Falcons Sign DL Allen Bailey To Extension
Allen Bailey is sticking in Atlanta through at least the 2021 season. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the defensive lineman has signed a one-year, $4.5MM extension. The deal includes a $3.25MM signing bonus.
There were reports yesterday that Bailey (along with Matt Ryan and Jake Matthews) had restructured his contract. While this transaction did save the Falcons some money for 2020, it ended up being an extension instead of a pure restructuring.
The former third-round spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Chiefs, but he ended up sitting in free agency for much of last offseason. He eventually caught on with Atlanta, and he proceeded to play an important rotational role for his new squad. In 15 games (five starts), Bailey compiled 26 tackles and one sack.
In total, the 31-year-old has appeared in 117 regular season games, collecting 20.5 sacks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/24/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB LaRoy Reynolds
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: WR Chris Moore
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Mike Thomas
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB DeMarquis Gates (XFL)
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Dravon Askew-Henry (XFL)
New York Jets
- Re-signed: DB Bennett Jackson
Chiefs Re-Sign DL Mike Pennel, FB Anthony Sherman
The defending Super Bowl champs have re-signed defensive lineman Mike Pennel to a one-year pact, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Pennel said last month that he wanted to return to the Chiefs, and he got his wish.
Besides winning a Super Bowl with KC — and his interception-causing hit on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo was a big reason for that win — the organization also helped to revitalize Pennel’s career. Following two underwhelming seasons with the Jets, the lineman signed a two-year deal with the Patriots last offseason. However, he didn’t make it to the regular season with New England, and Pennel still found himself out of work in mid-October.
He eventually caught on with the Chiefs, and he proceeded to compile 24 tackles and one sack in eight games for the team. He also appeared in each of Kansas City’s three playoff games, starting two of them, and he earned high praise for his work against the run. Pelissero reports that Pennel had other offers — the Cowboys were said to be in on him — but he will try to recapture the magic with the Chiefs.
Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports reports that KC is also re-signing FB Anthony Sherman to a one-year deal (Twitter link). Sherman has appeared in every game for the Chiefs since he joined the club in 2013, and he earned a Pro Bowl bid in 2018. His offensive snaps have decreased dramatically since Patrick Mahomes became the starting QB, but he remains a critical part of the special teams unit.
TE Richard Rodgers Signs With Redskins
The Redskins have agreed to sign veteran tight end Richard Rodgers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). It will almost certainly be a one-year, veteran minimum pact for the 28-year-old.
Rodgers was selected by the Packers in the third round of the 2014 draft, and he was a reasonably useful part of the club’s receiving corps during his four years catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. His best season came in 2015, when he hauled in 58 passes for 510 yards and eight scores, including a memorable buzzer-beating Hail Mary in Detroit.
His post-Green Bay career has not been as kind to him. He signed with the Eagles in April 2018, but a knee injury kept him off the field until November of that year, and he ultimately recorded just one regular season catch. And though he re-upped with Philadelphia last March, his season was derailed by a knee injury. He was released off IR with an injury settlement in September and re-signed in December, but he appeared in just one game.
He will try to resurrect his career in Washington, and he stands a decent chance of doing just that. The Redskins — who pursued Greg Olsen earlier this year — have very little talent at the tight end position at the moment, and outside of Delanie Walker, the free agent cupboard is pretty bare.
Bengals To Add LB Josh Bynes
The Bengals acted quickly to replace starting linebacker Nick Vigil, who agreed to terms with the Chargers earlier today. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Cincinnati is signing free agent Josh Bynes to a one-year deal (Twitter link).
Bynes was one of a handful of veterans the Ravens added to their defense in the middle of the 2019 season, and his presence helped stabilize the unit. Though he is by no means an elite player, he is a solid ‘backer whose experience and on-field savvy will be a boost to the Bengals’ front seven.
He has started 47 games in his nine-year career, which includes an earlier stint with the Ravens from 2011-13, a three-year run with the Lions, and a two-year stay with the Cardinals. In 2019, he recorded 46 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions, and Pro Football Focus gave him high marks for his coverage and run-stopping abilities.
The Ravens had expressed interest in retaining the Auburn product, and it’s not as though Baltimore is loaded with ILBs at the moment, but Bynes saw a better opportunity with the division-rival Bengals. As it stands now, he would start alongside second-year pro Germaine Pratt.
During his first stint in Baltimore, Bynes made the final tackle of Super Bowl XLVII, which earned him a championship ring.
Jets To Sign WR Breshad Perriman
The Jets have found their replacement for Robby Anderson. After watching Anderson agree to terms with the Panthers earlier today, New York will sign Breshad Perriman to a one-year, $6MM deal, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (Twitter link).
Perriman’s contract can reach up to $8MM with incentives, which is quite a nice payday for a player who not long ago was classified as a first-round bust. The Ravens selected him with the No. 26 overall pick of the 2015 draft, but he was cut prior to the 2018 season after three years of injuries and inconsistent play.
