NFL: Happenings

I’ve been a bit behind in my coverage of the free agent fire sale that’s been rockin’ the NFL the past week. So to bring you up to date, let’s just say there are going to be quite a few new faces sporting new colors this season. Read on to see which players cashed in on new deals and which “bigger” name players have yet to sign.

Cash Money(Players who’ve recently cashed in on new contracts.)

• Linebacker Adalius Thomas signed with the New England Patriots on a six-year, $35 million contract. Thomas was one of the top free agents this off-season, and he was snagged by the Pats for chump change considering what he’s worth. His versatility will allow the 29-year-old to line up in multiple formations, which should help strengthen New England’s D.

• Cornerback Nate Clements signed with the San Francisco 49ers on an eight-year, $80 million contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. Clements has been an average starter at best in his four-year career, but look for good things from the 49ers D with the trio of Clements, Shawntae Spencer, and Walt Harris.

• Running back Willis McGahee was acquired from the Buffalo Bills by the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for third- and seventh-round picks this season, and a third-round pick in ’08. McGahee is an average back, but he’ll have a solid o-line in front of him in Baltimore. Musa Smith resigned with the Ravens a few days ago, so look for him to fill in as the team’s third-down back.

• Running back Ahman Green signed with the Houston Texans on a four-year, $22 million contract that includes $6.5 million in guarantees. Green is 30 years old and borderline past his prime. The Texans obviously saw something in Batman, who will play again under direction of assistant head coach Mike Sherman who coached Green while with the Packers. Don’t expect much from Ahman as his carries will probably drop and he’ll be forced to compete with a laundry list of reserves that include Wali Lundy, Samkon Gado, Chris Taylor, and possibly Ron Dayne if he’s resigned.

• Quarterback Jeff Garcia signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a two-year, $7 million contract. With Jake Plummer looking to be out of the picture, Garcia will enter an intense battle with Chris Simms for starting QB rights. Garcia and head coach Jon Gruden are long time buds, and Garcia’s knowledge of the West Coast offense should only help his case. Expect the Bucs to go after a big name wideout like Calvin Johnson in the draft now that JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn are out of the picture.

• Wide receiver Drew Bennett signed with the St. Louis Rams on a six-year, $30 million contract that includes $9.5 million guaranteed. Bennett will likely man the slot, with Torry Holt and the aging wonder Isaac Bruce at outside. Bennett should move to No. 2 in 2008, but will have to wait it out in 2007. He could have easily signed with another team as a starting wide receiver, but he should still have more value than in Tennessee. The combination of Holt, Bruce, and Bennett makes up one the top receiving corps’ in the league, which should only increase the value of quarterback Marc Bulger.

• Running back Thomas Jones signed with the New York Jets on a long-term deal that includes $12 million in guaranteed money. Kevan Barlow’s already been dumped and Cedric Houston could be on his way, so Thomas Jones and Leon Washington should combine to make a great one-two duo with Washington to be used primarily as the third-down back.

• Running back Travis Henry signed with the Denver Broncos on a five-year, $22.5 million contract. This signing is huge for everybody. It’s huge for Henry, huge for the Broncos, and huge for fantasy owners. Henry should become the next 1,000-yard-plus running back in Denver and should face little competition besides Mike Bell, who could be used primarily as a third-down back now that Henry’s in town.

• Defensive lineman Patrick Kerney signed with the Seattle Seahawks on a six-year, $39.5 million contract that guarantees $19.5 million. Kerney was out much of ’06 after tearing his pectoral muscle while with Atlanta. His signing should bolster Seattle’s front line significantly.

• Linebacker Joey Porter signed with the Miami Dolphins on a five-year, $32 million contract that includes a $12 million signing bonus. Porter talks the talk, but he comes up short walking the walk. He’ll replace Donnie Spragan, but it’s hard to say if he’ll have any fantasy worth in IDP leagues.

• Linebacker London Fletcher-Baker signed with the Washington Redskins on a five-year, $25 million contract that includes a $10.5 million signing bonus. Fletcher played under Washington’s D-coordinator Gregg Williams in Buffalo, so expect a happy marriage. Fletcher has taken heat for his weakness at providing run support, and at age 32, it’s hard to say if his best years are behind him. All I know is that I started him every week in my IDP league and he never burnt me once.

• Wide receiver Joe Horn signed with the Atlanta Falcons on a multi-year contract of at least three years. Horn is 35 years old, but he’s a proven leader. He’s passed his prime as at top-20 receiver, but he should fit in nicely with Bobby Petrino’s vertical offense.

• Running back Jamal Lewis signed with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year, $3.5 million contract. Lewis has passed his prime and has averaged 3.47 yards per carry the last two seasons. Since he only signed a one-year deal, it’s hard to say whether the Browns will go after Adrian Peterson in the draft. In any event, look for Reuben Droughns to be dumped in the next few days.

