Nick Foles Named Bears Starter
Not that it’s too surprising, but now it’s official. Nick Foles will be the Bears’ starting quarterback for their Week 4 matchup with the Colts, head coach Matt Nagy announced Monday. Nagy went on to say this wasn’t just a temporary move, and that Foles would be the starter “moving forward.”
Foles came on in relief of Mitchell Trubisky Sunday, and led an improbable comeback over the Falcons to improve Chicago to 3-0. Foles was traded from Jacksonville this offseason, and lost the abridged training camp battle to Trubisky. Everyone figured Trubisky would be on a short leash, but after the Bears started 2-0 he had appeared to have bought himself some time.
Despite Trubisky’s heroics in a Week 1 comeback of his own, internally he clearly never had too much support. Buzz about a fourth-year leap was premature, and the UNC product will now hit the bench. In his first start with his new team Foles will be going up against Frank Reich, who helped guide him to a Super Bowl victory as his offensive coordinator with the Eagles.
Given that Foles has a somewhat lengthy injury history and is always capable of being ineffective himself, it’s quite possible we see Trubisky back under center before too long. It’s also quite possible that Trubisky, who had his fifth-year option declined back in May and will be a free agent at the end of the year, has thrown his last pass in a Bears uniform.
Bears Bench Mitchell Trubisky For Nick Foles
The move many predicted would inevitably happen came in Week 3, as the Bears benched Mitchell Trubisky in favor of Nick Foles. Even though the thought coming into the season was that Trubisky would be on a short leash, it was still a bit of a surprise considering Chicago had started 2-0.
Foles promptly led the team on a huge comeback, as the Bears beat the Falcons 30-26 after trailing 26-10 late in the fourth quarter. He finished his 2020 debut 16/29 for 188 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Trubisky was 13/21 for 128 yards and a touchdown and no turnovers, so it’s not like there was any one specific moment that led to his benching.
After Trubisky led his own furious rally in Week 1 against the Lions there was a lot of talk that he had made a fourth-year leap, but obviously head coach Matt Nagy didn’t feel that way internally. Nagy insisted after the game that he just wanted to enjoy the win and didn’t know who his quarterback would be in Week 4, but it would be pretty shocking to see them go back to Trubisky now after making the switch.
It’s not too often you see a 3-0 team with quarterback drama, and it’ll be very interesting to see what happens moving forward. Chicago of course traded for Foles from Jacksonville this offseason, but Trubs won the training camp battle. The Bears declined his fifth-year option back in May, so Trubisky will be a free agent at the end of the year.
If Foles takes the job and runs with it, it’s possible we’ve seen the former second overall pick throw his last pass with Chicago. That being said, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Foles is banged up or ineffective and Trubisky is back out there within a couple of weeks. Buckle up.
Bears Fear Tarik Cohen Has Torn ACL
Hopefully this week (or any week) aren’t as bad as last week was for injuries around the NFL, but unfortunately we already have our first report of a season-ender to pass along today. The Bears fear running back Tarik Cohen has a torn ACL, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Needless to say, Cohen will be done for the season. It unfortunately dampens the mood a bit around a team that’s otherwise feeling great on the heels of their latest comeback victory. Chicago is now 3-0 on the year, although there’s now officially a quarterback controversy with Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky.
Cohen’s role didn’t look like it was going to be huge this year, but he did have a handful of touches in each of the first two games. He was a big factor in the passing game before going down on Sunday, drawing six targets. Cohen just signed a three-year extension worth $17.25MM in new money exactly a week ago, so obviously his timing couldn’t have been any better.
It’s still a tough blow for the North Carolina AT&T product, but he should be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2021 season since it happened early enough. Cohen’s best season was in 2018, when he rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns and added another 725 and five through the air.
He was also a first-team All-Pro as a return specialist that year. His production dipped last season as his yards per reception went from 10.2 to 5.8, but his absence will still leave a big hole for whoever is under center moving forward.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/20
Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on practice squad-IR: TE Justin Johnson
Chicago Bears
- Signed (off Steelers’ practice squad): DT Daniel McCullers
- Placed on IR: DL John Jenkins
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: S P.J. Locke
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL KC McDermott
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Natrez Patrick
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Tae Hayes
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: LB Troy Dye
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Greg Mabin
Seahawks To Meet With Snacks Harrison
Damon Harrison won’t retire after all. The former All-Pro defensive tackle is slated to meet with the Seahawks next week, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The 31-year-old has also drawn interest from the Bears, Packers, and Bengals. 
[RELATED: Seahawks’ Bruce Irvin Done For Year]
Harrison made his name as a fierce run-stuffer with the Jets before signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Giants in 2016. Then, he was shipped to Detroit midway through the 2018 campaign, where he became the first defensive lineman to appear in 17 games during an NFL regular season. But, even as he was putting in overtime, Harrison was unhappy. Last year, he openly contemplated retirement.
“I came into [2019 training] camp in shape, but during the first three weeks of camp I think I kind of worked myself out of shape because I wasn’t doing anything,” Harrison said in April. “That was a time where, to be honest with you, we were trying to facilitate a trade. I was hell-bent on getting out of there.”
