Report: Pats grab WR Matthews
Jordan Matthews went on the free agency tour, meeting with Green Bay, Arizona and Tennessee. But in the end, he chose the Patriots as the former Bills wide receiver agreed to sign a one-year deal yesterday, according to ESPN.com.
Matthews was in Foxboro Monday for a visit. Given the trade of Brandin Cooks to the Rams, the Patriots were likely shopping for a reliable option to add to the wide receiver corps, and Matthews fits the profile.
He’s a possession receiver, which falls in line with Tom Brady and the Patriots offense.
Matthews, who mostly plays in the slot, was a former second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, but was traded to the Bills in August. In an injury-filled season, he played in just 10 games with Buffalo, catching 25 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown.
He recorded at least 67 catches and over 800 yards in each of his three years in Philadelphia.
With Matthews in the fold, he joins Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt, Cordarelle Patterson, Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister on the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart.
Punter Marquette King signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Denver Broncos less than a week after his surprising release from the Oakland Raiders. …
The New York Giants signed durable cornerback William Gay. A Steelers draft pick in 2007, he played in 176 consecutive regular-season and 15 postseason games through the end of the 2017 season. He spent 10 years with Pittsburgh, and the 2012 season with Arizona. …
Running back Stevan Ridley and wide receiver Justin Hunter both signed one-year contracts to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
UFC’s McGregor in melee
UFC star Conor McGregor turned himself in to police in the wake of a backstage melee he instigated after a news conference for one of UFC’s biggest cards of the year.
Video footage appears to show the promotion’s most bankable star throwing a hand truck at a bus full of fighters, injuring at least one scheduled to compete tomorrow.
McGregor was being processed and no charges were filed as of last night. …
Alex Morgan scored twice and the U.S. women’s national team got three goals in the space of four minutes early in the second half to beat Mexico, 4-1, in Jacksonville, Fla., in the first of two exhibition matches between the teams. …
Australia’s 4x100-meter women’s freestyle relay team broke its own world record on the opening night of the swim program at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Sisters Bronte and Cate Campbell, Emma McKeon and Shayna Jack clocked a time of 3 minutes, 30.5 seconds.