Ravens sign versatile OL Spears

By Nolan Nawrocki, Associate editor

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Friday, May 3, 2002

• The Ravens signed former Chiefs OT Marcus Spears to a four-year contract worth nearly $4 million contract Thursday. Spears started all 16 games for the Chiefs last season, including 11 at right tackle. Ravens senior vice president of football operations Ozzie Newsome said the Ravens were unable to find a tackle through the draft and were interested in Spears’ versatility, saying he is athletic enough to play guard or tackle, as he demonstrated last season. Spears was enticed by the opportunity to start in Baltimore.

• The Seahawks re-signed DE Antonio Cochran to a one-year deal and LB Tim Terry to a multiyear contract. Cochran, who has played for the Seahawks the last four years, participated in all 16 games last year, including two starts. Both players were restricted free agents. Terry signed with Seattle as a free agent before the 2000 season and specialized in rushing the passer in third-down situations last year.

• The Vikings snagged another defensive end through free agency when they reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent Chuck Wiley. Wiley, who played the last two seasons with the Falcons, joins former Dolphins DE Lorenzo Bromell and Kenny Mixon as new additions to the Minnesota front four. Wiley is expected to be the No. 3 defensive end.

• The Redskins have begun discussions to extend the contract of ORT Jon Jansen. Jansen has been the Redskins’ starting right tackle since being selected in the second round of the 1999 draft from the University of Michigan. Though the Redskins are roughly a half-million under the cap, they are still looking to pick up a lineman and a safety for defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis’ defense and a wide receiver and a tight end for head coach Steve Spurrier’s offense.

• The Buccaneers signed LS Mike Solwood, LB Joe Todd and OL Marcus Jenkins to one-year contracts. Solwood long-snapped for the Cowboys for the final eight games last season. Todd signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jets after the draft last year but was released in September. Jenkins has been a practice squad member of the Seahawks and Patriots the last two years.

• The Texans claimed RB Travis Prentice Thursday after he was waived by the Vikings.

Thursday, May 2, 2002

• The Bengals signed unrestricted free-agent QB Gus Frerotte to a one-year contract. Frerotte is an eight-year veteran with 61 career NFL starts. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after passing for a career-high 3,453 yards for Washington in 1996. Jon Kitna, who started 15 games for the Bengals last season, is slated to enter training camp as Cincinnati's No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart. But Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau said Frerotte will get an opportunity to compete for the starting job. Also on the Bengals roster at QB are fourth-year pro Akili Smith, third-year player Scott Covington and rookie free agent Gavin Hoffman. Smith is recovering from a severe hamstring tear, and his status for the opening of training camp is questionable. Frerotte was a seventh-round draft choice of Washington in 1994 and played for the Redskins through 1998. He went to Detroit in 1999 as a free agent, and to Denver in 2000 as an unrestricted free agent.

• The Chargers signed former Falcons starting guard Bob Hallen to a two-year contract. Hallen, a 6-4, 295-pounder, started 12 games at left guard last season and has started 31 games in the past three seasons. During the 2000 season, Hallen saw action at left guard, right guard and left tackle. He was a second-round draft choice by Atlanta in 1998. 

• The Browns signed DT Marcus Spriggs to a one-year contract. The 25-year-old Spriggs did not play last season because of a broken forearm. He participated in the Browns’ minicamp last week. Spriggs played in 15 games as a backup in 1999 and 2000.

Signings:

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Re-signed FB Mack Strong to a one-year contract.

Wednesday, May 1, 2002

• Cardinals unrestricted free-agent FS Kwamie Lassiter has accepted the team's franchise tender offer, which guarantees him a one-year contract at the amount of $3,342,000. The eighth-year pro, who joined the Cardinals in 1995 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas, led NFL free safeties with nine interceptions last season. He also led Arizona with 100 solo tackles, and his 169 total tackles were his career high. He will enter the 2002 season boasting a string of 94 consecutive games played.

• The Chiefs have reportedly reached an agreement with Jaguars backup QB Jonathan Quinn on a two-year, $1.35 million contract. The 27-year-old has played the last four seasons with Jacksonville since being selected in the third round of the 1997 draft.

• The Saints re-signed CB Jerry Wilson to a one-year, $525,000 contract, and he is expected to compete for the fourth CB position. Wilson was signed by the Saints late last season for depth.

• The Colts claimed RB Ben Gay off waivers from the Browns. Gay spent his rookie season with the Browns and had 51 carries for 172 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 23 kickoffs for a 22.3-yard average. Gay, who played at Baylor, originally signed with Cleveland as an undrafted free agent.

