St. Louis Rams sign free agent safety Corey Chavous to strengthen defence

posted March 11 @ 20:31, EST

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Rams signed free-agent safety Corey Chavous to a five-year contract Saturday, hoping to strengthen a defence that ranked 30th in the NFL last season.

Financial terms weren't disclosed, but Chavous is reportedly expected to make nearly $12 million US in the first three years of the deal.

Chavous could replace Adam Archuleta as the starting safety. Archuleta, a free agent, was scheduled to visit the Redskins on Saturday.

Chavous, an eight-year veteran, spent the last four seasons with Minnesota, starting all 64 regular-season games. During those four years, he had 399 tackles, 14 interceptions, 41 pass breakups, forced one fumble and made one fumble recovery.

Last season, he was fourth on the Vikings with 90 tackles and had two interceptions and nine quarterback pressures.

His best season was 2003, when he made the Pro Bowl with 108 tackles, eight interceptions and 15 passes defenced.

Chavous was the Arizona Cardinals' second-round pick in 1998 out of Vanderbilt.

In four seasons with the Cardinals, he had 220 tackles and five interceptions.

In St. Louis, he rejoins coach Scott Linehan, who was Vikings offensive coordinator from 2002-04. Earlier this month, the Rams signed six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle La'Roi Glover to a three-year contract.

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Marlon McCree, Chargers agree to $16 million US, five-year deal

posted March 12 @ 1:05, EST

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Free agent safety Marlon McCree agreed to a five-year, $16 million US deal with San Diego on Saturday night, an upgrade for the Chargers' light-hitting secondary.

McCree, who had been with the Carolina Panthers, will make $6 million in bonuses and guaranteed money in the first two years of the deal.

He was the first player to visit the Chargers after free agency opened Friday night.

General manager A.J. Smith said the coaching staff will decide whether McCree will play free or strong safety.

"He's a terrific football player, very versatile," Smith said. "He's tough and competitive."

McCree had 88 tackles and three interceptions for Carolina last year. He spent the 2003-04 seasons with the Houston Texans after beginning his career in Jacksonville.

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Vikings sign kicker Longwell, running back Taylor and linebacker Leber

posted March 11 @ 20:47, EST

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings surged into free agency Saturday, signing kicker Ryan Longwell, running back Chester Taylor and linebacker Ben Leber.

Taylor was the backup in Baltimore to Jamal Lewis. He rushed for 487 yards on 117 carries last year, his fourth in the league, after carrying 160 times for 714 yards and two touchdowns in 2004. Taylor also caught 41 passes for 292 yards and a score in 2005.

Longwell was with Green Bay since 1997, when he was a rookie on their second Super Bowl team. In 2000, Longwell totaled a career-best 131 points and went 33-for-38 on his field goals - including 20 makes from 40 yards and longer. In 2005, the nine-year veteran posted career lows in several categories, making only 74 per cent of his field goals (20-for-27) and finished with 90 points. He went 6-for-10 between 30 and 39 yards and 3-for-5 between 40 and 49 yards.

In Minnesota, Longwell is best known for twice giving Green Bay victories on game-ending field goals during the 2004 season.

Paul Edinger had modest success, including three game-winning field goals, as the Vikings' kicker last season. But he is a free agent and now likely won't be retained.

Leber started for San Diego at outside linebacker since his rookie year in 2002, losing his job to star rookie Shawne Merriman last October and landing on injured reserve in November with a foot injury that required surgery.

Leber played at Kansas State and was drafted by the Chargers in the third round. Leber has 12 sacks in his four-year career and could replace incumbent starter Keith Newman, who isn't expected to be re-signed.

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Buffalo Bills sign defensive end Tripplet, tight end Royal as free agents

posted March 11 @ 21:25, EST

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - Defensive tackle Larry Tripplett and tight end Robert Royal signed with the Buffalo Bills on Saturday as the team wasted no time addressing its numerous needs on the first day of free agency.

Royal, who spent the past four seasons with Washington, agreed to a reported five-year, $10 million US contract that includes a $2.5 million bonus. Tripplett, who spent the last four seasons with Indianapolis, signed a five-year, $18 million contract that included a $5.5 million signing bonus.

The moves came shortly after both players visited the team at its Orchard Park headquarters.

