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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNRESTRICTED
FREE AGENCY PERIOD ENDS; One hundred veteran free agents re-signed with their old teams this year during the free agency signing period, while 124 signed with new teams, the National Football League announced today. The four-month UFA signing period, under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and players, ended July 22. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed the most unrestricted free agents from other teams (14), while the New York Giants signed 10, followed by the Miami Dolphins with nine, and the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Redskins with eight each. There were a total of 310 unrestricted free agents this year. The total player pool is approximately 1,700. One of this year's 128 restricted free agents signed with a new team – Pittsburgh defensive end RODNEY BAILEY with New England. One-hundred-and-twenty-one restricted free agents returned to their former clubs, and six are in unsigned categories. The period for restricted free agents to accept offers from other teams ended April 16. In addition, one transition player signed with a new team, Kansas City tackle JOHN TAIT with Chicago. The 126 total free agents who switched teams represent only seven percent of all NFL players. Of 481 players who were free agents in the various categories of the system, 351 signed new contracts with either new teams or their old clubs. "The veteran free agent signings reflect a belief by teams and players that continuity and stability play an important role in our sport,” said HAROLD HENDERSON, executive vice president of labor relations and chairman of the NFL Management Council. "The system continues to enhance the competitive balance that is so important in our sport." Under the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, players without 2004 contracts who had four or more seasons of free agency experience qualified to be "unrestricted free agents" and were free to sign with any club between March 3 and July 22. If a player's prior club made a 110 percent tender on or before June 1, the prior club retained exclusive negotiating rights after July 22 if the player did not sign with another club. If the player and club are unable to negotiate a contract by the 10th week of the regular season, the player may not play the remainder of the season. If the player sits out the season, he becomes an unrestricted free agent next year. Under the CBA, restricted free agents are those players who have three seasons of free agency experience and are subject to compensation and/or right of first refusal. A "transition" player is a designated unrestricted free agent whose team must tender a one-year contract at the average of the 10 highest-paid players of 2003 at the transition player's position, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater. A "franchise" player is a designated unrestricted free agent whose team must tender a one-year contract at the average of the five highest-paid players at the franchise player's position in 2003, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater. A comparison of free agent movement since the current CBA went into effect 12 years ago:
