Leadoff with Lee 3.11.15 #NFLFreeAgency #Cavs #LeBron

By @cleeverizon

Move over Cedar Point, the NFL was America's roller coast yesterday. This was the most active first day of free agency that I have ever seen. We had trades,players retiring and unexpected signings. All I have to say in the morning is "Ya betta have my donuts." Here we go:

-The blockbuster of the day came when the Eagles traded Nick Foles, a 4th round pick in 2015 and a 2nd round pick in 2016 for St. Louis Rams QB Sam Bradford and 5th round draft pick in 2015. Here's the kicker, The Eagles will surrender a 2016 2nd-round pick to Rams in the trade no matter what. But will get back a conditional 2016 pick from the Rams. It will be a 3rd if Bradford does not play at all and a 4th if he starts less than 50 percent of plays.

- Here is the other blockbuster trade of the day: the Ravens traded their multiple time pro bowl, star lineman Haloti Ngata and 7th-round pick to Detroit for a 4th and 5th round pick in 2016. Nice steal for Detroit.

- Blockbuster trade number 3. Seattle Seahawks trade C Max Unger and a 2015 1st-round draft pick to Saints for pro bowl star tight end Jimmy Graham and a 2015 4th-rd draft pick.

- The Kansas City Chiefs signed SS Tyvon Branch to a one-year, $2 million contract. The Chiefs will release WR Dwayne Bowe today.

- The New York Jets signed Buster Skrine to a four-year,$25 million contract, including $13 million in guaranteed. But it didn't stop there. Cornerback Darrelle Revis signed a 5 year year deal worth $70M, $39M fully guaranteed. He gets $33M in first two years, and $48M in first three. WoW! They also released receiver Percy Harvin.

-The Colts signed running back Frank Gore to a 3 year deal with $7.5 million over the first two years. They also brought in former Houston Texans wide out Andre Johnson and re-signed S Mike Adams to a 2-year deal. Along with those moves, Trent Cole signed a two-year deal with the Colts for $14M, $8M guaranteed  $2M signing bonus, $3.75M 2015 roster bonus, $2M 2016 roster bonus; salaries $2M (guaranteed), $4.25M; $1M incentive.

- The Carolina Panthers released RB DeAngelo Williams.

- Linebacker AJ Hawk signed with his favorite childhood team, the Cincinnati Bengals.

- The Denver Broncos signed tight end Owen Daniels to replace Julius Thomas, who agreed to a deal with Jacksonville earlier in the week.

- The San Francisco 49ers signed former Ravens receiver Torrey Smith to a five-year, $40 million contract.

- The Raiders signed ex-Seahawks linebacker and Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith. Oakland also signed running back Roy Helu, formerly of Washington.

- The Tennessee Titans signed former Falcons receiver Harry Douglas.

- The Cardinals signed linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

- Tennessee Titans free agent QB Jake Locker shockingly retired after only 4 years in the league. Locker, 26, was the eighth overall pick in the 2011 draft, but suffered from injuries and inconsistencies in his time with the Titans. Locker was expected to be one of the top free agent quarterbacks available this offseason.

- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis retired after 9 years due to health concerns with feet, along wanting to leave the game on his own terms.

- Steelers free agent linebacker Jason Worilds has also decided to step away from playing football, announcing his decision via a series of tweets on Twitter. Worilds, 27, had 15 sacks the past two seasons in Pittsburgh and was expected to get offers up to $15 million in guaranteed money.

- Lastly, the Cavaliers went down to Dallas and hung the biggest home loss of the season on the Mavericks, smashing them 127-94. LeBron James led the Cavs with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. This was the third time this season that all five Cavaliers starters scored at least 17 points, with James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and JR Smith all above 20 points. Timofey Mozgov had 17. On the Mavs side, Monta Ellis had 17 points while Dirk Nowitzki struggled with 13 points on 3/10 shooting. In the game, LeBron James also became the team's all time assist leader, passing Mark Price. The Cavs have off tonight while they prepare for their TNT nationally televised game versus the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. Tip off will be at 9:30 pm.

