Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/22
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: RB Corey Clement
- Waived: CB Robert Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: LB Kamal Martin
- Waived (injury settlement): CB Devin Jones
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Carson Taylor
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: C Ben Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: WR Derrick Dillon
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: DT Austin Faoliu
- Waived (injury designation): TE Ian Bunting, FB Ryan Nall, WR Ty Fryfogle, CB Kyron Brown
Denver Broncos
- Waived (injury designation): OL Ben Braden
Detroit Lions
- Released: TE Garrett Griffin
- Waived: TE Nolan Givan, C Ryan McCollum
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): TE Nate Becker
- Waived: LB Randy Ramsey, C Cole Schneider, CB Donte Vaughn
Houston Texans
- Waived: LS Harrison Elliott, RB B.J. Emmons
- Released: WR Chad Beebe
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from PUP list: WR Mike Strachan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived (injury designation): K Elliott Fry
- Waived: RB Matt Colburn, QB Jake Luton, WR Ryan McDaniel, DE Wyatt Ray
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived (injury designation): DT Forrest Merrill, OC Isaac Weaver
- Waived: WR Maurice Ffrench, QB Brandon Peters, S Skyler Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: NT Niles Scott
- Placed on IR: CB Trill Williams (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Niko Lalos, DT Jaleel Johnson
- Placed on IR: OT Ethan Greenidge
- Waived (injury settlement): DB Bryce Thompson
- Waived (injury designation): DB Jordan Brown, S Isaiah Pryor
- Waived: DE T.J. Carter, S Jack Koerner, DE Scott Patchan, K John Parker Romo, WR Easop Winston
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills): CB Olaijah Griffin
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Keshunn Abram
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB James Vaughters
- Waived (injury designation): LB Tuzar Skipper
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: DT Tomasi Laulile, WR KeeSean Johnson, RB Josh Hokit
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from active/PUP list: OT Liam Ryan
- Placed on IR: WR Cody Thompson
- Waived: CB Josh Valentine-Turner, DT Antonio Valentino, OL Eric Wilson, WR Deontez Alexander
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Patrick Laird
- Placed on IR: RB Kenjon Barner
- Waived: TE Ben Beise
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/PUP list: OT Cornelius Lucas
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from active/PUP list: DT Eli Ankou
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: CB Devin Jones
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR with injury settlement: LB C.J. Avery
Houston Texans
- Released from IR with injury settlement: WR Davion Davis
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: OT Jason Spriggs
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Nate Brooks
- Placed on IR: CB Cre’Von LeBlanc
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Dylan Mabin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: WR Keric Wheatfall
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on IR: WR Javon McKinley
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: S Leon O’Neal
Tennessee Titans
- Released from IR with injury settlement: OL Daniel Munyer
Bears To Wait On Extension For RB David Montgomery?
Roquan Smith is not the only contract matter facing the Bears. They have their fourth-year starting running back, David Montgomery, also entering a walk year.
The Bears are being patient regarding a Montgomery extension, with Dan Graziano of ESPN.com noting the team should be expected to see how the veteran back looks in Chicago’s system before determining if it will go forward with a second contract. This is in line with how other teams are proceeding with backs from the 2019 draft class, which has seen teams operate with less urgency compared to the more talented 2017 contingent.
The primary Chicago starter since going in the 2019 third round, Montgomery has one 1,000-yard season (2020) and two 800-plus-yard campaigns. Helping the 2020 Bears to the playoffs, Montgomery reached 1,508 scrimmage yards that season. He notched 308 receiving yards in 2021 and will now transition to Luke Getsy‘s offense. Next Gen Stats rated Montgomery as below average in terms of rushing yards over expected (minus-26) last season, but he also rated 10th in rushing yards after first contact in 2021.
[RELATED: Assessing Montgomery’s Extension Candidacy]
Chicago’s rebuild is set to usher in a new-look offensive line. Entering the preseason slate, the team is preparing to go with fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones and 12th-year veteran Riley Reiff at tackle. Newcomers are also expected to be starters at center (Lucas Patrick) and right guard (Michael Schofield). Left guard Cody Whitehair may well be the only holdover for the Bears, who have a new head coach and general manager in place. The staff turnover also clouds Montgomery’s future.
Multiple teams’ retention efforts this offseason did create a middle class of sorts at running back. The Cardinals and Buccaneers, respectively, signed James Conner and Leonard Fournette to three-year, $21MM deals. A significant gap exists between the top tier — populated largely by 2017 running back draftees — and that duo. Among veteran contracts, no running back is earning between $7-$12MM per year. With a solid season, Montgomery could be a candidate to bridge that gap. Of course, others reside in that space as well.
