Nichols, Overbay sign free-agent deals with Dallas, Denver in NFL

Overlooked in the recently completed National Football League

draft, record-breaking former Eastern Washington University

quarterback Matt Nichols has signed as an un-drafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys.

Besides Nichols, Eastern tight end Nathan Overbay will sign

a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos. Overbay is one of two un-drafted tight ends the Broncos will sign, in addition to three already on their roster following the trade of Tony Scheffler

to Detroit.

The Cowboys announced they have agreed to terms with 17

free agents, who will attend the Cowboys’ rookie mini-camp May

1-3 at the team’s Valley Ranch training facility. Denver’s rookie

mini-camp takes place those same days as the Broncos added 19

free agents.

Nichols joins three others at the quarterback position on the

Dallas roster, including starter Tony Romo, 14-year veteran Jon

Kitna and second-year pro Stephen McGee out of Texas A&M.

Kitna is a former Central Washington University quarterback

who Eastern coach Beau Baldwin once coached at CWU. In fact,

Baldwin was beaten out for the quarterback job at Central back in

1992 by Kitna.

“It is very cool,” Baldwin said, who has communicated back and

forth with both Kitna and Nichols. “I know Jon will look to help him

out. It’s a good spot for Matt to be in from that perspective.”