The New England Patriots confirmed Wednesday that they re-signed defensive lineman Alan Branch and also signed unrestricted free agent cornerbacks Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain.
According to earlier reports, Branch received a two-year contract worth a maximum $6.6 million. McClain signed a reported one-year, $1.24 million deal that includes up to $760,000 in incentives for playing time. ESPN reported that Fletcher’s one-year deal is for a maximum $2.5 million.
An unrestricted free agent who turned 30 in December, Branch was drafted in 2007 by the Arizona Cardinals and had played for Seattle and Buffalo before joining the Patriots. He signed with New England midway through the 2014 season and played in eight regular-season and three postseason games, highlighted by his seven tackles in Super Bowl XLIX.
Branch has started 49 of 102 NFL games and totaled 184 tackles and eight sacks.
Fletcher, 28, spent the past two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles after four years with St. Louis Rams. He has 306 career tackles and eight interceptions.
Last season with the Eagles, Fletcher started the first 15 games but was burned repeatedly late in the season in coverage and benched for the final game. He led the Eagles with 26 passes defensed.
McClain, 26, has bounced between the Carolina Panthers (2010), Jacksonville Jaguars (2011) and Atlanta Falcons (2012-14) in four NFL seasons. In 63 career games, he has 202 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
In 2014, McClain started six of 16 games for the Falcons and totaled 60 tackles, one sack and two interceptions.
Cowboys agree to deal with Hardy
The Dallas Cowboys and free agent defensive end Greg Hardy agreed to a one-year deal Wednesday after two days of negotiations.
Pro Football Talk reported the deal carries a salary of $750,000, but he can earn up to a total of $13.1 million through a series of per-game roster bonuses, incentives and a large workout bonus. Hardy can earn a workout bonus of $1.3116 million, $9.25 million in per-game roster bonuses, and $1.3116 million in incentives based on sacks.
According to ESPN, the deal is for $11.3 million that could be worth up to just over $13 million.
The former Pro Bowl player could be facing an NFL suspension after missing 15 games last season.
Hardy played in the season opener in 2014 and made $13.1 million under the franchise designation. The 26-year-old was arrested and charged with assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, in May and was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list in September. All charges were dropped on Feb. 9 because Holder refused to cooperate with the district attorney’s office after reportedly receiving a financial settlement from Hardy.
Hardy was placed on the inactive list before the second game this past season and the commissioner’s exempt list before the third game.
Hardy has 34 career sacks, including 15 in 2013.
Still on the exempt list, Hardy is subject to NFL discipline and reportedly is set to be suspended for multiple games — and as many as six — with the league reviewing facts of his case.