NFL Off-Season Thread

[ALinChainz]

Source: RB Thomas Jones conditionally traded to Jets

By RICK GANO, AP Sports Writer
March 5, 2007

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bears reached a preliminary agreement to trade running back Thomas Jones to the New York Jets on Monday for a second-round draft pick.

A person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press the Jets will give up a second-round draft pick, 37th overall, for Jones, who rushed for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in helping the Bears make the Super Bowl. The person did not wish to be identified because the trade has not been officially announced.

The 28-year-old Jones must pass a physical and agree to a contract extension before the deal is complete. The Jets also would receive Chicago's second-round choice, No. 63 overall, in the trade. New York would surrender the second-rounder it received from Washington in a previous deal.

The Jets have been looking for a No. 1 running back since Curtis Martin was sidelined a year ago by knee problems. Martin is expected to retire.

Jones, who also has played for Arizona and Tampa Bay, had big postseason performances this year. He rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC championship game win over New Orleans, then had 112 yards on 15 carries in the Super Bowl. He has one year remaining on his contract.

The Bears have decided to go with Cedric Benson, their first-round pick (fourth overall) in 2005, although Benson has not done much yet for Chicago. He also injured his knee in the Super Bowl and had only two carries for minus-1 yard.

Jones, the seventh overall selection in the 2000 draft by the Cardinals, rushed for 1,335 yards in 2005, becoming the second runnning back in Bears history to surpass 1,300. The other was Walter Payton.

He should fit well in the Jets' offense, which ranked 20th last season, but got a spark from Leon Washington. Washington is only 5-foot8, 202 pounds and not considered an every-down back.

The Jets recently waived Kevan Barlow and Derrick Blaylock, leaving them with Washington and Cedric Houston at running back.

[ALinChainz]

Broncos sign RB Henry to 5-year deal

By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer

March 5, 2007

DENVER (AP) -- Travis Henry has landed in running back paradise.

The Denver Broncos have churned out one 1,000-yard tailback after another under coach Mike Shanahan, and Henry hopes to be next after signing a five-year deal Monday with $12 million in guaranteed bonuses. The terms were provided by a person familiar with the deal who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the details.

Denver has produced a 1,000-yard running back in 11 of Shanahan's 12 seasons in charge.

Henry was released by the Tennessee Titans on Saturday after the two sides couldn't restructure a contract that contained an $8.3 million bonus that was due Monday. He rushed for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns last season for Tennessee.

The Broncos were in the market for a running back after dealing last season's leading rusher Tatum Bell to Detroit -- along with offensive lineman George Foster and a fifth-round pick -- for cornerback Dre' Bly.

The Broncos also signed special teams player/fullback Paul Smith to a three-year deal, Smith's agent Steve Baker confirmed Monday.

Smith, 29, played last season for the St. Louis Rams. He has 46 carries for 210 yards in his career, which includes three seasons with Detroit and three more in San Francisco.

"It's a fantastic fit for Paul," Baker said. "Denver is running back heaven. They want him to be an impact special teams player and help on offense."

It's been a busy offseason for Denver, who traded quarterback Jake Plummer to Tampa Bay on Saturday for a conditional draft choice in 2008. However, Plummer said on the Jake Plummer Foundation Web site that he plans to retire.

The Broncos also acquired defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson from Miami on Saturday for a sixth-round pick in next month's draft and signed offensive lineman Montrae Holland to a one-year deal.

Henry, 28, has spent the last two seasons with the Titans, who acquired him from the Buffalo Bills in July 2005.

He was a Pro Bowler in 2002 for the Bills after rushing for 1,438 yards, but then Buffalo used a first-round pick to select Willis McGahee in the 2003 draft. Henry rushed for 1,356 yards in 2003 as McGahee recovered from a knee injury.

In 2004, Henry started just five games and rushed for only 326 yards, missing the final five with torn ligaments in his right ankle. McGahee began to take over as he rushed for 1,128 yards.

Henry didn't want to spend another season in McGahee's shadow and asked out. He received a fresh start in Tennessee with the 2005 trade, but he struggled to recover from the torn ligaments and then was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He finished the season with 88 carries for 335 yards.

He bounced back strong in 2006 with six 100-yard games, including a career-high 178-yard performance against Washington on Oct. 15. He helped the Titans overcome an 0-5 start to finish 8-8. He also alleviated some of the pressure off rookie quarterback Vince Young.

Henry has rushed for 5,395 yards in his career and 34 touchdowns.

