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More than 100 players have signed new contracts since March 2 and one thing is certain: Lots of money has changed hands. How much money? Miami Herald staffer Jeff Darlington put things in perspective Wednesday when he noted that just one agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has finished contracts for 17 clients worth more than $255 million with $64.6 million in bonus money in the last two weeks.
Of course, given all the deals that have been completed, new signings are fewer and further between. Still, free agency has yet to run its full course and we have had some moves of interest the last few days.
We'll get the ball rolling tonight in Philadelphia, where the Eagles and free agent wide receiver Kevin Curtis have agreed to terms on a six-year contract, the team announced Thursday afternoon. As first reported by Scout.com's Tony Pauline, the deal is worth up to $32 million with $9.5 million guaranteed -- $7.5 million in the form of a signing bonus.
ESPN.com noted that Curtis, one of the NFL's fastest players -- certainly in terms of straight-line speed, will bring a big-play dimension to the Eagles' attack.
The Eagles had Curtis in for a visit last week and worked hard to get the deal done. Other teams interested included the Titans, who some say made the best offer, the New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
According to NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, the Titans and Vikings made strong pushes for Curtis at the end, but the Eagles won out, landing a receiver who caught 100 passes and 10 touchdown passes in his final two seasons with the Rams.
Profootballtalk.com editor Mike Florio suggests Curtis' decision was due in large part to the presence of head coach Andy Reid and the string of success that the franchise has enjoyed on his watch.
It also was a plus, Florio added, that both Reid and Curtis are members of the Mormon religion.
With Curtis on board, the first question is what impact his arrival will have?
Though he wasn't a full-time starter with the Rams, Curtis appeared in all but one game for St. Louis in the last three seasons and caught a total of 132 passes for 1,701 yards (averaging 12.6 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns.
While his actual role in Philadelphia hasn't been determined -- as least publicly, Curtis obviously has some thoughts on the issue.
"I've accepted my role and loved every minute of it in St. Louis and played with some great wideouts out there, but I'm definitely excited about the thought and the opportunity to be on the field more," Curtis said while visiting team headquarters last Friday.
"I'd like to be a starter, but I'm open to any opportunities that are out there. Bottom line: I want to be out on the field playing the whole game."
According to ESPN senior writers John Clayton and Len Pasquarelli, the addition of Curtis is a coup for the Eagles and team president Joe Banner, not just because of the intense competition for his services, but also because he figures to be such a good fit with the team's young corps of receivers.
He has played in an offense similar to what the Eagles run and the deep threat he consistently provides will compensate for Philadelphia's recent loss of wide receiver Donte' Stallworth in free agency.
Last season, Curtis caught 40 passes for 479 yards and four touchdowns as the Rams' No. 3 receiver. His best season was 2005 when he caught 60 passes for 801 yards and six touchdowns.
As philadelphiaeagles.com insider Dave Spadaro suggested today, those aren't bad numbers for a guy playing behind the likes of Pro Bowl receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.
"I'm a better player because I was around those guys," Curtis said.
According to Spadaro, when Curtis met with Eagles coaches during his visit last week and sat down to talk X's and O's with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, he liked what he saw.
"I've watched the Eagles in the past and I'd definitely like to be part of a scheme like this," Curtis said. "They didn't get real specific about (my role), but they want me to come in right away and help them out at the wideout position."
Complicating matters, however, when Curtis visited was that he arrived without an agent. He fired his agent, Tom Condon, on March 5. Curtis had to wait until Saturday before hiring a new agent, Bruce and Ryan Tollner, per NFLPA rules.
Curtis said the two parties "pretty much left (the numbers) out" during the March 9 visit.
His observation of the Philadelphia visit: "Through this visit I've come to realize that, from top to bottom, it seems like a pretty solid organization -- from the coaches and the front office to the fans."
Now, as Spadaro summed up, Curtis will have the chance to show those coaches and fans what he can do on the football field. ...
