"Big announcement" tomorrow at Redskins' Park

Skins trade Gardner to Seattle for a box of kicking tees and a gatorade container?

Sorry, I meant Gardner and next year's second round draft pick for a box of kicking tees and a gatorade container.

On a more serious note, the Bengals just released Kevin Hardy (LB) today. Possibly sign him and move him inside (at least until McCune is ready)?

Two letters. T.O.

Hardy's a possibility. He definitely has the size (6-4, 259) to move inside. His veteran savvy should come in handy, too, especially with Williams's emphasis on cerebral middle LBs.

Word is that they signed Moss to a six year extension.

:frusty: no. oh that can't be true. why give in to his demands. this is only gonna make sean taylor more hopeful that his demands will be met.

Barry Sanders is coming out of retirement as Danny Boy agreed to pay all his debt to the Lions in one lump sum.

Per profootballtalk.com's rumor mill, for what it's worth:

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 4:45 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:19 p.m. EDT, May 4, 2005



'SKINS, MOSS REACH DEAL



The Redskins have reached an agreement on a contract extension with receiver Santana Moss, according to a league source.



Per the source, Moss will sign on Thursday a six-year extension, voidable to five based upon the achievement of minimum playing time (i.e., 30 percent) in any season from 2006 through 2010.



Under the contract, Moss will receive bonuses (signing, roster, and option) over the first two years in the amount of $11 million.



We're getting mixed information, however, as to the total amount of new money. One source says that the deal carries $26.55 million in new money for the five years beyond Moss' prior deal for 2005. Another source says that the deal has only $25 million in new money, making it comparable to the contract signed in 2004 by Panthers receiver Steve Smith.



Moss, who was traded to the Redskins from the Jets for Laveraneus Coles in March, had been staying away from the Washington's involuntary voluntary workouts due to his unresolved contractual status.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=2053347

Moss' six-year extension worth $31 millionBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com


Speedy wide receiver Santana Moss, the veteran on whom the Washington Redskins are counting to add some big-play dimension to their anemic passing attack of last season on Wednesday reached a contract extension with the club, ESPN.com has learned.

Moss was officially acquired from the New York Jets on March 9 in a swap of unhappy wide receivers, with Laveranues Coles going to the Jets, the team that originally brought him into the league. The trade had been discussed by the Redskins and Jets for two weeks before it was finally consummated, and then was delayed several more days because the two players had to pass physical examinations.

The six-year extension, negotiated by agent Drew Rosenhaus and scheduled to be signed on Thursday, is worth $31 million. But the sixth-year of the deal will void if Moss merely reaches minimum playing time levels, and so the five-year value of the add-on is $26.55 million. The deal includes $11 million in combined signing and option bonuses, paid out over two years.

The four-year veteran was entering the final season of his original NFL contract and he was scheduled to have a base salary of $540,000 for the 2005 season.

Rosenhaus and Redskins officials have been working on the extension since the trade was completed. But with the draft, and Washington having to clear salary cap space to finish the deal, it took more than a month to complete.

There was never any doubt that, once the trade was consummated, the two sides would strike an extension agreement, just as Coles did with the Jets. While negotiations dragged on, though, Moss stayed away from the Redskins' offseason training program. He will report on Wednesday evening to the team and begin participating in the workouts as early as Thursday, Rosenhaus confirmed.

"Everyone worked hard, first of all, to get the trade finished, and then to complete this (extension)," Rosenhaus said before boarding a flight back to his Miami base. "Santana is excited to be with the Redskins and, obviously, he is a player that Washington wanted in its offense. Hopefully, this contract with spark some movement with some other wide receivers in the league."

Rosenhaus represents several other prominent receivers, such as Philadelphia's Terrell Owens and Javon Walker of Green Bay, who are seeking to upgrade their contracts.

Moss, 25, was the Jets' first-round choice in the 2001 draft. The former University of Miami star, who possesses great quickness, has 151 catches for 2,416 yards and 19 touchdowns in 51 appearances.

He has been hampered at times by hamstring and knee injuries but, when healthy, is an explosive performer, as reflected in a career average of 16.0 yards per catch and one touchdown every 7.9 receptions. Of his 151 catches, 106 have resulted in first downs or touchdowns. Moss' best season came in 2003, when he posted 74 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 scores.

The four-year veteran is also a playmaker on special teams and has averaged 11.9 yards and scored two touchdowns on 88 career punt returns.

Certainly the Washington passing game, statistically the NFL's fourth-least productive in 2004, can use a receiver of Moss' potential. The Redskins, stymied in part by an archaic design that featured a lot of "maximum" protections and only two receivers in the pattern, averaged a paltry 5.36 yards per pass play last season, and 10.96 yards per completion. Both those numbers were second-lowest in the league.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

whoo hoo. i bet this is the big announcement. well at least his holdout is over. maybe now they can focus on football. hopefully sean taylor quits his charade because he most certainly won't get a new contract.