Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. -- Former University of Delaware football standouts Robbie Agnone (at right), Ronald Talley, and Omar Cuff have signed National Football League free agent contracts and will battle for roster spots this summer.

Agnone, a 6-6, 260 lb. tight end from Etters, Pa., signed with the Washington Redskins while Talley, a 6-4, 280 lb. defensive end from Detroit, Mich., signed with the Green Bay Packers, and Cuff, a 5-10, 195 lb. running back from Landover, Md. who last played for the Blue Hens in 2007, signed with the New England Patriots.

Two-time Delaware All-American center and 2008 co-captain Kheon Hendricks from Pikesville, Md. is also expected to sign with an NFL team later this week.

Agnone, Talley, and Cuff will join three other players currently under contract in the NFL in quarterback Joe Flacco with the Baltimore Ravens, defensive back Mike Adams with the Cleveland Browns, and tight end Ben Patrick with the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals.

Agnone, one of two free agent tight ends signed by Washington, played three seasons for the Blue Hens after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh. A 2007 The Sports Network honorable mention All-American and a third team All-Colonial Athletic Association pick in 2008, Agnone played in 35 career games for Delaware and started 31 contests. He caught 71 career passes for 886 yards and 11 touchdowns for his career and ranks among the all-time UD leaders for tight ends in each category.

He enjoyed his best season in 2007 when he caught 38 passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns in leading Delaware to an 11-4 record and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision title game.

He was limited to 16 catches for 161 yards during the 2008 season but played two games at quarterback due to a need at that position and completed 9 of 17 passes for 86 yards. He earned the Blue Hen Touchdown Club Winnie Mayer Outstanding Senior End Award this past January.

Talley played two seasons at defensive end for the Blue Hens, appearing in 24 games with 18 starts. He collected 89 tackles over the two seasons, including 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 quarterback sacks and teamed with All-American Matt Marcorelle to form one of the top defensive end units in the CAA.

Talley played in 11 games with 10 starts as a senior in 2008 and ranked No. 9 on the team with 46 tackles while tying for the team lead with eight tackles for loss and ranking second in sacks with 3.5. He earned his degree in mass communications from Delaware in 2008 and is an honor student in the the UD sport management graduate program.

Cuff, Delaware’s No. 2 all-time leading rusher and a consensus first team All-American in 2007, signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans last April and spent time on the practice squads of the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers last fall.

A two-time All-American, Cuff was Delaware’s first consensus pick at running back since Gardy Kahoe in 1971. Delaware’s all-time leading scorer and second all-time leading rusher, he enjoyed an outstanding season in 2007 as he set school single season records with 398 carries, 1,945 yards, and 35 touchdowns while also catching 55 passes for 554 yards and four touchdowns. He led the nation in scoring with 15.6 points per game and ranked seventh in rushing with 129.7 yards per game.

He set a single season NCAA record with 39 touchdowns, the third highest total in the history of college football. His 65 career rushing touchdowns set a CAA record while his 73 career touchdowns is No. 1 all-time at Delaware and his 4,364 rushing yards rank him No. 2 all-time at Delaware. In all, he set five NCAA records, eight CAA records, and 28 Delaware standards during his career.