Also in Philadelphia. ... The Eagles had veteran running back Ron Dayne in for a visit Thursday. Dayne, who spent last season with the Houston Texans, would give the Eagles the complementary back they're seeking to go along with Brian Westbrook.
"I know Westbrook's the man right now," Dayne said. "I'll compete with him if I come here, just play hard and do what they ask -- whatever they need me to do. ..."
While previous reports have indicated Corey Dillon might be interested in the Eagles short-yardage, goal-line job, that interest may have cooled. ...
In Seattle. ... The Seahawks on Tuesday added Marcus Pollard, signing the veteran tight end to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.
According to Tacoma News Tribune beat writer Mike Sando, the deal does include some guaranteed money, which basically means Pollard isn't just coming to camp with the team.
The Hawks were light on tight ends with starting experience, but Pollard's addition changes that. Pollard has 125 starts in 177 regular-season games, catching 321 passes for 4,007 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Pollard, 35, spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions after playing 10 years with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Seahawks were not expected to re-sign their starting tight end Jerramy Stevens, who is an unrestricted free agent -- even before he was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona early Tuesday morning.
Stevens faces charges of driving under the influence and possession of marijuana.
He was taken into police custody around 2:30 a.m. after he admitted to drinking "four or five margaritas" at a local watering hole. The possession of marijuana charge came after officers found some weed in his back pocket.
Stevens, who visited the Buccaneers last week, was visibly intoxicated, according to the Scottsdale police.
Of course, this isn't Stevens' first brush with the law.
He was charged with drunk driving in Seattle in 2003. In 2001, while playing at the University of Washington, Stevens was charged with hit-and-run after he crashed his car into a Seattle retirement home. In 2000, he was accused of drugging and raping a 19-year-old girl at the university. The charges were dropped.
Stevens' other past run-ins with police include a 1998 incident in which he broke a man's jaw with a baseball bat. ...
Anybody else wondering how many more strikes Stevens gets before he's out?
While this seems all but certain to be the last we hear of Stevens in Seattle, you have to believe somebody will give him another chance before all is said and done. ...
For the record, it doesn't appear the addition of Pollard was actually related to this arrest (the veteran was already scheduled to visit the team before the trouble began), the timing is obviously fortuitous.
At the very least, Pollard's NFL future suddenly looks much brighter than anybody could have guessed before the arrest. ...
In Washington. ... The Redskins faced a Monday deadline to exercise $5 million options on Brandon Lloyd. They elected to pay up and exercise the option.
As Washington Post staffer Jason La Canfora pointed out, Lloyd struggled to make an impact in his first season in Washington. He started 12-of-15 games and caught 23 receptions for 365 yards and no touchdowns.
He also had some off-field issues.
Late in the season, Lloyd was involved in a sideline incident in which he tossed his helmet and drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. After two meetings with head coach Joe Gibbs, Lloyd was relegated to a backup role the rest of the season.
He gets another chance this year, but he'll need to toe the line to get on the field. ...
Also in Washington. ... Agent Tim Irwin told La Canfora on Tuesday that tight end Todd Yoder has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Redskins, making Yoder a leading candidate to serve as Chris Cooley's primary backup.
The three-year deal, with base salaries believed to be near the veteran minimum, is likely to be announced by the team in the coming days and ends weeks of conversations between the sides.
Yoder, who turns 29 next week, was signed by Washington last September and assumed a larger role in the second half of the season after a season-ending injury to tight end Christian Fauria. Yoder missed all of 2005 because of a knee injury. He entered the league in 2000 with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt.
Yoder caught his only pass in Washington's 10th game last season -- a touchdown from Jason Campbell at Tampa Bay -- but at 6-4 and 262 pounds, filled a blocking role in two-tight end formations.
Yoder has 29 catches for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns in his career. The Redskins could still look for additional talent at tight end, as La Canfora reports the club hopes to get Cooley even more involved in the downfield passing attack next season. ...
