going down. For the preseason, he's gone 96 yards on 21 carries.

Marion Barber rushed for 49 yards on 13 carries and caught five passes for 31 yards in the Bears' second preseason game Monday night.

Barber was again a battering ram on power runs, also excelling in all facets of the passing game. Now 100 percent after battling groin and leg injuries in Dallas, Barber could be something of a drain on Matt Forte's fantasy stock, especially at the goal line and one some third downs. MB3 is still only 28 years old, and from all indications in August, he's got his legs back.

One NFL scout tells the Chicago Tribune that Marion Barber will have a bigger impact for the Bears this year than Roy Williams.

It's not a knock on Williams, either. The scout was simply impressed with Barber's 45-yard outing against the Bills last week. At this point, Barber is not just going to make the team but is also the favorite to handle short-yardage and goal-line work. If that happens, it takes a bit of the shine off Matt Forte's fantasy value.

Marion Barber carried the ball seven times for 45 yards in the Bears' preseason opener on Saturday.

A surprisingly explosive showing from the powerful Bears backup. It's important to note, however, that all seven of Barber's carries came in the second quarter against the second string of a Bills run defense that ranked dead last (by a wide margin) in the NFL last year. Barber will be a short-yardage specialist with extremely limited fantasy value this season if he can't nab a meaningful amount of goal-line carries.

The Bears envision Marion Barber as the "ideal short-yardage back," according to the Chicago Tribune.

All of Barber's explosiveness and burst has been sapped, but it would be hard for him to perform worse than Chester Taylor did in 2010. Taylor, last year's short-yardage back, converted just 11 of 23 third-and-1 attempts. While Barber won't take many carries away from Matt Forte, the ex-Cowboy figures to vulture goal-line work.

Bears signed RB Marion Barber to a two-year contract.

The Bears have found some Matt Forte insurance, though it comes in the form of an injury-prone back who's averaged just 3.9 yards per carry over the past two seasons. Of course, that's 1.48 more yards per carry than Chester Taylor averaged during his disastrous first season in Chicago last year.

The Dolphins are interested in Marion Barber, who will be released by the Cowboys later this week.

No shocker here considering the Dallas-to-Miami pipeline. A move on Barber wouldn't preclude the Dolphins from going after a scatback such as Reggie Bush or Darren Sproles. Barber would be insurance for rookie Daniel Thomas.

The Cowboys have informed RB Marion Barber of his impending release.

Calvin Watkins of ESPN Dallas reiterates that the Cowboys are expected to release Marion Barber after the lockout.

The National Football Post recently speculated that Barber could stay on at a reduced rate, but we'd advise to not buy it. The Cowboys never even asked Barber to take a pay cut, clearly indicating their post-lockout intentions. They'll rid their hands of the declining back and his scheduled $5 million in pay.

The Cowboys have not asked Marion Barber to take a pay cut.

The National Football Post says it's a possibility that the Cowboys retain Barber for a cheaper salary, but we're not buying it. They drafted DeMarco Murray while Felix Jones is the starter and Tashard Choice is more effective than Barber. Barber is as good as gone.

The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor believes the Cowboys selection of RB DeMarco Murray in the third round all but ends Marion Barber's time in Dallas.

Barber was already widely considered gone, but Murray's selection should just about seal it. Both Felix Jones and Tashard Choice should be back, and be higher than Murray on the depth chart, but Taylor also believes the arrival of Murray has put them "on notice."

Marion Barber's $500,000 roster bonus is due June 3, sources tell FOXSports' Adam Caplan.

If a new CBA isn't reached by June 3, the Cowboys will have until the new league year starts to make a decision on Barber. The Cowboys are fully expected to part ways with Barber before the bonus is due -- whenever that is.

ESPN Dallas' Calvin Watkins is the latest beat writer to suggest the Cowboys will part ways with Marion Barber later this offseason.

Watkins believes Dallas' "silly" three-back rotation is a thing of past because Barber has failed to live up to his $12 million signing bonus in 2008. "He hasn't earned a penny," writes Watkins. "Not one." With only a brittle Felix Jones in the way of 20+ touches per week, Tashard Choice is a recommended speculative "buy" in Dynasty leagues this offseason.

Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News doesn't see "any way" Marion Barber is back with the Cowboys for another season.

Josh Ellis of the Cowboys' official website agrees that Barber will be cut before training camp. MBIII was ineffective in short-yardage situations last year, the one role he would potentially fill if still on the roster. Barber is due a $500,000 roster bonus in June in addition to a non-guaranteed $4.25 million base salary. Expect Tashard Choice's snaps to increase with Barber out of the picture.

Updating a previous item, Marion Barber's $500,000 roster bonus is not due until June.

That explains why he's still on the Cowboys' roster. The Dallas Morning News had the bonus due Thursday, which is erroneous. Owner Jerry Jones has played coy on Barber's future, though it would come as a shock if he's not released before the $500k is due.

Marion Barber is due a $500,000 roster bonus on March 3.

The bonus could be delayed if the owners and players don't strike a new CBA before that date. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked at the Combine whether any of his players would be released soon. "No," he said. "There could be on exception, but I probably won't do that. We have the right to do that later."

Marion Barber was detained by police officers Monday morning for "disturbing the peace," according to TMZ.com.

Barber was neither arrested nor cited, so this does not figure to land on Roger Goodell's desk. The police reportedly received a call from Barber's Beverly Hills hotel complaining that the Cowboy was being a disturbance. Barber, who was apparently in town for the NBA All-Star game, has since agreed to check out of the hotel.

Marion Barber has no guaranteed money remaining in his contract.

Barber's remaining four years worth of salary total $23.25 million, which is obviously far too much for a running back whose yards per carry averages have been dipping since 2007. Barber bottomed out with a 3.31 YPC last season.