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms with free agent offensive lineman Leonard Davis.

According to various reports, including a story posted on the team's Web site, Davis agreed to a seven-year contract worth nearly $50 million, including $18.75 million in guaranteed money.

He's going to very over-paid. He's a little above average on a good day.

[Switch84]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Source: RB Thomas Jones conditionally traded to Jets

By RICK GANO, AP Sports Writer
March 5, 2007

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bears reached a preliminary agreement to trade running back Thomas Jones to the New York Jets on Monday for a second-round draft pick.

A person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press the Jets will give up a second-round draft pick, 37th overall, for Jones, who rushed for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in helping the Bears make the Super Bowl. The person did not wish to be identified because the trade has not been officially announced.

The 28-year-old Jones must pass a physical and agree to a contract extension before the deal is complete. The Jets also would receive Chicago's second-round choice, No. 63 overall, in the trade. New York would surrender the second-rounder it received from Washington in a previous deal.

The Jets have been looking for a No. 1 running back since Curtis Martin was sidelined a year ago by knee problems. Martin is expected to retire.

Jones, who also has played for Arizona and Tampa Bay, had big postseason performances this year. He rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC championship game win over New Orleans, then had 112 yards on 15 carries in the Super Bowl. He has one year remaining on his contract.

The Bears have decided to go with Cedric Benson, their first-round pick (fourth overall) in 2005, although Benson has not done much yet for Chicago. He also injured his knee in the Super Bowl and had only two carries for minus-1 yard.

Jones, the seventh overall selection in the 2000 draft by the Cardinals, rushed for 1,335 yards in 2005, becoming the second runnning back in Bears history to surpass 1,300. The other was Walter Payton.

He should fit well in the Jets' offense, which ranked 20th last season, but got a spark from Leon Washington. Washington is only 5-foot8, 202 pounds and not considered an every-down back.

The Jets recently waived Kevan Barlow and Derrick Blaylock, leaving them with Washington and Cedric Houston at running back.

:confused: :eek: Damn! I can appreciate getting higher draft picks, but I liked the 1-2 punch TJ and Ceddie provided! Oh, well. Ceddie wanted to be THE RB in Chi-town, now he's got it.

[Unchainme]

Holy Shit...Browns made a Big Move.

Source: Jamal Lewis Signs With Browns

Free agent running back Jamal Lewis agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, a person within the NFL told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. Lewis was released last week in a salary-cap move by Baltimore, which elected not to pay their career rushing leader a $5 million roster bonus. He'll now join the Browns, Baltimore's AFC North rival, who were last in the league in rushing in 2006.

Lewis visited the Browns on Wednesday and decided to sign with the team before leaving town, said the person who has knowledge of the negotiations and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the 27-year-old Lewis hasn't signed yet.

With the Ravens reportedly interested in acquiring Buffalo running back Willis McGahee, Lewis decided to look elsewhere and found a fit with the Browns — the team he torched for an NFL-record 295 yards in 2003.

Lewis spent the afternoon at the Browns' facilities in suburban Berea, meeting with general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel. Savage was with the Ravens in 2000 when the club drafted Lewis in the first round out of Tennessee.

Lewis, the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, is an upgrade at running back for the Browns, who now have to figure out what to do with feature back Reuben Droughns. They owe Droughns a $1.75 million roster bonus later this month.

Slowed by injuries, Droughns rushed for just 758 yards last season after gaining 1,232 yards in 2005 — the first Cleveland back to eclipse 1,000 yards since 1985.

Crennel recently said that he isn't dissatisfied with Droughns.

"He has shown us that he does have the ability, that he can be a productive runner for us," Crennel said. "I expect him to get back to that form that he had. That 1,200-yard form. That's what I'm looking for."

Adding Lewis gives the Browns more options as they plan for April's college draft. The club was believed to be targeting Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson with the No. 3 overall pick, but with Lewis on their roster, the club may be able to address other needs.

In 2003, Lewis rushed for 2,066 yards, the second-highest total in league history. Last season, he ran for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns, but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Two years ago, Lewis served time in prison after a guilty plea to using a cell phone to set up a drug buy.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/07/sports/s181459S48.DTL

[ALinChainz]

Rhodes leaves Super Bowl champs to sign with Raiders

By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
March 9, 2007

Running back Dominic Rhodes is going from the Super Bowl champions to the team that posted the worst record in the NFL last season, after agreeing Friday to a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders that could be worth up to $7.5 million.

