2023 October - Pro Football Rumors

Month: April 2024

Packers To Send CB Rasul Douglas To Bills

October 31st, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mentioned as team pursuing cornerback help, the Bills will acquire it in the form of Rasul Douglas. The Packers are sending their Jaire Alexander sidekick to Buffalo, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

The Bills have lost No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White for the season, after an early-October Achilles tear, and have not seen much from 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam. While Elam remains on Buffalo’s roster — after trade rumors swirled last week — the team will have a veteran boundary corner en route to help the cause. The Bills are sending the Packers a third-round pick in exchange for Douglas and a fifth, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. These are each 2024 draft choices, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

Green Bay re-signed Douglas to a three-year, $21MM deal during last year’s free agency period, doing so after the 2021 waiver claim showed quality form to help that Packers edition earn another No. 1 seed. With the Packers (2-5) no longer near that point in their first post-Aaron Rodgers season, they will sell at the deadline. This would give Eric Stokes a starting spot to return to, but the 2021 first-round pick is on IR. Rumors of Douglas moving to safety were unfounded, and the latter opened the season as the outside starter opposite Alexander.

This will not be a difficult contract for the Bills to absorb this season. The Packers restructured Douglas’ deal previously, leaving a prorated $1.1MM in base salary coming to the Bills’ cap sheet. Douglas is due $6.25MM in nonguaranteed money next year.

On the field, Douglas will be expected to step in as a starter at some point. The Bills have used former sixth- and seventh-rounders — Christian Benford and Dane Jackson — as their primary outside cover men since White’s injury. Elam has not shown enough growth, and he will have a tougher road to late-season playing time now.

Buffalo pursued Chicago contract-year standout Jaylon Johnson, after the Bears granted him permission to seek a trade. The team made what is believed to be an aggressive effort to pry him from the Windy City, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets, but the Bears rebuffed all Johnson inquiries today. Chicago holding onto Johnson led to Buffalo finding its upgrade on another NFC North roster. The Bears were seeking a big return for Johnson; the Bills will make a midlevel move for Douglas, who is in his age-29 season.

Douglas intercepted nine passes between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, doing so despite playing different positions. After successfully replacing Alexander in 2021, Douglas moved to the slot to accommodate the highly paid defender’s return last year. That effort did not go well, but the Packers moved him back outside after Stokes’ midseason injury last year. Douglas and Alexander began this season as Green Bay’s perimeter corners, with Keisean Nixon inside. The Bills have Taron Johnson entrenched in the slot, which stands to allow Douglas to see boundary reps soon.

Pro Football Focus slots Douglas 18th overall among corners this season; he has one interception and six pass breakups. The Bills are in a crucial year, as Von Miller is now 34 and Stefon Diggs turns 30 next month. They also have rental pass rusher Leonard Floyd (31) on a one-year deal. A 2017 Eagles third-round pick who contributed to the team’s Super Bowl LII-winning season as a rookie, Douglas will be in position to help a Bills defense that ranks 14th in DVOA. With games against the Bengals, Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys and Dolphins still on the schedule, the Bills were probably wise to at least upgrade at one defensive spot. The team will still not be at full strength for those games, with Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones out indefinitely.

Lions Acquire WR Donovan Peoples-Jones From Browns

October 31st, 2023 at 2:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The latest receiver trade of the 2023 season has emerged. Donovan Peoples-Jones is on his way from the Browns to the Lions, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

The move is now official, and NFL Network’s Pelissero notes Cleveland will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick in exchange. Peoples-Jones, a Detroit native, will now take part in a homecoming to close out the final season of his rookie contract. He will look to add at least a depth presence in the Lions’ receiving corps.

The Michigan alum took on a starting role in his second season, and he has remained a constant presence in the Browns’ passing game since. Peoples-Jones saw his receiving total grow from 304 yards as a rookie to 597 the following year to 839 in 2022. That improvement led to the expectation for further growth, but that has not been the case this season.

Amari Cooper has, as expected, served as the Browns’ top receiver since his arrival last year. 2023 trade acquisition Elijah Moore has also worked in a starting capacity, which has played a role in Peoples-Jones’ share in the offense taking a step back. The latter has made only eight catches this season, though he has also provided special teams value by continuing to operate as Cleveland’s punt returner.