The Bears have Justin Fields and Darnell Mooney tied to rookie deals, and their defense — regardless of what happens with Smith — does not have many high-end contracts. But it is unclear how Poles and Co. will value the running back position. A few teams have starter- or starter-caliber backs on the early track for free agency in 2023. Saquon Barkley, Kareem Hunt, and 2019 draftees Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Damien Harris and Devin Singletary are unsigned beyond 2022. While it cannot be assumed all will be available, this setup could create a crowded market for backs next year.
Latest On Roquan Smith, Bears
A strange situation may be developing in Chicago. Roquan Smith made his trade request public earlier this week, and the standout linebacker is staging a hold-in effort at Bears camp. Smith does not have an agent, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports a person claiming to represent the fifth-year defender has been contacting teams to gauge trade interest. The person calling teams is not an NFLPA-certified agent, per Florio, and the Bears have not given Smith permission to seek a trade. The team still wants to extend the two-time second-team All-Pro, even though Smith does not have much hope for salvaging this situation. A team that negotiated with this unknown Smith representative would face tampering charges. While teams are interested in the former top-10 pick, Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus does not expect a first-round pick to be offered — if it reaches the point the Bears are fielding offers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/11/22
Today’s minor transactions:
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR: LB Christian Albright
Cleveland Browns
- Released from IR: CB Reggie Robinson
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR: RB Tyreik McAllister
Green Bay Packers
- Reverted to IR: WR Osirus Mitchell
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Brian Allen
- Released: DT Jaleel Johnson
- Reverted to IR: DB Bryce Thompson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB DeAndre Torrey
- Waived/injured: WR Keric Wheatfall
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed:WR Christian Blake
- Waived/injured: WR Javon McKinley
- Reverted to IR: LB Ulysees Gilbert
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR: S Leon O’Neal Jr.
Roquan Smith Seeking $20MM Per Year?
Coming off the Bears’ active/PUP list Wednesday, Roquan Smith is waging a hold-in measure. In his trade request sent Tuesday, the fifth-year linebacker said the Bears have submitted a “take it or leave it offer” that would hurt the market.
The Bears are, however, negotiating with Smith himself — he does not have an agent — and Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus notes the team has come up from its initial proposal. But the team is also believed to be negotiating with a player who wants to become the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year off-ball linebacker. Smith wants a deal that pays him “at least” $20MM per annum, Kyed adds.
With first-team All-Pros Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner positioned as the only traditional linebackers earning at least $18MM per year — at $19.7MM and $19.4MM on average, respectively — this has obviously made for a complex Bears negotiating process. Smith, 25, is a two-time second-team All-Pro.
Bears GM Ryan Poles said the team still wants to extend Smith and called some parts of the offer “record-setting,” but Smith classified the proposal as backloaded. Backloading deals to inflate AAV figures has come up this offseason. The Raiders and Dolphins used this blueprint with Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, respectively, while Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. turned down a proposal with a whopping final-year figure.
The linebacker market changed significantly three years ago, when C.J. Mosley landed a $17MM-per-year pact from the Jets. Still attached to that accord, Mosley has only seen Leonard, Warner and Bobby Wagner top that deal. The Seahawks shed Wagner’s $18MM-AAV accord from their payroll in March. Going into the 2019 offseason, Luke Kuechly‘s $12.36MM-per-year pact had stood as the linebacker standard for three years. Teams’ calculus regarding true linebackers changed thanks to the previous Jets regime’s Mosley decision. The market still only houses three linebackers making more than $15MM per year as well.
With the Bears hiring Matt Eberflus as head coach, Smith would also be transitioning to a new defense. He produced consistently in Chicago’s previous 3-4 scheme, however, racking up 302 tackles (30 for loss) and seven sacks over the past two years. The TFL number is particularly impressive. Only T.J. Watt, who plays a pass-rushing position and is coming off a season in which he matched the single-season sack record, has recorded more TFLs (44) among linebackers since 2020. Among true off-ball ‘backers, Smith’s 30 lead the field by seven in this span.
Smith’s age and production would generate a market, if the rebuilding Bears to honor his trade request. The Commanders reside as a team some in league circles believe would be a fit, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Washington used a first-round pick on Jamin Davis last year, but he struggled as a rookie. The team also has Cole Holcomb going into a contract year. The Broncos also could be a fit, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Denver may have been a better fit last year, with ex-Chicago DC Vic Fangio at the helm, but the team has been looking at linebackers recently. Of course, pursuing the likes of Anthony Barr and Joe Schobert and trading reasonable draft capital for Smith are different matters. The Broncos also do not have their first- or second-round picks in 2023, thanks to the Russell Wilson trade.
Bears’ N’Keal Harry Undergoes Surgery
AUGUST 11: The recently traded wide receiver is undergoing surgery to address his ankle issue Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Harry is now expected to miss around two months of action. The Bears could stash Harry on IR to begin the season, though teams are a bit more limited regarding IR maneuvering compared to 2020 and ’21. Teams have eight IR-return designations to use this season.
