THEHEREAFTER
03-02-2005, 11:03 AM
Tidbits.. nothing earth shattering
Cowboys Start Shopping, Eye DT Ferguson
By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 2, 2005; 10:45 AM
The Dallas Cowboys appear poised to make a major move to bolster their defense today as the NFL's free-agent market opens.
The Cowboys are primed to pry defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, an unrestricted free agent, from the New York Jets, a source familiar with the negotiations said this morning.
_____From The Post_____
• Top Unrestricted Free Agents by Position
• Franchise Players
_____NFL Basics_____
• Scoreboard
• Standings
• Statistics
• Team index
• NFL Section
_____Mark Maske's NFL Insider_____
• Top Unrestricted Free Agents By Position (washingtonpost.com, Mar 2, 2005)
• Franchise Players (washingtonpost.com, Mar 2, 2005)
• Colts' James, New Agent Going Shopping (washingtonpost.com, Mar 1, 2005)
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The Jets desperately wanted to keep Ferguson, one of the most coveted players in free agency, and they and the Cowboys bid against each other once the market opened at 12:01 a.m. But Ferguson picked the Cowboys, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made yet. Barring a last-minute snag as the two sides put the finishing touches on a contract agreement, Ferguson will reunite with Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells, who coached him with the Jets between 1997 and '99. Parcells made Ferguson a starter in his second NFL season.
It will be the second significant free-agent signing for the Cowboys, who already signed Drew Bledsoe to be their starting quarterback. Ferguson provides an anchor up front for a defense that slipped to 16th in the league rankings this past season after ranking first in 2003, when Dallas reached the playoffs in Parcells's first season with the club.
The Cowboys have abundant salary-cap space and have two first-round draft choices in April, and are making a push to improve rapidly on the heels of a 6-10 season. They probably will be in the market for a cornerback in the coming weeks.
The Jets might try to sign another top free-agent defensive tackle, Buffalo's Pat Williams, to replace Ferguson.
The Jets had three of the most sought-after players on the unrestricted free agent market -- Ferguson, offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie and tailback LaMont Jordan -- even after managing to keep quarterback Chad Pennington and defensive ends Shaun Ellis and John Abraham off the market. They signed Pennington and Ellis to contract extensions and used their franchise-player tag to limit Abraham's free-agent mobility.
Jets Trying To Sign Jennings
The Jets are attempting to complete a deal with the Bills' Jonas Jennings, regarded as the top left tackle available in unrestricted free agency. If they sign Jennings, the Jets probably would move Jason Fabini from left tackle to right tackle and halt their efforts to re-sign McKenzie, a right tackle . . . .
Jordan, unhappy with backing up Curtis Martin, probably is headed elsewhere, perhaps Oakland . . . .
The Arizona Cardinals have added Brad Johnson, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback for Tampa Bay officially released Tuesday by the Buccaneers, to their shopping list of free-agent quarterbacks, alongside Kurt Warner and Jeff Garcia. The Cardinals are attractive to the prominent quarterbacks who are available because they probably represent the best chance for one of the veterans to earn a starting job next season . . . .
Warner might pick a new team quickly. He is being pursued by Arizona, Detroit and Chicago . . . .
Seth Payne, one of the top defensive tackles on the market, is to visit Cleveland today. He also is being pursued by New Orleans . . . .
The Saints are listening to trade offers for defensive end Darren Howard, their franchise player. He is at least the third player with his club's franchise tag who could be on the trading block, along with Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson and Indianapolis Colts tailback Edgerrin James.
Darius, R. Johnson Sign Franchise Tenders
Two players with the franchise tag, Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius and Cincinnati tailback Rudi Johnson, signed their one-year tender contracts Tuesday . . . .
The New England Patriots made veteran wide receiver Troy Brown a free agent Tuesday by declining to pick up a $2.5 million option in his contract for next season. The Patriots still could re-sign Brown, who filled in at cornerback this past season when injuries depleted New England's secondary . . . The Patriots kept offensive tackle Brandon Gorin off the restricted free agent market by signing him to a three-year, $2.5 million contract extension . . . .
The five-year deal that linebacker Larry Foote signed with Pittsburgh on Tuesday is worth $13.43 million, including a $3.25 million signing bonus. The agreement kept Foote from being a restricted free agent . . . .
Carolina likely will re-sign quarterback Rodney Peete, who was released Monday, to a more cap-friendly contract . . . . The Panthers released cornerback Artrell Hawkins on Tuesday as teams scrambled to get beneath the $85.5 million salary cap . . . Green Bay cleared about $10.25 million in salary cap space by releasing guard Mike Wahle, as expected. Wahle also can play tackle and will be one of the top offensive-line targets in unrestricted free agency. The Packers also released center Grey Ruegamer . . . .
San Francisco released defensive end Brandon Whiting, who was acquired by the 49ers from Philadelphia last year in the Terrell Owens trade . . . . Dallas cut loose linebacker Dexter Coakley . . . Tampa Bay released linebacker Ian Gold, cornerback Mario Edwards and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius. The Buccaneers are attempting to re-sign Jurevicius to a cheaper contract . . . Defensive lineman Kevin Carter is a hot commodity on the unrestricted free agent market after being released by Tennessee as part of the Titans' salary cap purge. He seems to be leaning toward re-signing with the Titans, however, in a deal that Tennessee can afford . . . . Cleveland will get a fourth-round draft choice from Denver when the trade that sends defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Broncos officially is completed . . . .
Miami's meandering search for a defensive coordinator finally ended Tuesday when Dolphins Coach Nick Saban gave the job to Richard Smith, who spend the past two seasons as the Lions' assistant head coach and linebackers coach.
