NFL Capsules: Browns sign TE Ben Watson to multiyear deal
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns filled a gaping offensive hole, signing free agent tight end Ben Watson to a multiyear contract.
Watson spent the past six seasons with the New England Patriots, where he previously worked with Browns coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
The Browns did not release financial terms. ESPN.com reported that Watson signed a three-year deal worth $12 million, including $6.35 million guaranteed. He is the third free agent to sign with Cleveland, joining linebacker Scott Fujita and right tackle Tony Pashos.
Watson visited the Browns on Thursday, when the club also hosted quarterback Jake Delhomme and running back Justin Fargas.
Delhomme is scheduled to visit the New Orleans Saints on Friday. While the Super Bowl champions are looking for a backup for Drew Brees, the Browns may see Delhomme as their starter. That prospect could be enough for Cleveland to land the 35-year-old, who was released by Carolina last week.
It is not known if the Browns offered Delhomme a contract.
Meanwhile, Watson should improve a position that has been thin for the Browns since they traded Kellen Winslow. Steve Heiden, an 11-year-veteran, has been plagued by injuries in recent years and missed the final nine games last season after going on injured reserve. Robert Royal caught just 11 passes and had numerous drops. Evan Moore was a late-season find off the practice squad but lacks experience, which is why the Browns were excited to get Watson.
"We viewed Ben as one of the top all-around tight ends in the free agent market," Browns general manager Tom Heckert said in a statement. "Because of his athleticism and intelligence, he has proven valuable as both a receiver and blocker during his career, and has performed well in both facets. He comes from a winning program in New England and possesses the traits that we like in a player.
"We feel as though he can help us in many different areas and we are excited about his addition to our team."
Last season, the 29-year-old Watson started all 16 games and caught 29 passes for 404 yards and five touchdowns.
A first-round draft choice by the Patriots in 2004, the 6-foot-3, 255-pounder has made 47 career starts. He has caught 167 passes for 2,102 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Watson had his best season in 2006, when he had 49 receptions for 643 yards and three TDS. His only 100-yard receiving game came against the Browns in 2007.
Bengals sign WR Antonio Bryant to 4-year deal
CINCINNATI — Antonio Bryant is the latest complementary receiver to Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati.
Bryant signed a four-year deal with the Bengals on Friday. He ostensibly replaced Laveranues Coles, who spent the 2009 season with the team, but then was released.
"It was definitely a plus to me that this team really seemed to want me," Bryant said in a conference call. "The interest of the coaches and everyone in the organization made me feel comfortable. It’s always easy to go out and perform when you’re wanted as opposed to just being there to be there."
Bryant comes off a season in which he complained about a diminished role in Tampa Bay’s offense. After recovering from surgery for torn cartilage in his left knee last year, Bryant had 39 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns.
The previous year, Bryant revived his career after being out of football in 2007, finishing with 83 catches for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns. Tampa Bay placed the franchise tag on Bryant, which assured him a salary of $9.88 million last season.
Then he became a free agent, and the Bengals, who also have contacted Terrell Owens, signed him one week into free agency for about $28 million over four years.
"You’ve got a dominant team that played well enough to be in the playoffs, and hopefully I can be an addition, as well as some guys to further that success," Bryant said.
Cincinnati is adamant about improving a passing game that ranked 26th last season.
"The players will notice the difference," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said on the team’s Web site. "It’s not as big as the changes we made in the running game last year, but the passing game is getting the same kind of attention we gave the running game in the offseason last year.
"We’re looking to match our quarterback’s strengths with our receivers in order to get bigger plays downfield."
Bryant, who won the Biletnikoff Award at the nation’s top collegiate receiver while a sophomore at Pitt, has been with four NFL teams. His career has been hampered by a history of headstrong behavior — most notably a post-practice tirade in 2004 directed at then-Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells, in which Bryant threw his sweaty jersey at the coach.
Bryant was sent to anger-management counseling and eventually traded to Cleveland, where he had his first 1,000-yard season in 2005 despite falling out of favor with the coaching staff. San Francisco, desperate to add a top receiver, signed Bryant in spite of concerns about his character.
In December 2006, Bryant was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
"Football is a testosterone sport. It’s not ballet, know what I mean?" Bryant said. "I’m an edgy guy. I’m very edgy, but I think every player has to have some type of edge. That’s what defines your competitive nature and how you approach the game.
"I’m a little bit more physical than probably what they’re used to. You have to have each side of the scale to balance out the situation in the offense. I know there’s a lot of ins and outs in the offense, and what I can do is bring a little more toughness to the game."
