NFL moves abound; Bengals say QB Palmer retired

By many independent accounts, the Cincinnati Bengals stink, and their longtime quarterback, Carson Palmer, was very vocal about his dissatisfaction there.

Many dismissed Palmer's threat to retire at the age of 32 unless they traded him as a ploy, but the Bengals said Tuesday that they expect him to make good on that threat.

"I honesty like Carson Palmer. He was a splendid player for us," the Bengals' owner Mike Brown said Tuesday, according to The Washington Post. "He is a good person. I wish him well and he has retired. That is his choice. I'm not expecting him to be back. Carson signed a contract, he made a commitment. If he is going to walk away from his commitment we aren't going to reward him for doing it."

That wasn't the only big news on the first full day of NFL activity after the lockout. Almost every team in the league was busy cutting players, preparing trades, reaching out to free agents and readying their practice facilities.

Here's a small roundup of some of the bigger news of the day, all coming from the Associated Press:

- Beleagured former Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is headed to the Seattle Seahawks and is in line to compete for the starting job. Seattle's aging QB Matt Hasselbeck is reportedly looking elsewhere.

- The New York Giants have told center and player representative Shaun O'Hara and guard Rich Seubert - both key to the Giants memorable 2008 Super Bowl win - that they will be released in what are described as salary-cap moves. The Giants are roughly $10 million over the NFL's new $120.4 million salary cap. The releases of O'Hara ($3.45 million in 2011) and Seubert ($2.25 million) will reduce the problem by roughly $6 million. Mark Herzlich, the Boston College linebacker who survived cancer, has signed with the Giants as a free agent.

- The Ravens on Tuesday night agreed to terms on a five-year, $32 million contract with offensive lineman Marshal Yanda, an unrestricted free agent who has spent his entire four-year career in Baltimore. Running back Willis McGahee, former Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap, wide receiver Derrick Mason and nose guard Kelly Gregg have been told they will be cut in salary cap moves, coach John Harbaugh confirmed Tuesday.

- The San Diego Chargers will have their big wide receiver back in camp as Vincent Jackson will sign his non-exclusive franchise tag on Friday as soon as he is allowed to do so, according to agent Neil Schwartz.

- Draft picks Mason Foster and Daniel Hardy agreed to four-year contracts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday.

- Receiver Santana Moss was the first of the Washington Redskins own free agents to return to the fold, agreeing to a three-year, $15 million deal that includes a $5 million signing bonus, according to ESPN.

- Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber, receiver Roy Williams, right guard Leonard Davis and kicker Kris Brown were told they would be cut when the league allows that on Thursday, multiple people familiar with the decisions told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not made any announcements. The moves save the Cowboys about $16.6 million in cap room. Removing Davis clears $6 million, Williams another $5 million, Barber $4.75 million and Brown $910,000.

- The Carolina Panthers persuaded Charles Johnson, their prized defensive end, to agree to a contract worth $72 million over six years, including a $30 million signing bonus. The team confirmed the deal Tuesday night and Johnson said he plans to sign the deal on Friday.