The Lions released Harrison from his one-year, $11MM deal in February, and we haven’t heard his name mentioned since. Now, he’s ready to play. With four clubs interested in his services, it sounds like Snacks is on the verge of making his return. The Seahawks – who lost Bruce Irvin for the year and have most of their starting defensive linemen on the injury report – could certainty use the help.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/20
We’ll keep track of today’s taxi squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Rick Leonard
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: DB Tyler Hall, QB Kyle Lauletta, DT David Moa
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Sean Culkin
- Placed on practice squad IR: Xavier Grimble
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Marqui Christian
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: G Alex Redmond
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Jalen Jelks, K Matthew McCrane
- Released: DT Tanzel Smart
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Deyon Sizer
Detroit Lions
- Released: RB Jonathan Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Released: LB Greg Roberts
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Hale Hentges, TE Ethan Wolf
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DB Josh Nurse
- Released: RB Craig Reynolds
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: S Jahleel Addae
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DB Nate Meadors
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Jermaine Grace
- Released: OL Tyler Haycraft
New York Jets
- Released: LB Paul Worrilow
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Alex Barrett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Daniel Helm
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/21/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Justin Johnson, OL Rick Leonard
- Placed on PS IR: RB D.J. Foster
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Aaron Monteiro
- Released: K Kai Forbath
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Marqui Christian
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Dwayne Harris, RB C.J. Prosise, WR Devin Smith
- Released: WR Tyler Simmons
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Abdullah Anderson
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Nick Thurman
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Breon Borders, DB Greg Mabin, WR Chester Rogers
- Released: DL Kobe Smith, DB Maurice Smith, DB Picasso Nelson
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: TE Maxx Williams
Chicago Bears
- Released: S Marqui Christian
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: DE Dre’Mont Jones
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: LB/DB Javin White
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Bennie Fowler, DT Margus Hunt
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: CB Mazzi Wilkins
NFC North Rumors: Robinson, Packers, Golladay
The Bears and WR Allen Robinson have resumed extension talks after a tumultuous week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Chicago rebuffed trade inquiries on its star receiver while increasing the contract offer it had on the table. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says negotiations are not likely to last deep into the season.
Per La Canfora, Robinson and the Bears still don’t see eye-to-eye on Robinson’s value, and Robinson may be content to head into the 2021 offseason as arguably the best WR available in free agency. But La Canfora says Robinson will not hit the open market. If the two sides don’t come to terms on a new deal, look for the Bears to slap the 27-year-old with the franchise tag. Obviously, both parties would prefer to avoid that outcome, but it sounds like there is still a wide gap that needs to be bridged in short order.
Now for more from the NFC North:
- Before the season started, we heard that the Packers and RB Aaron Jones were working on a new deal. Although games are now underway, it sounds as if an extension could still get done. Jones, who is currently earning $2.133MM in the final year of his rookie contract, has seen plenty of other backs get new deals over the past several weeks and hopes he will get his big payday soon. “I’m definitely open to getting something done whenever,” Jones said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “But like I said, that’s not my main focus. Just gonna continue to focus on football and helping this team bring in the wins, as many as possible.”
- Another key member of the Packers who is set for free agency in 2021 is LT David Bakhtiari. As was the case with Jones, Green Bay was hoping to finalize an extension for Bakhtiari before the season, but it sounds as if the two sides are far apart in negotiations. Demovsky says the All-Pro lineman is looking to match or exceed Laremy Tunsil‘s $22MM AAV, while the Packers’ best offer to date is about $4MM per year less than Bakhtiari’s asking price.
- Lions WR Kenny Golladay will make his 2020 debut soon. Although the star receiver will miss Detroit’s Week 2 matchup with the Packers this afternoon, head coach Matt Patricia said Golladay is “really close” to a return (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network). A few weeks ago, the Lions and Golladay were said to be nearing an agreement on what will surely be a massive extension, though there were conflicting reports on that front.
- ICYMI, the Bears and RB Tarik Cohen have come to terms on a three-year extension.
Bears, RB Tarik Cohen Agree To Extension
The Bears and running back Tarik Cohen have hammered out an extension, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com was first to report (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). We heard yesterday that the two sides were working on a new contract and hoped to have one completed before today’s game, and they managed to do just that.
According to Schefter, it will be a three-year extension worth $17.25MM in new money, for an average annual value of $5.75MM. Cohen can bump that number up to $18.25MM with incentives, and $9.5MM is fully guaranteed at signing.
The 2017 fourth-round selection was in the final year of his rookie contract, so his new deal will keep him tethered to the club through the 2023 season. And while Cohen does get a nice influx of cash, the contract looks pretty reasonable for a player of his capabilities. He has never topped 100 carries in a season, but he does boast a solid 4.2 YPC average in his career, and he has averaged nearly 70 receptions per season over his first three professional campaigns.
Cohen has also served as Chicago’s primary punt returner during that time, and he earned a 2018 Pro Bowl nod for his special teams acumen. The Bears need all the play-makers they can get, and they will be happy to keep the diminutive speedster in the fold for the next few seasons.
The club may now focus its full attention on a new contract for wide receiver Allen Robinson.