"I just want to come in and help this team win," Rhodes said. "It's an honor to be here and an awesome experience to play for the Raiders. The whole history of the Raiders, I love it."

Rhodes likely will split time in Oakland with LaMont Jordan, who is staying with the team after agreeing earlier in the week to reduce his roster bonus from $4.75 million to $3 million. Jordan rushed for only 434 yards and two touchdowns before going down with a season-ending knee injury Nov. 19.

The Raiders had one of the worst offenses in NFL history last year on the way to a 2-14 record. They scored just 168 points -- fifth fewest in a 16-game season -- and had only 12 offensive touchdowns. Oakland had the worst-ranked offense and ranked 29th out of 32 teams in yards rushing.

New coach Lane Kiffin was brought in to upgrade the offense. The team already cut ties with last year's starting quarterback, Aaron Brooks, and is expected to use the No. 1 draft pick on quarterback JaMarcus Russell of LSU or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame.

"Dominic will be a dynamic presence that can diversify our offense both as a runner and pass catcher," Kiffin said. "He is focused and determined to come here and compete immediately with our other running backs."

Earlier in the week, the Raiders signed offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry to a $1.5 million, one-year deal.

Rhodes, who has played his entire six-year career with Indianapolis, will be counted on to improve a running game that averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2006.

He started all 16 regular-season games last season, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns. After backing up Edgerrin James since entering the league, Rhodes shared the job last season with rookie Joseph Addai. He has 2,274 yards rushing in his career.

Rhodes had one of his best performances in the Colts' Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, rushing for 113 yards in Indianapolis' 29-17 victory.

Just a few weeks later, Rhodes was arrested for drunken driving after being pulled over for driving 81 mph in a 55-mph zone near Indianapolis. If convicted of the class A misdemeanor, penalties range from no jail time to one year behind bars. A conviction on a first-time offense typically results in probation, a fine and substance abuse treatment, according to prosecutors.

[ALinChainz]

Browns trade Reuben Droughns to Giants

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
March 9, 2007

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Reuben Droughns, Cleveland's only 1,000-yard rusher since 1985, was traded Friday to the New York Giants, who need a feature running back following Tiki Barber's retirement.

In return for Droughns, who became expendable after the Browns signed free agent Jamal Lewis to a one-year, $3.5 million contract on Wednesday, the Giants sent Cleveland wide receiver Tim Carter.

As part of a three-year, $12 million contract extension he signed last year, Droughns was due a $1.75 million roster bonus this month. But instead of paying him or releasing the 28-year-old and getting nothing in return, the Browns acquired Carter, a part-time starter who had 22 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns last season.

The Browns also terminated the contract of cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, one of only two players left from their 1999 expansion team. McCutcheon missed all of last season following microfracture surgery on his knee.

In his first season with Cleveland in 2005, Droughns rushed for 1,232 yards, becoming the first Browns back to eclipse 1,000 yards since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner did it in 1985. But slowed by injuries and personal problems, Droughns was a big disappointment last season, gaining just 758 yards.

He was arrested but later acquitted on drunken driving charges and had a domestic violence case against him dropped by prosecutors in Denver citing a lack of evidence.

Droughns missed two games with injuries and had only two 100-yard games in 2006. He was running behind an injury-ravaged offensive line that couldn't regroup after losing center LeCharles Bentley to a season-ending knee injury.

The Giants are hoping to get the '05 Droughns, who will likely compete with bruising third-year back Brandon Jacobs to fill Barber's vacant spot. It's also possible the Giants could rotate them, using a similar two-back system to the one employed by Super Bowl champion Indianapolis.

"Reuben rushed for 1,200 yards in '04 and '05 and 750 last year," Giants general manager Jerry Reese said. "We think he gives us a nice veteran presence and compliments Brandon Jacobs and the rest of our running back group nicely."

Droughns also has played fullback, his position in Denver for two years before his breakout season in 2004 when he gained 1,240 yards and scored a career-high six touchdowns.

The Browns were last in the league in rushing last season, and appear ready to let the 27-year-old Lewis, who gained an NFL single-game record 295 yards against them in 2003, be their primary back.

But the addition of Lewis doesn't mean they won't pick Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson with the No. 3 overall selection in next month's draft.

Also, the Browns have signed Bengals defensive tackle Shaun Smith to a four-year offer sheet. The Bengals have seven days to match the deal or they'll lose the restricted free agent, who would follow offensive tackle Eric Steinbach to Cleveland.

The Browns signed Steinbach to a seven-year, $49.5 million free agent deal last week.

