Offensive tackle La’el Collins signed a three-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Bengals did not disclose the financial terms of the deal for Collins, who was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.
In a bid to protect star quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals have bolstered their offensive line with the additions of Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and Collins in free agency.
Collins, 28, has played guard and tackle for the Cowboys and appeared in 12 games last season. He missed the 2020 season with a hip injury that required surgery but started all but one game the previous three seasons.
He served a five-game suspension in 2021 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
–Free-agent tight end Gerald Everett agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to multiple reports on Sunday.
Everett, 27, established career highs of 48 receptions, 478 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Seattle Seahawks.
He could become more of a passing target with the Chargers, who have young star Justin Herbert as quarterback.
Everett spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He has 175 receptions for 1,867 yards and 12 touchdowns in 76 career games (23 starts) over his five NFL campaigns.
Everett was a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of South Alabama.
–Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny is returning to the team on a one-year deal that is worth at least $5.75 million, according to reports.
The pay could increase to $6.5 million depending on Penny’s performance.
Penny, 26, was a first-round selection (27th overall) in 2018 out of San Diego State but has battled injuries while not living up to expectations. But he finished the 2021 season on a roll by rushing for at least 135 yards in four of the last five games.
The explosive finish help Penny rush for a career-high 749 yards while playing in just 10 games. He had a spectacular 6.3-yard rushing average and scored six touchdowns.
Penny tore the ACL in his left knee on Dec. 8, 2019 against the Los Angeles Rams and missed more than a year before returning to play in the final three games in 2020.
He injured a calf in the 2021 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts and missed the next five games. He finally hit his stride in December.
Overall, Penny has rushed for 1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 23 passes for 206 yards with one touchdown in 37 games (six starts).
–The Carolina Panthers said they agreed to a one-year deal with linebacker Cory Littleton. The deal is worth $2.6 million, according to reports.
Littleton, 28, spent the past two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders after playing his first four campaigns with the Los Angeles Rams.
Littleton was a Pro Bowl selection in 2018 when he had 125 tackles and registered career highs of four sacks and three interceptions for the Rams. He had a career-high 134 stops in 2019.
Overall, Littleton has 495 tackles, nine sacks and six interceptions (returning one for a touchdown) in 95 games (64 starts). He was an undrafted free agent out of Washington.
–The Chicago Bears confirmed the signing of former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Byron Pringle.
It is a one-year deal worth $6 million and includes $4 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac.
Pringle, 28, caught 42 passes for 568 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games (five starts) last season.
Undrafted out of Kansas State in 2018, he played in 46 games (eight starts) with the Chiefs from 2019-21, registering 67 receptions for 898 yards and seven scores. He also averaged 26.6 yards on 37 kickoff returns with one touchdown.
–Field Level Media