The Lions have Amon-Ra St. Brown at the top of their WR depth chart, with the likes of Jameson Williams, Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond serving in complementary roles. Detroit recently lost a veteran contributor when Marvin Jones stepped away from football to attend to a family matter. Peoples-Jones, who owns a career yards per catch average of 15.7, will aim to give his new team another deep threat in the passing game.

Succeeding in that capacity could boost his free agent value ahead of the spring. Peoples-Jones’ stock has no doubt taken a hit compared to where it stood before the campaign, but a strong showing in Detroit would help him recoup value on a deal keeping him in the Motor City or one sending him elsewhere. It will be interesting to see how he fits into Detroit’s offense and special teams while the 6-2 Lions aim for a postseason run.

Cardinals To Trade QB Josh Dobbs To Vikings

October 31st, 2023 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

1:33pm: The Vikings are preparing Hall for the Week 9 start, Kevin O’Connell said (via the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi). Dobbs suiting up is possible, per O’Connell. Dobbs has a history of being ready on short notice, having started barely a week after the Titans signed him off the Lions’ practice squad.

12:38pm: For the second time this year, Josh Dobbs will be traded. A day after Jonathan Gannon indicated it will be Kyler Murray or Clayton Tune starting for the Cardinals in Week 9, the team will unload Dobbs.

The Vikings, who lost Kirk Cousins for the season in Week 8, will bring in the veteran backup/spot starter, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report. The Cardinals had acquired Dobbs, 28, from the Browns in late August; he will now join a QB room featuring two injured players. Cousins’ Week 1 backup, Nick Mullens, is also on IR. This comes two days after Gannon said Dobbs would start against the Browns, pointing to the Week 9 benching being driven by these trade talks.

Arizona will send Dobbs and a seventh-round pick to Minnesota for a sixth-rounder, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Conditions are included that can turn the seventh-round pick the Vikings are receiving into a sixth, per Schefter. This will amount to a flier for the Vikings, who have not previously needed to deal with an injury absence in their six seasons with Cousins.

While this might not satisfy Vikings fans eager for a higher-profile name, Dobbs will come to the Twin Cities with eight 2023 starts under his belt. After being expected to trot out Colt McCoy while Murray finished his recovery from a December 2022 ACL tear, the Cardinals instead plugged in Dobbs. The team delivered some surprisingly competitive efforts, but it has fallen to 1-7. Tune is expected to start for Arizona in Week 9, with Murray moving close to a return.

On the season, Dobbs has completed 62.8% of his passes (at just 5.9 yards per attempt) and has thrown eight touchdown passes compared to five interceptions. Not exactly equipped with a high-end skill-position corps, Dobbs also came to the desert barely two weeks before the season. The Browns had planned to use Dobbs as their backup, but they viewed fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson has having made enough progress. Cleveland quickly benched Thompson-Robinson for practice squad pickup P.J. Walker, who has become Deshaun Watson‘s top backup.

The Vikings turned to fifth-round draftee Jaren Hall as Cousins’ emergency replacement, but they now have some options. The team has used Sean Mannion as Cousins’ backup in multiple seasons; Mannion is back on the Vikes’ practice squad. Hall and Mannion had loomed as the team’s top healthy options, but Mullens is expected to come off IR at some point. A back injury moved Mullens to IR earlier this month. Mullens can return after one more missed game.

For his career, Dobbs has made 10 starts. His teams are 1-9 in those games. Granted, Dobbs has not been thrust into good situations when asked to start. His initial two starts came for an injury-riddled Titans team last season, and while the former Steelers draftee showed better form compared to Malik Willis last season, Tennessee still lost both his starts. The noted rocket scientist engineered an upset win over the Cowboys earlier this season, but the Cardinals have lost their past five games. Murray is also believed to be fully healthy and ready to return. With Tune in place as a possible long-term backup, the Cards did not have a clear role for Dobbs.

Loosely connected to Jacoby Brissett — whom Dobbs backed up during his 2022 Cleveland stopover — the Vikings are not necessarily ruled out from another starter option. Carson Wentz remains available, and Matt Ryan contacted the Jets after Aaron Rodgers‘ injury. Tom Brady has unretiring experience, though the QB icon was viewed as a nonstarter for the Jets in September. But the Dobbs move does almost definitely close the book on any other QB additions via trade for the 4-4 Vikings.

