Extra Points: Jets, Bears, Cardinals, Pats
The Jets are in London this week, but head coach Todd Bowles was quick to remind his team that it’s all business while they’re overseas.
“They’ve got enough money, they can make it in the offseason,” said Bowles, who is prepping for the Dolphins. “They will be OK, they’ll be all right. They get a little bit of free time, they can do their tour. We’re on a business trip. They want to go back in the offseason, hey, have at it.”
Here’s more from around the NFL as Gang Green looks to advance to 3-1..
- The Bears are faced with having to rebuild their roster after a series of misevaluations, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. Their trades of Jared Allen and Jonathan Bostic earlier this week netted the Bears a pair of sixth-round picks, but that barely scratches the surface of what they need to do in order to become a contender, he opines. Our Community Tailgate post from earlier today asked PFR readers if they think the Bears will continue trading.
- Cardinals corner Justin Bethel was one of the reasons the team let Antonio Cromartie walk in free agency after last season, but it still took him three games to see the field this season. That’s because the Cardinals have tremendous depth at cornerback and other defensive positions, as Zach Buchanan of The Arizona Republic writes.
- The Patriots worked out linebacker Jayson DiManche and Josh Allen, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- James Walker of ESPN.com wonders if Jonas Gray, who has been moved around on the Dolphins‘ roster a few times this season, could see an increased role in Miami’s offense.
North Notes: Perriman, Browns, Bears
Rookie wide receiver Breshad Perriman has yet to make his regular season debut for the Ravens, and it sounds like that probably won’t be happening anytime soon. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Perriman re-injured his PCL over the weekend, and underwent arthroscopic surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews. Perriman will now be sidelined indefinitely, says Rapoport.
While there were a handful of exciting young receivers selected in the first round of this year’s draft, many of them have yet to make an impact on the field — Perriman and Kevin White are battling significant injuries, and DeVante Parker, Phillip Dorsett, and Nelson Agholor have combined for just 13 overall receptions through three weeks. Among this year’s first-round wideouts, only Amari Cooper, who has 20 catches for 290 yards, is off to a fast start.
Here’s more from out of the league’s two North divisions:
- The Browns are bringing aboard former Falcons and Texans offensive line coach Paul Dunn, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Dunn is expected to replace Andy Moeller as the club’s main offensive line coach. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), head coach Mike Pettine stressed that George DeLeone is acting as the Browns’ OL coach for now, so we’ll have to see how the roles play out.
- Having signed a two-year extension with the Browns, quarterback Austin Davis views the new contract as a sign of the team’s trust in him, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal details. Ulrich also notes that the base salaries on Davis’ deal are $1.35MM for 2016 and $1.7MM for 2017.
- As first reported by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link), the Bears brought in punters for a tryout today, with Pat O’Donnell having missed Wednesday’s practice. Punters Spencer Lanning and Steve Weatherford, along with long snapper Patrick Scales, participated in the workout, tweets Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com.
- After the Bears jettisoned multiple defensive players this week, a number of veterans on the team may be wondering if they’re next, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. One player who spoke to Finley, tight end Martellus Bennett, acknowledged that the possibility of being traded or cut is always present, and it’s just part of the business. Earlier today, I asked whether we’ll continue to see Chicago make more moves in advance of the trade deadline.
Community Tailgate: Will Bears Keep Dealing?
With the NFL season underway, we have a whole new series of topics to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those topics. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
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In-season NFL trades aren’t particularly common, particularly deals involving established veteran contributors. However, the Bears made two deals that week that featured noteworthy players. Chicago sent five-time Pro Bowler Jared Allen to the Panthers, then turned around and dealt linebacker Jonathan Bostic, who has 17 career starts and is still just 24 years old, to New England.
While the Bears aren’t giving up on this season yet, and aren’t necessarily holding a fire sale, this week’s trades were a sign that the club is accelerating its rebuilding process, looking ahead to the 2016 season and jettisoning players who aren’t ideal fits for the new coaching staff.
Of course, there are bigger-name players on the roster who may not have a future with Chicago beyond this year. The most interesting case is that of running back Matt Forte, who will see his contract expire at season’s end — Forte and the Bears don’t appear to have engaged in meaningful extension discussions, and while the team reportedly isn’t shopping him, he looks like a logical potential trade candidate.
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is another player in a contract year, but he’s just 25 years old and is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. While Jeffery’s trade value might be higher than Forte’s, the Bears are more likely to want to lock him up by extending his deal beyond this year.
Forte and Jeffery aren’t the only Bears who are eligible for free agency in 2016. Shea McClellin, Jeremiah Ratliff, and Alan Ball are among the players on the other side of the ball that could hit the open market, and there are plenty of others with uncertain futures in Chicago, including Jay Cutler, whose contract becomes slightly easier to move on from as each year passes.
