NFL Free Agents Tracker, Grades
The Patriots quickly signed Danny Amendola after Wes Welker left for Denver Wednesday. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
It’s that time. March 12 officially signaled the start of NFL free agency, the open market that kicks off the start of a new league year, and the quest of all 32 teams to chase the next Lombardi Trophy. Now begins the long march to Super Bowl XLVII.
I’m monitoring the free-agent movement and grading each prominent signing, so keep checking back throughout the flurry of deals for the latest news and my take on it. You can see the most recent major signings right after the jump, and then the fuller breakdown by team below that.
Arizona Cardinals
Re-signed S Rashad Johnson for 3 years
Signed RB Rashard Mendenhall for 1 year
Signed OLB Lorenzo Alexander for 3 years
Signed QB Drew Stanton for 3 years, $8.2 million
Signed S Yeremiah Bell for 1 year, $905,000
Signed ILB Jasper Brinkley
Signed CB Antoine Cason for 1 year
Signed DE Matt Shaughnessy for 1 year
Atlanta Falcons
Re-signed OT Sam Baker for 6 years, $41.5 million
Re-signed TE Tony Gonzalez
Baltimore Ravens
Re-signed S James Ihedigbo for 1 year
Re-signed RB Damien Berry
Re-signed LS Morgan Cox
Re-signed G Ramon Harewood
Re-signed DB Chris Johnson
Signed DL Chris Canty for 3 years, $8 million
Signed DE Marcus Spears for 2 years
Buffalo Bills
Signed LB Manny Lawson for 4 years
Carolina Panthers
Signed CB Drayton Florence for 1 year
Re-signed QB Derek Anderson
Chicago Bears
Signed TE Martellus Bennett for 4 years $20 million
Signed OT Jermon Bushrod for 5 years, $36 million
Re-signed S Nick Collins for 1 year
Re-signed CB Zack Bowman for 1 year
Cincinnati Bengals
Re-signed DE Wallace Gilberry for 3 years, $6.75 million
Re-signed DE Robert Geathers for 3 years, $9.5 million
Re-signed LB Rey Maualuga for 2 years
Cleveland Browns
Signed OLB Paul Kruger for 5 years, $41 million
Signed DT Desmond Bryant for 5 years, $34 million
Signed OLB Quentin Groves for 2 years, $2.8 million
Signed TE Gary Barnidge
Re-signed RB Chris Ogbonnaya for 2 years
Dallas Cowboys
Re-signed LB Ernie Sims for 1 year
Denver Broncos
Signed G Louis Vasquez for 4 years, $23.5 million
Signed LB Stewart Bradley for 1 year
Signed Wes Welker for 2 years, $12 million
Signed DT Terrance Knighton
Signed CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for 1 year, $5 million
Signed DT Kevin Vickerson
Detroit Lions
Re-signed S Amari Spievy for 1 year
Re-signed WR Kassim Osgood for 1 year
Re-signed LS Don Muhlback
Re-signed CB Chris Houston for 5 years, $25 million
Signed RB Reggie Bush for 4 years, $16 million
Re-signed OLB DeAndre Levy
Signed OL Dylan Gandy
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Re-signed T Andrew Gardner
Indianapolis Colts
Signed OT Gosder Cherilus for 5 years, $34 million
Signed CB Greg Toler for 3 years, $15 million
Signed LB Erik Walden for 4 years, $16 million
Signed G Donald Thomas for 4 years, $14 million
Signed LB Lawrence Sidbury
Re-signed CB Darius Butler
Signed S LaRon Landry for 4 years, $24 million
Signed DL Ricky Jean-Francois for 4 years, $22 million
Re-signed CB Cassius Vaughn
Re-signed P Pat McAfee
Jacksonville Jaguars
Signed LB Geno Hayes
Re-signed DB Antwuan Molden
Signed CB Alan Ball
Signed RB Justin Forsett
Signed DT Roy Miller
Kansas City Chiefs
Signed CB Dunta Robinson for 3 years, $15 million
Signed TE Anthony Fasano for 4 years, $16 million
Signed QB Chase Daniel for 3 years, $10 million
Signed DE Mike DeVito for 3 years, $12.6 million
Signed WR Donnie Avery for 3 years, $11 million
Signed CB Sean Smith for 3 years, $18 million
Signed OL Geoff Schwartz
Re-signed T Branden Albert
Miami Dolphins
Signed WR Mike Wallace for 5 years, $60 million
Re-signed S Chris Clemons for 1 year