• Former Ravens S Rod Woodson signed with the Raiders Tuesday and is expected to replace FS Anthony Dorsett as the starter. The 37-year-old is the latest addition to a veteran-laden roster with urgent designs on a championship. The Ravens originally hoped to bring Woodson back after June 1 at a lower salary, but Woodson jumped to the AFC West champions after six weeks of periodic negotiations. Washington defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis was also believed to be interested in acquiring Woodson but lost out to the special meaning the silver and black has to Woodson. The veteran said he had been a Raiders fan forever and grew up with posters of Ken "the Snake" Stabler, Lester Hayes and Jack Tatum on his bedroom walls. Woodson joins veteran free agents Bill Romanowski and John Parrella and first-round draft picks Napoleon Harris and Phillip Buchanon as additions expected to improve the Raiders’ defense.

Undrafted free-agent signings:

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Signed WR Ryan Dennard.

Tuesday, April 30, 2002

• A day after Washington head coach Steve Spurrier said he was happy with his quarterbacks, the Redskins agreed to terms with former Bears QB Shane Matthews, who played for the coach at the University of Florida. The signing comes after a three-day minicamp in which none of the four quarterbacks on the Redskins’ practice field seemed on pace for assuming a starting job in the NFL. Danny Wuerffel, Sage Rosenfels and Dameyune Craig all struggled at times, and first-round pick Patrick Ramsey did not work much because he is still learning the offense. Matthews likely signed a one-year, $750,000 contract, the minimum for a veteran with his experience. He was released by the Bears last week and becomes the fifth former Gator to sign with the Redskins.

• The Raiders are reportedly set to announce the signing of former Ravens S Rod Woodson today. The 15-year veteran has been to 10 Pro Bowls and last played in the Bay Area in 1997, when he was with the 49ers.

• The Bengals signed unrestricted free-agent DE Eric Ogbogu from the Jets to a two-year contract. Ogbogu, a four-year veteran, was a sixth-round draft choice of the Jets in 1998 and has played in 41 games the past four seasons. He missed the entire 2000 season with a shoulder injury but returned last year. Ogbogu hails from the University of Maryland, where Bengals defensive coordinator Mark Duffner was the head coach during Ogbogu’s time with the Terps.

• Chiefs unrestricted free-agent OT-OG Marcus Spears is visiting the Ravens today. The team is looking to fill an opening at right tackle. If they can’t sign Spears, they are expected to make a push to re-sign Sammy Williams.

• The Bears signed FB Charles Kirby to their training-camp roster Monday. He spent the 1998 season on the Colts’ injured reserve list and last season on the Bucs’ list. He also was on the Chiefs’ practice squad in 1999 before joining the Bucs in 2000, when he saw limited duty at the end of the season.

• The Vikings decided against re-signing Pro Bowl PK Gary Anderson, the NFL’s career leading scorer, and signed Doug Brien to replace him. Anderson, an unrestricted free agent who had been with the Vikings since 1998, had only been used for field goals in recent seasons. Mitch Berger, who was cut by Minnesota and then signed with the Rams earlier this year, had handled kickoffs and punts for the Vikings. Brien, entering his ninth season, has played in 113 games with the 49ers, Saints and Bucs. He signed a one-year, $650,000 contract.

• The Titans have apparently taken themselves out of the running for Jets free-agent S Victor Green after drafting Stanford SS "Tank" Williams to start opposite newly acquired FS Lance Schulters in 2002. The defending Super Bowl champion Patriots have expressed interest in Green.

• The Bengals reportedly offered Denver unrestricted free-agent QB Gus Frerotte a three-year, $2.6 million deal that includes a $500,000 signing bonus. The team made similar four-year offers to Frerotte and current Bengals starting QB Jon Kitna last year, but Kitna was the first to accept the offer. Frerotte re-signed with Denver as a backup.

• The Rams signed seven-year veteran FB Chris Hetherington from the Panthers. Hetherington, a strong special-teams player, is expected to see some time at fullback behind James Hodgins. Having been an option quarterback at Yale, Hetherington is expected to be able to line up at fullback or tight end.

Undrafted free-agent signings:

CHICAGO BEARS: Signed LB Kiah Johnson, WR Jerris Evans and CB Travis Coleman.
CINCINNATI BENGALS: Signed QB Gavin Hoffman and FS Robert Grant.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Signed OL T.J. Watkins, FB J.R. Niklos and WR Jon Pendergrass.

Monday, April 29, 2002

• The Eagles are looking to add depth at running back after RB Correll Buckhalter tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the weekend’s minicamp. Free-agent RB Dorsey Levens will be visiting the Eagles today to take a physical and meet with coaches and player personnel staff. Levens has spent all eight seasons of his NFL career with Green Bay after being a fifth-round draft choice of the Packers in 1994. Redskins unrestricted free-agent RB Ki-Jana Carter is also expected to visit.

