Associated Press
ATLANTA ó The Atlanta Falcons boosted their hopes for another trip to the playoffs by acquiring tight end Tony Gonzalez from the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday for a draft pick next year.
The Chiefs insisted they also improved their chances for success in 2009 by making the trade.
The Falcons will send a second-round pick in 2010 to Kansas City in exchange for Gonzalez, the only tight end in NFL history selected to 10 Pro Bowls.
“I love Kansas City,” he said in an interview with The AP. “The fans have been unbelievable to me. I’m going to miss them. This is a happy day for me, but in many ways it’s a sad day, too. I’m going to miss running out that tunnel and seeing that sea of red in those stands.”
General manager Scott Pioli said the Chiefs, 2-14 in 2008, did not pursue a trade for Gonzalez but agreed when the Falcons offered a second-round pick.REDSKINS
INDIANAPOLIS ó Longtime Colts punter Hunter Smith will join the Washington Redskins next season, his agent said.
Smith has never missed a game in 10 years with the Colts, but he became a free agent after last season and the Colts didn’t re-sign him. He played in 114 wins with Indianapolis. Only Peyton Manning has more wins among active Colts with 117.
Smith has averaged 43.4 yards per punt in his career. He averaged 44.2 yards last season, and his 38.8 net yards per punt last season was the highest total of his career.
The Redskins ranked last in the NFL in net punting average last season. Draft pick Durant Brooks won the job over incumbent Derrick Frost during training camp, then was cut and replaced by Ryan Plackemeier in October. Plackemeier was released in February.
COWBOYS
ARLINGTON, Texas ó Cowboys owner Jerry Jones knows he’ll be antsy Saturday waiting through the first round and deep into the second for his chance to make a pick in the NFL draft.
“We’re going to put him in a straitjacket,” Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said Thursday, answering the question before his father could.
Jerry Jones then started to try to explain how he’d feel passing the time until the No. 51 overall pick but stopped and smiled.
“Put me in a straitjacket,” he said.
And let him loose Sunday, when the Cowboys have 10 picks in the third through seventh rounds.
“That makes this draft very intriguing,” Jones said. “With all the picks we have, (we will) really be in a controlling position, if there is such a thing in the draft, with all that flexibility. … We viewed it as a real challenge.”
n The Cowboys have signed their final three free agents: receiver Miles Austin, running back Alonzo Coleman and tight end Rodney Hannah.
The signings meant Austin, a restricted free agent, would return to Dallas after being courted by the New York Jets.
EAGLES
PHILADELPHIA ó The Eagles signed restricted free agent receiver Hank Baskett to a one-year contract.
COLTS
INDIANAPOLIS ó Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne has agreed to a restructured contract, which will give the Colts more room under this year’s salary cap.