Reggie Bush
to Lions, Welker to Broncos
Wes Welker
sure knows how to pick his quarterbacks.
The star receiver, Tom Brady's favorite target, is leaving New England
and heading to Denver, where he'll join Peyton Manning and
the Broncos.
Also getting new deals were Reggie Bush in Detroit, Dashon Goldson in
Tampa Bay, and even Ray
Lewis — with ESPN.
Day 2 of the NFL's free agency frenzy was highlighted by Welker
grabbing a two-year deal with the Broncos, who had the AFC's best
regular-season record last year. He gives Manning one of the steadiest
targets the four-time league MVP ever has had.
"When you look at Wes in the middle of the field, you can't cover him,"
Broncos boss John Elway said. "He does such a tremendous job of getting
open, finding seams in zones, beating man-to-man coverage. So, he'll be
a huge asset for us inside."
The best slot receiver in the league, Welker caught 118 passes for
1,354 yards and six TDs last season. That the Broncos are signing a top
player away from New England certainly didn't hurt, either.
"Anytime you can take a player from a team you have to compete against,
it helps, especially the caliber of Wes Welker," Elway said. "New
England is there year in and year out and that's a team we have to beat
to get where we want to get."
Denver also came to terms on a two-year deal with defensive tackle
Terrance Knighton,
formerly of Jacksonville, and a one-year contract
with linebacker Stewart
Bradley, who played with the Cardinals the past
two seasons. Later in the evening, the team added cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
with a one-year deal.
Bush agreed to a four-year deal and could fill a huge hole at running
back. The Lions haven't been able to count on 2010 first-round draft
pick Jahvid Best,
whose career is in doubt because of concussion issues.
"It's a running back's dream," Bush said. "One of the reasons I wanted
to come here is to be able to bring a balanced attack."
Bush adds to a strong offense led by record-setting All-Pro receiver
Calvin Johnson.
The second overall pick in 2006 by New Orleans, Bush
rushed for 986 yards for Miami last season after gaining 1,086 yards in
2011, his first year with the Dolphins.
"The thing that was important to us was not just the talent of Reggie
Bush, but also the way those talents complemented the other players we
have on offense," coach Jim
Schwartz said. "That was really the basis
of our interest in Reggie."
The Lions also landed safety Glover
Quin and defensive end Jason
Jones
and retained cornerback Chris
Houston.
All-Pro safety Goldson gets a five-year contract worth $41.25 million.
He receives $8.25 million per year and $22 million in guaranteed money.
He spent the past two seasons on one-year contracts with the 49ers,
including last year with the franchise tag for $6.2 million.
"Hard work really pays off. I remember signing up to play football,
hiding it from my mom," as a youngster growing up in Harbor City,
Calif., Goldson said. "My journey, I wouldn't say it was rough, but it
was a little rocky."
Free agent defensive back Charles
Woodson had a meeting with the NFC
champion Niners in the Bay Area on Wednesday, according to his agent,
Carl Poston.
Also Wednesday, former Kansas
City Chiefs defensive end Glenn Dorsey
signed a two-year contract after meeting with the Niners. The deal
could pay Dorsey up to $7 million with incentives, a person with
knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press. The person spoke
on condition of anonymity because terms weren't announced.
One day after signing five players to contracts, Pro Bowl safety LaRon Landry
became the Indianapolis Colts' newest addition by signing a
four-year contract with Indy late Wednesday night.
"We're ecstatic about this signing," general manager Ryan Grigson said
in a statement issued by the team. "We feel LaRon is an absolute
game-changer and a true impact player. We're talking about a 220-pound
safety that runs 4.3 (in the 40-yard dash) and plays to that speed. His
approach to the game and his style of play are lights out and embody
the culture we're building on the defense and this team in general."
Last season, with the New
York Jets, he was selected to the AFC's Pro
Bowl team after recording a career-high 113 tackles, matching his
career-high with two interceptions and forcing four fumbles.
Cleveland remained active, agreeing to terms with linebacker Quentin Groves and
tackle Desmond Bryant
to further bolster a defense that
added Ravens linebacker Paul
Kruger hours after free agency began.
"With the additions of Paul and Desmond, we believe that we have
significantly improved our defense overall, particularly our front
seven," Browns CEO Joe Banner said.
Kruger is one of many Super Bowl winners to leave the Ravens, including
hard-hitting safety Bernard Pollard, who was released Wednesday. The
biggest loss for Baltimore was an expected departure: Lewis announced
in early January that he was ending his 17-year career. Then he led the
Ravens to the championship.