AUGUST 7: N’Keal Harry‘s second NFL chapter has taken an unfortunate turn before even beginning. The newly acquired wideout suffered an ankle injury which “appears severe,” reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link).
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Harry suffered a high ankle sprain (video link). Further confirmation and testing will be done, but that should leave him sidelined for roughly six weeks.
The injury was sustained yesterday, and Fowler adds that further evaluation will be needed to determine its severity. This represents a significant blow for the former first-rounder. In 33 games with the Patriots, including 18 starts, he totaled just 57 catches and less than 600 receiving yards.
Those disappointing numbers led to speculation that his tenure in New England could end before his rookie contract did. The free agent signings of Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne last offseason, along with the additions of Tyquan Thornton in the draft and DeVante Parker via trade this year, put the Arizona State product’s roster spot in jeopardy. The Patriots did indeed move on in July, sending Harry to the Bears for a 2024 seventh-round pick.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder would have had a much better chance at carving out a role for himself in Chicago, whose receiving corps lost Allen Robinson in free agency. Outside of Darnell Mooney, the rebuilding squad lacks established playmakers on the perimeter, and will to turn to the likes of Byron Pringle and rookie Velus Jones Jr. in the event Harry misses significant time.
Being sidelined for a lengthy stretch will also have financial consequences for Harry. One season away from free agency, 2022 represented an opportunity to re-build some of his value with a strong campaign in Chicago. While that may still be possible, the chances of him being able to to so have taken a significant hit.
Latest On Bears’ Offensive Line
Previously a possibility at left tackle, Riley Reiff now looks to be settling in on the right side. The Bears moved the longtime NFC North left tackle-turned-Bengals RT off the blind side recently, with Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com noting rookie Braxton Jones has taken most of the left-side reps over the past several days.
Reiff, 33, played right tackle with the Bengals last season, prior to going down with a mid-December ankle injury that shelved him for the team’s unlikely Super Bowl run, and moved to the right side in 2016 to accommodate Lions first-round pick Taylor Decker. In every other season, Reiff has primarily been a left tackle.
Jones and Reiff starting would leave Chicago with two new tackle starters. The team’s top 2021 left tackle, Jason Peters, remains a free agent. The player the previous regime hoped would commandeer that post, Teven Jenkins, has not done so. The 2021 second-round pick has battled injuries throughout his career. While Jenkins has returned to practice, he has lined up with the Bears’ second- and third-string lines since doing so, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic tweets.
As Jones began to show starter readiness during the Bears’ offseason program, Jenkins has already popped up in trade rumors. The Bears chose Jones 168th overall out of Division I-FCS Southern Utah. This would obviously be a big jump from his 2021 gig.
Larry Borom worked as Chicago’s primary right tackle last year, but the 2021 fifth-round pick is playing behind Reiff presently. Pro Football Focus graded Borom outside its top 60 tackles last season. Although O-line development usually takes some time, the Bears’ new coaching staff may be prepared to let the Mizzou product learn from the bench behind Reiff (139 career starts). Borom has been working at both tackle spots, suggesting a potential path as the team’s swing backup.
The team exited the 2020 season with one of the league’s most stable tackle tandems, with Charles Leno and Bobby Massie having started together for five years. The Bears, however, released Leno and did not re-sign Massie during the 2021 offseason. Leno is now with Washington, tied to an extension signed earlier this year, while Chicago searches for long-term replacements. The Bears are not expected to contend this season, but Justin Fields preparing for his first full campaign as the team’s starting quarterback certainly makes tackle performance important through a longer-term lens.
Additionally, late-July pickup Michael Schofield is ticketed to be the team’s top right guard, Cronin adds. Mainstay Cody Whitehair remains the Bears’ other guard starter, while ex-Packer Lucas Patrick is poised to be the Bears’ new center. A former Super Bowl starter at right tackle with the Broncos, Schofield has been a serviceable guard in the years since. The Chargers used him as a guard starter in 49 games over the past five years.
Bears Activate LB Roquan Smith
Roquan Smith‘s stay on the Bears’ active/PUP list is over. The team activated the disgruntled linebacker Wednesday. This opens the door to Smith practicing or following through with his hold-in measure.
The fifth-year defender requested a trade out of Chicago on Tuesday morning, accusing the Bears of not negotiating in good faith. Prior to Smith going on the PUP list, however, he was planning to attend practices but not participate — a tactic that is becoming standard procedure for players in negotiations or those upset about their contracts.
Indeed, Smith is not expected to practice with his teammates, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter). Teams can still fine players for attending practice and not practicing, but they have largely been reluctant to do so during the three-year run of hold-ins.
