Sam Robinson | Pro Football Rumors

Buccaneers WR Russell Gage Out For Season

By Sam Robinson | at August 17, 2023 8:31 am

AUGUST 17: Gage did not suffer an ACL tear, but Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times indicates the veteran wideout ruptured his right patellar tendon (Twitter link). Gage will undergo season-ending surgery this week.

AUGUST 16, 12:21pm: The injury will end up sidelining Gage for the season, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. While it is not known if Gage suffered a torn ACL, that would stand to be the expected prognosis here. Either way, the Bucs will be down one of their top pass catchers for the 2023 slate.

10:53am: As the Buccaneers’ offense sputtered, Russell Gage‘s first Tampa Bay season did not go quite as planned. The sixth-year wide receiver may not step on the field for a second Bucs campaign.

Gage suffered a non-contact knee injury during a joint practice with the Jets on Wednesday, and Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report the belief is this malady will end the veteran pass catcher’s season (Twitter link). A cart transported Gage off the practice field.

Ahead of Tom Brady‘s third and final season with the team, the Bucs gave Gage a three-year, $30MM deal to join Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. After improving over the course of his Falcons rookie contract, Gage generated interest on the open market. But he did not take off with the Bucs. The LSU alum totaled 51 catches for 426 yards — numbers well off his 2020 and ’21 outputs — as the Bucs’ offense fell off a cliff in 2022. Gage’s first Bucs season also ended with a concussion sustained in the team’s wild-card loss. He soon accepted a pay cut — in exchange for additional 2023 guarantees — to stay with the team.

Tampa Bay still rosters its long-running Evans-Godwin tandem, but Scotty Miller is now with the Falcons after signing a low-cost free agency pact. A Gage injury will would this year’s team more as well, with Julio Jones also no longer on the roster. The Bucs drafted Trey Palmer in Round 6, but their offense — to be quarterbacked by Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask — will be down its expected WR3 if this report turns out to be accurate.

Gage, 27, topped 700 receiving yards in both the 2020 and ’21 seasons in Atlanta, helping then-Matt Ryan-quarterbacked teams compensate for absences at the position. Gage broke through as an auxiliary option initially due to Jones’ hamstring injury in 2020 and then stepped up as Ryan’s top wideout in 2021 after Calvin Ridley left the team midway through that season. Those two showings catapulted Gage into free agency, and the Bucs — despite having Evans signed to an $18MM-per-year deal and franchise-tagging Godwin — authorized a third eight-figure-per-year wideout accord.

Losing Gage would represent familiar territory for the Bucs, who saw Ryan Jensen go down with a regular-season-ending knee malady during training camp last year. While Jensen returned in time for the wild-card loss to the Cowboys, he may not be a lock to start this season on time.

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Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 10:05 pm

Coming into this offseason with the most cap space, the Bears used it in different ways. In addition to outbidding competitors for Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago filled other needs at guard and defensive end. GM Ryan Poles‘ second draft also is set to include multiple Week 1 starters, but this offseason — and more after that — will be defined by the trade the second-year GM made in March. This Bears regime made a bet on the previous staff’s quarterback investment and acquired a number of high-value assets to do so.

Trades:

Traded No. 1 overall pick to Panthers for WR D.J. Moore, 2023, 2024 first-round picks, 2023, ’25 second-rounders

The Bears trudged into the Poles era without a first-round pick, a familiar feeling for a team that entered the 2019 and ’20 drafts without Round 1 capital. This trade will give Chicago two 2024 first-rounders — the team last made multiple first-round choices in 2003 — while providing Justin Fields with his best pro receiver. Still, the Bears will bet on Fields plus assets over Bryce Young, a quarterback who came into this draft as a higher-regarded prospect than Fields was in 2021.

Teams have dealt the No. 1 overall pick earlier than the Bears. The Buccaneers moved what became the 1984 top pick — in a 1983 deal with the Bengals for QB Jack Thompson — before knowing where that selection would land. That separated what the Bears did this year. Two months after seeing a miraculous Texans win give them the No. 1 pick, the Bears dealt it to the Panthers before free agency. That marks new territory in the modern NFL. Since the draft moved to April in 1976, no team knowing it held the No. 1 pick had traded the choice before mid-April.

Poles preferred to have his cards arranged before the free agent market opened, and the March 10 swap led to the Panthers having more clarity before free agency than the Bears, who dropped down to No. 9 overall. Rather than spend more time scouting this year’s QB class, Poles made good on his January indication the team would need to be wowed by one of this year’s prospects to pass on a future with Fields.

Poles has been open about the Texans being included in a three-team deal that would have allowed the Bears to drop from No. 1 to No. 2 to No. 9. The Raiders and Cardinals were also connected to interest in the top pick, but the Texans and Panthers emerged as the only serious buyers. Once Houston showed trepidation, Carolina and Chicago cut out the middle man and made a direct swap. Poles brought up Brian Burns and Derrick Brown, but the Panthers preferred to hang onto their rookie-contract D-linemen. The Bears GM had spoken to Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson for advice on how to construct a high-profile trade involving picks and players, and the NFL GM moved to Moore, who became a mandatory piece once the Panthers took Burns and Brown off the table.

In exchange for allowing the Panthers to retain their No. 38 overall pick this year, the Bears pried two second-rounders — No. 61 this year and a 2025 choice — from the NFC South club. That should be a win for Chicago, which now has Moore signed through 2025. The Panthers gave Moore a three-year, $61.88MM extension hours before the receiver market ignited — via Davante Adams‘ $28MM-per-year Raiders deal — in March 2022, but after Matt Rhule‘s October 2022 firing, sharks circled. Carolina only moved Christian McCaffrey and Chosen Anderson before the trade deadline, rebuffing a big Rams Burns offer and holding onto Moore, Brown and other young pieces. Saving Moore for this Bears trade proved prudent, but it also stripped the Panthers of their longtime No. 1 wideout.