Their additions fill two holes on the Bills' roster after the team released three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Sam Adams and three-year starter Mark Campbell on March 1. Tripplett is expected to take over a starting spot after the team also failed to re-sign Ron Edwards.

Royal is expected to compete with backup Tim Euhus and Kevin Everett for Buffalo's starting tight end job. Buffalo's third-round pick in the 2005 draft, Everett missed his entire rookie season after tearing a ligament in his left knee during minicamp.

The Bills, who also have openings on their offensive line, opened free agency projected to be about $16 million under the $102 million cap.

General manager Marv Levy said Tripplett will serve the role as a penetrating tackle, adding that the team will look for a bulkier player to play alongside him.

Tripplett appeared in 15 games last season with the Colts, credited with 24 tackles and a career-high four sacks. His best season was in 2003, when he had a career-high 49 tackles and one sack in 16 starts.

Tripplett was the Colts' second-round pick in the 2002 draft out of Washington. Overall, he's been credited with 124 tackles and five sacks in 60 games, 30 of them as a starter.

"I feel like I'm still growing as a player," Tripplett said. "The coaches here see me playing the type of football that I like to play. I'm just ready to get started."

Tripplett's agent, David Dunn, said his client made up his mind to sign with the Bills during the interview session.

"It's funny, in the course of three hours he became enamoured with Marv Levy and the head coach," Dunn said. "These decisions are so often made with your gut, and this was an easy call for him."

Royal is coming off a career season with 18 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in 15 games, including 14 starts. Overall, he has 31 catches for 249 yards and five TDs - four in 2004, when he emerged as a red-zone threat - in 35 career games.

He was the Redskins' fifth-round pick in the 2002 draft out of LSU, where his 59 catches for 707 yards rank third among tight ends in school history.

Royal spent his rookie NFL season on injured reserve after spraining his left ankle during a pre-season game against New England. He also missed the final 10 games of the 2003 season because of a hip injury.

"I still have a lot in the tank. I'm very young and once I go out there, I can prove a lot of people wrong," Royal said, referring to questions about his durability. "I'm glad I've got this opportunity to show people, and I'm just excited."

Buffalo also interviewed receiver Andre' Davis, who had nine catches for 190 yards and a touchdown with New England last season.

Davis, who previously played with Bills backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb in Cleveland, said he was pleased with the visit, but added he's not about to rush into making a decision. He said he has no visits scheduled with other teams.

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Cowboys beef up their offensive line, signing Kosier and Gurode

posted March 11 @ 23:05, EST

IRVING, Texas (AP) - The Dallas Cowboys opened free agency Saturday by signing versatile offensive lineman Kyle Kosier and re-signing lineman Andre Gurode.

The addition of Kosier is intriguing because of the ramifications it could have on Larry Allen.

Allen is due a $2 million US roster bonus on April 1 and would count $7.5 million against the salary cap. If the Cowboys release him before the bonus deadline, they'd clear about $3 million under the cap.

Playing for Detroit, Kosier started 11 games last season at left guard - the spot Allen has manned in recent years in Dallas. That makes Kosier a possible replacement for Allen, the last link to the Cowboys' most recent Super Bowl team.

But Kosier also has started at right guard and both tackle spots, so he could be used elsewhere on the line, too. Rob Petitti struggled at right tackle last season, and the starters at left tackle (Flozell Adams) and right guard (Marco Rivera) are both coming back from injuries.

Whatever role the Cowboys envision for the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Kosier, they certainly think highly of him because he received a $5 million signing bonus as part of a five-year, $15 million contract.

Kosier broke in with San Francisco in 2002. He played right guard and left tackle as a rookie, then started 12 games at three different spots in 2003. He started every game for the 49ers in '04, six at right guard and 10 on the left side. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit, a move that paid off with this contract.

Gurode signed a one-year deal and likely will again battle Al Johnson for playing time at center.

Gurode was a regular at right guard the previous three seasons, but the Cowboys signed Rivera to replace him. He raised his value to coach Bill Parcells with his play at center in training camp, then ended up starting the final two games of last season in Rivera's place because of injury.

Dallas also was in talks Saturday with linebacker Akin Ayodele, who went to high school in Irving and has played the last four seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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