Umenyiora signs with 'most talented' Falcons

Osi Umenyiora is looking for another ring, this time with the Atlanta Falcons.

The free-agent defensive end Thursday signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with Atlanta. Umenyiora won two Super Bowl championships in his 10 years with the New York Giants. He said the Falcons may have the most talent of any team he has seen but may have needed more Super Bowl experience.

"A lot of times, being able to get to that game or win that game is not even about the coaches or the organization," Umenyiora said. "This team is the most talented team I've seen in my life, probably. But it's not going to be about coaching. It's going to be about what the players are able to do, and you need that veteran leadership. You need guys who have been in those games and can tell you about exactly what happened."

The Falcons made the playoffs four of the last five years, but their first-round win over Seattle this year was the team's only postseason win in that span. Umenyiora said as soon as he reached an agreement with Atlanta on Wednesday he felt "an immediate sense of responsibility" to share his postseason experience to help the Falcons reach the Super Bowl.

"I do bring the fact that I've won some Super Bowls and I know exactly what it took to get there," he said.

Umenyiora, 31, insisted "it's not a stretch" to say the Falcons are the most talented team he has seen.

He mentioned quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez, newly signed running back Steve Jackson and receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones as other talented veteran leaders. He said he also was impressed the team re-signed offensive tackle Sam Baker and safety William Moore.

"I feel like I'm a part of that," he said. "There are a lot of tremendous players here, tremendous veteran leadership on this football team already. We're all going to get together and somehow find a way to help this team get this done."

He had a career-high 14 1-2 sacks in 2005, when he was a first-team All-Pro selection. He has reached double figures in sacks only one of the last four years - 11 1-2 in 2010.

Patriots sign WR Jenkins

The New England Patriots have signed free agent wide receiver Michael Jenkins.

In his ninth season, Jenkins caught 40 passes for 447 yards and two touchdowns with the Minnesota Vikings last year. He joined them in 2011 after seven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him in the first round in 2004 out of Ohio State.

Jenkins has 354 catches for 4,427 yards and 25 touchdowns in 130 games, including 79 starts. The Vikings released him March 5.

The Patriots lost their top two receivers from last season when Wes Welker, who had 118 catches, signed with the Denver Broncos, and Brandon Lloyd, who had 74 receptions, was released. They've added free agents Danny Amendola from the St. Louis Rams and Donald Jones from the Buffalo Bills.

Childress joins Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have hired former Vikings coach Brad Childress, reuniting him with Andy Reid.

Childress, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, will be the Chiefs' spread game analyst and work on special projects.

He spent five years as the Minnesota head coach (2006-10), a stint that included two division titles (2008-09). The team was 12-4 in 2009. Childress previously spent seven seasons (1999-2005) with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he worked with Reid.