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NFL frenzy features more than QBs

[March 10, 2017] By Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange

While the main focus of the NFL's free-agent frenzy is on quarterbacks, plenty of other players agreed or signed new deals Thursday when the league's 2014 season officially began at 4 p.m. ET.

By 9 p.m., 15 of the top 25 free agents, as rated by The Sports Xchange, either re-signed or moved to a new team. Realistically, some of these deals were made during the previous two days in which the NFL officially allowed negotiations and agreement to occur, but teams could not announce them.

The action did include two rated quarterbacks -- Mike Glennon from Tampa Bay to Chicago and Brian Hoyer from Chicago to San Francisco -- and did not include the shocker of the day, quarterback Brock Osweiler unloaded on Cleveland by Houston. He was neither a free agent nor on the TSX top 25.

There was more action that included those who either block or catch for quarterbacks.

Top receivers making moves were DeSean Jackson from Washington to Tampa Bay and Alshon Jeffery from Chicago to Philadelphia. Four offensive linemen were among the top 25 free agents who changed teams, led by guard Kevin Zeitler's intra-Ohio move from Cincinnati to Cleveland and including tackle Matt Kalil leaving Minnesota to join his brother Ryan, a Pro Bowl center, in Carolina.

Green Bay held on to top-rated free agent, linebacker Nick Perry, making cornerback A.J. Bouye the highest ranked free agent signing. He opted to leave Houston and sign a deal with Jacksonville reported to be worth $67.5 million over five years with $26 million guaranteed.

The Jaguars also signed defensive lineman Calais Campbell (from Arizona), ranked ninth by TSX, to a four-year deal worth $60 million. Baltimore reached a monster deal when they re-signed nose tackle Brandon Williams for $54 million over five years with $27.5 million guaranteed.

Here is a summary of what happened to the top free agents and a list of all transactions verified in the first five hours of the 2017 league year.

STATUS ON TOP 25 FREE AGENTS

(Verified as of 9 p.m. ET Thursday)

As rated by Howard Balzer, The Sports Xchange

1. OLB Nick Perry, Green Bay (27 in April), re-signed

2. CB A.J. Bouye, Houston (26 in August), to Jacksonville

3. WR DeSean Jackson, Washington (31 in December), to Tampa Bay

4. DT Dontari Poe, Kansas City (27 in August)

5. G Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati (27 on March 8), to Cleveland

6. LB Dont'a Hightower, New England (27 on March 12)

7. QB Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay (28 in December), to Chicago

8. NT Brandon Williams, Baltimore (28), re-signed

9. DE/DT Calais Campbell, Arizona (31 in September), to Jacksonville

10. WR Alshon Jeffery, Chicago (27), to Philadelphia

11. T Rick Wagner, Baltimore (28 in October), to Detroit

12. WR Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland (28 in June)

13. OLB Erik Walden, Indianapolis (32 in August)

14. CB Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo (27 in September), to New England

15. CB Logan Ryan, New England (26)

16. CB Marcus Cooper, Arizona (27)

17. S Tony Jefferson, Arizona (25), to Baltimore

18. G T.J. Lang, Green Bay (injury; 30 in September)

19. S Barry Church, Dallas (29), to Jacksonville

20. TE Martellus Bennett, New England (30 on March 10)

21. T Matt Kalil, Minnesota (28 in July), to Carolina

22. T Riley Reiff, Detroit (29 in December), to Minnesota

23. G Larry Warford, Detroit (26 in June)

24. QB Brian Hoyer, Chicago (32 in October), to San Francisco

25. DT Johnathan Hankins, N.Y. Giants (25 on March 30)

THURSDAY TRANSACTIONS

(Verified as of 9 p.m. ET)

--Arizona agreed to terms with S Antoine Bethea (49ers), LB Karlos Dansby (Bengals), K Phil Dawson (49ers); re-signed C A.Q. Shipley.

--Atlanta agreed to terms with DE Jack Crawford (Cowboys); re-signed DT Courtney Upshaw, TE Levine Toilolo, LB LaRaoy Renolds; terminated contract f DL Tyson Jackson.

--Baltimore agreed to terms with S Tony Jefferson (Cardinals); re-signed NT Brandon Williams.

--Buffalo agreed to terms with SS Micah Hyde (Packers), Jordan Poyer (Browns), K Steven Hauschka (Seahawks).

--Carolina agreed to terms with T Matt Kalil (Vikings).

--Chicago agreed to terms with QB Mike Glennon (Buccaneers), S Quintin Demps (Texans), WR Markus Wheaton (Steelers); terminated contract of QB Jay Cutler.

--Cincinnati re-signed CB Dre Kirkpatrick.

--Cleveland agreed to terms with G Kevin Zeitler (Bengals), C JC Tretter (Packers), WR Kenny Britt (Rams); acquired QB Brock Osweiler from Texans.

--Denver agreed to terms with G Ronald Leary (Cowboys).

--Detroit agreed to terms with DL Cornelius Washington (Bears), Akeem Spence (Buccaneers); terminated contract of LB DeAndre Levy.

--Green Bay re-signed OLB Nick Perry, T Don Barclay.