• Veteran TE Tony McGee signed a three-year deal with the Cowboys worth around $3 million, including a $400,000 signing bonus, after being cut by the Bengals. McGee, Cincinnati’s second-round draft pick in 1993, had his least productive NFL season in 2001— 14 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. He missed the last five games with a sprained knee. McGee started 134 games with the Bengals, including 117 consecutive starts before missing the last two games of the ’00 season with a broken left ankle.

• Free-agent PK Phil Dawson, one of the NFL’s most accurate field-goal kickers last season, signed a four-year contract with the Browns. Dawson converted 22-of-25 field goals last season, including his last 15 attempts. Dawson, 27, has been with the Browns since they signed him before their expansion season in 1999. He visited Buffalo as a restricted free agent this winter. The team also signed RB Jamel White to a one-year contract.

• Jets QB Vinny Testaverde will spend the rest of his NFL career in New York after restructuring a contract that had been salary-cap prohibitive. The new five-year deal stretches bonus money through the life of the contract, allowing the Jets to avoid a $9.5 million bonus due in June. Testaverde, who is recovering from surgery to remove a benign tumor in his right foot, will earn about $4 million this year in base salary and could earn another $2.5 in bonuses.

• Free-agent DT John Burrough, who sat out of football last season rehabilitating from ankle surgery and working as a homebuilder, signed what is believed to be a one-year, $650,000 contract with the Rams. He will reunite with defensive line coach Bill Kollar, who coached Burrough for four seasons in Atlanta, after he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1995 draft. The six-year veteran is expected to replace DT Sean Moran, who joined the 49ers through free agency earlier this offseason.

• The Jets reached an agreement with former Ravens DT Larry Webster on a one-year, $675,000 contract, which includes a $25,000 signing bonus. Webster chose the Jets over the Ravens, Bills and Redskins — who had all expressed interest in the 33-year-old Webster. He joined the Dolphins as a third-round choice in 1992 before joining the Browns, who eventually moved to Baltimore.

• Restricted free-agent S Dexter Jackson signed a one-year contract to remain with the Bucs. The fourth-year pro is coming off his first year as a starter. He played 15 games last season, recording 78 tackles, four interceptions, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

• The Falcons signed WR Jeff Graham and waived WR Corey Brown. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound Graham is heading into his 12^th NFL season. Last year, he caught 52 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games for the Chargers. Graham has played for the Steelers, Bears, Jets, Eagles and Chargers before joining the Falcons. Brown originally signed with the Falcons as a rookie free agent last April. He tore up his right knee during training camp and spent the season on injured reserve.

• The Redskins are expected to pursue former Ravens defenders S Rod Woodson and DT Sam Adams.

Signings:

DALLAS COWBOYS: Re-signed QB Clint Stoerner, TE James Whalen and WRs Darren Chiaverini, Ken-Yon Rambo and Reggie Swinton.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Signed C Jim Pyne.
NEW YORK JETS: Signed CB Marcus Floyd.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Re-signed FB Cecil Martin, WR Na Brown and S Rashard Cook to one-year contracts.

Undrafted free-agent signings:

CLEVELAND BROWNS: Signed WR Dimitrius Breedlove, WR Frisman Jackson, DB Eddie Canonico, DB Kalvin Pearson, DE Thomas Pittman, DE Michael Josiah, OL Konrad Dean, OT Qasim Mitchell and H-back Ben Miller.
NEW YORK GIANTS: Signed CB Tony Badger, QB Ed Collins, S Ryan Clark, S Nate Coggins, LB Nick Colbert, OL Pat Crummey, OT Michael Curry, CB Calvin Coleman, DT Rachman Crable, DE Sean Guthrie, DB Ronnie Hamilton, DT Matt Mitrione, OG Dwayne Pierce, LB Brad Rice, OT Vincent Sandoval, FB Charles Stackhouse, WR David Thompson and C Terence Wagner.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Signed CB Ryan Fernandez, LB Zach Grady, WR Brian Haugabrook, WR Scott Lipford, LB Brandon Moore, WR Donnie O'Neal and RB Ken Simonton.
NEW YORK JETS: Signed WR Kory Bailey, WR Ataveus Cash, WR Tavon Mason, WR Brian Scott, LB Scott Bradley, LB Jamie Burrow, LB Joe Cooper, LB Jeremiah Janssen and LB Idris Price.

Got scoop?  Drop a line to associate editor Nolan Nawrocki at nnawrocki@primediasi.com.

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