The Bears benefited from the 2022 contract timing, with Moore tied to $16.1MM cap numbers in 2024 and ’25, and the cap space they carried into the offseason. Rather than attempt to provide Fields weaponry in a modest free agent class, the Bears traded for Moore and Chase Claypool. The latter swap has not panned out, but Moore has a much better track record. The 2018 first-round pick posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons despite Carolina running into annual QB trouble once Cam Newton‘s injuries accelerated a steep decline. Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold represented the Panthers’ primary passers during that period (2019-21). As of now, it is not known if Moore will need to prepare for more of the same with Fields or if he will be an A.J. Brown-like piece that catalyzes a passer’s ascent.

While the Bears have been able to acquire receiving talent over the past decade, each WR1-caliber cog turned out to be a short-term fix. Brandon Marshall was with the team for three years, with one of them — 2012 — establishing a franchise single-season yardage record. Tandem partner Alshon Jeffery spent five years in the Windy City, thanks to a 2016 franchise tag. Allen Robinson carried otherwise-deficient Bears passing attacks from 2018-20, showing notable slippage while with Fields in ’21. Granted, Robinson’s 2022 Rams form pointed to a decline rather than Fields tanking his stock. In Moore, 26, the Bears will hope they have a long-term piece.

Chicago is banking on the quarterback at the helm of a 3-14 team to show significant improvement, and subsequent offseason moves equipped him with offensive line upgrades. For Fields’ historic rushing season (1,143 yards) last year — one that could have ended with the Ohio State alum eclipsing Lamar Jackson‘s QB record had the Bears not held him out in Week 18 — he has not shown too much as a passer. The Bears’ 22.2 pass attempts per game ranked last in the league in 2022, and Fields completed just 60.4% of his throws. The two-year Buckeyes starter also took a league-high 55 sacks.

This season will better determine if Fields was held back by a bottom-tier supporting cast or if the college star will bring genuine long-term concerns ahead of the Bears’ fifth-year option call. This trade certainly points to the Bears exercising Fields’ option, and potential Jalen Hurts-like strides would make 2024 extension territory for a Bears franchise that has struggled to develop homegrown QB talent for much of its existence.

Fields flopping would move Poles, Matt Eberflus and OC Luke Getsy onto shakier ground, and Young’s Carolina performance will obviously be tied to the Bears’ Fields path. For now, the Bears have a cost-controlled QB, more support around him and draft capital to accumulate more talent in 2024 and ’25.

Free agency additions:

Tremaine Edmunds, LB: Four years, $72MM ($41.8MM guaranteed)
Nate Davis, G: Three years, $30MM ($17.5MM guaranteed)
DeMarcus Walker, DL: Three years, $21MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
Yannick Ngakoue, DE: One year, $10.5MM ($9.9MM guaranteed)
T.J. Edwards, LB: Three years, $19.5MM ($7.9MM guaranteed)
Andrew Billings, DT: One year, $2.75MM ($2.31MM guaranteed)
P.J. Walker, QB: Two years, $4MM ($2MM guaranteed)
Travis Homer, RB: Two years, $4MM ($1.75MM guaranteed)
Robert Tonyan, TE: One year, $2.65MM ($1.25MM guaranteed)
D’Onta Foreman, RB: One year, $2MM ($1MM guaranteed)
Marcedes Lewis, TE: One year, $2MM ($1MM guaranteed)
Rasheem Green, DL: One year, $2.5MM ($850K guaranteed)
Dylan Cole, LB: One year, $1.23MM ($100K guaranteed)
Aviante Collins, OL: One year, $1MM

Eberflus was in Indianapolis when Shaquille Leonard signed a then-record off-ball linebacker contract. It cost nearly that much for the Bears to add Edmunds, who is now tied to an $18MM-per-year deal (fourth among ILBs) and $41.8MM fully guaranteed (third at the position). While Edmunds is going into his sixth season, he is somehow just 25. The Bears are entrusting Edmunds less than a year after trading away Roquan Smith, who sought a top-market contract (and eventually received it from the Ravens).

The Bears deemed Smith unworthy of this type of contract but authorized it for another 2018 first-rounder. Edmunds put together five seasons with at least 102 tackles, finishing that run despite missing four games last year. The Virginia Tech product’s four absences last season are not indicative of his durability; Edmunds missed just four games over his first four seasons. He earned Pro Bowl acclaim in 2020 and finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 overall linebacker last season, improving in coverage. He served as a key piece in the Bills’ climb.

Edmunds has not produced on the Leonard level, despite the Bears giving him $8MM more guaranteed, and he will be expected to be more consistent in Chicago. But the Bears not backloading the deal would allow them an easy 2025 escape from this big-ticket agreement.

The non-Edmunds market topped out at $10MM AAV (the Giants’ Bobby Okereke deal), while no other team ventured past $7MM per season for the other ILBs on the market. The Bears also struck early with Edwards, agreeing to terms with the multiyear Eagles contributor on a team-friendly accord that doubled as the legal tampering period’s first 2023 commitment. A northern Illinois native, Edwards rose from UDFA to three-down player in Philly. The 27-year-old defender finished with a monster contract year: 159 tackles (10 for loss), two sacks and seven passes defensed. The Eagles gave Edwards by far their most linebacker snaps last season (1,041).

It only took $6.5MM per year to land Edwards, and this contract effectively set the market for this crowded third tier of sorts at inside linebacker. But the two LB pledges on Day 1 of the tampering period illustrated the Bears’ interest in a position that, not unlike running back, has fallen far from its prestige peak. An Edmunds-Edwards duo will give Chicago a promising linebacker outlook, marking a major upgrade from the scraps assembled to staff last year defensive second level.

