Welker’s deal is worth $12 million, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports.

Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway tweeted the club’s agreement with the former New England Patriot.

“Excited to have Wes join the Broncos. His production & toughness will be a great asset!” Elway wrote.

The Patriots had been negotiating with Welker leading up to free agency but the sides could not find common ground on a deal. The 31-year-old Welker played under the franchise tag and a $9.5 million salary for the 2012 season and finished with a team-high 118 catches and 1,354 yards to go with six touchdowns.

The team elected not to tag him this offseason. If they had, Welker would have received an escalated salary of $11.4 million for the 2013 season.

Welker has been a fan favorite in New England ever since he arrived via trade in 2007. His 672 receptions over six seasons (an average of 112 per season) since joining the Patriots are the most in the NFL over that span. He became the first player in NFL history with five 110-catch seasons.

Among Welker’s biggest supporters is quarterback Tom Brady, who helped the Patriots clear $15 million in cap space over the next two seasons by restructuring his deal and signing an extension.

Brady was willing to accept the deal, which was considered below market value, because of the trust that exists between the two-time Super Bowl MVP and the team. Brady felt that in giving New England this cap flexibility, a source told ESPNBoston.com, he trusted the Patriots would add the right players to finish his career with the best chance to win another championship. Now, it’s unclear whether Welker will be catching passes from Brady or from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

Just two days ago, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he hoped Welker would be “a Patriot for life, just like Tom Brady.”

Welker had a team-high eight catches for 117 yards in New England’s 28-13 AFC Championship Game loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

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Boldin said on Saturday that Baltimore might have to do a restructuring of some sort, but to this point and his knowledge, the Ravens have not.

As for his future, Boldin told Schefter that he would speak with his family before he makes any decisions, but as far as he is concerned and knows, he is planning to play for Baltimore next season under the terms of his current contract.

Boldin is scheduled to earn $6 million in the coming season. He carries a $7.531 million salary-cap figure.

Fox Sports initially reported Saturday that Baltimore gave Boldin an ultimatum: Take a pay cut or get cut on Tuesday. USA Today Sports later reported that Boldin had rejected Baltimore’s offer but that the sides were still discussing the matter, and that Boldin is prepared to test free agency if Baltimore releases him.

ESPN and other media outlets have reported that the Ravens do want to reduce Boldin’s salary as they try to free cap space to retain free-agent linebacker Dannell Ellerbe.

The Ravens were expected to keep Boldin after the team didn’t have to use the franchise tag on quarterback Joe Flacco, who signed a six-year, $120.6 million deal.

In the playoffs, Boldin caught 22 passes for 380 yards receiving (95 yards per game) and four touchdowns. He has led Baltimore in receiving yards in each of the past three seasons since being traded from Arizona.

Boldin, 32, said last month that he would retire if he was cut by the Ravens. Since the Ravens won the Super Bowl, linebacker Ray Lewis and center Matt Birk have retired and Baltimore has released guard Bobbie Williams.

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The deadline for teams to use the franchise tag is 4 p.m. ET on Monday.

The team’s decision means that left tackle Jake Long and receiver Brian Hartline will become unrestricted free agents on March 12 unless the Dolphins can agree to contracts with both players before then.

The 29-year-old Starks made the Pro Bowl as an alternate and is one of the anchors of Miami’s stout run defense. He was hard to move in the middle and showed enough athleticism to also register 4.5 sacks and an interception. Starks has 32.5 sacks and four interceptions in 140 career games.

Long, the Dolphins’ No. 1 overall pick in 2008, was placed on injured reserve in December because of a left triceps injury. Before that injury, the 27-year-old left tackle had missed only two games in five NFL seasons. He was chosen as a Pro Bowl starter each of the three years before 2012.

Long has become a less dominant blocker as his injuries accumulate. He was slowed by an ankle injury as a rookie and hurt his shoulder in 2010. In 2011 he battled back trouble, then missed the final game with a torn right biceps.

The 26-year-old Hartline posted career highs in receptions (74) and yards (1,083) as he provided a go-to target for first-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

He has 183 receptions, 2,753 yards and six touchdown catches in 60 career games.

