Former Raiders safety Tyvon Branch signs with Chiefs

Former Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Former Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, the team announced on Tuesday.

Branch, 28, was released by the Raiders in February. He has played all seven of his NFL seasons with Oakland after the Raiders drafted him in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft.

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[daily_cut.nfl]Branch's contract with the Chiefs contains a $2 million base salary with in-game bonuses worth up to $2 million, reports CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora.

Branch has appeared in only five games over the past two seasons due to injuries, but he has played in 75 career games with 461 tackles, 20 pass deflections, eight sacks and four interceptions. In 2012, his last largely healthy season, Branch appeared in 14 games and recorded 94 tackles, three pass deflections and one interception.

"We are excited we were able to reach a deal with Tyvon and bring him to Kansas City," Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said in a release. "He is a physical player who we feel can help our defense. We're looking forward to having him."

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With a tendency to play in the box closer to the line of scrimmage, Branch's signing won't necessarily affect the Chiefs' pursuit of free-agent free safety Ron Parker, reports Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. Parker is a free agent after spending the last two seasons with the Chiefs.

At safety, the Chiefs return starter Husain Abdullah for the final year of his deal. Eric Berry continues to battle lymphoma, and both Parker and Kurt Coleman are free agents.

- Mike Fiammetta