The Buffalo Bills signed free agent tight end Matt Mulligan to an undisclosed contract Thursday and released defensive back Merrill Noel.
Mulligan a 6-foot-4, 267-pound native of Enfield who played football at the University of Maine, began his career in 2009 with the New York Jets playing for head coach Rex Ryan and spent three seasons with the team. He will be reunited with Ryan, who is now the Buffalo head coach.
The 30-year-old Mulligan’s strength is as a blocker. He filled that role not only with the Jets but also for the St. Louis Rams in 2012, the New England Patriots in 2013 and with the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans last season.
He has 16 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns in 69 career NFL games.
Mulligan was cut by Arizona Dec. 5 after appearing in three games with the Cardinals. He had signed with the team Nov. 18, two months after being cut by the Chicago Bears, who had signed him to a one-year contract in April 2014.
The Bills become the eighth team on which Mulligan has played since completing his career at UMaine under head coach Jack Cosgrove in 2007.