Cowboys Corner

Cowboys sign LB Keith Brooking

The Cowboys didn't expect to be overly active in free agency but made a move for a starter on Saturday. They signed Atlanta Falcons veteran linebacker Keith Brooking to a three-year deal with the Cowboys. He will be entering his 12th season the league and his first away from Atlanta. Brooking will replace Zach Thomas, also a free agent, at inside linebacker.

Brooking has been a monster in the production department, leading the Falcons in tackles for the past eight seasons. He's a five-time Pro Bowl from 2001-2005 and played in Super Bowl XXXIII as a rookie.

Last season Brooking, a former first-round draft pick, started 16 games and recorded 133 tackles. Brooking also reconnects with Wade Phillips, who was a defensive coordinator in Atlanta.

- Rick Herrin

 

Cowboys Traded Anthony Henry for Kitna

The Cowboys are confirming they sent veteran cornerback Anthony Henry to Detroit to acquire Jon Kitna.

Henry started all 16 games in 2008 and had 55 tackles, two sacks, two pressures, seven pass breakups and one interception.

This trade opens the door for either second-year player Orlando Scandrick or Mike Jenkins to start full-time opposite Terence Newman.

Henry was a consistent starter for the Cowboys over the past four seasons; he has one-year remaining on his contract.

- Mac Engel

Meet Your No. 2 QB, Jon Kitna

After watching Brad Johnson do essentially nothing in three starts in 2008 and almost fall into one victory, the Cowboys made backup quarterback a priority this offseason.

So even with names such as Rex Grossman and Kyle Boller floating about this free agency period, the Cowboys traded for Detroit Lions veteran Jon Kitna. The 36-year-old, who has 12 NFL seasons under his belt, was expected to be released next week when he was due a roster bonus. The Lions are confirming the trade, but exactly what the Cowboys gave up is as yet unknown.

Unless Kitna comes into training camp and stinks, the plan is for him to backup Tony Romo. He has one thing in common with Romo - they were both undrafted out of Division I-AA colleges. Romo went to Eastern Illinois and Kitna went to Central Washington.

He has been in the NFL since 1997 when he broke in with the Seattle Seahawks. He was there from '97 to 2000. Kitna then played for the Bengals between 2000 and 2005. He spent the last three seasons with the Lions.

After starting all 16 games in 2006 and '07, Kitna was essentially benched this season and sent to the injured reserve list after appearing in only four games. He threw for 758 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions in 2008. His last game game was a 34-7 loss against the Bears on Oct. 5. In his career, Kitna has completed just under 60 percent of his passes for 27,293 yards with 152 touchdowns and 151 interceptions.

The Cowboys are still expected to select a quarterback in the draft in April.

- Mac Engel

Pats trade QB Cassell to Chiefs

Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel has been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL.com's Adam Schefter and the Boston Globe first reported. The Pats must think this Tom Brady guy will be good to go after knee surgery.

The Associated Press says the Patriots will receive the Chiefs' second-round draft pick this year, the 34th pick overall, in exchange for Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel, who had confirmed on Friday to the Boston Globe that he was traded to the Chiefs.

The Cowboys play the Chiefs this season in a rotation against AFC West teams.

The Patriots had placed the franchise tag on Cassel. The trade frees them from having to pay him $14.65 million in salary as determined by that tag.

Cassel, a scrub in college at Southern Cal, guided New England to an 11-5 record and the brink of the playoffs last season after Brady was injured in the season opener.

Ravens might be Ray Lewis' only option

The Baltimore Sun reports that by losing linebacker Bart Scott (6 years, $48 million) to the Jets, the Ravens likely will shift their focus on keeping linebacker Ray Lewis, "who hasn't drawn any interest in the free-agent market." The Cowboys never truly seemed interested, even though Lewis reportedly was pleading to wear a star on his helmet.

In other reports, Eagles free agent safety Brian Dawkins appears headed to the Broncos, but there's no deal yet, and the Broncos have already signed Eagles free agent RB Correll Buckhalter and RB J.J. Arrington from the Cardinals. The Cowboys play at Denver this season.

Canty attracting attention from Giants, others

Free agent Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty will meet for dinner with the New York Giants on Saturday night, have talks Sunday and then head to Seattle for a visit, according to Newsday.

Pacman's next football team will be on reality TV

Adam "Pacman" Jones landed a new team today. Sort of.

 On the opening day of the NFL's free agent signing period, Jones instead was on vacation in Puerto Rico and talking about his role on the upcoming reality TV show "Pros vs. Joes 4: All Stars."

 His marketing representative refused to allow Jones to comment about what's next in his real playing career. Earlier in the interview Jones declared that he wasn't at the end of his career.

The 25-year-old Jones is by far the youngest among the six NFL and six NBA stars who will compete against regular guys in the latest installment of the Spike TV show. All others are either retired or close to it, including his former Tennessee Titans teammate, quarterback Steve McNair.

-- The Associated Press

Backup OL Joe Berger moves from Cowboys to Dolphins

Joe Berger has agreed to a three-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, the team he was with before joining the Cowboys in the 2006 season. He will provide backup at guard and center and possibly compete for the starting center job with Miami.

LB Mike Vrabel goes to the Chiefs

The Chiefs, who play the Cowboys this season, has landed linebacker Mike Vrabel from the Patriots. It's Chiefs GM Scott Pioli bringing in a player he knows well.

The Eagles are set to sign Bengals right tackle Stacy Andrews, brother of current Eagles right guard Shawn Andrews. Stacy is coming off reconstructive knee surgery and would be the successor to Jon Runyan.

Eagles free agent running back Correll Buckhalter is visiting Denver, according to Philly.com.

Which team has helped itself most in the first 15 or so hours of free agency? Are the Cowboys falling as the Redskins and Vikings rise?

Bart Scott to Jets, whither Ray Lewis?

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott is headed to the New York Jets, and NFL.com's Adam Schefter reports that sources close to linebacker Ray Lewis insist that Lewis will not return to the Ravens.

Meanwhile, cornerback Shawn Springs has told The Washington Post that the Washington Redskins informed him that he will be released today from the final year of his contract. The Post lists Dallas as one of the teams that could have interest in Springs, whose father, Ron, is a former Cowboys running back.

Other reports of player movement include:

RB Fred Taylor and TE Chris Baker have agreed to deals with the New England Patriots.

The Cleveland Browns have traded TE Kellen Winslow Jr. to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for draft choices.

QB Sage Rosenfels joins the Minnesota Vikings in a trade agreed to early this week, giving the Vikings a chance to run Brad Childress' offense and take pressure off Adrian Peterson.

LB Keith Brooking, who was passed on by the Cowboys years ago in the draft, has been released by the Atlanta Falcons.