• Tight end Randy McMichael signed with the St. Louis Rams on a three-year, $9 million contract. The Rams must be looking to re-create the Greatest Show on Turf, now with Holt, Bruce, Drew Bennett, and McMichael. McMichael played under Coach Scott Linehan in Miamin in 2005, so expect a smooth transition. At the same time, tight end Joe Klopfenstein’s value has significantly decreased with McMichael in town.

• Offensive guard Leonard Davis signed with the Dallas Cowboys on a seven-year, $49.6 million contract that includes a $16 million signing bonus and $18.75 million in guarantees. Talk about throwing around the big bucks for the big man. Davis was somewhat of a bust for Arizona, but Dallas tends to dish out the dough, even for busts.

• Running back Sammy Morris signed with the New England Patriots on a four-year, $7 million contract. Morris filled in valiantly in Miami when Ronnie Brown was injured, so look for him to play back-up to rising stud Laurence Maroney.

• Wide receiver Ashley Lelie signed with the San Francisco 49ers on a two-year, $4.3 million contract. The 49ers got Lelie for pennies and he should excel in San Fran.

• Wide receiver Wes Welker was acquired by the New England Patriots for a second- and seventh-round draft pick. He signed a five-year, $18.1 million contract. Welker is a versatile wideout whose value will most likely increase while in New England. He has a good chance of becoming an every down starter, but should also find himself returning punts.

• Tight end David Martin signed with the Miami Dolphins on a three-year, $3.57 million contract. Martin has had some injury issues in his past while with Green Bay, but he could prove to be a major upgrade over the drop-prone Randy McMichael.

• Kicker Jay Feely signed with the Miami Dolphins on a three-year, $6 million contract. The Dolphins are expected to release Olindo Mare any day now, and Feely will compete with Josh Huston for the starting job. Feely should have considerable worth, as far as kickers go, this fantasy season.

• Tight end Daniel Graham signed with the Denver Broncos on a five year, $30 million contract. Graham caught 21 passes last year for 235 yards and two touchdowns with the Pats. The Broncos now have two quality tight ends in Graham and Tony Scheffler who’ll be competing for balls. Look for Graham to be a focal point in the Broncos running game in front of newly acquired Travis Henry.

• Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain signed with the San Francisco 49ers on a three-year, $8.7 million contract that includes a $2.9 million signing bonus. Bain is a special teams hero, but he’ll likely be a second-teamer.

• Linebacker Brian Simmons signed with the New Orleans Saints on a three-year deal with terms still disclosed. Simmons will help bolster the Saints’ already strong defense.

• Linebacker Napoleon Harris signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on a six-year deal. The Chiefs run a Cover-2 D, the same defense used last year by the Vikes under D-coordinator Mike Tomlin. Harris is likely to play middle linebacker and should have a smooth transition.

• Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson re-signed with the team on an eight-year, $60 million contract.

Tick-Tock: (“Bigger” name players who’ve yet to sign.)

• Running back Dominic Rhodes

• Wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth

• Linebacker Donnie Edwards

• Linebacker Cato June

• Wide receiver Eric Moulds

• Running back Corey Dillon

• Running back Chris Brown

• Linebacker Kawika Mitchell

• Wide receiver Kennan McCardell

• Wide receiver Travis Taylor

• Quarterback Matt Schaub

• Quarterback Drew Bledsoe

• Quarterback Aaron Brooks

• Running back Correll Buckhalter

• Running back Ron Dayne

• Running back T.J. Duckett

• Wide receiver Kevin Curtis

Technorati Tags: Adalius Thomas, New England Patriots, Nate Clements, San Franciso 49ers, Shawntae Spencer, Walt Harris, Willis McGahee, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Musa Smith, Ahman Green, Houston Texans, Mike Sherman, Green Bay Packers, Wali Lundy, Samkon Gado, Chris Taylor, Ron Dayne, Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chris Simms, Jake Plummer, Calvin Johnson, JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Drew Bennett, St. Louis Rams, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Marc Bulger, Thomas Jones, New York Jets, Leon Washington, Travis Henry, Denver Broncos, Mike Bell, Patrick Kerney, Seattle Seahawks, Joey Porter, Miami Dolphins, London Fletcher, Washington Redskins, Joe Horn, Atlanta Falcons, Bobby Petrino, Jamal Lewis, Cleveland Browns, Adrian Peterson, Reuben Droughns, Randy McMichael, Joe Klopfenstein, Sammy Morris, Ronnie Brown, Ashley Lelie, Wes Welker, David Martin, Jay Feely, Olindo Mare, Josh Huston, Daniel Graham, Tony Scheffler, Tully Banta-Cain, Brian Simmons, New Orleans Saints, Napoleon Harris, Kansas City Chiefs, Andre Johnson, Dominic Rhodes, Donte’ Stallworth, Donnie Edwards, Cato June, Eric Moulds, Bobby Engram, Corey Dillon, Chris Brown, Kawika Mitchell, Kennan McCardell, Travis Taylor, Matt Schaub, Drew Bledsoe, Aaron Brooks, Corell Buckhalter, T.J. Duckett, Kevin Curtis