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3-14-12: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - Free Agency

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This man reuniting with his old Quarterback was among one of the biggest stories on the start of Free Agency (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
This man reuniting with his old Quarterback was among one of the biggest stories on the start of Free Agency (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
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Free agency was pretty quiet for the Cardinals so far besides a few visits and the release of Levi Brown being announced. Plenty of teams made big moves though and Manning-Watch is still chugging along.

Interesting thing on how the Cards could be willing to walk away from Kolb and where he could wind up if that does happen.

Arizona Cardinals News:

Cardinals Release Levi Brown
Cards let tackle go as free agency starts; Still want him back

Levi Brown's release recalls past issues - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Like clockwork, another Arizona Cardinals top-10 draft choice has reached a point in his rookie contract when the salary-cap figure became untenable. Larry Fitzgerald and Antrel Rolle got there first. Levi Brown arrived Tuesday, leading to his release as the Cardinals sought to comply with salary-cap limits.

Word From the Birds Blog - As free agency begins, bring the brown paper bag
Ninety minutes before free agency began Tuesday came this tweet from the New York Times’ Judy Battista: "Remember to breath into the brown paper bag regularly. FA winners are rarely SB winners." Better advice was never spoken.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Cardinals and free agency, day 1
Here's a synopsis of day 1 on free agency for the Cardinals, at least so far.

Arizona Cardinals release tackle Levi Brown
The Cardinals released starting left tackle Levi Brown on Tuesday, moving under the NFL salary cap of $120.6 million, and continued to wait for quarterback Peyton Manning to pick a new team. Brown's release has been expected. The fifth overall pick in the 2007 draft, his compensation was due to soar in 2012, increasing his salary cap figure to $16.9 million. The Cardinals and Brown knew when they negotiated five years ago that Brown would never play the 2012 under that figure. It was put into the contract as a device to force both sides to renegotiate, or the team to release Brown. The Cardinals would like to re-sign Brown, but negotiations have not been fruitful. Brown, who turns 28 on Friday, is now an unrestricted free agent and likely will garner attention from other teams even though he has not played up to expectations.

Report: Cardinals willing to walk away from Kevin Kolb, QB could land with Browns - ArizonaSports.com
The Arizona Cardinals might sign Peyton Manning in the next week, giving the team the elite starting QB it has lacked since Kurt Warner retired three years ago. Or, of course, they might not sign Manning, leaving them with the same signal callers they finished last season with.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - And free agency starts -- officially
The new league year started with the Cardinals releasing OT Levi Brown, a move that brought them in compliance with the cap of $120.6 million. Several teams, including the Cardinals, apparently are targeting receivers first. I just bumped into former Raiders receiver Chaz Schilens in the parking lot. He said he was coming in for a visit on the first day of free agency.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Clarifying the Kolb bonus deadline
Quarterback Kevin Kolb will receive a $7 million bonus if he's on the roster Saturday. But the Cardinals deadline for making the decision to keep him on the team has to come a day earlier.

Richard Marshall to visit with Miami - ArizonaSports.com
Free agent defensive back Richard Marshall was a tremendously valuable part of Ray Horton's revamped defense last season. In fact, Horton anointed Marshall his defensive MVP. So it's not surprising that Marshall is already garnering interest on the free agent market.

Titans guard Jake Scott visiting the Cardinals - ArizonaSports.com
The Arizona Cardinals have been linked to numerous free agents -- even some that aren't named Peyton Manning

Cardinals reportedly target WR Chaz Schilens - ArizonaSports.com
The Arizona Cardinals would like to bolster their WR group, and are reportedly turning their attention to former Oakland Raider Chaz Schilens.

Coincidence? Running back Michael Bush in Arizona - ArizonaSports.com
If there's one position the Cardinals really don't need help at, it's running back.

Report: Cardinals talking contract with Peyton Manning - ArizonaSports.com
Peyton Manning has spent much of the last week visiting with teams, talking football with coaches and trying to figure out where he'd be a good fit. One thing that had not been brought up was a contract, though that may have changed. According to the Denver Post, several teams in the "Manning Sweepstakes" have been in discussions with agent Tom Condon.