On Wednesday, he joined ESPN as a studio analyst — an intense one, no
doubt.
"I'm ready to bring the same level of passion to this next phase of my
life as I brought to the field during my years as a player," Lewis said.
Baltimore signed defensive lineman Chris Canty,
offensive lineman Ramon
Harewood and running back Damien
Berry.
Kansas City added cornerback Dunta
Robinson, receiver Donnie
Avery and
offensive lineman Bryan
Mattison to the three free agents it signed the
previous day when the marketplace opened.
The Chiefs, who have the No. 1 pick in next month's draft after a 2-14
season, agreed to deals with tight end Anthony Fasano, defensive tackle
Mike Devito,
and quarterback Chase
Daniel on Tuesday, when they also
finalized the trade with San Francisco for starting QB Alex Smith.
After hiring Andy Reid
as coach and John Dorsey as general manager, the
Chiefs signed wide receiver Dwayne
Bowe and punter Dustin
Colquitt to
long-term deals and franchised left tackle Branden Albert.
Also Wednesday:
—Chicago released tight end Kellen
Davis and also terminated the
contract of tight end Matt
Spaeth after signing Martellus
Bennett away
from the Giants on Tuesday to replace him.
—The Giants signed 11-year veteran place kicker Josh Brown, who
joins
former Cowboys kicker David
Buehler on the roster and apparently
indicating free agent Lawrence
Tynes won't be back. Tynes has made
winning field goals in two NFC championship games in overtime and the
Giants went on to win the Super Bowl in those seasons.
—Pittsburgh found its backup to QB Ben Roethlisberger
in a Steel City
native, Bruce
Gradkowski. The 30-year-old Gradkowski is 6-14 as a
starter with Oakland, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. He spent the 2011-12
seasons with the Cincinnati
Bengals, appearing in five games.
Pittsburgh also released oft-injured offensive lineman Willie Colon.
—Arizona, in dire need of help in the backfield, agreed on a one-year
contract with former Steelers starter Rashard Mendenhall.
For three of
his seasons, Mendenhall's offensive coordinator was new Cardinals coach
Bruce Arians.
The Cardinals also cut free safety Kerry Rhodes, a
move that cleared $6
million in salary cap space, and added cornerback Jerraud Powers,
safety Yeremiah Bell,
linebacker Lorenzo
Alexander and quarterback Drew Stanton.
—Jacksonville released receiver Laurent
Robinson, the latest
high-priced player let go as part of the team's rebuilding project.
Robinson signed a five-year, $32.5 million free agent-contract last
season before missing considerable time with concussions.
"It's unfortunate, but it's part of the business," Robinson said. "Got
to keep your head up and keep moving. Can't ever be surprised in this
league."
—Tennessee agreed to terms on a multi-year deal with fullback Quinn Johnson, who
has been one of Chris
Johnson's lead blockers with the
Titans.
—Buffalo addressed a need at linebacker by signing seven-year veteran
Manny Lawson.
The Bills are switching from a 4-3 alignment to a 3-4
under new coordinator Mike Pettine.
—Miami already had signed linebacker Dannell Ellerbe
and added to that
unit Wednesday by giving Philip
Wheeler a five-year contract, worth $26
million, half of that guaranteed. He spent his first four NFL seasons
with the Indianapolis Colts and played last season for the Raiders,
where he had career highs of 109 tackles and three sacks.
The Dolphins released linebackers Karlos
Dansby and Kevin
Burnett.
—Minnesota re-signed LB Erin
Henderson and WR Jerome
Simpson, while
Washington did the same with DE Kedric
Golston.
—New Orleans re-signed long snapper Justin Drescher to
a four-year
contract.
—The New York Jets re-signed fullback Lex Hilliard to a
one-year
contract, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The
person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had
not yet announced the move. Hilliard was signed in the middle of last
season to replace John
Conner.
—The Dallas Cowboys
are releasing veteran defensive tackle Marcus Spears,
with the move designated for June 1, when it will save the
Cowboys $2 million against the salary cap. Spears, who turned 30 last
week, was the second of two first-round picks after DeMarcus Ware in
2005.
—Seattle and defensive end Cliff Avril reached agreement on a deal that
addresses one of Seattle's big offseason concerns, according to a
person with knowledge of the situation. The agreement was still pending
a physical.
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