Early-April and early-June rumors depicted Bears interest in bolstering its pass-rushing corps, but going into camp, the team still lacked a proven edge threat. That changed when Ngakoue made the Bears his sixth NFL team, collecting more money than the other veteran edges who had lingered on the market into the summer. Surpassing the likes of Frank Clark, Justin Houston and ex-Bear Leonard Floyd in base value and guarantees, Ngakoue, 28, will be an upgrade for a Bears team that saw its pass rush predictably collapse after the trades of Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. Poles landed second-, fourth- and sixth-rounders for that pair, but the Bears finished last in 2022 sacks (20). To help remedy the issue, the Bears signed the only player riding a seven-season streak of at least eight sacks.

While Houston loomed as a Bears backup plan, Ngakoue will anchor another pass rush. As the Colts crumbled, Ngakoue still totaled 9.5 sacks. With the Raiders in 2021, he racked up 10 to go with 23 QB hits. The Bears also added Walker and Green as supporting rushers, and while Walker offers outside- and inside-rushing ability, the team will count on Ngakoue to keep up his pace.

Walker, 28, is coming off a career-high seven sacks and 16 QB hits — the latter figure more than doubling his career best — with the Titans. This Bears deal marks a turning point for Walker, who washed out of Denver as a second-round pick and played for near-vet-minimum money in Houston and Tennessee. Green has totaled 10 sacks over the past two seasons, with his last year in a 4-3 scheme — with the Seahawks in 2021 — resulting in a career-high 15 QB hits. Pass rush will likely be a top 2024 need, but this group features better pieces compared to how Chicago’s post-Mack outfit looked at this time last year.

Not all of Fields’ 55 sacks taken were on the Bears’ O-line, but they made a clear effort to repair some of the damage. Davis came in first, securing eight-figure-per-year money after four seasons as a Titans starter. Davis was in place for each of Derrick Henry‘s rushing titles, and as the line dealt with steady tackle issues — from Taylor Lewan‘s knee trouble to its post-Jack Conklin RT staffing concerns — Davis was a constant during the team’s 2021 surge to the AFC’s top seed. PFF rated Davis as the No. 14 run-blocking guard from 2020-22, though ESPN’s pass block win rate charged him with an alarming eight sacks allowed last season.

The Bears pursued both Mike McGlinchey and Isaac Seumalo, whose Eagles tenure overlapped with assistant GM Ian Cunningham‘s. They decided on Davis at guard and let the Broncos win the McGlinchey sweepstakes, which required a top-six RT AAV ($17.5MM) and a practical guarantee north of $50MM. More changes are coming up front for Chicago, which is moving converted tackle Teven Jenkins once again — from right guard to left guard, to accommodate Davis — and shifting Cody Whitehair back to center. The Bears’ longest-tenured offensive starter, Whitehair had moved to guard in 2019 to accommodate James Daniels. But the 31-year-old blocker spent his first three NFL seasons at center.

Davis’ presence helped Foreman effectively replace Henry, a low-cost Titans effort that provided some groundwork for a vicious running back offseason. Despite replacing both Henry and McCaffrey effectively over the past two years, Foreman, 27, could only score a $2MM deal. The bruising ex-third-rounder finished with a career-best 914 rushing yards (4.5 per tote) in 2022, getting there despite playing a minimal role before the CMC trade. Though, Foreman contributed next to nothing in the passing game with the Titans or Panthers.

Holding a three-man competition between Foreman, Khalil Herbert and fourth-round rookie Roschon Johnson, the Bears will likely form a timeshare. Albeit in an injury-limited season, Herbert averaged 5.7 yards per carry and offers a speedier option compared to Foreman. While the Bears have not used Herbert in the passing game much either, he looks to be the early clubhouse leader.

Getsy reunited with both Tonyan and Lewis, giving the Bears one of the league’s deepest tight end contingents. Joining starter Cole Kmet, the ex-Packers offer differing skillsets. Lewis, 39, has been one of the NFL’s best blocking tight ends for some time. He will be blazing a new trail for tight ends, being set to become the first 18th-year player at the position. The longtime Jaguar-turned-Matt LaFleur-era Packer only missed one game while with Green Bay; he will be in position to boost Chicago’s ground game.

Tonyan, 29, recovered from the ACL tear that derailed his 2021 contract year, but he did not show the form he flashed in 2020. Failing to match his lofty (and unsustainable) 11 touchdowns from the ’20 slate, Tonyan did play in all 17 Packers games last season. Now two years removed from the knee injury, Tonyan should be in better form with the Bears.

Re-signings:

Khari Blasingame, FB: Two years, $3.6MM ($1.95MM guaranteed)
Patrick Scales, LB: One year, $1.32MM ($1.1MM guaranteed)
Nathan Peterman, QB: One year, $1.23MM ($153K guaranteed)
Dante Pettis, WR: One year, $1.23MM ($153K guaranteed)

Notable losses:

Matthew Adams, LB
Angelo Blackson, DT
Breon Borders, CB
Tim Boyle, QB
Dane Cruikshank, DB
Dakota Dozier, G
Darrynton Evans, RB
Ryan Griffin, TE
N’Keal Harry, WR
DeAndre Houston-Carson, DB
Elijah Lee, LB
David Montgomery, RB
Nicholas Morrow, LB
Al-Quadin Muhammad, DL (released)
Sam Mustipher, OL
Mike Pennel, DT
Byron Pringle, WR
Riley Reiff, T
Michael Schofield, OL
Trevor Siemian, QB (released)
Joe Thomas, LB
Armon Watts, DL
Trevon Wesco, TE

In a merry-go-round among NFC running backs, the Bears tried to prevent Montgomery from landing elsewhere. As free agency’s first week progressed, the RB market stood frozen — a harbinger of what loomed at the position — before Montgomery helped break the ice. Although Poles said the Bears made an offer to retain Montgomery, he ended up with the Lions on a three-year, $18MM pact. This led Jamaal Williams to the Saints (three years, $12MM). The Lions had attempted to re-sign last year’s rushing TDs leader as well. As the Panthers gave Miles Sanders the largest guarantee in this year’s RB class, Foreman became available as a Montgomery consolation prize.

