Patriots To Sign Alex Redmond, James Ferentz
The Patriots are set to sign guard Alex Redmond (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). In addition, the Pats have also re-signed center James Ferentz, as ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss tweets. 
Redmond worked out for the Patriots last week, alongside fellow ex-Bengal Dre Kirkpatrick. The cornerback remains a free agent, but Redmond is now in the fold to provide depth on the offensive line. Redmond, 26, first joined Cincy as a UDFA in 2016. In 2018, he found his way to the starting lineup and was first-string for 15 games. Over the last two seasons, he’s made nine starts. Barring an injury, he’ll likely act as a reserve in New England behind Shaq Mason and Michael Onwenu.
Ferentz is the son of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, a friend of Bill Belichick‘s. Still, the younger Ferentz has earned his playing time, seeing 24 games over the last three years. Previous to that, Ferentz spent time with the Texans and Broncos.
49ers To Sign Marqise Lee
The 49ers are set to sign former Jags and Pats receiver Marqise Lee (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Barring any snags, the deal should become official before the end of the business day. 
Lee joined the 49ers’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis over the weekend and quickly earned a contract. It’s a California homecoming for the Long Beach native who made his national mark at USC. His standout career with the Trojans led to him being selected No. 39 overall by the Jaguars in 2014, but he struggled to live up to his draft stock early on.
The wideout compiled only 660 yards from scrimmage and two scores through his first two seasons in the NFL. Then, he managed to carve out a larger role in the offense in 2016 and 2017. During those two years, Lee averaged 59.5 receptions and 776 receiving yards with only three touchdowns per year. Lee went on to land a four-year, $38MM extension from Jacksonville, but he was cut last year after missing most of 2019 with a knee injury.
Lee, 30 in November, caught with the Patriots, but opted out of the 2020 season. New England gave the receiver his walking papers back in March. Now, he’s got a chance to stick behind Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Mohamed Sanu.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/17/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed CB Tae Hayes
- Released S Chris Miller, WR Darece Roberson
Atlanta Falcons
- Cut: OLB Eli Howard
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OLB Pita Taumoepenu, OT Cody Conway
- Cut: OT Ryan Pope, LB David Curry
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Alex Brown
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Daurice Fountain, DB Manny Patterson
- Waived: DB Jaylon McClain-Sapp
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers from Saints: CB Trill Williams
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed CB Parry Nickerson, OT Evin Ksiezarczyk
San Francisco 49ers
- Cut: WR Austin Proehl
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Kalija Lipscomb
- Released: LB Davin Bellamy (non-football injury), WR Rashard Davis
Eagles Sign Ryan Kerrigan
Ryan Kerrigan is staying in the NFC East. On Monday morning, Kerrigan bid farewell to the Washington Football Team. And, minutes later, we learned that he’s agreed to join up with the Eagles (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Eagles have since confirmed the signing as a one-year deal. 
“I’ll never be able to sum up what these past ten years have meant to me in an Instagram post, but what I can say is that they have been some of the best of my life,” Kerrigan wrote (Instagram link). “I hope you had as much fun watching me as I did playing for you. Thank you, Washington, for everything.”
Up until now, the former first-round pick had spent his entire career in D.C. Along the way, he collected four Pro Bowl nominations and 95.5 sacks to top Dexter Manley for the franchise record. Kerrigan started every game for his first nine seasons with the club. But, last year, he was mostly relegated to a reserve role and notched just 5.5 sacks for Ron Rivera. As a result, it was widely expected that he would move on.
Now, the 32-year-old (33 in August) will suit up for his longtime rival. The Steelers and Bengals (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) also showed interest, but he felt that the Eagles would be his best fit. Currently, he profiles as the Birds’ No. 4 DE, likely behind Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat.
With Kerrigan off the board, other edge-needy teams can still consider the likes of Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston, Everson Griffen, Olivier Vernon, Ezekiel Ansah, Dion Jordan, and Adrian Clayborn.
Bengals To Sign Trent Taylor
The Bengals are set to sign Trent Taylor (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). The slot receiver/punt returner auditioned for the club over the weekend and emerged from rookie minicamp with a deal. 
The Niners selected Taylor in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. As a member of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch‘s first class in San Francisco, he showed early promise as a rookie. Unfortunately, he had to undergo back surgery prior to the 2018 season — Taylor says he never felt fully healthy that year. Then, he missed all of the 2019 season.
Taylor returned last year, but recorded just ten grabs for 86 yards in 12 games. On the plus side, he averaged 12.4 yards on his nine punt returns.
Now, he’ll look to get back to his old form with the Bengals. Both sides will be pleased if Taylor’s able to stick on the roster and reprise his 43 grabs for 430 yards and two TDs.
Falcons To Sign Eli Ankou
The Falcons are bringing in some defensive line depth on a quiet Sunday evening. Atlanta has agreed to terms with free agent defensive tackle Eli Ankou, a source told veteran NFL reporter Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).