Bears GM Ryan Poles said the plan remains for the team to extend the standout middle linebacker, despite Smith’s trade request indicating he does not see a reasonable path back to his former role in the middle of Chicago’s defense. Smith’s Pro Bowl-less resume aside, he is one of the league’s top off-ball ‘backers. The two-time second-team All-Pro has not proven to be the best at his position, but that distinction does not stop players from commanding top dollar. It may well be pausing the Bears’ negotiations with their agent-less talent.
The Bears did shed four notable defender contracts this offseason, but they still have veterans Eddie Jackson and Robert Quinn on the payroll. The franchise, after building a top-tier defense around Khalil Mack, has decided to rebuild. Smith is undoubtedly angling to not only become the Bears’ highest-paid player but surpass Shaquille Leonard‘s $19.7MM-per-year contract, which currently tops the off-ball linebacker market.
This activation will prevent Smith from being placed on the reserve/PUP list to start the season, ratcheting up this situation. A 2023 franchise tag does not seem especially realistic, with on- and off-ball linebackers grouped together on the tag. The 25-year-old defender would generate trade interest. The Bears can also up their offer — something Smith said the team has been reluctant to do — to a player who stands to be a long-term cornerstone. Teams with receivers holding in resolved those situations recently. Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and Diontae Johnson are all back at work after signing big-ticket extensions.
Bears GM: Team Intends To Extend Roquan Smith
Roquan Smith made some waves Tuesday morning by sending out a trade request. Hours later, the other key party in this negotiation — Bears GM Ryan Poles — responded by indicating Smith is still in the team’s plans.
The rookie GM said the intention still is to sign Smith, via the Chicago Sun-Times Jason Lieser (on Twitter), though Poles said he has to “do what’s best for the team.” Smith has been extension-eligible since January 2021, but the former top-10 pick is still tied to his fifth-year option salary ($9.7MM).
“My feelings for Roquan haven’t changed at all,” Poles said, via The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter). “I think he’s a very good football player. I love the kid. I love what he’s done on the field, which makes me really disappointed with where we’re at right now. I thought we’d be in a better situation, to be completely honest with you.
“In terms of our philosophy in the front office, I’ve always believed that we take care of our homegrown talent. We pay them and we take care of them.”
Poles is not ruling out a trade, Lieser tweets, but that is not the new Bears boss’ goal here. It would, however, be consistent with an offseason of change in Chicago. In his first months as GM, Poles has largely dismantled Chicago’s once-formidable front seven.
Khalil Mack is now a Charger, being traded for second- and sixth-round picks, and Akiem Hicks is a Buccaneer, having signed with Tampa Bay after Chicago did not make a known effort to retain him in free agency. Poles also cut longtime starters Eddie Goldman, who has since retired, and Danny Trevathan. Robert Quinn may still loom as a trade candidate, though the defensive end said recently he does not wish to be dealt for a third time.
Smith has accused the Bears of not negotiating in good faith, having reportedly received a backloaded offer that would be “bad for the LB market.” Poles offered a counter of sorts, indicating there are “record-setting pieces” within the Bears’ proposal. Shaquille Leonard‘s $19.7MM-per-year contract currently tops the off-ball linebacker market.
“With this situation, we’ve shown respect from a very early timeframe,” Poles said. “With that said, there are record-setting pieces of this contract that I knew for a fact, I thought was going to show him the respect that he deserves. Obviously, that hasn’t been the case. With that said, we can’t lose sight that this isn’t about one player. My job is to build a roster that is going to sustain success for a long period of time.”
The Bears still have Eddie Jackson around from Ryan Pace‘s batch of defensive extensions, but the rest of the group that helped Chicago rise to a top-five defense is gone. Matt Eberflus appears to have a fixer-upper on his hands, with the Bears’ offseason not making it a secret the team is rebuilding.
But the Bears have nearly $19MM in cap space and do not have many known long-term cornerstones or high-end contracts on their roster. Smith, 25, would certainly profile as a building-block player. Although the fifth-year inside linebacker has no Pro Bowls on his resume, he is a two-time second-team All-Pro. The Bears could also extract some value for the Georgia product in a trade, though that would leave the team quite thin at linebacker. A subsequent Quinn trade would require a near-full-scale rebuild along Chicago’s front seven.
Trade requests, of course, do not always precede trades. The 49ers’ Deebo Samuel saga is the latest negotiation to produce an extension following a trade request. The 49ers also had a Samuel franchise tag in their back pocket. Unless the Bears are prepared to carry a $20MM Smith cap charge on their 2023 books come March, with on- and off-ball linebackers grouped together on the tag, they do not have such a luxury. That raises the stakes for this summer’s negotiations a bit.