News & Info/Headlines
Free Agent Roundup: Eifert Re-Signs With Bengals & More
In Cincinnati. ... If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That's how the Bengals are rolling with Tyler Eifert, who will return to Cincinnati for another season.
The 28-year-old is signing another one-year deal with the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.
Eifert has struggled mightily with injuries over the course of his six-year career and has played more than eight games in just two seasons. The tight end missed the final 12 games of 2018 with a broken ankle. Eifert is expected to be healthy for OTAs.
Since his 2015 Pro Bowl season, in which he racked up 13 touchdowns, Eifert has played in just 14 games, caught 48 balls and compiled 619 receiving yards.
This is a low-risk move for both sides. Eifert signed a similar deal with Cincinnati after he entered free agency last year, agreeing to return to the Bengals for one season at around $5 million. The snakebit tight end's salary figures should be lower this time around.
With Eifert and C.J. Uzomah back in the fold, Cincy returns essentially the same tight end room it has had since 2015, save for the loss of Tyler Kroft, who signed a three-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.
The question is whether new head coach Zac Taylor came create the kind of mismatches for Eifert that previous coaches have.
But Eifert is in the locked and upright position, production has been a given. Beyond the scoring potential, Eifert takes a ton of pressure off of players like A.J. Green forcing defenses to shift his way to honor his presence. When available, he’s nearly impossible to stop and a key component of the offense.
In Jacksonville. ...The Jaguars announced the signing of former Chiefs receiver Chris Conley.
Conley appeared in all 16 regular-season games last year, starting 13 of them. And he added 32 receptions for 334 yards and five touchdowns. (Conley had no catches in the playoffs, but he appeared in both games and was in the starting lineup for the AFC Championship.) Conley had a keen understanding of how quarterback Patrick Mahomes plays the game, and Conley was on the receiving end of multiple special throws last year — including the Week 3 touchdown pass against the 49ers that saw Mahomes run 35.7 yards behind the line of scrimmage before zipping it to Conley and a lunging touchdown catch near the end of the half of an epic Week 11 game against the Rams.
In Jacksonville, Conley could become an instant starter in an offense that will feature Nick Foles at quarterback and Dede Westbrook as one of the top options at wideout.
In Atlanta. ... The Falcons announced Saturday that they’ve agreed to terms with tight end Logan Paulsen on a one-year deal.
Paulsen, 32, was signed by the Falcons prior to the 2018 season. In his first year in Atlanta, Paulsen caught nine passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, but his primary contribution for the Falcons came as a blocker. On Thursday, the Falcons agreed to terms with tight end Luke Stocker, who fills the same type of role as a blocker. But Stocker has experience playing fullback during his career, so Atlanta could get creative with how they employ these two tight ends.
During his eight seasons in the NFL, Paulsen has played for four separate NFL teams, including the Falcons. Most notably, Paulsen spent five seasons with the Washington Redskins, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. Paulsen has caught 91 passes for 907 yards and six touchdowns.
The 28-year-old is signing another one-year deal with the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.
Eifert has struggled mightily with injuries over the course of his six-year career and has played more than eight games in just two seasons. The tight end missed the final 12 games of 2018 with a broken ankle. Eifert is expected to be healthy for OTAs.
Since his 2015 Pro Bowl season, in which he racked up 13 touchdowns, Eifert has played in just 14 games, caught 48 balls and compiled 619 receiving yards.
This is a low-risk move for both sides. Eifert signed a similar deal with Cincinnati after he entered free agency last year, agreeing to return to the Bengals for one season at around $5 million. The snakebit tight end's salary figures should be lower this time around.
With Eifert and C.J. Uzomah back in the fold, Cincy returns essentially the same tight end room it has had since 2015, save for the loss of Tyler Kroft, who signed a three-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.
The question is whether new head coach Zac Taylor came create the kind of mismatches for Eifert that previous coaches have.
But Eifert is in the locked and upright position, production has been a given. Beyond the scoring potential, Eifert takes a ton of pressure off of players like A.J. Green forcing defenses to shift his way to honor his presence. When available, he’s nearly impossible to stop and a key component of the offense.
In Jacksonville. ...The Jaguars announced the signing of former Chiefs receiver Chris Conley.
Conley appeared in all 16 regular-season games last year, starting 13 of them. And he added 32 receptions for 334 yards and five touchdowns. (Conley had no catches in the playoffs, but he appeared in both games and was in the starting lineup for the AFC Championship.) Conley had a keen understanding of how quarterback Patrick Mahomes plays the game, and Conley was on the receiving end of multiple special throws last year — including the Week 3 touchdown pass against the 49ers that saw Mahomes run 35.7 yards behind the line of scrimmage before zipping it to Conley and a lunging touchdown catch near the end of the half of an epic Week 11 game against the Rams.
In Jacksonville, Conley could become an instant starter in an offense that will feature Nick Foles at quarterback and Dede Westbrook as one of the top options at wideout.
In Atlanta. ... The Falcons announced Saturday that they’ve agreed to terms with tight end Logan Paulsen on a one-year deal.
Paulsen, 32, was signed by the Falcons prior to the 2018 season. In his first year in Atlanta, Paulsen caught nine passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, but his primary contribution for the Falcons came as a blocker. On Thursday, the Falcons agreed to terms with tight end Luke Stocker, who fills the same type of role as a blocker. But Stocker has experience playing fullback during his career, so Atlanta could get creative with how they employ these two tight ends.
During his eight seasons in the NFL, Paulsen has played for four separate NFL teams, including the Falcons. Most notably, Paulsen spent five seasons with the Washington Redskins, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. Paulsen has caught 91 passes for 907 yards and six touchdowns.