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Catching up With NFL Free Agency Part 5

Kendall Wright gets the chance to spark a career resurgence in Chicago.

Midnight didn’t strike on Sunday night without the Buffalo Bills adding another NFL free agent to their already lengthy list of additions.

The Bills have been one of the most active teams in the league under new head coach Sean McDermott and Sunday night right as The Walking Dead was cranking up, the team announced they had signed former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Philly Brown. Financial details haven’t been disclosed.

Last year with the Panthers Brown started eight games, played in all 16 and caught 27 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown.

Saturday the Bills re-signed right tackle Jordan Mills to a two year contract worth $4 million.

Chicago Bears

Saturday the Chicago Bears continued their free agency tear, signing former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright to a one-year, $4 million contract. Last season Wright caught 29 passes for 416 yards and three touchdowns as he’s seen his role in the Titans’ offense diminish each season since his one and only 1,000 yard season in 2013.

The Bears re-signed linebacker Christian Jones to a one-year contract. Jones is primarily a special teamer, but did start two games last season, recording five tackles and a pass defense.

Late Friday the Bears added former Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Tom Compton. Financial terms and length have not been disclosed. Kicker Conner Barth re-signed with Chicago on a one-year deal.

The Bears spent a lot of money on their defensive backfield over the first couple of days of free agency. Friday they signed former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Prince Amukamara to a one-year contract worth $7 million. Last year Amukamara started 12 games for the Jags and played in 14, recording 49 tackles and six pass defenses.

Chicago also added former Houston Texans safety Quintin Demps on a three-year, $13.5 million contract. Last year Demps had 55 tackles, one forced fumble, nine passes defended and six interceptions.

On offense, Markus Wheaton, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will join the Bears as a free agent. No details of the contract have been released. Wheaton started three games for the Steelers last season and appeared in 11, catching just four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars continued to stay busy through the weekend. Former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Audie Cole signed a free agent contract with the Jags. Financial details and length have not been released. Last season with the Vikings Cole appeared in all 16 games mainly as a special teamer. He recorded five tackles and recovered a fumble on defense.

Former Buffalo Bills linebacker Lerentee McCray will move significantly further south, signing a one-year, $1 million deal with the the Jags.McCray was also primarily a special teamer, recording 10 tackles in 2016.

Jacksonville bolstered its offensive line by picking up guard Earl Watford from the Arizona Cardinals  with a two-year, $6 million deal. They also re-signed guard Patrick Omameh to a one-year, $775,000 contract.

Miami Dolphins

After a flurry of activity, the Dolphins have gone radio silent over the weekend. That didn’t keep them from wearing out their printers and pens, putting free agents under contract on Thursday and Friday.

The Dolphins re-signed free agent wide receiver Kenny Stills to a four-year, $31.9 million contract. Last year Stills caught 42 passes for 726 yards and nine touchdowns. Miami re-upped with defensive end Andre Branch as well, with a three-year, $24 million contract. Last year Branch had 39 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defense.

Miami has worked to build up its defense by signing safety Nate Allen away from teh Oakland Raiders and inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Allen’s deal is for one year and $3.4 million. He started four games for the Raiders last season and played in 14, collective 26 tackles, defending three passes and picking off two passes.

Timmons got two-years and $12 million from the Dolphins. Last year with Pittsburgh Timmons had 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five passes defended, one forced fumble and two interceptions.

On special teams, the Dolphins re-signed long snapper John Denney. No details of the contract have been released.

Miami added former Chicago Bears guard Ted Larsen as a free agent with a three-year, $5.65 million deal.

Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron announced his retirement Friday. He played in just three games last season and caught eight passes for 60 yards and a TD. The Dolphins also cut safety Isa Abdul-Quddus after he suffered a neck injury.

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Written by Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a writer and photographer based out of East Tennessee. His work has appeared on Cracked.com, in USA Today, the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs Vineline Magazine, AskMen.com and many other publications.

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