NFL News

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Report: Thomas Jones to meet with Chiefs
Thomas Jones - RB - NYJ - Mar. 6
The Chiefs have reportedly scheduled a visit with free agent Thomas Jones on Monday.
This has been in the works for days. Coach Todd Haley had made it known that he wants a complement to Jamaal Charles, and Jones rumors started to surface on Thursday. Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

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Lowly Lions give Vanden Bosch $26M contract
Kyle Vanden Bosch - DL - DET - Mar. 5
Lions agreed to terms with DE Kyle Vanden Bosch on a four-year, $26 million contract, including $10 million in first-year guarantees.
Coach Jim Schwartz gets his former pupil, and KVB gives the Lions' pass rush some credibility and leadership. We suspect they won't look back fondly on this deal, though. Vanden Bosch is 31, hasn't been healthy since 2007, and had next to zero production in Tennessee without Albert Haynesworth. The Lions overpaid for Vanden Bosch and, to a lesser extent, Nate Burleson.
Source: ESPN.com








Lions reel in WR Burleson for 5 years, $25M
Nate Burleson - WR - DET - Mar. 5 - 2:26 a.m. ET
Lions agreed to terms with WR Nate Burleson on a five-year, $25 million contract, including $11 million guaranteed.
The signing isn't sexy, and seems lengthy for a wideout going on 29, but the Lions have been desperate at No. 2 receiver for years. Burleson caught 63 passes for 812 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games for Seattle's putrid offense a season ago, consistently outplaying T.J. Houshmandzadeh. He won't be more than a WR3, but should be a sizable upgrade over Bryant Johnson with vertical skills and another full year removed from ACL surgery.
Source: ESPN.com

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In the waning hours of the opening day of free agency, Rolle signed a five-year, $37 million contract that has $15 million in guaranteed money.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus tweeted the announcement late Friday, offering his personal congratulations to Rolle on becoming ``the highest paid safety in NFL history!'' The Giants formally announced the deal about 11:30 p.m.

``I'm ecstatic,'' said Rolle, 27. ``Words can't really express how I feel now. I had five great years with the Cardinals organization. But I felt it was time for a change. The Giants are a first-class organization all the way. There are great opportunities for me, and I am excited to be working with the players I'll be working with. I think the sky's going to be the limit as to what we can do.''

The signing fills a major need for the Giants, who lost Kenny Phillips to a serious knee injury early last season.

Phillips is expected back this season, and having the two Miami products deep in the secondary should help a defense that struggled last year.

``Antrel is a young, ascending veteran player, and he is an outstanding person who will bring leadership, versatility and more big play ability to our secondary,'' general manager Jerry Reese said.

Rolle, who was recently released by the Cardinals, had four interceptions last season. The one that impressed the Giants the most came in late October when he stepped in front of Steve Smith to intercept an Eli Manning pass around the Cardinals' 21-yard line with 68 seconds to play to nail down a 24-17 win.

New York had driven from its own 1-yard line in the final three minutes in an attempt to tie the game in which Rolle also had eight tackles.

Rolle has played in 68 regular-season games with 59 starts. His career totals include 337 tackles (296 solo), 12 interceptions, 36 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks. He has returned four interceptions for touchdowns, including three in 2007.

This past season, Rolle started all 15 games in which he played and was credited with 72 tackles (61 solo).

Arizona, which also lost linebacker Karlos Dansby to Miami late Friday, released Rolle on Thursday because it wanted to avoid paying him the $4 million roster bonus and the $8 million salary he was due.

However, the battle for Rolle came down to the Giants and Cardinals, and Rolle chose New York after visiting with the team most of Friday.

``I'm extremely excited for the opportunity, and I feel truly blessed,'' Rolle said. ``They have the confidence I can come in and be the player that they expect me to be, and I will live up to everything they expect and go beyond.''

Rolle was Arizona's first-round pick, the eighth selection overall, out of Miami in 2005. He began his pro career as a cornerback but had most of his success after being switched to safety in 2008.

In four seasons at the University of Miami, Rolle had 183 tackles and five interceptions

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ATLANTA (AP)—The Atlanta Falcons have signed free-agent cornerback Dunta Robinson(notes), the Houston Texans’ career interceptions leader, to a six-year, $57 million contract.

The team confirmed the deal on Saturday. It was reported Friday that the Falcons and Robinson had agreed to terms.

Robinson’s signing is important because the Falcons finished 28th in the league against the pass last season. The native of Athens, Ga., had 13 interceptions in the last six seasons with Houston. He will be introduced at a press conference on Monday.

The Texans made Robinson the 10th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. He had a career-high six interceptions as a rookie, and has started in 79 of 84 career games.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—The Green Bay Packers re-signed veteran left tackle Chad Clifton(notes) on Saturday, wrapping up one of their major offseason concerns early in the NFL’s free agent signing period.

Clifton will now return to the left tackle spot he has occupied for most of his 10 seasons in Green Bay. The Packers do not have an obvious candidate to replace Clifton, and reported interest in the unrestricted free agent from the Washington Redskins made for some nervous moments among Packers fans.

Terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com reported Friday night that Clifton’s deal was for three years and $20 million, with $7.5 million in guaranteed money.

“We are happy to be able to have Chad as a member of the Packers,” Packers general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement. “He has been a valuable teammate and contributor to our team. We look forward to him continuing to work to help us build and prepare for a successful 2010 season.”

Losing Clifton would have been a tough blow for the Packers, who had significant issues on their offensive line last season even with Clifton in his usual spot. The Packers gave up a league-worst 51 sacks last season, although their pass protection did improve after the midseason signing of veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher(notes).

Tauscher also is an unrestricted free agent, and his future with the team is unclear.

Defensive standout Aaron Kampman(notes), who is coming off a major knee injury and did not always look comfortable in the Packers’ new-look 3-4 defense last season, also is an unrestricted free agent and is expected to draw interest from teams that run a 4-3 defensive alignment.

Clifton’s continued presence also will be critical for the Packers after two standout pass rushers joined NFC North rivals as free agents on Friday. Julius Peppers(notes) will be playing for the Chicago Bears next season, and Kyle Vanden Bosch(notes) is joining the Detroit Lions.

Originally drafted by Green Bay in the second round in 2000, Clifton has played the past 10 seasons for the Packers.

He has appeared in 143 regular-season games with 138 starts at left tackle.

He has missed just six games over the last seven years since returning from a significant pelvic injury that ended his 2002 season. He went to the Pro Bowl after the 2007 season and has been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate three times, including last season.

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ESPN reports the Raiders have released running back Justin Fargas(notes).

Fargas rushed for 491 yards and three touchdowns last season. His production has steadily declined since a 1,009-yard rushing season in 2007.

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New Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has yet to announce whether he’ll bring back running back Clinton Portis(notes), but he is looking at potential
replacements and/or complements.

Steelers free-agent running back Willie Parker(notes), who turns 30 in November, will visit the Redskins’ facility on Monday, according to Pittsburgh radio station KDKA. The team needs depth after releasing Rock Cartwright(notes) and Ladell Betts(notes) on Friday.

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The Miami Dolphins made it official, announcing their deal with free agent linebacker Karlos Dansby(notes).


Dansby’s five-year contract is worth $43 million, including $22 million in guaranteed money.


The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder spent the previous six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.


Originally, a second-round pick in the 2004 draft from Auburn, the linebacker accumulated 563 tackles, 25 1/2 sacks, 25 passes defensed, 12 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions with Arizona.