NFL FREE AGENCY MOVEMENT
|
|
TEAM |
PLAYER |
FORMER TEAM |
|
ARIZONA |
RB Obafemi Ayanbadejo |
Miami |
|
|
DE Bert Berry |
Denver |
|
|
QB Shaun King |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
CB David Macklin |
Indianapolis |
|
ATLANTA |
G Eric Beverly |
Detroit |
|
|
DT Roderick Coleman |
Oakland |
|
|
QB Ty Detmer |
Detroit |
|
|
LB Eric Johnson |
Oakland |
|
|
CB Jason Webster |
San Francisco |
|
|
WR Dez White |
Chicago |
|
BUFFALO |
G Chris Villarrial |
Chicago |
|
|
CB Troy Vincent |
Philadelphia |
|
CAROLINA |
G Travis Claridge |
Atlanta |
|
|
CB Terrance Shaw |
Oakland |
|
|
LB Brandon Short |
N.Y. Giants |
|
CHICAGO |
RB Thomas Jones |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
QB Jonathan Quinn |
Kansas City |
|
CINCINNATI |
WR Pat Johnson |
Washington |
|
|
LB Nate Webster |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
G Bobby Williams |
Philadelphia |
|
CLEVELAND |
DE Ebenezer Ekuban |
Dallas |
|
|
G Kelvin Garmon |
San Diego |
|
|
RB Terrelle Smith |
New Orleans |
|
DENVER |
DE Marco Coleman |
Philadelphia |
|
|
T Cornell Green |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
QB Mike Quinn |
Houston |
|
|
TE O.J. Santiago |
Oakland |
|
|
TE Jed Weaver |
San Francisco |
|
DETROIT |
CB Fernando Bryant |
Jacksonville |
|
|
G David Loverne |
St. Louis |
|
|
QB Rick Mirer |
Oakland |
|
|
CB Dainon Sidney |
Buffalo |
|
|
WR Tai Streets |
San Francisco |
|
|
G Damien Woody |
New England |
|
GREEN BAY |
S Mark Roman |
Cincinnati |
|
HOUSTON |
LB Dashon Polk |
Buffalo |
|
|
DT Robaire Smith |
Tennessee |
|
|
T Todd Wade |
Miami |
|
JACKSONVILLE |
CB Juran Bolden |
Atlanta |
|
|
G Mike Compton |
New England |
|
|
LB Greg Favors |
Carolina |
|
|
S Deon Grant |
Carolina |
|
|
LB Tommy Hendricks |
Miami |
|
|
QB Doug Johnson |
Atlanta |
|
|
DB Lewis Sanders |
Cleveland |
|
|
TE Todd Yoder |
Tampa Bay |
|
KANSAS CITY |
C Chris Bober |
NY Giants |
|
MIAMI |
S Chris Akins |
New England |
|
|
S Antuan Edwards |
Green Bay |
|
|
CB Reggie Howard |
Carolina |
|
|
G Jeno James |
Carolina |
|
|
TE John Jones |
Baltimore |
|
|
T Damion McIntosh |
San Diego |
|
|
RB Sammy Morris |
Buffalo |
|
|
T John St. Clair |
St. Louis |
|
|
WR Terrence Wilkins |
Indianapolis |
|
MINNESOTA |
P Darren Bennett |
San Diego |
|
|
DT Steve Martin |
Houston |
|
|
WR Marcus Robinson |
Baltimore |
|
|
TE Jermaine Wiggins |
Carolina |
|
|
CB Antoine Winfield |
Buffalo |
|
NEW ENGLAND |
G Bob Hallen |
San Diego |
|
|
