Saints OL James Hurst Retires

April 24th, 2024 at 1:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

A valuable player on the Saints’ offensive front for the past four seasons, James Hurst will not factor into the team’s plans any longer in 2024. The veteran offensive lineman announced his retirement Wednesday.

Further complicating matters for a Saints team that has seen its O-line plan endure multiple setbacks, Hurst’s retirement strips away a key option for the team. Hurst has seen extensive time at tackle and guard in New Orleans, but the former Ravens blocker will call it quits after 10 seasons.

More to come.

Latest On Giants’ WR Interest; Team Considering Michael Penix Jr. At No. 6?

April 24th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

If the Giants do end up passing on a quarterback to fill their longstanding wide receiver need, Daniel Jones probably should not be too comfortable going into his sixth season with the team. New York has done exhaustive work on this draft’s QB class, and rumors continue on this front with the draft barely a day away.

Drake Maye is believed to be the Giants’ preference among the top-tier options in this draft, with ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano further confirming the North Carolina prospect should be considered higher on the team’s board than J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan product was believed to have momentum with the Giants for a while; that surge appears to have stalled.

The Giants join the Vikings as the teams who have been most aggressive about negotiating with the Patriots for No. 3 overall, per Graziano, who adds an interesting wrinkle. While Maye being there at 3 (as he is expected to in the likely event Washington chooses Jayden Daniels at 2) would drive Giants interest, the team also could be open to drafting Michael Penix Jr. as high as No. 6.

The Giants like Penix, though the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard notes they did not bring him in for a “30” visit. Maye, McCarthy and Daniels did trek to New York for official meetings. This is interesting due to a March report indicating the team did, in fact, schedule a visit with the Washington product.

Penix at 6 would be seen by many as a reach, given the knocks on his health and mechanics, but coaches are believed to be higher on the former Washington and Indiana QB compared to scouts. A report earlier this week also pointed to the southpaw passer going earlier than expected — perhaps even as high as No. 8 to the Falcons. Though it would be shocking to see the Falcons invest what they did in Kirk Cousins and then use a first-round pick on a passer, it is looking possible Penix could wind up in the top half of the first round. Teams eyeing the national championship game starter as a consolation prize — potentially via trade into the latter half of Round 1 — may not ultimately be able to execute such a contingency plan.

While not bringing Penix in for a visit, the Giants appear comfortable with his medicals. Penix suffered four straight season-ending injuries, before putting together back-to-back healthy seasons at Washington. Giants brass had dinner with Penix in Seattle, per Leonard, and QBs coach Shea Tierney worked with him closely at the Senior Bowl while serving as an offensive coordinator in the all-star game. Some teams have a second-round grade on Penix, others likely view him as an acceptable Round 1 option.

It does appear Penix looms as a potential Giants contingency plan, in the event efforts to move into the top four fail. However, the Giants also could have a Maye-or-bust (at QB, at least) approach in place. Most teams believe the Giants would pivot to staying at No. 6 and drafting a wide receiver if Maye proves out of their reach, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds.

Ranking last in the NFL in yards after catch last season and not seeing anyone accumulate 1,000 receiving yards since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018 (Eli Manning‘s final starter year), the Giants have certainly done extensive work on this draft’s top WRs. A recent report pointed to the team eyeing Malik Nabers at 6, though The Athletic’s Jeff Howe adds the team has shown “real interest” in Marvin Harrison Jr. Of course, the Cardinals have been closely tied to the Ohio State prospect; Arizona would stand to have first WR dibs if it does not trade down from No. 4. Howe still mocks Maye to the Patriots and McCarthy to the Giants.

Maye going to New England would seemingly test how serious Joe Schoen and Co. are about finding a Jones replacement. Jones going into a sixth season as an unchallenged starter would be one of this era’s stranger examples of QB staying power, but the Giants could also finally equip their embattled QB with a high-level pass catcher for the first time if they stay at 6. A major decision will loom for the team once the Commanders turn in their pick. Both the Patriots and Cardinals are prepared to discuss trades up to going on the clock.

Ravens Extend WR Rashod Bateman

April 24th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rashod Bateman delivered a healthy season last year, and although the former first-round pick operated as more of an auxiliary target in 2023, the Ravens view him as a key part of their future.