Jaguars To Acquire G Ezra Cleveland From Vikings

October 31st, 2023 at 1:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings are not expected to trade Danielle Hunter, but they will send another of their contract-year players away. The Jaguars are acquiring fourth-year guard Ezra Cleveland, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. In a corresponding move, Jags announced that 2020 fourth-rounder Ben Bartch has been waived.

Cleveland expressed interest in a Vikings extension this offseason. Instead, he will relocate to Florida to join the first-place Jags in his contract year. A 2020 second-round pick, Cleveland has been a starter for much of his Vikings career. It will cost the Jags only a sixth-round pick to pry Cleveland from Minnesota, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com tweets. Dianna Russini of The Athletic clarifies that Jacksonville will send a 2024 sixth-rounder which originally belonged to the Panthers.

This transaction comes months after the Vikings and Jaguars moved close to completing a Hunter trade. The sides circled back but settled on Cleveland as the exchange piece. The Boise State alum has started 49 career games, converting from college tackle to NFL guard. He will likely be on track to start opposite Brandon Scherff in Jacksonville. Cleveland will reunite with Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, who was previously on the Vikings’ staff.

The Jags will acquire Cleveland despite the experienced blocker having missed the past two games due to a foot injury. From Minnesota’s view, the team has a veteran ready to step in. The team signed four-year Broncos starter Dalton Risner early this season, ending the 2019 second-round pick’s longer-than-expected free agency stay. The Vikes also drafted Ed Ingram in the 2022 second round, installing him at right guard. Minnesota does not have much money devoted to its O-line, but Christian Darrisaw is a clear candidate to join right tackle Brian O’Neill in receiving a big-ticket extension.

The 49ers showed interest in adding Cleveland, Russini’s colleague Matt Barrows reports. San Francisco’s weak point on offense has shown to be their play up front, so it would have come as little surprise if they invested a Day 3 pick in a starting-caliber addition. Instead, the 49ers have turned their attention to a blockbuster defensive add in the form of edge rusher Chase Young.

Jacksonville ranks mid-pack in a number of offensive categories, posting middling numbers both through the air and on the ground. Cleveland’s run blocking PFF evaluations have generally far outweighed his grades in pass protection, though in this season the two are nearly identical. If he can carry over that two-way effectiveness with the Jaguars, he could play a signficant role in another Jacksonville playoff run and boost his free agent stock in the process.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Commanders Receiving Interest On Jacoby Brissett; Vikings Inquired About QB’s Availability

October 31st, 2023 at 1:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders have already made one notable move today by dealing away Montez Sweat, but fellow edge rusher Chase Young isn’t the only other player receiving interest. Teams are calling on the availability of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports.

To no surprise, the Vikings checked in on Brissett, Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds. Minnesota changed course and added Josh Dobbs from the Cardinals to add depth under center in the wake of Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. As Breer notes, Washington has set a high price (a Day 2 pick, specifically) for Brissett.

The latter joined the Commanders this offseason on a one-year deal with $7.5MM guaranteed. Only $3MM of that figure is comprised of his base salary, so an acquiring team would be on the hook for a prorated portion of that amount. Brissett, brought in to serve as an experienced insurance policy for starter Sam Howell, has yet to see any game action in the nation’s capital.

The Commanders sit at 3-5 on the year, and their decision to trade Sweat to the Bears hints at commitment to work as sellers in advance of today’s deadline regarding other players. It would come as a surprise if Young were to be dealt, but Brissett is one of many role player Washington could be convinced to part ways with. The 30-year-old has been on the radar for teams looking to shore up their QB situation, and even with the Vikings passing on a potential trade, suitors could still emerge for him.

Brissett has made 48 total starts, many coming in 2017 and ’19 with the Colts. His most recent run of extended action came last season with the Browns while Deshaun Watson served his 11-game suspension to start the year. Watson has battled a shoulder injury for much of the 2023 campaign, and it would come as little surprise if Cleveland looked to reunite with Brissett to add quality depth under center.

The Commanders’ asking price would need to come down for a Brissett trade to be finalized, Breer notes. With roughly 90 minutes until the deadline, it will be interesting to see how willing teams are to add a high-end No. 2 option at the QB spot in advance of the stretch run and the postseason.