Carter's best season was in 2003, when he had 26 catches for 309 yards.

"He brings five years of NFL experience and legitimate speed to our receiving corps," Browns general manager Phil Savage said. "We almost signed him last year as an unrestricted free agent, so he will be familiar with the Browns."

[ALinChainz]

McGahee traded, gets new deal

By Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports
March 8, 2007


Running back Willis McGahee has a new team and a new contract.

McGahee, who was acquired Thursday by the Baltimore Ravens in a trade with the Buffalo Bills for three draft picks, signed a new six-year contract extension worth more than $32 million.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal, which included $15 million in guarantees. That guarantee comes in the form of a $7.5 million signing bonus McGahee will be paid now and guaranteed option bonuses of $6 million in 2008 and $1.5 million in 2009. Beyond that, McGahee receives base salaries of $595,000 in 2007 (final year of original deal), $605,000 in 2008, $620,000 in 2009, $3.6 million in 2010, $6 million in 2011, $6.5 million in 2012 and $7.2 million in 2013.


The deal follows Buffalo's decision to trade the disgruntled McGahee to the Ravens for a third- and seventh-round pick in this year's NFL draft and a third-rounder in 2008. McGahee had one year remaining on his contract with the Ravens, but had expressed unhappiness with playing in Buffalo.

The Bills were similarly unhappy with McGahee over the past year. He failed to show up for offseason workouts last year under new coach Dick Jauron. He also frustrated the coaching staff by not knowing his assignments and failing to pick up blocks in pass protection last season.

According to one Bills staffer, a member of the coaching staff had to signal the play to McGahee specifically during the season to explain to McGahee what to do.

Nonetheless, Baltimore showed no fear in trading for McGahee and offering him the new deal.

"The Ravens really stepped up to make this happen," Rosenhaus said. "Willis is extremely happy and this is going to be a great situation for both sides."

According to one source, Baltimore's confidence stemmed from McGahee having friends and mentors such as Ed Reed and Ray Lewis on the team. All three played at the University of Miami and have worked out together in the past during the offseason.

Already this offseason, Rosenhaus has negotiated two substantial contracts for running backs. This week, he worked out a four-year, $20 million deal for Thomas Jones with the New York Jets after Jones was acquired from the Chicago Bears.

The day before free agency, Rosenhaus worked out a four-year, $23 million contract for Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor.

McGahee was a first-round pick in 2003 despite suffering a serious knee injury during the national championship game against Ohio State that year. He sat out his first season rehabilitating the knee, but has since rushed more than 1,000 yards in two of his first three seasons on the field.

He came up short of 1,000 yards this season after missing two games with a rib injury. Overall, McGahee has rushed for 3,365 yards and 24 touchdowns.

[ALinChainz]

Pats, Stallworth agree

By Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports

March 11, 2007


New England continued its busy offseason by agreeing to terms with wide receiver Donte Stallworth on a six-year contract worth more than $30 million which includes approximately $12 million in guarantees.

Stallworth is the second wide receiver and fifth player the Patriots have acquired this offseason after losing to Indianapolis in the AFC Championship Game. Earlier this week, the Patriots sent a second- and seventh-round draft pick to Miami for wide receiver/return man Wes Welker.

Earlier in free agency, New England added prized linebacker Adalius Thomas.

The Patriots featured a revolving door at wide receiver last season. They had four players with at least 40 receptions, led by Reche Caldwell with 61. But the team didn’t have a consistent deep threat. They acquired Doug Gabriel in training camp for that role, but cut him late in the season. The Patriots also recently lost No. 2 tight end Daniel Graham in free agency.

Stallworth is considered an excellent deep threat. He caught 38 passes for 725 yards and five touchdowns last season with Philadelphia. He was a first-round pick by New Orleans in 2002 and was traded to the Eagles in training camp last season.

Stallworth comes with baggage. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week that he is in the NFL Substance Abuse Program. Another violation of the program could result in a suspension for Stallworth.

The addition of Welker, who received a five-year, $18 million contract, gave the Patriots a possession receiver who is good at working the middle of the field despite being only 5-foot-9.

The moves come less than a year after the Patriots battled wide receiver Deion Branch in contract negotiations. Branch held out during training camp and was eventually traded to Seattle for a first-round pick. Branch, who was a favorite of quarterback Tom Brady, received a six-year, $39 million contract.

Stallworth received contract offers from Tennessee, Miami and Philadelphia before settling on New England.