The defending AFC North champions showed this by agreeing to an extension with Bateman on Wednesday. The parties agreed on a deal that runs through 2026. This would effectively be a two-year extension for Bateman, whose rookie contract was set to expire after the 2024 season.

After two injury-plagued seasons and a 16-game 2023 campaign that only produced 367 yards, Bateman was not a reasonable candidate to see his fifth-year option picked up by the May 2 deadline. But the Ravens have reached a compromise with the Minnesota alum. While Bateman has not lived up to his No. 27 overall draft slot, he will gain a bit of security with this deal. Though, the terms will be telling here.

Bateman’s career high in receiving yardage (515) came as a rookie, and the 2021 draftee has only totaled four career receiving touchdowns. The Ravens were counting on the 6-foot-1 receiver in 2022, but a foot injury ended his season after six games. The team brought in more help last year, adding Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and Zay Flowers. Beckham, who played ahead of Bateman last year, is out of the picture for 2024. Flowers is in place as the Ravens’ WR centerpiece, with Agholor still on the roster.

The Ravens have been pursuing more help, hosting Michael Gallup and Josh Reynolds (who later joined the Broncos) on free agency visits in March. They ended up signing receiver/return man Deonte Harty earlier this month. With Agholor in a contract year and Beckham having been the team’s second-leading receiver last season, the Ravens looking for more help in the draft would make sense. But this agreement probably buys Bateman more time. He figures to be in Baltimore’s 2025 plans as well.

Mark Andrews remains the Ravens’ aerial centerpiece; he has displayed by far the best rapport with Lamar Jackson. It will be interesting to see how the Ravens use Bateman going forward, after separating with Beckham. The well-traveled standout remains unsigned but is not expected back in Baltimore.

Bengals Exercise Ja’Marr Chase’s Fifth-Year Option

April 24th, 2024 at 11:35am CST by Sam Robinson

A day after the Broncos officially extended Patrick Surtain‘s contract through 2025, the Bengals are making a similarly easy decision. They picked up Ja’Marr Chase‘s fifth-year option.

Chase became an instant-impact player for the Bengals, representing a central piece in the team’s rise during Joe Burrow‘s early years. This transaction gives the Bengals two more years of control with Chase, who will be tied to a $21.82MM guarantee in 2025.

The former No. 5 overall pick’s 2025 guarantee checks in on the top option tier, joining Surtain and Micah Parsons (whenever the Cowboys officially exercise his option) as 2021 draftees eligible for the highest option price at their respective positions. Chase being a three-time Pro Bowler made him eligible for that WR option number, which matches Tee Higgins‘ current franchise tag price.

Chase, 24, is 3-for-3 in 1,000-yard seasons, getting there in 2022 despite missing five games. Burrow lobbied for his former LSU teammate ahead of the 2021 draft, when a Chase-or-Penei Sewell debate played out. The latter has become a standout for the Lions, even beating Chase to first-team All-Pro acclaim. But Chase follows a long line of standout Bengals wideouts, potentially presenting a higher ceiling than all of them. This option decision will almost definitely precede an eventual extension — likely a record-setting agreement.

The Bengals tagged Higgins in March, but as seven of the nine teams to roll out tags have already agreed to extensions, Cincy has not. No rumors of a Higgins extension have emerged. That is likely because the Bengals have a Chase deal budgeted. In the fifth-year option era, teams have traditionally made first-round wide receivers wait until Year 5 before extensions surface. The Eagles did break that trend for DeVonta Smith, becoming the first team in the option era (2014-present) to extend a first-round WR with two years of rookie-contract control remaining. It would be interesting to see the Bengals go here for Chase, but Higgins’ situation may interfere with that concept.

Picking up Chase’s option would allow the Bengals to squeeze in one more year of he and Higgins. Chase is tied to only a $1.1MM base salary ($9.8MM cap number) in 2024. The fourth-year WR’s cap hit matches up well with Higgins’ $21.82MM tag tender, and Burrow’s cap numbers do not skyrocket until 2025. The Pro Bowl quarterback is tied to a $29.7MM cap hit in 2024; that spikes beyond $46MM next year.

After Burrow’s season-ending injury eventually sank the Bengals last year, this profiles as a pivotal campaign for a team that strung together AFC championship game appearances (and a Super Bowl LVI berth) in the QB’s previous two healthy seasons. Chase played a vital part in that success, and the Bengals are preparing to see if perhaps the final Chase-Higgins season will lead to an elusive championship.