The Bears’ offer did not include any post-2023 guarantees, while Montgomery’s Lions deal contained $3MM guaranteed next year. Montgomery offered workmanlike production during his Bears rookie contract, surpassing 800 rushing yards each season and eclipsing 400 through the air in 2020. Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric placed Foreman (122) well ahead of Montgomery (minus-53) last season. Considering the Foreman signing cost the Bears a fraction of what it took for the Lions to add Montgomery, Poles’ club may have been right to stand down.

Rejoining ex-Panthers teammates Foreman and Moore, Walker started seven games with Carolina, which went 4-3 in those contests from 2020-22. Perhaps Moore’s most memorable play — the would-be game-winning 62-yard touchdown in Atlanta, were it not for a bizarre Moore personal foul — came on a Walker heave, and the ex-Rhule charge held off Baker Mayfield once the latter recovered from his high ankle sprain last season. Walker, 28, has yet to complete 60% of his passes in an NFL season.

Extensions and restructures:

Handed TE Cole Kmet four-year, $50MM extension ($22.89MM guaranteed)

Kmet agreed to a fairly team-friendly extension, one that places him in a tie for ninth in tight end AAV. Kmet’s pact matches Hunter Henry‘s average salary — on a contract agreed to in March 2021 — so the Bears locking down their starter through 2027 at this rate could certainly age well. Kmet is an Illinois native coming off back-to-back seasons with 500-plus receiving yards. As Fields attempts to grow into a franchise QB, the Bears will bet on Kmet helping to take him there.

Chosen with Chicago’s first pick in 2020, Kmet took a step forward in 2021 by amassing a career-high 612 receiving yards. After the 6-foot-6 Notre Dame alum totaled no touchdowns that year, he caught seven for an anemic Bears passing attack last season. Kmet, 24, has never missed a game since being taken 43rd overall. While Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool are going into contract years, the Bears have Moore and Kmet signed long term. It will be interesting to see if Chicago chooses to extend one of its auxiliary wideouts or looks to the draft to restock.

At tight end, Kmet committing long term stands to bring a new chapter for a Bears team that has needed to make a few outside hires (Jimmy Graham, Trey Burton, Martellus Bennett) at the position in recent years.

Draft:

Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, T (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)

Viewed as a possible floor for Jalen Carter, the Bears indeed hosted the controversial Georgia defensive tackle on a visit. Carter had met with every team picking from Nos. 5-10, but Chicago joined Seattle, Las Vegas and Atlanta in passing on the high-risk/high-reward prospect. The Bears picked up a fourth-round pick to pass on Carter, sending him to the Eagles. They then circled back to their right tackle pursuit, and Wright is weeks away from taking over as a starter.

Wright spent more time on the right side than left while at Tennessee, but be brings considerable experience at both spots. A first-team All-SEC blocker last year, Wright started 40 games in college — 27 at right tackle, 13 at left tackle — and the Bears saw enough to pass on hometown product Peter Skoronski. Whereas the Titans have made the expected choice to relocate Skoronski to guard, Wright — the Volunteers’ right tackle in 2020 and ’22 — will play alongside Davis and work opposite 2022 rookie success story Braxton Jones.

This represents the Bears’ first Round 1 investment in the O-line since they took Kyle Long in 2013. With both Jones and Wright being Poles investments, the Bears have the makings of a long-term tackle duo. This comes after the team has scrambled here for the past two seasons, since severing ties with its long-running Charles Leno–Bobby Massie pair. The Bears used Jason Peters as an emergency left tackle stopgap in 2021 and tried Jenkins at both tackle posts, before determining he worked better as a guard. Riley Reiff ended up Chicago’s right-sider to close last season, replacing Larry Borom, who is now in place as the swingman.

Stevenson is ticketed to start as a rookie, which will give the Bears a cornerback trio featuring three second-rounders — Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Johnson arrived during Ryan Pace‘s GM tenure and looms as an extension candidate, but the Poles staff’s cornerback scouting abilities will be judged this year through Gordon and Stevenson’s play. Stevenson is set to relocate Gordon to a slot role. A Georgia transfer, Stevenson played primarily on the outside during his final two college seasons. If the Bears extend Johnson, they could have the opportunity for rare continuity at this position — due to Stevenson and Gordon being tied to rookie deals for years.

As of now, Billings and Justin Jones are ahead of the two Day 3 defensive tackles. Neither Pickens nor Dexter were productive pass rushers in college, but the Colts’ D-tackle setup reveals the position’s importance in Eberflus’ scheme. The Colts traded a first-round pick for DeForest Buckner in 2020 and gave Grover Stewart a $10MM-per-year extension later that year. If nothing else, Dexter and Pickens create 2023 depth at the position. With both projected starters on expiring contracts, the Day 2 draftees should be expected to challenge for starting jobs in 2024.

Other:

Assistant GM Ian Cunningham interviewed for Cardinals, Titans’ GM jobs
Hired Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as team president
Added Jon Hoke as defensive pass-game coordinator
Claimed DT Bravvion Roy, LB Mykal Walker off waivers from Panthers, Falcons
Signed 14 undrafted free agents

One of four Eagles execs to become an assistant GM elsewhere in 2022, Cunningham found himself in demand this year. Both the Cardinals and Titans interviewed Poles’ chief second. The Titans brought him in for two interviews, while a report indicated the Cards offered Cunningham their GM job (one that ultimately went to Monti Ossenfort). Rather than leave for the desert, Cunningham will stay on this Bears rebuild. It should be expected more teams show interest down the road.