Bengals WR Tee Higgins Drawing Trade Interest

October 31st, 2023 at 12:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

With just a few hours remaining until the deadline, big names continue to emerge with respect to being on the radar of interested teams. Bengals wideout Tee Higgins is drawing interest, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

To no surprise, Fowler notes Cincinnati has no plans to pull off a trade which would send the former second-rounder elsewhere. Higgins’ future with the Bengals has nonetheless been a question mark for some time now, as 2023 marks the final year of his rookie contract. With free agency looming, he was the subject of trade inquiries during the Combine, though the Bengals shut down the notion of entertaining offers.

Higgins, like any number of young wideouts, will be in line for a signficant payday on the open market given the spike in the position’s value of the past few years. Talks on a Bengals extension did not come particularly close to producing an agreement, leaving 2023 as something of a prove-it year for the 24-year-old. Higgins (who has not engaged in a new round of talks during the campaign) has had a down year so far, failing to record a 100-yard game to date.

That marks a staunch difference compared to his previous three campaigns, which included outputs of 908, 1,091 and 1,029 yards. Higgins has proven to be a highly effective complement to Ja’Marr Chase, who will be eligible for an extension this offseason. While that commitment will be quite pricey, the Bengals are set to have veteran Tyler Boyd come off the books this spring, which could free up WR cap space for future seasons. Higgins could be viewed as a No. 1 option by an acquiring team, however.

It would come as a surprise if the Bengals were particularly active in any capacity before today’s deadline. After a shaky start brought on by quarterback Joe Burrow‘s calf injury, Cincinnati now sits at 4-3 on the year, giving them reason to expect at least a wild-card berth in the highly competitive AFC is attainable. Subtracting Higgins from the team’s offense would deal a notable blow to their immediate prospects, and knowing he would either be a rental or require an extension upon arrival would no doubt hinder the Clemson alum’s trade value.

Still, Higgins’ age and track record would make him an attractive option for any number of teams looking to boost their passing attacks. It will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for him, and if any interested party produces an offer the Bengals feel is too good to pass up.

Teams Calling Patriots On Ezekiel Elliott

October 31st, 2023 at 11:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Sitting at 2-6 on the season, the Patriots are expected to be sellers ahead of this afternoon’s deadline. That has led to a short list of trade candidates emerging, but a new name can now be added to the mix.

Teams are calling New England to inquire about running back Ezekiel Elliott, Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report notes. Interested parties would of course be teams on the lookout for depth additions at the RB spot, a position which is not expected to see much (if any) movement today. Titans All-Pro Derrick Henry is the top backfield prize, but signs have increasingly pointed to him remaining in Tennessee.

Elliott saw his seven-year Cowboys tenure come to an end this offseason, with Dallas making the expected decision of releasing him. That move wiped out the remaining, non-guaranteed years on his deal and began a long-running free agent period. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declined to fully close the door on a reunion at a much lower rate, but talks on that front never truly took off. Dallas has publicly committed to standing pat with its roster overall, but also the RB position in particular.

Elliott ultimately signed with the Patriots in August. His one-year deal worth up to $6MM is incentive-laden, and any acquiring team would only be on the hook for a prorated portion of his $1.55MM base salary. The 28-year-old has seen a career-low 37% snap share in New England, and that limited usage has produced 260 rushing yards (on an average of 3.9 yards per carry) and a pair of touchdowns. Elliott has eclipsed 36 rushing yards once in eight games.

The Dolphins and Ravens have been named as teams to watch on the RB market, despite their respective success on the ground so far this season. Both 6-2 outfits should nevertheless be considered buyers, and adding Elliott would provide experienced depth ahead of a playoff run. With roughly three hours remaining until the deadline, New England will remain worth watching closely.

Commanders Taking Calls On Chase Young

October 31st, 2023 at 11:49am CST by Sam Robinson

Already unloading Montez Sweat in what may well have amounted to a numbers crunch, the Commanders seemingly have the franchise tag ready for Chase Young. That said, Young has come up in trades as well.

