Washington - Arabstoday
Wide receivers grabbed the big money as NFL free agency began Tuesday. Vincent Jackson is headed to the Buccaneers and Pierre Garcon to the Redskins, while Marques Colston will stay with the Saints, all getting huge deals. Josh Morgan also caught a hefty contract from the Redskins, while Miami dealt its top receiver, Brandon Marshall, to the Bears for two draft choices. Reggie Wayne decided to stay put, agreeing in principle to a new contract with the Colts, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Wayne is expected to sign Wednesday. Jackson got a five-year, $55.55 million contract with Tampa Bay. He will be paid $13 million in each of his first two years, then $10 million for the third year. Jackson will provide a deep threat for Josh Freeman, whose other receivers, Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn, are more short-range targets. Garcon gets $42.5 million over five years from the Redskins, with $20.5 million in guaranteed money, including an $11 million signing bonus. Garcon had 188 catches for 16 touchdowns and a 13.4-yard average in four seasons with the Colts. Last year he had 70 receptions for 947 yards and six TDs as Indianapolis finished 2-14. Washington, which is losing $36 million in salary cap space over the next two seasons for excessive spending in the uncapped 2010 season, also grabbed Morgan for $12 million over the first two years of a five-year deal, with $7.5 million guaranteed. And the Redskins re-signed defensive end Adam Carriker for four years and $20 million, $7 million guaranteed. Hours before free agency began, Colston agreed to a five-year contract worth about $40 million to remain in the Big Easy. “This was important to me, to be back with this team in this situation,’’ said Colston. “I was not looking to chase free agency. It was more important for me to be back in our program, a program we have been building and a program I believe in.’’ The top free agent, of course, is Peyton Manning, who was released last week by the Colts. He still is conducting his tour of teams, but the Dolphins’ trade of their top receiver could indicate Miami is out of the running for the four-time league MVP. “Brandon Marshall out of Miami?’’ Dolphins center Mike Pouncey tweeted. “Tell me this ain’t true . . . ’’ Chicago also added quarterback Jason Campbell to back up Jay Cutler. Manning, Titans on tap The Titans will meet with Manning on Wednesday, according to owner Bud Adams. Adams told WSMV-TV the Titans’ contingent will fly out of Nashville and spend the day with Manning, a meeting delayed apparently by trouble getting a co-pilot for his private plane. Adams said he believes Manning really is interested in the Titans’ offer, and he expects a quick decision from the four-time MVP. Where the meeting will take place remains a secret, though a private plane with a Titans’ emblem on the tail arrived in Nashville Tuesday with a flight plan projecting the plane to arrive in Raleigh-Durham a couple of hours later. The plane was towed behind a hangar with the plan scrapped for the night. That left coach Mike Munchak busy with other non-Manning business. Munchak left shortly before 1 p.m. EDT and returned about 45 minutes later with free agent guard Steve Hutchinson. Munchak left again a couple of hours later and returned with an unidentified passenger, but not Manning in a day in Nashville with lots of waiting and watching. Bills, Williams meet The Bills have made no secret of their need to improve their pass rush, and they’re sparing no expense in courting prized free agent defensive end Mario Williams to provide that push. And add receiver Robert Meachem into the mix of free agents the Bills are showing serious interest in. The Bills met with both Williams, the former Texans defensive end, and Meachem, the former Saints receiver, at a downtown Buffalo restaurant. The meetings were announced in text messages sent out by the team. And the team’s website said the Bills went so far in luring both players by using private jets to pick them up and fly them both to Buffalo. Williams was the first to arrive on a flight from his home in North Carolina with general manager Buddy Nix and defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt on board. They were joined for dinner by CEO Russ Brandon, coach Chan Gailey, and defensive tackle Kyle Williams. Raiders release Boss The Raiders released tight end Kevin Boss just one year into a $16 million, four-year contract. Boss was brought into to replace Pro Bowler Zach Miller but was not utilized much in coach Hue Jackson’s offense. Boss had a base salary of $2 million for 2012 with a roster bonus of $2 million due this week . . . The Texans cut quarterback Matt Leinart and tackle Eric Winston, and owner Bob McNair said he has no interest in Manning and hopes to re-sign Williams. . . . Cornerback Terrell Thomas opted to pass on the free agent market and re-signed with the Super Bowl-champion Giants. Thomas missed last season on injured reserve after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee . . . The Jets re-signed linebacker Bryan Thomas, who missed most of last season with a torn left Achilles’ tendon, to a one-year contract. Thomas will enter his 11th season with the Jets as their longest-tenured player . . . The Seahawks and defensive end Red Bryant agreed to terms on a contract to keep Bryant in Seattle, reportedly worth $35 million over five years with $14.5 million in guarantees. . . . The Eagles signed offensive tackle Todd Herremans to a three-year extension through 2016 . . . The Jaguars signed linebacker Russell Allen to a three-year contract and released receiver Kassim Osgood, a three-time Pro Bowler on special teams, and offensive lineman Kevin Haslam . . . Cornerback Terence Newman was released by the Cowboys. The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback was scheduled to count more than $8 million against the salary cap in 2012 . . . Quarterback Sage Rosenfels re-signed with the Vikings . . . The Cardinals released tackle Levi Brown in a salary cap move. Brown’s contract would have counted nearly $17 million against the team’s cap in 2012 . . . Center Nick Hardwick agreed to a three-year contract with the Chargers . . . In two days, the 49ers took risks on two players who weren’t even in the NFL last year - receiver Randy Moss on Monday, cornerback Perrish Cox a day later. Cox, formerly of the Broncos, signed a two-year contract after being acquitted on sexual assault charges in Colorado this month. Neal suspended The NFL suspended Packers defensive end Mike Neal without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Neal will be eligible to return to the Packers’ active roster on the day after the team’s fourth regular-season game. Neal is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games . . . Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams and defensive lineman Ryan McBean are suing the NFL to overturn their drug suspensions, saying the league violated protocol in collecting urine samples, and then refusing to clear them even after the collector was fired. Williams and McBean, suspended without pay for Denver’s first six games of the 2012 season, filed their suit Monday in Denver District Court.