Arizona signs free safety Holt to five-year deal
Arizona Cardinals: Free safety Terrence Holt signed a five-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.
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Terms weren't disclosed. Holt, younger brother of St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt, started 15 games last season for the Detroit Lions. He had a career-high 76 tackles, 51 solos, and three interceptions.
In Arizona, Holt gets the chance to play alongside his North Carolina State teammate, Pro Bowl strong safety Adrian Wilson.
A fifth-round selection by the Lions in 2003, Holt became a fulltime starter in 2005 but was sidelined after 10 games because of an elbow injury.
Holt has played in 53 games, 27 of them starts, with 117 tackles -- 107 solo -- eight interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Holt is Arizona's second free agent acquisition this year. The Cardinals earlier signed ex-Dallas center Al Johnson to a four-year, $17.5 million deal with $7 million guaranteed.
-- The Associated Press
Houston Texans: The Texans landed a versatile tackle Thursday who could end up starting on the left side if needed.
Chiefs tackle Jordan Black agreed to a two-year, $3.4 million contract that included a $1.3 million signing bonus. Black recently visited the Raiders, and there was some thought they would try to plug him in at right tackle after the departure of Langston Walker to the Buffalo Bills.
Then the Texans came in and swooped him away. Black, 27, is a 6-foot-5, 304-pound former fifth-round choice who has been able to get playing time on a line that had been considered one of the best in football. The Chiefs signed Damian McIntosh to a six-year, $18 million deal last week so Black, who continued to keep in touch with the Chiefs, started looking at other options.
Injuries have created plenty of openings on the Texans' line, and Black hopes to end up as a starter.
The Texans also re-signed free agent punter Chad Stanley on Thursday.
Stanley, who has been with the team since its inception, averaged a career-high 41.6 yards a punt last season. He spent his first two seasons with the 49ers and played one year in Arizona before joining the Texans in 2002.
-- ESPN.com's John Clayton and The Associated Press
Philadelphia Eagles: Wide receiver and kick returner Bethel Johnson reached agreement on a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In his career, Johnson has returned 147 kickoffs for 3,611 yards and two touchdowns. He also has 39 catches for 606 yards and four touchdowns.
Johnson, 28, was a second-round draft choice of New England in 2003. He was traded to New Orleans last year but released before the 2006 season and signed with the Minnesota Vikings in October.
-- The Associated Press
New Orleans Saints: The Saints are visiting with veteran free agent receiver Brandon Stokley Thursday, according to his agent, Rick Smith.
Stokley, who played with the Ragin' Cajuns before spending four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and four with the Indianapolis Colts, has 199 career receptions for 2,829 yards and 22 touchdowns. But he missed most of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
-- ESPN.com news services
Washington Redskins: The Redskins added depth to their offensive line Thursday by signing free agent Ross Tucker, who returns six years after making the team as an undrafted rookie.
Tucker, one of the few NFL players from Princeton, played three games with the Redskins in 2001 and has since played for Dallas, Buffalo and New England. He started seven games with the Cowboys and 17 with the Bills.
Tucker was traded from New England to Cleveland last summer, but he did not make the Browns' roster and sat out the 2006 season.
-- The Associated Press
Minnesota Vikings: The Minnesota Vikings have re-signed safety Tank Williams to a one-year contract after he missed the entire 2006 season following a knee injury.
Williams broke his left kneecap during a drill in the first week of training camp and was later placed on injured reserve. In 2005, he started all 16 games for the Tennessee Titans and made a career-high 83 tackles as a fourth-year player.
Williams agreed to his deal more than two weeks ago, but the team did not announce it. Both Williams' agent and a Vikings spokesman confirmed the contract Thursday. Williams was actually cut last Friday in a salary cap-related procedural move and then re-signed the next day.
-- The Associated Press
San Francisco 49ers: The San Francisco 49ers on Thursday matched the restricted free agent offer sheet to which the Pittsburgh Steelers had signed punter Andy Lee earlier this week, allowing them to retain the three-year veteran.
Lee signed a six-year, $7.1 million offer sheet that included a signing bonus of $1.67 million. The 49ers had until the close of league business next Tuesday to act on the offer sheet, but wasted little time in matching it.
By so doing, San Francisco inherited the terms of the offer Pittsburgh negotiated. Had the 49ers decided to pass on the offer sheet, Lee would have moved on to the Steelers and San Francisco would have received a sixth-round choice in this year's draft as compensation.
San Francisco retained the right to match the offer sheet by making Lee a one-year qualifying offer of $850,000 at the outset of the free agency period.
-- ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins signed free agent wide receiver
Kelly Campbell, re-signed defensive tackle Keith Traylor to a
two-year contract and inked free agent safety Cameron Worrell to a
two-year deal on Thursday.
The defensive signings come two days after the Dolphins signed linebacker Joey Porter from the Pittsburgh Steelers to a five-year, $32 million contract.
-- The Associated Press
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks released one of their top free agent signings in recent years by placing defensive end Grant Wistrom on waivers
Wistrom signed a six-year, $33 million contract in 2004. When the Seahawks signed Patrick Kerney to a six-year, $39.5 million contract, Wistrom became expendable. He was bothered with injuries the past two seasons. Last year, Wistrom played only 56 percent of the defensive downs.
-- ESPN.com's John Clayton
New York Jets: Fullback Darian Barnes, who started six
games last season with Miami, has signed with the New York Jets.
Barnes, who is entering his sixth NFL season, entered the league as a rookie free agent with the New York Giants in 2002. He also has played for Tampa Bay and Dallas and had three receptions for 22 yards last season.
-- The Associated Press
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