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Kroy Biermann

Workout Notes: 9/13/16

September 13th, 2016 at 7:59pm CST by Ben Levine

The latest workouts from around the NFL.

  • The Bears worked out former New England defensive end Rufus Johnson today, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The former sixth-rounder has one career appearance under his belt. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter) adds three more players to the list of workouts: linebackers Deiontrez Mount and Jermauria Rasco and defensive end Jimmy Bean.
  • The Colts worked out running back Brandon Wegher this week, according to his reps at Enter Sports Management (on Twitter). The former Morningside standout made one appearance for the Panthers in 2015. The team also worked out former Seahawks running back Zac Brooks, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Safety Elijah Shumate worked out for the Raiders this week, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame spent time with the Buccaneers this summer.
  • The Patriots worked out four players today, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (via Twitter): WR Anthony Dable, DE Ryan Russell, OL Ian Silberman, DE Davis Tull. Dable is an interesting inclusion, as the 27-year-old has spent much of his professional career playing in the German Football League.
  • The Lions worked out a trio of defensive backs, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter): safety Jimmy Wilson and cornerbacks Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Demetrius McCray. The three players each have extensive NFL experience, with 12 combined starts in 2015.
  • The Packers worked out running back Storm Johnson, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The former seventh-rounder last played in the NFL in 2o14, when he played six games for the Jaguars.
  • The Buccaneers worked out a trio of players today, according to Caplan on Twitter: defensive tackle Kyle Love, defensive end Kroy Biermann and guard Josh LeRibeus. Biermann is the most veteran of the bunch, with the 31-year-old compiling 331 career tackles in eight NFL seasons.
  • Former Eagles offensive lineman Andrew Gardner worked out for the Seahawks today, tweets Caplan. The former sixth-rounder has started 11 NFL games since entering the league in 2009.

Bills Trim Roster To 53

September 2nd, 2016 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they’ve moved their roster to 53 players by cutting 21 players. That list of cuts includes notable names like fullback Jerome Felton, linebacker Manny Lawson, versatile cornerback Sterling Moore, and linebacker Randell Johnson."<strong

The Bills will save $2.35MM against the cap by releasing Lawson and $1.55MM by cutting Felton. By freeing up that cash, the Bills will have a little more room to work with as they negotiate a new deal with cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Felton was signed as a free agent last offseason to a four-year pact worth $9.2MM, with $4MM guaranteed. Considering how the fullback position has been phased out by many NFL teams, that was a steep price to pay for the former Viking. With Minnesota, Felton acted as the lead blocker for Adrian Peterson‘s 2012 MVP campaign, paving the way for Peterson to nearly break the all-time rushing record. Felton himself went to the Pro Bowl that season, and was named second-team All Pro. The team is saving money by dropping the 30-year-old, but his release is also a sign of their confidence in Glenn Gronkowski.

Over the last three seasons, Lawson has appeared in all but one regular season game for the Bills. In 2015, Lawson appeared in every contest and started 14 games, racking up 45 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 pass deflections. Lawson is facing a one-game ban as a result of a domestic violence incident and that was thought to be a big blow in the season opener considering that the team will also be without top rookies Reggie Ragland and Shaq Lawson plus reserve linebacker IK Enemkpali. For one reason or another, the Bills have decided that they are better off without him.

Moore, 26, came over from Tampa Bay during the offseason, and has also spent time with the Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders. Johnson, meanwhile, has been with Buffalo for the past two seasons, starting one game during that time.

Here is the complete list of cuts:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Sign Kroy Biermann

August 15th, 2016 at 2:03pm CST by Zachary Links

2:03pm: The Bills have formally announced the signing.

10:13am: Defensive end/outside linebacker Kroy Biermann is on his way to Buffalo to sign a one-year deal with the Bills, source tells ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Kroy Biermann (vertical)

[RELATED: Bills’ Reggie Ragland Done For Season]

Last season, Biermann was expected to be a contributor in the defense rolled out by new Atlanta coach Dan Quinn. However, Biermann wound up being relegated to a smaller role and made zero starts after starting in 15 contests the previous year. For the year, Biermann recorded 51 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. In total, Biermann was on the field for less than 50% of the team’s defensive snaps.

This offseason, the Lions looked at Biermann as a defensive end but ultimately decided against signing him. Biermann also visited the Bills in March and even though he did not sign a deal during that visit, he circled back to them today.

In 2014, the 30-year-old started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. The numbers showed that he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher. Now, he’ll try to get back to that form in Buffalo.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lions Hosting Kroy Biermann On Visit

June 8th, 2016 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions are hosting veteran Kroy Biermann on a visit today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). To date, the edge defender has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Falcons. Kroy Biermann (vertical)

Last season, Biermann was expected to be a contributor in the defense rolled out by new Atlanta coach Dan Quinn. However, Biermann wound up being relegated to a smaller role and made zero starts after starting in 15 contests the previous year. For the year, Biermann recorded 51 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. In total, Biermann was on the field for less than 50% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Biermann offers experience at both defensive end and linebacker, but Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that Detroit is looking at him as a defensive end. If Detroit signs Biermann, he’ll join a group of bookends that includes Ziggy Ansah, Devin Taylor, and former Cincinnati defensive end Wallace Gilberry.