Despite the Sweat trade making the organization’s choice clear, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Washington is also taking calls on Young before today’s 3pm CT deadline. These calls have transpired since the Sweat trade, pointing to a potentially shocking move in which Washington trades both its defensive end starters. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson confirms Washington is still listening on Young.

This has long been classified as an either/or call, with the Commanders making the choice to extend Daron Payne two years after reupping Jonathan Allen. Four big-ticket extensions on one D-line did not make much sense, even with a rookie-QB contract on the books, but three has never been considered out of the question. Washington moving Young as well would effectively signal a reboot after four years of Sweat and Young coexisting. The two, however, mostly coexisted on the team’s payroll; Young missed much of the previous two seasons after suffering a severe knee injury in November 2021.

Teams called the Commanders about Young prior to today’s Bears blockbuster, though Sweat was believed to have generated the first offer. The Bears also contacted the Commanders about Young, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, but they have made their D-end move. It would be interesting to see if the Falcons — also a reported Sweat suitor — move into the mix for Young, now that the Commanders appear open to starting over at defensive end.

It is not known if the Falcons are circling back to the Commanders to pursue a D-end upgrade, but the Patriots have at least inquired what it would take to land Young, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe tweets. This comes as the Pats have discussed Josh Uche with teams. Like Young, Uche is in a contract year. New England has Matt Judon on its books through 2024, though with no veteran-QB salary on the payroll, the team could be envisioning a slot for another highly paid edge rusher. An acquiring team could also use the franchise tag. The 2-6 team not known for big payments does not make too much sense as a buyer, but neither did the Bears, who now have exclusive negotiating rights with Sweat until March.

Young, 24, has bounced back from the severe knee trouble that sidetracked his career. In seven games thus far, Young has five sacks and nine QB hits. Those numbers each top his nine-game 2021 sample. As a result of this return to full strength, Young is not believed to be eager to do an extension before his rookie contract expires at season’s end.

The former Defensive Rookie of the Year also arrived during Ron Rivera and DC Jack Del Rio‘s stay, whereas Sweat was a Bruce Allen-era draftee. That said, Washington picked up Sweat’s fifth-year option and declined Young’s. The former No. 2 overall pick’s past knee trouble has him on course for free agency in 2024, though the Commanders will have the tag available. That is, if they keep him through today’s deadline. The team dealing away both defensive ends would also be an ominous sign for Rivera, who is on the hot seat after a 3-5 start.

Washington has not made Jonathan Allen available, and while the team has Phidarian Mathis as a third D-tackle option of note, no notable investments are here beyond Sweat and Young. Former Eagles seventh-rounder Casey Toohill does have four sacks this season, however. Still, scrapping the Young-Sweat tandem altogether would be one of the most notable decisions the franchise has made in many years.

Vikings Not Expected To Trade Danielle Hunter

October 31st, 2023 at 10:53am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings reside in an interesting position. They have rallied from 0-3 to 4-4, beating the Packers in Green Bay to reach .500. But Kirk Cousins is now out for the season, putting Minnesota’s playoff viability in serious doubt.

After the slow start, rumors picked up about the Vikings selling. The team has taken calls on Danielle Hunter, who has generated steady trade interest. The Cousins injury could conceivably prompt the Vikings to consider cashing in their top trade chip, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports there is virtually “no chance” Hunter is moved by this afternoon’s deadline.

Minnesota came into this season in a historically unusual position. With Cousins having been franchise-tagged twice, his 2024 tender would come in north of $52MM. That would obviously be untenable for the Vikings, with no team having tagged a player for a third time since the 2006 CBA introduced language making that prohibitive. The Vikings’ August agreement with Hunter also prevents a 2024 franchise or transition tag. This effectively means the Vikings cannot tag their top two free agents-to-be, putting them in a strange position. That said, moving Hunter would wound a Vikings pass rush that is without Marcus Davenport for the foreseeable future; Davenport is on IR with a high ankle sprain.

Hunter, 29, is on pace for his best season as a pro. After he notched a sack in Week 8, the ninth-year edge defender has an NFL-most 10 on the season. Hunter’s return to full strength — after two injury-marred seasons — in 2022 involved 10.5 sacks. The former Mike Zimmer-era mainstay is on pace to eclipse his career-high mark (14.5, established in 2018 and ’19), and this latest development looks to ensure he will make that push in the Twin Cities.

