2012 Free Agent Watch

[woodbuck27]

1) Randy Moss signed by San Francisco
2) Brandon Marshall traded to Chicago - Miami gets 2012 R3 pick (#73) and 2013 R3 pick
3) OT Eric Winston cut by Texans
4) WR Pierre Garcon, Eddie Royal and Josh Morgan signs with Redskins
5) WR Vincent Jackson signs with Tampa Bay
6) ILB Curtis Lofton signs with Bucs
7) WR Reggie Wayne resigns with Colts
8) CB Cortland Finnegan signs with Rams
9) WR Robert Meachem signs with Chargers

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/13/the-free-agent-hot-100/

Of this TOP 100 FA'a List there has been action with only 14 players by 7 AM Wed. 14 March 2012 or about 16 hours into the Free Agency period.

Of those 14 players how many remained with the team they were contracted with prior to becoming eligible FA's? The answer is eight (8).

[woodbuck27]

Buccaneers reach agreement with cornerback Eric Wright

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 14, 2012, 8:02 AM EDT
Reuters
Free agent cornerback Eric Wright is heading to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Wright, who played last season with the Lions, has reached an agreement with the Buccaneers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

The contract is a five-year deal. There’s no word on the financial terms.

That’s a disappointment to the Lions, who were hoping to keep Wright in the fold. But there wasn’t much of a chance of the Lions out-bidding the Bucs for his services, considering that the Bucs are loaded with cap space and the Lions are in a precarious cap position.

Wright spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns before heading to Detroit last year, and he started all 16 games for the Lions. He’s expected to be a starter for the Buccaneers as well — especially if Aqib Talib’s off-field problems make him unable to play.
Wright checks in at No. 38 on our Free Agent Hot 100.

[Upnorth]

The contract TB gave to Jackson amazes me. I don't think he is that good, but what do I know? Short term it is a big helop to Campbell, long term it will handicap a young team.

[woodbuck27]

The contract TB gave to Jackson amazes me. I don't think he is that good, but what do I know? Short term it is a big helop to Campbell, long term it will handicap a young team.

What blew me away is the amount of money that was guranteed. I believe I heard that gurantee was in the $26 million$ range for a maximum of only two seasons. That isn't firm in my mind. ** I need to check that at some time.

** His fully guaranteed money comes from $24 million in guaranteed base salaries and a $2 million roster bonus. Since base salaries are paid during the season, the Bucs will be writing the checks to Jackson as the cash is coming in. .... PFT.com

[Fritz]

No centers have signed yet, then?

I wonder if everyone's waiting for Williams to sign, and then the rest of the dominoes will fall.

[woodbuck27]

Chargers re-sign Jared Gaither to four-year deal

Posted by Evan Silva on March 14, 2012, 12:43 PM EDT
AP
Michael Gehlken of the Union-Tribune San Diego reports that the Chargers have re-signed tackle Jared Gaither to a four-year contract.

Though possessing a checkered medical and off-field history, Gaither is one of the most impressive young left tackles in pro football. The 6-foot-9, 340-pound lineman is only 26 years old and solidified the position down the stretch in San Diego last season. Gaither was filling in for Marcus McNeill, whom the Chargers released on Tuesday.

Gaither has the potential to be better than McNeill, perhaps much better. He was the No. 5 overall player on PFT’s Hot 100 Free Agency list.

[woodbuck27]

RE: Vincent Jackson and his new contract with the Tampa Bay BUCS:

This info. from PFT.Com

He gets $26 million fully guaranteed, via a $2 million roster bonus in 2012 and a fully-guaranteed $11 million base salary in 2012. For 2013, he gets a $13 million base salary, fully guaranteed.

The last three years of his 5 year deal is NOT guranteed. If he 'only plays two seasons' he's guranteed $52 Million$ plus a roster bonus in 2013. Nice deal.

[woodbuck27]

Cowboys sign Brandon Carr for five years, $50.1 million

Posted by Evan Silva on March 14, 2012, 4:12 PM EDT
AP
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Cowboys have signed cornerback Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million contract.

The contract is worth $100,000 more than Cortland Finnegan’s reported deal with St. Louis.
Just moments after longtime Cowboys reporter Charean Williams wrote on Twitter that Carr was “close” to signing with Dallas, Schefter broke the news that the contract has been finalized.

Carr, who turns 26 in May, is a big, physical press cornerback with playmaking ability. He has safety size at 6-foot, 207 and set a career high with four interceptions last season.

In Dallas, Carr will book end Mike Jenkins on the perimeter of the Cowboys’ secondary.

[woodbuck27]

Buccaneers reel in Carl Nicks for five years, $47.5 million

Posted by Evan Silva on March 14, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Buccaneers have reached an agreement with offensive guard Carl Nicks on a five-year, $47.5 million contract with $31 million guaranteed.