On Friday, the Bengals also signed receiver and kick returner Chris Davis, a third-year pro from Florida State. The former Tennessee Titan sat out last season after an injury settlement.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson meets with Jets
NEW YORK — LaDainian Tomlinson’s visit with the New York Jets is going to overtime.
The free agent running back met with team officials at the Jets’ training facility in Florham Park, N.J., on Friday and had dinner with coach Rex Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and others in New Jersey.
Tomlinson was scheduled to fly back home to San Diego, but changed his flight after arriving so late Thursday night. Because of that, the Jets extended their visit with him Friday to include dinner. There were also no late-night flights to the West Coast available Friday night.
The running back’s itinerary beyond Friday night had not yet been determined, Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said.
The extra face time with Tomlinson could work in the Jets’ favor as they try to persuade him to join the offense that ranked No. 1 in rushing last season. The visit came a day after Tomlinson met with the Minnesota Vikings and left for the New York area without a deal.
Tomlinson, released by San Diego last month, ranks eighth on the NFL’s career rushing list with 12,490 yards. If he chooses to join the Jets, Tomlinson would serve as a backup to Shonn Greene, who emerged in his rookie season and made Thomas Jones expendable. Jones signed with Kansas City earlier this week.
Tomlinson will turn 31 in June and is coming off the least productive season of his career, rushing for 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows. He scored 12 touchdowns, but his role was reduced in an offense that shifted its focus to Philip Rivers and the passing game.
He’s still regarded as an excellent route runner and superb pass catcher, two qualities that make him attractive to both New York and Minnesota.
Tomlinson could be intrigued by the possibility of taking handoffs in Minnesota from Brett Favre, who’s still mulling whether to return for a 20th NFL season.
Meanwhile, the Jets have Mark Sanchez returning for a second season along with a solid offensive line that helped pave the way for New York to average a league-leading 172.2 yards on the ground per game.
Whether he chooses the Jets or Vikings, Tomlinson would not be the focal point of the offense, as he had been for so many years with the Chargers — a role he has said he’s OK with.
He was drafted with the fifth overall pick in 2001 out of TCU, and immediately became a star as he helped the Chargers become a perennial playoff contender. His 138 career touchdowns rushing rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.
After a heavy workload and a few injuries made him less effective in recent seasons — last season was the first in which he rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards — Tomlinson’s focus appears to be on winning a Super Bowl.
That’s something both the Vikings and Jets might be able to offer because both were a win away from making it to the NFL’s big game last season.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
RB Larry Johnson signs with Redskins
WASHINGTON — Not content with just one aging, opinionated running back, the Washington Redskins added a second one Friday night when they signed Larry Johnson to a three-year, incentive-laden contract.
Johnson agreed to a deal with a base value of $3.5 million, but he could make as much as $12 million if he meets certain incentives.
Johnson joins Clinton Portis in what should make for an intriguing backfield dynamic under new coach Mike Shanahan. Johnson is 30, Portis is 28 — although Portis’ body has been battered by 50 percent more carries. Both have been to two Pro Bowls. Both need to show some sort of resurgence rather than a steady decline toward retirement.
And both have been known to get in trouble for saying too much.
Johnson ended his season with the Cincinnati Bengals after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs in November. His 6½ years in Kansas City were marred by off-the-field problems, including two suspensions in his last 12 months with the team. The final straw came when he posted a gay slur on his Twitter account, insulted followers and questioned the competence of head coach Todd Haley.
Johnson’s most productive years were 2005-06, when he had back-to-back 1,750-yard seasons. He has 6,219 yards and 55 touchdowns on 1,421 carries over eight NFL seasons, plus 154 catches for 1,373 yards and six TDs.
Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen have said Portis will be the team’s running back next season, but Portis ended last year on injured reserve with a concussion. He ran for a career-low 494 yards and didn’t have the burst of speed from earlier in his career.
The flamboyant Portis hasn’t shied from publicly criticizing coaches and teammates in years past, and he has not been a fan of the team’s offseason workout program.
On Thursday, Shanahan guaranteed that Portis will be in attendance when the offseason workouts begin Monday. With Johnson and Portis both on the roster, the Redskins have insurance in case one or the other misbehaves or is unproductive.
"Competition is a great motivator," Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, said Friday.
Schaffer said Johnson was also motivated to return to the Washington area, where he grew up as a Redskins fan.
