Post by golden on Mar 24, 2007 5:18:22 GMT -7
03:25 PM CDT on Friday, March 23, 2007
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com IRVING – The Cowboys have found their free safety.
Ken Hamlin on Friday signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, ending a three-day courtship with the four-year veteran.
The move also allows the Cowboys more flexibility in next month's draft, lowering their need for a safety although not eliminating it altogether.
Hamlin visited with Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, head coach Wade Phillips and several assistants Wednesday and the team and his agent, Kennard McGuire, started negotiations Thursday. Hamlin had visited New Orleans earlier in the free-agency period and had some other trips planned.
In four seasons in Seattle, Hamlin started all but two games he played in, missing 10 games in 2005 because of a serious head injury that threatened his career. He returned to the field last year and finished second on the Seahawks with 96 tackles to go with three interceptions and two sacks.
For his career he has eight regular-season interceptions.
The Cowboys used rookie Patrick Watkins (nine starts) and Keith Davis (six starts) at free safety a year ago and they combined for 70 tackles. Watkins had three interceptions, second best on the team.
With Hamlin, a second-round pick out of Arkansas in 2003, the Cowboys hope to move Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage. The signing will also keep Anthony Henry at cornerback after Anthony Henry the team considered briefly the possibility of moving him to safety.
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