HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Bears Sign Mitch Trubisky

July 19th, 2017 at 12:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have signed first round pick Mitch Trubisky, according to a team announcement. It’s good timing for both sides as Bears rookies report to training camp today.

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Even as the two sides took additional time to come to an accord, Trubisky made it clear that he would not be training camp holdout a la Joey Bosa.

“I’m not going to miss any practices or anything like that,” Trubisky said in late June. “I’m excited to sign my contract as soon as possible, however that goes down. But I don’t see that being held out through training camp; even if it did, I’m going to be practicing and all that. I’m looking forward to getting it done as soon as possible. I’m a Chicago Bear, no matter if they let me sign or what. I guess not, but I am.”

The Bears shocked the world in April by not only selecting Trubisky with their top pick, but trading up from No. 3 overall to No. 2 for the right to do it. Switching places with the 49ers cost picks No. 67 and No. 111 in the 2017 draft, plus a 2018 a third-round pick.

The pressure is on for Trubisky, though it won’t necessarily be felt right away. For now, the plan is for free agent acquisition Mike Glennon to be the Bears’ starter while Trubisky learns from the bench.

The deal leaves us with six unsigned first round picks: defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (49ers), wide receiver Corey Davis (Titans), safety Jamal Adams (Jets), quarterback Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), cornerback Gareon Conley (Raiders), and safety Jabrill Peppers (Browns).

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Jaguars To Host Gary Barnidge On Visit

July 19th, 2017 at 12:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Gary Barnidge could finally be getting closer to finding work for 2017. The Jaguars are bringing the former Pro Bowl tight end in for a Tuesday workout and visit, a league source tells Mike Kaye of First Coast News (on Twitter). Gary Barnidge (vertical)

[RELATED: Jaguars Are One Of Eight Fits For Barnidge]

This offseason, the Jags parted ways with tight end Julius Thomas and their only significant addition at the position has been former Raider Mychal Rivera. When considering that Rivera hasn’t topped 300 receiving yards since 2014 and that Marcedes Lewis hasn’t been setting the world on fire in recent years, Barnidge could make a lot of sense for Jacksonville. This season will be a critical year in the evaluation of quarterback Blake Bortles, and he’ll need a big reliable target if he hopes to establish himself as the answer going forward.

In 16 games last season, the tight end hauled in 55 receptions for 612 yards and two touchdowns. That wasn’t a great stat line, but he’s only two years removed from his breakout 2015 effort. In that campaign, the 6’5″ tight end had 79 receptions, 1,043 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.

 

NFL: Panthers Did Not Violate Rooney Rule

July 19th, 2017 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

When the Panthers hired Marty Hurney to be the team’s interim GM without first interviewing any minority candidates, some wondered if the team was in violation of the Rooney Rule. Apparently, that’s not the case. The NFL tells ESPN.com’s David Newton (Twitter link) that the Panthers did not run afoul of the mandate since Hurney has only been given the job on an interim basis.

When the Panthers hire their true GM down the line, they will be required to satisfy the Rooney Rule. That mandate still applies, even if Hurney somehow winds up being the full-time hire.

It’s conceivable that the league will look to close this loophole next offseason. Recently, the NFL “informally” extended the Rooney Rule to also cover offensive and defensive coordinator positions.

Latest On Panthers, Hurney, Gettleman

July 19th, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the Panthers:

  • Former Panthers GM Dave Gettleman was known to be a jerk in contract meetings if he didn’t get his way, sources tell Jordan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. However, Rodrigue argues that it’s not entirely fair to vilify Gettleman for the way things sometimes played out in those negotiations. Her feeling is that an NFL franchise needs something of a good cop/bad cop act in order to satisfy players while also keeping cap restrictions in mind. Gettleman’s job was to be mindful of the finances, and he did a good job of that after inheriting a salary cap nightmare. That enabled owner Jerry Richardson to have positive relationships with his players and create a largely welcoming culture. Eventually, these two approaches clashed to the point where Richardson felt the need to fire Gettleman just days before training camp.
  • The firing of Gettleman took Panthers coach Ron Rivera by surprise, as Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer writes. “The decision was made, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Rivera said. “The biggest thing is Dave did a great job for us. He helped me to grow as a coach, he helped to put the final pieces of the puzzle together and he helped us get to the Super Bowl.” Although a major change is being made in the front office, Rivera is reportedly safe. And, for the next year, Marty Hurney will be back at the helm. Hurney first hired Rivera back in 2011.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the Panthers could run into some issues with Rooney Rule compliance. The Rooney Rule stipulates that at least one minority candidate must be interviewed for a major role such as GM, but the team seemingly conducted a one-man search before giving the job to Hurney. Before the hire was made official, Fritz Pollard Alliance chairman John Wooten told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that the “interim” designation was a new wrinkle for them, but he still hoped that Richardson would follow protocol.

