The Latest on NFL free agency. The NFL’s spending in free agency continues Thursday. All times EDT:
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2:55 p.m.
The Cleveland Browns beefed up their defensive front, agreeing to terms with former Bengals tackle Andrew Billings.
His agency announced the move with a posting on Twitter.
Billings is the third defensive player to strike a deal with the Browns in the past 24 hours. The team reached deals with linebacker B.J. Goodson and safety Karl Joseph on Wednesday.
A fourth-round pick in 2016 from Baylor, Billings sat out his rookie season with a knee injury. He’s started 37 games, 30 over the past two seasons while recording 67 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
He’s expected to start up front with Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi.
– Tom Withers reporting from Cleveland.
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2:45 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff and left tackle Andrew Whitworth have donated $250,000 apiece to pay for 2 million meals with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
The Rams announced the charitable donation as the first gift heading into a virtual telethon in conjunction with KABC-TV, to be held next Tuesday. The money raised will benefit the food bank and United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ Pandemic Relief Fund.
The 38-year-old Whitworth agreed to a three-year contract Wednesday to stay with the Rams. He has spent the past three seasons with the Rams, while Goff was the Rams’ first draft pick after returning home to Los Angeles.
”Tough times, like what we’re experiencing now, really show you the true value and importance of community,” Whitworth said. ”We’re here to wrap our arms around our hurting neighbors, let them know that they aren’t forgotten, and that we are here for them.”
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2:10 p.m.
The Buffalo Bills have confirmed signing safety Jordan Poyer to a two-year contract extension, which locks up the three-year starter through the 2022 season.
Poyer was entering the final year of the four-year contract. The deal was initially agreed to on Tuesday, and announced by the Bills on Thursday.
The 28-year-old has seven seasons of NFL experience and has been part of a formidable backfield alongside safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Tre’Davious White. The Bills allowed the fourth-fewest yards passing in the NFL last season, a year after finishing first in that category.
The trio has been together since 2017, coach Sean McDermott’s first in Buffalo.
Poyer has 11 interceptions in 47 games with Buffalo, and had a team-leading four forced fumbles last season.
– John Wawrow reporting from Buffalo, New York.
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1:40 p.m.
Another NFL veteran quarterback is on the open market. A person with knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press that the Denver Broncos are waiving Joe Flacco with a failed physical designation.
Flacco went 2-6 as Denver’s starter last season before a neck injury ended his season. He was eventually replaced by rookie Drew Lock, who went 4-1 down the stretch.
Coach Vic Fangio said at the NFL scouting combine last month that Flacco hadn’t been medically cleared.
– AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton reporting from Englewood, Colorado.
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1:25 p.m.
A person familiar with the deal says the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a one-year contract worth about $3 million with free agent guard Tom Compton.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal can’t be signed until Compton passes a physical.
Compton will help fill the void created by the planned release of Mike Person. Person started at right guard last season but struggled in pass protection.
Compton is the first outside free agent to agree to a deal with San Francisco since the start of the league year. He has ties to Niners coach Kyle Shanahan having spent time with him in Washington and Atlanta. Compton also played in Chicago and Minnesota before spending last season with the New York Jets.
– Josh Dubow reporting in San Francisco
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11:45 a.m.
Darius Slay got what he was waiting for – a trade out of Detroit and a big new contract.
The Lions agreed to trade Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles, ending the standout cornerback’s seven-year stint in Detroit.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the trade Thursday and that Slay has agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension with Philadelphia. The Lions drafted Slay 36th overall in 2013, and he earned All-Pro honors in 2017.
Slay wanted a new contract before last season and did not attend Detroit’s mandatory minicamp. He ended up reporting to training camp and played well enough to earn a third Pro Bowl nod.
Still, if there were any doubts about Slay’s wishes for the future, they seemed to be dispelled Wednesday night after ESPN reported that Detroit had reached an agreement with cornerback Desmond Trufant. Slay tweeted that he wanted out.
”Congrats to my guy!!!! Hope that speeds up my trade process!!” the tweet said.
Slay has 19 interceptions in his NFL career, including two last season.
ESPN, citing an unidentified source, reported that the Lions will receive 2020 draft picks in the third and fifth rounds for Slay.
The Eagles needed help in the secondary. Cornerback Ronald Darby is not expected to return, and the team is not bringing back safety Malcolm Jenkins. Philadelphia had the cap space and draft picks available to pull off a move such as this.
Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was Detroit’s coach when Slay was a rookie in 2013.
The Lions are overhauling a defense that ranked 31st in the league last season. Detroit agreed to a two-year deal with defensive tackle Danny Shelton and a trade bringing safety Duron Harmon to the Lions from New England.
Detroit has also reportedly agreed to deals with Trufant, linebacker Jamie Collins and defensive tackle Nick Williams. The Lions released defensive tackle Damon Harrison and linebacker Devon Kennard.
This could be a make-or-break year for Detroit coach Matt Patricia, who is 9-22-1 after two seasons at the helm. The defensive struggles have been particularly jarring, since Patricia was a defensive coordinator with New England before taking over the Lions.
– Noah Trister reporting in Detroit.
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