Lions, Bucs join race for CB Buckley

By Nolan Nawrocki, Associate editor

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Friday, June 28, 2002

• The Bucs have reportedly entered the bidding for free-agent CB Terrell Buckley. Buckley, a 10-year veteran who has played for the Packers, Dolphins and Patriots, has also received interest from Detroit and Miami, where he visited Tuesday. The Dolphins are stocked with talent at the CB position and would likely use Buckley as a nickel or dime back if he signs. The Lions, on the other hand, only have two cornerbacks with more than one NFL start — Todd Lyght and Terry Fair. With Fair recovering from a broken bone in his foot, it’s possible Buckley could start for the Lions if he moves to Motown.

Thursday, June 27, 2002

• The Titans have reached an agreement with DE Jevon Kearse on an incentive package that the team hopes will smooth feelings with their star defender a year before his contract ends. Kearse and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, felt Kearse was priced below market value with a scheduled base salary of $1.425 million this season. Kearse collected a $3.85 million signing bonus in 1999 and has a cap number of $2.295 this year. Incentives could now increase his salary by $1 million to $2 million, but he will have to become Defensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and set an NFL record for sacks to max out the contract, according to Titans general manager Floyd Reese.

• Miami appears interested in signing CB Terrell Buckley, a former Dolphin, to a one-year contract for the league minimum of $750,000.

• The Saints re-signed P Toby Gowin to a one-year, $525,000 contract Tuesday, one day after releasing him from the final year of a three-year contract that was scheduled to pay him a $650,000 base salary. The move allows the Saints to take advantage of a new NFL accounting rule designed to benefit veterans. Under the new contract, Gowin’s contract will only count $450,000 against the cap, saving the Saints $200,000 in cap room.

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

• The Dolphins are in the hunt for a veteran cornerback. Depth at the position is very solid with CBs Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain and Jamar Fletcher, but the team is looking for another cornerback who could help inside. They are interested in free-agent CB Donovan Greer, who was cut by the Redskins Friday, and former Dolphin Terrell Buckley, who played for the Super Bowl champion Patriots last season.

• Free-agent QB Tony Banks came close to signing a contract with the Jaguars before injuring his right hand. Banks reportedly dropped a weight on his hand and will need another six weeks to fully recover from the injury. Don’t expect the Jaguars to sign a quarterback in the meantime. They are still interested in the veteran but will likely wait until the beginning of training camp to reassess his status.

• While Banks eagerly awaits a contract, another quarterback took himself off the market. Free-agent QB Randall Cunningham announced his retirement last night after 16 NFL seasons, retiring as a Philadelphia Eagle. Cunningham holds the NFL record for most rushing yards (4,928) by a quarterback. Cunningham, 39, spent last season with the Ravens, his fourth team in six years.

• Free-agent DE Fernando Smith signed a one-year contract for the seven-year minimum of $650,000 with the Panthers. Smith will reunite with Panthers defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, whom Smith came to know when he played in Baltimore.

• The Cardinals signed free-agent FB Anthony Green to a one-year contract. The 25-year-old Green has had stints with the Seahawks and Giants since being signed as an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia in 2000.

• With the end of the NFL Europe season, teams are beginning to pick up standouts from the overseas league. The Jaguars, who are in the midst of negotiations with free-agent LB Keith Mitchell, signed MLB Rashad Harris from the Barcelona Dragons. Harris signed with the Bengals last year but was cut during training camp. The Jets signed DE DeAngelo Lloyd and OL Matt O’Neal. Lloyd recorded 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the Frankfurt Galaxy after spending training camp with the Packers last year. O’Neal played for the Scottish Claymores after spending the past two training camps with the Falcons. The Cowboys outbid four other teams to reach an agreement with S Rashidi Barnes on a two-year, $685,000 contract that includes a $5,000 signing bonus. Barnes led the Frankfurt Galaxy with 58 tackles.

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

• Free-agent LB Keith Mitchell, who was released by the Saints in a cap-saving move earlier this month, visited the Jaguars last week and is negotiating with the team. The Jaguars are looking to find depth at strong-side linebacker, which took a hit when veteran LB Kevin Hardy departed for Dallas. If signed, Mitchell would compete with third-year LB Danny Clark, who has been spectacular on special teams and started three games last season, and rookie third-round pick Akin Ayodele. Mitchell has also visited the Texans, where he would appear to be a great fit in their 3-4 defense, but the team has not shown a lot of interest in the six-year veteran.

