NFL Free Agency Buzz: Landing Spots For Osweiler, Forte, Gates, And More
Wednesday marks the official start of the NFL new year, and free agency kicks things off in a frenzy. College basketball conference tournaments are just tipping off, but NFL free agency dominates most of the headlines. The news is flying in from all different angles, with the Inquisitr updating you throughout Wednesday and into the early morning Thursday. We’ve already experienced an on-again, off-again, and on-again trade that saw the Eagles finalize a deal with the Dolphins that involved Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and the swapping of first-round draft picks.
The Eagles are one of the most active teams in free agency thus far, as they also sent Demarco Murray to the Titans in a move that clears cap space in Philadelphia. The team also exchanged fourth-round picks with Tennessee, according to csnphilly.com. However, Philly wasn’t done there. They’ve also reached agreements with backup quarterback Chase Daniel, safety Rodney McLeod, and guard Brandon Brooks.
Competing with the Eagles for top free agency headlines are the Houston Texans. Just after 3 p.m. EST, the Texans made an offensive splash. First, they lured Brock Osweiler away from the Denver Broncos, according to the NFL Network. Then, they gave Osweiler a quality running back to hand the ball to in former Miami Dolphin Lamar Miller. Miller will replace the recently-released Arian Foster. Osweiler’s deal is reportedly worth $72 million over four years.
Texans are giving Lamar Miller a 4-year, $26 million deal that includes $14 million fully guaranteed, per source. Had more elsewhere.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2016
Miller wasn’t the only high-profile running back to make free agency news. ESPN reports that the Buccaneers have re-signed Doug Martin to a five-year $35 million deal to stay in Tampa Bay. Shortly after that news was made public, the New York Post confirmed that the New York Jets have signed running back Matt Forte. The former Chicago Bear will fill the vacancy left by Chris Ivory, who reached an agreement in free agency with the Jacksonville Jaguars Tuesday night.
Antonio Gates decided that testing the free agent market wasn’t for him, as he agreed to a two-year deal to remain with the Chargers in San Diego, according to the team’s official website. The Chargers did lose a tight end to free agency, when Ladarius Green opted to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, San Diego was able to add one other offensive piece in Travis Benjamin, formerly of the Browns, per the San Diego Union Tribune.
The NFL free agency period is one of the craziest times in sports. Trying to keep up with every transaction is a daunting task. Per NFL.com, several signings beyond the ones previously mentioned have kept reporters churning all day. The Giants bolstered their defense with the signing of cornerback Janoris Jenkins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison, a day after agreeing to terms with Jason Pierre-Paul on a one-year deal. Former Brown Alex Mack will help strengthen the Falcons offensive line, as he’ll now snap the ball to Matt Ryan. Alex Boone departs the San Francisco 49ers via free agency to join the Minnesota Vikings.
Make sure to continually check back with the Inquisitr for more in-depth articles regarding some of the free agency signings mentioned in this post, as well as new transactions as they happen. The majority of the major moves will all happen by day’s end Wednesday, but secondary signings will continue to cross the wire throughout the rest of the week. With Brock Osweiler bolting for Houston, all eyes will fall on Denver and what they decide to do at quarterback. Colin Kaepernick? Robert Griffin III? It’s certainly a wild, wild time in the NFL.
[Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]
