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Free Agency Roundup: Robinson Goes To Rams As Other Top Talents Linger
The second day of the official signing period came to an end with some high-end talent (like Leonard Fournette, Cordarrelle Patterson and Melvin Gordon) still available. But we had some movement -- including at least one of them at the top of the list.

So let's get the ball rolling in Los Angeles. ... Allen Robinson, the top receiver available in free agency, is available no more after joining the Rams on a three-year, $46.5 million that includes $30.7 million fully guaranteed.

As NFL.com suggested, Robinson has been one of the most underappreciated receivers in the NFL for years. He carried the Chicago Bears' offense, generating back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020. Robinson led all WRs with 21 games of 70-plus receiving yards during that span.

He struggled to find any rapport with rookie quarterback Justin Fields or Andy Dalton while playing through injuries in 2021. Robinson earned 410 receiving yards on 38 catches for 1 TD in 12 games -- his worst stats in any season in which he's played at least 10 games.

When healthy, Robinson is a difference-making talent who can box out in the red zone and make contested catches. According to Next Gen Stats, Robinson leads the NFL with 140 tight-window targets (less than 1 yard of separation) since 2018, with 51 catches on tight-window targets in that span (third-most).

Robinson has played five-plus games with six different starting QBs in his career: Mitchell Trubisky (35 games), Blake Bortles (33), Fields (10), Nick Foles (8), Chase Daniel (5) and Dalton (5). Each of the QBs has a sub-90 career passer rating and averaged 7.0 or fewer career pass yards per attempt.

Now he gets to play with Stafford in a Sean McVay offense.

With Robinson turning 29 yards old in August, the Rams are betting the receiver will find rejuvenation with Stafford as his quarterback and plenty of weapons so he won't be bracketed every week.

By the way. ... While Robinson's arrival might be seen as a sign the Rams won't be bringing Odell Beckham Jr. back, there is reporting out there suggesting the Rams still have plenty of money and still hope to retain OBJ, who like teammate Robert Woods, is rehabbing after a torn ACL.

Beckham was injured during the team's Super Bowl win. Woods went down in October.

So we'll see how it plays out, but with Robinson joining Cooper Kupp, Woods and Van Jefferson, the Rams receiving corps is locked in as one of the league’s best, whether Beckham is back or not.

And in the end, the biggest winner here might be Stafford. ...

In Atlanta. ... The Falcons have yet to re-sign Patterson, and it's looking less likely that the team will get a deal done with the breakout running back.

On Thursday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Falcons are signing free agent Damien Williams, the former Bears and Chiefs running back, to a one-year deal.

Williams, 29, is expected to sign a one-year deal in Atlanta. He's mostly been a career backup, but he provides some depth that can also be a factor in the passing game.

Since entering the league in 2014, Williams has 334 rushing attempts for 1,394 yards and 14 touchdowns, with another 154 catches for 1,209 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions.

In Chicago. ... The Bears are signing receivers Equanimeous St. Brown and Byron Pringle.

St. Brown signed not long after the Bears lost Robinson. St. Brown follows Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy from Green Bay.

St. Brown was a sixth-round choice of the Packers in 2018, and he played 37 games with 10 starts in his career in Green Bay.

He has 37 receptions for 543 yards and a touchdown in his career, including nine catches for 98 yards last season.

St. Brown has seen action on 846 offensive snaps and 172 on special teams.

Pringle is getting a one-year deal worth $6 million with $4 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles knows Pringle well from his time in Kansas City.

Pringle is coming of his best season, where he had 42 catches for 568 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games with the Chiefs. Where things currently stand, Pringle looks to be the No. 2 wide receiver behind Darnell Mooney.

It's a one-year, prove-it deal for Pringle, who has the potential to be a contributor in Getsy's offense with quarterback Justin Fields.

As USA Today's Alyssa Barbieri suggests, the Bears have now added two depth pieces at wide receiver with Pringle and St. Brown, which indicates they'll be using one of their top draft picks to target a young, playmaking wide receiver. ...

In Buffalo. ... The Bills officially moved on from Cole Beasley, announcing the receiver's release on Thursday.

Beasley reportedly received permission to seek a trade earlier this month. With the team re-signing Isaiah McKenzie, it became clear that it was only a matter of time before Buffalo let Beasley go one way or another.

By releasing Beasley, the Bills save $6.1 million against the cap and will incur a $1.5 million dead cap charge.

Beasley spent the last three seasons with the Bills. In 16 games last season, he caught 82 passes for 693 yards with one touchdown.

Beasley played his first seven seasons with Dallas, originally signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

In 10 seasons, Beasley's amassed 550 receptions for 5,709 yards with 34 touchdowns. ...

