2008 Off Season (Official Thread)

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Kelly agrees to deal with Lions, becomes 4th ex-Buc to land in Detroit - NFL

Same link from above with a 2nd story...

The Denver Broncos, who have spent the week looking for safety help, reached a three-year, $4.5 million deal with Marquand Manuel, who spent last season with the Carolina Panthers.

The deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus.

Manuel, 28, beat out Chris Crocker, Marlon McCree and others for the chance to compete for a starting safety job. Manuel signed a five-year, $10 million deal in 2006 with the Packers after he left the Seahawks following their Super Bowl season.

Manuel was cut by the Packers before spending last season as a backup with the Panthers, for whom he started two games.

 

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Landon Johnson leaving Bengals for Panthers' $10 million - NFL

Landon Johnson leaving Bengals for Panthers' $10 million

The Carolina Panthers beat out the Bengals for the services of Landon Johnson, who agreed to terms on a $10 million, three-year deal with the outside linebacker.

A former third-round draft choice of Cincinnati, Johnson has started 53 games during his four-year career. He's started 16 games and has 112 and 109 tackles in each of the past two seasons.

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[MD Buckeye]

Cowboys like Pacman, but deal unlikely soon | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean

Cowboys like Pacman, but deal unlikely soon

On two separate occasions, suspended Titans cornerback Pacman Jones has said he'd like to play for the Dallas Cowboys.

Eventually, he might get his wish.

The Titans in recent weeks have talked to a number of teams about Jones, and so far the Cowboys have shown the most interest, sources familiar with the situation said. The Miami Dolphins and a few others also appear interested.

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[MD Buckeye]

Larry Fitzgerald agrees to $40 million, four-year deal - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Larry Fitzgerald agrees to $40 million, four-year deal

PHOENIX (AP)?Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed a $40 million, four-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday just before leaving on a South American vacation he surely can afford.

The deal includes $30 million guaranteed, a generous figure for a franchise that was long considered one of the stingiest in sports.

The contract also includes a no-trade clause, which means Fitzgerald would have to approve any move to another team.

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[MD Buckeye]

RB Warrick Dunn returns to Buccaneers - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

RB Warrick Dunn returns to Buccaneers

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)?Six years after leaving the franchise he helped turn into a Super Bowl contender, running back Warrick Dunn is coming back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection signed Monday with the Bucs, who needed to bolster their running game because Carnell ?Cadillac? Williams missed most of last season with a knee injury. There are also lingering questions about when Williams will be able to play again.

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[MD Buckeye]

March 9th Transactions:

Denver Broncos- Signed S Marlon McCree
New York Jets- Signed RB Jesse Chatman

March 10th Transactions:

Atlanta Falcons- Signed C Alex Stepanovich & Re-Signed DT Tim Anderson
Buffalo Bills- Signed TE Courtney Anderson
Cincinnati Bengals- Signed LB Darryl Blackstock
Cleveland Browns- Signed C Rex Hadnot & Re-Signed G Lennie Friedman
Denver Broncos- Cut T Doug Nienhuis
Detroit Lions- Re-Signed RB Tatum Bell & Re-Signed T George Foster
Houston Texans- Re-Signed TE Mark Bruener
New Orleans Saints- Re-Signed TE Eric Johnson
St. Louis Rams- Signed QB Trent Green
Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Signed RB Warrick Dunn & Signed WR Antonio Bryant
Tennessee Titans- Signed G Jake Scott

March 11th Transactions:

Arizona Cardinals- Re-Signed WR Larry Fitzgerald
Kansas City Chiefs- Signed WR Devard Darling
Miami Dolphins- Signed S Kevin Davis
New England Patriots- Re-Signed S Raymond Ventrone

 

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Source: Giants to give former No. 1 pick Carr one-year deal - NFL

Source: Giants to give former No. 1 pick Carr one-year deal

Veteran quarterback David Carr agreed to a deal with the New York Giants on Wednesday.

A source said that the contract is for one year and $1 million with incentives that could increase the overall value of the deal.

The presence of Giants assistant coach Chris Palmer, who worked with Carr in Houston, was a major reason the quarterback chose New York.

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[MD Buckeye]

Multiple Teams in this article....

ESPN - Titans continue to add, bring back wide receiver McCareins - NFL

The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with receiver Justin McCareins on Wednesday, bringing him back to the team that drafted him.

The Titans drafted McCareins in the fourth-round in 2001 and traded him to the New York Jets in 2004 for a second-round draft pick that year.

McCareins started each game his first two seasons with New York but totaled only 13 starts over the past two seasons with 42 combined catches in that time.

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The Oakland Raiders continued on the fast track to improving their receiving corps by reaching a contract with Panthers wide receiver Drew Carter.

The Associated Press reported that the deal was for one year and $2 million.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers declined to match the three-year, $3.5 million offer sheet on restricted safety Kalvin Pearson, allowing him to go to the Detroit Lions.

The Bucs informed Pearson on Wednesday afternoon that he would be allowed to leave. A week ago, he signed the Lions' offer sheet, which included a $1.1 million signing bonus. Because he was undrafted and given the low restricted tender offer, the Bucs will not receive any draft choice compensation with his departure.