Warren, 59, will fill the role Ted Phillips held for more than 20 years. While Warren is now best known for a tenure as the Big Ten commissioner, he has tours of duty with the Rams, Lions and Vikings. Most notably, Warren spent 15 years in Minnesota. The Bears previously had their GMs report to Phillips, and they are not deviating. Although Warren will run the business side, Poles will report to him. Warren should be expected to have a say in how the Bears proceed with Poles and Eberflus, being positioned as the exec who would play the lead role in shaping the team’s next HC-GM combo.

Top 10 cap charges for 2023:

D.J. Moore, WR: $20.17MM
Eddie Jackson, S: $17.1MM
Tremaine Edmunds, LB: $14.69MM
Cody Whitehair, OL: $14.1MM
Yannick Ngakoue, DE: $10.44MM
Justin Jones, DT: $7.4MM
Cole Kmet, TE: $7.36MM
Nate Davis, G: $6.93MM
DeMarcus Walker, DL: $6.42MM
Lucas Patrick, OL: $5.38MM

Aaron Rodgers‘ NFC North exit creates more uncertainty in a division he largely controlled during his 15-year starter run. In addition to the Packers’ Jordan Love transition, the Vikings overhauling their defensive staff — after a season in which they finished 13-4 with a negative point differential — puts the Lions in a rare spot as a trendy favorite. Detroit has never won the NFC North, with its last division crown coming when they won the NFC Central in 1993. Las Vegas gives the Bears the longest odds to win this division, but even after their worst regular season since since 1969, they are not viewed as a hopeless underdog.

In what could be a wide-open division in a conference short on muscle, eyes will be on the QB bet Poles made. While recent draftees should generate attention as this Bears regime determines potential pillars, Fields’ progress will obviously shape Chicago’s season. How Fields and Young’s trajectories look coming out of this season will illuminate the second QB fork-in-the-road moment the Bears have faced over the past decade. Young will become one of the biggest what-ifs in Bears history, but if Fields makes a noticeable leap as a passer this season, the Panthers QB’s status probably will not haunt the NFC North franchise in the way Patrick Mahomes has.

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NFC North Rumors: Tom, Bears, Vikes, Lions

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 1:24 pm

This offseason, Zach Tom loomed as a challenger for either the Packers‘ center or right tackle spots. While it is not known just yet where the second-year blocker will end up, it looks like his playing time will increase. Tom is going to end up starting, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes (subscription required). A fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest, Tom started five of the nine games he played last season and saw time at four of the five O-line positions (all but center). Tom did start at center for the Demon Deacons, however, playing there and at left tackle in college. Former second-round pick Josh Myers has been the Packers’ primary center over the past two seasons. Should Tom land at right tackle, Yosh Nijman — whom the team gave a second-round RFA tender this offseason — would be on track to be a backup.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

The Bears‘ running back race is still too early to call, but The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain posit that Khalil Herbert is the current frontronner. David Montgomery‘s top backup last season, Herbert flashed when available. The former sixth-round pick averaged 5.7 yards per carry, helping the Bears lead the league in rushing. With Montgomery now in Detroit, the Bears have held a three-man competition — between Herbert, UFA pickup D’Onta Foreman and fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson — to replace him. Even if Herbert wins the starter gig, Chicago’s run-oriented attack will likely require regular workloads from multiple backs.
Veteran running back Mike Davis stopped through Minneapolis for a recent Vikings workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Minnesota, which is all set to complete a Dalvin Cook-to-Alexander Mattison transition, recently auditioned Kareem Hunt as well. Beyond Mattison, the Vikings roster Ty Chandler (2022, Round 5) and DeWayne McBride (2023, Round 7) as their top backfield options. Davis, 30, spent last season with the Ravens but did not carve out much playing time — even for a team reeling at running back. He fared better with the Panthers and Falcons in 2020 and 2021, respectively, combining for 1,145 rushing yards in that span.
Byron Murphy played a versatile role for the Cardinals, lining up in the slot and outside. The Vikings are planning to capitalize on Murphy’s slot experience, with ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert noting the free agency pickup will move inside when the team shifts to its nickel package. With nickel and dime sets now more common than base alignments, Murphy should be expected to see plenty of slot work in Minnesota.
A 2022 second-round pick, Andrew Booth has not made a strong case to move into the starting lineup alongside Murphy. The Clemson product is running Akayleb Evans, a 2022 fourth-rounder, along with Joejuan Williams and rookie third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon. Williams and Blackmon look to be competing for the CB3 role, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis adds, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling notes the rookie is believed to be ahead of the former Patriots second-rounder. Evans, who played 162 defensive snaps last season, has spent the most time with the first team of this group. The Vikings have rebooted at corner, letting both Patrick Peterson and slot Chandon Sullivan walk in free agency.
Danielle Hunter‘s reworked deal calls for a $20.95MM cap hit, and although this is now a contract year for the veteran defensive end, two void years remain on the deal (Twitter links via Goessling and ESPN’s Field Yates). Hunter’s $3MM in incentives are classified as not likely to be earned, per Goessling. The void years would leave the Vikings with a $14.9MM dead-money hit if they do not re-sign Hunter before the 2024 league year begins. Void years led to the Vikings taking a $7.5MM dead-money hit when Dalvin Tomlinson left in free agency this year.
While Teddy Bridgewater secured $2.5MM guaranteed from the Lions, GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweets the veteran QB’s Lions deal is worth $3MM in base value. The Lions used a void year, keeping the cap number at $2.66MM.

Panthers Place WR Damiere Byrd On IR

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 12:37 pm

Returning to the Panthers this offseason, Damiere Byrd no longer appears in the team’s plans. The Panthers placed the veteran wide receiver on IR on Wednesday.

The team moved Byrd off its 90-man roster in order to sign defensive back Collin Duncan, a rookie out of Mississippi State. Byrd suffered what Frank Reich called a significant hamstring injury, one that will sideline the well-traveled pass catcher for at least eight weeks. Byrd will require surgery, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets.