[ALinChainz]

Edwards agrees to deal with Chiefs

By STEVE BRISENDINE, AP Sports Writer

March 10, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Donnie Edwards is coming back to Kansas City.

Edwards, the free-agent linebacker who spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Chiefs, agreed Saturday to a three-year deal after the San Diego Chargers didn't try to re-sign him.

Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore confirmed the agreement, but said reports of the deal being worth about $14 million were wrong.

"It'll happen, but nothing's signed yet," Moore said.

The 33-year-old Edwards found himself on the outs with San Diego general manager A.J. Smith last season despite a standout career with the Chargers.

He was San Diego's top tackler in all five of his seasons there, finishing the 2006 season with 141 tackles in the regular season and 13 more in the Chargers' only AFC playoff game. He also had 2 1/2 sacks and three interceptions.

However, Edwards' requests for a contract extension didn't go over well with Smith, who put him on the trading block last spring and allowed him to become a free agent after the season.

Edwards, who will be playing in his 12th NFL season this fall, has 1,359 tackles, 21 1/2 sacks and 27 interceptions. Six of his sacks came with the Chiefs in 1998.

The Chargers used him as an inside linebacker in their 3-4 set. But the Chiefs, who play a 4-3, have already signed free-agent Napoleon Harris to a six-year deal and expect to use him at middle linebacker. That leaves Edwards and Derrick Johnson as Kansas City's likely outside linebackers.

The deal with Edwards is the latest move in the Chiefs' push to upgrade the defense since Herm Edwards took over as head coach in 2006.

The 2005 and 2006 defenses were almost identical in yards per game -- averaging around 328 yards each season -- but last year's team ranked 16th in the NFL in total defense, up from 25th the year before.

[ALinChainz]

Top 10 free-agent moves in the NFL (so far)

March 11, 2007

1. Adalius Thomas LB (Baltimore) New England 5 years, $35 million As though the NFL's sixth-best defense didn't need more help -- we hope Thomas can double as a WR at that price.

2. Nate Clements CB (Buffalo) San Francisco 8 yrs, $80M Apparently that Mega Millions lottery winner was a huge Niners fan and had money to waste.

3. Joey Porter LB (Pittsburgh) Miami 5 yrs, $32M Let's just say Jon Kitna's breathing easy knowing the Dolphins aren't on the Lions' '07 slate.

4. Jeff Garcia QB (Philadelphia) Tampa Bay 2 yrs, $7M As long as he doesn't take a jarring hit, he's in better shape than incumbent Chris Simms.

5. Leonard Davis OT (Arizona) Dallas 7 yrs, $49.6M We understand why Davis left. Who would want to protect a QB that actually acknowledges having hung out with Paris Hilton?

6. Jamal Lewis RB (Baltimore) Cleveland 1 yr, $3.5M Dumb move for Lewis. Now whom is he going to rush for 200 yards against?

7. Randy McMichael TE (Miami) St. Louis 3 yrs, $9M Factor in the Rams signing Drew Bennett, and the Greatest Show on Turf is beginning to live up to its name again.

8. Eric Steinbach OG (Cincinnati) Cleveland 7 yrs, $49.5M You know the Bengals are a sinking ship when the Browns look more inviting.

9. Travis Henry RB (Tennessee) Denver 5 yrs, $12M guaranteed A running back who has rushed for 1,000 going to Denver? Mike Shanahan's cup runneth over.

10. Joe Horn WR (New Orleans) Atlanta 4 yrs, $19M Merry Christmas, Michael Vick! Merry Christmas!


Top 5 trades this off-season

1. Baltimore gets RB Willis McGahee. Buffalo gets Baltimore's 2007 3rd- and 7th-round picks and 2008 3rd-round pick. Guess Buffalo believes 1,000-yard rushers just magically fall from the sky. No wonder the Ravens just pushed Jamal Lewis out of the door.

2. N.Y. Jets get RB Thomas Jones and Chicago's 2nd-round pick. Chicago gets Jets' 2nd-round pick (acquired via Washington). Don't expect the Jets to sit quietly on draft day. Cedric Houston or Leon Washington should be moved to address other needs. Chicago might be looking to draft a LB to replace disgruntled Lance Briggs.

3. Detroit gets RB Tatum Bell, OT George Foster, and Denver's 5th-round pick. Denver gets CB Dré Bly and Lions' 6th-round pick. Bly, who wants to play for the Redskins, could be a problem in Denver, and the Lions actually addressed multiple needs in one move -- touche, Matt Millen.

