News & Info/Headlines

Roster-Move Roundup: Texans Show Carr The Door
Hey now! It's been an active two-day span in terms of roster moves with a number of offensive skill players moving to new teams while others have received the proverbial apple and road map out of town.

And that brings us to Houston, where the Texans waived quarterback David Carr, the first draft pick in franchise history five years ago, and also sent running back Domanick Williams packing.

As Associated Press sports writer Chris Duncan noted this afternoon, the Texans never have had a winning record and Carr often was the scapegoat. He completed 60 percent of his passes but also threw 65 interceptions and was sacked 249 times in five seasons.

Houston hoped Carr would flourish under new head coach Gary Kubiak last season, but the Texans went 6-10.

The Texans released Carr a day after signing Matt Schaub and saying he would be their starting quarterback. General manager Rick Smith said Thursday the team was trying to trade Carr.

It's safe to assume no offers were forthcoming.

The Dolphins, Browns, Vikings and Raiders have all recently been mentioned in connection with Carr. It remains to be seen which team will make the first move now that he's available.

As noted in a previous article, there's reason to question just how interested the Vikings are after head coach Brad Childress publicly questioned Carr's mechanics while appearing on a Minnesota radio station.

"David Carr is a tremendous person," Childress said. "I always struggled with where his release came from. It's kind of a drop-down, three-quarter release. ... He can make some of the throws; he can't make all the throws."

Harsh. But it's hard to argue based on the track record.

Meanwhile, Williams, the artist formerly known as Domanick Davis, is Houston's career rushing leader with 3,195 yards.

He missed five games in 2005 before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. He returned for training camp last summer and declared himself healthy, but soon stopped practicing because of a bone bruise in the knee.

He was placed on injured reserve just before the season started.

Most recently, he showed up in the Texans locker room on Jan. 1, saying he had legally changed his last name from Davis to Williams, his mother's maiden name.

Like Carr, Williams is now free to sign with another team -- if he can find any takers.

The Texans recently announced that Williams would require further surgery on his knee this offseason. ...

Also Friday, the Texans officially re-signed former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, who joined the Texans just before last season and blossomed late in the year, rushing for 429 yards and five touchdowns in December.

The two sides agreed to terms last Friday.

One last note here. ... The Texans are expected to match the offer sheet that restricted free-agent fullback Vonta Leach signed with the New York Giants. The Texans have until Monday to match the four-year, $7.2 million offer.

Leach, 25, split time at fullback for the Texans last season, but is considered to be a powerful blocker. ...

In Jacksonville. ... As first reported by Florida Times-Union beat writer Vito Stellino, the Jaguars added their third offensive free agent Thursday night when they came to terms on a one-year deal for slightly less than $1 million for veteran tight end Jermaine Wiggins.

The Jaguars previously signed offensive tackle Tony Pashos and wide receiver Dennis Northcutt.

Wiggins asked for his release from the Vikings earlier in the offseason because he felt he wasn't a good fit for Childress' West Coast offense.

Wiggins led the Vikings in receptions in 2004 and 2005 with 71 and 69 under former Vikings coach Mike Tice, now the Jaguars' assistant head coach for offense, but caught only 46 passes last year in the Childress system.

Originally signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1999, he also played with the Patriots, Colts and Panthers before joining the Vikings in 2004.

Wiggins will fill the roster spot left open when Kyle Brady left for New England rather than accept a pay cut to remain in Jacksonville. Wiggins will compete for playing time with George Wrighster, who hopes to make a complete recovery from off-season labrum surgery, and Marcedes Lewis, the team's top draft pick last year who caught only 13 passes as a rookie.

As ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli suggested, given that Tice is familiar with his strengths, Wiggins should move into a fairly prominent role as a receiver in Jacksonville, and provide a solid middle-range target for quarterback Byron Leftwich.

"He'll be a good fit for the Jaguars," Wiggins' agent, Ashanti Webb, said.

Pasquarelli added that Wiggins has never been regarded as an effective blocker, although he is a willing one, but runs precise routes and has very good hands. ...

In Seattle. ... The Seahawks re-signed wide receiver Bobby Engram to a multi-year contract, the team announced Friday.

"We are glad to retain Bobby," team president Tim Ruskell said in a statement. "He has been an integral part of this offense in recent seasons and will continue to bring veteran leadership in the locker room."

Engram originally signed with Seattle in 2001 after spending the first five seasons with Chicago. He has played in 80 games with 43 starts for the Seahawks, accumulating 258 catches for 3,223 yards and 12 touchdowns. He led the team in receiving in 2005 with 67 catches for 778 yards and three scores.

