Veteran Raiders linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba signed a three-year contract two days into free agency, a league source said Sunday.
The contract included a $1.25 million signing bonus as part of the $5.4 million overall total. The league source said Ekejiuba's contract is the largest one ever given to a core special teams player.
Cleveland and the New York Jets expressed interest in Ekejiuba before the Raiders intensified their pursuit of the player who has spent most of the past four seasons in Oakland.
Broncos: Trade talks involving Jay Cutler have strained the relationship between the quarterback and new coach Josh McDaniels. Before Matt Cassel was traded from New England to Kansas City on Saturday, Cutler's name came up in a proposed three-way deal with Tampa Bay that would have brought Cassel to Denver and landed Cutler in Florida. McDaniels was the Patriots offensive coordinator last season when he helped guide Cassel to an 11-5 record following Tom Brady's season-ending knee injury on opening weekend. Cutler told The Denver Post he was "angry"
and "shocked"
his name even came up in trade talks and said he still feels he's on the trading block — something McDaniels denies. "We don't want to trade Jay. We never did,"
McDaniels told the newspaper. McDaniels noted the Broncos didn't initiate the trade talks, only listened. ...
Cornerback Andre Goodman reached agreement on a five-year, $25.2 million deal with Denver. Goodman, who helped Miami turn around its season last year, will receive more than $10 million of guaranteed money.
Seahawks: Seattle and free-agent defensive tackle Colin Cole agreed to a five-year, $21.4 million contract that includes $6 million in guaranteed money, a source said. Cole played the past five seasons for Green Bay.
Giants: New York added some reinforcements along the defensive line, signing free agents Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty. Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield, the starting defensive tackles last season, both have had arthroscopic surgery in the offseason. Bernard signed what is believed to be a four-year, $16 million deal. During his seven-year career in Seattle he had 282 tackles and 29 sacks. Canty comes to New York from NFC East rival Dallas. In 2008, he started every game at defensive end and finished with 37 tackles and three sacks. He reportedly signed a six-year, $42 million deal.
Texans: Dan Orlovsky, who said he wanted to compete for a starting job rather than be a backup to Daunte Culpepper in Detroit, signed to play behind Houston's Matt Schaub. The Texans needed a backup after trading Sage Rosenfels to Minnesota for a fourth-round draft pick Friday.
Buccaneers: Free agent receiver Michael Clayton signed a five-year contract worth $26 million to remain with Tampa Bay, with $10.5 million guaranteed.
Jets: New York and veteran fullback Tony Richardson agreed on a one-year deal, with $500,000 guaranteed. Richardson paved the way for Thomas Jones to lead the AFC in rushing last season.
Etc.: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree won't perform in front of NFL scouts at Texas Tech's pro day March 26, opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his left foot Wednesday.