The Redskins have taken a different approach to free agency under Shanahan. Johnson is the fourth player signed in eight days, but none of the contracts have been blockbusters — and he’s by far the biggest name added to date.
"We are excited to bring in a running back that has had so much success in this league," Shanahan said in a statement released by the team. "Larry is a physical runner who will be a great addition to our backfield."
With Fujita gone, Saints dive into free agency
METAIRIE, La. — Released from the shackles of the NFL’s "final four" rule, the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints are diving into the free agent market and starting by taking a close look at defensive ends.
St. Louis Rams defensive ends James Hall and Leonard Little both are of interest to New Orleans, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said on Friday.
Hall was finishing up a visit on Friday and Little was expected to reschedule a visit that he had to call off this week because of a personal conflict, Loomis said.
New Orleans could use another experienced defensive end after releasing veteran Charles Grant last week. But the search was slowed by a league rule for an uncapped season limiting which free agents may be signed by teams that played in conference title games until they’ve lost free agents of their own.
When linebacker Scott Fujita signed a three-year, $14 million deal with Cleveland, the Saints could start looking at players with expired contracts on other teams.
"Scott just got an offer that was too good to turn down," Loomis said. "He wanted to return to New Orleans. We wanted him to return to New Orleans, but we understand what free agency is. ... Now we’ve got an opportunity to bring some guys in."
With Fujita turning 31 and the Saints’ roster full of young linebackers, New Orleans could not justify matching the Browns’ offer.
Loomis said 2009 draft pick Stanley Arnoux, 2009 undrafted free agent Jonathan Casillas, two-year pro Jo-Lonn Dunbar, 2007 draft pick Marvin Mitchell, three-year pro Anthony Waters and veteran Troy Evans all could compete to join middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and weakside linebacker Scott Shanle as starters.
Loomis would not rule out going after a linebacker in free agency, but acknowledged the Saints’ depth at defensive end is thinner.
"We have a need at both of those positions. But we have some guys in the building, probably more guys in the building at the linebacker position than we do at defensive end," Loomis said. "We’ve also got a lot of draft picks that we get to exercise in April, so hopefully we’ll be able to fill both those spots between free agency and the draft."
A day after meeting with the Browns, former Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme had a visit lined up in New Orleans on Friday and Saturday. Because Delhomme had been released by the Panthers, he did not fall under the "final four" rule. But the 35-year-old also would not be competing for a starting role in New Orleans, where Drew Brees’ job is as secure as they get.
While Cleveland’s quarterback situation is less certain and could be more attractive to Delhomme, Loomis said, "obviously Jake wouldn’t take the visit (to New Orleans) if he didn’t have some interest."
Delhomme, a Louisiana native, keeps a permanent residence in his hometown of Breaux Bridge, where much of his family still lives and where he trains thoroughbred race horses with his father.
"We need to have a conversation with Jake and how he sees himself and how he sees his role here before we can say, ‘Look, we’re willing to sign you,"’ Loomis said.
Loomis did not have an update on negotiations with free agent Darren Sharper, who has lamented publicly that the Saints aren’t "showing the love" he expected after intercepting nine passes in 2009.
"Listen, I got all the love in the world for Darren Sharper, I just don’t have all the money in the world for Darren Sharper," Loomis said. "If it fits under our salary structure and the resources that we have, then we’ll definitely want to have him back. If it doesn’t, and he has an opportunity someplace else, then we understand that."
Last season, the Saints drafted safety Chip Vaughn out of Wake Forest in the fourth round, but like Arnoux, he spent his rookie season on injured reserve. New Orleans also moved 2007 third-round draft pick Usama Young from cornerback to safety last season. Sharper was Young’s mentor, though it remains to be seen if Young is ready to fill Sharper’s shoes should the NFL’s active interception leader sign elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Loomis reiterated coach Sean Payton’s comments that the Saints had no intention of releasing Reggie Bush. Loomis added the club would not be asking Bush to renegotiate his contract, which pays him about $8 million in 2010.
Loomis declined to discuss whether a raise and contract extension were in the works for Brees, who is entering the fifth year of a six-year, $60 million contract.
"I’m not going to address that," Loomis said. "These contracts are personal issues for players."
Packers sign S Collins, NT Pickett to extensions
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers signed safety Nick Collins and nose tackle Ryan Pickett to long-term contract extensions Friday, securing the services of two cornerstones in their much-improved defense.
The team did not release details of either deal. Collins’ agents, Dave Butz and Alan Herman, confirmed a report on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Web site that Collins’ deal was for three years and $23.4 million.
