Bill Polian Receptive To Front Office Offers
Longtime NFL general manager Bill Polian is open to returning to a front office job, and would “strongly consider” a senior advisory role if offered, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The Bears, specifically, could be one option for Polian if Chicago decides to rework its decision-making structure.
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The Bears could restructure its front office after the season, per La Canfora, but it’s unclear whether that would mean parting ways with current general manager Ryan Pace. In any event, Polian sounds more open to a “football czar” role in which he could oversee a franchise’s roster machinations and coaching staff from a 30,000-foot view. While the Rams have also been tossed out as a contender for Polian’s services, the veteran executive is said to prefer a Midwestern team.
Polian was thought to be in talks for a advisory role with the Bills prior to the 2015 season, but ultimately decided to remain an ESPN contributor. Polian continued to offer informal advice to Bills owner Terry Pegula in the following months, but indicated that he wasn’t interested in a formal job with Buffalo. “If anybody asks, sure. If anyone has questions, I’m happy to answer and happy to help in any way I can,” Polian said at the time.
Polian, 74, has worked as the general manager of three teams: the Bills, the Panthers, and most recently, the Colts, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2007. Indianapolis fired him as GM after the 2011 season. A highly-decorated personnel man, Polian is a six-time recipient of the NFL’s Executive of the Year award and a 2015 Hall of Fame inductee.
Could Jimmy Garoppolo Be An Option For The Bears?
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe suggests (via Twitter) another suitor for Garoppolo: the Bears. Volin tweets that Chicago desperately wants a young quarterback, and he also notes that the Patriots signal-caller is from Chicago and went to Eastern Illinois. Volin also suggests the 49ers and Cardinals as potential landing spots.
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Opinion: Bears Should Aim For Victories, Not Draft Pick
- Although they currently own the No. 4 overall pick in 2017 draft (pending the outcome of Monday Night Football), the Bears should focus on posting victories with their core rather than angling for a higher draft choice, argues Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times. Chicago is now 3-9 after beating San Francisco on Sunday, earning the win on the back of running back Jordan Howard‘s three touchdowns. Other recent acquisitions, such as quarterback Matt Barkley, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, and linebacker Leonard Floyd also provided “glimmers of hope,” as Jahns writes.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/2016
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Bralon Addison
- Cut: QB Josh Woodrum
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Zach Sterup
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Cedric Thompson
NFL Spending By Team Over Last Four Seasons
The NFLPA has released the official data on team spending over the last four seasons. The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that each team must utilize 89% of the salary cap over two four-year periods, 2013-16 and 2017-20. As previously reported, the Raiders are the only team that has yet to satisfy that requirement for the closing period. The CBA also requires the league, as a whole, to spend 95% of the cap, in cash, for the same period. That requirement has been easily met.
Here is the full rundown of every team’s spending in declining order:
Philadelphia Eagles – $613,928,134
Denver Broncos – $587,712,791
Seattle Seahawks – $584,305,975
Green Bay Packers – $583,138,740
Miami Dolphins – $577,975,260
Kansas City Chiefs – $575,541,332
Buffalo Bills – $573,647,850
Chicago Bears – $568,301,610
Cincinnati Bengals – $567,289,411
Baltimore Ravens – $562,425,698
San Diego Chargers – $562,232,116
Indianapolis Colts – $556,335,689
Atlanta Falcons – $550,614,572
New York Giants – $543,787,033
Arizona Cardinals – $543,327,538
Los Angeles Rams – $541,957,711
New Orleans Saints – $539,836,498
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $539,736,102
Minnesota Vikings – $539,162,454
New York Jets – $533,151,519
Washington Redskins – $532,545,662
Pittsburgh Steelers – $530,698,171
Detroit Lions – $530,210,549
Tennessee Titans – $524,505,256
Dallas Cowboys – $523,033,036
Houston Texans – $517,212,166
Jacksonville Jaguars – $516,908,734
Cleveland Browns – $516,158,864
San Francisco 49ers – $514,488,198
New England Patriots – $500,083,836
Carolina Panthers – $495,149,346
Oakland Raiders – $491,433,408
Bears Claim CB Johnthan Banks
The Bears have claimed cornerback Johnthan Banks off waivers from the Lions, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. He’ll take the roster spot of Jay Cutler, who has been officially placed on injured reserve. Cutler learned late last week that he has been ruled out for the year. The Bears also waived linebacker Lamin Barrow from injured reserve.
