The Official Free Agency Repository Thread

[Direckshun]

We've done this in years past, and it was super helpful to anybody who didn't want to have to dig through dozens of pages.

We all know the drill here: whenever there is a free agency move, post it in this thread. I will update it here in the OP (along with the aid of any mods who want to help) to help establish one-stop shopping for all your football update needs.

Any and all updates are welcome. The more updates you clog this thread with, the more up-to-date and super-easy-to-follow this thread will be.

If a mod wants to sticky this, I'm cool with that:

AFC EAST

Spoiler!

New England Patriots:
re-sign CB Kyle Arrington
re-sign CB Aqib Talib
re-sign OLB Niko Koutouvides
re-sign ILB Robert Francois
re-sign DB Marquice Cole
re-sign OT Sebastian Vollmer
re-sign WR Julian Edelman
re-sign TE Michael Hoomanawanui
release FB Spencer Larsen
release WR Brandon Lloyd
sign DL Jason Vega
sign WR Danny Amendola 5 years
sign RB Leon Washington
sign DE John Abraham
sign S Adrian Wilson
sign WR Donald Jones
sign OT Will Svitek
sign WR Michael Jenkins
sign DT Tommy Kelly

New York Jets:
restructure WR Santonio Holmes
re-sign LB Josh Mauga 1 year
re-sign FB Lex Hilliard
re-sign LS Tanner Purdum
re-sign TE Jeff Cumberland
re-sign OT Austin Howard
release then re-sign OLB Calvin Pace
release OG Brandon Moore
release ILB Bart Scott
release S Eric Smith
release OT Jason Smith
release TE Josh Baker
release DT Sione Pouha
sign QB David Garrard
sign DT Antonio Garay
sign OG Willie Colon
sign RB Mike Goodson
sign K Nick Folk
sign LB Antwan Barnes
sign P Ryan Quigley
sign K Derek Dimke
sign SS Dawan Landry

Miami Dolphins:
tag DE Randy Starks
re-sign QB Matt Moore $8m/2 years
re-sign WR Brian Hartline $30.7m/5 years ($12.5m guaranteed)
re-sign QB Pat Devlin
re-sign DB R.J. Stanford
re-sign FS Chris Clemons 1 year
re-sign OT Nate Garner
re-sign LB Austin Spitler
release ILB Karlos Dansby
release OLB Kevin Burnett
sign WR Mike Wallace 5 years
sign ILB Danelle Ellerbe
sign ILB Phillip Wheeler
sign TE Dustin Keller 1 year
sign WR Brandon Gibson
sign OG Lance Louis
sign CB Brent Grimes
sign DE Vaughn Martin
sign LS Patrick Scales

Buffalo Bills:
tag S Jairus Byrd
tender TE Dorin Dickerson
DE Shawn Merriman has retired
re-sign CB Leodis McKelvin $20m/4 years
re-sign LB Bryan Scott
re-sign OG/C Colin Brown
re-sign TE Mike Caussin
re-sign RB Tashard Choice
release OLB Nick Barnett
release CB Terrence McGee
release QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
sign QB Tarvaris Jackson
sign OLB Manny Lawson
sign QB Kevin Kolb
sign DT Alan Branch
sign LB Marcus Dowtin

AFC NORTH

Spoiler!

Baltimore Ravens:
trade WR Anquan Boldin to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick
tender TE Ed Dickson
place 2nd round tender on TE Dennis Pitta
re-sign QB Joe Flacco $120.6m/6 years ($52m guaranteed)
re-sign WR David Reed 2 years
re-sign SS James Ihedigbo
re-sign RB Damien Berry
re-sign OG Ramon Harewood
re-sign LS Morgan Cox
re-sign DT Bryan Hall
release OG Bobbie Williams
release SS Bernard Pollard
release ILB Brendon Ayanbadejo
sign DE Chris Canty
sign DB Chris Johnson
sign DE Marcus Spears 2 years
sign OLB Elvis Dumervil
sign S Michael Huff
sign DE Arthur Jones
sign MLB Rolando McClain
sign QB Caleb Hanie