Jaguars DE Dante Fowler Arrested

July 19th, 2017 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler was arrested in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes. He is now facing misdemeanor charges of simple battery and mischief. Dante Fowler (vertical)

According to police records obtained by Matthew Head of First Coast News (Twitter link), cops say that Fowler got out of his car and got into a verbal exchange with a man who commented on his driving. When they came face to face, the defensive end allegedly hit the man, knocked off his glasses, and stepped on them. He then proceeded to take the victim’s grocery bag and throw it in a nearby lake.

The victim was not injured and Fowler was arrested without incident. The 22-year-old is currently free after posting a small bond early Wednesday morning.

Fowler, a first-round pick out of Florida in 2015, missed his entire rookie season due to injury. When he debuted in 2016, he recorded 32 tackles and four sacks. Fowler made just one start last season, but this year he projects as a starting bookend opposite of Calais Campbell. If he misses time as a result of this incident, it will be a serious blow to the Jaguars.

Panthers Hire Marty Hurney As Interim GM

July 19th, 2017 at 9:54am CST by Zachary Links

What’s old is new in Carolina. The Panthers have officially appointed Marty Hurney as their interim GM. Marty Hurney (vertical)

“I never lost the connection with the organization,” said Hurney, who worked for the Panthers from 1998-2012 with the final ten years spent as GM. “I’ve gained a lot of perspective and have looked at things in different ways. I think I can help this team in a lot of areas. I think I’ve grown. And I feel I’m better prepared to come in this time and do a better job than I did over the 12 years I was general manager last time.”

In the wake of Dave Gettleman‘s firing, a number of highly-respected rising front office stars were floated out as potential replacements. But, because of the unusual timing, the Panthers felt the need to install someone immediately in a temporary capacity. The Panthers will have Hurney at the helm for 2017 before possibly looking into executives like Trent Kirchner of the Seahawks, Ryan Cowden of the Titans, and their own Don Gregory. When they do begin interviewing candidates, Hurney “will help the team identify its next general manager,” per the team’s press release.

Hurney, who will be leaving his post at ESPN Radio in Charlotte to take the job, knows the roster pretty intimately. He was responsible for bringing in some of the Panthers’ biggest stars, including team captains Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen, Ryan Kalil, and Charles Johnson. He’s also the man who hired head coach Ron Rivera in 2011.

His relationships with Davis and Olsen could have a major influence on their contract situations this offseason. Davis, 34, is entering the final year of his deal and has been pushing for an extension. Olsen, meanwhile, has two years to go on his deal but is hoping to get a reworked contract that will make him one of the league’s highest paid tight ends.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Vikings

July 19th, 2017 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have a surplus at wide receiver, and that leaves the team with a roster quandary, Ryan Wood of USA Today writes. Last year, the Packers were the only team in the league to carry seven receivers on the initial 53-man roster. This year, the Packers will have at least seven receivers deserving of a roster spot, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll go with that untraditional allotment again.

Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, and Geronimo Allison make up the team’s top four WRs. Beyond them, there’s former small college star Jeff Janis, the speedy Trevor Davis, fifth-round rookie/possession specialist DeAngelo Yancey, seventh-round rookie/one-time top prospect Malachi Dupre, NFL legacy Max McCaffrey, and a few more intriguing talents.

