NFC Notes: Cutler, Lynch, Ingram
Jay Cutler‘s future with the Bears has grown quite murky over the course of his shaky 2014 campaign, and David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes that the league’s highest-paid player this season also looks like its worst bargain. Haugh adds that if Chicago replaces head coach Marc Trestman or GM Phil Emery in 2015, Cutler’s stability vanishes completely. Furthermore, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes, the Bears could trade Cutler after this season and save $12.5MM. The team is therefore not financially tethered to the quarterback it hoped would be its franchise savior, and Schefter reports that there would be a fair amount of interest in Cutler if Chicago were to make him available via trade.
Now for some more links from the NFC:
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes that the Vikings have stockpiled seven first-round draft choices over the past three seasons and wonders if that approach is something the Bears could use as a blueprint.
- Citing colleague Ian Rapoport, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reaffirms something that we’ve heard previously: that the Seahawks plan to move on from Marshawn Lynch after the 2014 season. Assuming Seattle does indeed go that route, Rapoport tweets that record-setting Wisconsin standout Melvin Gordon will be on the team’s radar.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune writes that the Buccaneers‘ draft needs in 2015 will go far beyond the quarterback position.
- Because of their dire salary cap situation, the Saints will likely not be able to prevent Mark Ingram from hitting the free agent market, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
- Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News provides a list of 10 issues the Giants must confront this offseason, including the fates of Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, and Jason Pierre-Paul.
- In a piece we cited earlier, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant appears destined for the franchise tag.
Workout Updates: Holmes, Pryor, Lewis
After having been released by the Bears earlier this week to make room for Marquess Wilson, wide receiver Santonio Holmes passed through waivers unclaimed and is on the lookout for a new job. And according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the veteran wideout has already paid a visit to Kansas City to meet with the Chiefs, a team that could use a receiver — through nine games, no Chiefs wide receivers have a touchdown this season.
While we wait to see if Holmes ends up signing with Kansas City or another club, let’s round up a few more Saturday updates on free agent visits, workouts, and auditions around the league….
- With Nick Foles on the shelf, the Eagles just have two healthy quarterbacks on the active roster, and while a move is unlikely, the team is keeping an eye on free agent options just in case. According to Florio (via Twitter), Philadelphia worked out signal-callers Terrelle Pryor and Thad Lewis.
- Lou Young, who was cut from the Jaguars’ practice squad earlier this week, was one of a handful of defensive backs to try out for the Cowboys, along with Robert Steeples and Jonte Green, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- In addition to the previously-reported punters that worked out for the Buccaneers this week, punter Jake Dombrowski and long snapper Charley Hughlett also auditioned for the club, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- Defensive tackle Kenny Horsley, who auditioned for the Packers earlier this week, also worked out for the Bears, per Wilson (via Twitter).
NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Bears, Washington
We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s check out some notes from the NFC…
- Considering the lack of quality on the offensive line and the inconsistency from the running game, David Newton believes it’s safe to say that Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t have the best offseason. Newton also suggests that the team could have found a way to keep defensive backs Michael Mitchell and Captain Munnerlyn.
- When asked about Cam Newton‘s desire to stay with the Panthers, Newton ensures that the quarterback wants to stick around.
- Michael C. Wright surveys the quarterbacks in the 2015 draft, and suggests that the Bears could select one of the top prospects. However, the writer isn’t convinced the team will be in position to draft either Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston.
- John Keim also looks forward to the draft for Washington, citing pass-rush, secondary, and linebacker as the team’s biggest needs. On offense, Keim believes the team should focus on the offensive line.
Bears Activate Marquess Wilson From IR
The Bears have filled the opening on their 53-man roster by activating wide receiver Marquess Wilson in advance of this weekend’s game against the Vikings, the team announced today (Twitter link). Wilson steps into the roster slot created when Chicago released veteran wideout Santonio Holmes earlier this week.
Wilson, 22, had been poised to assume a larger role in the Bears’ offense this season, with the team hoping he’d step into the role of the No. 3 receiver in the offense, behind standouts Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. However, a fractured clavicle derailed Wilson’s sophomore year, forcing the Bears to place him on injured reserve with the designation to return.
