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 03/17/2015 NFL Note - Washington Redskins Johnson, Jeron
S Jeron Johnson left the Seahawks for the Redskins Monday (March
16), agreeing to terms on atwo-year, $3.5 million contract.
The 5-foot-10, 212-pound Johnson was originally signed by Seattle as
an undrafted free agent out of Boise State in 2011.
In four seasons with the Seahawks, Johnson appeared in 46
regular-season games, compiling 19 tackles, two sacks and one fumble
recovery. He contributed to the Seahawks' teams that won Super Bowl
XLVIII and appeared in Super Bowl XLIX.
Last season, Johnson, 26, appeared in 15 games (one start) for the
Seahawks, with 11 tackles and one forced fumble.
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NFL Note - Carolina Panthers Coleman, Kurt
S Kurt Coleman left the Chiefs for the Panthers Monday, signing a
two-year, $2.8 million contract that includes a $600,000 signing
bonus.
Coleman, 26, spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before
joining the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was the defensive
coordinator for Philadelphia during Coleman's rookie season with the
Eagles.
"Being familiar with Sean and watching this defense, I wanted to be
able to help this team build into something special and make a run,"
Coleman said in a statement. "They've done great the last two years
getting into the playoffs, but the great thing is they're not
satisfied with just getting there. I want to be a piece to help this
team go and be something special."
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Coleman played in 15 games with three
starts for Kansas City in 2014. He totaled 30 tackles, three
interceptions, six passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble
recovery on defense. He tied for third on the team with seven
special teams tackles.
"Kurt gives us a versatile safety who can play both spots," head
coach Ron Rivera said. "He's athletic, he's intelligent, and will
understand the system, having worked with Sean (McDermott) before.
He's a very consistent player and also adds special teams ability.
That is something we've talked about improving upon and we've made
some moves this offseason looking for guys that can help us on
special teams. Kurt will help us not only on defense, but on special
teams as well."
Coleman was selected by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2010
NFL Draft.
For his career, Coleman has played in 74 regular-season games with
32 starts, including starting 27 of 29 games played for Philadelphia
in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. He has totaled 269 tackles, 10
interceptions, 15 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one
fumble recovery. He has made 41 tackles on special teams. He has
played in two postseason games with one start, p
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NFL Note - * Retired Borland, Chris
LB Chris Borland announced his retirement from the 49ers Monday
(March 16) due to worries about head trauma.
Borland, 24, told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that he informed the
49ers of his decision Friday, and the team confirmed the news Monday
night.
The team's leading tackler last season as a rookie, Borland earned
an NFC Defensive Player of the Week award and also was the NFC
Defensive Rookie of the Month for November. A late-December ankle
injury caused him to end the season on injured reserve.
Some of Borland's action came as a fill-in in for injured veteran
Patrick Willis. Last week, Willis retired at 29, citing foot
injuries.
Even though he told ESPN he was diagnosed with only two concussions,
both while in high school, one while playing soccer and the other
while playing football, Borland said he will not change his mind
about retiring.
"I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," said
Borland, who is 5-foot-11, 248 pounds. "From what I've researched
and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk.
"I feel largely the same, as sharp as I've ever been. For me, it's
wanting to be proactive. I'm concerned that if you wait till you
have symptoms, it's too late. ... There are a lot of unknowns. I
can't claim that X will happen. I just want to live a long, healthy
life, and I don't want to have any neurological diseases or die
younger than I would otherwise."
According to "Outside the Lines," post-mortem studies found more
than 70 former NFL players had progressive neurological disease.
"I've thought about what I could accomplish in football, but for me
personally, when you read about Mike Webster and Dave Duerson and
Ray Easterling, you read all these stories and to be the type of
player I want to be in football, I think I'd have to take on some
risks that as a person I don't want to take on," Borland said.
San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement
Monday night, "While unexpected, we
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NFL Note - Cleveland Browns Williams, Tramon
CB Tramon Williams left the Packers for the Browns Monday (March
16), agreeing to terms on a three-year, $21 million contract.
Williams, who turned 32 on Monday, played his first eight seasons
with the Green Bay Packers, tallying 28 interceptions and averaging
about 14 pass breakups per season.
In Cleveland, Williams replaces Buster Skrine, who signed with the
New York Jets. The Packers and New Orleans Saints also had been
interested in Williams, but the Saints signed Brandon Browner and
the Packers did not want to pay Williams $7 million a year.