Pittsburgh Steelers:
tender RB Jonathan Dwyer
tender RB Isaac Redman
tender DT Steve McLendon
restructure OLB Lamar Woodley
re-sign ILB Larry Foote 1 year
re-sign LS Greg Warren
re-sign WR Plaxico Burress 1 year
re-sign Stevenson Sylvester
re-sign WR Emmanuel Sanders
re-sign DT Steve McLendon
release OLB James Harrison
release OG Willie Colon
sign CB William Gay 3 years
sign QB Bruce Gradkowski
sign TE Matt Spaeth

Cincinnati Bengals:
tag DE Michael Johnson
tendered S Jeromy Miles
re-sign P Kevin Huber 5 years
re-sign LS Clark Harris Friday
re-sign K Mike Nugent 2 years
re-sign DE Wallace Gilberry $6.75 million/3 years
re-sign RB Cedric Peerman 2 years
re-sign LB Vincent Rey
re-sign TE Clark Harris 5 years
re-sign WR Andrew Hawkins
re-sign DE Robert Geathers
re-sign ILB Rey Maualuga
re-sign CB Adam Jones
re-sign TE Richard Quinn
re-sign WR Brandon Tate
re-sign OT Dennis Roland
re-sign CB Terence Newman
re-sign SS Jeromy Miles
re-sign RB Bernard Scott
release DB Jason Allen
sign QB Josh Johnson
sign QB John Skelton
sign OG Mike Pollak
sign TE Alex Smith

Cleveland Browns:
traded away OLB Emmanuel Acho for RB Dion Lewis
re-sign RB Chris Ogbonnaya
release DE Frostee Rucker
release FS Usama Young
release LB Chris Gocong
sign OLB Paul Kruger $41m/5years
sign DT Desmond Bryant $34m/5 years
sign TE Gary Barnidge
sign OLB Quentin Groves
sign DB Chris Owens
sign DB Kevin Barnes
sign QB Jason Campbell
sign K Brandon Bogotay
sign WR David Nelson
sign K Shayne Graham
sign LB Ryan Rau

AFC SOUTH

Spoiler!

Houston Texans:
re-sign OT Andrew Gardner
re-sign CB Brice McCain
re-sign OT Ryan Harris
re-sign ILB Tim Dobbins
release WR Kevin Walter
sign TE Phillip Supernaw
sign FS Ed Reed
sign P Shane Lechler
sign FB Greg Jones

Indianapolis Colts:
tag P Pat McAfee
re-sign DT Fili Moala
re-sign OT Joe Reitz
re-sign DT Martin Tevaseu
re-sign CB Cassius Vaughn
release S Tom Zbikowski
sign OT Gosder Cherilus
sign CB Darius Butler 2 years
sign OLB Erik Walden
sign CB Greg Toler
sign OG Donald Thomas
sign LB Lawrence Sidbury
sign OLB Erik Walden
sign DT Ricky Jean Francois
sign SS LaRon Landry 4 years
sign QB Matt Hasselbeck
sign DT Aubrayo Franklin
sign WR Darrius Heyward-Bey

Tennessee Titans:
re-sign K Rob Bironas $6.6m/2 years
re-sign S George Wilson $4 million/2 years
re-sign DE Keyunta Dawson 1 year
re-sign FB Quinn Johnson
re-sign WR Darius Reynaud
release LB Kevin Malast
release OG Mitch Petrus
release SS Jordan Babineaux
release QB Matt Hasselbeck
sign OG Andy Levitre
sign TE Delanie Walker
sign RB Shonn Greene $10m/3 years
sign DT Samie Lee Hill $11.4m/4 years ($4m guaranteed)
sign ILB Moise Fokou
sign QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
sign C Robert Turner
sign SS Bernard Pollard
sign DE Ropati Pitoitua
sign OG Chris Spencer
sign WR Kevin Walter

Jacksonville Jaguars:
re-sign CB Antwaun Molden
re-sign WR Jordan Shipley
release CB Aaron Ross
release CB Rashean Mathis
release SS Dawan Landry
release OT Guy Whimper
release DB Brandon King
release QB John Parker Wilson
release WR Laurent Robinson
release DT C.J. Mosely
sign OLB Geno Hayes
sign RB Justin Forsett
sign CB Alan Ball
sign DT Roy Miller
sign C Brad Meester
sign DT Sen'Derrick Marks
sign WR Mohamed Massaquoi
sign DE Pannel Egboh

