Falcons address CB by signing Hughes, re-signing Armstrong
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., March 21, (AP): The Atlanta Falcons bolstered their group of cornerbacks on Monday by signing Mike Hughes to a two-year deal and resigning Cornell Armstrong.
Hughes, 26, set a career high with 51 tackles, including three for losses, while starting six of 16 games in 2022 with Detroit. Hughes started in five of 17 games with Kansas City in 2021, when he had an interception and four forced fumbles.
Hughes was a first-round pick, No. 30 overall, by Minnesota from Central Florida in 2018.
Armstrong returns to Atlanta on a oneyear deal. He had 33 tackles in 10 games, including four starts, in 2022.
Armstrong, 27, was a sixth-round draft pick by Miami from Southern Miss in 2018.
The Falcons lost depth at cornerback when Isaiah Oliver signed a two-year deal with San Francisco last week. A.J. Terrell and Casey Hayward are expected to return as starters at the position.
The Falcons have made defense a priority in free agency. The team signed former Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates III to a $64 million, four-year contract, linebacker Kaden Elliss to a three-year deal and defensive lineman David Onyemata, who played with Elliss in New Orleans, to a three-year deal.
The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms Monday on a contract with free agent cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Murphy-Bunting was a second-round pick in 2019 by Tampa Bay and played a key role in helping the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in his second season.
Murphy-Bunting played 53 games with 36 starts in four years in Tampa Bay. He had 139 tackles, six interceptions, and 21 passes defensed in his career, along with four forced fumbles.
San Francisco 49ers Myles Hartsfield
The signed free agent safety to a one-year contract Monday and re-signed tight end Ross Dwelley to a one-year deal.
Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano also announced on Twitter that he has agreed to a one-year deal with the Niners.
Hartsfield spent the past three seasons in Carolina after signing with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He spent last season in Carolina playing for new 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Las Vegas Raiders Jordan Willis
The signed unrestricted free agents and O.J. Howard on Monday.
Willis, a defensive lineman, played for the San Francisco 49ers the past 2 1/2 seasons and has 92 tackles, 10 1/2 sacks and 15 tackles for loss over a six-year career.
The Green Bay Packers have re-signed safety Rudy Ford and cornerback Corey Ballentine.
Both signings were announced Monday. Terms weren’t disclosed.
Ford joined the Packers just before the start of the 2022 season and made a career-high six starts while playing all 17 games.