What do you think? Are the Bears done making moves for now, or should they keep dealing and get what they can for some of the veteran players on their roster? Will Forte or Jeffery remain with Chicago beyond this year’s trade deadline? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Extra Points: Rams, Jenkins, Hill, Eagles
The Rams are well below .500 under the regime of GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher and Bernie Miklasz of 101Sports.com isn’t giving them a pass. In the last four years, the Cardinals have turned themselves from a cellar dweller into a playoff team and St. Louis, Miklasz argues, should have been able to accomplish something similar. He notes that the Rams have invested 21 draft choices in the offense during the last four drafts – not to mention prominent free-agent signings and the Nick Foles deal – and yet the unit is sputtering in 2015. The Rams are 1-2 heading into this weekend and with upcoming road games against the Cardinals and the Packers, they could quickly fall to 1-4.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- It’s early but Bears defensive end Jarvis Jenkins just might proved to be the “steal” he predicted he would be in free agency, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Jenkins thought he would join the Cardinals in free agency until they inked Cory Redding and Corey Peters. Then, he thought the Jaguars would be his landing spot before they spent big on Jared Odrick. He wound up signing a partially-guaranteed minimum salary deal with Chicago and, so far, he’s more than earning his paycheck.
- Seahawks defensive tackle Jordan Hill has been excellent so far in 2015 and Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter) wonders if he’ll be the next guy that the Seahawks are going to have to find a way to pay. Hill, 24, has 11 tackles and one fumble recovery to his credit through three games. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) currently have him ranked as the 20th best defensive tackle in the NFL.
- Eagles defensive end/outside linebacker Vinny Curry has left CAA Sports and is currently without an agent, Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets.
NFC Notes: Alonso, Niners, Clausen
Four NFC teams remain undefeated, and two of those are NFC South squads, which is surprising, considering no team in that division posted a .500 record in 2014. As the Falcons, Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals prepare to put their 3-0 records on the line this weekend, let’s check in on the latest out of the conference….
- Discussing Kiko Alonso with reporters today, Chip Kelly mentioned that the linebacker isn’t an injured reserve candidate at this point, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (via Twitter). While Shorr-Parks wasn’t the only reporter to interpret Kelly’s comments that way, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer isn’t so sure that’s what the Eagles head coach meant, as he explains (via Twitter).
- According to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, Alonso will have his troublesome left knee scoped to determine the extent of the damage. If it’s minimal, the Eagles linebacker should be able to return to the field following some rehab. If the ACL graft is significantly damaged, Alonso may require season-ending surgery.
- The 49ers aren’t getting much out of their 2015 free agent class, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, pointing out that defenders Darnell Dockett and Philip Wheeler were released weeks ago, Jerome Simpson is serving a suspension, Reggie Bush has been injured, and Shareece Wright has been inactive for three games (and wants to be traded or cut).
- With Jay Cutler expected to miss another game this weekend, Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen should get four quarters to prove why he still deserves a roster spot, opines David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. If Clausen can’t perform capably in a home game against Oakland this week, the Bears should look to upgrade the position, in Haugh’s view.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies 20 players with big money on the line this year, including Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, Bears running back Matt Forte, and Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, among others.
Bears Not Shopping Forte, Jeffery
The Bears are cleaning house, but they’re not looking to break apart the foundation. At this point in time, the Bears are not willing to move Matt Forte or Alshon Jeffery, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
On Monday, the Bears moved linebacker Jonathan Bostic and defensive end Jared Allen for a pair of sixth-round picks in an effort to create financial flexibility going forward. The deals also sent away two players that were leftovers from the previous regime that didn’t necessarily fit in with the club’s current schemes. One can’t help but wonder if GM Ryan Pace will eventually look to move on from offensive stars like Forte, Jeffery, Jay Cutler, and Martellus Bennett and replace them with guys he prefers.
Forte, 30 in December, pushed for an extension this offseason and skipped voluntary workouts to strengthen his position, but he was ultimately rebuffed. The veteran, who has a $9.2MM cap number this year, is set to hit the open market after the season. The two-time Pro Bowler has been a staple in the Bears’ backfield ever since he was drafted in 2008, but it’s possible that his time in Chicago is drawing to a close.
Workout Notes: Jets, Brown, Chargers, Lions
The Jets auditioned running back Bryce Brown on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Brown has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was unable to stick with the Bills in 2015. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a grand total of 126 yards off of 36 carries.
Here’s a rundown of other notable workouts from around the NFL..
- As we noted earlier today, the Patriots worked out former Broncos running back Montee Ball and the Steelers took a look at Terrelle Pryor.
- Former Jets defensive lineman Jordan Williams worked out for the Lions today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Former Browns outside linebacker Mike Reilly worked out for the Chargers on Tuesday, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
- With defensive tackle Will Sutton’s expected to miss a short period of time following a left biceps injury, the Bears brought in four linemen for a tryout on Tuesday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. According to an NFL source, veterans DeAngelo Tyson, Cliff Matthews, D’Anthony Smith, and Greg Scruggs were worked out. The Bears also put running back George Atkinson III, a former Notre Dame player, through a workout.