AFC WEST

Kansas City Chiefs:
traded a 2nd this year and a future pick for QB Alex Smith
tag OT Branden Albert
restructure DE Tyson Jackson
re-sign WR Dwayne Bowe $56m/5 years ($26m guaranteed)
re-sign P Dustin Colquitt $18m/5 years ($9m guaranteed)
re-sign OL Bryan Mattison
re-sign LS Thomas Gafford
re-sign LB Edgar Jones
release OT Eric Winston
release WR Steve Breaston
release TE Kevin Boss
release TE Steve Maneri
release QB Matt Cassel
release K Matt Szymanski
release OLB Andy Studebaker
release OG Rich Ranglin
sign CB Dunta Robinson $15m/3 years
sign S Hasain Abdullah
sign WR Mardy Gilyard
sign DT Marcus Dixon
sign TE Kevin Brock
sign TE Anthony Fasano 4 years
sign QB Chase Daniel 3 years
sign DE Mike DeVito $12.6m/3 years
sign WR Donnie Avery 3 years
sign CB Sean Smith $18m/3 years ($11m guaranteed)
sign OT/OG Geoff Schwartz
sign FB Ryan D'Imperio
sign LB Chad Kilgore
sign OLB Frank Zombo
sign C Tommie Draheim
sign ILB Zac Diles
sign ILB Akeem Jordan
sign ILB Orie Lemon

(Broncos, Raiders, and Chargers below.)

Spoiler!

Denver Broncos:
tag OT Ryan Clady
re-sign S David Bruton
re-sign DB Tony Carter
re-sign DE Mitch Unrein
re-sign RB Lance Ball
release ILB DJ Williams
release QB Caleb Hanie
release DE/OLB Elvis Dumervil
release QB Caleb Hanie
sign OG Louis Vasquez $23.5m/4 years ($13m guaranteed)
sign DT Kevin Vickerson 2 years
sign LB Stewart Bradley
sign WR Wes Welker
sign DT Terrance Knighton

Oakland Raiders
trade for QB Matt Flynn for a 6th rounder, plus 2014 conditional
trade QB Carson Palmer for 7th rounder
re-sign CB Phillip Adams
re-sign OT Khalif Barnes
re-sign LB Kaelin Burnett
release WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
release DB Michael Huff
release DE David Tollefson
release DT Tommy Kelly
release MLB Rolando McClain
release OT Jason Slowey
sign DB Coye Francies
sign DT Pat Sims
sign LB Jason Hunter
sign OLB Kaluka Maiava
sign OLB Nick Roach
sign LB Kevin Burnett
sign DE Vance Walker
sign OT Alex Barron
sign CB Tracy Porter
sign CB Mike Jenkins
sign DE Andre Carter
sign RB Rashad Jennings
sign FS Usama Young

San Diego Chargers:
tender WR Danario Alexander
re-sign WR Richard Goodman
re-sign LS Mike Windt 4 years
re-sign RB Ronnie Brown
release SS Atari Bigby
release ILB Takeo Spikes
release TE Randy McMichael
release DT Antonio Garay
release OT Jared Gaither
sign K Nick Novak
sign TE John Phillips
sign OT King Dunlap
sign OG Chad Rinehart
sign CB Derek Cox $20m/4 years ($10.25m guaranteed)
sign RB Danny Woodhead 2 years
sign DE Jarius Wynn
sign WR Deon Butler
sign WR Dan DePalma
sign DB Cornelius Brown
sign C Rich Ohrnberger

NFC EAST

Spoiler!

Dallas Cowboys:
extend QB Tony Romo $108m/6 years ($55m guaranteed)
tag DE Anthony Spencer
restructure OLB DeMarcus Ware
restructure WR Miles Austin
restructure CB Brandon Carr
restructure TE Jason Witten
restructure OG Mackenzy Bernadeau
restrcuture OG Ryan Cook
re-sign C Phil Costa
re-sign ILB Ernie Sims
re-sign WR Anthony Armstrong
release ILB Dan Connor
release LB Brashton Satele
release FS Gerald Sensabaugh
release WR Anthony Armstrong
sign OL L.P. Ladouceur 5 years
sign OL Phil Costa 2 years
sign OLB Justin Durant
sign SS Will Allen