Lions, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Agree On Extension

April 24th, 2024 at 10:51am CST by Sam Robinson

One of the Lions’ top extension tasks is now complete. The defending NFC North champions have a deal in place with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is set to become the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.

St. Brown agreed to terms on a four-year extension NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports is worth more than $120MM. Of that total, $77MM is guaranteed. This deal will lock St. Brown down through the 2028 season.

The guarantees at signing are not yet known, but the AAV eclipsing $30MM will make St. Brown the clubhouse leader at wide receiver. Tyreek Hill‘s $30MM-per-year Dolphins extension stood as the top WR payment for two years, but in an offseason in which Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb in contract years, St. Brown now sits atop the position. In terms of total guarantees, St. Brown’s $77MM surpass Cooper Kupp‘s $75MM.

The structure of this contract will be key, as it took lofty final-year numbers to balloon Hill and Davante Adams‘ deals to their AAV places. St. Brown’s 2028 pay will assuredly be nonguaranteed, but its value will determine how well his camp did. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adds some clarity here, noting the deal will average $28MM per year over its first three seasons. St. Brown has $14MM-plus due in injury guarantees in 2026; those will likely convert to full guarantees in either 2025 or ’26.

Regardless of how this deal is structured, St. Brown has done remarkably well for himself. The USC product entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2021. Being a positional salary leader represents the value he has brought to the Lions over the past three seasons.

Famously able to name every wideout chosen in front of him in the 2021 draft, St. Brown has shown improvement in each of the past two seasons. After a 912-yard rookie year, the former 112th overall pick posted a 1,161-yard 2022 season. Helping the Lions secure their first division title since 1993, St. Brown delivered his best work last season. The 6-foot wideout totaled 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns, firmly entrenching himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. The Lions have rewarded him for the early-career production.

A March report placed the likely value of St. Brown’s second contract between $26-$28MM per year. Bettering that — should the final numbers support the above-referenced WR AAV record — serves as a reflection of the 24-year-old’s importance to the Lions and does well to set the stage for the Jefferson and Lamb negotiations. The league now having two $30MM-AAV wideouts will be good news for the Vikings and Cowboys stars; both should be expected to eclipse this number when the times comes. For now, though, St. Brown leads the pack.

The Lions are not strangers to authorizing megadeals for wide receivers. The team’s March 2012 extension for Calvin Johnson served as the receiver highwater mark for many years. Illustrating how times have changed around the league, that was a seven-year agreement. It also came during a period in which the salary cap was stagnating in the early years of the 2011 CBA. The 2020 CBA has brought bigger cap spikes, including this year’s record-setting rise that elevated the spending ceiling by more than $30MM. Players are increasingly agreeing to shorter-term deals, and St. Brown’s will allow him — should he stay on his rookie-contract production pace — to push for a third contract while still in his 20s.

In terms of production and accolades, St. Brown is ahead of Megatron’s pace. The Hall of Famer was 1-for-3 in 1,000-yard seasons — granted, he was part of considerably worse teams in the late 2000s — at this point in his career and did not make a Pro Bowl until Year 4. St. Brown, of course, will need to unlock another level to be mentioned in Johnson’s class. But he has become Jared Goff‘s go-to player. St. Brown joins Johnson and Herman Moore as the only Lions to produce a 1,500-yard receiving season. The 17-game schedule benefits today’s players in this area, but the Lions will be on St. Brown building on his 2023 performance.

St. Brown’s deal comes during an offseason in which a Goff extension is squarely on Detroit’s radar. Penei Sewell is also now extension-eligible; Aidan Hutchinson will be eligible for a new deal in 2025. The Lions’ roster math will change substantially this year, and this deal serves as the first domino.

Broncos, Raiders, Vikings Contact Chargers About No. 5; Bolts Eager To Move Down?

April 24th, 2024 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers have engaged in discussions about trading down from No. 5 overall, and that may well be the new Bolts regime’s goal. Other teams believe the Chargers are eager to move down in Round 1, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

As far as who would trade up, two AFC West clubs are checking in on what would be a high-profile intra-division transaction. The Broncos and Raiders have called to see about moving up to 5, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the Vikings have also discussed trade terms with the Bolts (subscription required). Both Fowler and Russini point to the Chargers’ O-line interest in this draft, adding to an offseason full of buzz about this direction for Jim Harbaugh‘s team.

