ALLEN PARK - The Detroit Lions went into free agency wanting to pick up two linebackers and two cornerbacks and not blow $100 million in the process. The Lions hit those goals late this afternoon when cornerback Chris Houston agreed to a two-year contract.
Houston and recently signed linebacker Justin Durant are both on two-year deals while linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Eric Wright are on one-year contracts.
Houston, Tulloch and Wright are all making about $3 million per year; the numbers on Durant's contract are unknown.
The Lions pursued both Tulloch and Houston from the start of free agency but would not give them the long-term, big-money contracts they were seeking. Lions president Tom Lewand said the team would be patient throughout the process. On Sunday, the Lions got both Tulloch and Houston.
The Lions will continue to look for roster upgrades through the rest of training camp, but it would appear that their starting lineup, both on offense and defense, has been filled.
The Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins have completed a trade.
Arizona is sending running back Tim Hightower to Washington for defensive end Vonnie Holliday and a conditional late-round draft pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting.
The 25-year-old Hightower started 13 games for the Cardinals last year and had 153 carries for 736 yards and five touchdowns. He’ll have a good chance of starting in Washington, and his presence could make the Redskins less interested in Ahmad Bradshaw.
Heap, the tight end who has played his entire 10-year NFL career with the Ravens, has signed with the Cardinals. Heap was born and raised in Arizona, was the state’s high school player of the year his senior year, and played his college ball at Arizona State.
The Ravens released Heap last week and he’s drawn interest from several teams,including the Jets. But he’s decided that Arizona is the place for him.
In 2010 Heap caught 40 passes for 599 yards and five touchdowns.
Said Patriots LB Jerod Mayo, “It’s my fourth year in the league, but at the same time I feel like I’ve learned enough over these past few years to really hand down some information to those guys, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Said Bengals coach Marvin Lewis of CB Nate Clements, “He wanted to make surehe wasn’t — as he termed it — going to play some place that was rebuilding. He wanted to be a piece that could push everything over the top.” [Editor's note: And yet he still chose to sign with the Bengals.]
NFL Network has reported that Plaxico Burress is staying in New York, but that he is going to be reunited with former teammate Santonio Holmes with the Jets. This is reportedly only a 1/yr deal.
NFL Network is reporting that the Detroit Lions have reached terms with the former Titans MLB Stephen Tulloch. This is a move that we anticipated for months and now it is finally a done deal. Look for Stephen Tulloch to become the starting mike, and the DeAndre Levy will move to the sam, and Durant is going to play the will. The Lions have now given their entire linebacking core a facelift.
It has been a wild week in the NFL and here is my take on the happenings as it pertains to:
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have been the clear cut, run away favorite for the winners of this free agency period, they have even been dubbed the "Dream Team". Often when a team hits the free agency market hard, you can call them the paper champions, but often nothing comes out of it on the field. And yes, the Eagles clearly made a huge splash and paid out tons of money this week, but it was smart money. Let's examine.
Key Additions
DE - Jason Babin - Played excellent as a 9 technique under Jim Washburn last year. Combine him with Trent Cole, and Brandon Graham in the rotation and you have a scary pass rush.
CB - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - He will most likely be paired with Nnamdi as the starters, adding great size and speed to the back 7.
QB - Vince Young - Maturity issues linger, but he is in a spot to learn from Vick, and be an insurance policy for the typicaly 1-3 games Vick will miss.
DT - Cullen Jenkins - Jenkins was one of the top available Dlinemen, and will start on the inside immediately.
CB - Nnamdi Asomugha - Nnamdi may be the best corner in the league, instant upgrade.
TE - Donald Lee - Underrated TE that has been hidden behind all the other weapons on the dangers Green Bay team.
WR/KR - Johnnie Lee Higgins - Higgins will probably not bring much to the table as a receiver, but his value is in the return game. This is a great move where the Eagles can be start to only use Desean Jackson in the return game situationally, and not have as big a drop off.
Key Losses
S - Quentin Mikell - Losing a starting safety is never easy, but maybe the eagles can mitigate the loss by shifting Marlon Jackson opposite of Nate Allen.
MLB - Stewart Bradley - Bardley has had some injury issues, but he has been very productive when on the field, and he could be hard to replace, but the Eagles drafted 3 linebackers this year in Casey Matthews, Brian Rolle and Greg Lloyd.
Huff, the safety whom the Raiders selected seventh overall in the 2006 NFL draft, has re-signed with the team, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Although he hasn’t developed into quite the player the Raiders thought he would be, Huff has played in all 80 games for the Raiders since they drafted him, and last year he was a starter for every game but one.
Braylon Edwards entered free agency hoping for No. 1 receiver-type money, but at this point, I’m not sure it will be there for him.
Looking at the possibilities, I wouldn’t rule out the Jets at this point, despite the reports that suggest he won’t be back. The Bears were believed to be a possibility by some before reaching a deal with Roy Williams. A lot of people linked Edwards to the Rams, who got a bargain when they agreed to terms with Mike Sims-Walker.
I do view the Vikings as a possibility. They have some money to spend and need to replace Sidney Rice, whose departure leaves Minnesota with Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, Greg Camarillo and Devin Aromashodu, who agreed to terms this week.
Clements, a 10-year veteran released by the San Francisco 49ers this week, was Buffalo's first-round draft pick in 2001 out of Ohio State and played for the Bills through 2006. He spent four seasons with the 49ers after signing an eight-year, $80 million contract in 2007.
The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.
Clements started 16 games last season and had one sack and three interceptions.
"He's been a great cover corner," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "He just wanted to get in a situation where he felt good and comfortable. I'm glad it worked out the way it did. He wanted to make sure he wasn't -- as he termed it -- going to play some place that was rebuilding. He wanted to be a piece that could push everything over the top."
After Joseph left earlier in the week, the Bengals weren't sure who would be available to team with cornerbackLeon Hall. But it turned out to be Clements, who will turn 32 in December but is known for keeping in top shape, according to Lewis.
"Anybody that's ever spent any time around Nate talks about his professionalism and preparation and everything that way," Lewis said. "You watch him play and you see how smart a player he is. So I think that will be fine. That's not been an issue."
What is an issue is possibly losing linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy, who said he ruptured an Achilles' tendon Saturday night during the first practice of training camp and will be out for the season.
Muckelroy tweeted after Saturday night's practice that he had sustained the injury, which the team declined to confirm.
"My season over b4 it could even start!" he tweeted. "I'm a strong person though I can get pass this hard spot in life (hash)56 for life!"
Muckelroy was a fourth-round draft pick out of Texas last year. He played in 14 games, mostly on special teams, and ranked second in special-teams tackles.