Cowboys Start Shopping, Eye DT Ferguson
By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 2, 2005; 10:45 AM
The Dallas Cowboys appear poised to make a major move to bolster their defense today as the NFL's free-agent market opens.
The Cowboys are primed to pry defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, an unrestricted free agent, from the New York Jets, a source familiar with the negotiations said this morning.
_____From The Post_____
• Top Unrestricted Free Agents by Position
• Franchise Players
_____NFL Basics_____
• Scoreboard
• Standings
• Statistics
• Team index
• NFL Section
_____Mark Maske's NFL Insider_____
• Top Unrestricted Free Agents By Position (washingtonpost.com, Mar 2, 2005)
• Franchise Players (washingtonpost.com, Mar 2, 2005)
• Colts' James, New Agent Going Shopping (washingtonpost.com, Mar 1, 2005)
_____Free E-mail Newsletters_____
• Washington Nationals
Description | Sign Up Now
• Redskins
See a Sample | Sign Up Now
• Maryland Terps
See a Sample | Sign Up Now
The Jets desperately wanted to keep Ferguson, one of the most coveted players in free agency, and they and the Cowboys bid against each other once the market opened at 12:01 a.m. But Ferguson picked the Cowboys, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made yet. Barring a last-minute snag as the two sides put the finishing touches on a contract agreement, Ferguson will reunite with Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells, who coached him with the Jets between 1997 and '99. Parcells made Ferguson a starter in his second NFL season.
It will be the second significant free-agent signing for the Cowboys, who already signed Drew Bledsoe to be their starting quarterback. Ferguson provides an anchor up front for a defense that slipped to 16th in the league rankings this past season after ranking first in 2003, when Dallas reached the playoffs in Parcells's first season with the club.
The Cowboys have abundant salary-cap space and have two first-round draft choices in April, and are making a push to improve rapidly on the heels of a 6-10 season. They probably will be in the market for a cornerback in the coming weeks.
The Jets might try to sign another top free-agent defensive tackle, Buffalo's Pat Williams, to replace Ferguson.
The Jets had three of the most sought-after players on the unrestricted free agent market -- Ferguson, offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie and tailback LaMont Jordan -- even after managing to keep quarterback Chad Pennington and defensive ends Shaun Ellis and John Abraham off the market. They signed Pennington and Ellis to contract extensions and used their franchise-player tag to limit Abraham's free-agent mobility.
Jets Trying To Sign Jennings
The Jets are attempting to complete a deal with the Bills' Jonas Jennings, regarded as the top left tackle available in unrestricted free agency. If they sign Jennings, the Jets probably would move Jason Fabini from left tackle to right tackle and halt their efforts to re-sign McKenzie, a right tackle . . . .
Jordan, unhappy with backing up Curtis Martin, probably is headed elsewhere, perhaps Oakland . . . .
The Arizona Cardinals have added Brad Johnson, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback for Tampa Bay officially released Tuesday by the Buccaneers, to their shopping list of free-agent quarterbacks, alongside Kurt Warner and Jeff Garcia. The Cardinals are attractive to the prominent quarterbacks who are available because they probably represent the best chance for one of the veterans to earn a starting job next season . . . .
Warner might pick a new team quickly. He is being pursued by Arizona, Detroit and Chicago . . . .
Seth Payne, one of the top defensive tackles on the market, is to visit Cleveland today. He also is being pursued by New Orleans . . . .
The Saints are listening to trade offers for defensive end Darren Howard, their franchise player. He is at least the third player with his club's franchise tag who could be on the trading block, along with Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson and Indianapolis Colts tailback Edgerrin James.
Darius, R. Johnson Sign Franchise Tenders
Two players with the franchise tag, Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius and Cincinnati tailback Rudi Johnson, signed their one-year tender contracts Tuesday . . . .
The New England Patriots made veteran wide receiver Troy Brown a free agent Tuesday by declining to pick up a $2.5 million option in his contract for next season. The Patriots still could re-sign Brown, who filled in at cornerback this past season when injuries depleted New England's secondary . . . The Patriots kept offensive tackle Brandon Gorin off the restricted free agent market by signing him to a three-year, $2.5 million contract extension . . . .
The five-year deal that linebacker Larry Foote signed with Pittsburgh on Tuesday is worth $13.43 million, including a $3.25 million signing bonus. The agreement kept Foote from being a restricted free agent . . . .
Carolina likely will re-sign quarterback Rodney Peete, who was released Monday, to a more cap-friendly contract . . . . The Panthers released cornerback Artrell Hawkins on Tuesday as teams scrambled to get beneath the $85.5 million salary cap . . . Green Bay cleared about $10.25 million in salary cap space by releasing guard Mike Wahle, as expected. Wahle also can play tackle and will be one of the top offensive-line targets in unrestricted free agency. The Packers also released center Grey Ruegamer . . . .
San Francisco released defensive end Brandon Whiting, who was acquired by the 49ers from Philadelphia last year in the Terrell Owens trade . . . . Dallas cut loose linebacker Dexter Coakley . . . Tampa Bay released linebacker Ian Gold, cornerback Mario Edwards and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius. The Buccaneers are attempting to re-sign Jurevicius to a cheaper contract . . . Defensive lineman Kevin Carter is a hot commodity on the unrestricted free agent market after being released by Tennessee as part of the Titans' salary cap purge. He seems to be leaning toward re-signing with the Titans, however, in a deal that Tennessee can afford . . . . Cleveland will get a fourth-round draft choice from Denver when the trade that sends defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Broncos officially is completed . . . .
Miami's meandering search for a defensive coordinator finally ended Tuesday when Dolphins Coach Nick Saban gave the job to Richard Smith, who spend the past two seasons as the Lions' assistant head coach and linebackers coach.