While the Bolts are clearly open for business at 5, Russini adds the team is setting a high price. The Vikings, Broncos and Raiders sit at Nos. 11-13; each team could need to part with a future first-rounder to make the climb up (presumably for a quarterback). Minnesota acquired a second first-round pick (No. 23) last month, but some around the league believe the NFC North team is trying to avoid parting with both selections to move up, Fowler adds. It would be rather surprising to see the Vikings secure a trade into the top five without needing to include No. 23, especially with that Texans trade costing the Vikes their 2024 second-rounder.

It would be interesting if the Chargers would be willing to deal with the Broncos or Raiders, given the divisional ties, but a weekend report indicated Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz would be open to doing so. Recent draft moves in the NFC North have revealed more flexibility regarding intra-division deals in the early rounds, but the Bolts handing the Broncos or Raiders a potential long-term quarterback solution would mark interesting territory in draft annals. With two of the QB-needy teams in this draft residing in the AFC West, however, the Chargers may not have a choice.

Of course, the Cardinals figure to determine how popular the Bolts’ No. 5 pick will be. Arizona has engaged in trade discussions as well, hearing from four teams (it does not seem to difficult to guess that quartet, with the Giants also exploring a move up the board for a QB) and receiving at least two offers thus far. The Cards trading out of No. 4 and giving a team QB access would stand to give the Bolts their pick of the best non-passers in this draft.

Despite having moved on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, the Chargers have been connected to Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt. But they also are being tied to Alabama tackle JC Latham. Bolts-Latham connections, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, would seemingly come into play if the team traded down. Latham operated as the Crimson Tide’s starting right tackle for the past two seasons, and the accomplished blocker could fill that post for the Bolts, who do not need a left tackle due to Rashawn Slater‘s presence.

Both the Titans (No. 7) and Bengals (No. 18) have shown interest in Latham as well, according to Breer and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, who indicates teams view the prospect as a player who could play multiple positions along the O-line. Latham sits 18th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Cincinnati likes Latham “a lot” and needs a right tackle, with Trent Brown in place as a potential one-year stopgap. The Titans have a bigger need on the left side, having moved on from Andre Dillard after one season. If Alt is there for Tennessee at 7, however, enough connections to this point suggest that is the All-American LT’s floor. If Alt is gone by 7, the Titans may well consider trading down, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Latham (or one of this class’ many other quality tackle prospects) would come into play for the LT-needy club in that scenario.

Broncos Do Not View Zach Wilson As Starter; Teams Believe Denver Could Trade Patrick Surtain For QB

April 24th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos’ trade for Zach Wilson is not expected to affect the team’s plans in the first round. Sean Payton’s team still wants to add a passer, and it appears willing to go to the extreme to make it happen.

Wilson is not viewed as a starter in Denver, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. A report late last week suggested the Broncos would be willing to include All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain in a deal to move up for a quarterback Thursday night, and Russini notes teams in the top five believe the Broncos could indeed include their top player in a package that gives them a passer Payton covets (subscription required).

While confirming Payton wants a quarterback — which has long been the expectation for the Broncos in Round 1, potentially via moving up or down from No. 12 — Russini adds the Broncos do have a limit regarding how much they are willing to give up. Veterans on expiring contracts could also be in play in a trade-up scenario. The Broncos do not have a 2024 second-round pick, limiting their draft arsenal compared to other teams — like the Vikings, Raiders and Giants — linked to moving up for a passer.

Denver has left tackle Garett Bolles on an expiring deal, and Courtland Sutton (signed through 2025 on a $15MM-per-year pact) has made it known he wants a new contract. Defensive tackle D.J. Jones is also heading into the final season of a three-year, $30MM deal. Denver, which dealt Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland, does not plan to trade Sutton. Though, that cannot be ruled out given the stakes here.

Neither Bolles nor Sutton would carry comparable value to Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowler who is going into his age-24 season. The Broncos picked up the high-end cornerback’s fifth-year option ($19.8MM) on Tuesday and are aiming to start extension talks post-draft. That is, if they still employ the standout boundary cover man by that point.