Wilson saw limited action in his 2013 rookie season, having been targeted just three times for two receptions and 13 yards. Even if he doesn’t immediately step into the third receiver role in the offense this year, he should easily top those marks, providing another target for embattled quarterback Jay Cutler.
NFC North Notes: Suh, Cutler, Bears
Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson won’t correct anyone who wants to compare him to all-time great Randy Moss, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “Big fan, of course,” Johnson said. “Everybody used the term, ‘You got mossed.’ So, of course, the great catches he made on the field to all of his great plays over the years of his career.” More from the NFC North..
- Lions star Ndamukong Suh is likely to top J.J. Watt‘s contract in 2015, opines Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Suh hit the open market at just 27 years old with three first-team All-Pro selections, so it’s not hard to see him clearing the six-year, $100MM extension that Watt inked with the Texans earlier this year. The Jets, Giants, Cowboys, and Bears have already been linked to Suh, one of the league’s most fearsome defensive linemen.
- Jason Fitzgerald of The Sporting News looks at the Bears‘ bad contracts and how they’re weighing the team down. General Manager Phil Emery‘s decision to sign Jay Cutler to a long-term deal with a guaranteed $54MM over three seasons probably stands as his worst call to date. The deal mimicked Tony Romo‘s contract with the Cowboys, but Cutler’s production did not resemble Romo’s from 2011-2013. Beyond Cutler, the signings of defensive linemen Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen also seem rather foolish in hindsight.
- Some are calling for the Bears to fire defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, but he says he’s not focusing on his job security, writes Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “I just feel pressure to coach the best that I can. That’s the pressure I put on myself,” said Tucker. “I’ve never been anywhere where there wasn’t pressure to win and there wasn’t pressure to play well. I’ve never been in a situation where it wasn’t like that on a day-to-day basis. … I don’t feel any pressure other than what I put on myself. And that’s a lot of pressure.”
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
As usual, plenty of practice squad players are on the move again this week, being signed, cut, or promoted as teams prepare for Week 11 games. Here are Wednesday’s latest practice squad additions and subtractions:
- Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter), linebacker D.J. Smith has joined the Browns‘ practice squad, replacing fellow linebacker Allen Bradford, who was signed by the Seahawks’ active roster today.
- A day after being cut by the Jaguars, cornerback Peyton Thompson has cleared waivers and re-signed with the team’s practice squad, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
- The Ravens have replaced tight end Phillip Supernaw, who signed with the Chiefs earlier this week, with tight end Konrad Reuland, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Seahawks have added fullback Stanley Havili to their practice squad, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- After promoting linebacker Max Bullough to their active roster, the Texans got their practice squad back up to the maximum 10 players by signing former Central Florida tackle Chris Martin, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Buccaneers have filled the two openings on their practice squad by signing linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive lineman Jeremiah Warren, both of whom have previously been with the team, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
- Another club with two openings on its taxi squad has also filled them — the Bears announced today (via Twitter) that wide receiver B.J. Cunningham and guard Antoine McClain have signed with the team.
- The Cardinals have swapped out an offensive player for a defender, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, who tweets that the team has signed cornerback Darren Woodard to its practice squad to replace running back Zach Bauman.
- After seeing tight end Rashaun Allen signed off their practice squad by the Seahawks, the Vikings have filled the newly-created vacancy by re-adding tight end Ryan Otten, per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Extra Points: Vick, Saints, London, Bears
Would things have gone differently for the Jets this season if Michael Vick was the team’s starter from Week 1? Running back Chris Johnson sure seems to think so. “Yeah, I think so. I think if he was starting from day one it would be totally different,” Chris Johnson told Seth Walder of the Daily News. “He came in and his role was to help Geno (Smith) develop and try to help him the best he can, but at the end of the day it turned out how it turned out and (we’ve) just got to live with it.” More from around the NFL..
- Reserve offensive tackle Nick Becton, who was just signed from the Giants practice squad, could be let go by the Saints to make way for the returning Joe Morgan, writes Evan Woodbury of The Times-Picayune.
-
Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com takes a deep dive into the NFL’s desire to expand to London, and finds that while a franchise in England could be viable, the league may be overlooking more logical markets stateside, such as Toronto and Mexico City.
