KC's Webb Signs Tender

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jason Webb has signed his one-year tender offer to remain with the club.

Webb caught five passes last season for 46 yards. He has caught 36 passes for 382 yards with one touchdown in 31 games during his three-year career with the Chiefs. Webb mainly contributes on special teams where he has returned 17 kickoffs for 373 yards (21.9 average) and has 14 special team tackles.

The Chiefs took him as a sixth-round pick (190th overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft.

WR Hurd Re-Signs in Dallas

Restricted free agent Sam Hurd, has signed his one-year, $1.54 million tender and will return to the Dallas Cowboys next season.

Hurd suffered a high ankle sprain in the final preseason game against Minnesota and began the season on the inactive list. He missed the first three games of the regular-season, but returned to the lineup against Washington. He played the next 3 games before re-injuring the ankle on a special teams play. He had surgery on Oct. 14 and was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 16 and missed the remainder of the season.

In three seasons, Hurd has 24 receptions for 389 yards and one touchdown. He originally signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent and made the roster as a rookie in 2006.

Panthers Re-Sign Two Restricted Free Agents

The Carolina Panthers have re-signed restricted free agent safety Nate Salley and linebacker James Anderson to one-year deals worth $1.01 million apiece.

Both players were offered the low tender by Carolina and did not receive offers from other teams. Clubs would have had to surrender a third-round draft pick to sign Anderson and a fourth-rounder to get Salley.

Salley, 25, is entering his 4th year in the league, all with Carolina. He played his college ball at Ohio State and is a core special teams player with the Panthers.

Anderson, 25, is also entering his 4th season. Another core special teams player, Anderson also has 3 career starts at linebacker where he has tallied 41 tackles and 2 sacks.

Bigby Signs Tender will Remain a Packer

Green Bay Packers safety Atari Bigby, a restricted free agent, signed his one-year tender with the team and is now under contract. His one-year deal is worth $1.545 million. A team would have had to be willing to give up a second-round pick to sign him away from Green Bay.

Bigby was an undrafted player in 2005. After failing to make the Dolphins and Jets in 2005, he landed with the Packers that year and found home. He started 22 games at safety over the past two years.

His best season came in 2007 when he started all 16 games and collected 86 tackles and 5 interceptions. In 2008 Bigby was held back because of injuries and eventually ended up on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.

Rams Retain Two Restricted Free Agents

The restricted free agent deadline came and went Friday night and the St. Louis Rams will retain two more RFAs who received no offers from other teams.

Defensive end Victor Adeyanju has signed his one-year tender worth $1.01 million. Offensive guard/center Richie Incognito is expected to sign his $1.01 million tender sometime next week.

Adeyanju, who is entering his 4th season in the NFL, has amassed 101 career tackles and 3 sacks in 43 games with 25 starts.

Incognito, who is entering his 5th season, was redshirted in his rookie year but has played in 35 games all starts.

As in any other restricted free agents, if they had received outside offers, the Rams would have one week to match the offer.

Bengals Re-Sign Restricted Free Agent Brandon Johnson

The Cincinnati Bengals have re-sign retricted free agent LB Brandon Johnson, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Johnson filled in admirably at weakside linebacker after Keith Rivers got his jaw broke during an Oct. 19the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“We knew Brandon had good potential, but the way he came on last season was a very pleasant surprise,” Bengals linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald said. “His production was outstanding. He proved himself as a player that you definitely want on the field, and we are glad to have him back.”

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound fourth-year veteran from Louisville who started his career with the Arizona Cardinals, had a breakout season in 2008, his first year with the club.

Johnson finished second on the team with 112 tackles, but averaged 10 tackles per game over the last nine weeks of the season, all starts.

Giants Dockery Signs Tender

Cornerback Kevin Dockery signed a one-year free agent tender for $1.54 million on Monday, agent Drew Rosenhaus said Monday.