He currently ranks sixth in Seattle history in receptions, seventh in yards and tied for tenth in receiving touchdowns.

For his career, he has 504 catches for 6,054 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Although Engram also drew some interest, most notably from the Saints, the Seahawks were hoping to re-sign him all along. ...

In Denver. ... It's official. Rod Smith will be a Bronco in 2007 -- and perhaps beyond.

According to Denver Post staffer Bill Williamson, beating a Wednesday deadline, the Broncos and the team's all-time leading receiver tweaked a temporary contract restructuring agreement, ensuring he will stay with the team.

The new deal includes incentives that would reward Smith should he have a strong 2007 season.

Smith, who will be 37 in May, restructured his contract March 7 down to a base salary of $1.5 million for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The new incentive-based deal also covers the 2008 season, the final year of Smith's contract.

The agreement was made during a meeting at team headquarters on Wednesday. Head coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Ted Sundquist were present.

When the two sides made the temporary agreement, it meant Denver wouldn't be forced to make Smith a salary-cap causality. However, it left three scenarios: Smith gets an incentive-based deal, the contract remains the same or Smith decides to move on.

"We're all very happy that this was the outcome," said Tom Mills, one of Smith's agents. "The most important part is Rod is satisfied and excited about it."

Mills said both sides hope Smith can play the next few years. If that happens, Smith's playing time likely will be limited.

As noted in a previous article, Javon Walker is locked in as the team's No. 1 receiver; and second-year receiver Brandon Marshall all but guaranteed to line up at either the No. 2 or 3 spot -- most likely the No. 2.

That would leave newly-signed Brandon Stokley and Smith competing for playing time.

But as Williamson suggested, Smith essentially is a coach on the field and his presence in the locker room is valued by the Broncos.

Smith had hip surgery last month and is expected to be ready for training camp. But as noted yesterday, his role remains unclear. ...

Also in Denver. ... The Broncos also received salary-cap relief from Walker this week. The team saved about $3.2 million as Walker converted a roster bonus into signing bonus money. ...

In Atlanta. ... As first reported by NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, the Falcons have a potential replacement for Schaub in Chris Redman, who signed a one-year deal Thursday night.

Redman last played in the NFL in 2003, with the Baltimore Ravens. But perhaps more importantly, Redman played at Louisville, where Atlanta's new head man, Bobby Petrino, coached.

Petrino and Redman were together in 1998, when Petrino was the school's offensive coordinator.

Profootballtalk.com editor Mike Florio advised readers that Redman was brought on board to help the coach implement his offense. And according to Pasquarelli, The Falcons are expected to add a more experienced veteran to a mix that includes starter Michael Vick and second-year veteran D.J. Shockley.

Unrestricted free agents Anthony Wright and Tim Rattay are among the veterans who are being discussed by the Falcons' staff. Pasquarelli went on to suggest the team would prefer to have another veteran in place before the start of mini-camp workouts.

The Falcons also re-signed exclusive rights free agent fullback Corey McIntyre to his tender offer and inked Aaron Elling, a fourth-year veteran.

Elling has made 19-of-28 field goals attempts and all 50 PATs along with 144 kickoffs and seven punts for a 43.4 average in 33 career games to date.

He was originally an undrafted free agent signing out of Wyoming by Seattle in 2002 and was waived at the end of training camp.

Elling last played in Baltimore in 2005 and saw action in nine games for the Ravens, mostly on kickoffs. ...

Morten Andersen, who is now an unrestricted free agent, was a reliable enough placement man last season. But at 46, with limited range and with his self-pronounced goal of setting the NFL's all-time points mark achieved, it's uncertain if he'll be back -- or if he's wanted. ...

In New York. ... As first reported by Newark Star-Ledger staffer Dave Hutchinson, the Jets reached an agreement in principle with unrestricted free-agent quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo Thursday.

The contract was signed Friday.

Tuiasosopo, who has played all six of his seasons with the Raiders, visited the Jets at the start of free agency this month. He also visited the Panthers and Browns.

As Hutchinson pointed out, the Jets, who released Patrick Ramsey earlier this month, were looking for a quarterback with NFL experience to challenge second-year pro Kellen Clemens for the backup job to starter Chad Pennington.

Rattay and Wright were among those on the Jets' short list.

Tuiasosopo, who turned 28 Thursday, was a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2001 out of the University of Washington. He has only two career starts, including a start against the Jets on Dec. 11, 2005. He completed 14 of 28 passes for 124 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in a 26-10 loss at Giants Stadium.