In Miami. ... The Dolphins landed running back Raheem Mostert on Wednesday and they added another former 49er to the roster on Thursday. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that the team is signing receiver Trent Sherfield.

It's set to be a one-year deal in Miami for Sherfield.

Sherfield played for Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel with the 49ers last season. Wide receivers coach Wes Welker has also made the trip from San Francisco to South Florida this offseason. Sherfield caught nine passes for 87 yards and a touchdown with the Niners last year and also played 194 special teams snaps.

He'll join a receiving corps that lost Mack Hollins as a free agent on Wednesday and could also be saying farewell to free agents Will Fuller and Albert Wilson.

In Houston. ... According to multiple reports, Houston is re-signing Royce Freeman to a one-year deal.

Freeman appeared in seven games for Houston last season, recording 92 yards rushing on 35 carries. He also caught seven passes for 62 yards. The Broncos selected Freeman in the third round of the 2018 draft and he had a solid first two seasons with the club, recording 593 yards from scrimmage in his first season and 752 in his second.

But when Denver added Gordon in 2020, Freeman's playing time significantly decreased.

The Broncos cut Freeman at the start of the 2021 regular season and Carolina claimed him off waivers. He appeared in eight games for the Panthers, picking up 77 yards on 21 carries before he was waived in November. The Texans picked him up for the rest of the season.

Again, Gordon is still available as an unrestricted free agent. ...

In Tennessee. ... After losing D'Onta Foreman in free agency and waiving Darrynton Evans, the Titans have finally made an addition to their running backs room. According to multiple reports, the Titans have agreed to terms with running back and kick returner Trenton Cannon. The terms of the deal are not yet known.

A former sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2018, Cannon has played mostly on special teams during his career.

He has returned 32 kicks to the tune of an impressive 23.2 yards per attempt. He returned 16 kicks for 20.5 yards per with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. On offense, Cannon could be a depth option at running back, although his numbers leave a lot to be desired. He has carried the ball just 51 times for 150 yards (2.9 yards per carry) over four seasons, and he had just three carries for four yards last season.

As USA Today suggests, this is obviously a small signing, but the Titans did need to improve their kick return game. Cannon can check that box. ...

In Cincinnati. ... The Bengals have signed free agent tight end Hayden Hurst to a one-year contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.

It's a solid move to replace C.J. Uzomah, who left for the New York Jets earlier this week.

Hurst, a first-round pick out of South Carolina by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018, never became the star he was once predicted to be in Baltimore as he was soon overshadowed by Mark Andrews. He went to Atlanta in 2020 and caught 56 balls for 571 yards and six touchdowns as the Falcons' featured seam man in 2020.

Unfortunately for his career, he then took a back seat to prodigy Kyle Pitts in 2021 and caught only 26 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.

As the Redzone.org suggested, the 28-year old Hurst is going to have space to operate in Cincinnati with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins terrifying defenses on the outside. He should also see plenty of red-zone opportunities as teams bracket Chase near the goal line.

It is great landing spot for someone who needed one to revive his fantasy career. ...

Meanwhile, the Bengals will have the same backup quarterback for 2022. According to multiple reports, Brandon Allen is re-signing with Cincinnati on a one-year deal.

Allen has been with the Bengals since 2020. He had been with Zac Taylor when Cincinnati's head coach was the Rams' quarterbacks coach. Allen was the third QB for Los Angeles then.

Allen has appeared in 14 career games with nine starts. With the Bengals having wrapped up the AFC North, Allen started the team's Week 18 matchup against the Browns in 2021. He completed 25-of-29 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown in the loss.

The Bengals are also re-signing receiver Mike Thomas to a one-year deal, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Thomas caught just five passes in the regular season last year, but he did have a reception in the Super Bowl and will continue to be depth behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd in 2022.

Look for the biggest impact to come on special teams for Thomas. ...

In Detroit. ... The Lions didn't tender quarterback David Blough as a restricted free agent, but he won't be leaving for another team.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that Blough is re-signing with the Lions.

Blough took four snaps and did not throw a pass in his lone appearance of the 2021 season. He also appeared in one game in 2020 and made the only five starts of his NBA career when Matthew Stafford was injured during the 2019 season. He was 94-of-174 for 584 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions in those games.

The Lions have also re-signed Tim Boyle, so they are set to have both of Jared Goff's backups back from last season.

In addition, the Lions are signing free agent tight end Garrett Griffin, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was the Saints' tight ends coach for four of Griffin's seasons in New Orleans.

Griffin currently is taking care of his yearly Air Force commitment in Colorado Springs. The Saints did not tender Griffin, who was a restricted free agent.

He joined the Saints in 2017.

Griffin has five catches for 43 yards in 20 regular-season outings. He also caught two passes for 12 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs after the 2018 season.

Griffin has seen action in 365 offensive snaps and 206 on special teams.