CB Otis Smith |
Detroit |
|
|
DT Keith Traylor |
Chicago |
|
NEW ORLEANS |
RB Sam Gash |
Buffalo |
|
|
G Jamar Nesbit |
Jacksonville |
|
|
RB Aaron Stecker |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
DT Brian Young |
St. Louis |
|
NY GIANTS |
DE Lorenzo Bromell |
Oakland |
|
|
DT Martin Chase |
Washington |
|
|
WR JaJuan Dawson |
Indianapolis |
|
|
T Ed Ellis |
San Diego |
|
|
LB Carlos Emmons |
Philadelphia |
|
|
LB Barrett Green |
Detroit |
|
|
G Shaun O’Hara |
Cleveland |
|
|
DT Fred Robbins |
Minnesota |
|
|
DT Glen Steele |
Cincinnati |
|
|
T Barry Stokes |
Cleveland |
|
NY JETS |
CB David Barrett |
Arizona |
|
|
LB Eric Barton |
Oakland |
|
|
S Reggie Tongue |
Seattle |
|
OAKLAND |
DB Ike Charlton |
NY Giants |
|
|
LB Danny Clark |
Jacksonville |
|
|
WR Chris Cole |
Denver |
|
|
DE Bobby Hamilton |
New England |
|
|
DT Warren Sapp |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
S David Terrell |
Washington |
|
|
DT Ted Washington |
New England |
|
PHILADELPHIA |
LB Dhani Jones |
NY Giants |
|
|
DE Jevon Kearse |
Tennessee |
|
PITTSBURGH |
P Chris Gardocki |
Cleveland |
|
|
DT Travis Kirschke |
San Francisco |
|
|
RB Duce Staley |
Philadelphia |
|
|
CB Willie Williams |
Seattle |
|
SAN DIEGO |
WR Kevin Dyson |
Carolina |
|
|
LB Steve Foley |
Houston |
|
|
LB Randall Godfrey |
Seattle |
|
|
C Mike Goff |
Cincinnati |
|
|
T Leander Jordan |
Jacksonville |
|
SAN FRANCISCO |
T Greg Randall |
Houston |
|
SEATTLE |
CB Bobby Taylor |
Philadelphia |
|
|
DE Grant Wistrom |
St. Louis |
|
TAMPA BAY |
RB Brandon Bennett |
Cincinnati |
|
|
P Josh Bidwell |
Green Bay |
|
|
LB Keith Burns |
Denver |
|
|
RB Greg Comella |
Houston |
|
|
CB Mario Edwards |
Dallas |
|
|
RB Charile Garner |
Oakland |
|
|
QB Jason Garrett |
NY Giants |
|
|
LB Ian Gold |
Denver |
|
|
LB Jeff Gooch |
Detroit |
|
|
DE Lamar King |
Seattle |
|
|
CB Tommy Knight |
Baltimore |
|
|
G Matt O’Dwyer |
Cincinnati |
|
|
DT Darrell Russell |
Washington |
|
|
C Matt Stinchcomb |
Oakland |
|
WASHINGTON |
CB Ralph Brown |
NY Giants |
|
|
DT Cornelius Griffin |
NY Giants |
|
|
TE Brian Kozlowski |
Atlanta |
|
|
TE Walter Rasby |
New Orleans |
|
|
DT Joe Salave’a |
San Diego |
|
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CB Shawn Springs |
Seattle |
|
|
P Tom Tupa |
Tampa Bay |
|
|
LB Marcus Washington |
Indianapolis |
2) 100 UNRESTRICTED free agents re-signed with their
OLD team:
|
TEAM |
PLAYER |
|
ARIZONA |
S Justin Lucas |
|
ATLANTA |
S Keion Carpenter |
|
|
C Todd McClure |
|
|
LB Artie Ulmer |
|
BALTIMORE |
T Orlando Brown |
|
|
C Mike Flynn |
|
|
K Wade Richey |
|
|
K Matt Stover |
|
|
LB Adalius Thomas |
|
|
QB Anthony Wright |
|
BUFFALO |
DE Keith McKenzie |
|
CAROLINA |
LB Jason Kyle |
|
|
TE Kris Mangum |
|
|
DE Kavika Pittman |
|
|
G Tutan Reyes |
|
|
T Melvin Tuten |
|
|
T Matt Willig |
|
CINCINNATI |
S Rogers Beckett |
|
|
G Rich Braham |
|
