There goes Albert Haynesworth, heading from Mike Shanahan’s Redskins to Bill Belichick’s Patriots. Reggie Bush? The Saints sent him to the Dolphins. And the Kevin Kolb saga is ending the way pretty much everyone expected, with a trade from the Eagles to the Cardinals.
NFL clubs made a move a minute Thursday _ and that trio of big-name deals was only the beginning.
Day 3 of the compressed, post-lockout offseason also included more contract agreements and plenty of cuts, which teams were finally allowed to start announcing at 4:01 p.m. ET. Among the players getting released were Vince Young by the Titans, Nate Clements by the 49ers, and Jake Delhomme by the Browns.
In the first dramatic example of how the new labor deal’s rookie salary system will affect elite players, No. 2 overall draft pick Von Miller got about $21 million over four years from the Denver Broncos. The No. 2 pick in 2010, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, signed a five-year deal worth $40 million guaranteed and as much as $68 million overall.
Broncos football chief John Elway tweeted, “We have agreed to terms with our 1st round pick, LB Von Miller. Can’t wait to get him on the field.”
In the Kolb deal, Philadelphia received cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 second-round draft pick from Arizona, which was in need of a starting quarterback. Kolb had lost the Eagles’ No. 1 QB job to Michael Vick and wanted a chance to lead a team.
Kolb, who turns 27 next month, reportedly will get a $63 million, five-year contract with the Cardinals. Rodgers-Cromartie, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2009, will play opposite four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel in Philadelphia, shoring up a pass defense that struggled last season.
All Washington got for Haynesworth, meanwhile, was a 2013 fifth-round pick. By shipping the defensive tackle to New England, the Redskins rid themselves of a two-year distraction and fiasco of a free-agent signing _ Haynesworth was guaranteed a then-record $41 million in the seven-year, $100 million contract he signed in the early hours of free agency in 2009. On the same day, he infamously declared: “You’re not going to remember Albert Haynesworth as a bust.”
Hmmmmmm.
Haynesworth played in only 20 games for Washington, making 6 1/2 sacks, and was in constant legal trouble away from the field. Last season, he feuded with Shanahan and was suspended for the final four games for conduct detrimental to the club.
The Dolphins finalized their trade for Bush by negotiating a new two-year contract for nearly $10 million with the running back, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams had yet to announce the deal.
It wasn’t immediately known what the Saints would receive in the deal.
“Change is never easy but I look forward to building something special in Miami and can’t wait to embark on this new journey!” Bush wrote on Twitter.
In other transactions Thursday:
_Linebacker Clint Session left the Colts but stayed in the AFC South when he agreed to a five-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars worth slightly more than $29 million, with $11.5 million in guaranteed money.
_Dallas made official nine cuts, many of them leaked previously. Gone are tackle Marc Colombo, guard Leonard Davis, receiver Roy Williams, running back Marion Barber, placekicker Kris Brown, offensive linemen Robert Brewster and Travis Bright, linebacker Kelvin Smith and receiver Troy Bergeron.
_Buffalo agreed to a four-year contract worth about $15 million with Brad Smith, the versatile receiver-running back-kick returner who was a force in the wildcat formation with the Jets.
_In addition to officially releasing quarterback Delhomme, Cleveland terminated the contract of linebacker Eric Alexander and waived tight end Tyson DeVree. Delhomme, 36, was signed to a two-year contract a year ago and played in only five games.
_Atlanta agreed to a one-year contract with linebacker Mike Peterson, who started 13 games last year with the Falcons, making 79 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and forcing one fumble.
_Minnesota released starting safety Madieu Williams, who spent three seasons there but was largely a disappointment after signing a big-money deal to come over from Cincinnati in 2008. He was due to make $5.4 million this season.
The Vikings also released defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy and receiver Freddie Brown.
_The Redskins added free-agent defensive end Stephen Bowen, whose agent announced the deal on Twitter. Bowen played five seasons with the Cowboys; he had 1 1/2 sacks in nine starts last year.
_Philadelphia put defensive end Brandon Graham (left knee) and offensive tackle Winston Justice (left knee) on the physically unable to perform list. Also, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Samuel were excused from training camp for personal reasons.
_Linebacker Justin Durant is leaving Jacksonville for Detroit; receiver Rashied Davis also agreed to join the Lions after six years in Chicago.
_New Orleans left tackle Jermon Bushrod agreed to a two-year deal to remain with the Saints. He’s been a key part of Drew Brees’ pass protection.
_Daryn Colledge, the starting left guard for the Super Bowl champion Packers, agreed to a five-year deal with Arizona. Colledge started 76 games over five seasons for Green Bay.
_Linebacker and special teams standout Matt McCoy is returning to Seattle after agreeing to a one-year deal.
_The Bears agreed to a five-year contract with punter Adam Podlesh, who comes to Chicago from Jacksonville to replace Brad Maynard, whose contract expired after 10 years at Soldier Field.
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AP Pro Football Writers Barry Wilner, Rob Maaddi and Arnie Stapleton, and AP Sports Writer Steven Wine contributed to this report.
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