The last few days in the NFL saw a few notable signings and releases take place. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found a new backup quarterback. The New England Patriots added a veteran wide receiver and the Buffalo Bills released one of their former second round draft picks.
Fitzpatrick gets signed
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found their new backup quarterback after Mike Glennon signed with the Chicago Bears. The team agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. In his 12-year career, Fitzpatrick has played in 127 games and started 116 of them.
The Bucs will be the seventh team that Fitzpatrick will have played for. If he throws at least one pass for them this season, he will become the sixth quarterback in NFL history to throw at least one pass for seven different teams.
A carousel of wide receiver moves in the AFC East
Despite the New England Patriots having a glut of wide receivers, it did not stop them from signing veteran Andrew Hawkins to a one-year deal. Hawkins has played in the NFL for six seasons, three with the Cincinnati Bengals and three with the Cleveland Browns. For his career, Hawkins has 209 receptions for 2,419 yards and 9 touchdowns. To make room for Hawkins, the Patriots released Devin Street, who had one catch last year for the Indianapolis Colts.
The New York Jets waived Devin Smith, but he cleared waivers, so now he is on their injured reserve list. This means that the injured second round pick will not take up a roster spot for the team. Smith recently had ACL surgery for the second time in the last 16 months. Last season injuries limited him to 4 games, where he had one catch.
The Buffalo Bills signed wide receiver Rod Streater following injuries to Sammy Watkins and Zay Jones. Streater had a breakout year in 2013 for the Oakland Raiders, with 60 receptions and 888 yards. The next two years he only played in 4 games, as the Raiders investment at receiver in the draft and free agency left him the odd man out.
He spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers, posting 18 catches for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Bills part ways with Kouandjio
The Buffalo Bills released 2014 second round pick Cyrus Kounandjio after only three seasons with the team. In those three years, the 23-year-old from Alabama only played in 25 games and started 7 of them. This April, Kouandjio was hospitalized after being found by police pantless in a field next to a Buffalo-area highway. He also had hip surgery in January after falling at his home and had not participated in OTAs with the team.
The Bills signed former Minnesota Vikings and 49ers linebacker Gerald Hodges to a one-year contract. In five seasons in the NFL, the former fourth-round pick has played in 54 games and started 26.
For his career, he has 224 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. Hodges is coming off the best year of his career after seeing significant playing time due to injuries in the 49ers linebacker core.