Leadoff with Lee 2.25.15 #Browns #McCown #Kane #JoshHamilton

By @cleeverizon

- Josh McCown visited the Browns Tuesday & Wednesday. But before we get to excited about signing McCown, he also visited with Bills last week and met Bears & Jets at combine. However Josh McCown will make his decision on a team possibly in a few days. The Browns are in the running. And he wants  to talk things over with family. It sounds as if the Browns have offered him a contract.

He would be a good transition quarterback for the Browns as they prepare their future signal caller whomever that maybe. Even though I would rather have Sam Bradford who the Rams maybe be willing to part with for a 3rd round pick or future conditional 1st or 2nd round pick depending on Bradford's play and health. But the Browns will need to find out the punishment that he NFL will issue for "TextGate" before they can even dip their feet into those waters.

- Looks like the quarterback situation is going to get interesting, per Pro Football Talk the Browns Ray Farmer & Brian Hoyer are set to meet. It's a safe assumption they will be talking about the "TextGate" situation and both sides will determine where to go from there.

- The Browns are also rumored to be interested in Buccaneers free agent DE Adrian Clayborn. He's had 13 sacks in 4 years in the NFL but was hurt in 2012 and 2014. His rookie year in 2011 he has 7.5 sacks and started all 16 games. Most recently in 2013 he has 5.5 sacks and 16 games started. He suffered a torn bicep cost him his 2014 season. Despite his two season ending injuries Clayborn has produced on the field. Cleveland needs help on the defensive line and would be ready to play right away rather than sit like a rookie would.

- NFL sources have indicated that free agent wide receiver Cecil Shorts and the Browns have mutual interest with each other. Shorts would provide a big target as he is 6'0, 200lbs and would allow Andrew Hawkins and/or Miles Austin to play their natural slot position.

- Sources close to Browns tight end Jordan Cameron have said he is not interested in resigning with the team and will test the free agent market.

- The Packers released LB AJ Hawk, their 2006 first-round pick. It saves them $3.5M this year, which comes off their cap.  He ranks No. 1 in franchise history with 1,118 tackles.

- The Detroit Lions have parted ways with RB Reggie Bush.  

- Bulls announce Derrick Rose will undergo surgery after an MRI revealed medial meniscus tear in right knee and will be out indefinitely. The Bulls have paid Derrick Rose $944,608 for each game he has played in over the last 3 seasons (56 games).

- LeBron James set the all-time NBA record for assists by a forward, with 6,136 passing Scottie Pippen (6,135).

- Kendrick Perkins officially signed with the Cavs Tuesday, his Cleveland salary will be $443.068 for the remainder of the season with a salary-cap number of $279,975.

- Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane is expected to miss 12 weeks after undergoing surgery of his left clavicle. The Florida Panthers' Alex Petrovic cross checked Kane in the lower back which led Kane to be slammed into the boards, causing the fracture. The regular season ends April 11, with the playoffs starting a week later. Kane would be expected to miss the start of the playoffs with hope that he could return in the Western Conference finals, should Chicago reach that far.

- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton could be facing some discipline from Major League Baseball after revealing that he's had a drug related relapse which may have included but not limited to cocaine use. Hamiltion is currently undergoing rehab after his shoulder surgery earlier this month and is expected out until at least May. That could change now, obviously. Hamilton signed a 5-year, $125 million deal with the Angels before the 2013 season.

- Former St. Louis Ram Michael Sam and Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin have joined the cast of the new season of Dancing With The Stars.

- The city of Inglewood, CA has approved the "Hollywood Park" stadium plan project to build a Los Angeles based NFL stadium for the St. Louis Rams. The unanimously approved project would build a $1.86 billion, 80,000 seat stadium adjacent to the multi-use redevelopment at the old Hollywood Park racetrack. Workers could potentially start building by the end of 2015.