Pickett was an unrestricted free agent, but the Packers placed the franchise tag on him earlier in the offseason. Collins was a restricted free agent.
The deal marks the end of a long wait for Collins, who was angling for a contract extension before last season.
But if he was unhappy with his contract status, it didn’t show on the field. He was selected to his second straight Pro Bowl, and has 13 interceptions the last two seasons.
"The Packers always try to be proactive in our discussions with our current players and we are pleased we were able to come to an agreement with Nick," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement. "Nick has been an impact player for us, and we look forward to having him continue his career as a Packer."
Pickett, who was signed as a free agent before the 2006 season, was a vital part of what was one of the league’s best run defenses under new defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his 3-4 defensive alignment last season.
"We have continued to talk to Ryan and his representatives and are pleased we were able to sign Ryan to this extension," Thompson said. "He has been a key part of our success on defense, and we look forward to having Ryan be a part of our future in Green Bay."
After re-signing veteran left tackle Chad Clifton— and watching standout pass rusher Aaron Kampman sign with Jacksonville as a free agent — the Packers’ top remaining offseason priority is the status of veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher, who’s an unrestricted free agent.
Also Friday, the Packers unveiled a throwback-style third jersey and uniform the team will wear for selected games during this season, and perhaps beyond.
Browns release TE Heiden
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have released veteran tight end Steve Heiden.
Heiden, who has battled injuries in recent years, was let go by the club hours after Cleveland signed free agent tight end Benjamin Watson to a three-year contract.
Heiden caught just 10 passes last season for 73 yards and one touchdown. He was placed on injured reserve in November (ankle) and missed Cleveland’s final seven games. Heiden underwent reconstructive knee surgery during the previous offseason.
He joined the Browns in 2002 after spending three seasons with San Diego. Heiden has 201 career receptions for 1,689 yards and 14 TDs.
Also, Browns linebacker Jason Trusnik signed his second-round tender. Trusnik came to Cleveland in the October trade that sent wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets.
WR Hank Baskett signs one-year deal with Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles have signed free agent wide receiver Hank Baskett to a one-year contract.
Baskett was released by the Eagles last September after three seasons in Philadelphia. He then signed with Indianapolis and played 15 games, including playoffs.
Baskett had 71 catches for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns in 47 games with the Eagles. Three of his TD catches were longer than 85 yards.
Baskett was primarily a special teams player in Indianapolis. He caught five passes for 34 yards with the Colts.
The five-year veteran is married to Kendra Wilkinson, the former Playboy model and girlfriend of Hugh Hefner who has her own reality TV show, "Kendra," which on Sunday returns for its second season on the E! network.
CB Strickland agrees to 2-year deal with Bolts
SAN DIEGO — The Chargers have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with free agent cornerback Donald Strickland.
Strickland started two of the 11 games in which he played for the New York Jets last season, but was plagued by injuries. He dealt with a lingering quadriceps injury, a concussion and a broken pinkie during the season, and suffered a groin injury in the AFC championship game at Indianapolis.
He finished the season with two sacks, four passes defensed and three tackles for loss. Strickland has also played with Indianapolis, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The deal for Strickland on Friday comes eight days after the Chargers dealt cornerback Antonio Cromartie to the Jets.
Titans agree to terms with CB Rod Hood
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with cornerback Rod Hood, an unrestricted free agent.
Hood, heading toward his eighth NFL season, made four starts for the Titans in 2009. He had 18 tackles and tied for second on the team with three interceptions after being signed as a free agent in October. He returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown against Buffalo.
In seven NFL seasons, he’s made 47 starts with 221 tackles, 14 interceptions, a sack and five fumble recoveries. He played previously for Philadelphia and Arizona.
Cardinals agree to terms with OL Rex Hadnot
TEMPE, Ariz. — Free agent offensive lineman Rex Hadnot has agreed to a three-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, who also have re-signed center Ben Claxton to a one-year contract.
Hadnot played the last two years with the Cleveland Browns after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He has started at both guard and center.
Claxton was a reserve lineman for Arizona last season and played one game at center. He originally signed with the Cardinals in February 2009 after spending the 2008 season on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad.
Chiefs sign free agent C Wiegmann
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Veteran center Casey Wiegmann is returning to Kansas City. The Chiefs announced Friday they signed Wiegmann, who was a free agent after two seasons with Denver. Terms were not released.