- The Jets worked out former Giants fullback Henry Hynoski today, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
- In addition to Ball, the Patriots auditioned tight end Brandon Bostick, quarterback Zac Dysert, tight end Brian Leonhardt, former Panthers running back Darrin Reaves, and tight end Konrad Reuland, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
- Defensive end/outside linebacker Lawrence Sidbury auditioned for the Lions on Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Rams have auditioned a ton of wide receivers lately, as Wilson tweets. Issac Blakeney, Kain Colter, DaVaris Daniels, Jordan Leslie, Tyler Rutenbeck, and Corey Washington were among the wide receivers to audition for St. Louis. Nick Toon, who was also a part of those tryouts, inked a practice squad deal with St. Louis this week.
- The Panthers auditioned three punters on Tuesday, including ex-Bears punter Adam Podlesh, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Spencer Lanning and Kasey Redfern also auditioned, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets.
- The Chargers auditioned center J.D. Walton and guard Joe Looney, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
Bears Waive Brock Vereen
The Bears announced that they have waived 2014 fourth-round pick Brock Vereen, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. In related moves, the team has also inked safety Chris Prosinski and linebacker LaRoy Reynolds. The moves leave the Bears with one open roster spot, which may be used for the returning Jeremiah Ratliff.
Vereen was one of the players who failed to make a tackle on the kickoff return for a touchdown at Seattle this Sunday. He was also on coverage for Jimmy Graham‘s 30-yard touchdown reception. While Vereen was not solely responsible for either score, those plays didn’t help his case in Chicago.
The Jaguars made Reynolds a free agent recently when they waived him to make room for wide receiver Tony Washington on the 53-man roster. Prosinski, a former Eagles safety, auditioned for Miami earlier this month but that did not result in a deal.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Brooks, Parkey
Although defensive end Charles Johnson is expected to miss multiple games due to a hamstring injury, the Panthers aren’t considering placing him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina acquired Jared Allen this week to help boost the pass rush in Johnson’s absence, and according to agent Ken Harris, the Panthers were one of five teams that he and his client identified as potential landing spots (link via David Newton of ESPN.com). Carolina was “by far” their No. 1 choice, per Harris.
Let’s round up several more items from across the NFC….
- 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks wasn’t present in court today, but his lawyer put in a plea of “not guilty” for his client on a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, reports Damian Trujillo of NBC Bay Area (Twitter link). Brooks seems likely to face discipline from the NFL sometime after the legal process plays out.
- Cody Parkey‘s groin injury is more serious than it initially sounded, with the Eagles kicker telling reporters today that he tore three muscles in his groin. While he landed on the IR today, Parkey fully expects to be kicking again for the Eagles again in 2016 (Twitter links via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- The Bears may not be done making trades this season, but the Cowboys haven’t discussed the possibility of acquiring a player like Matt Forte or Alshon Jeffery, says Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- No outside free agent got a larger contract from the Saints than the $16MM deal C.J. Spiller signed this offseason, and head coach Sean Payton admits that he needs to get the running back more involved in the offense, according to Christopher Dabe of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, who was taken out of Monday night’s game against the Chiefs, re-aggravated his high ankle sprain, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Adams is expected to miss some time, though it’s too early for an exact timetable. As for tight end Andrew Quarless, he has a sprained MCL, and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
Bears Notes: Allen, Young, Forte, Ratliff
NFL teams typically don’t make many trades once the season begins, since new offensive and defensive systems can be tricky to learn on the fly, and salary cap considerations and draft pick compensation can make it challenging to find the right deal. However, the Bears were certainly active on Monday, consummating two trades that sent defensive players out of town. Chicago sent veteran pass rusher Jared Allen to the Panthers, then dealt linebacker Jon Bostic to the Patriots.
The Bears have lost their first three games, have seen their starting quarterback – Jay Cutler – go down with an injury, and have now traded away two key contributors on defense. Everything points to the team looking ahead to the 2016 season, as the rebuilding process moves forward under new head coach John Fox.
Here’s the latest out of Chicago, with plenty of items on those two trades:
- Ken Harris, Allen’s agent, tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that the trade process for his client began when Allen and Bears GM Ryan Pace discussed a mutually beneficial option for both of them. Presumably, both the player and team decided a trade would be the best course of action.
- Pace issued a statement yesterday, indicating that the Bears’ depth at linebacker allowed them to trade Allen, and adding that the team “will continue to be aggressive in finding ways to improve.” Head coach John Fox also noted that moving Allen will give Willie Young a chance to play more (Twitter links via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune).
- The disastrous Allen contract is a good lesson for Pace and the Bears, who should focus on building through the draft in the future, rather than trying to build through free agency, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
- As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes, Allen is the third big contract jettisoned by the Bears this year — the team also cut Tim Jennings and his guaranteed salary, and traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets a year after extending him.
- Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the Bears to listen on trade offers for running back Matt Forte, whose contract expires after the season. In Dickerson’s view, it’s also worth gauging interest on Cutler, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett.
- As two defenders depart, another returns — nose tackle Jeremiah Ratliff is back today from his three-game suspension, and the Bears will have a roster exemption until Thursday for him, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. By Thursday, Chicago will have to either cut Ratliff or officially give him a spot on the 53-man roster.