CLEVELAND |
DT Michael Myers |
|
DALLAS |
C Gennaro DiNapoli |
|
DENVER |
RB Reuben Droughns |
|
|
TE Patrick Hape |
|
|
LB Johnny Rutledge |
|
|
CB Jimmy Spencer |
|
|
CB Scott Turner |
|
DETROIT |
RB Shawn Bryson |
|
|
DE James Hall |
|
|
DT Kelvin Pritchett |
|
|
S Bracy Walker |
|
GREEN BAY |
CB-S Michael Hawthorne |
|
|
QB Doug Pederson |
|
|
DT Larry Smith |
|
HOUSTON |
CB Pat Dennis |
|
|
DE Corey Sears |
|
|
CB Jason Simmons |
|
|
C Todd Washington |
|
INDIANAPOLIS |
LB Jim Nelson |
|
|
QB Cory Sauter |
|
JACKSONVILLE |
T Sammy Williams |
|
|
C Joe Zelenka |
|
KANSAS CITY |
CB William Bartee |
|
|
TE Jason Dunn |
|
|
TE Kendall Gammon |
|
|
DE Eric Hicks |
|
|
S Lyle West |
|
|
S Jerome Woods |
|
MIAMI |
TE Ed Perry |
|
|
P Matt Turk |
|
|
S Shawn Wooden |
|
MINNESOTA |
TE Jim Kleinsasser |
|
|
C Cory Withrow |
|
NEW ENGLAND |
S Je’Rod Cherry |
|
|
LB Don Davis |
|
|
RB Kevin Faulk |
|
|
RB Patrick Pass |
|
|
WR J.J. Stokes |
|
NEW ORLEANS |
RB Ki-Jana Carter |
|
|
T Spencer Folau |
|
|
C Jerry Fontenot |
|
|
LB Derrick Rodgers |
|
|
RB Lamar Smith |
|
|
CB Fred Thomas |
|
NY GIANTS |
CB Ray Green |
|
|
DE Keith Washington |
|
NY JETS |
K Doug Brien |
|
|
G Brent Smith |
|
OAKLAND |
RB Chris Hetherington |
|
PHILADELPHIA |
DT Paul Grasmanis |
|
PITTSBURGH |
T Barrett Brooks |
|
|
DT Kendrick Clancy |
|
|
TE Matt Cushing |
|
|
WR Chris Doering |
|
|
LB Clark Haggans |
|
|
RB Dan Kreider |
|
|
S Mike Logan |
|
|
C Mike Schneck |
|
ST. LOUIS |
S Rich Coady |
|
|
P Sean Landeta |
|
SAN DIEGO |
C David Binn |
|
|
RB Leon Johnson |
|
|
CB Jerry Wilson |
|
SAN FRANCISCO |
DE John Engelberger |
|
|
C Brock Gutierrez |
|
|
S Ronnie Heard |
|
|
TE Brian Jennings |
|
|
K Todd Peterson |
|
|
CB Ahmed Plummer |
|
SEATTLE |
WR Darrell Jackson |
|
|
LB Isaiah Kacyvenski |
|
|
P Tom Rouen |
|
|
DT Cedric Woodard |
|
TAMPA BAY |
G Cosey Coleman |
|
|
TE Rickey Dudley |
|
TENNESSEE |
TE Erron Kinney |
|
|
QB Billy Volek |
|
WASHINGTON |
C Ethan Albright |
|
|
C Lennie Friedman |
|
|
LB Kevin Mitchell |
|
|
G Daryl Terrell |
3) 1 RESTRICTED free agent signed with a NEW
team:
TEAM |
PLAYER |
FORMER TEAM |
NEW ENGLAND |
DE Rodney Bailey |
Pittsburgh |
4) 121 RESTRICTED free agents re-signed with their OLD
team:
|
TEAM |
PLAYER |
|
ARIZONA |
DT Marcus Bell |
|
|
CB Renaldo Hill |
|
|
WR Kevin Kasper |
|
|
S Adrian Wilson |
|
ATLANTA |
K Jay Feely |
|
|
G Kynan Forney |
|
|
G Roberto Garza |
|
|
LB Karon Riley |
|
|
LB Matt Stewart |
|
BALTIMORE |
G Bennie Anderson |
|
|
T Damion Cook |
|
|
DE Marques Douglas |
|
|
LB Edgerton Hartwell |
|
|
C Joe Maese |
|
|
G Casey Rabach |
|
|
RB Alan Ricard |
|
|
CB Raymond Walls |
|
BUFFALO |
QB Travis Brown |
|
|
DT Ron Edwards |
|
CAROLINA |
LB Brian Allen |
|
|
CB Jarrod Cooper |
|
|
RB Nick Goings |
|
|
RB Rod Smart |
|
|
S Travares Tillman |
|
CHICAGO |
T Mike Gandy |
|
|
DE Joe Tafoya |
|
CINCINNATI |
