Panthers Release Cam Newton
The Panthers’ efforts to trade Cam Newton evidently did not take off. They are expected to release the former MVP as soon as Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Carolina made the move official Tuesday afternoon.
While the Panthers attempted to deal Newton to the Bears and Chargers, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, they could not find a taker. Newton had one season remaining on a deal he signed back in 2015. He was set to earn $18.6MM in 2020 base salary; Carolina will take on just $2MM in dead money for releasing Newton but clear $19.1MM in cap space. The Bears subsequently traded for Nick Foles instead, and the Chargers appear focused on the draft. After pursuing Tom Brady, the Bolts no longer intend to add a veteran quarterback.
A Newton release was the expected outcome, given the unique complications this offseason presents for the Panthers to trade their three-time Pro Bowl passer. This will end a nine-year run for Newton in Charlotte. The move also comes less than a month after Matt Rhule indicated he wanted to keep Newton for the 2020 season. Carolina moved swiftly in another direction after that pronouncement.
The No. 1 overall pick in 2011, Newton fairly quickly solidified himself as the best quarterback in Panthers history. He helped the Panthers to four playoff berths in a five-season span and piloted them to Super Bowl 50 in 2015. However, injuries intervened in the late 2010s and will lead the former superstar to the open market for the first time.
Newton, 30, is recovering from the Lisfanc surgery he underwent in December. The NFL’s all-time QB rushing-touchdown king has not been fully healthy since early in the 2018 season, when he suffered a shoulder injury. Newton is not expected to be game-ready for months.
Considering the changes the COVID-19 pandemic has made to this NFL offseason, Newton could be in limbo. Teams are not permitted to host free agents on visits, and while third-party doctors can still examine players, any franchise signing off on a Newton contract would probably want to put its medical staff to work on the injury-prone passer.
Because of this strange scenario, the Panthers were able to pry a fifth-rounder from the Redskins for Kyle Allen on Monday and will be forced to release Newton. Carolina’s quarterback depth chart now sits at Teddy Bridgewater–P.J. Walker–Will Grier. The Panthers officially signed Walker on Tuesday morning. Bridgewater signed his three-year, $63MM deal Monday night, and David Newton of ESPN.com notes the Panthers will not carry both Bridgewater and Newton’s salaries. The Newton-to-Bridgewater transition will begin Tuesday.
Newton had regressed considerably since the Panthers’ Super Bowl 50 loss, ranking 30th in QBR since 2016, but the nine-year veteran showed promise in Norv Turner‘s offense early in 2018 certainly would have brought back a trade package of some sort in a normal NFL offseason. The former Heisman winner now must continue his rehab on his own and do so in one of the most uncertain times to go about a rehab effort. The NFL may well end up canceling all offseason activities due to conoravirus-related uncertainty, so it might be difficult for Newton to land a noteworthy contract for the 2020 season.
Carolina will have parted ways with Newton, Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly, Trai Turner and Mario Addison this offseason. Rhule’s team will certainly look different when the Panthers are permitted to reconvene under their new coach.
Bears To Re-Sign DL Brent Urban
The Bears have agreed to re-sign free agent defensive end Brent Urban to a one-year deal, according to what Pro Football Rumors considers to be a very reliable source….Urban’s wife Kate (Twitter link).
Urban, 28, spent the first five seasons and 41 games of his career with the Ravens after being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. A 16-game starter in 2018, Urban inked a deal with the Titans last spring, but was cut midway through the season. He quickly latched on with the Bears, where he appeared in nine games and played 183 defensive snaps.
Urban has spent the entirety of his career in a 3-4 scheme, so he’s surely ready for another go-round in Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano‘s front. He’ll compete with Roy Robertson-Harris ans Bilal Nichols for playing time alongside Chicago defensive line stalwart Akiem Hicks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/20
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Anthony Levine
Chicago Bears
- Signed: S DeAndre Houston-Carson, S Jordan Lucas
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Noah Spence, LS Zach Wood
New York Jets
- Signed: LB James Burgess, DB Deatrick Nichols
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Nick Dzubnar
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DT Caleb Brantley
Bears To Sign LB Barkevious Mingo
Barkevious Mingo is set to suit up for a sixth NFL team. The Bears are adding the well-traveled former first-round pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
The Bears and the veteran edge defender agreed on a one-year, $1.2MM deal, Rapoport tweets. Mingo will receive $900K guaranteed. This will be the former No. 6 overall pick’s fifth team in five seasons.