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NFL Note - Cleveland Browns Starks, Randy
DT Randy Starks, released by the Dolphins on March 11, agreed to
terms with the Browns on a two-year, $8 million contract. Starks was
consistent and productive for the Dolphins in his seven-year stay,
offering pressure from the interior. He has 17.5 sacks and three
interceptions over the past four seasons.
The Browns run a 3-4 scheme under coach Mike Pettine and coordinator
Jim O'Neil, so Starks seems likely to push Billy Winn or Desmond
Bryant for time at end.
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NFL Note - Houston Texans Wilfork, Vince
NT Vince Wilfork reunited with Bill O'Brien on Monday when the
longtime New England Patriot signed a two-year contract with the
Houston Texans.
The deal is worth $9 million, including $5 million guaranteed,
according to the Houston Chronicle.
O'Brien, the second-year coach of the Texans, was an assistant with
the Patriots from 2007 to 2011.
Wilfork, 33, played in New England for the past 11 years. The
Patriots declined to pay a $4 million roster bonus last week, making
him a free agent.
"This has been an interesting process for me and my family -- one we
have taken very seriously and given a lot of thought," Wilfork said
in a statement via Twitter. "We want to thank the Kraft family and
the entire Patriot organization for the last 11 years; however, we
will be starting a new chapter in our lives as Houston Texans. The
coaching staff in Houston has made this exciting transition feel
like home to us. We will forever be Patriots in our hearts. Thank
you, everyone, for everything."
Wilfork joins a defensive line that is led by two-time defensive
player of the year J.J. Watt and includes 2014 first overall draft
pick Jadeveon Clowney.
Wilfork was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2004
draft and was named to five Pro Bowls while with New England. He
also won two Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XLIX in February.
Wilfork was due $8 million in 2015, including a $4 million roster
bonus last Tuesday. The Patriots had informed him March 5 that they
would not pay it.
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NFL Note - Houston Texans Shorts, Cecil
WR Cecil Shorts III left the Jaguars for the Texans Monday (March
16), agreeing to terms on a two-year, $6 million contract that
includes $2.5M guaranteed.
A fourth-round pick in 2011, Shorts caught 176 passes for 2,343
yards and 12 touchdowns in four seasons with the Jacksonville
Jaguars. His best season was 2012, when he caught 55 passes for 979
yards and seven touchdowns.
Injuries have been major impediments to his career as Shorts has
missed 14 games with various ailments, including a concussion and
issues with his groin and hamstring.
In 13 games last season, Shorts caught 53 passes for 557 yards and
one touchdown.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents Schaub, Matt
QB Matt Schaub had his contract terminated by the Raiders Monday
(March 16). The move came three days after Oakland signed QB
Christian Ponder.
The move Monday saved the team $5.5 million against the salary cap.
Schaub, 33, was acquired last year from the Houston Texans for a
sixth-round draft pick but ended up losing the starting job to
rookie Derek Carr.
Schaub struggled with elbow tendinitis and completed 5 of 10 passes
for 57 yards and two interceptions.
The Raiders signed Ponder on Friday, a precursor to releasing Schaub
on Monday. Ponder is expected to battle Matt McGloin for the backup
spot behind Carr.
In an 11-year career with the Atlanta Falcons (2004-06), Texans
(2007-13) and Raiders, Schaub has completed 63.9 percent of his
passes for 24,311 yards, 130 touchdowns and 86 interceptions, with a
passer rating of 89.5.
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NFL Note - Chicago Bears Ducasse, Vladimir
G Vladimir Ducasse left the Vikings for the Bears Monday (March 16),
agreeing to terms on a one-year contract.
Ducasse has appeared in 63 games with 11 starts over five seasons
with the New York Jets (2010-13) and Minnesota Vikings (2014). The
6-5, 325-pound Port-au-Prince, Haiti native has started six contests
at left guard, four at right guard and one as a sixth-eligible
lineman during his NFL career including four games at right guard
and two at left guard last season. Ducasse originally entered the
NFL as a second round selection (61st overall) by the New York Jets
in the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Massachusetts.
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NFL Note - * Free Agents McNeill, Mike
TE Mike McNeill had his contract terminated by the Panthers Monday
(March 16).
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