K Shayne Graham |
|
|
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh |
|
|
RB Rudi Johnson |
|
|
S Kevin Kaesviharn |
|
|
T Victor Leyva |
|
|
TE Tony Stewart |
|
CLEVELAND |
WR Andre King |
|
|
G Paul Zukauskas |
|
DALLAS |
DT Willie Blade |
|
|
RB Aveion Cason |
|
|
T Javiar Collins |
|
|
RB Troy Hambrick |
|
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C Matt Lehr |
|
|
S Lynn Scott |
|
|
LB Markus Steele |
|
|
TE James Whalen |
|
|
WR Randal Williams |
|
DENVER |
G Ben Hamilton |
|
|
DE Reggie Hayward |
|
|
LB Donnie Spragan |
|
DETROIT |
WR Scotty Anderson |
|
|
LB Donte’ Curry |
|
|
P Nick Harris |
|
|
QB Mike McMahon |
|
|
WR Reggie Swinton |
|
|
RB Stephen Trejo |
|
GREEN BAY |
CB-S Bhawoh Jue |
|
|
LB Torrance Marshall |
|
|
TE David Martin |
|
HOUSTON |
CB Jason Bell |
|
|
DE Jerry DeLoach |
|
|
TE Jabari Holloway |
|
|
DB Marlon McCree |
|
|
RB Moran Norris |
|
|
CB Darrick Vaughn |
|
INDIANAPOLIS |
S Cory Bird |
|
|
G Rick DeMulling |
|
|
T Ryan Diem |
|
|
DB Nicholas Harper |
|
|
RB Dominic Rhodes |
|
KANSAS CITY |
P Jason Baker |
|
|
LB Monty Beisel |
|
|
RB Derrick Blaylock |
|
|
LB Quinton Caver |
|
|
DT Eric Downing |
|
MIAMI |
LB Morlon Greenwood |
|
|
RB Travis Minor |
|
|
QB Sage Rosenfels |
|
MINNESOTA |
CB Eric Kelly |
|
NEW ORLEANS |
S Steve Gleason |
|
|
LB Sedrick Hodge |
|
|
DT Kenny Smith |
|
NY GIANTS |
DT Lance Legree |
|
|
QB Jesse Palmer |
|
|
CB William Peterson |
|
|
TE Marcellus Rivers |
|
NY JETS |
LB Jason Glenn |
|
|
T Kareem McKenzie |
|
|
DT James Reed |
|
|
LB Quincy Stewart |
|
|
LB Kenyatta Wright |
|
OAKLAND |
QB Tee Martin |
|
|
T Chad Slaughter |
|
PHILADELPHIA |
LB Keith Adams |
|
|
RB Correll Buckhalter |
|
PITTSBURGH |
DE Chris Hoke |
|
|
CB Chidi Iwuoma |
|
|
C Chukky Okobi |
|
|
G Keydrick Vincent |
|
ST. LOUIS |
QB Marc Bulger |
|
|
CB Jerametrius Butler |
|
|
DE Bryce Fisher |
|
|
TE Brandon Manumaleuna |
|
SAN DIEGO |
DE Otis Leverette |
|
|
LB Zeke Moreno |
|
|
LB Carlos Polk |
|
SAN FRANCISCO |
TE Eric Johnson |
|
|
CB Jimmy Williams |
|
|
WR Cedrick Wilson |
|
SEATTLE |
WR Alex Bannister |
|
|
RB Heath Evans |
|
|
LB Orlando Huff |
|
|
C Dennis Norman |
|
|
T Floyd Womack |
|
TAMPA BAY |
RB Jameel Cook |
|
|
DT Chartric Darby |
|
|
S John Howell |
|
TENNESSEE |
WR Drew Bennett |
|
|
WR Eddie Berlin |
|
|
WR Justin McCareins |
|
|
DE Juqua Thomas |
|
WASHINGTON |
RB Bryan Johnson |
|
|
WR Darnerien McCants |
|
|
S-CB Ifeanyi Ohalete |
|
|
LB Antonio Pierce |
5) 1 UNRESTRICTED free agent with right of first refusal re-signed with his OLD team:
TEAM |
PLAYER |
|
NEW ENGLAND |
RB Mike Cloud |
6) 3 FRANCHISE players re-signed with their OLD
teams:
TEAM |
PLAYER |
JACKSONVILLE |
S Donovin Darius |
NEW ORLEANS |
DE Darren Howard |
WASHINGTON |
CB Champ Bailey |
7) 1 TRANSITION player signed with a NEW team:
TEAM |
PLAYER |
FORMER TEAM |
CHICAGO |
T John Tait |
Kansas City |