Wiegmann has 168 starts in 195 games in a 14-year NFL career that began in Indianapolis in 1996. He also played for the New York Jets and Chicago Bears before joining the Chiefs in 2001.
He played for Kansas City through 2007, starting 111 consecutive regular-season games and two playoff games.
Including his time with the Broncos, Wiegmann has started 143 straight games at center and taken 9,078 snaps dating back to 2001.
Elsewhere
Childress testifies at Williamses’ drug lawsuit
MINNEAPOLIS — After more than a year and a half of legal maneuvering in their closely watched labor fight with the NFL, Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams may finally learn in May if they must serve a four-game suspension for taking a banned substance.
Attorneys for the players and the NFL made closing arguments Friday, wrapping up a five-day trial that included testimony from the two players, their coach and an NFL official. The players contend the NFL broke Minnesota law when it applied its anti-doping policy two years ago and are seeking unspecified damages.
Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson told both sides to submit final briefs by April 2 and said he will rule between 30 and 45 days after that, sometime in the first half of May.
If he favors the league, his injunction blocking the suspensions — which were initially levied in December 2008 — would likely be lifted. That would allow the NFL to follow through with the punishment, yanking the heart of Minnesota’s stout run defense out of the lineup for a quarter of the 2010 season.
An appeal by the loser is anticipated, however, so the end of this complicated case is not necessarily in sight. The players declined to comment until after the judge’s ruling.
"Been a long week," Pat Williams said outside the courtroom.
A key issue at trial is who employs the two players — the team, the NFL or both. Players attorney Peter Ginsberg contends the NFL is the employer and thus violated Minnesota law regarding a required three-day notification of their positive test in 2008 and also failed to keep it confidential. News that the Williamses were among several NFL players who took a weight-loss pill called StarCaps containing the banned diuretic bumetanide broke in October 2008.
Ginsberg argued that the NFL has tight control of both teams and players, right down to the required color of the chinstraps on the helmets. (It’s white.)
He also criticized the league for unfairness and told the judge that "the arrogance and the cold-heartedness of the NFL in administering the policy needs to be stopped."
Joe Schmitt, an attorney for the NFL, accused Ginsberg of "raising red herrings" and trying to "bootstrap" the arguments about unfairness onto their claim the league broke state drug-testing law. The unfairness claim was previously dismissed in federal court.
Schmitt argued that the terms of the collective bargaining agreement dictate league activity and said that the NFL is not able to impose at will rules upon the individual teams and players. Ginsberg has accused the NFL of leaking the information about the positive test to the media and therefore breaking the confidentiality code, but Schmitt said there was "not a shred of evidence" that occurred.
"It’s undisputed that we got it right," Schmitt said.
The NFL has called the lawsuit a "state law end-around that can undermine all anti-doping policies in sports." Other sports leagues, including Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL, filed court papers supporting the NFL’s position, saying the Williamses’ case could affect their ability to enforce their own rules against steroids and other drugs.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was not ultimately called to be a witness, but Vikings coach Brad Childress and vice president for football operations Rob Brzezinski testified on Friday.
Ginsberg asked Childress if he was the source of the leak, after the players confided their positive test to him.
"Absolutely not," the coach said. "That’s so anti-me."
In a lighter moment, Ginsberg concluded his examination by asking Childress: "Who is your quarterback going to be next year?"
Childress simply smiled, unwilling to make any comments about Brett Favre’s status.
"It’s OK to have fun in here sometimes," Larson said.
The league alleges the leak came from Ginsberg or someone on the players’ side. Brzezinski was equally adamant it wasn’t him.
"Don’t feel offended. He’s asked everybody," Larson said.
Responded Brzezinski: "I like my job, your honor."
Both sides tried to use Brzezinski to support their claims about who employs the Williamses. Brzezinski compared the Vikings to a McDonald’s restaurant, as a franchisee operating under the parent company, during Ginsberg’s examination. During cross-examination by NFL attorney Dan Nash, Brzezinski testified the Vikings had complete authority to hire him and dictate his salary — not the league.
-- Dave Campbell
Carolina Panthers increasing ticket prices again
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers are raising ticket prices again even as they slash payroll.
A team spokesman says prices for each ticket will go up between $1 and $9 per game next season. Charlie Dayton stresses the Panthers will still rank in the lower half of the league in average ticket price.
Friday’s move comes as the Panthers have spent the offseason releasing numerous veterans with higher salaries. The Panthers also decided to let five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers leave in free agency.
Carolina finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs last season.
