Running back Derrick Ward has agreed to terms with Tampa Bay on a four-year contract worth $17 million.

Denver has been more active than anyone — and continues to be. It reached agreement Monday with former 49ers DT Ronald Fields on a two-year deal worth $5 million.

Free-agent WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Tennessee Titans reached agreement with free-agent WR Nate Washington on an undisclosed deal and with free-agent DT Jovan Haye on a four-year, $16 million contract. The team will have a press conference today to introduce both players to the media.

The cornerback market continues to explode. On Monday, the St. Louis Rams reached an agreement with free-agent CB Ron Bartell on a four-year, $28 million contract that includes $13.5 millon in guaranteed money.

Denver Broncos WR Brandon Marshall escaped legal problems Monday, when the disorderly-conduct charge against him in Atlanta was dropped and the case was dismissed. But Marshall isn’t expected to receive the same treatment from the NFL. League spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday that the league “will look into” Marshall’s situation, and that isn’t good news for the wide receiver.

Now that QB Matt Cassel has been dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs, trade speculation has shifted to another franchised player, Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers. Yet the two situations are as different as the two players.

The Internet is abuzz with speculation that Broncos QB Jay Cutler is in Denver and ready to have a sit-down meeting with team officials, possibly even including new head coach Josh McDaniels. But Cutler’s agent, James “Bus” Cook, called Sunday night to say that his client isn’t in Denver, has no immediate plans to be in Denver and doesn’t know the next time he’ll be in Denver.

The Denver Broncos and free-agent CB Andre’ Goodman agreed Sunday night to a five-year, $25 million contract that includes over $10 million in guaranteed money.

After initially intending to try to go through his pro day later this month, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree changed his mind this weekend and opted to have surgery on the slight stress fracture in his left foot.

One day after signing DT Rocky Bernard and LB Michael Boley, the Giants signed free-agent DE Chris Canty to a six-year, $42 million contract that includes $17.25 million in guaranteed money. Now Dallas’ loss is New York’s gain.

Free-agent WR Nate Washington is scheduled to arrive in Tennessee for a visit with the Titans tonight and Monday.

Steelers free-agent CB Bryant McFadden is visiting the Cardinals today. The Steelers would like to re-sign McFadden, but former Pittsburgh assistant coaches Ken Whisenhunt (now Arizona’s head coach) and Russ Grimm (now an Arizona assistant) will try to convince McFadden to follow the same path they did.

One of the Green Bay Packers’ big offseason priorities was re-signing DT Colin Cole. But early Sunday morning, Cole wound up signing a five-year, $21 million contract that includes $5 million guaranteed with the Seattle Seahawks. Now Cole will follow the same path that former Packers coach Mike Holmgren once did.

For the past 24 hours, it has been pointed out that trading QB Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs freed up $14.65 million against the New England Patriots’ salary cap.

But LB Mike Vrabel was also included in the deal, and trading him freed up another $3.35 million against the cap.

So with one trade, the Patriots saved a whopping $18 million that they can now use on other players