4. Cleveland gets WR Tim Carter. N.Y. Giants get RB Reuben Droughns. Yep, Giants fans, Eli Manning and Reuben Droughns in your backfield. Enjoy scoring less than the Lions next season.

5. Tampa Bay gets QB Jake Plummer (now retired). Denver gets a 2008 conditional pick. Is Plummer really old enough to be moving to Florida and retiring?

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/SPORTS01/703110627/1049/SPORTS

[ALinChainz]

Official: Redskins trade Archuleta to Bears

By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer

March 20, 2007

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Adam Archuleta's tumultuous time with the Washington Redskins ended Tuesday night when he was traded to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round draft pick, The Associated Press has learned.

Archuleta, who languished on the bench most of last season despite having the richest contract ever given a safety, will be reunited in Chicago with coach Lovie Smith, his former defensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams.

The trade was confirmed by an official within the league who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams do not plan to announce it until Wednesday. The deal came one day before Archuleta was due to paid a guaranteed $5 million bonus.

The Redskins lured Archuleta to Washington a year ago with a seven-year, $35 million contract that included $10 million in bonuses, a signing that quickly became one of the biggest free agents blunders in the league.

It soon became apparent that assistant coach Gregg Williams would try to use the hard-hitting converted linebacker more as a coverage safety. When Archuleta struggled, he landed firmly in Williams' doghouse.

Archuleta lost the starting job in preseason and regained it for the first seven regular-season games only because of a knee injury to Pierson Prioleau. Archuleta's liabilities were one of the reasons the Redskins were especially vulnerable against long passes as they slumped to a 5-11 record. Eventually, the Redskins took Archuleta out of the defense altogether, using him only on special teams for most of the second half of the season.

The subject was clearly embarrassing to both Williams and coach Joe Gibbs, and neither ever gave an explanation for Archuleta's demotion. Once the season ended, Gibbs indicated Archuleta was still in the team's plans, but those remarks were mostly seen as posturing before a possible trade.

Getting rid of Archuleta wasn't easy because of his mammoth contract. The Redskins didn't want to cut him outright because of the huge cost on this year's salary cap. The $5 million bonus was already postponed once as the Redskins worked to make a trade, and any deal was expected to include a renegotiation of Archuleta's salaries and bonuses.

The Bears were the only likely destination because of Archuleta's relationship with Smith. Archuleta was hoping to sign with Chicago as a free agent last year, but he decided on Washington after the Redskins offered the big contract.

AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman in Chicago contributed to this report.

[ALinChainz]

Trent Green: Trade Could Come Sunday

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Update: Trade talks between the Chiefs and Dolphins continue to intensify, and Green could be dealt to Miami as early as Sunday, the Kansas City Star reports.

Recommendation: Green’s agent said Friday that the quarterback wants to go to the Dolphins. The two teams have yet to agree on compensation for Green, although the Chiefs are believed to be interested in draft picks. If Green does get traded, he will also need to work out a new contract with Miami, but his agent called those negotiations a “nonissue.” Detroit also contacted Kansas City about Green, but Miami remains his most likely destination.

[ALinChainz]

David Carr: Might be Headed to Minnesota

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Update: One possible destination for Carr, who was released by the Texans Friday, could be Minnesota, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Recommendation: Vikes' coach Brad Childress had said the team wouldn't give up a draft choice for Carr because he never has liked the quarterback's mechanics. That said, now that Carr is a free agent, the Vikings could decide that said mechanics are worth working on. Oakland, Cleveland and Miami also have been mentioned as possible destinations for the number one overall pick in the 2002 draft.

[ALinChainz]

David Carr: A Panther Now

RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com

Friday, April 6, 2007

Update: Carr has agreed to a two-year deal with the Panthers, the Rock Hill Herald reports. The top pick overall in the 2002 NFL draft, Carr gives the Panthers a viable backup to starter Jake Delhomme, who struggled at times last season.

Recommendation: With former offensive coordinator Dan Henning out of the Panthers' picture in 2007, Carr could potentially take over the starting job if Delhomme (who still has head coach John Fox's endorsement as the starter) struggles to adjust to the new offensive schemes. With the Texans, Carr took a repeated beating behind a subpar line, but the Panthers are believed to view him as a player who still has plenty of untapped upside, who could could excel with the right team and system. Carr evidently agreed, as he took the backup gig rather than go to a fixer-upper team like Oakland, Detroit or Cleveland, where he would have had a better shot at landing a starting job out of the gate.