After acquiring him in the Jadeveon Clowney trade last season, the Texans deployed Mingo on just 7% of their defensive snaps. He saw action on 74% of Houston’s special teams snaps, however. While Mingo’s defensive usage has fluctuated since the Browns traded him to the Patriots in 2016, he has been a key special-teamer for most of his career.
The LSU product did not pan out as a pass rusher, topping out at two sacks in a season since a five-sack rookie slate with the 2013 Browns. But he’s consistently found work. Mingo has been twice traded; this marks his third free agency agreement.
He signed with the Colts in 2017 and the Seahawks in 2018. The Bears are adding him at a cheaper rate than the Seahawks did, however. That 2018 Seattle pact was a two-year, $6.8MM deal. Mingo will reunite with Bears DC Chuck Pagano and provides some depth behind Khalil Mack and the recently acquired Robert Quinn.
Bears, CB Artie Burns Agree To Terms
Artie Burns will have another chance to be part of a North-division team’s cornerback rotation. The Bears and Burns agreed to a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms (on Twitter).
The 2016 first-round pick played just 67 snaps in his final Steelers season, after falling to justify the franchise’s investment. Pittsburgh did not pick up Burns’ fifth-year option in 2019, sending him to free agency this year.
An ex-Miami Hurricane, Burns will join a Bears team that moved on from Prince Amukamara last month. Burns started 32 games as a Steeler, including 16 in 2017. Despite producing a respectable Pro Football Focus grade that season, Burns lost his job during the 2018 season and saw the team make multiple additions at the position last year. As a result, this will likely be a low-cost prove-it deal.
In addition to All-Pro Kyle Fuller and slot defender Buster Skrine, third-year UDFA Kevin Toliver and 2019 sixth- and seventh-round picks Duke Shelley and Stephen Denmark reside among Chicago’s corner cadre. The Burns move may not be the Bears’ last at this position this offseason they attempt to replace Amukamara.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/20
Today’s running list of minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: P Ryan Allen (this is only a procedural move and Allen is expected to be re-signed shortly, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets.)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Pharoh Cooper
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: S Deon Bush
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: CB C.J. Goodwin
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: S Miles Killebrew
- Signed: CB Tony McRae
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: OT Roderick Johnson
- Signed: DB Jaylen Watkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: OL Le’Raven Clark
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: LB Lerentee McCray
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: CB Justin Hardee
- Signed: FB Michael Burton
New York Jets
- Re-signed: CB Arthur Maulet
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: S Jordan Dangerfield
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: S Deon Bush
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: OT Roderick Johnson
New York Jets
- Re-signed: CB Arthur Maulet
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: S Jordan Dangerfield
Contract Details: Quinn, Whitworth, Harris, Lewis
Deals are coming in quickly, so we’ve compiled some important contract details below:
Cameron Fleming (Giants), One year, $4MM, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
Dennis Kelly (Titans), Three years, $17.25MM, $8.75MM guaranteed, $4.75MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $1.5MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $4.5MM ($2.5MM guaranteed for injury at signing, fully guaranteed if on roster 5th day of 2021 league year); 2022: $5MM; $400k annual per-game roster bonus, $750K incentives available in 2021-22; $1MM escalator in base salary for 2021-22, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Alex Lewis (Jets), Three years, $18.6MM, $5.6MM guaranteed, $2.5MM signing bonus, salaries 2020: $1.1MM (guaranteed), 2021: $5.8M, 2022: $6M; $2MM 2020 roster bonus guaranteed on 5th day of league year, $400k in annual per-game roster bonuses, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Marcedes Lewis (Packers) One year, $2.25MM; $1.05MM signing bonus, salary 2020: $1.1MM, $9,375 per game active roster bonus, $750K playtime and playoffs incentives available, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Robert Quinn, (Bears): Five years, $70MM, $30MM guaranteed, $3MM signing bonus; salaries 2020: $3MM (fully guaranteed), 2021: $11.5MM (fully guaranteed), 2022: $12.8MM, 2023: $13.9MM, 2024: $12.9MM; $12.5MM fully guaranteed roster bonus in 2020, $100k annual workout bonuses from 2021-2024, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Bears OL Cody Whitehair Restructures Contract
In an effort to clear up more cap space, the Bears have restructured lineman Cody Whitehair‘s contract, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
The former second-round has spent his entire career with Chicago, earning All-Rookie Team recognition in 2016 and a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. Whitehair hasn’t missed a regular season game since entering the league, and he’s started each of his 64 appearances.