• QB Jeff George may be back for another season, at least if he can find a team willing to give him a shot. George recently contacted Saints head coach Jim Haslett about the opportunity to suit up again this season. When PFW talked to George earlier in the offseason, the 34-year-old said he would not consider playing again unless he had a chance to start. With QB Aaron Brooks entrenched as the starter in New Orleans, George wouldn’t appear to have a shot at the starting job, but the itch to play again may have lessened his demands.

• The Saints remain in the hunt for a backup running back and have considered trades with the Bills and Broncos, who are both overstocked with talent in the backfield. The club has also talked with veteran free agents Ricky Watters, Terry Allen and Dorsey Levens. Watters and Levens are looking for more than the veteran’s minimum, which makes Allen a more attractive solution. Allen may also have an advantage because he is familiar with the organization. He played for the Saints after Ricky Williams broke an ankle during the 2000 season. Allen visited New Orleans last week.

• Free-agent CB Emmanuel McDaniel made the most of a minicamp tryout with the Browns. The six-year veteran did not receive much interest in the free-agent market but was invited by Browns head coach Butch Davis to audition for a job. McDaniel left an impression on the staff with his quickness and signed a one-year deal that will give the Browns another solid defender.

• The Bengals increased their two-year offer to Redskins unrestricted free-agent WR Michael Westbrook, and negotiations are expected to progress today. Meanwhile, the Bengals signed DT Pernell Davis to a two-year, $680,000 contract Monday. Davis, who was a seventh-round draft pick of the Eagles in 1999, played in two games as a rookie before spending the entire 2000 season on the Eagles’ injured-reserve list. He was released during preseason last year and spent this year playing for the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe.

• The Panthers added some depth in the trenches by signing DE Fernando Smith and claiming OT Terrance Sykes off waivers from the Browns. Smith, 30, played with the Vikings from 1994 to '97 before joining the Jaguars in ’98 and the Ravens in ’99. His best season came in ’96, when he started all 16 games and recorded 9.5 sacks. Sykes, 23, hasn’t played in a regular-season game since playing collegiately for Louisiana Tech. At 6-3, 270 pounds, he is considered undersized and was likely signed to provide depth in training camp.

• Patriots LB Roman Phifer has reportedly signed a four-year deal with the Patriots that will pay him $2 million in 2002 and more than $4 million if he plays two seasons.  

• The Chargers added experience to their offensive line when they signed former Ravens OT Sammy Williams to a one-year, $525,000 deal. The four-year veteran started seven of 15 games for the Ravens last year, all at right tackle. He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick by Baltimore out of the University of Oklahoma in 1998. After spending his first season on injured reserve with knee and ankle injures, he was released the following year and had a stint with the Chiefs before rejoining the Ravens.

Monday, June 24, 2002

• The Bears have locked up their leading receiver, Marty Booker, with a seven-year contract that prevents him from testing the free-agent market after the 2002 season. Booker will receive a $5.5 million signing bonus and could earn as much as $28 million over seven years if he meets certain incentives. He will also receive a $1 million reporting bonus and a $1 million base salary in 2002. Booker came into his own last season after Marcus Robinson was injured, ranking second in the NFC with 100 catches for 1,071 yards and eight touchdowns. Booker had signed a one-year, $1.2 million qualifying offer April 23 as a restricted free agent, but GM Jerry Angelo didn’t want to risk losing his most productive wideout after next season. As a result of Booker’s long-term deal, the Bears reportedly have 20 of their 22 projected starters signed through at least 2003.

• Buffalo signed veteran WR Charles Johnson to a one-year, $650,000 contract Monday. The former Patriot will battle for a No. 4 WR spot, but his leadership could be useful in bringing along rookie WR Josh Reed and in setting a good example for Eric Moulds and Peerless Price, two players with less-than-ideal work ethics.

• The Patriots have finally re-signed OLB Roman Phifer. An 11-year veteran, Phifer was thought to have been on the verge of signing with Oakland earlier this offseason, but a deal was never consummated. Although he’s 34 years old, Phifer is a leader who rarely makes mental mistakes, and he fits coach Bill Belichick’s system well.

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

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