J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix have repeatedly come up in connection with the Broncos, with the former almost definitely requiring a trade-up move to acquire. Nix has been viewed as a player who could be available later in the first round, and moving down would play into the Broncos’ hands after the team traded away three first-rounders — to acquire Payton and Russell Wilson — from 2022-23.

Zach Wilson not being viewed as a starter is somewhat interesting, though the thrice-benched passer has not exactly done anything to show he is worthy of such a path. But the Broncos do roster both Wilson and Jarrett Stidham, a player previous reports indicated could be the starter if it came to it come Week 1. It is clear, however, both Stidham (tied to a two-year, $10MM deal) and Wilson are bridge options for a Broncos team that has done extensive work on this year’s QB class.

This is set to be a pivotal span for a franchise that has been unable to find a true Peyton Manning successor since the all-time great’s post-Super Bowl 50 retirement.

Steelers To Pass On Justin Fields’ Fifth-Year Option

April 24th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Sam Robinson

We heard in March it was highly unlikely the Steelers would exercise the fifth-year option on Justin Fields‘ rookie contract. With the option deadline coming in just more than a week, Pittsburgh indeed appears to have no plans of committing to guaranteed Fields money in 2025.

The Steelers are expected to decline an option that would pay Fields $25.7MM fully guaranteed next year, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Teams have until May 2 to exercise or decline options; this has loomed as one of the more predictable option calls for a bit now.

Fields’ value around the league turned out to be far lower than many expected, as the Bears ended up settling for a conditional sixth-round pick for a player who has proven electric as a runner but inconsistent as a passer through three seasons. Still, the Steelers made it clear upon acquiring Fields, 25, they expect him to begin the season as a backup to Russell Wilson. Mike Tomlin has since pried the door open for competition, but as of now, the trade acquisition is on track to go from three-year Chicago starter to Pittsburgh backup.

Both Wilson and Fields, when the option is officially declined, will be going into contract years in 2024. The former signed for the veteran minimum, barely cutting into the record-setting dead money sum the Broncos face. Fields is under contract for $1.62MM this season. Because Fields never made a Pro Bowl but qualified as a full-time player under the option formula, his option number checked in on Tier 3 of the four-tiered structure that came about when the 2020 CBA ushered in fully guaranteed options.

While the Steelers have both Wilson and Fields in contract years, a March report suggested the team is considering keeping both players beyond 2024. This would be a highly unlikely scenario to pull off, given the starting histories each player brings. Neither would stand to be interested in being an assured backup in 2025. This makes a potential 2024 trade worth monitoring; the Steelers have Kyle Allen in place as their third-stringer presently.

With the team not planning to adjust a negotiating policy that mandates no in-season contract talks, Wilson and Fields will be set to play out their current deals. The Steelers are interested in revisiting Wilson’s pact, for now at least, in 2025. It will be interesting to see how Fields factors into this equation, seeing as he is 10 years younger than Wilson, who will turn 36 this season.

RB J.K. Dobbins Signs With Chargers

April 24th, 2024 at 8:44am CST by Ely Allen

APRIL 24: The Bolts’ Dobbins deal carries a base value of $1.61MM, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. The fifth-year running back can collect another $750K in incentives. Considering the injuries Dobbins has encountered over the past three years, a near-veteran-minimum deal is not surprising. He will team with Edwards in a Ravens-centric Chargers backfield in 2024.

APRIL 17: It’s a full Baltimore reunion in Los Angeles this offseason. After former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman brought in a familiar face at running back in former Raven Gus Edwards, the Chargers will now be adding Edwards’ former backfield teammate J.K. Dobbins, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Dobbins joins the Chargers on a one-year deal.

Dobbins, a former second-round pick for the Ravens out of Ohio State, will likely be one of the bigger cases of “what if” in Baltimore’s recent history. Dobbins came to Baltimore following quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s unanimous MVP season in which the team went 14-2. With veteran Mark Ingram getting into his 30’s, Dobbins was brought in to add an exciting, young kick to the run game.

In his rookie season, Dobbins gave a small taste of the production he was capable of. Splitting the backfield with Edwards nearly 50-50, Dobbins led the team in rushing touchdowns (9) and led the running backs room in rushing yards (805) while averaging an impressive 6.0 yards per carry. A promising follow-up sophomore campaign was put to an end before it could even begin when Dobbins suffered a torn ACL in the team’s final preseason game, taking him out for the entire 2021 season.

