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Tommy Townsend

Texans To Sign P Tommy Townsend

By | at March 11, 2024 9:49 pm

Tommy Townsend is heading to Houston. The veteran punter is signing with the Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Townsend will be inking a two-year deal worth $6MM. The former UDFA was taking his first trip into free agency and will earn a significant raise on his new deal.

The Florida Gators product caught on with the Chiefs as a UDFA in 2020. He ended up missing only a single game over the next four seasons in Kansas City, earning a pair of Super Bowl rings in the process.

Townsend earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in 2020, and he earned an All-Pro nod in 2022 after averaging more than 50 yards on his 53 punts. That number took a bit of a step back in 2023, as the 27-year-old finished with an average of 47.1 yards per punt, his lowest since his rookie campaign.

Cameron Johnston served as the Texans’ primary punter in 2023, but the Bill Burr lookalike is taking his talents to the Steelers, opening a spot on Houston’s roster.

1 comment Houston Texans Transactions

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/25/23

By | at April 25, 2023 8:33 pm

Today’s minor transactions:

Carolina Panthers

Kansas City Chiefs

Both Franklin and Townsend signed their restricted free agent tenders.

Townsend has been the Chiefs’ starting punter since joining the organization as an UDFA out of Florida in 2020. He finished this past season with a career-high 50.4 yards per punt and 22 punts landed inside the 20 en route to a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod.

Franklin, a 2020 undrafted free agent out of Temple, has seen time in 47 games for the Panthers over the past three seasons, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams. He finished this past season with 20 tackles in 17 games (one start).

0 comments Carolina Panthers Kansas City Chiefs Transactions

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/23

By | at March 10, 2023 8:11 pm

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Not tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Not tendered:

0 comments Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers New York Jets Transactions

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/29/21

By | at December 29, 2021 3:19 pm

Several key players returned to practice Wednesday. Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Rico Bussey

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

1 comment Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills COVID-19 Carolina Panthers Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Transactions Washington Commanders

Townsend Family Spending Christmas In Kansas City

By | at December 24, 2021 10:58 pm

This is not necessarily a known fact, but more of a fun headline. With starting punter Tommy Townsend on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Chiefs signed two punters to their practice squad, Joseph Charlton and Tommy’s brother, Johnny Townsend.

Tommy went undrafted last year and took over as Kansas City’s primary punter by the end of training camp. Johnny was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2018 NFL draft by the then-Oakland Raiders. Johnny spent time on practice squads for the Giants, Ravens, and Chiefs before returning to Baltimore to spend some time on the active roster filling in for Sam Koch while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Upon Koch’s return, Johnny was waived and returned to the Ravens’ practice squad. After being released again this September, Johnny spent time on the practice squads for Tennessee and Houston, getting released after less than a month by both teams. Then, as mentioned above, the Chiefs picked him up on their practice squad yesterday.

The Townsends will most likely not be spending Christmas together if Tommy has tested positive for COVID-19 and/or is showing symptoms, based on the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol, especially if he is unvaccinated. If Tommy is unvaccinated, the required 10-day isolation period would see him missing not only this week’s game versus the Steelers but next Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, as well. If Tommy is vaccinated and asymptomatic, the new protocols, put in place in the wake of the omicron variant’s rampant spread, could see Tommy out of isolation any early as tomorrow, a true Christmas miracle!

Either way, I have to imagine the Townsends are feeling the Christmas cheer just knowing that the two are in the same city this holiday season. I hope everyone who celebrated enjoyed their Hanukkah. I wish a happy Boxing Day and Kwanzaa to our readers who celebrate those in the next few days and a Merry Christmas for the lovers of that holiday tomorrow. And a Happy Festivus for the rest of us!

6 comments COVID-19 Kansas City Chiefs Transactions

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/24/21

By | at December 24, 2021 6:14 pm

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Chuck Clark, C Trystan Colon
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Nate McCrary
  • Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: QB Chris Streveler

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jordan Fuller, TE Tyler Higbee
  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Cole Williamson

Miami Dolphins

  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: RB Gerrid Doaks

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Travis Homer
  • Activated from practice squad/COVID-19 list: OL Pier-Olivier Lestage

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

0 comments Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills COVID-19 Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

West Notes: Chiefs, Irvin, Amukamara

By | at May 19, 2020 3:06 pm

The Chiefs moved on from their longest-tenured player this offseason, jettisoning 15-year punter Dustin Colquitt. Although the team with Patrick Mahomes negotiations looming and Chris Jones attached to a franchise tag created cap space by cutting Colquitt, the defending Super Bowl champions also identified his potential successor in its UDFA class. Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub said (via the Kansas City Star’s Herbie Teope, on Twitter) he rated rookie UDFA punter Tommy Townsend as this draft class’ best punter. Twice a semifinalist for the Ray Guy award, Townsend punted at Florida after transferring from Tennessee. The Chiefs signed both Townsend and 2019 UDFA Tyler Newsome this offseason. Toub’s glowing assessment of Townsend almost certainly gives him a leg up in this competition.