New York Giants:
place 1st round tender on WR Victor Cruz
re-sign OT William Beatty $38.75m/5 years ($19m guaranteed)
re-sign DE Justin Trattou
re-sign C Jim Cordle
re-sign DE Adrian Tracy
re-sign RB Ryan Torain
re-sign OLB Keith Rivers
re-sign QB David Carr
re-sign SS Stevie Brown
re-sign OG Kevin Boothe
re-sign C Jim Cordle
release RB Ahmad Bradshaw
release DT Chris Canty
release LB Michael Boley
sign DE Cullen Jenkins $8m/3 years
sign DT Shaun Rogers
sign CB Aaron Ross
sign K Josh Brown
sign FS Ryan Mundy
sign WR Louis Murphy
sign ILB Dan Connor
sign TE Brandon Myers
sign DT Mike Patterson

Washington Redskins:
re-sign LS Nick Sundberg 4 years
re-sign TE Logan Paulsen 3 years
re-sign FB Darrel Young $6.2m/3 years
re-sign OLB Rob Jackson 1 year
re-sign OG Kory Lichtensteiger 5 years
re-sign DT Kedric Golston 3 years
re-sign P Sav Rocca 2 years
re-sign LB Bryan Kehl
re-sign OT Tyler Polumbus
re-sign TE Fred Davis
re-sign QB Rex Grossman
release then re-sign CB DeAngelo Hall
release DB Korey Lindsey
sign DT Ron Brace
sign OT Nick Pashos
sign OT Jeremy Trueblood
sign CB E.J. Biggers
sign DE Darryl Tapp
sign QB Pat White

Philadelphia Eagles:
trade for WR Arrelious Benn and a 7th rounder from for a 6th rounder and a 2014 conditional
trade away RB Dion Lewis for DE Emmanuel Acho
restructure QB Michael Vick for the year
re-sign C Jon Dorenbos 4 years
re-sign DB Colt Anderson 1 year
release OT Demetress Bell
release DT Mike Patterson
release CB Nnamdi Asomugha
release QB Trent Edwards
sign QB Dennis Dixon 2 years
sign CB Bradley Fletcher
sign S Patrick Chung
sign FB James Casey 3 years
sign DT Isaac Sopoaga $12m/3 years ($5m guaranteed)
sign DT Kedric Golston
sign DE Connor Barwin
sign SS Kenny Phillips
sign CB Cary Williams
sign P Donnie Jones
sign DE Darryl Tapp
sign WR Ifeanyi Momah

NFC NORTH

Spoiler!

Green Bay Packers
place 2nd round tender on CB Sam Shields
restructure DL Johnny Jolly
re-sign LB Rob Francois
re-sign ILB Brad Jones
re-sign OG Evan Dietrich-Smith
release CB Vince Agnew
release C Jeff Saturday
release CB Charles Woodson
release WR Donald Driver -- he has retired
sign CB Loyce Means
sign TE Matthew Mulligan

Chicago Bears
tag DT Henry Melton
re-sign RB Armando Allen
re-sign DT Nate Collins
re-sign OT Jonathan Scott
re-sign CB Kevin Hayden
re-sign QB Josh McCown
release WR Johnny Knox
release DT Matt Toeaina
release TE Kellen Davis
sign TE Martellus Bennett
sign OT Jermon Bushrod
sign TE Matt Spaeth
sign DB Zack Bowman
sign DT Turk McBride
sign TE Steve Maneri
sign SS Tom Zbikowski
sign OLB D.J. Williams
sign OLB James Anderson
sign OG Matt Slauson
sign C Taylor Boggs
sign DT Andre Fluellen
sign DE Kyle Moore
sign OG Eben Britton

Detroit Lions
announce retirement of OT Jeff Backus and K Jason Hanson
place a 2nd round tender on DL Willie Young
re-sign OLB DeAndre Levy
re-sign CB Chris Houston
re-sign LS Don Muhlbach
re-sign S Louis Delmas 2 years
re-sign OG Dylan Gandy
re-sign WR Brian Robiskie
re-sign DE Willie Young
re-sign FS Ricardo Silva
re-sign WR Kris Durham
re-sign RB Shaun Chapas
re-sign RB Joique Bell
re-sign OT Jason Fox
re-sign WR Brian Robiskie
release WR Titus Young
release OG Stephen Peterman
release DE Kyle Vanden Bosch
sign LB DeAndre Levy 3 years
sign OL Corey Hilliard 2 years
sign RB Reggie Bush
sign DT Jason Jones
sign SS Glover Quin
sign DT C.J. Mosley
sign K David Akers
sign K Havard Rugland