Injuries continued to dog Dobbins into the 2022 season. He came back from his torn ACL in Week 3 of that year but saw limited use and production as the Ravens played it a bit safe early. After feeling some knee tightness in Week 6, though, Dobbins returned to injured reserve in order to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. Dobbins made his second return of the season in Week 14 and announced his reemergence with a bang, eclipsing 120 rushing yards in each of his first two games back. A Tyler Huntley-led version of the offense rode Dobbins to a first half lead in their Wild Card game before seemingly abandoning that gameplan in the loss.

The Ravens were excited to finally field an offense with a healthy backfield featuring Jackson, Dobbins, and Edwards in 2023. An extension for Dobbins was even very much on the table for the Ravens. Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario occurred in the team’s season opener when Dobbins suffered a torn Achilles tendon, his second season-ending injury in three years.

Now, after a tough going over his rookie contract, Dobbins will hope to turn a new corner with a new team. He had visited Los Angeles and Kansas City and was thought to be a favorite to sign with the Chiefs before they opted to re-sign Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Talent has never been the issue when considering Dobbins as a free agent. The corny saying applies here: his biggest ability moving forward will be his availability.

The Chargers are well set up to accommodate any setbacks for Dobbins. With Edwards on the roster, Los Angeles can function in quite the same way as Baltimore did with the two. They will be able to utilize Dobbins as much as they desire while relying on the much sturdier Edwards to produce regardless. Dobbins should be getting the best of both worlds here: a second chance with a change of scenery while still be supported by familiar faces that he knows he works well with. If he doesn’t fit in LA, it’s only a one-year audition before he returns to free agency.

Bears Extend Assistant GM Ian Cunningham

April 24th, 2024 at 8:14am CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more popular general manager interview candidates in recent years, Ian Cunningham is in his third offseason as the Bears’ assistant GM. The team will reward its top front office lieutenant.

Cunningham has an extension in place, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The team hired Cunningham to work as Ryan Poles‘ second-in-command in 2022, and despite the Bears not booking a playoff spot in that span, widespread interest has come in the form of GM interviews. While more should be on tap, the Bears are pleased with Cunningham’s work thus far.

This move comes as Poles remains on the contract he signed back in 2022. Contracts for assistant GMs and assistant coaches generally do not match the length of those awarded to top decision-makers, but Cunningham has some security — in the form of guaranteed money — moving forward. The Bears hired Cunningham from the Eagles in 2022; he was one of four Philly execs — along with Brandon Brown (Giants), Catherine Raiche (Browns) and Andy Weidl (Steelers) — to land an assistant GM job elsewhere that year.

Four teams have reached out to Cunningham about interviews over the past two years. Both clubs who were searching for GMs in 2023 — the Cardinals and Titans — met with him about jobs. This year, the Chargers and Commanders did so. It is believed Cunningham was offered the Cardinals’ GM job last year, but he turned down the position — one that ended up going to Monti Ossenfort. This year, Washington’s job came down to Cunningham and 49ers exec Adam Peters. The latter ended up with the position.

Peters came from a 49ers team that has ventured to four NFC championship games and two Super Bowls over the past five years, while the Bears — amid a rebuild — have gone 10-24 in that span. Cunningham receiving the level of attention he has despite the Bears’ on-field performance in this span reflects a high opinion around the league. Chicago’s Poles-led front office has made interesting moves during this rebuild, most notably the 2023 trade that sent the Panthers Bryce Young and ended up giving the Bears this year’s No. 1 overall pick. That selection is all but certain to turn into Caleb Williams on Thursday night.

The Bears now have an interesting opportunity to reset their quarterback contract clock around Williams, providing Poles and Cunningham more roster flexibility. While Chicago was expected to land more in a Justin Fields trade — one that ended up sending the team only a conditional sixth-round 2025 draft choice (from Pittsburgh) — the NFC North team is now off that rookie contract. Williams will not be extension-eligible until 2027. If the USC product shows promise early, Cunningham should not be expected to be around for much of the QB’s Windy City tenure. Until Cunningham lands/accepts a GM role, he will be in place as Poles’ right-hand man.

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