-
While it appears the Bears don’t intend to make any coaching changes for now, Peter King of TheMMQB.com suggests the team should make a statement by parting ways with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, whose unit has allowed 106 points in the last two games.
- Vick’s future in New York is uncertain, but Danny Knobler of ESPNNewYork.com says that the Jets should make him their quarterback for next season. The 12th-year vet will be 35 next season, but Gang Green has seen some solid play from him over the course of two-and-a-half games.
- The Ravens miss having linebacker James Ihedigbo in the fold, tweets Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. The veteran safety left to join the Lions in the offseason and has been making key plays for them this year.
Bears Waive Santonio Holmes
The Bears haven’t made any notable coaching changes or roster moves in the wake of back-to-back embarrassing blowout losses, but it appears at least one veteran player will be looking for work this week. The team announced today that it has cut wide receiver Santonio Holmes from its active roster (Twitter link).
Holmes, 31, was brought on board by the Bears in the summer in the hopes that he could fill the No. 3 receiver role in an offense that was missing injured wideout Marquess Wilson. However, the former Steeler and Jet didn’t make much of an impact in Chicago, grabbing just eight balls for 67 yards. Assuming he passes through waivers unclaimed, he’ll be free to sign elsewhere starting tomorrow.
Though the Bears didn’t announce a corresponding addition, the release of Holmes signals that Wilson, who is currently on injured reserve with the designation to return, may be ready to return. In addition to cutting Holmes, the club also made some practice squad changes, signing wide receiver Rashad Lawrence and parting ways with linebacker Terrell Manning.
Minor Moves: Monday
We’ll track today’s minor transactions in this space, including small tweaks to 53-man rosters as well as practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:
- To fill the roster spot vacated by Williams (referenced below), the Bears have promoted guard Ryan Groy from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, Biggs notes that right tackle Jordan Mills said he was set to have his rib injury examined today, suggesting the Groy promotion could be a precautionary move in case Mills is sidelined.
Earlier updates:
- Following Aaron Rodgers‘ shredding of the Bears‘ secondary last night, Chicago has waived defensive back Teddy Williams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team has yet to announce a corresponding move.
- The Chiefs have replaced one offensive lineman with another on their practice squad, announcing in a press release that they’ve released Curtis Feigt and signed Jarrod Pughsley.
- Offensive lineman Darren Keyton is joining the Lions‘ practice squad in the wake of an injury to Larry Warford, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Birkett speculations that Rodney Austin could be promoted to the team’s 53-man roster in order to accommodate the move.
- Washington has signed tight end Chase Dixon, an undrafted free agent out of Central Arkansas, to their practice squad, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Dixon, who initially signed with the Seahawks in May, was cut during the summer and worked out for Washington last week.
- The Ravens have added offensive tackle Terren Jones to their practice squad, cutting defensive tackle Jamie Meder in order to clear room on the unit, the team announced today in a press release. Following Meder’s release, only one of the 10 players on Baltimore’s taxi squad is a defender.
North Notes: Bears, Ihedigbo, Hoyer
Following last night’s embarrassing 55-14 loss in Green Bay, it’s time for the Bears to re-evaluate every aspect of the team, from the roster to the head coach to the front office, according to David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com expresses similar sentiments, writing that an overhaul of the club shouldn’t be out of the question.
However, it doesn’t sound as if major changes are in store in the short term. Speaking to reporters today, including Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times (Twitter link), head coach Marc Trestman indicated that no coaching changes will be made in the wake of consecutive blowout losses.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap singles out Bears quarterback Jay Cutler as his “new contract disappointment of the week,” writing that Cutler needs to do better, since the team is stuck with him for at least the next two years.
- The Lions’ investment in safety James Ihedigbo in free agency this past offseason has paid off significantly, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com details.
- Brian Hoyer’s agent, Joe Linta, tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he hasn’t talked to the Browns about a new contract for his client since May. However, King says he’d be “amazed” if Cleveland lets Hoyer get away in free agency this winter.
- Meanwhile, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com attempts to find a multiyear contract structure for Hoyer that could work for both the quarterback and the Browns going forward.