Banks was cut by the Lions over the weekend, a move that was overshadowed because Justin Forsett was cut at the same time. Banks, a former second round pick, was traded from the Buccaneers to the Lions in early November. The change of scenery didn’t change much for the 27-year-old, but the Bears are curious enough to take a look at him. With a 3-9 record, Chicago has nothing to lose.
In other Bears news, the team also brought in three wide receivers for tryouts: Jared Abbrederis, Bralon Addison, and Brelan Chancellor (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). All three players have experience as returners.
A Failed Evaluation Year For Bears
- The Bears entered this season needing to fully evaluate quarterback Jay Cutler, wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White, center Hroniss Grasu and cornerback Kyle Fuller, but they’re not going to emerge with clear answers on any of the quintet, opines John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Three of those players – Cutler, White and Grasu – have seen the field either barely or not at all this year and won’t suit up again in 2016; Fuller has been out all season with a knee issue, though it appears the Bears will activate him from injured reserve soon; and the best player of the group, Jeffery, is a free agent-to-be who’s currently serving a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Cutler, White, Grasu and Fuller are under team control through next season. However, it’s doubtful Cutler will return, as Mullin notes, and Fuller’s inability to play has been inopportune for a team that will have to decide on his fifth-year option for 2018 in the offseason. A breakout campaign from White could have made it easier for the Bears to wave goodbye to Jeffery, on whom they placed the franchise tag last offseason, but a fractured fibula limited White to just four appearances this year. The 2015 first-rounder didn’t see the field at all as a rookie because of a stress fracture in his leg.
Could Bears Land Tony Romo?
Where will Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo wind up this offseason? The Broncos, Jets, and Bears would be the most obvious fits for the Cowboys quarterback, NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal opines. Beyond those teams, the Cardinals could be a possibility if Carson Palmer retires. Meanwhile, the Bills and Texans represent “longshot” landing spots for the veteran. Buffalo already has a QB in Tyrod Taylor, but his contract gives them an out if they see Romo as the better option to win right now. In Houston, Brock Osweiler could use another QB to push him, but they’d probably look to a younger player.
Bears’ Jay Cutler Done For Season
The Bears hoped for better news. Jay Cutler hoped for better news. Ultimately, however, the quarterback has learned that he will have to undergo shoulder surgery, the team announced. Cutler will be placed on IR and shut down for the remainder of the season. 
Today’s news might mean that Cutler has thrown his final pass as a member of the Bears. For months, we have been hearing that the Bears intend to move on from the veteran. Recently, however, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Bears could circle back to Cutler if only because of the lack of options elsewhere. UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky has gotten positive reviews from scouts, but overall this year’s draft class is lacking in options. In free agency, top available QB Kirk Cousins will cost a king’s ransom – that is, if he is even available. One has to imagine that the Redskins will retain him, either via a second franchise tag or a long-term deal.
Cutler’s season ends with a 59.1% completion percentage and a weak 4-to-5 touchdown/interception ratio.
The Bears are expected to continue with USC product Matt Barkley as the starting quarterback. David Fales, a 2014 sixth-round pick of the Bears who wandered around a bit this year, was recently welcomed back to serve as the No. 2 QB.
Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald A Candidate For Bears Job?
- Only 12 of the 117 head coaches hired by NFL teams since 2000 came directly from the college ranks, but it’s possible that trend could change. Putting aside obvious names like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Jimbo Fisher, and Jim Harbaugh, Breer ran down five names who have arguably helped their teams overachieve: Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst, Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, new Texas hire Tom Herman (formerly of Houston, a smaller program), Washington’s Chris Petersen, and Stanford’s David Shaw. In the case of the Chicago-based Fitzgerald, the “perception” is that he would be enticed by the Bears job, Breer writes.