He hooked on with the Browns shortly thereafter and played well enough to earn another contract from Cleveland last offseason. But the Browns allowed him to back out of the deal after they acquired Odell Beckham Jr., and he ultimately signed with the Bucs. Through 12 weeks in Tampa, it again looked like he was going to wash out of the league, but in the wake of injuries to star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he exploded.
From Weeks 15 to 17, the big-play threat caught 17 passes for 349 yards and four TDs and made himself an attractive free agent target. Though he doesn’t have the track record of Anderson, Perriman offers the same field-stretching skill-set. And as most of the remaining starting-caliber wide receivers came off the market today, it appears as if Perriman will have plenty of opportunities with the Jets, even if the team picks up a wideout or two in the draft.
Broncos To Sign P Sam Martin
The Broncos have agreed to sign punter Sam Martin to a three-year, $7.05MM contract, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via Twitter). The deal puts him in the middle of the pack in terms of AAV, but it clearly suggests that Denver plans on having him usurp incumbent Colby Wadman.
Martin was drafted by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and served as Detroit’s primary punter from the jump. He agreed to take a pay cut before the 2019 season got underway, but in exchange, the 2020 year of his prior contract became a voidable year, which allowed him to hit the open market this offseason.
As Troy Renck of Denver 7 notes, Martin represents an upgrade over Wadman in most relevant statistical categories for punters. In 2019, the Lions ranked 11th in the league in terms of yards per attempt (41.8), while the Broncos ranked 27th (39.4). The Lions also allowed the fourth-fewest punt return yards, and Martin offers a bigger leg that should play well in the Mile High air.
The Broncos’ punting team has been a constant source of trouble since the club cut Britton Colquitt in 2016, and Denver hopes Martin will bring an end to those woes.
Packers To Sign WR Devin Funchess
The Packers are expected to sign free agent wide receiver Devin Funchess, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter). It’s a rare foray into the free agent wide receiver market for Green Bay, which hopes that Funchess’ size and physicality will be an asset to Aaron Rodgers.
The Panthers selected Funchess in the second round of the 2015 draft, but he has yet to put it all together in the pros. He enjoyed the best year of his career in 2017, compiling 63 receptions for 840 yards and eight touchdowns, but it took him 111 targets to get those 63 grabs. After a somewhat disappointing 2018 campaign, Funchess was still able to pull down a one-year, $10MM deal from the Colts last offseason.
Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich reportedly “banged the table” for the team to sign Funchess, and Reich later said the Michigan product had displayed good route-running and a solid grasp of the club’s offense throughout spring workouts. Unfortunately, Funchess broke his collarbone in Week 1 of the 2019 campaign, and he never got healthy enough to return to the field.
Funchess still has plenty of talent, and perhaps Rodgers will be the key to unlock his potential. Although the Packers have a number of big-bodied wideouts, none of them have Funchess’ upside. He will join a WR corps that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jake Kumerow in support of the elite Davante Adams.
Patriots Re-Sign Shilique Calhoun
The Patriots have agreed to re-sign DE/LB Shilique Calhoun, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Calhoun appeared in 15 games (one start) for the defending AFC East champs in 2019.
New England has seen three LBs depart via free agency this offseason, and while the club will surely add reinforcements, Calhoun could be in line for a bigger role in 2020. He appeared in just over a quarter of the Pats’ defensive snaps last year and recorded 16 total pressures, though he was unable to covert any of those pressures into a sack.
He did establish himself as a core special teamer and will continue to see plenty of burn in that role regardless of what happens on the defensive side of the ball. And that still represents an upgrade over the disastrous start to his career with the Raiders.
Oakland selected Calhoun in the third round of the 2016 draft, but he never started a game in his three years in the Silver-and-Black. In fact, he was waived during final cutdowns in September 2017, went unclaimed, and was subsequently re-signed to the Raiders’ practice squad.
Lions Re-Sign OL Oday Aboushi
The Lions have re-signed offensive lineman Oday Aboushi per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. It’s a one-year deal for the 2013 fifth-rounder.
Assuming he makes the the team, 2020 will offer Aboushi a rare opportunity for geographical stability. In his seven years in the league, he has had stints with the Jets, Texans, Seahawks, Raiders, Cardinals, and Lions.
The UVA product will also have a real chance at starting for Detroit this year after appearing in just seven games (two starts) in 2019. The Lions let right guard Graham Glasgow depart in free agency, and left guard Joe Dahl is coming off a season-ending back injury. 2019 UDFA Beau Benzschawel and swing tackle Tyrell Crosby could also compete for a starting guard gig.
Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions — who generally do not value the guard position — showed interest in free agents like Greg Van Roten before circling back to Aboushi. The 6-5, 315-pounder is not a world beater by any means, but he has started 34 games in his career and doesn’t turn 30 until June.