TEMPE, Ariz. -- Evan Mathis, a starting guard for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos last season, and the Arizona Cardinals have agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
A person familiar with the situation said the deal is worth $6 million, plus $69 because his uniform number is 69. The person asked for anonymity because the terms were not officially released.
Mathis, a 2013 All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection, fills an immediate need and is an upgrade at right guard for the Cardinals, who sent Jonathan Cooper to New England on Tuesday as part of the trade that brought defensive end/outside linebacker Chandler Jones to Arizona.
The 34-year-old Mathis is entering his 12th NFL season. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound lineman has appeared in 130 career regular-season games, 90 as a starter, for Carolina, Miami, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Denver.
NFL admits football link to CTE before court ruling
PHILADELPHIA -- The NFL's sudden acknowledgement of a link between football and brain disease comes as a U.S. appeals court prepares to rule on the fairness of a likely $1 billion settlement that excludes future CTE diagnoses.
The NFL filed a letter with the court this week after league official Jeff Miller, senior vice president for health and safety, acknowledged that brain research on deceased players "certainly" shows a link between football and CTE.
"Simply put, Mr. Miller's remarks have no bearing on the pending appeal," NFL lawyer Paul Clement argued in a letter filed late Tuesday. "The NFL has previously acknowledged studies identifying a potential association between CTE and certain football players."
NFL
The settlement would affect more than 20,000 retirees, paying $190,000 on average but up to $5 million to young men with severe neurological conditions, such as Lou Gehrig's disease or Parkinson's disease. The NFL has said it expects three out of 10 ex-players to qualify for compensation during their lifetime.
Critics who appealed the settlement believe it should also cover future cases of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which cannot currently be diagnosed until after death. Some believe that Miller's statement lends weight to that position, and they asked the court to consider it in their review.
"To have said anything other than that would have been ridiculous at this point," said Dr. Robert Stein of Boston University, who expects to find a way to diagnose CTE in the living within five to seven years.
Browns: Veteran WR Dwayne Bowe released
CLEVELAND -- The Browns have released wide receiver Dwayne Bowe after one disappointing season.
Bowe had just five catches for 53 yards last season for Cleveland after signing a two-year, $12.5 million free agent contract. That deal, drawn up by then-general manager Ray Farmer, included $9 million guaranteed.
Bowe's release came within minutes of the team cutting ties with veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby, the Browns' leading tackler last season.
The 31-year-old Bowe came to the Browns with high expectations after eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He led the NFL with 15 touchdown receptions in 2010.
But Bowe sustained a hamstring injury in training camp and then barely got on the field for Cleveland's coaching staff. He was inactive for eight games and did not make a start.
Bowe has 537 career catches for 7,208 yards and 44 TDs.
Raiders: LT Donald Penn re-signs in Oakland
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders agreed to a two-year contract Wednesday to re-sign free agent left tackle Donald Penn in another move to fortify the offensive line in front of quarterback Derek Carr.
Penn announced on his Instagram account that he has decided to stay in Oakland after testing the free-agent market. Penn had been expected to visit the New York Giants this week before reaching the deal with the Raiders. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Penn's deal would be worth $14 million.
The Raiders also signed free-agent safety Brynden Trawick in a move to add depth and improve their special teams.
General manager Reggie McKenzie has once again focused on building a strong line in free agency, having previously signed Kelechi Osemele last week to a five-year deal worth $58.5 million.
With Penn back at left tackle protecting Carr's blindside, Osemele can slot in at guard where he has had his most success in the NFL. Oakland also has last year's top free-agent acquisition Rodney Hudson at center, emerging third-year guard Gabe Jackson and right tackle Austin Howard on a line that looks to be one of the stronger ones in the NFL.
Since arriving in Oakland in 2014 after being let go by Tampa Bay, Penn has revitalized his career and been one of the steadier left tackles in the game. According to Pro Football Focus, Penn allowed two or fewer quarterback pressures in 13 of 16 games last season.
Bengals: DT Pat Sims re-signs with two-year deal
CINCINNATI -- The Bengals signed defensive tackle Pat Sims to a two-year deal on Wednesday, retaining another free agent from a defense that ranked second in the NFL in fewest points allowed last season.
Sims, a third-round pick in 2008, played in Oakland from 2013-14 before returning as a free agent. He has started 23 games for Cincinnati. Last season, he shared a sack in Cincinnati's playoff loss to Pittsburgh.
Keeping the defense intact has been a priority for Cincinnati in free agency. The Bengals signed starting safety George Iloka to a five-year, $30 million deal and brought back cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones on a three-year deal Tuesday. Cornerbacks Leon Hall and starting safety Reggie Nelson also became free agents.