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The 49ers locked up their biggest potential free agent – offensive tackle Trent Williams – for the long term by agreeing to give the star left tackle the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman. Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers locked up their biggest potential free agent for the long term by agreeing to give star left tackle Trent Williams the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman.

Williams’ agents at Elite Loyalty Sports say the deal agreed to early Wednesday will pay Williams $138.1 million over the next six years, surpassing the $138 million deal David Bakhtiari got from Green Bay during last season. Williams also will get the biggest signing bonus ever for an offensive lineman at $30.1 million, as well as $55.1 million guaranteed.

The Niners finalized the deal just hours before Williams could have left to sign with another team at the start of the new league year.

The contract is a staggering reward for Williams, who sat out the entire 2019 season in Washington over a dispute with the front office before reviving his career in San Francisco.

He showed a few signs of rust early but quickly got back to his usual form and earned his eighth Pro Bowl selection. Williams was graded as the top left tackle by Pro Football Focus and is now being paid that way as well.

The 49ers had a disappointing 2020, winning just six games following a trip to the Super Bowl the previous season. But they pinned many of the troubles to injuries that sidelined quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and other key players like tight end George Kittle and edge rusher Nick Bosa for large portions of the season.

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GIANTS: Offensive tackle Nate Solder has renegotiated his contract with the New York Giants and will return to the NFL after opting out of last season because of family concerns about COVID-19.

Solder, who was supposed to earn $9.9 million this season under his old contract, will earn roughly $4 million this season. The length of the new contract was not immediately available.

The Giants also said they had re-signed wide receiver C.J. Board, defensive tackle Austin Johnson and long snapper Casey Kreiter.

Wednesday was the opening day of NFL free agency. The Giants helped their salary cap problems by working out a three-year, $63 million deal with defensive lineman Leonard Williams on Tuesday. A person close to the talks said the signing probably won’t be formally announced until later in the week. The person spoke anonymously because contract terms were not released.

The 32-year-old Solder decided not to play last season because he is a testicular cancer survivor and his 5-year-old son has been undergoing treatment for kidney cancer since he was an infant. His wife also had a baby last spring.

Solder joined the Giants in 2018 and started 32 games at left tackle over the next two seasons. First-round draft pick Andrew Thomas took over at left tackle this past season. Either Solder or second-year pro Matt Peart is expected to be the starting right tackle.

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RAIDERS: Las Vegas agreed to a one-year contract with free agent receiver John Brown to replace the departing Nelson Agholor.

A person familiar with the deal says the sides agreed on the deal Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn’t been signed.

Brown will earn $3.75 million with incentives that could raise it to $5.5 million, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio’s Adam Caplan, who first reported the deal.

The Raiders were seeking a veteran deep threat at receiver after Agholor left in free agency to New England and hope they found the answer in Brown.

Brown, who turns 31 in April, is coming off the second-least productive season of his career as he was limited to nine games because of knee and ankle injuries and got fewer targets because of the addition of Stefon Diggs in Buffalo. Brown had 33 catches for 458 yards and three touchdowns last season to go along with 10 catches for 86 yards in three playoff games.

BILLS: Buffalo reached an agreement to sign veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders, a person with direct knowledge of the move confirmed with the The Associated Press.

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The agreement is pending Sanders passing a physical, the person said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the receiver hasn’t been officially released by New Orleans, a day after Saints GM Mickey Loomis announced the team is terminating the player’s contract.

Sanders, who turned 34 on Wednesday, is an 11-year veteran and preparing to join his fourth team in three years. He’s an established possession receiver, and will be given the chance to replace John Brown, who was cut last week to free up salary cap space. Sanders joins an established mix in Buffalo’s Josh Allen-led passing attack, which includes Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis. The Bills finished 13-3 and set numerous passing and scoring records in clinching their first AFC East title in 25 years and reaching the conference championship game for the first time since the 1993 season.

Sanders had 61 catches for 726 yards and five touchdowns in his one season with the Saints last year.

CHIEFS: Kansas City is planning to sign defensive lineman Taco Charlton and running back Darrel Williams to one-year deals, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The Chiefs also have tendered wide receiver Byron Pringle and offensive lineman Andrew Wylie, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because deals cannot be completed until later in the day. That’s when the Chiefs can also finalize a five-year, $80 million contract with former Patriots offensive lineman Joe Thuney.

LIONS: Running back Jamaal Williams has agreed to sign with the Detroit Lions, according to a person familiar with the situation.

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Reports say the unrestricted free agent agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million contract. The former Green Bay Packer provides a boost for a backfield that also includes D’Andre Swift and Kerryon Johnson.

