Bucs keep Barrett, Gronk in early free agency flurry
Tom Brady doesn’t merely lead teams to Super Bowl wins on the field. He also helps keep together championship teams that have salary cap issues. So sackmaster Shaq
Barrett, fellow standout linebacker Lavonte David — and who knows who else — will remain in Tampa Bay.
Just as he had done several times in New England, Brady reworked his big-ticket contract last week to free up money in free agency. The Buccaneers used it to keep David, and on Monday, the first day of “legal tampering” before the NFL’s business year begins on Wednesday, the 28-year-old Barrett agreed to a fouryear, $72 million contract with $36 million guaranteed, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement 11 months ago, also agree to stay in Tampa.
Meanwhile, back in Brady’s former stomping grounds, the Patriots were spending wildly in an attempt to recapture the glory he produced before heading south last season.
New England, 7-9 in 2020, opened its vaults wider than any other team on Monday, something unusual for a club that normally avoids chasing the most expensive free agents.
Joining them are linebacker/edge rusher Matthew Judon from Baltimore; tight end Jonnu Smith from Tennessee; nose tackle Davon Godchaux from Miami; and defensive back Jalen Mills from Philadelphia.
But they let perhaps the best offensive lineman in this crop get away, as 28year-old guard Joe Thuney agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract with Kansas City.
The other three AFC West teams were busy as well.
The Las Vegas Raiders, who have suffered defensively since trading Khalil Mack in 2018, agreed to a two-year contract with edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who split last season between Minnesota and Baltimore.
The Los Angeles Chargers went with an offensive line upgrade, center Corey Linsley, an All-Pro with Green Bay last season.
Denver agreed to a three-year, $30 million with Washington cornerback Ronald Darby. Defensive end Shelby Harris agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal to stay with the Broncos. The 29-yearold Harris played on a one-year deal last year with the Broncos after finding no suitors in free agency despite setting personal highs with 49 tackles, six sacks and nine passes defensed in 2019.
The Dallas Cowboys are set to bring back defensive tackle Antwaun Woods and a pair of receivers lower on the depth chart in Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown. The team reported on its website that Woods and Wilson were expected to be offered tenders as restricted free agents while Brown had agreed to a one-year contract as an unrestricted free agent.
The Los Angeles Rams agreed with pass rusher Leonard Floyd on a fouryear deal. Floyd is coming off the best season of his five-year NFL career with 10½ sacks.
The New York Jets agreed to terms on a threeyear contract with former Cincinnati defensive end Carl Lawson. The NFL Network said the deal is for $45 million with $30 million guaranteed.