With the Panthers moving Byrd to IR now, only an injury settlement — which would relocate him from Carolina’s IR to free agency — would allow him to play this year. Byrd could resurface once recovered from this malady, but he will be on the shelf for an extended period. Waiting on Byrd to recover — ahead of a potential in-season IR stay — would have required Carolina to use one of its 53-man roster spots. Instead, Byrd is out of the picture.

The Panthers, who rostered the 5-foot-9 speedster from 2016-18, brought him back on a one-year, $1.32MM deal that included just $153K guaranteed. Since leaving Charlotte back in 2019, Byrd had been with the Cardinals, Patriots, Bears and Falcons. He spent one season with each team over the past four years but was competing for a backup role with the Panthers.

With Carolina readying to use Adam Thielen, DJ Chark and Jonathan Mingo as its starters, Byrd was battling for one of the team’s final receiving spots. Terrace Marshall is assured of a job, with Laviska Shenault likely still in the team’s plans as well. Byrd, 30, averaged 20.8 yards per catch last season (13/268) with the Falcons last year. His best year came in New England, when Cam Newton — Byrd’s QB during his first Carolina stint — targeted him regularly during a 47-catch, 604-yard season.

1 comment Carolina Panthers Transactions Collin Duncan Damiere Byrd

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Raiders, Samuel

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 11:19 am

Although their interest in Dalvin Cook appeared to cool early in the long-running sweepstakes, the Broncos did keep tabs on the high-profile free agent. The team continued to look into Cook, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com said during a Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link). Cook has since signed a one-year, $7MM Jets deal. While Pelissero adds the Broncos may look to add another back to a group headlined by Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, the team is sorting through some options behind the veterans. Second-year back Tyler Badie, rookie UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin and ex-Sean Payton Saints charge Tony Jones Jr. are vying for Denver’s RB3 job presently.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

The Raiders took a few fliers at cornerback in free agency, signing Duke Shelley and David Long and reuniting with Brandon Facyson. None of the trio looks likely to start. Instead, fourth-round pick Jakorian Bennett looks to have leapfrogged them. Shelley and Long have fallen out of the mix to start, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashaun Reed, who project Bennett to start alongside Marcus Peters and Nate Hobbs (subscription required). Both Long and Facyson have missed time due to injury in camp. The Raiders chose Bennett 104th overall, which would make a Week 1 starting assignment notable. But the Silver and Black, who let Rock Ya-Sin walk (to replace Peters in Baltimore), came into the offseason with major questions at corner.
Despite a three-interception wild-card performance, third-year Chargers corner Asante Samuel Jr. faced the prospect of being a backup to start this season. Ja’Sir Taylor, a sixth-round 2022 draftee, has competed with the multiyear starter for the slot job. But Samuel looks to have surged ahead, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. If J.C. Jackson completes his recovery from a torn patellar tendon in time, the Chargers are preparing to roll out a Jackson-Samuel-Michael Davis cornerback look. If Jackson needs more time, the Bolts would likely go with a Davis-Samuel-Taylor trio.
The Bolts are fairly set at receiver, with Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis‘ Fort Worth-to-Los Angeles treks giving the team five locks at the position. In addition to the TCU alums, Josh Palmer has made strides in his third training camp. This looked to put Jalen Guyton and John Hightower to a battle for the final spot, Popper adds. But both players are dealing with injuries. After a strong start to camp, Hightower — a 2020 Eagles draftee who has not caught a pass since his rookie year — suffered an injury and has not practiced in a week. Guyton, who suffered an ACL tear in Week 3 of last season, remains on the Bolts’ active/PUP list. Stashing the deep threat on the reserve/PUP list to start the season is looking likely, per Popper.
K’Waun Williams is expected to be the Broncos‘ slot corner for a second season, but an ankle injury has sidelined him for over a week. The veteran slot defender sought a second opinion on the injury recently, per 9News’ Mike Klis, who notes surgery is not on the docket at this point. A rest-and-rehab operation will be utilized to have Williams ready for Week 1, though this becomes a situation to monitor for a Broncos team that remains without third-round corner Riley Moss. Essang Bassey filled in for Williams as the top nickel in Denver’s preseason opener.
Davis Webb resides in the strange position of being a 28-year-old quarterbacks coach tasked with helping a decorated 34-year-old passer bounce back. But Russell Wilson‘s position coach has been on the coaching radar for a bit now, despite only retiring this year. After the Bills wanted him to be their QBs coach last year, Sean McDermott, Brian Daboll and Eli Manning endorsed Webb to Payton, Jori Epstein of Yahoo.com notes. Webb “blew away” Broncos brass in his interview, per GM George Paton. His final season — as a Giants third-stringer — involved scouting and coaching, Epstein adds, making this an easier transition than it would appear.

2 comments Denver Broncos Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Asante Samuel Jr.Brandon Facyson Dalvin Cook David Long Davis Webb Duke Shelley Essang Bassey Ja'Sir Taylor Jakorian Bennett Jalen Guyton John Hightower Josh Palmer K'Waun Williams

Raiders Activate Tyree Wilson From NFI List

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 10:34 am

Tyree Wilson will finally begin practicing with the team that drafted him seventh overall. The rookie Raiders defensive end is off the active/NFI list as of Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Raiders had kept Wilson’s timetable murky, but having their top rookie available to start the season has always been the expectation. Wilson is no longer eligible for the reserve/NFI list to start the season; that designation would have cost the Texas Tech product four games.

Although the Raiders did extensive work on quarterbacks during the pre-draft process, they chose Wilson with their top pick. Viewed as a candidate to go as high as No. 2 overall, the former Big 12 pass rusher’s potential upside generated considerable buzz despite the foot injury being in the recent past. Wilson’s senior year with the Red Raiders ended during a Nov. 12 game against Kansas, and the highly touted prospect underwent two surgeries — a second in March — to repair the damage. Some teams did not clear Wilson during pre-draft physicals; the Raiders were one of the teams that did.