Green Bay drafted Williams out of BYU in the fourth round in 2017 and he had a solid run with the team. He had 1,985 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, nearly 1,000 yards receiving and eight scores in his career that includes 20 starts over four seasons.

WASHINGTON: Washington dipped into the free agent pool and spent significant money to fill a void at cornerback.

The team reached an agreement to sign William Jackson to a contract worth $42 million over three years with $26 million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team does not release contract terms.

Jackson replaces Ronald Darby, who left to join the Denver Broncos. The 28-year-old Jackson joins Washington after four seasons with the Bengals, during which he had three interceptions in 59 games, including 48 starts.

Washington also re-signed reserve running back Lamar Miller to a one-year contract, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed in an email to the AP.

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DOLPHINS: Free-agent cornerback Justin Coleman agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Miami.

Coleman, a six-year veteran, started five games for the Detroit Lions last year. He has also played for Seattle and New England and has made 29 career starts.

Coleman is expected to compete for playing time as a slot corner for Miami.

Miami also signed defensive tackle Adam Butler to a two-year deal. He started a total of 12 games the past four seasons with the New England Patriots.

Butler started four games last year and had four sacks, including his career sack total to 15. His acquisition helps compensate for Miami’s loss of defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who signed a two-year deal with the Patriots.

TRADES: A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that the Los Angeles Rams are finalizing a trade sending veteran defensive tackle Michael Brockers to the Detroit Lions.

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The person spoke late Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been completed.

Brockers has been a stalwart on the Rams’ defensive line for the past nine seasons after they chose him with general manager Les Snead’s first draft pick in St. Louis in 2012. Brockers teamed up with All-Pro Aaron Donald in 2015 and built a formidable tandem on the Rams’ defensive line, and they were joined last year by Sebastian Joseph-Day in a breakout season.

The Atlanta Falcons added a blocking tight end for new coach Arthur Smith’s offense by acquiring veteran Lee Smith from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

A person familiar with negotiations says the Jacksonville Jaguars have traded oft-injured tight end Josh Oliver, a 2019 third-round draft pick who has been limited to four games, to the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional pick in 2022.

The person said the pick will become a seventh-rounder if Oliver makes Baltimore’s 53-man roster this year.

SEAHAWKS: Seattle moved quickly to address a need in the defensive backfield. They are expected to sign former San Francisco cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

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The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. The addition of Witherspoon was a critical move for the Seahawks after starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin agreed to a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier Tuesday.

JETS:  The New York Jets agreed to terms with former New Orleans Saints special teams standout Justin Hardee on a three-year contract and re-signed running back Josh Adams.

TITANS: The Tennessee Titans are keeping a pair of tight ends, agreeing to terms with Anthony Firkser and Geoff Swaim on one-year deals each.

Keeping Firkser and Swaim is crucial for Tennessee after top tight end Jonnu Smith left for the New England Patriots as a free agent.

CARDINALS: The Arizona Cardinals made a pair of big offseason moves, adding seven-time Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green on a one-year deal and trading for three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson.

The Cardinals acquired Hudson and a seventh-round pick in the upcoming draft from the Raiders and will send a third-round pick back to Las Vegas. Terms of Green’s deal were not disclosed.

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CHARGERS: Los Angeles announced it has agreed to terms with offensive linemen Corey Linsley and Matt Feiler.

The Chargers allowed 37 sacks last season, which was tied for 17th, but QB Justin Herbert was under duress often. The Chargers allowed the fourth-most hurries and were one of nine teams that allowed 100 or more knockdowns.

PANTHERS: The Carolina Panthers shifted their focus to upgrading their defense, agreeing to terms with linebackers Haason Reddick and Denzel Perryman and defensive end Morgan Fox, according to a person familiar with the situation.

TEXANS: Free-agent quarterback Tyrod Taylor has agreed to a one-year contract with the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.

The signing gives the Texans an insurance policy if they trade Deshaun Watson or if they don’t trade him and he decides to sit out this season. Watson has been unhappy with the direction of the team for some time and has requested a trade.

Taylor spent the past two seasons with the Chargers. He backed up Philip Rivers in his first year with the team before moving into the starting role last season.

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VIKINGS: The Minnesota Vikings agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $10 million with eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

Peterson, a three-time All-Pro pick, played 10 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted fifth overall out of LSU in 2011. He has never missed a game due to injury.

is only career absences came in 2019, due to a six-game suspension by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Though he’s past his prime at age 30, Peterson will bring some badly needed experience to a cornerback group that went through significant growing and injury pains last year.

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