UW alums in the NFL could be looking for new teams in ’21
LARAMIE -- A number of Wyoming football alums in the NFL could be looking for new homes in 2021.
Brian Hill, Jacob Hollister and Tashaun Gipson are all unrestricted free agents and are free to sign with the highest bidder.
Tyler Hall, an undrafted free agent signing of the Atlanta Falcons after the 2020 NFL Draft, is listed as an exclusive free agent.
Former UW defensive end, Eddie Yarbrough, is also free to sign with any team after spending last season on the Vikings' practice squad, according to spotrac.com, a website that tracks contracts of professional athletes.
Hill, Wyoming's all-time leading rusher with 4,287 yards, has been in the Falcons' backfield for the previous three seasons. The Illinois native had his best year in 2020, racking up 465 yards on 100 attempts. He also scored one touchdown.
Currently, Hill joins a free-agent list of backs that includes names like Kenyan Drake, Mark Ingram, Adrian Peterson and Atlanta teammate, Todd Gurley. Hill is the 10th highest-paid rusher on the market with an annual average of $2,133,000.
The league's longest tenured Cowboy is Gibson, who just completed his ninth NFL season. In his lone year in Chicago, Gipson picked off two passes and tallied 65 tackles from the safety position. He also broke up five passes.
Gipson, who has 25 career interceptions, started his career in Cleveland in 2012. He spent four seasons with the Browns before moving on the Jacksonville from 2016-18. The Dallas native spent one season in Houston before joining the Bears in 2020.
Gipson is the 30th highest paid safety in the NFL. He made $1,050,000 last season.
Seattle tight end Jacob Hollister is also fresh on the market after snagging three touchdowns and piling up 209 yards on 25 catches from Russell Wilson in 2020. The fourth-year pro, who also has a pair of Super Bowl rings, made $3,259,000 in the final year of his deal with the Seahawks.
Hollister is currently the seventh highest-paid tight end in football behind other free agents like Rob Gronkowski, Jared Cook, Vance McDonald and others.
Hall can be retained by the Falcons because he has less than three years of NFL experience. As a rookie, the speedster from Los Angles picked up six tackles, mostly playing on Atlanta's special teams unit. If the Falcons cut Hall he can sign elsewhere. They can also offer him a 1-year deal at the league minimum of $480,000. He made $610,000 last season.
The NFL, unlike the MLB, NHL or NBA, does not have guaranteed contracts. Only the signing bonus is assured.
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Other Cowboy contracts:
Carl Granderson - New Orleans - will become a restricted free agent after the 2021 season
Rico Gafford - Arizona - will become and exclusive free agent after the 2021 season
Austin Fort - Denver - will become a restricted free agent after the 2021 season
Cassh Maluia - New England - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season
Andrew Wingard - Jacksonville - will become a restricted free agent after the 2021 season
Eddie Yarbrough - Minnesota - is currently an unrestricted free agent
Mike Purcell - Denver - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season
Logan Wilson - Cincinnati -- will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season
Tanner Gentry - Buffalo - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022 season
Marcus Epps - Philadelphia - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022 season
Mark Nzeocha - San Francisco - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 season
Chase Roullier - Washington - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season
Josh Allen - Buffalo - will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022 season