Brady makes it official with Bucs; Broncos add RB

A new look for the NFL: Tom Brady in Tampa Bay pewter and red rather than Patriots red, white and blue.

The six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback signed a two-year contract in free agency on Friday, embarking on a “new football journey” with the Buccaneers. The deal guarantees $50 million and includes a $10 million signing bonus and $15 million salary for 2020.

The 42-year-old quarterback, who spent the first 20 years of his career with the Patriots, announced his decision in an Instagram post, adding he’s thankful for the opportunity.

“Excited, humble and hungry ... If there is one thing I have learned about football, it’s that nobody cares what you did last year or the year before that,” Brady wrote.

The signing comes three days after Brady announced on social media that he would not return to New England, ending his historic run with the Patriots.

He joins an offense that led the NFL in passing yards last season, featuring a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, and a young, developing running back in Ronald Jones.

What the Bucs didn’t have in 2019, when they went 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the 12th straight season was a quarterback who protected the football, as Jameis Winston threw 30 interceptions.

Brady, who turns 43 in August, will be counted on to change that. His career 1.79 interception percentage is the second-best ever, behind Aaron Rodgers, among players with at least 2,500 career pass attempts.

“Tom is the most successful quarterback in the history of our league, but what makes him so special is his ability to make those around him better,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians said.

The three-time league MVP is coming off what generally is regarded as the worst non-injury season of his career, throwing for 4,057 yards and 24 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions in his final season with the Patriots.

Broncos

Denver continued an impressive offseason haul Friday by agreeing to a twoyear deal with former Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon.

A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press that it’s worth $16 million with all but $2.5 million guaranteed. The Broncos didn’t announce the deal but did tweet a clip of King Features comic strip character Flash Gordon, their new running back’s nickname.

Although his new deal is less than the $10 million annually that Gordon turned down from the Chargers during an unsuccessful holdout for a long-term extension last season, it does allow him the opportunity to face his old team twice a year and to hit free agency again in 2022 at age 28. His $8 million annual salary also ranks fourth in the NFL among running backs.

Saints

Free agent left guard Andrus Peat agreed to a five-year contract keeping him in New Orleans, general manager Mickey Loomis said Friday.

A person familiar with the contract said it is worth a total of $57.5 million — an average of $11.5 million per season. The Saints drafted the 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat 13th overall in 2015 out of Stanford. Peat’s versatility has been useful to New Orleans, which converted him to a guard but has continued to also use him as a substitute tackle as needed.

Peat has been selected to the Pro Bowl each of the past two seasons and has contributed to an offense that has averaged an NFL-best 394.8 yards per game during the past five seasons.

Cowboys

Dallas agreed to a deal with safety HaHa Clinton-Dix, adding a familiar name for new coach Mike McCarthy.

Clinton-Dix’s representatives, SportsTrust Advisors, announced the move Friday on Twitter. The 27-year-old’s addition comes at a position the Cowboys have largely ignored in free agency and the draft in recent years.

McCarthy was the coach in Green Bay when the Packers drafted Clinton-Dix 21st overall in 2014. He had 14 of his 16 career interceptions with Green Bay, including a career-high five in 2016. The Packers traded him to Washington during the 2018 season, and Clinton-Dix spent last year in Chicago.

Steelers

After agreeing to terms Thursday night with offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, Pittsburgh is set to sign tight end Eric Ebron and trade for defensive lineman Chris Wormley, a source confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Ebron is coming in on a two-year deal worth $12 million, while the compensation for Wormley is a 2021 fifth-round pick headed to Baltimore (which will send back a seventh-rounder in the same draft).

Vikings

Minnesota has another starter on defense to replace. Defensive end Everson Griffen will not re-sign with the team.

Griffen and his agent announced Friday they were unable to come to terms with the Vikings due to the team’s salary-cap constraints. Griffen is the longest-tenured player on the team, having played 10 seasons in purple. He had eight sacks in 2019.

Defensive tackle Linval Joseph and cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander have already chosen other teams.

AP Denver picked up two-time Pro Bowl RB Melvin Gordon to help with its lack of visits to the end zone.