In Cleveland. ... The Browns terminated fullback Terrelle Smith's contract Wednesday before he was due a roster bonus at the end of the week.
Smith, who has blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in five of his seven seasons, joined the Browns as a free agent in 2004.
Reuben Droughns rushed for 1,232 yards behind Smith in 2005, becoming the first Browns back to surpass 1,000 yards since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner did it in 1985.
The Browns' running game regressed last season, when Droughns gained just 758 yards.
Smith played in 16 games last season, including eight starts, and had eight carries for 14 yards and eight receptions for 21 yards.
He will be replaced by Lawrence Vickers, a sixth-round draft pick last season and a favorite of coach Romeo Crennel.
Smith, originally an unrestricted free agent out of Arizona State, played four seasons in New Orleans. He blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in each season there -- Ricky Williams in 2000 and 2001, and Deuce McAllister in 2002 and 2003.
In Green Bay. ... According to Schefter, Green Bay signed Noah Herron, an exclusive rights free-agent, to a new deal Wednesday.
Although the Packers could still address the loss of Ahman Green in the draft next month or obtain another back through free agency, Herron is currently the team's No. 2 RB behind Vernand Morency.
Despite a 100-yard rushing effort against St. Louis last season, the Sports Xchange notes that Herron is viewed as a limited rusher but a dependable third-down back.
In Arizona. ... The Cardinals signed free agent receiver Sean Morey to a three-year contract Thursday. Morey was a special teams standout last season with the Steelers, where new Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt was offensive coordinator. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Morey, who also plays wide receiver, returned eight kickoffs for 202 yards and had a team-high 21 special teams tackles for the Steelers last season. He had 18 special-team tackles in the Steelers' 2005 Super Bowl championship season.
The New England Patriots drafted Morey in the seventh round out of Brown in 1999. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003, and then signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2004.
In Atlanta. ... The Falcons continued to add to their roster through free agency on Wednesday as the club signed free-agent receiver Derrick Hamilton.
The team also signed enormous offensive lineman Toni Fonoti.
Hamilton enters his third NFL season after being selected in the third round (77th overall) by San Francisco in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Clemson. The 6-4, 207-pounder has seen action in two games throughout his career. He spent the 2005 season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury suffered during mini-camps.
"It's a chance for me as there are a lot of young receivers here and I'm trying to get my career jump-started," Hamilton said. "Hopefully, I can bring something as a taller receiver and help the team as much as I can."
A speedy receiver with reliable hands, Hamilton played in 38 games with 27 starts in college with the Tigers. He posted 2,312 yards on 167 receptions and 16 touchdowns at Clemson. ... Sounds good, but Hamilton is far from a lock to make the final roster in Atlanta. ...
In Minnesota. ... Former Cowboys quarterback Drew Henson reached agreement with the Vikings on Wednesday. The deal is reportedly a one-year contract for the league minimum.
As Minneapolis Star Tribune staffer Kevin Seifert noted this morning, Henson spent six weeks on the Vikings' practice squad last season. His primary job was to help shoulder some of the practice workload.
At this point, he's the third QB behind Tarvaris Jackson and Brooks Bollinger; Henson could fall further down the pecking if the Vikings add more talent at the position this offseason.
And finally, in Jacksonville. ... The Jaguars signed free-agent place-kicker Tony Yelk, who went to Iowa State, to a one-year deal on Wednesday.
The odds of Yelk, a kick-off specialist who was on the Falcons' roster last summer, actually contributing in a scoring capacity lie somewhere between slim and none.
The Jaguars signed incumbent placement man Josh Scobee to a five-year deal earlier this month. ...
That's it for now. There will be more moves in coming days with players like Dillon, Dayne, Kevan Barlow, Correll Buckhalter, Brandon Stokley and Keenan McCardell among others all currently at various stages of the free-agent process -- whether they are considering offers made, listening to new offers or still visiting teams -- likely to land new jobs at some point soon.
Of course, I'll be tracking all pertinent moves and updating here as developments warrant.
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.