Here is the latest from the West divisions:

  • Bruce Irvin had his eye on a Seahawks reunion for a while. The former Seattle first-round pick texted Bobby Wagner during the playoffs he wanted to come back (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, on Twitter). Irvin also confirmed he will be playing linebacker in Seattle’s base defense while shifting to an edge-rushing role on passing downs, Condotta adds (via Twitter). This was the expected arrangement. The Seahawks used their base defense considerably last season but have not re-signed Mychal Kendricks. Irvin functioned in this versatile capacity during most of his first Seahawks stint.
  • Prince Amukamara will take a considerable pay cut to join the Raiders. The veteran cornerback signed a one-year, $1.05MM deal, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Amukamara will qualify for the new minimum salary benefit, counting only $888K against the Raiders’ cap. The Bears re-signed Amukamara in 2018, and he was set to make $9MM in base salary on that contract this season.
  • Frank Clark played a role in bringing Taco Charlton to Kansas City, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Charlton’s ex-teammate and roommate while at Michigan, Clark lobbied Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo in an effort to bring the former first-round pick to Kansas City. The Chiefs did not claim Charlton’s rookie contract but did add him at a cheaper rate. Charlton called his departure from Dallas and Miami “mutual,” according to Pelissero (via Twitter). Both teams waived the 2017 first-rounder, the Dolphins doing so despite Charlton leading the team in sacks last season with five. Charlton figures to fill a rotational role vacated by the exits of Emmanuel Ogbah and Terrell Suggs.
  • Despite Bashaud Breeland being arrested on several charges earlier this offseason, he has been part of the Chiefs’ virtual offseason since it began, Spagnuolo said (via NFL.com’s James Palmer, on Twitter). Re-signed on a one-year deal, Breeland will likely face a suspension for his arrest — which included the charge of resisting arrest.
14 comments Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Seattle Seahawks

Chiefs Release P Dustin Colquitt

By | at April 28, 2020 8:24 am

The longest-tenured Chiefs player is moving on. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Kansas City is releasing punter Dustin Colquitt. The move saves the Chiefs around $2MM against the cap.

“I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom, all things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped, prayed & pleaded for them to,” Colquitt wrote on Instagram. “I’ll miss walking into the building & smelling the coffee, talking to everyone…it took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you’d ever hope to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead…hell, the indoor facility used to be 70 yards. Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC.”

The 37-year-old had spent the entirety of his 16-year career in Kansas City, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl championship. Back in 2017, he passed Jerrel Wilson for the most punts and punting yards in franchise history, and he signed a three-year contract extension in 2018.

While Colquitt’s 44.3 yards per punt in 2019 was his lowest average since his sophomore season, his net average of 40.3 yards was on-par with his career marks. The veteran also placed 21 punts inside the 20.

The Chiefs must be content moving forward with their pair of punter additions: Tyler Newsome and Tommy Townsend. Newsome was a 2019 undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, while Townsend is a 2020 undrafted free agent out of Florida. As Pelissero notes (on Twitter), the Chiefs gave Townsend a lofty $82.5K guaranteed.

23 comments Kansas City Chiefs Transactions

Chiefs Sign 18 UDFAs

By | at April 26, 2020 5:33 pm

The Chiefs became the latest team to announce their undrafted free agent class:

  • Andre Baccellia, WR (Washington)
  • Maurice Ffrench, WR (Pittsburgh)
  • Aleva Hifo, WR (BYU)
  • Kalija Lipscomb, WR (Vanderbilt)
  • Justice Shelton‐Mosley, WR (Vanderbilt)
  • Cody White, WR (Michigan State)
  • Yasir Durant, T (Missouri)
  • Jovahn Fair, G (Temple)
  • Darryl Williams, C (Miss St.)
  • Tershawn Wharton, DT (Missouri S&T)
  • Omari Cobb, LB (Marshall)
  • Bryan Wright, LB (Cincinnati)
  • Rodney Clemons, S (SMU)
  • Jalen Julius, S (Ole Miss)
  • Hakeem Bailey, CB (West Virginia)
  • Javaris Davis, CB (Auburn)
  • Lavert Hill, CB (Michigan)
  • Tommy Townsend, P (Florida)

The Chiefs had to spend relatively big to get a couple of these guys. Lipscomb got $110K guaranteed and a $10K signing bonus, while Williams got $107K guaranteed and a $7K signing bonus (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). This was regarded as an epic receiver class with plenty of draftable players going un-selected due to the surplus, so it’s not surprising guys like Lipscomb are landing big bonuses.

As a junior at Vandy he had 916 yards and nine touchdowns, although he took a step back last season. Williams was a three-year starter at MSU who can play guard and center.

All told, the Chiefs inked a whopping six undrafted receivers. White declared early after racking up 922 yards and six touchdowns as a senior at Michigan State. Davis was widely expected to get drafted, with NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projecting him as a fifth-rounder and Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller having him go at the top of the sixth, so he’s a nice get as well.

7 comments Kansas City Chiefs Transactions
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