NFL: Patriots sign receivers Stallworth, Washington

The New England Patriots will have a couple of new targets for Tom Brady next season.

Continuing the off-season spending spree that followed a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC title game, the Patriots confirmed on Tuesday that they have signed free-agent receivers Donte’ Stallworth and Kelley Washington.

“When Donte’ and Kelley were drafted, we were very interested in them as receivers who could help our offense and that feeling still exists,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a statement.

Washington caught 72 passes for 893 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons with Cincinnati. The deal would reportedly pay him $22 million over five years, but a $4 million roster bonus due in 2008 could lead the Patriots to cut him loose after one season.

Stallworth, who was Washington’s college teammate at Tennessee in 2001, agreed to a multiyear contract Sunday.

Stallworth caught 38 passes for 725 yards and five touchdowns in 12 regular-season games during his only season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Seahawks add tight end

Free-agent tight end Marcus Pollard, who played with the Detroit Lions last season, signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Pollard, 35, joins Will Heller, Bennie Joppru and Leonard Stephens at the position. Jerramy Stevens remains unsigned and is testing the free-agent market.

Pollard caught just 12 passes last season after catching 46 the previous year. He came into the league in 1995 as an undrafted free agent after never playing college football. Pollard was a basketball player at Bradley University.

Briggs still fumes

Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs reiterated that he will not play another down for the Chicago Bears and is ready to sit out next season after they designated him as their franchise player.

“There are a lot of different options, a lot of different decisions, that could happen as the season comes closer,” Briggs told ESPN. “But that’s one of those options.”

A third-round draft pick from Arizona in 2003, Briggs earned $721,600 in the final season of his first NFL contract after he reportedly rejected a six-year, $33 million offer last spring. He told ESPN the deal was for seven years, and he turned it down because it was “below market value.”

Jones’ appearance delayed

A judge in Nashville, Tenn., agreed to delay a court appearance for Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones to give his attorneys time to determine how the NFL might react to a potential plea agreement.

Jones was charged in February 2006 with felony obstruction of police. Prosecutor Scott Ballard said he has no intentions of dismissing the case that involved Jones biting an officer between his thumb and index finger.

Ballard said that Jones’ court appearance will be delayed at least until May 14.

Around the league

The New Orleans Saints signed former Cincinnati Bengals safety Kevin Kaesviharn to a four-year contract. … The Green Bay Packers signed free-agent cornerback Frank Walker, who spent the last for seasons with the New York Giants, to a one-year deal. … The Detroit Lions signed former St. Louis Rams cornerback Travis Fisher to a one-year deal. … The Buffalo Bills re-signed cornerback Kiwaukee Thomas.