Ankou just met with the Bills a few days ago, so it appears there was some legit interest in the interior defender. The UCLA product was an UDFA in 2017, and originally signed with the Texans. After getting cut by Houston he was claimed by the Jaguars, and played a real role in Jacksonville as a rookie. In nine games in 2017, he had 15 tackles and a sack and a half as a rotational run defender.
The big fella was a part of the Jags’ organization until the Browns signed him off their practice squad in October of 2019. He ended up making two starts while appearing in nine games for Cleveland that year. Ankou then had a short stint with the Colts, was waived, claimed by the Texans, and then traded to the Cowboys in November of last year.
He finished the 2020 season in Dallas, and played around a third of the defensive snaps in the seven games he was active. He’ll turn 27 next month.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/16/21
Both Los Angeles teams were busy locking up their later-round draft picks as we wrap up the weekend:
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Nick Niemann (sixth-round; Iowa), DB Mark Webb (seventh-round; Georgia)
Los Angeles Rams
- DE Earnest Brown IV (fifth-round; Northwestern), RB Jake Funk (seventh-round; Maryland), WR Ben Skowronek (seventh-round; Notre Dame), LB Chris Garrett (seventh-round; Concordia St.-Paul)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/21
Here are Sunday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Olive Sagapolu
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: DB Matt Amendola, LB Daniel Bituli, DE P.J. Johnson
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Waived: LB Michael Pinckney
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: T Evin Ksiezarczyk
Denver Broncos
- Signed: QB Case Cookus
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
- Signed: DB Alijah Holder
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Shyheim Carter
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Kyle Murphy, DT Lorenzo Neal, LB Quentin Poling
Panthers To Sign S Delano Hill
New Panthers GM Scott Fitterer will bring in one of the Seahawks’ former Day 2 picks. Defensive back Delano Hill agreed to terms with the Panthers on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
A third-round pick during Fitterer’s lengthy Seattle stay, Hill saw extensive action on special teams with the Seahawks and contributed on defense as a part-timer during the 2018 and ’19 seasons. The Michigan alum spent four seasons with the Seahawks, playing out his rookie contract.
Hill, 25, started six games between the 2018 and ’19 slates, making 49 combined tackles in that span. Last season, Hill played in only two games. A nagging back injury sent Hill to IR in October, leading to Damarious Randall joining the Seahawks’ 53-man roster. Hill will attempt to return to action with Carolina.
Carolina’s roster has an apparent opening at safety. The team has standout 2020 draftee Jeremy Chinn, but he saw plenty of time in the box in a linebacker role as well. The Panthers signed Juston Burris last year, using him as a 12-game starter. The former Jets draft choice stands to be back in the starter mix this year, but the team does not have much in the way of depth behind them. Carolina cut two-stint safety starter Tre Boston earlier this year.
The Panthers also agreed to terms with linebacker Kendall Donnerson. A 2018 Packers seventh-round pick out of Southeast Missouri State, Donnerson has not seen any regular-season action as an NFLer.
Bucs Sign 4 After Weekend Tryout
The Buccaneers have signed cornerback Antonio Hamilton, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Greg Auman of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Tampa has also agreed to terms with tight end Jerell Adams, running back Troymaine Pope, and safety Curtis Riley. That quartet was part of a five-man group invited for tryouts during this weekend’s rookie minicamp and did enough to earn a contract.
Hamilton, who signed with the Raiders as a UDFA out of South Carolina State in 2016, played a full 16-game slate with the Giants in 2019, and he also enjoyed perfect attendance in 2020 as a member of the Chiefs. Most of his work has come on special teams, as he has played a total of 335 defensive snaps in his five-year career. If he makes the Bucs’ roster, it will probably be due to his ST prowess, but he could get some action as a backup corner.
Adams was a sixth-round selection of the Giants back in 2016, but he has played in exactly one game over the past three seasons. In that game, a 2018 appearance with the Texans, Adams played only five special teams snaps. Over his first two years in New York, the South Carolina product tallied 24 catches for 214 yards and a score.
Tampa’s tight end depth chart is pretty full, and Adams will try to convince the club to roster four TEs again. He will join Tanner Hudson and Codey McElroy in that endeavor.
Riley, 28, worked as a full-time starter for the 2018 Giants, lining up with their first-stringers in all 16 games. He intercepted four passes that season. He then landed in Oakland, playing as a Raiders backup/spot starter in 2019. Last season, Riley saw limited action with the Vikings and Cardinals.
The Bucs will be Pope’s sixth NFL team. A Jacksonville State alum, Pope has been in the league since arriving as a 2016 UDFA. Stints with the Seahawks, Jets, Colts, and Texans preceded work as a Chargers backup from 2019-20. Injuries in Los Angeles’ backfield summoned Pope to action on offense briefly at the midseason point last year, but he mostly played special teams with the Bolts.
Tampa Bay’s backfield is also crowded. Leonard Fournette was re-signed this offseason, and Giovani Bernard joined up with the Super Bowl champs. Ronald Jones and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, both on their rookie contracts, will also return.