So much for a second-day lull.
An already wild and woolly NFL free-agent period surprisingly picked up speed yesterday, with Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Dashon Goldson, Reggie Bush and Cliff Avril headlining the list of prominent names to change teams.
The money involved in many of the second-day deals wasn’t as eye-popping, particularly when it came to slot receivers, but the sheer volume of players quickly finding new addresses in a supposed year of flat-cap austerity caught many observers off guard.
Goldson got the day off to a bang, with the hard-hitting former safety bolting the 49ers for a five-year, $41.25 million deal with the Buccaneers after San Francisco declined to give him the franchise designation or come anywhere near Tampa Bay’s huge outlay.
The move on Goldson, though, doesn’t remove the Buccaneers as a potential Darrelle Revis trade partner for the Jets, because Tampa Bay entered free agency with more than $33 million in available cap room — among the highest totals in the league.
But the Goldson news quickly was overshadowed by Bush’s decision to bolt the Dolphins — Tuesday’s big free-agency spenders — for Detroit just hours into his visit with the Lions.
Bush signed a four-year, $16 million deal with Detroit and will make the Lions’ offense even more formidable as one of the league’s most dangerous pass-catching backs. The prospect of Bush motioning into the slot next to Calvin Johnson is sure to give NFC North defensive coordinators nightmares.
Of course, the Bush signing might have been a wash for the Lions because they lost defensive end Cliff Avril — widely considered the top free agent available at his position — to the Seahawks last night.
Avril, 27, agreed to terms on a multi-year deal shortly after arriving for his visit in Seattle and will only add to the Seahawks’ embarrassment of riches on defense after rolling up 29 sacks and nine forced fumbles over the past three seasons in Detroit.
As if all of that action wasn’t enough to cause whiplash, the market for slot receivers suddenly set itself with the near-simultaneous signings of Welker by the Broncos and Amendola as Welker’s replacement by the Patriots.
Welker and Amendola have been among the NFL’s most prolific receivers, but what they received in guaranteed money — $12 million for Welker and $10 million for Amendola — when combined was still far less than the reported $30 million guaranteed the Dolphins gave deep threat Mike Wallace on Tuesday.
That couldn’t be considered good news for Giants slot receiver Victor Cruz, a restricted free agent who has been hoping for a big contract. Combined with the first-round pick that also would be required for Cruz to change teams this year, Big Blue’s chance of keeping their young Pro Bowl star now appear very good.
The Texans, meanwhile, certainly are taking their hits. After losing promising young tight end-fullback James Casey to the Eagles on Tuesday, Houston saw strong safety Glover Quin bolt for the Lions yesterday. Detroit gave Quin a five-year, $25 million deal to help ease the sting to the defense of Avril’s departure.
The departures, however, did create cap room for the Texans, who quickly turned their sights on former Ravens star Ed Reed. The perennial Pro Bowl safety is scheduled to visit Houston this week.
The money given out overall yesterday wasn’t as outrageous as it was on Tuesday, but the Chiefs caused some second-guessing by giving former Saints backup quarterback Chase Daniel a three-year, $10 million deal. That included a whopping $5 million guaranteed for a player who never has started a game (and thrown just seven passes) in his three-year NFL career.
In other free agency news:
* The Chargers signed cornerback Derek Cox, formerly of the Jaguars, to a four-year, $20 million contract. The deal includes $10.25 million guaranteed.
* The Cardinals OK’d a deals with former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall. and Joshua Cribbs, the kick return/wide receiver formerly with the Browns.
* Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie agreed to a one-year deal with the Broncos.
* Four teams, the Texans, 49ers, Broncos and Cardinals, reportedly are pursuing Nnamdi Asomugha, the cornerback who was released this week by the Eagles.