Minnesota Vikings
trade WR Percy Harvin to Seahawks for 1st & 7th rounder, plus 2014 midrounder
re-sign DB Marcus Sherels
re-sign OT Phil Loadholt $25m/4 years
re-sign OLB Erin Henderson
re-sign FB Jerome Felton $7.5m/3 years
re-sign WR Jerome Simpson 1 year
re-sign SS Jamarca Sanford
re-sign C Joe Berger
re-sign DB Andrew Sendejo
re-sign OLB Marvin Mitchell
re-sign CB A.J. Jefferson
release WR Michael Jenkins
release CB Antoine Winfield
sign QB Matt Cassel $4m/1 year
sign WR Greg Jennings $47.5m/5 years ($18m guaranteed)
sign OG Seth Olsen

NFC SOUTH

Spoiler!

Atlanta Falcons:
re-sign SS William Moore $30m/5 years ($14m guaranteed)
re-sign OG Garrett Reynolds 2 years
re-sign RB Antone Smith 2 years
re-sign TE Tony Gonzalez
re-sign CB Brent Grimes
re-sign OT Sam Baker
release DE John Abraham
release RB Michael Turner
release OT Tyson Clabo
sign RB Steven Jackson
sign DE Osi Umenyiora
sign ILB Brian Banks

Carolina Panthers:
re-sign TE Richie Brockel
re-sign CB Captain Munnerlyn
re-sign DT Dwan Edwards
release CB Chris Gamble -- has now retired
release DT Ron Edwards
release LB James Anderson
release LB Kenny Onatolu
sign LB Jordan Senn
sign DT Colin Cole
sign CB Drayton Florence
sign QB Derek Anderson
sign CB D.J. Moore
sign SS Mike Mitchell
sign WR Ted Ginn
sign MLB Chase Blackburn
sign WR Domenik Hixon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
trade WR Arrelious Benn and a 7th rounder to Philadelphia for a 6th rounder and a 2014 conditional
re-sign RB LeGarrette Blount $1.25m/1 year
re-sign LB Jacob Cutrera
re-sign LS Andrew Economos
release OLB Quincy Black
release QB Dan Orlovsky
release RB D.J. Ware
sign P Chas Henry
sign S Dashon Goldson 5 years
sign OLB Jonathan Casillas
sign WR Kevin Ogletree
sign OLB Jonathan Casillas
sign TE Tom Crabtree
sign DT Derek Landri
sign DE George Selvie
sign WR Steve Smith
sign K Nate Kaeding
sign RB Brian Leonard
sign WR Eric Page

New Orleans Saints:
re-sign DT Junior Galette 3 years
re-sign LS Justin Drescher
re-sign WR Courtney Roby
re-sign LB Ramon Humber
re-sign OLB Will Herring
re-sign C Brian De La Puente
release TE David Thomas
release CB Johnny Patrick
release OLB Will Herring
sign CB Keenan Lewis
sign TE Benjamin Watson
sign OLB Victor Butler
sign DE Kenyon Coleman
sign QB Luke McCown
sign FS Jim Leonhard
sign OT Jason Smith
sign QB Seneca Wallace

NFC WEST

Spoiler!

San Fransisco 49ers:
trade QB Alex Smith to Chiefs for 2nd rounder plus future picks
trade for WR Anquan Boldin from the Ravens for a 6th rounder
re-sign DT Ian Williams 1 year
re-sign LB Parys Haralson
re-sign DB Darcel McBath
re-sign DB Tramaine Brock
sign WR Joe Hastings
sign DE/DT Glenn Dorsey
sign LB Dan Skuta
sign S Craig Dahl
sign K Phil Dawson
sign WR Marlon Moore
sign CB Nnamdi Asomugha
sign TE Cameron Morrah

St. Louis Rams:
claim WR Titus Young off waivers, then release him
contract voided w/ RB Steven Jackson
re-sign DT Jermelle Cudjo
re-sign C Tim Barnes
re-sign TE Mike McNeill
re-sign DE William Hayes
re-sign OT Chris Williams
re-sign SS Darian Stewart
re-sign QB Kellen Clemens
release S Quintin Mikell
release OT Wayne Hunter
sign DE William Hayes
sign TE Jared Cook 5 years
sign OT Jake Long $36m/4 years ($16m guaranteed)

