Seahawks to sign RB Lacy; Pats’ Butler visiting Saints
New Orleans to host restricted free-agent corner Thursday.
The Seattle Seahawks are hoping Eddie Lacy can be motivated by a one -ye ar contract to rediscover the form that made him the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Seahawks and Lacy agreed to terms on a oneyear deal Tuesday, providing Seattle a big body for a run game that was once the best in football but lagged last season following the retirement of Marshawn Lynch.
“I like that we’re bringing in a big, tough guy that’s going to send a message the way he plays the game,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said in a radio interview Tuesday.
Lacy was the top offensive rookie four years ago when he rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for more than 1,100 yards in 2014 but has since been slowed by injuries and lost favor with Packers coach Mike McCarthy at times.
Last season, Lacy played in only five games, sidelined by ankle problems, and finished with only 360 yards rushing and no touchdowns. Weight has also been an issue for Lacy, but Carroll said he would expect the running back to play in the range of 240-250 pounds.
“He’s a big guy. There is nothing wrong with that,” Carroll said.
Saints: Patriots restricted free-agent cornerback Mal- colm Butler scheduled a visit with the Saints at the team’s headquarters Thursday.
New Orleans coach Sean Payton confirmed the visit Tuesday. If the Saints sign the 27-year-old Butler to an offer, New England has the option to match it, let Butler go and receive the Saints’ 11th overall draft pick, or arrange another trade.
Butler, a two-year starter, is best known for his game-saving goal-line interception of Seattle’s Russell Wilson in the 2015 Super Bowl.
Raiders: Receiver/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson signed a two-year deal as a free agent. Despite being clocked at a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, Patterson never developed into a downfield threat as a receiver in Minnesota. His 8.7 yards per catch were the fewest for any qualifying wide receiver last season.
However, Patterson has averaged 30.4 yards per kickoff return in his career, second only to Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (30.6 yards).
Cardinals: Signed freeagent linebacker Jarvis Jones, a first-round draft choice in 2013 out of Georgia who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers. Jones played in 50 games with 35 starts in Pittsburgh but lost his starting job last season.
Vikings: Signed defensive end Datone Jones, the former first-round pick of the rival Packers. Jones was selected 26th overall out of UCLA in the 2013 draft. The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder played in 59 of a possible 64 regular-season games, mostly as a backup.
Chiefs: Signed defensive tackle Bennie Logan to a oneyear contract, filling the void left by free agent Dontari Poe in the middle of the Kansas City line. The 6-foot-2, 315pound Logan had 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season.
Patriots: Signed free-agent running back Rex Burkhead, 26, who has spent all four years of his NFL career in Cincinnati since being drafted in the sixth round out of Nebraska in 2013.
Colts: Signed two more free agents — defensive end Margus Hunt (Bengals) and o f f e ns ive l i ne man Br i a n Schwenke (Tit ans). Hunt becomes the fourth defensive free agent Indy has signed since last week.
Titans: Agreed to a deal with free-agent defensive lineman Sylvester Williams. The 6-foot-2, 313-pound Williams started 48 of his 60 games in Denver with 93 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
R a m s : S i g n e d B i l l s restricted free-agent offensive lineman Ryan Groy to a reported two-year, $5 million offer, with $3.5 million guaranteed. Buffalo has until Monday to match it or lose Groy without compensation.
Falcons: Re-signed safety Kemal Ishmael and signed receiver/return specialist Andre Roberts from Detroit.