PA Season Ticket Holder
03-02-2003, 01:03 PM
WASHINGTON (March 1, 2003) -- The Washington Redskins maintained a whirlwind free agency pace as they signed defensive end Regan Upshaw and defensive tackle Brandon Noble .
Upshaw signed a five-year contract. Noble's terms were not immediately available.
Upshaw, Noble and guard Randy Thomas, who agreed to a seven-year deal late Feb. 28, were to be presented at a late afternoon news conference.
On the first day of free agency, the Redskins got St. Louis running back Trung Canidate in a trade and signed ex-San Francisco guard Dave Fiore to a four-year contract.
Noble, Upshaw and receiver Rocket Ismail were also at Redskins Park that day meeting with owner Dan Snyder, who has been working at breakneck speed.
"He's been up working deals at three, four in the morning," director of player personnel Vinny Cerrato said. "He's been getting a lot of things done over the telephone with all these agents."
Seven-year veteran Upshaw could move in as a starter ahead of Bruce Smith, who is no longer expected to be an every-down player if he decides not to retire.
Upshaw played last season with the Oakland Raiders and missed the first three months of the season while recovering from knee surgery. He became a starter during the playoffs, but had little impact. The Raiders cut him this week in a salary-cap move.
Noble comes from the Dallas Cowboys, where he started every game over the past two seasons. The Redskins need a tackle -- possibly two -- because they could not re-sign Daryl Gardener and because Dan Wilkinson might be cut for salary-cap reasons in June.
Thomas was a four-year starter with the New York Jets and the top guard available in free agency. With Thomas and Fiore, the Redskins addressed a position that has been a liability for several years. The team has started 14 guards over the past three seasons.
The Redskins now will have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in Steve Spurrier's second year as coach. They already have two top-notch tackles, Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen.
Thomas had planned to meet with six other teams, but Snyder's offer made it certain he wouldn't go anywhere else.
MORE (http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/WAS/6220565)
Upshaw signed a five-year contract. Noble's terms were not immediately available.
Upshaw, Noble and guard Randy Thomas, who agreed to a seven-year deal late Feb. 28, were to be presented at a late afternoon news conference.
On the first day of free agency, the Redskins got St. Louis running back Trung Canidate in a trade and signed ex-San Francisco guard Dave Fiore to a four-year contract.
Noble, Upshaw and receiver Rocket Ismail were also at Redskins Park that day meeting with owner Dan Snyder, who has been working at breakneck speed.
"He's been up working deals at three, four in the morning," director of player personnel Vinny Cerrato said. "He's been getting a lot of things done over the telephone with all these agents."
Seven-year veteran Upshaw could move in as a starter ahead of Bruce Smith, who is no longer expected to be an every-down player if he decides not to retire.
Upshaw played last season with the Oakland Raiders and missed the first three months of the season while recovering from knee surgery. He became a starter during the playoffs, but had little impact. The Raiders cut him this week in a salary-cap move.
Noble comes from the Dallas Cowboys, where he started every game over the past two seasons. The Redskins need a tackle -- possibly two -- because they could not re-sign Daryl Gardener and because Dan Wilkinson might be cut for salary-cap reasons in June.
Thomas was a four-year starter with the New York Jets and the top guard available in free agency. With Thomas and Fiore, the Redskins addressed a position that has been a liability for several years. The team has started 14 guards over the past three seasons.
The Redskins now will have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in Steve Spurrier's second year as coach. They already have two top-notch tackles, Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen.
Thomas had planned to meet with six other teams, but Snyder's offer made it certain he wouldn't go anywhere else.
MORE (http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/WAS/6220565)