Arizona Cardinals:
trade for QB Carson Palmer for a 7th rounder
re-sign SS Rashad Johnson
re-sign DE Ronald Talley
re-sign RB Alfonso Smith
release S Adrian Wilson
release CB William Gay
release RB Beanie Wells
release WR Early Doucet
release LB Stewart Bradley
release RB Fozzy Whittaker
release S Kerry Rhodes
release QB Kevin Kolb
sign RB Rashard Mendenhall
sign CB Jerraud Powers
sign QB Drew Stanton $8.2m/3years
sign WR Josh Cribbs
sign LB Lorenzo Alexander
sign ILB Jasper Brinkley
sign CB Antoine Cason
sign DE Matt Shaughnessy
sign DE Frostee Rucker
sign DB Jonathon Amaya
sign DB Curtis Taylor
sign DB Bryan McCann
sign P Will Batson
sign OG Chilo Rachal

Seattle Seahawks:
trade for WR Percy Harvin for 1st & 7th rounder, plus 2014 midrounder
trade QB Matt Flynn to Raiders for a 6th rounder, plus 2014 conditional
re-sign LS Clint Gresham
release RB Leon Washington
release WR Ben Obomanu
release WR Lavasier Tuinei
sign DE Cliff Avril
sign DE Michael Bennett
sign DT Tony McDaniel
sign QB Josh Portis
sign WR Brett Swain
sign QB Brady Quinn
sign CB Antoine Winfield

[penbrook]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

He had a visit to the Packers like 3 weeks ago.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

Most likely he'll land on the IR

[ArrowheadMagic]

Originally Posted by PGM

I'd still like Dansby if he's out there.

yeah kind of quiet for a guy with tread left on the tires.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Most likely he'll land on the IR

CIA

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

Why on earth would you want to take reps away from Cyrus?

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

Is you're serious, beat the **** out of yourself.

[Mother****erJones]

Peyton Hillis is a piece of shit. He only ran well when it was the last games of the year. He quit on the team during the Saints game. **** him.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Any news on where Peyton Hillis may land? I like the guy. Wish we could resign him for a year.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Palmer, Flynn moves make sense, but they're not guaranteed fixes
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Carson Palmer could take over for a Cardinals team that saw four QBs start games last season.
Carson Palmer could take over for a Cardinals team that saw four QBs start games last season.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Two deals feel inevitable this morning: Carson Palmer to Arizona, Matt Flynn to Oakland. They make too much sense not to happen. Sense, yes. Whether they'll solve problems in quarterback-needy places ... that's another issue. Palmer has a much better chance when it comes to raising Arizona than Flynn has to save Oakland.

How I see the deals going down, and probably in this order -- assuming they happen, and I feel strongly they will:

Palmer to the Cardinals. It's likely Oakland gets a fourth- or fifth-round pick in return, and Palmer, 33, signs a deal commensurate with his recent performance but recognizing his chance for a revival playing for Bruce Arians and playing with Larry Fitzgerald. I understand why Palmer wouldn't take a financial haircut in Oakland: I wouldn't have either, knowing the Raiders were a short-term place and understanding if he held his ground, the Raiders might enable him to go to a place that fit him better.

A couple of things about this move that I like: Last year, I remember going to Indianapolis to write about the Colts when Arians was the interim coach. "I hate the West Coast Offense,'' Arians said. Arians wanted a big-armed quarterback stretching the defense, and it showed in Luck's numbers. In 2012, Luck had the second-longest average pass length in the league, 10.17 yards downfield. Match that with Palmer's desire to show he can be the big-armed thrower Arians needs. Believe me, Palmer chafes at the impression he doesn't have the arm he used to. In his first half-season with the Raiders, he was among the NFL's yards-per-attempt leaders, because coach Hue Jackson liked to stretch the defense.

Let's not be delusional about Palmer. You can't say he's a premier player anymore, but you also can't say he can't play. He threw for 4,018 yards, and his interception percentage (14 picks on 565 attempts, 2.5 percent) was lower than that of Drew Brees and Eli Manning. He wants to play the Arians way. I believe Arians is the best coach in the league for Palmer. I also believe Palmer wouild buy in totally to Arians' plan, and I hear he's excited about a chance in Arizona. A move would allow him to stay close to his southern California home, and to play in a system that wouldn't be a reach for his game. And Palmer would have the kind of reliable deep-threat receiver in Larry Fitzgerald that few quarterbacks have at their disposal.

