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NFC North Notes: Tillman, Bell, Keisel, Lions

By Luke Adams | at January 30, 2014 11:19 am

Charles Tillman earned about $8MM in 2013, the last year of his contract with the Bears. Although he had another solid season when he was healthy, recording three INTs and forcing three fumbles in eight games, Tillman likely won’t be offered a similar salary by the Bears in free agency, given his age and the team’s limited flexibility. Still, as Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times details, the 32-year-old defensive back appeared on 670 The Score in Chicago on Wednesday and didn’t sound like someone eager to play elsewhere.

“In perfect world, I will finish as a Bear,” Tillman told Laurence Holmes. “I guarantee I will retire a Chicago Bear. I guarantee that.”

While we wait to see if the two sides can work out a deal that will keep Tillman in a Bears uniform, let’s round up a few other notes from out of the NFC North….

“I would like to just bypass all this and sign a long-term deal,” Joique Bell said of his impending free agency, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Since he only has three years of experience, Bell will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Lions will have the ability to match any offers he receives. Still, it sounds as if the running back would rather negotiate a multiyear contract directly with the Lions, rather than hoping they match.
While longtime Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel hopes to re-sign with Pittsburgh, he would definitely consider joining the Lions this spring, as he tells 105.1FM in Detroit (quotes via Justin Rogers of MLive.com). “They’ve got a great team,” Keisel said. “I really like their quarterback. They’ve got Megatron. Who wouldn’t want to play with those guys?”
Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com takes a closer look at the Bears‘ situation at cornerback, where Tillman isn’t the only player facing free agency.
Kellen Davis, who will play for the Seahawks in this weekend’s Super Bowl, tells Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times that he felt “a little bit slighted” by the Bears when Chicago cut him last March.

NFC North Notes: McCown, Tillman, Turner

By Rob DiRe | at January 29, 2014 4:20 pm

Without an extension or a new contract from the Bears, Charles Tillman will be the most accomplished of all the free agent cornerbacks this offseason. Despite that, his age might take him out of the running for a large contract, according to Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Corry sees that Tampa Bay would be a logical fit, where Tillman could reunite with Lovie Smith. Here are some other notes from the NFC North:

Josh McCown has been a prominent name after filling in for Jay Cutler for five games this season, and there was thought to be an opportunity to compete for a starting job next season, but Scott Krinch of CSNChicago.com believes that McCown is sincere in saying he wants to return. “It’s going to have to look really good for me to go someplace else,” McCown stated. “Because my heart is in Chicago and that is where I want to be.”
Norv Turner will join Mike Zimmer’s staff in Minnesota to be the Vikings offensive coordinator, reports Derek Wetmore of ESPN (via Twitter). Turner was the offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2013.
The Lions have been looking for a second receiver to supplement Calvin Johnson‘s production for years, but Hall of Fame receiver and ESPN analyst Cris Carter does not believe that should be the team’s top priority, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. While Carter states that the team already passes for 5,000 yards as it is, he believes that a healthy Nate Burleson will be enough of an upgrade as to allow the organization to focus on its other shortcomings. Birkett does note that the Lions had the highest drop percentage in the NFL last year, and that general manager Martin Mayhew has taken a receiver in every draft he has been in that position.

0 comments Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Minnesota Vikings Charles Tillman Josh McCown Norv Turner

NFC Notes: Eagles, Packers, Bears, Cowboys

By Luke Adams | at January 29, 2014 8:55 am

While the Eagles have made significant splashes in free agency a handful of times during the last several years, GM Howie Roseman says the team isn’t necessarily looking at big-name free agents this winter, as Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com details. According to Roseman, the club doesn’t want to compromise its flexibility in the long-term by committing heavily to one or two pieces that may not work out.