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The move costs the Cowboys $10.6 million, but it is possible the sides could work out a long-term deal, according to Spencer’s agent, Jordan Woy.

“We will be working on a long-term deal,” Woy said. “Anthony played very well last season and he would like to know he has a home here for several years.”

However, it is also possible the Cowboys could look to trade Spencer for draft picks.

Spencer had a career-high 11 sacks in 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement. Spencer led the Cowboys with 95 tackles, and his eight tackles for loss and 26 quarterback pressures were second on the team.

He reached double digits in sacks last season for the first time in his career while only playing in 14 games. He even took over the play calling later in the season due to injuries to Sean Lee and Bruce Carter.

Spencer will move to defensive end with the Cowboys switching to the 4-3 scheme this year, if he remains on the roster. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones hinted at the NFL scouting combine that Spencer does not have the preferred size for Monte Kiffin’s scheme.

Spencer played defensive end at Purdue.

Jones also said Spencer’s price on a long-term deal would be too expensive for the team’s liking, but added there would be a reasonable way to keep him. While the franchise tag is costly, it is not unreasonable.

The Cowboys will have to restructure more contracts to get under the $123 million cap by March 12 and have worked out agreements to do so with defensive tackle Jay Ratliff and guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick and quarterback Kyle Orton could also have their deals re-worked.

The Cowboys would like to sign Tony Romo to a new deal, which would knock down his $16.8 million cap figure, but have not had substantive talks as of yet.

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“It wasn’t necessarily about the money. It was, at that point, about earning that respect and feeling like I was respected around here,” Flacco said Monday just minutes after signing the contract that includes $52 million in guaranteed money.

“The fact that they have made me that definitely makes me feel good about how I played and how they feel about me.”

Flacco led the Ravens to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, earning MVP honors by throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ravens and Flacco’s agent had been in talks for more than a year, but the agreement was reached Friday, just three days before Baltimore was set to use the franchise tag to keep him from being an unrestricted free agent.

“Joe’s a Raven in his style of play, the way he works and prepares, and the way he lives his life. He’s a significant reason we’ve been to the playoffs five years in a row, played in three AFC championship games, and now, we are the Super Bowl champs with Joe as MVP,” general manager Ozzie Newsome said in the statement announcing the extension.

Flacco said he learned about the deal while at his uncle’s house for family pizza night. He doesn’t have any big plans for the money.

“I’m not going to do anything crazy,” Flacco said. “All the celebration I can take is going out and enjoying a nice little time with the people that are close to me and looking at each other saying, ‘Man, can you believe where we are?'”

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The Baltimore Sun reported talks went fine between Flacco’s agent, Joe Litna, and Ravens vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty. Talks are expected to continue as both sides try to hammer out a deal before the March 4 deadline that teams have to use their franchise tag. If no deal is reached, Flacco is expected to be tagged.

Earlier this month, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said he is optimistic that the team will get a long-term deal done with the quarterback. Flacco is not under contract for the coming season. The franchise tag, which would take the 28-year-old Flacco off the free-agent market, would take $20 million of cap space this season.

Newsome said Feb. 7 that the sides were close to a deal before the season began, but it was a mutual agreement to stop negotiations until the end of the season.

Flacco, who made less than $7 million last season, is expected to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Drew Brees, at an average of $20 million per season, and Peyton Manning, who made $18 million last season, currently top the pay scale for quarterbacks.

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The Ravens and Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, had been trading telephone calls in recent days to try to schedule the face-to-face negotiating session. Both sides will try to hammer out a deal before the March 4 deadline that teams have to use their franchise tag. If no deal is reached, Flacco is expected to be tagged.

Earlier this month, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said he is optimistic that the team will get a long-term deal done with the quarterback. Flacco is not under contract for the coming season. The franchise tag, which would take the 28-year-old Flacco off the free-agent market, would take $20 million of cap space this season.

Newsome said Feb. 7 that the sides were close to a deal before the season began, but it was a mutual agreement to stop negotiations until the end of the season.

Flacco, who made less than $7 million last season, is expected to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Drew Brees, at an average of $20 million per season, and Peyton Manning, who made $18 million last season, currently top the pay scale for quarterbacks.

