Falcons bring back Clayborn on 1-year deal

The Atlanta Falcons have signed defensive end Adrian Clayborn to a one-year deal, the team announced Tuesday. His contract is worth up to $4 million, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Clayborn played three seasons with the Falcons before joining the New England Patriots for the 2018 campaign.

The 30-year-old had just 2.5 sacks during the 2018 regular season and one in the playoffs. He's only a year removed from nearly reaching double digits, though six of Clayborn's 9.5 sacks in 2017 came during a single impressive performance against the Dallas Cowboys.

Atlanta struggled to rush the passer in 2018. It produced a total of 37 sacks (tied for 22nd), led by Takkarist McKinley with seven.

The cap-poor Falcons have been relatively quiet during free agency, retooling their offensive line by signing guards Jamon Brown and James Carpenter and adding depth to the offensive skill positions.