Assuming the numbers are accurate, Nicks has surpassed Logan Mankins as the NFL’s highest paid guard, both in terms of annual pay and guaranteed money. Nicks is getting $9.5 million a year. Mankins got $8.5 million annually with $30 million guaranteed.

Florio will have a more revealing post on Nicks’ contract in short order.

The Saints were concerned how Nicks would react if paid top dollar in free agency. Though they submitted a contract offer just before the signing period began, it wasn’t in the realm of the Buccaneers’ proposal.

Tampa Bay has now landed two of the top-ten players on the PFT Free Agent Hot 100.

[woodbuck27]

Carlos Rogers stays put in San Fran

Posted by Mike Florio on March 13, 2012, 10:43 PM EDT
Getty Images
When cornerback Carlos Rogers finally became an unrestricted free agent in 2011, after being restricted in 2010 with five years of service, he signed a one-year deal in the hopes of getting another crack at a bigger payday in 2012.

He got one.

Per a league source, Rogers has agreed to terms on a four-year deal with a base value of $29.3 million. The contract can be worth as much as $31.3 million.

The overall package for Rogers, 31, is slightly above the contract signed in 2011 by Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor.

[woodbuck27]

Giants re-sign Terrell Thomas

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 13, 2012, 9:31 AM EDT
Getty Images
Minutes after we posted our Free Agent Hot 100, we have the first signing off the list.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Giants have reached an agreement with cornerback Terrell Thomas, who has spent his entire career with the team but would have become a free agent in six and a half hours.

The Giants had high hopes for Thomas heading into last season, but he tore his ACL in the preseason and missed the entire year. Getting him back and healthy would be a boost to the Super Bowl champions’ defense.

Thomas was drafted by the Giants in the second round in 2008 and became a starter in 2009, and he didn’t miss a game in 2009 or 2010 before missing all of 2011.

[woodbuck27]

Saints keep top receiver Colston with five-year deal

Posted by Evan Silva on March 13, 2012, 12:52 PM EDT
Getty Images

Marques Colston, the No. 18 overall player on PFT’s Hot 100 Free Agency list, won’t be hitting the market after all.

FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reports that the Saints and Colston have agreed to terms on a five-year contract that will keep Colston in New Orleans through 2016.

Florio mentioned late last night that New Orleans was working “feverishly” to get Colston re-signed despite a limited amount of salary cap space. They executed.

Per NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora, the deal is worth $40 million including just under $20 million guaranteed. Florio is reporting that those numbers are a bit inflated, though. He’ll have the actual financial details shortly.

Colston, who turns 29 in June, has been incredibly productive manning the slot in the Saints’ pass-first offense. He broke into the league as a seventh-round pick out of Hofstra in 2006, and has averaged over 1,000 yards per season ever since.

[woodbuck27]

Chargers sign Meachem to four-year, $25.9 million contract

Posted by Evan Silva on March 14, 2012, 12:34 AM EDT
AP
The Chargers lost free agent Vincent Jackson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday evening, but G.M. A.J. Smith countered with a move early Wednesday morning that will keep his team competitive at wide receiver.

The club announced that it has signed deep threat receiver Robert Meachem, formerly of the Saints.
Per Michael Gehlken of the Union-Tribune San Diego, Meachem’s deal is for four years and $25.9 million, with $14 million guaranteed.

A rotational receiver in New Orleans, Meachem should become an every-down wideout with San Diego. He is a downfield threat with sub-4.4 speed, fitting coach Norv Turner’s vertical offense.

Meachem figures to start opposite Malcom Floyd, with 2011 third-round pick Vincent Brown manning the slot.

[woodbuck27]

Jaguars keep Jeremy Mincey in fold with four-year pact

Posted by Evan Silva on March 14, 2012, 12:46 AM EDT
Getty Images
Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times Union reports that the Jaguars have re-signed defensive end Jeremy Mincey.
Per Scout.com, the deal is for four years.

Mincey drew interest on Tuesday from the Chicago Bears, and the Cleveland Browns at one point were said to be making a run at him. Instead, Mincey stayed in Jacksonville, where he broke out in 2011 as the Jags’ featured pass rusher.

The Jaguars need another rusher, though, and they may still use their first-round pick on a bookend for Mincey. In mock drafts, the Jags are commonly linked to North Carolina’s Quinton Coples and South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram.

[woodbuck27]

Jaguars re-sign Dwight Lowery to four-year deal

Posted by Evan Silva on March 13, 2012, 10:23 PM EDT
Getty Images
Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times Union reports that the Jaguars have re-signed safety Dwight Lowery to a four-year contract.

Mostly a cornerback with the Jets during his first three NFL seasons, Lowery’s career took off at free safety in Jacksonville last year. The 26-year-old keyed the Jaguars’ pass defense turnaround, manning center field in coordinator Mel Tucker’s system.

We had Lowery rated as the 40th best player in free agency.