“If you only sign two guys in free agency and you put a lot of resources in them, and for one reason or another a guy doesn’t work out, you’re hamstrung,” Roseman said. “But if you go after a bunch of guys that you think may fit and a couple don’t work out as much as you want every one of them to work out, you feel like, you know what, as long as I have a good batting average on these guys, I’m improving the quality of our football team.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

A busy offseason awaits the Packers‘ front office, according to Wayne Larrivee of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who previews the team’s winter and lays out the best-case scenario in his view.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com takes a look at a few of the decisions the Bears will face this winter related to their linebacking corps.
Naming Rod Marinelli as their new defensive coordinator is fine, but the Cowboys can’t expect their defense to improve unless they bring in more talent on that side of the ball, says Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke to Darrell Bevell about how close the Seahawks‘ offensive coordinator came to becoming the new head coach of the Bears earlier this month.

0 comments Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers Philadelphia Eagles Darrell Bevell

Josh McCown Wants To Stay With Bears

By Zachary Links | at January 28, 2014 6:33 pm

This season, the Bears found themselves with an unlikely hero in 34-year-old quarterback Josh McCown. The veteran signal caller won’t be the No.1 guy on the depth chart following their sizable commitment to Jay Cutler, but the door is still very much open to him coming back to Chicago. It now seems that the interest is mutual with McCown telling Waddle and Silvy of ESPN1000 (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago on Twitter) that “his heart is in Chicago” and it would take a special opportunity for him to leave via free agency.

McCown, who was thrust into the starting role after Cutler was lost to injury, ended the 2013 season completing 66.8 of his passes for 1,829 yards with 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 passer rating, the third highest behind Peyton Manning and Nick Foles. As Dickerson wrote earlier this month, Bears GM Phil Emery would very much like to have McCown back in Chicago for 2014.

“[I would] love to have Josh back,” Emery said. “I’ve expressed that to him. Josh, through his play, has earned the right to have choices. And he’ll have a lot of them. He does know that he has a home here and we’ll do everything that we can to make it work, if he decides he still wants to play here.”

For his part, McCown was reportedly considering retirement at one point, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com heard from a source close to the veteran earlier this month that he had no intention of calling it quits. Over the course of his career, McCown has spent time with the Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Panthers, and Bears, making a total of 38 starts under center. In his five games starting for Chicago this year, McCown filled in admirably with the Bears going 3-2.

2 comments Chicago Bears Josh McCown

NFC Notes: Bennett, Kuhn, Redskins

By Ben Levine | at January 27, 2014 7:34 pm

A couple of notes from around the NFC on this Monday evening…

Upcoming free agent Mike Bennett has expressed interest in returning to the Seahawks, tweets Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune. However, Seattle may have competition in the Bears, says Chicago Sun-Times reporter Patrick Finley. Signing with Chicago would team up the defensive end with his brother, tight end Martellus Bennett, who is expected to recruit his older sibling.
The Packers‘ signing of Ina Liaina does not necessarily have an impact on the status of free agent fullback John Kuhn, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. As the writer points out, Kuhn shined as a third-down option and blocker for rookie Eddie Lacy while Liaina, who Green Bay inked earlier today, has basically no NFL experience.
Rich Tandler of CSNWashington takes a look at the Redskins current salary cap situation and how it applies to the team’s defensive line. Tandler believes the current group has not justified their current salaries and that defensive ends Adam Carriker and Stephen Bowen are potential cap casualties.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea believes that of the 49ers free agents, wide receiver Anquan Boldin and kicker Phil Dawson are the most likely to re-sign. Maiocco also mentions that defensive backs Donte Whitner and Tarell Brown are expected to test the market.

0 comments Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Washington Commanders Adam Carriker Anquan Boldin Donte Whitner John Kuhn Mike Bennett Phil Dawson Stephen Bowen Tarell Brown

NFC North Coaching Notes: LeBeau, Prince

By Peter Sowards | at January 25, 2014 8:49 pm

Embattled Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers is aware of the criticism from Packers fans, but he won’t get any from fellow coaches in the league. According to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the overwhelming consensus is that Capers is still one of the brightest minds in the game. Dunne spoke with Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, with whom Capers worked in Pittsburgh from 1992-94.

“We’re in the business of concurrency,” LeBeau said. “People have a tendency to remember what’s happening today. That’s life. But I know that wherever he goes, they’re going to receive excellent preparation, coaching. There’s none better than Coach Capers. There is none better.”

