ASHBURN, Va. - The Redskins added Marcus Washington to their free-agent haul Friday, signing the linebacker to a six-year, $24-million contract.
The deal includes a $7-million signing bonus, which means the Redskins have dished out about $53-million in bonuses this week to sign six players, including four free agents and two acquired by trade.
Washington, who played four seasons with Indianapolis, replaces Jessie Armstead, who was released last week to clear salary-cap space.
"I'm not too surprised after all the money they gave Peyton (Manning)," Washington said about his release from the Colts. "I think they only had like $5.34 left."
Washington became a starter in his second year with the Colts and has 18 sacks in four seasons. Along with play on the field, his durability caught the attention of coach Joe Gibbs. Washington has missed one game because of injury in his career.
"We like people that play and play every week," Gibbs said. "We think with a 26-year-old linebacker, we've got a lot of years here."
Washington becomes the fourth player added this week to a defense that ranked 25th overall last season, joining cornerback Shawn Springs, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and defensive end Phillip Daniels.
The Redskins also made an offer to Tampa Bay punter Tom Tupa on Friday, but nothing was signed.
CHARGERS: Mike Goff, who plays center or guard, signed a five-year contract. Goff spent the past six seasons with Cincinnati.
CHIEFS: Kansas City agreed to a six-year contract with defensive end Eric Hicks, the team's leading tackler in 2003 with 118.
DOLPHINS: Cornerback Reggie Howard and guard Jeno James, both from the NFC champion Panthers, signed. The Dolphins also signed free-agent safety Chris Akins to a three-year contract. Free-agent guard Cosey Coleman, who has spent the past four seasons with the Bucs, visited.
Howard signed a six-year deal after starting 15 games and all four playoff games for the Panthers, finishing with 78 tackles and two interceptions. James, who started all 20 games for Carolina last season, signed a six-year contract. Akins was one of the top special-teams players for the Patriots last season.
FALCONS: Former San Francisco cornerback Jason Webster signed a six-year deal worth about $18-million.
49ERS: Cornerback Ahmed Plummer, who has started 59 games in his four-year career, re-signed, agreeing to a five-year contract worth $25-million.
JAGUARS: Veteran tight end Todd Yoder, who played in all 16 games for Tampa Bay last season, signed a three-year deal. Yoder will compete for a backup role behind Kyle Brady.
LIONS: Offensive lineman Damien Woody and cornerback Fernando Bryant agreed to terms. Woody, who played five seasons and won two Super Bowl championships with the Patriots, was considered one of the best available free-agent linemen. He signed a six-year, $31-million contract, according to the Associated Press.
Bryant, a free agent from Jacksonville, will be counted on to start opposite Pro Bowl player Dre' Bly. Bryant's agent, Jimmy Sexton, confirmed reports he signed a six-year, $24-million deal and will receive a $7.25-million signing bonus. Woody and Bryant, both 26, were the 17th and 26th overall first-round draft picks, respectively, in 1999.
PANTHERS: The team agreed to a one-year contract with four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead, who was released by the Redskins.
VIKINGS: Cornerback Antoine Winfield agreed to a $35-million, six-year contract, less than a day after backing out of a deal with the Jets. The agreement includes a $10.8-million signing bonus. Winfield, who spent his first five seasons with the Bills, was considered the second-best cornerback on the free-agent market behind Champ Bailey, who was dealt from Washington to Denver this week.
OWENS ALMOST AN EAGLE?: ESPN.com, citing information from phillyBurbs.com, the Web site for a chain of three suburban Philadelphia newspapers, reported that the Eagles agreed to a deal in principle to acquire the receiver Thursday, only to have the 49ers trade him to the Ravens.
The Eagles finalized a trade with the 49ers and hammered out a long-term, multimillion dollar contract with Owens. But before the paperwork was signed, according to the Web site, 49ers general manager Terry Donahue accepted the Ravens' offer of a second-round pick in this year's draft.
JETS-TITANS TRADE: Tennessee traded wide receiver Justin McCareins to New York for a second-round draft pick. McCareins was the Titans' second-leading receiver last season, finishing with 47 catches for 813 yards and seven touchdowns.
MANLEY RELEASED: Former defensive end Dexter Manley, 46, was released from a Houston prison after serving two years for possessing crack cocaine. Manley, who starred for the Redskins, was plagued by drug problems throughout his career.
In 1989, he failed a drug test and was suspended from the league. The next year he joined the Cardinals and later played for the Bucs, where he retired in 1991 after a second failed drug test.
