Tag: Brandon Powell

Titans trying out WR/KR Pharoh Cooper among 3 players

The Titans are taking a look at a pair of receivers and a running back with return experience.

With injuries at the wide receiver, returner and running back positions, the Tennessee Titans are exploring adding players at those spots.

According to the transaction wire, Tennessee is giving wide receivers Pharoh Cooper and Brandon Powell a look, as well as running back Dontrell Hilliard.

Tennessee was dealt several injury blows during their Week 6 win over the Buffalo Bills. In regard to receiver and running back, Jeremy McNichols re-injured his ankle after one series, forcing him to leave early, and Cameron Batson, who also served as a return man, tore his ACL, ending his season.

Both Powell and Cooper have return experience. The former is averaging 8.4 yards per return on punts and 20.3 yards per on kickoffs, while the latter is averaging 8.9 and 24.3 per punt and kickoff return, respectively.

Cooper has one career kick-return touchdown, which came in 2017 when he was voted to the Pro Bowl and named a First-Team All-Pro at returner.

Hilliard also has some return experience, posting 7.1 and 23.1 yards per punt and kickoff return, respectively. He has played predominantly on special teams during his career.

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Bills sign WR/KR Brandon Powell to one-year deal

Buffalo Bills sign WR/ KR Brandon Powell to one-year deal.

Wide receiver Brandon Powell signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. The team announced the move on Friday.

Powell, 25, will have a chance to fight for a depth wide receiver spot on the Bills roster. He’ll also likely have to contribute on special teams, something he’s done in his brief NFL past as well.

An undrafted rookie out of Florida in 2018, Powell signed with the Detroit Lions. In a late-season game against the Green Bay Packers his rookie year, Powell caught six passes for 103 yards.

That following offseason, Powell was cut by the Lions and was picked up by the Atlanta Falcons, spending the entire 2019 season on their practice squad. Last season, with the Falcons, Powell had 12 catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.

Powell also returned 17 punts for 152 yards and took 17 kick returns in 15 games played in 2020.

Isaiah McKenzie, who re-signed with the Bills last week, is the likely candidate for the Bills’ return man job as things currently sit. Andre Roberts signed with the Houston Texans earlier this month.

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Former Falcons WR/KR Brandon Powell to sign with Buffalo Bills

As reported on Friday by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Falcons wide receiver/kick returner Brandon Powell has signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.

Another member of last year’s Atlanta Falcons team has left via free agency. As reported on Friday by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Falcons wide receiver/kick returner Brandon Powell has signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.

Powell, 25, played in 15 games last season for Atlanta, returning 17 punts for 152 yards (8.9 yards per return) and 17 kicks for 343 yards (20.2 yards per return), while catching his first two career touchdown passes.

Buffalo looks to be a rapidly-improving AFC powerhouse, and Powell gives the team a capable returner with game-breaking speed. Meanwhile, Atlanta has wide receiver Chris Rowland, who should complete for the starting kick return duties. Don’t rule out a cost-effective free agent, either.

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Falcons flex TE Jared Pinkney, two others to active roster for Week 17

On Saturday, the team announced that three practice squad players, WR Chris Rowland, WR Devin Gray and TE Jared Pinkney, have been flexed to the active roster for Sunday’s game.

The Atlanta Falcons (4-11) don’t have much to lose in their season finale other than draft positioning. On Saturday, the team announced that three practice squad players, WR Chris Rowland, WR Devin Gray and TE Jared Pinkney, have been flexed to the active roster for Sunday’s game.

All three players are were undrafted free agents. Gray came into the league back in 2018, while both Pinkney and Rowland were signed in 2020.

Falcons receiver Brandon Powell has been ruled out for Sunday’s game, which will likely give Rowland a chance to handle the team’s kick-return duties against the Buccaneers.

Pinkney, who was a productive player during his time at Vanderbilt, will be making his NFL debut. During his four college seasons, the Commodores tight end recorded 114 catches, 1,560 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

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Ravens sign former Falcons RB Kenjon Barner

The Falcons’ starting kick returner from 2019 won’t be returning this season as RB Kenjon Barner signed with the Baltimore Ravens officially on Wednesday morning.

The Falcons’ starting kick returner from 2019 won’t be returning this season as RB Kenjon Barner signed with the Baltimore Ravens officially on Wednesday morning.

Barner was solid for Atlanta last season, returning 35 punts for 267 yards and a touchdown. He added 17 kick returns, racking up 406 yards on a 23.9 average per return.

In Week 11, Barner took home NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his outstanding performance in a game against the Panthers, including this 78-yard punt return for a score.

The Falcons will look to wide receiver Brandon Powell to handle the kick-return duties in 2020.

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Falcons coach says Brandon Powell is front-runner for kick return job

Talking to reporters Monday morning, head coach Dan Quinn offered his thoughts on the starting kick/punt return job

Last season, the Falcons went with veteran Kenjon Barner as their starting kick returner and he proved to be a solid and safe choice for the team.

Barner, 30, is currently a free agent, though, and Atlanta hasn’t indicated any intention of bringing him back in 2020. That leaves the team with several unproven options to fill this role.

Talking to reporters Monday morning, head coach Dan Quinn offered his thoughts on the starting kick/punt return job. He praised “leader in the clubhouse” Brandon Powell as the front-runner to handle the duties next season, per William McFadden:

Powell, 24, is an elusive receiver that has some experience returning kicks and punts with the Detroit Lions back in 2018. He can also bring a little something as a fourth receiver. The third-year wideout was signed by Atlanta last year but not given any playing time, which seems bound to change this season.

The Falcons could also use the upcoming NFL draft to add another player or two at the wide receiver and defensive back positions capable of competing for this spot in training camp.

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