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Colts give Luck another option

Sign TE Eric Ebron

Minnesota Vikings have finalized their trade with the Broncos to acquire quarterback Trevor Siemian. (AP Photo)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts finally made a splashy signing Monday night.

It should make Andrew Luck happy, too.

After adding only one player in the first five days of free agency, the Colts agreed to a deal with former Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron. Contract terms were not immediately available.

“I fell in love with the coaching staff. I fell in love with the GM, I fell in love with the staff and that’s kind of what pushed the envelope for me to want to be here,” Ebron told local reporters on a conference call. “I really felt a lot of love and was shown a lot of support for my game, my family, the things I wanted to accomplish and at the end of the day, my goals.”

It’s a chance for Ebron to start over.

The Lions drafted the highest-rated tight end in 2014 in the first round but Ebron never quite lived up to the hype.

In four seasons, he had 186 receptions, 2,070 yards and 11 TDs in 56 career games. He didn’t appear in all 16 games until last season when he caught 53 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns.

Even worse, he developed a reputation for dropping passes — a problem Ebron said stemmed from a lack of mental focus and a problem he plans to fix next season.

General manager Chris Ballard did make a lot of noise Saturday with a trade that sent the No. 3 overall pick in next month’s draft to the New York Jets, who will presumably take a quarterback. In exchange the Colts got the No. 6 overall pick, two second-round picks this year and the Jets’ second-round pick in 2019.

The move gives Indy four picks in the top 50 this year and three picks in the first two rounds next year.

Vikings finalize trade

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their trade with the Denver Broncos for quarterback Trevor Siemian to be the backup to free agent prize Kirk Cousins.

Though Siemian started 24 games for the Broncos over the past two seasons, he didn’t balk at his unquestioned place as the second-stringer on the depth chart.

“I’m here for Kirk. I’m here for these guys, and I want to win a bunch of games here,” Siemian said.

The Vikings announced the deal, which was agreed to last week, on Monday. They sent a 2019 fifth-round draft pick to the Broncos for Siemian and a seventh-round choice this year, after signing Cousins to a three-year, $84 million fully guaranteed contract.

Kyle Sloter, who was in training camp with Denver last summer, will be the third quarterback if all goes according to plan.

The Vikings let Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater become free agents. Keenum, coincidentally, signed with the Broncos.

Lions address need

ALLEN PARK (AP) — The Detroit Lions have re-signed defensive tackle Christian Ringo.

Detroit made the move Monday, addressing a need by adding depth on the defensive line. Ringo has five career tackles and has forced one fumble.

He played in six games for the Lions last season.

Ringo was a reserve in eight games in 2016 with Green Bay.

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