--Indianapolis agreed to terms with P Jeff Locke (Vikings), LB Barkevious Mingo (Patriots).

[to top of second column]

--Jacksonville agreed to terms with DL Calais Campbell (Cardinals), CB A.J. Bouye (Texans), LB Lerentree McCray (Bills); re-signed WR Bryan Walters; acquired tackle Branden Albert from Dolphins; terminated contract of DT Sen'Derrick Marks.

--Los Angeles Chargers agreed to terms with T Russell Okung (Broncos); re-signed QB Kellen Clemens, LS Mike Windt.

--Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms with T Andrew Whitworth (Bengals), WR Robert Woods (Bills).

--Miami agreed to terms with TE Anthony Fasano (Titans); re-signed WR Kenny Stills; acquired TE Julius Thomas from Jaguars.

--Minnesota agreed to terms with T Riley Reiff (Lions).

--New England agreed to terms with CB Stephon Gilmore (Bills); re-signed DT Alan Branch, S Duron Harmon; acquired TE Dwayne Allen from Patriots.

--New Orleans agreed to terms with WR Ted Ginn Jr. (Panthers), LB A.J. Klein (Panthers).

--New York Giants agreed to terms with TE Rhett Ellison (Vikings).

--New York Jets re-signed T Ben Ijalana, LB Josh Martin.

--Philadelphia agreed to terms with WRs Alshon Jeffery (Bears), Torrey Smith (49ers), G Chance Warmack (Titans); re-signed LB Najee Goode; terminated contract of DE Connor Barwin.

--Pittsburgh re-signed QB Landry Jones, TE David Johnson.

--San Francisco agreed to terms with TE Logan Paulsen (Bears), K Robbie Gould (Giants).

--Seattle agreed to terms with G/T Luke Joeckel (Jaguars).

--Tampa Bay agreed to terms with WR DeSean Jackson (Redskins), DL Chris Baker (Redskins); re-signed S Chris Conte, RB Jacquizz Rodgers.

--Tennessee agreed to terms with S Johnathan Cyprien (Jaguars), S Brynden Trawick (Raiders), LB Daren Bates (Raiders); re-signed DL Karl Klug, LB Nate Palmer.

--Washington agreed to terms with DTs Terrell McClain (Cowboys), Stacy McGee (Raiders), S D.J. Swearinger (Cardinals).

MARCH 7

Arizona re-signed potential UFA TE Jermaine Gresham (four years); potential ERFA QB Zac Dysert.

Carolina re-signed potential UFAs DE Charles Johnson, S Colin Jones, RB Fozzy Whittaker (all two years); potential RFA WR Brenton Bersin.

Detroit re-signed potential RFA DT Khyri Thornton (two years).

Houston signed potential UFAs K Nick Novak, P Shane Lechler.

Indianapolis re-signed potential UFA TE Jack Doyle (was 20th in top 25); placed T/G Joe Reitz on reserve/retired.

Jacksonville re-signed potential UFA G Patrick Omameh.

Los Angeles Chargers terminated contracts of G/T D.J Fluker, WR Stevie Johnson, CB Brandon Flowers.

New Orleans re-signed potential RFA S Chris Banjo (two years).

Philadelphia re-signed potential ERFA S Jaylen Watkins.

San Francisco terminated contract of WR Torrey Smith; announced termination of S Antoine Bethea's contract.

MARCH 8

Atlanta re-signed UFA QB Matt Schaub (two years, $9 million).

Baltimore terminated contract of LB Elvis Dumervil; reached reported agreements with UFA S Tony Jefferson (Cardinals) and UFA RB Danny Woodhead (Chargers); re-signed UFA QB Ryan Mallett.

Buffalo agreed to restructured contract with QB Tyrod Taylor; re-signed potential RFA P Colton Schmidt; reached reported agreements with UFA fullback Patrick DiMarco (Falcons/four years, $8.5 million) and UFA G Vlad Ducasse (Ravens); agreed to terms with FA FB Mike Tolbert; terminated contract of WR Marcus Easley.

Dallas re-signed UFA WR Brice Butler (one year).

Detroit reached reported agreement with UFA LB Paul Worrilow (Falcons/one year).

Green Bay re-signed ERFA P Jacob Schum.

Indianapolis reportedly agreed to trade TE Dwayne Allen to Patriots.

Jacksonville reached reported agreement with UFA safety Barry Church (Cowboys/four years).

Los Angeles Chargers re-signed potential UFA S Jahleel Addae (four years).

Miami re-signed UFA WR Kenny Stills (four years, $32 million) and UFA DE Andre Branch (three years, $27 million).

New York Giants signed FA WR Brandon Marshall (two years, $12 million; was 18th in top 25).

San Francisco reached reported agreements with UFA QB Brian Hoyer (Bears/two years), WRs Pierre Garcon (Redskins) and Marquise Goodwin (Bills), FB Kyle Juszczyk (Ravens) and LB Malcolm Smith (Raiders/two years); placed C Marcus Martin on waivers.

Tennessee terminated contract of DT Al Woods.

Washington re-signed potential UFA TE Vernon Davis (three years).

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