Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha Signs 5-Year Deal With Philadelphia

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha signed a five-year contract today with Philadelphia, the Eagles said in a news release, spurning the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

Asomugha, 30, a four-time All Pro selection during his eight-year career with the Oakland Raiders, was considered the top free agent available this year.

The Jets had hoped Asomugha would create a Pro Bowl cornerback tandem with Darrelle Revis on a team that had the American Football Conference’s fourth-stingiest passing defense last season.

“He’s the best cornerback in the league,” Revis told reporters in a July 27 conference call. “Me and him as a tandem would be unbelievable.”

The NFL and its players ended a 4 1/2-month lockout July 25 with agreement on a 10-year labor accord. The Jets already re- signed 2009 Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Santonio Holmes and added kicker Nick Folk. Current Jets free agents include wide receiver Braylon Edwards and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Asomugha was selected No. 31 by the Raiders in the first round of the 2003 draft. He became a starter in 2005 and the following year had 11 passes defended and eight interceptions, tied with three others for third in the NFL.

The Lafayette, Louisiana, native has just three interceptions over his last four years, all Pro Bowl seasons, as opposing quarterbacks avoided throwing to his side of the field. Last season the Raiders’ defense allowed a league-low 249 completions and 189.2 passing yards per game, second to the San Diego Chargers.

Man of Year

In 2009, Asomugha won the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year award, given by the league’s players association to the player who best served his team and community. That same year, Asomugha joined former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative University to discuss the importance of global service and student activism. He also paid more than $10,000 to take 10 high-school students from the East Oakland Youth Development Center on a trip to New York City.

Teams began cutting players yesterday from training-camp rosters. The Jets cut 40-year-old quarterback Mark Brunell and waived cornerback Will Billingsley and guard Marlon Davis, the team said today in an e-mailed release. Brad Smith, who played with the team from 2006 to 2010, was signed by the Buffalo Bills.