Signed LB Dannell Ellerbe for 5 years, $35 million
Signed OLB Phillip Wheeler for 5 years, $26 million
Signed TE Dustin Keller for 1 year
Minnesota Vikings
Re-signed WR Jerome Simpson for 1 year
Re-signed S Jamarca Sanford for 2 years, $5 million
Re-signed C Joe Berger
Re-signed LB Erin Henderson for 2 years
Re-signed FB Jerome Felton for 3 years, $7.5 million
Signed WR Greg Jennings for 5 years, $47.5 million
New England Patriots
Signed WR Danny Amendola for 5 years, $31 million
Signed RB Leon Washington
Signed WR Donald Jones
Signed CB Aqib Talib for 1 year
Re-signed LB Niko Koutouvides for 1 year
Re-signed CB Kyle Arrington for 4 years
Signed S Adrian Wilson
Signed T Will Svitek for 1 year, $1 million
New Orleans Saints
Signed LS Justin Drescher for 4 years
Signed CB Keenan Lewis for 5 years, $26 million
Signed TE Benjamin Watson for 3 years
Re-signed WR Courtney Roby
Re-signed LB Ramon Humber
New York Giants
Signed S Ryan Mundy
Signed DT Cullen Jenkins for 3 years, $8 million
Signed CB Aaron Ross
Re-signed RB Ryan Torain
Signed K Josh Brown
Re-signed LB Keith Rivers
Signed WR Louis Murphy
Signed TE Brandon Myers
New York Jets
Signed QB David Garrard
Re-signed RB Lex Hilliard for 1 year
Signed RB Mike Goodson for 3 years, $6.9 million
Signed OT Willie Colon for 1 year, $1.2 million
Signed NT Antonio Garay for 1 year
Re-signed LS Tanner Purdum
Signed OLB Antwan Barnes for 3 years
Oakland Raiders
Signed LB Kaluka Maiava for 3 years, $6 million
Signed DT Pat Sims
Signed DE Jason Hunter
Signed CB Philip Adams
Re-signed DB Coy Francies
Signed LB Nick Roach
Signed DE Vance Walker
Signed OLB Kevin Burnett
Philadelphia Eagles
Signed FB/TE James Casey for 3 years, $14.5 million
Signed NT Isaac Sopoaga for 3 years, $12 million
Signed CB Bradley Fletcher for 2 years, $5.25 million
Signed S Patrick Chung for 3 years, $10 million
Signed CB Cary Williams for 3 years, $17 million
Signed S Kenny Phillips for 1 year
Pittsburgh Steelers
Re-signed WR Plaxico Burress
Re-signed Larry Foote for 3 years, $5.5 million
Signed QB Bruce Gradkowski for 3 years
Re-signed LS Greg Warren
Signed TE Matt Spaeth
San Diego Chargers
Signed OT King Dunlap for 2 years, $6 million
Signed TE John Phillips for 3 years
Signed G Chad Rinehart
Signed CB Derek Cox for 4 years, $20 million
Re-signed WR Richard Goodman
Re-signed K Nick Novak
Signed RB Danny Woodhead for 2 years, $11 million
Re-signed RB Ronnie Brown for 1 year
San Francisco 49ers
Signed DL Glenn Dorsey for 2 years, $6 million
Signed LB Dan Skuta
Signed S Craig Dahl
Seattle Seahawks
Signed DE Michael Bennett to one-year, $5 million
Signed DE Cliff Avril for 2 years, $15 million
St. Louis Rams
Re-signed DE William Hayes for 3 years, $10.5 million
Signed TE Jared Cook for 5 years, $35 million
Re-signed DL Jeremelle Cudjo
Signed OT Jake Long for 4 years, $34 million
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Signed S Dashon Goldson for 5 years, $41.5 million
Signed OLB Jonathan Casillas
Signed WR Kevin Ogletree
Signed TE Tom Crabtree
Tennessee Titans
Signed G Andy Levitre for 5 years, $39 million
Signed TE Delanie Walker for 4 years, $17.5 million
Re-signed FB Quinn Johnson
Signed RB Shonn Greene for 3 years, $10 million
Signed DL Sammie Lee Hill for 3 years, $11.4 million
Re-signed Darius Reynaud for 1 year
Signed LB Moise Fokou
Washington Redskins
Re-signed P Sav Rocca for 2 years
Re-signed DL Kedrick Gholston for 3 years, $3.3 million
Signed OT Jeremy Trueblood
Re-signed LB Bryan Kahl
Re-signed RT Tyler Polumbus for 2 years
Congrats to the Rams signing Jake Long. We'll miss him in Miami.
I wish the author would update this information more quickly.
Attention Seattle/KC fans: the teams that have "won" the offseason the past 10 years have a combined REGULAR SEASON win % of 34.