Totaling seven sacks for a second straight season, Wilson still earned first-team All-Big 12 acclaim for his 2022 work. He is expected to be used to help keep Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones fresh this season. With Jones’ three-year, $51MM contract not including any 2024 guarantees, it is not difficult to see the Raiders planning to move on and go with Wilson opposite Crosby next season. For now, the team will have a promising three-rusher setup ahead of Wilson’s rookie season.

The Raiders considered moving down to pick up extra selections, but they used a first-round pick on an edge player for the third time since 2014. The other two — Khalil Mack and Clelin Ferrell — are gone. A 2019 fourth-rounder, Crosby has taken Mack’s place as a long-term cornerstone. Both Crosby and Wilson are signed through the 2026 season.

3 comments Las Vegas Raiders Transactions Tyree Wilson

Marlon Humphrey To Undergo Surgery, Miss Regular-Season Time

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 9:33 am

While the Ravens added Rock Ya-Sin to their cornerback group this offseason, they might need more help soon. Their No. 1 cornerback is unlikely to be available for the season opener.

Marlon Humphrey has encountered an injury issue that will threaten his Week 1 availability, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (via Twitter). After taking part in a joint workout with the Commanders on Tuesday, Humphrey is not at practice today.

A foot injury will sideline the seventh-year corner, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who indicates (via Twitter) he will undergo surgery Wednesday. This procedure is expected to shut down Humphrey for an extended period, with Rapoport adding the Ravens are hopeful he can return in a little more than a month. That optimistic timetable, however, will still likely involve missed regular-season games.

This is a lingering issue, per John Harbaugh (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley), rather than an injury sustained during the joint practice. The 16th-year HC does not expect this to sideline Humphrey for a long-term period.

The former first-round pick suffered a torn pectoral muscle late in the 2021 season but rebounded to start 17 games last year. Prior to the five-game absence stemming from the chest injury, Humphrey had missed only three games in his first four seasons. An absence to start this year would deal a blow to the Ravens, who let Marcus Peters walk in free agency.

Baltimore made a substantial commitment to Humphrey in 2020, extending him on a five-year, $97.5MM deal. That contract runs through 2026. As Peters struggled to regain his form following an ACL tear that knocked him out for all of the 2021 season, Humphrey received Pro Bowl acclaim in 2022. Pro Football Focus viewed the Alabama alum as a top-15 corner last year, and at 27, the versatile cover man is squarely in his prime.

The Ravens did not make any major draft investments at corner, though they did add Kyu Blu Kelly in Round 5. The team came into today already dealing with injury issues at the position. Second-year cover man Damarion Williams, a former fourth-round pick who played 226 defensive snaps as a backup last season, underwent ankle surgery this week and will not be ready in time for the season, Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). Baltimore hopes to have Williams back in October, Zrebiec tweets, pointing to an IR stay to start the season. In addition to Williams, Jalyn Armour-Davis and recent pickup Arthur Maulet were down with injuries.

Williams, who began Ravens camp on the active/PUP list, would seemingly be in play to become one of Baltimore’s IR activations. At this point, it is premature to suggest Humphrey would join him. An IR move — after the team sets its 53-man roster — would cost Humphrey four games. Given his value to the team, it seems likelier it will go week to week with its top corner.

The Ravens already entered camp with a question at slot corner, an area where Humphrey has excelled at points. Williams joined the likes of Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington in vying for that gig. The team trading Chuck Clark is set to move Kyle Hamilton, a slot player last season, to a pure safety role. With Humphrey likely shelved for the start of the season, the Ravens have another big question to answer as camp continues.

8 comments Baltimore Ravens Arthur Maulet Damarion Williams Jalyn Armour-Davis Marlon Humphrey

Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins Shifts To Hold-In Effort

By Sam Robinson | at August 16, 2023 9:05 am

Christian Wilkins has shifted course in his approach for a Dolphins contract extension. The fifth-year defensive tackle has not participated in team drills for several days now, and Mike McDaniel confirmed an injury has not kept him out.

The second-year coach indicated (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley) Wilkins is holding in as he pushes for an extension. Contract talks have been ongoing for an extended period now, and with the defensive tackle market largely being set this offseason, the 2019 first-round pick is turning up the heat on the Dolphins.

“He feels that his play is deserving of a contract. We would agree, as the Miami Dolphins organization; we are in negotiations,” McDaniel said. “As a result, he hasn’t been participating in team [drills]. When he next participates, that will be up to him.”

Wilkins participated in team drills over the first two weeks of training camp but has come off the field during these periods for more than a week, Beasley notes. This does not appear a contentious situation, though as camp started, the talks were not generating much momentum. The prospect of a Wilkins extension surfaced in March, though it is interesting that after six months, a clear value gap remains between team and player.

Pro Football Focus rated Wilkins as a top-10 interior D-lineman in each of the past two seasons. Vic Fangio is now running the show on defense, but it should not be expected Wilkins is viewed as a poor fit in the highly paid defensive coordinator’s system. Wilkins, 27, has not proven to be a steady sack artist as a pro, having topped out at 4.5 sacks and 13 QB hits in a season (2021) with the Dolphins. That component is almost definitely a factor in these negotiations. But the Clemson alum has provided steady value to the team. As the Dolphins aim to make a substantial leap on defense with Fangio, they will need to address the Wilkins issue.

Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence and Daron Payne have each signed extensions worth between $22.5MM and $24MM per year this offseason. The Dolphins may not be eager to pay Wilkins, Lawrence’s college teammate, on this level. The Bills came in with a less costly Ed Oliver deal this summer, re-upping their 2019 first-round D-tackle pick at $17MM AAV. It is safe to expect Wilkins’ asking price to be north of that number.