Does that mean Arizona will contend? I doubt it sincerely. The leaky offensive line must be significantly better to give the immobile Palmer a chance to play well. But of all the quarterbacks on the market or in the 2013 draft, Palmer gives the Cardinals the best chance to be competitive as the fourth-best team in a suddenly very good NFC West.

Flynn to the Raiders. I think this deal gets done without Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie touching his 2013 draft, and that's good. The Raiders have only three picks in the top five rounds -- third, 66th and 100th overall. Then they have a 71-pick drought before choosing again, in the sixth round. I believe Oakland will pay a mid-round pick in 2014, then perhaps a conditional pick in 2015, based on Flynn's performance with the Raiders.

It's a smart move for Oakland, even if it's risky; Flynn has started only one game in the NFL. It was a colossal performance as he threw for a franchise-record six touchdowns against Detroit on the final Sunday of the 2011 regular season. It was against Detroit, granted. Awful secondary. And you can't overpay based on one game against a toasted secondary. But a mid-round pick and the prospect of a low-round conditional choice is not overpaying for Flynn, who McKenzie helped scout before the 2008 draft.

Put yourself in McKenzie's shoes. You can pay a quarterback you're not sold on, Palmer, $13 million this year, another year the cap is so tight it's squeezing every position group on the roster. Or you can pay Matt Flynn $5.25 million in salary, not knowing if he's going to be your quarterback of the future but knowing he's got a better chance than anyone on your current roster.

Put yourself in Seattle GM John Schneider's shoes. Do you want your confirmed backup quarterback taking up $7.25 million on your cap this year? Or do you trust your offensive coordinator and quarterback guru, Darrell Bevell, to train another guy to back up Russell Wilson? I'll take the latter choice any day of the week.

Finally, what are the chances Flynn becomes Oakland's answer at quarterback? Thirty percent, maybe? That's about 25 points higher than Palmer, with his salary, which the Raiders just weren't going to live with. I can't sit here and say the Raiders will get themselves a great player. I can sit here and say the Raiders are taking an intelligent calculated risk for the right price.

***

So what does this do to the draft?

Arizona with Palmer. Oakland with Flynn. And, on Friday, Buffalo with the signing of Kevin Kolb to a two-year contract. Teams with major quarterback needs are making moves.

I believe the Cardinals are now out of the first-round quarterback market. I think Oakland could still take one, with only three potential impact picks in this draft, but I think it's likely Oakland looks elsewhere at No. 3 overall. Buffalo? The Bills could do anything at No. 8, including taking a long-term prospect at quarterback like West Virginia's Geno Smith.

I talked to one personnel man Sunday (sorry for the Easter phone call) who presented this scenario to me: "I think what these deals do -- if they happen -- is impact the tackle market more than the quarterback market."

Smart thinking. His point: Arizona is desperate to shore up the offensive line; left tackle was a wasteland between D'Anthony Batiste and Nate Potter last year. Buffalo could use a bookend tackle to play opposite Cordy Glenn. Oakland has a lot of holes, and I doubt it would choose a tackle that high. But McKenzie is a value drafter, and if he loves Eric Fisher or Lane Johnson, the two top tackles after prospective top pick Luke Joeckel, he'll pick one.

The tackle market at the top of the first round is going to be on fire. I will be surprised if Joeckel, Fisher and Johnson aren't taken in the first 11 picks. San Diego is 11th.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2PBFpmbRP

[BossChief]

Oakland was one of the teams interested in Alex Smith, too.

[thabear04]

Flynn heading to Oakland for a 2013 & 2014 draft pick

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by thabear04

Flynn heading to Oakland for a 2013 & 2014 draft pick

No.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 4m

Picks in Flynn-to-OAK deal are a pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015.

[thabear04]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

No.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 4m

Picks in Flynn-to-OAK deal are a pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015.

Thanks for the Correction.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by thabear04

Thanks for the Correction.

Wasn't trying to be a dick. I thought it was odd because Schefter said it was a 2013 pick and then an hour later said the opposite.