LeBeau continued: “He’s as good a football coach as anybody. I don’t care who you’re talking about. He is in my opinion.”

The Lions hired former Boise State offensive coordinator Robert Prince to be their new wide receivers coach, tweets Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. Prince has NFL coaching experience, spending time as wide receivers coach with the Falcons, Jaguars and Seahawks from 2004-09.
Kirby Wilson is leaving Pittsburgh to become the Vikings new running backs coach, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Wilson had interviewed twice with the Ravens for their vacant offensive coordinator position, but learned today that he was not a final candidate.
The Bears have added Clint Hurtt to their staff as an assistant defensive line coach, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Hurtt’s role as a college assistant in the Miami booster scandal ended up with him receiving a two-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA last fall. Hurtt fills the void left by Michael Sinclair‘s depature, the third Bears assistant fired this offseason. Finley said the move was surprising, noting that the Bears said the rest of their staff was safe earlier this month.

0 comments Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Uncategorized

NFC Notes: Redskins, 49ers, Tillman

By Rob DiRe | at January 25, 2014 1:57 pm

Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has a lot of decisions to make, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Key members of a defense that struggled last year are set to hit free agency, but Keim doesn’t think the team will just let them walk and start from scratch. He anticipates the Redskins to retain Brian Orakpo, Perry Riley, and DeAngelo Hall.

Keim also noted that the Redskins could have a few notable cuts, including Adam Carriker, Saverio Rocca, Stephen Bowen, and Chris Chester. Between inconsistent performance and injuries, Keim would not be surprised if any of those players become cap casualties.
The 49ers secondary is a question mark as the team is making roster decisions, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. The idea that the team might release Carlos Rogers and would not be able to re-sign Donte Whitner was broached yesterday, but Williamson adds that Eric Wright is unlikely to return unless it is for the veteran’s minimum. He also noted that Perrish Cox and Darryl Morris would both be given opportunities to make the roster in training camp after showing promise at times last season.
Charles Tillman did not receive a new contract at season’s end, meaning there is a chance the Bears will not bring him back next in 2014, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I’m not worried about it,” said the Pro Bowl cornerback. “I am just going to see what happens. I have some options, I have some thoughts.” Tillman will be 33 years old next season.

0 comments Chicago Bears San Francisco 49ers Washington Commanders Charles Tillman

NFC Notes: Peterson, Packers, 49ers, Bailey

By Luke Adams | at January 24, 2014 4:38 pm

Adrian Peterson mused last month about the possibility of finishing his NFL career in his home state of Texas, but if that comes to fruition, it won’t be anytime soon, according to Vikings GM Rick Spielman. In a conversation with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Spielman shut down any Peterson trade rumors before they began.

“Adrian’s not going anywhere,” Spielman said. “We have him under contract, he is the face of our franchise, he is a blue-chip player, and we have a new coaching staff coming into place, and you know, [we’re] very excited about what’s coming ahead for us.”

Let’s round up a few more Friday notes from around the NFC…

Heading into the offseason, the Packers figure to be seeking an outside linebacker to play opposite Clay Matthews in the team’s 3-4 scheme, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The 49ers already have 11 picks in hand for May’s draft, and expect to add one more compensatory pick at the end of the third or fourth round, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Adding a veteran safety appears to be a goal for the Falcons this offseason, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com outlines.
While the Bears will likely be eyeing defensive tackles in May’s draft, their specific targets will depend on their defensive scheme, says Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, citing a few possible options for the club.
Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com has the financial breakdown on Dan Bailey‘s new seven-year deal with the Cowboys, which includes a cap number of $1.7MM for 2014.
A number of NFC players saw their 2014 base salaries escalate or de-escalate based on their 2013 playing time, and Brian McIntyre provides the details on a handful of them in a series of several tweets.

0 comments Atlanta Falcons Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings San Francisco 49ers Adrian Peterson Dan Bailey

Team Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By Luke Adams | at January 21, 2014 11:45 am

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