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The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player is not under contract for next season. Newsome said the sides were “very close” to a deal before the season began, but it was a mutual agreement to stop negotiations until the end of the season.

“I’m coming away today thinking that we can get a deal done,” Newsome said at the “State of the Ravens” season-ending news conference. “We’ve got deals done with Haloti [Ngata], JO [Jonathan Ogden], Ray [Lewis], Ray Rice, Ed Reed, [Terrell] Suggs. I’ve got a very good owner who understands the business and understands the importance of certain positions. So, I’m optimistic.”

If the Ravens can’t get a deal completed before the start of free agency, the team will put the franchise tag on Flacco. The exclusive tag, which would take Flacco off the free-agent market, would take $20 million of cap space this season.

“We’re looking to get a fair deal done with Joe,” Newsome said. “If we’re able to get a deal done, it will allow us to be able to participate more in the market if we so choose. But we understand what the priority is.”
Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, was asked in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday whether Flacco should be the highest-paid at his position, to which he simply responded, “Yes.”

Flacco, 28, is younger than Peyton Manning (who’s earning $18 million per year) and Drew Brees ($20 million), and now has as many Super Bowl titles as each of them. Linta said those are the numbers that matter.

“When you do a contract of this magnitude, you look at what is the player’s body of work presently,” Linta told CNBC. “And what are the expectations going forward over the next four, five or six years.

“Joe wins on both accounts.”

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With Darrelle Revis upset by trade rumors and a perceived lack of commitment from the organization, Idzik called the star cornerback Thursday in an attempt to clarify the situation.

Revis “reacted well” and appreciated the call, according to Idzik. Only a few hours earlier, Revis tweeted that he was “speechless” by the sudden questions about his future.

“I reached out to Darrelle, and I made sure he knew exactly where we were coming from and that this is my first day on the job and our message to everyone was, ‘Give us a chance to get to know each other and introduce ourselves to each other,’ ” Idzik said Friday in an interview with NBC’s Pro Football Talk.

“A lot of the people in the building you know through football circles, but you’ve never worked alongside each other. So give us that chance, and give us the chance to go through our current roster. Ultimately, that’s the basis of comparison to whatever you may contemplate doing. We haven’t taken that first step, and that’s what I relayed to Darrelle.”

Revis is in Arizona, rehabilitating his surgically repaired knee.

Idzik walked into a firestorm Thursday at his introductory news conference.

The former Seattle Seahawks executive, hired last week, was noncommittal when asked about Revis, who has one year left on his contract and could be dangled in trade talks. Idzik told reporters he needed to evaluate Revis and every player on the roster before making any judgments.

The non-answer made it worse.

Reports surfaced Wednesday night that owner Woody Johnson, concerned about not being able to negotiate a long-term extension for Revis, wants to explore trade talks. Per a clause in Revis’ contract, the Jets can’t use the franchise tag on him, meaning they could lose him for nothing next year as a free agent.

On Thursday afternoon, Revis responded via Twitter.

“I’m speechless by far but more importantly I feel more upset for the jet nation for having to go through this!!!” Revis tweeted. “I guess we’ll see how this plays out.”

The two sides haven’t engaged in any contract talks, but that should change in the coming weeks. Revis is scheduled to make $6 million in 2013, including a $1 million roster bonus due around March 20. Before then, the Jets have to decide what to do with their best player.

It will be hard to receive fair-market value in a trade, as Revis is only three months removed from ACL surgery. However, an opposing personnel executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets still extract at least a first-round pick for the injured corner.

Revis’ asking price could be an obstacle, though. He’s believed to be seeking at least $16 million per year, with $50 million in guarantees, roughly the free-agent contract defensive end Mario Williams received last offseason from the Buffalo Bills.

On Friday, fellow Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie stuck up for Revis.

“We can’t lose a guy like him,” Cromartie told NFL.com while in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. “He’s a great leader in the locker room and also in our DB room, making sure that guys are accountable for each other. To lose a guy like that would be huge. And even though he’s coming off the surgery, I believe he’ll come back as strong as ever.”

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