Stafford, Vanden Bosch redo deals, give Lions salary-cap space

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said Tuesday that he was in favor of restructuring his contract to help the team clear salary-cap space to sign other players.

Stafford spoke in vague terms about his new deal after details were reported by the Detroit Free Press and Crain's Detroit Business.

The Free Press reported Stafford and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who also restructured his contract, helped the Lions clear about $8.5 million in cap space. The team used that money to sign linebackers Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant and cornerbacks Eric Wright and Chris Houston.

"Just trying to be able to have enough cap space to be able to get the players we need and the players we want," Stafford told the Free Press. "I think there's guys in this locker room that, given the opportunity, a lot of them would do the same. We have a great locker room, a great bunch of guys that want to win, and if I can restructure a deal to help our team bring guys in here that can help us win, then I'm all for it."

Both players converted reduced base salaries into signing bonuses to be paid over the remaining years of their deals.

Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, signed a six-year contract worth up to $78 million with $41.7 million in guarantees. Vanden Bosch signed a $26 million, four-year deal last year.

The Free Press, citing papers filed with the NFL Players Association, reported that Stafford reduced his 2011 base salary from $9 million to $525,000, the minimum for players with two credited seasons, while Vanden Bosch cut his base salary from $4.5 million to $810,000, the minimum for players with seven to nine years of experience.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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No trade for Eagles' Kolb imminent as window for deals opens

The Philadelphia Eagles hope to receive a first-round draft pick in exchange for backup quarterback Kevin Kolb, according to sources, but they might not be able to do so. As of Tuesday morning, there was no trade on the table, and this situation could take more time than most expected.

Any Kolb trade would have to include contract negotiations with his new team, and the market remains now as it was expected, with the Arizona Cardinals interested in the fifth-year pro.

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The Seattle Seahawks were said to be interested in Kolb at one point, but they opted to go in a different direction because of reservations about how steep the Eagles' price would be in trade compensation and financial compensation paid to the quarterback.

The Seahawks have agreed to terms with quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who played under offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Minnesota. Seattle also is expected to sign Matt Leinart, coach Pete Carroll's former quarterback at USC, to join Charlie Whitehurst as signal-callers on the roster.

Kolb also could end up remaining in Philadelphia if the team can't receive what it deems to be fair value. Furthermore, the Eagles could retain Kolb into the future with a franchise tag if need be, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he would become an unrestricted free agent in 2012, a possible leverage chip for the team.

Kolb was anointed the Eagles' starting quarterback entering the 2010 season, only to sustain a concussion and then watch Michael Vick take over the job.

Kolb recently stated that although he respects Eagles coach Andy Reid a great deal, he would like to move on to a team for which he could start.

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