The 25-year-old who starred in college at Mississippi State had 36 tackles and an interception in 13 games last season, he also returned a blocked field goal 71 yards for a touchdown in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in December.

Dockery had until the end of the week to sign the offer. The Giants tendered Dockery, a restricted free agent, at a second-round level.

Dockery joined the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He has been a backup to Corey Webster and Aaron Ross the past two seasons.

Bucs LT Puts Penn to Tender Offer

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers LT Donald Penn had until April 17th to sign the offer tendered to him before free agency began. The restricted free agent was tendered at the highest level by general manager Mark Dominik, and the Bucs would receive a 1st and 3rd round choices is Penn signed with another squad.

Penn was hoping for a long term deal, like the one his teammate TE Kellen Winslow recently signed, but will have to settle for the one-year $2.8 Million deal.

Penn, 25, originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with Minnesota. He has started 26 of the 32 games he's played in for the Buccaneers since the team acquired him as a free agent in 2006. That includes the 16 games he started at left tackle in 2008.

The two sides are expected to continue to work on a long-term deal for Penn, which would be the ideal scenario for the former Utah State product.

Vikings Re-Sign DE Grigsby

DE Otis Grigsby, a restricted free agent who was not tendered a contract by Minnesota, re-signed with the team. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

A four-year pro out of Kentucky, Grigsby entered the NFL with Miami in 2003 and was out of the NFL in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 the Carolina Panthers signed him and he spent two seasons with the team, appearing in 4 games and registered no stats.

Grigsby spent the last 2 seasons in Minnesota, where he appeared in 12-games with one start and registered two tackles and one sack.

Eagles G Nick Cole Agrees to One-Year Deal

The Philadelphia Eagles have come to terms with restricted free agent offensive lineman Nick Cole, Signing a one-year deal of which the financial terms were not disclosed.

Cole, 24, started seven games at guard for the Eagles last season including all three postseason games.

The four-year pro started the season as a third-stringer but stepped in for the injured Max Jean-Gilles in Week 14 against the New York Giants. Jean-Gilles had been starting in place of Pro Bowler Shawn Andrews, who played only six quarters before missing the rest of the season with back problems.

Cole (6'0" 350lbs.) signed with the Eagles as a rookie free agent out of New Mexico State in 2006.

Vikings Match Bengals Offer for Tahi

The Bengals tried their best to get him back, but in the end the Vikings knew what they had.

The Vikings decided to matched Cincinnati's offer of one year and $1.4 million on Friday, meaning they will keep the restricted free agent.

Tahi was signed off the Bengals practice squad in 2006. He beat out Thomas Tapeh for the starting fullback job during the season and helped open holes for Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor in the running game.

Tahi is really excited to be back in Minnesota and ready to work on improving the team. He says he and Peterson got into a good groove in the second half of the season, leading the way to Petersons' league rushing title.

Bills LB Signs Tender Offer

Buffalo Bills LB Keith Ellison has signed his restricted free agent tender offer. Ellison was tendered at his original draft round (sixth) level at $1.01 million.

He is scheduled to be the starter at strong side linebacker for the Bills next season.

The 25-year old LB is entering his 4th season. He has played in 42 games and collected 177 tackles 2 sacks and 2 interceptions.

Bengals Sign FB Tahi to Offer Sheet

Viking FB Naufahu Tahi, a restricted free agent has been signed to an offer sheet by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Because he is a restricted free agent, and Minnesota tendered him a one-year contract at $1.01 million, the Vikings retained a right of first refusal. The terms of the offer sheet, believed to be for one year, were not yet available.

Tahi spent last season with the Vikings, the former Brigham Young standout is a strong lead blocker and rarely used as a ball carrier, as evidenced by his 23 touches over 3 seasons, he has helped clear the way for Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson last year and his 1,760 yards.

