Over-30 receivers catch new contracts

Chargers' McCardell, Panthers' Proehl and Vikings' Wiggins sign.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
It was a good day for over-30 receivers in the NFL.
Keenan McCardell got the payday he was seeking in San Diego, Ricky Proehl decided to return to Carolina for his 16th season and tight end Jermaine Wiggins was rewarded for a career year and re-signed with Minnesota on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old McCardell, who caught two touchdown passes for Tampa Bay when it won the 2003 Super Bowl, got a $4.1 million signing bonus from San Diego, according to a source with knowledge of the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity.
With the extension, McCardell will average $3.45 million the next three years.
McCardell was the NFL's last holdout in 2004, missing the first six games -- and nearly $710,000 in pay -- because he was unhappy the Bucs didn't give him the "fair market" deal he wanted.
He was traded to San Diego on Oct. 19, three days after Reche Caldwell sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Teammates wanted him back
Proehl, who turned 37 Monday, had been contemplating retirement since late last season, but decided to play a final year after a lengthy meeting with Panthers coach John Fox. Proehl said he received numerous calls from teammates urging him to return.
Proehl, who also has played for Arizona and St. Louis, was third on the Panthers last season with 497 yards receiving. He has one year left on his contract with Carolina, and the Panthers gave him a $250,000 roster bonus March 3.
Wiggins, a journeyman through four seasons with Carolina, Indianapolis, the New York Jets and New England, found a home in Minnesota, where he had 71 catches for 705 yards and four touchdowns. The 30-year-old tight end agreed to a five-year, $7.3 million contract to stay with the team.
Arizona re-signed defensive end Peppi Zellner to a two-year contract and released quarterback Shaun King and wide receiver Karl Williams.
Zellner started 14 games at left end last season. In 2005, he apparently will back up newcomer Chike Okeafor, who had a career-high 8 1/2 sacks last season for Seattle.
King and Williams joined the Cardinals as free agents from Tampa Bay last March..
Atlanta signed linebacker and Pro Bowl special teams player Ike Reese. The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Reese, who spent seven seasons in Philadelphia, is considered one of the best special teams players in the NFL.
Baltimore cut cornerback Corey Fuller, a 10-year veteran, and special teams ace Harold Morrow.
Fuller's role diminished when he lost his job to Gary Baxter. Morrow, a backup fullback, was the team's leading special-teams tackler with 21.
The New York Giants, who lost Kurt Warner to Arizona, signed 11-year veteran Jim Miller as a backup to Eli Manning.
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