Overall, Tuiasosopo, 6-1, 220 pounds, has completed 48 of 88 career passes for 550 yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Last season, he completed six of 13 passes for 68 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in two games.

In other words, as New York Post staffer Mark Cannizzaro suggested this morning, the Jets aren't exactly bringing in Earl Morrall or Jeff Hostetler.

But as Hutchinson noted, the Jets feel Clemens, who played in just two games last season (0-for-1 with four sacks) in mop-up duty, is the heir apparent to Pennington but they wanted someone with NFL experience to challenge him in training camp.

Clemens was a second-round pick out of Oregon last April. ...

In Oakland. ... The Raiders signed quarterback Josh Booty, the former prep star who has been out of football since 2003 and has never thrown a pass in the NFL.

Booty was one of the nation's top high school quarterbacks in 1993 when he decided to play baseball instead of football. He spent five years with the Florida Marlins but played only 13 games at the major league level.

In two seasons at LSU, Booty threw for 3,951 yards and 24 touchdowns and was taken by Seattle in the sixth round of the 2001 draft. Acquired off waivers by Cleveland later that year, Booty spent parts of three seasons with the Browns.

Booty joins Andrew Walter as the only quarterbacks on the Raiders' roster. In addition to Tuiasosopo's move to New York, the team cut ties with last year's starter, Aaron Brooks, last month.

Oakland has the No. 1 pick in next month's draft and could select quarterback JaMarcus Russell of LSU.

Booty's brother, John David Booty, was the quarterback last season at Southern California, where new Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin was an assistant. ...

In Arizona. ... The Cardinals reached agreement with free-agent fullback Terrelle Smith on a two-year deal Friday.

The Packers were also interested in Smith, who played his college ball at Arizona State University. He not only walks into a starting job with the Cardinals, but he also played for Cards running backs coach Maurice Carthon when both were in Cleveland.

The Browns recently released Smith to avoid paying him a roster bonus.

In six NFL seasons, Smith has blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher five times -- once during two seasons in Cleveland and in each of his four seasons with New Orleans.

As East Valley Tribune staffer Darin Urban noted this morning, Cardinals first-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt has made it clear he wants to bring in a blocking fullback. Incumbent Obafemi Ayanbadejo is considered a better pass catcher and special teams man than blocker. ...

In Washington. ... David Patten was cut by the Redskins on Thursday after catching just 23 passes over two seasons.

The Redskins released Patten with three years remaining on the five-year, $13 million contract he signed as a free agent from New England in 2005. Patten felt ready to assume a lead role after years as part of an ensemble receiving corps with the Patriots, but he was never able to live up to his own billing.

Patten caught 22 passes in nine games in 2005 before knee surgery ended his season in November. In 2006, he caught just one pass for 25 yards, having fallen behind Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El on the depth chart.

The 32-year-old receiver also has played for the New York Giants and Cleveland in his 10 NFL seasons. ...

In Miami. ... The Dolphins on Thursday signed wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Hakim, who turns 30 years old in June, has 316 career receptions for 4,191 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was cut by the Detroit Lions last season and signed with the San Diego Chargers.

Hakim, who also returns punts, enjoyed his best season in 2000 when he caught 53 passes for 734 yards and four touchdowns with the St. Louis Rams.

In Green Bay. ... As first reported by Schefter, the Packers re-signed restricted free-agent tight end Tory Humphrey on Friday.

According to the Sports Xchange, Humphrey has untapped potential after missing most of the second half of the season because of a hamstring injury.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently suggested that Humphrey can stretch the field like David Martin, who recently signed with the Dolphins, did. ...

In New York. ... Also according to Schefter, the Giants re-signed restricted free-agent wide receiver Darius Watts on Friday.

A second-round draft choice by the Denver Broncos in 2004, Watts caught 31 passes for 385 yards and a touchdown as rookie. The Marshall product had two receptions in 2005 and was released by the Broncos last summer.

The Giants originally signed him last December. Watts was inactive for the final game of the season -- his only one with the team. ...

In Dallas. ... The Cowboys signed four-year CFL veteran wide receiver Jamel Richardson, who has racked up 118 career catches for 1,501 yards for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, on Thursday.

The 6-3, 220-pound Richardson attended Victor Valley Community College before entering the Canadian Football League.

That's it for today. ... But stay tuned. There are still more moves to be made -- including Chiefs quarterback Trent Green being traded to the Dolphins, a move that is reportedly very close to being completed -- in coming days.

As always, you'll find breaking items in the News & Views section of the site with more in-depth reviews of top stories available here in the Headline News section, where you'll also find the weekly Fantasy Notebook each Sunday during the offseason.