The Vikings have seven days to either match the offer by Cincinnati or pass on it. If they match it, the Vikings will assume the major terms of the offer sheet. If they opt not to match, Tahi will move to the Bengals, and the Vikings will receive no compensation, because Tahi originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent.

Jets Match Offer Sheet to Elam

The New York Jets were determined to keep at least one of their free agents away from Cleveland and have decided to match the Browns one-year $1.5 Million offer sheet for S Abram Elam.

Elam, a restricted free agent was given an offer sheet by the Browns and per NFL rules the Jets had seven days to match it, or recieve compensation in the form of a draft pick. He started nine games last season, his second with the Jets. Browns coach Eric Mangini already has signed four of his former Jets players, and Cleveland signed Elam to an offer sheet last week,

The 27-year-old Elam had 56 tackles and returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown, he also had three forced fumbles. Elam also had 11 special teams tackles.

McHugh Returns to Steelers

The Steelers have signed tight end/fullback Sean McHugh to a three-year, $2.57 million contract, which includes a $390,000 signing bonus.

McHugh had been a restricted free agent and the Steelers made a one-year tender offer of $1.01 million to the Penn State product on Thursday.

He played in every game but one for the Steelers last season after they signed him in early September.

Strief Gets Tendered

Strief, a three-year veteran, is a restricted free agent (RFA). He received a one-year, $1.545 million tender, team spokesman Greg Bensel confirmed.

Strief can still sign an offer sheet with another team, but by giving him the tender the Saints retain the right to match within seven days. If they decline, they would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation.

Since Strief has started only three games since joining the Saints as a seventh-round draft pick, it’s unlikely he’ll receive an offer that would require a second-round draft pick as compensation.

Steelers Make a Flurry of Moves

The Pittsburgh Steelers made qualifying offers to restricted free agents right tackle Willie Colon, cornerback Anthony Madison and tight end Sean McHugh and offers to exclusive-rights free agents fullback Carey Davis and tackle Jeremy Parquet.

The Steelers also released offensive guard Kendall Simmons and linebacker Mike Humpal on Thursday.

As you all know if another team offers a deal to any of the restricted free agents, the Steelers get to match it or be compensated with draft choices. The Steelers retained exclusive negotiating rights with Davis and Parquet.

The Steelers selected Colon in 2006 and he became a starter for last two games of his rookie season. McHugh was signed to the team in September. Davis was signed in 2006 and Parquet was signed to the practice squad in August.

Simmons played seven seasons with the Steelers after being taken in the first round of the 2002 draft. Humpal was the first of two sixth-round draft picks by the Steelers in the 2008 draft.

Bengals Tender Two LB's, Release Four

The Bengals tendered contract offers to linebackers Brandon Johnson and Rashad Jeantry that gives them the right to match any offer. If the Bengals decide not to match another team's offer, they get a second-round draft pick as compensation.

The team decided not to make tender offers to running back DeDe Dorsey, receiver Glenn Holt, linebacker Corey Mays and safety John Busing, allowing them to become free agents.

Cards Tender Two, Cut One

The Cardinals tendered one-year qualifying contract offers to restricted free agents Leonard Pope and Gabe Watson, the team has also released veteran long snapper Nathan Hodel.

The tender offer, which guarantees draft pick compensation if the players agree to a contract with another team and the Cardinals refuse to match were applied to tight end Pope and Watson, a defensive tackle, have until April 17 to sign the qualifying offer.

Watson received a second-round tender which means if another team signs him and the Cardinals don’t match the offer, Arizona receives a second-round draft pick as compensation.

Pope received a tender that allows the Cardinals the opportunity to match any offer he receives from another team or receive a draft choice from that team equal to which round he was originally selected, in this case the third round.

The Cardinals also extended offers to seven exclusive-rights free agents: cornerback Michael Adams, fullback Tim Castille, tight ends Ben Patrick, tight end Stephen Spach, linebacker Pago Togafau, center Lyle Sendlein and tackle Elliot Vallejo.