NFL: Arizona Cardinals news...

[The_Dude]

via Yahoo! Sports:

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- The Arizona Cardinals agreed to terms Saturday on three-year contracts for running back Marcel Shipp and safety Hanik Milligan.

Both were unrestricted free agents after finishing last season with the Cardinals.

Shipp has spent his entire six-year NFL career with Arizona after making the team as an undrafted free agent out of Massachusetts in 2001. He was backup to Edgerrin James last season and figures to fill the same role under new coach Ken Whisenhunt.

He carried just 17 times for 41 yards last season but scored four of the team's 12 rushing touchdowns. Shipp has gained 2,156 yards in the NFL, averaging 3.65 yards per attempt. He gained 834 yards in 2002 and 830 in 2003.

Milligan, a standout on special teams, came to the Cardinals off waivers from San Diego last Sept. 3.

[The_Dude]

via Yahoo! Sports:

PHOENIX (AP) -- Former Dallas Cowboys center Al Johnson agreed to a four-year contract with Arizona on Monday, the Cardinals' first free-agent acquisition this year.

The 6-foot-5, 311-pound lineman worked out for the Cardinals on Sunday. He changed his plans to leave that night and stayed while the deal was worked out.

Johnson said Sunday he had an offer on the table from Tampa Bay but liked what he heard from new Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm.

Johnson, a second-round draft pick out of Wisconsin in 2003, missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury, but started 31 consecutive games in 2004 and 2005. Last season, he lost his starting job to Andre Gurode, who recently signed a six-year, $30 million contract with Dallas, a deal that included a $10 million signing bonus. Still, Johnson played in all 16 games in 2006.

Terms of Johnson's contract weren't disclosed, but Whisenhunt indicated that other deals around the NFL lengthened Monday's negotiations. Johnson's agent, Neil Cornrich, did not return a telephone message left at his office.

Whisenhunt said Johnson would compete with returning starter Nick Leckey this fall.

"Before this ever started, we were saying we were looking to increase the competition on this team," Whisenhunt said. "It will be a competition. We feel like we've got two pretty good players at that position now. We're glad we got this thing done."

The Cardinals tendered an offer to Leckey, a restricted free agent, but not to their other center, Alex Stepanovich.

Whisenhunt said Johnson would be valuable off the field as well as on it.

"The important thing here is we said originally that we wanted to make sure we had the kind of guys with character that we wanted on this team," Whisenhunt said.

Two of Whisenhunt's assistants, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens, were on Bill Parcells' staff in Dallas and vouched for Johnson's abilities and attitude.

Two players worked out for the Cardinals at their Tempe headquarters Monday: Cincinnati safety Kevin Kaesviharn and St. Louis cornerback Travis Fisher.

Others who worked out for Arizona over the weekend included Buffalo guard-tackle Mike Gandy, Cincinnati tight end Reggie Kelly and Philadelphia cornerback Roderick Hood.