Schefter: Miami not real contender for Manning - ArizonaSports.com
The field of contenders for the services of Peyton Manning doubled Monday when news trickled out that the free agent quarterback had met with the Miami Dolphins and will talk with the Tennessee Titans. But one NFL insider doesn't think much has changed on the Manning front despite the presence of two new suitors.

Report: Cardinals interested in WR Laurent Robinson - ArizonaSports.com
The Arizona Cardinals have been searching for a receiver to play opposite Larry Fitzgerald since trading Anquan Boldin to Baltimore before the 2010 season.

Cardinals have 72 hours to cut Kolb | ProFootballTalk
Time may not be of the essence for Peyton Manning. For one of the teams near the front of the pack (perhaps) in the Peyton chase, it is.

PFT Live: Manning a fan of Whisenhunt? | ProFootballTalk
Mike Florio talks with Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic about Peyton Manning’s recent visit to Arizona. Somers believes that Ken Whisenhunt is why Manning is interested in the Cardinals.

NFL News:

Young and old of West as free agency nears - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams take two of the NFL's youngest rosters into the free-agent signing period Tuesday. The first chart shows where teams in the division rank after subtracting from rosters those players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at 4 p.m. ET. I also eliminated from consideration kickers, punters and long-snappers because age variations matter less at those positions.

NFL Free Agents 2012: Potential Landing Spots For The Top Available Players - SBNation.com
NFL free agency starts Tuesday afternoon. Who are the top players available, and where will they sign?

Dolphins Trade Brandon Marshall To Chicago For 2 Draft Picks - SBNation.com
The Dolphins have traded Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Bears in exchange for two third-round picks.

49ers' Rogers makes it NFC West two-fer - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers declined to use the franchise tag for their top defensive free agents. Both teams risked losing valued players in free agency. Both wound up striking deals anyway -- and on the first day of NFL free agency.

Finnegan gives Fisher a building block - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The St. Louis Rams said they would be aggressive in free agency. Reaching agreement with Tennessee Titans free-agent cornerback Cortland Finnegan six hours into the NFL signing period counts as being aggressive.

Free Agent Matt Flynn May Wait On Peyton Manning - SBNation.com
While most of the free agent quarterback focus on where Peyton Manning will sign, the next best quarterback on the market is Matt Flynn, who could be waiting on Peyton Manning to sign before he makes his choice on which team he will play for in 2012. Flynn is expected to have plenty of suitors, but according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, Flynn could wait it out.

Buccaneers Free Agency 2012: Vincent Jackson Lands In Tampa Bay With 5-Year Contract - SBNation.com
The Bucs were targeting Vincent Jackson in free agency and they got him. Jackson agreed to a five-year deal with the team.

Reggie Wayne, Colts Reportedly Agree To 3-Year Deal - SBNation.com
Reggie Wayne will return to the Indianapolis Colts on a three-year contract, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter. Wayne, 33, officially became a free agent at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and the Indianapolis Star previously reported that the team wasted no time engaging in contract talks to bring back the 11-year veteran.

Redskins Free Agency 2012: Washington Picks Up Former Colt Pierre Garcon - SBNation.com
The Redskins moved quickly in signing free agents Pierre Garcon, and Josh Morgan.

Bills Plan Big Offer For Mario Williams; Robert Meachem Visits Too - SBNation.com
When I first heard the news that free agent Mario Williams would be visiting the Buffalo Bills, I thought it was just be the first stop of many planned visits. Apparently, the Bills are hoping he doesn't even leave Buffalo. The Buffalo News reported the Bills planned to make Williams the highest paid defensive player in the game and WGR 550 reports the Bills fully expect to sign him in the next 24 hours.

Marques Colston, Saints Agree To 5-Year Contract - SBNation.com
Marques Colston will avoid free agency after the Saints locked him up to a new five-year deal.

With Alex Smith at quarterback, Moss as a Niner makes no sense | ProFootballTalk
I’ve always liked Randy Moss. There’s a touch of country charm about him, even when he’s saying things he shouldn’t say and doing things he shouldn’t do. But I don’t get his decision to sign with the 49ers. Last season, when there was talk that he may unretire, he was interested only in teams with elite quarterbacks. Alex Smith, while better than he once was, isn’t elite.