Just thought you'd like to know....
@Mike26 Seattle might be a little better equipped to win than KC. We added three players in needed spots and only payed Harvin a lot. Too much in my opinion, but if they come out on top then who cares. Russell Wilson doesn't do sophomore slumps.
@Mike26
The Seahawks were 5-5 going into their bye week last year, when the prime offensive players met with PC and convinced him to open up the offense. Young Mr Wilson took over from there and we won out. Remember that Wilson wasn't even the starter going into camp last year. Imagine what he'll do with an entire off-season to work out with the receivers (which he has already scheduled)... think of how a defense will defend Beastmode and a healthy Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice and Russell. If they finish 4 - 12, which is your 'statistic' -- well, I just don't see it, unless they are all injured in the bus going to the first game.
Maybe they don't win it all.. but to not at least be a game or two better will be a disappointment
js.
And 91.7% of statistics are made up on the spot...
@Frotoon can you prove that with even 51% accuracy?
They need to move Louis Delmas from being under Denver to being under Detroit.
@Richard Long So he's a bottom?
I don't see JaMarcus Russell listed anywhere. Has the NFL gone mad? MAD?!?!
I think we should be talking about Seattle...Percy Harvins,Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, damn thats an amazing haul! Don't even need to wory about the draft this year.
@Edward29
Also if i'm remembering right Seattle is loaded with draft picks. Sooo they are going to be a legit contender this year, and years to come.
@steven19 @Edward29 Actually, SFO is the team loaded with draft picks. Take away the #1 for Percy and the Hawks have our regular 2-6 and a couple of #7's....
We do need RT, OG, DT and a kicker, so we're not totally set up, but getting close.
Hopefully the Hawks can overtake SFO, but the NFC West is a total beast this year and St. Louis is better than most people think. Their coach is top 5 in the NFL and they may also be playoff bound this year.
js
@jshawaii22 @steven19 @Edward29 Funny how the NFC West was considered a weak division at the start of last season - maybe even the weakest. Seattle and San Fran look scary good, and no other playoff teams made as many improvements in the off season. Certainly not the Ravens.
We ALL know that the teams that grade the highest according to the "experts" are guaranteed dynasty status for at least 15 years, right?
Amendola is a walking injury list guy; Barwin had one good year with Houston; the list goes on and on.
By the way, there are no grades posted here. What a fraudulent headline!
@Mike26 grades are in the links of the key players name, just click
I'm making my Super Bowl plans now that the Steelers have signed Bruce Gradkowski. Good Lord, could anyone imagine that this team would do nothing? They went through the motions last year and played the most uninspired football Ive seen in this town in 40 years. Just wait until this year.
So, are the Packers planning on improving their team at all?
@SephirothDZX Ted Thompson is a "through the draft guy" almost to a fault
Am I missing something? Where are the "grades"?
You have to click on the red text for each player, then scroll to the bottom.
Steelers "re-sign" Burress? I guess that's technically correct but looks weird.
pats = biggest loser
@LeilaniHernandez if this article is correct, Danny Woodhead just got more money from the Chargers than the Pats offered to WELKER! yes, Pats are blowing things left and right. lost Thomas, their overachieving/underappreciated O lineman, and took on another injury prone guy (Amendola) to stand next to Gronk on the sidelines in civvies. painful.
@psychprof @LeilaniHernandez
Woodhead signed for 2 years, $3.5 million ($1 million guaranteed).
@LeilaniHernandez Quite the contrary. They're second...to you. You, LillianHenderson, are the biggest loser. Bwahahahahaha!
P***ed off with Pats for not upgrading their defense (DBs or pass rushers) or WR position (a big physical WR who stretches the field) and letting Welker walk away.
Belichick better pull a rabbit out of a hat fast else Brady will end his career with 3 rings.
@bbc let's face it--the Pats' priorities have to be the re-signing of Talib and Vollmer. Then they'll look for that WR (we need just what you described) and get as much more help in the secondary as possible. this season will measure how much of a "genius" Bill B really is.
@bbc You're mad.
Seems as though my Chargers are content with being a non contender again.
@David50 When did you buy the team?
@David50 yea a struggling offensive line does not need to here King Dunlap to the rescue
@David50 hear, sorry
Also, the kruger and pollard loss are not that bad for the ravens. How many linebackers and defensive backs have the ravens lost to free agency. And how many have produced great careers?
(not many)
@Gabriel2 I would be more worried about Ellerbe, not because he will be great somewhere else, but because ILB took a huge hit with him and Ray Ray leaving
@BryanCustard @Gabriel2 Let's be real, ok? You had a QB who had an incredible post season run this year. Nothing more. The guy defines the word "average," and he was rewarded with a ridiculous contract. Enjoy the Super Bowl win. You won't be back for decades.