While the Bears may have slightly reworked Nick Foles contract, the team will still be looking to carve out extra space after acquiring the pricey quarterback. As Yates notes, the front office has traditionally converted base salaries into signing bonuses in an attempt to open up cap space.
Bears QB Nick Foles Restructures Contract
Fresh off a trade to the Bears, quarterback Nick Foles has restructured his contract, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
The deal still has three years remaining and $21MM guaranteed. However, Foles now has the option to void the contract (depending on his performance) after either of his first two seasons in Chicago. Foles can presumably still earn upwards of $50MM over the next three years.
Earlier today, the Bears sent a compensatory fourth-round to the Jaguars for the former Super Bowl MVP. This offseason, the Bears had been looking for a challenger to former first-round pick Mitchell Trubisky, and Foles will give the 26-year-old a run for his money.
Jacksonville was 0-4 in Foles’ four starts last season, with the 31-year-old completing 65.8-percent of his passes for 736 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Jaguars Trade Nick Foles To Bears
The Jaguars have agreed to trade Nick Foles to the Bears, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). In exchange, the Bears will send a compensatory fourth-round pick to the Jags. The former Super Bowl MVP will restructure his hefty contract as part of the trade, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets.
It’ll be new surroundings for Foles, but he’ll have plenty of familiar faces to help him adjust. Head coach Matt Nagy is among the staffers that have worked with him in the past, which will help with the learning curve.
The Bears have been exploring alternatives to former first-round pick Mitchell Trubisky this offseason, though they’re not necessarily out to replace him. Instead, Foles figures to serve as competition for the soon-to-be 26-year-old.
Trubisky showed plenty of promise in 2018 as he led the Bears to an 11-3 mark in 14 starts, a campaign that resulted in his first ever Pro Bowl nod. However, things got really rocky last year – Trubisky had just 17 touchdowns against ten interceptions and the Bears’ D couldn’t make up for the shortcomings. The Bears went 8-7 in Trubisky’s 15 starts and finished .500 on the season, leaving them short of the playoffs.
Chicago initially insisted after the year that they’d roll with Trubisky in 2020, but reports soon emerged that they were going to look for a veteran to push Trubisky. They’ve been connected to a number of signal-callers including Foles, Andy Dalton, and Teddy Bridgewater, and we heard Monday that they were focused on trading for either Foles or Dalton.
The Bears will take on the last three years of Foles’ contract, which pays a base value of $50M before the restructure. The Jaguars will be left with a substantial dead money hit of $18.75MM in 2020 and a mid-round pick. Jacksonville seems prepared to turn things over to Gardner Minshew, the sixth-rounder who went 6-6 last year as a rookie and finished the season with a top-10 interception rate.
Foles has had plenty of success at Soldier Field, as his last win as a starting quarterback was in Chicago in the wild card round of the playoffs two seasons ago in the infamous ‘double-doink’ game. While the Bears have insisted they aren’t giving up on Trubisky, it would be highly unusual to pay a backup quarterback as much money as Foles is getting, and it would be surprising if he doesn’t take over at some point.
Chicago now has even less draft capital, as they’ve already shipped out a bunch of picks in previous deals. They now have the 43rd and 50th overall selections in next month’s draft, but no other picks in the first four-rounds, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes in a tweet breaking down all of their picks.