A logical case can be made to deal Hunter, especially if the Vikings do not acquire another quarterback capable of starting. The team could sink in the standings without Cousins (and Justin Jefferson, who has no reason to rush his recovery from a hamstring injury), and a Hunter trade could provide more ammo to secure a QB heir apparent. Another Cousins-Vikings agreement should not be ruled out, and the 35-year-old passer’s market could certainly be affected by his first notable NFL injury. As of now, Cousins and Hunter will be on track to hit the market in March.

In addition to the Jaguars pursuing Hunter during the offseason, the Bears also contacted the Vikings about a player Minnesota was then considering as a trade piece, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano tweets. An intra-divisional trade would have been highly unlikely, but GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did make notable draft-slot trades with the Lions and Packers during his first draft in charge. Then again, draft-slot deals and exchanging high-profile veterans are different matters. The Bears have since made their move for a potential long-term piece, acquiring Montez Sweat from the Commanders for a second-round pick.

Considering what it took for the Commanders to move Sweat — a 2024 second-rounder — SI.com’s Albert Breer adds the Vikings are not believed to be interested in anything less than a top-60 choice for their contract-year pass rusher. The fact that Hunter cannot be tagged in 2024 also stands to dent his trade value, however, further pointing to the three-time Pro Bowler staying in Minnesota.

NFC North Notes: Brissett, Bears, Lions

October 31st, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings will have a decision to make today. They have clawed their way from 0-3 to 4-4, sitting firmly in the NFC playoff race. But Kirk Cousins‘ injury threatens to deal a death blow to Minnesota’s hopes of making a second consecutive postseason trip for the first time since the 2008-09 seasons. The Vikings attempted to add ex-Kevin O’Connell charge John Wolford, but the Buccaneers’ practice squad QB will instead be promoted in Tampa. However, Jacoby Brissett looms as a name floating around the league as a possible solution, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com notes. While it remains unclear if Minnesota is truly intent on pursuing a notable outside upgrade, some around the league have mentioned Brissett as a sensible option.

Brissestt signed a one-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders but saw Sam Howell constantly mentioned as an ascending player this offseason. Howell won the job easily and has shown flashes. Brissett, 30, also has extensive experience as an emergency QB option. He took the Colts’ 2017 reins shortly after a trade, needed to replace Andrew Luck again after a surprise 2019 retirement and was called upon for an 11-game starter run during Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 suspension.

One theory regarding the Bears allowing Jaylon Johnson to pursue a trade centers around Chicago seeing what kind of extension the contract-year cornerback can command, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Johnson, 24, does not have to be extended immediately if traded; an acquiring team would have exclusive negotiating rights until the 2024 legal tampering period. Said team could also use the franchise tag, though the cornerback tag price — expected to be around $19.5MM — may not be realistic here. As of now, the Bears have until March to re-sign Johnson. Though, extension talks breaking off obviously does not represent a good sign. The 49ers and Bills are in on Johnson; the Bears have until 3pm CT to make a trade.
Staying on the quarterback topic, the Bears will once again go with Tyson Bagent. The rookie UDFA will start in Week 9, Matt Eberflus announced, with Justin Fields needing more time to recover from his thumb injury. This will be Fields’ third missed start. While Fields remains week to week, no surgery has taken place. But a Bears season that hinged on Fields making progress — after the team passed on using the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, trading the selection away — has morphed into a rare backdrop for a Division II-produced arm seeing extensive time.
The Lions have made good on their offseason hype, starting 6-2. This will naturally lead to expectations their coordinators will be in demand come 2024. In the event the Lions see Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn become head coaches in 2024, after both interviewed for jobs this year, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that running backs coach Scottie Montgomery and Kelvin Sheppard are the most likely internal candidates to be promoted. Sheppard, 35, is in place as Detroit’s inside linebackers coach; he has been on Dan Campbell‘s staff for three years. The Lions added Montgomery, 45, this offseason, after he spent the past two years as the Colts’ running backs coach. Although continuity might be preferred, teams must interview at least one external minority candidate for coordinator jobs.
As trades dominate the news cycle ahead of the 3pm deadline, the Packers agreed to terms with Rashan Gary on a monster extension. The fifth-year defender is now the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid edge defender, signing a four-year, $96MM deal.

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