@Edward28 Yup, all "average" quarterbacks win at least one playoff game in each of the first five seasons of their careers.
Not saying Flacco is on Brady/Brees/Rodgers level, but average? Take your own advice and try to be "real".
The Jets should sign Stephen Jackson. He is not as good as LT---when the jets signed him--- but hey Jackson still got some power in him. He is older, but I still think a good runner. Shonn Greene ain't good enough to be the only back. Jackson would be a really good fit
@Gabriel2 yea but Jackson would look realllllyyyyy good in black and red, so I hope the Jets don't pull the trigger lol
I have to preface this by saying I have NO love the Redskins, Dan Snyder, or anything else to do with the franchise. But how can the NFL penalize them so severely for violating the cap a couple of years ago when there WAS NO CAP? 'Gentleman's agreements' are just that, and if Washington decided not to behave as a gentleman (see my first sentence), that's their privilege. Yet Goodell waves his scepter and the courts (or at least an arbitrator) backs him up. It stinks, and cripples them in the fee agent market.
@Rickapolis While it wasn't written in stone during the uncapped year, the NFL did warn teams about doing that and the Cowboys and Redskins did not listen. I look at it this way, the Cowboys and Skins knew what they were doing and took their chance. They lost and were given the option of the penalty of 36 million or spread it through 2 seasons. Personally, I thought they should have done full amount last season rather than handle this problem for 2.
@MrEspiritu3 @Rickapolis
It wasn't written in stone because it would have been ILLEGAL to have it written at all.
@MrEspiritu3 @Rickapolis
Not the NFL, it was a warning from Goodell and Mara, and a warning they actually had no right or authority to give. Basically, the players refused the CBA that year, knowing that it would mean the league could not legally impose a salary cap. It was a power play by the players association. Goodell/Mara thought, "ok, fine we'll have no salary cap" then proceeded to tell all the teams "we can't legally impose a cap now, but observe a cap anyways." SKins/Cowboys "uhhhmmm no." They didn't even go crazy mind you. They only used the year to buy out the contract of one guy they needed to fire, (haynesworth) and to move a bit of Hall's money around. Mara came back, saw that the Skins didn't go along with what was basically only his pesonal desire, and then punished the hell out ofthem for it.
@MrEspiritu3 @Rickapolis its not a gentleman's agreement. It is a violation of labor laws and I really dont understand how the NFL continues to get away with stuff like this
@BradErnest @MrEspiritu3 @Rickapolis what was the Union's response to this. Those cap hits essentially took out the two biggest players in free agency the last decade (Redskins and Cowboys) who probably would've doled out a few nice sized contracts.
@MrEspiritu3 @Rickapolis Leave it to Snyder and Jones to call a bluff.... and lose lol
Wow, 13 million a year for 5 years for Mike Wallace in Miami. Good luck with that and hope he behaves himself and stops dropping balls. If the QB can get it to him.
@steelerman I love it being a Vikings fan....the price the Seahawks will have to pay Harvin just went up!
@BobKranz Aaaaaaaaaaaaand Harvin is gone. Sucker.
And the price of lousy hotdogs and warm beer will follow.
@Jose Orengo @steelerman dude, the Dolphins are paying Wallace more than any receiver not named Megatron or Fitzgerald. Dolphins overpaid, pure and simple, for a receiver who drops a lot of passes, and is not know for running anything other than a 9 (go route) or a bubble screen. There is a reason Miami didn't have any competition for Wallace at that price. He is a good receiver, but probably worth more like the $7 or $8 million the Steelers were willing to pay him, not $12 million that Miami gave him. There is a reason that the Steelers stay close to the top, and this (not overpaying for a good, but not great player) and taking advantage of teams overthinking in the draft (they usually end up with the guy who "slips" for whatever reason, and he's a beast, and everybody knew it coming in, they just thought about it too much (Woodley, Roethlisberger, Polamalu, Decastro, keep on and on, and for my 2013 draft predicition... Jarvis Jones- red flagged med sheet has him falling, eventhough he has been cleared by doctors). And I'm not even a Steelers guy, just a Falcons fan who prays that the team will follow the path of the Steelers, Ravens and recent Patriots organizations in developing a consistent contender around sound business decisions off the field and great production on it
@steelerman you are the same guy that would be on wallaces "tip" if he stayed.
@steelerman the going price for a reciever this season was 11 mil. the dolphins only paid1 mil over that. dont be upset because your steelers are on the way down while other teams are moving up,
@steelerman And the Steelers are going to be .500 at best this year.