As of now, Wilkins is tied to a $10.75MM fifth-year option for this season. The Dolphins will have the option of the franchise tag — a route the Commanders took with Payne to keep him off this year’s market — for Wilkins in 2024. That course of action would cost the team upwards of $20MM, and considering Wilkins’ current stance, tabling an extension until next year would not go over well.

1 comment Miami Dolphins Christian Wilkins

Raiders Place T Brandon Parker On IR

By Sam Robinson | at August 15, 2023 4:12 pm

A starter during his most recent active season with the Raiders, Brandon Parker re-signed with the team this offseason. But Parker’s future with the franchise is again cloudy after another August injury.

The Raiders placed the veteran tackle on IR on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. This marks the second straight year in which Parker has landed on IR before the season. Because of the preseason placement on the Raiders’ injured list, Parker is not eligible to be activated later in the season.

A recent roster projection from The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed placed Parker on the final 53, with the duo indicating he had held the role of the fourth tackle — behind Kolton Miller, Jermaine Eluemunor and Thayer Munford (subscription required). This transaction will nix that path for the Silver and Black, who have not been able to turn to Parker since the 2021 season.

The Raiders initially drafted Parker in the 2018 third round, grabbing him two rounds after Miller in Jon Gruden‘s first draft at the helm. Primarily a right tackle, Parker started 13 games in 2021. The Raiders had drafted Alex Leatherwood that year but moved him to guard quickly. Even with the Josh McDaniels-led staff shifting Leatherwood back to tackle in 2022, the Alabama product could not avoid the chopping block. But neither Leatherwood nor Parker factored into the Raiders’ plans last season. A triceps injury landed Parker on IR on August 28 of last year.

Just before free agency, the 27-year-old blocker re-signed with the Raiders on a one-year, $1.5MM deal. Las Vegas guaranteed the sixth-year vet $475K. The North Carolina A&T alum has made 32 starts as a Raider. With Parker out of the picture, 2022 trade acquisition Justin Herron figures to have a better chance of making the 53-man roster as a backup.

With the open roster spot, the Raiders signed wide receiver Isaiah Zuber, Wilson tweets. Zuber’s only game action came with the Patriots in 2020, during McDaniels’ lengthy second stint as New England’s OC.

2 comments Las Vegas Raiders Transactions Brandon Parker Isaiah Zuber

Giants, Adoree’ Jackson Discuss Extension; Leonard Williams Deal Not On Radar

By Sam Robinson | at August 15, 2023 3:48 pm

Adoree’ Jackson‘s MCL sprain decimated the Giants at cornerback last season. Although the team made a surprising run to the playoffs, it spent much of the stretch run without Jackson and its other Week 1 starting corner (Aaron Robinson).

Robinson has not returned to practice yet, remaining on New York’s active/PUP list due to the knee injury he suffered early last season, but first-round pick Deonte Banks now joins Jackson as a surefire starter. Banks’ presence, along with the host of big-ticket deals the Giants handed out this year, complicates Jackson’s Big Apple future. The former first-round pick is going into the final year of a contract the Joe Schoen regime did not authorize.

While a previous report indicated the Giants were not planning Jackson extension talks, the seventh-year defender said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan) conversations about a second agreement with the team have occurred. Jackson’s three-year, $39MM deal calls for a $19.1MM cap number this season. The team already attached a 2024 void year for cap purposes.

The Giants doled out a $40MM-per-year deal for Daniel Jones, while Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence are now respectively tied to $23.5MM- and $22.5MM-AAV extensions. Each contract will produce a significant cap spike between 2023 and ’24. Jones’ cap number rises from $21.75MM this year to $45MM in 2024. Thomas’ vaults from $9.3MM to $23.7MM, while Lawrence’s balloons from $6.7MM to $21.9MM. These changes will result in adjustments for the Giants, with Jackson’s future with the team in doubt.

Jackson, who is going into his age-28 season, became a more important Giants piece following the team’s May 2022 James Bradberry release. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson, a former Pac-12 long jump champion while at USC, just outside the top 30 at corner last year. Missing seven games due to injury, the 5-foot-11 defender still returned in time for the team’s wild-card win in Minnesota and accounted himself well against Justin Jefferson.

The Giants have experimented with Jackson in the slot during training camp. A strong second year in Don Martindale‘s system could create another good market for the ex-Titans first-rounder in March. Even with Banks in the fold, cornerback will be a key need for the Giants if they do not re-sign Jackson before the 2024 legal tampering period.

This offseason has revealed zero hesitation on Schoen’s part about committing to Dave Gettleman investments, with Jones, Lawrence and Thomas all first-rounders under the since-departed GM. Higher on the Giants’ 2023 payroll, Leonard Williams is also going into a walk year. Gettleman gave the 2019 trade acquisition a three-year, $63MM extension shortly after applying a second franchise tag in March 2021. Williams holds the highest cap number among NFL defenders this year — by a wide margin. Williams’ $32.3MM number jumps out on a Giants payroll that does not include another cap hit north of $22MM.

A June report pointed to the Giants not eyeing an adjustment to bring down Williams’ monster cap number, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team remains unlikely to address the deal. No extension or pay cut should be expected here, with the Giants viewing the ninth-year veteran as an important piece in Brian Daboll‘s second season. Williams, 29, is not a 2024 franchise tag candidate, since the Giants have already tagged him twice. He is open to an extension with the team.

Williams fared well during his most recent contract year (2020), totaling a career-high 11.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hits. Jackson’s former USC teammate has not topped 15 QB hits in the two seasons since, but with the prospect of one final major payday in play, motivation will certainly exist for the ex-Jets top-10 draftee in 2023. With Lawrence’s contract running through 2027, however, Williams is no longer the Giants’ D-line centerpiece.

1 comment New York Giants Adoree' Jackson Leonard Williams

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Author: Sam Robinson