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The Redskins re-signed defensive tackle Ryan Boschetti, who was an unrestricted free agent. Terms weren't available. He becomes the third Redskin to re-sign since the start of free agency, joining quarterback Todd Collins and running back Rock Cartwright.

Kicker Dave Rayner signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.

Rayner, a three-year veteran, made 15 of 22 field goals for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. He is 41-for-58 in his career.

The Dolphins already have kicker Jay Feely, who was third in the NFL in field-goal accuracy last year, making 21 of 23. Rayner could make the team as a kickoff specialist, his role with Indianapolis as a rookie in 2005.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free-agent linebacker Keyaron Fox to a one-year contract that will pay him the minimum salary of $605,000 for a four-year veteran.

Fox played the past four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs after being drafted in the third round in 2004. He's expected to be a backup linebacker and play on special teams, the same role he filled for the Chiefs.

 

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Panthers agree to two-year deal with WR Hackett - NFL

Panthers agree to two-year deal with WR Hackett

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Help is on the way for Steve Smith.

Determined to end the constant double-teams of their star receiver, the Carolina Panthers came to terms Monday with Seattle free agent D.J. Hackett on a two-year, $3.5 million deal.

Hackett is the second receiver the Panthers have added since missing the playoffs last season without a reliable second option after Smith. Muhsin Muhammad was signed last month.

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[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Eagles plan to convert defensive tackle Klecko to fullback - NFL

Eagles plan to convert defensive tackle Klecko to fullback

PHILADELPHIA -- Dan Klecko signed a two-year contract Monday with the Philadelphia Eagles, who plan to convert him from defensive tackle to fullback.

The 275-pound Klecko has played defensive tackle and special teams and served as a short-yardage fullback for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles will use Klecko as a full-time fullback.

"Everything I've ever done at fullback has been very raw," Klecko said. "This is going to be a whole learning experience."

The Eagles did not re-sign last year's starting fullback, Thomas Tapeh. Also under contract is Jason Davis, who spent last year on the practice squad.

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[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Jets sign ex-Packers tight end Franks to one-year deal - NFL

Jets sign ex-Packers tight end Franks to one-year deal

Looking to add depth to the tight end position, the New York Jets added former Pro Bowler Bubba Franks to their roster.

After catching a career-low 18 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last season with the Packers, Franks is expected to be a backup behind Chris Baker this season.

Franks, who spent the last eight seasons with Green Bay, was cut last month. He was due to make $3 million in base salary.

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[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - 49ers add another piece to receiving corps, bring in Johnson - NFL

49ers add another piece to receiving corps, bring in Johnson

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers signed receiver Bryant Johnson on Monday, adding another veteran pass-catcher from a division rival to new coordinator Mike Martz's offense.

Johnson spent his first five NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 210 passes for 2,675 yards and nine touchdowns. He was the club's third receiver for much of that time behind Pro Bowl selections Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but could be a starter in San Francisco.

"Bryant is a young, talented player," 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said. "He brings big-play capabilities to the offense, and we feel he will bring in an added dimension to the talent we already have on board."

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[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Broncos OL Myers traded to Texans for sixth-round pick - NFL

Broncos OL Myers traded to Texans for sixth-round pick

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans traded their sixth-round pick in April's draft Monday to Denver for center Chris Myers.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Myers, drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2005 draft, played in 41 games for Denver, including 16 starts last season. He was a rookie when Texans coach Gary Kubiak was Denver's offensive coordinator.

Myers, a former standout at Miami, (Fla.), started the first five games of 2007 at left guard, then slid inside to center for the last 11 games. The Broncos' offense averaged 346.3 yards per game, ranking 11th in the NFL, and their 4.6 yards-per-carry average was fifth-best in the league.

 

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Vikings agree to terms with WR Ferguson, LB Sartz, DT Wyms - NFL

Vikings agree to terms with WR Ferguson, LB Sartz, DT Wyms

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms Monday with receiver Robert Ferguson, linebacker Dallas Sartz and defensive tackle Ellis Wyms.

Ferguson got a one-year deal to stay in Minnesota after coming to the Vikings from the Green Bay Packers late in training camp last season. He was second on the team to Bobby Wade with 32 catches for 391 yards and a touchdown.

After trading receiver Troy Williamson to Jacksonville and signing Bernard Berrian, the Vikings will need the eighth-year veteran to provide some depth behind Berrian, Sidney Rice and Wade.

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[MD Buckeye]

Buccaneers sign former Patriot Wilson to one-year deal

Buccaneers sign former Patriot Wilson to one-year deal

After losing Asante Samuel and Randall Gay to free agency, the New England Patriots have lost another defensive back.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached agreement with defensive back Eugene Wilson on a one-year, $1.8 million contract that includes $500,000 guaranteed, NFL Network's Adam Schefter is reporting.

The deal also includes $400,000 in incentives that could bring the value to the deal to $2.2 million.

The Buccaneers plan to play Wilson at cornerback.

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