In 2014, the 30-year-old started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. The numbers showed that he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher. He’ll try to get back to that level of play in 2016, potentially in Detroit.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: Cowboys, J. Jones, Bills, Packers

March 28th, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

After landing defensive end Benson Mayowa from the Raiders, the Cowboys remain in the market for help on the edge, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Dallas is bringing in veteran defensive end Jason Jones for a visit. Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) hears from Jones that he’s flying in tonight and meeting with the team tomorrow.

It’s no surprise that the Cowboys continue to seek defensive end help, since both Greg Hardy and Jeremy Mincey are free agents. As for Jones, the 29-year-old has been a full-time starter in Detroit for the last two seasons, picking up a total of 9.5 sacks in his last two seasons. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 43rd out of 110 qualified edge defenders, assigning him solid grades as both as a pass rusher and a run defender.

As we wait to see whether Jones ends up landing a deal in Dallas, let’s round up several more updates on free agency…

  • In addition to meeting with Jones, the Cowboys will also host offensive lineman Joe Looney, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Looney can play guard and center, and would be a candidate to replace Mackenzy Bernadeau as an interior depth piece in Dallas.
  • Defensive end Kroy Biermann is paying a visit to the Bills today, a source tells Conor Orr of NFL.com (Twitter link). Biermann, 30, has spent his entire eight-year NFL career as a Falcon, picking up a total of seven sacks in the past two seasons.
  • After signing Jared Cook, the Packers likely won’t do much else on the free agent market. However, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets that Green Bay has been “poking around” on running backs, including Ronnie Hillman.
  • The Cowboys have interest in safety Dashon Goldson, and Washington is also open to the free agent safety’s return, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who expresses surprise that Goldson remains unsigned.
  • Cornerback Brandon Boykin said today that he had offers from about four other teams before he agreed to sign with the Panthers, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) believes that two of those offers were from the Chiefs and Falcons.

Falcons Re-Sign Kroy Biermann

March 21st, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 8:55am: Biermann’s deal is for one year and $1.925MM, with a $500K signing bonus, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (via Twitter).

WEDNESDAY, 3:27pm: Having already brought in a pair of new defensive ends by signing Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield, the Falcons locked up one of their own today. According to a team release, Atlanta has re-signed veteran edge defender Kroy Biermann.

Biermann, 29, started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons last season, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. In 867 defensive snaps, he recorded a -5.7 grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but that was largely due to a poor rating in pass coverage — he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher.

Financial terms of Biermann’s new deal aren’t yet known.

Clayton On Falcons, Gordon, Thanksgiving

July 13th, 2014 at 8:09pm CST by Peter Sowards

ESPN’s John Clayton has been covering the NFL since his high school days in 1972, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable man or woman on pro football. His Sunday mailbags are a treat, full of wit and wisdom, and we’re passing along some of Clayton’s best responses to readers’ questions to you.

Clayton also touches on the Giants and Bills, the two teams meeting in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and thus the first two teams to open training camp.

On the Falcons’ defensive line:

“The Falcons‘ pass rush has to be better. Their nickel defense gave up 6.48 yards per play and 7.75 yards per attempt and had only 23 sacks this past year. The return of a healthy Kroy Biermann will help. Former Dolphin Paul Soliai is a big, physical addition to the defensive line, but it’s unclear how the Falcons will use him. He’s a run-stopper who could draw an extra blocker, but he has only 4½ sacks in his seven NFL seasons. I’ll be intrigued to see if Ra’Shede Hageman can get into a pass-rushing role in the nickel. He might be a pretty special athlete.”

On the ramifications of Josh Gordon‘s impending suspension:

“If Gordon is suspended for the year, his contract would be tolled, meaning his deal would be put on pause and he would still have two years remaining when his suspension is lifted. His salary would not count against this year’s cap. Plus, the team would have the ability to try to get him to pay back the prorated amount for one year of his signing bonus, a total of $518,209. Gordon would count only the $518,209 on this year’s cap if he is suspended. If the Browns get the signing bonus back, they would get a rebate on the amount in next year’s cap. The bigger problem, though, is that the Browns would lose one of the best young receivers in the game.”

On the possibility of a team that plays on Thanksgiving this year — Bears, Lions, Eagles, Cowboys, Seahawks and 49ers — winning the Super Bowl, which hasn’t happened in 18 years:

“I did not realize that. Part of it is because Dallas and Detroit are the two traditional Thanksgiving hosts. The Cowboys have been an 8-8 team for the past three years and most recently won the Super Bowl in the 1995 season. The Lions have made only one trip to the playoffs since 1999 and never have reached the Super Bowl. The addition of a third game in 2006 hasn’t ended the trend, but it might this year. San Francisco and Seattle are two of the best teams in football. The Bears are contenders, and the Eagles might have the best team in the NFC East. Interesting thought.”

Umenyiora, Biermann To Stay With Falcons

March 22nd, 2014 at 12:19pm CST by Matt Feminis

Falcons defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Kroy Biermann will be back with the team in 2014 without having to restructure their contracts, reports Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

There had been speculation that Umenyiora, scheduled to count $4.75MM against the cap in 2014, would have to take a pay cut or be released, but Ledbetter says the team was pleased with the 32-year-old veteran’s mentoring of young players. Umenyiora became more of a situational pass rusher down the stretch, finishing the season with 47 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three batted passes and three forced fumbles.

Biermann, 28, is coming off Achilles tendon surgery which ended his season in Week Two. Primarily a situational player with the exception of 2010 when he started 14 games, Biermann has notched 16.5 sacks in 82 career games. He will count $5.1MM against the cap.