It will be interesting to see which receivers make the Packers’ final cut in early September. It seems like at least a couple of the discarded WRs could quickly find work elsewhere.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

Extra Points: Bell, Steelers, Hawks, Broncos

July 18th, 2017 at 9:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Using three-year cash value as a baseline metric, Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com examines the most above-market deals in the NFL at the moment. While some contracts listed — such as those signed by Kevin Zeitler, Kawann Short, or Marcell Dareus — aren’t surprising, the No. 1 slot is, as it went to 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, whose pact is more than 200% above the baseline for his position. The entire article is well worth a read, both for its interesting metric and Barnwell’s analysis.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap offer competing views on the Steelers‘ reported offer to running back Le’Veon Bell, some of the details of which were leaked earlier today. Pittsburgh apparently offered Bell a $12MM annual salary over a five-year term, with $30MM coming in the first two years of pact, but as Florio notes, it’s difficult to completely evaluate the proposal without knowing its exact specifics. But Fitzgerald writes the Steelers typically offer large signing bonuses and honor the entirety of contracts, meaning Bell may have passed up quite a commitment on Pittsburgh’s part.
  • Seahawks backup quarterback Trevone Boykin‘s court date has been rescheduled, meaning he now won’t appear until August 22, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes. That date will come amid Seattle’s preseason schedule, but it shouldn’t affect Boykin as he is required to attend the hearing. This court date is related to Boykin’s March arrest, while the fallout from his April arrest is still up in the air. As Condotta noted in May, the Seahawks aren’t expecting Boykin to be disciplined by the league.
  • As he continues to recover from a torn ACL, Broncos rookie tight end Jake Butt will “almost certainly” begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. If he remains on PUP for the duration of camp, Butt could be transferred to the reserve/PUP list, which would force him to miss the first six weeks of the 2017 campaign. When does regain full health, Butt should be able to contribute, but he’s currently near the bottom of Denver’s tight end depth chart, which also includes Virgil Green, Jeff Heuerman, A.J. Derby, and Henry Krieger-Coble.

2017 NFL Offseason In Review Series

July 18th, 2017 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Over the last few weeks, Pro Football Rumors has been taking a closer look at the 2017 offseason on a team-by-team basis. Our Offseason In Review series focuses on free agent signings, trades, draft picks, and all the other moves made by clubs during the spring, breaking down what sort of impact those decisions will have going forward.

Just in case you missed our review for your favorite team, we’re rounding up all of our Offseason In Review pieces in this post. We have several more teams to examine before the regular season gets underway, so if your team isn’t linked below, be sure to keep a close eye on PFR — it’ll be coming soon.

Here are the links to our 2017 Offseason In Review pieces to date:

AFC East:

AFC North:

AFC South:

AFC West:

NFC East:

NFC North:

NFC South:

NFC West:

East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Dolphins, Patriots

July 18th, 2017 at 7:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles have already declined Marcus Smith‘s fifth-year option, meaning the former first-round pick likely won’t be with the club in 2018, but Smith may not even stick on Philadelphia’s roster for the upcoming season. Smith is scheduled to earn a $594K roster bonus on the third day of training cap, reports Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice, meaning the Eagles could conceivably cut ties with Smith before the 2017 campaign even starts. If Philadelphia waives Smith, who played only 20% of the club’s defensive snaps a year ago, it would clear nearly $1.5MM in cap space.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Given that their roster is mostly set, the Giants may not have a need for a veteran addition, but the club could use more cornerback depth, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. New York doesn’t have significant talent behind its starting unit of Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, as option such as Valentino Blake, Michael Hunter, and Donte Deayon are next in line. Free agents like Brandon Flowers and Alterraun Verner could be on the Giants’ radar, per Kratch, and I’d toss out Leon Hall — who spent the 2016 season with Big Blue — as another possibility.
  • The Dolphins face a “delicate balance” with safety T.J. McDonald, who is suspended for the first eight games of the season, as James Walker of ESPN.com writes. Miami signed McDonald as a free agent knowing he’d be banned for the first half of the year, but given that he’s expected to be inserted into the starting lineup when he’s eligible, McDonald needs practice reps in order to prepare. However, the Dolphins also need to prepare others, such as Nate Allen and Michael Thomas, who will start in McDonald’s absence.
  • Dont’a Hightower and David Harris are the only linebackers guaranteed to earn spots on the Patriots‘ roster, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. As such, veterans like Shea McClellin and Kyle Van Noy, plus undrafted free agent Harvey Langi (who received $115K in guarantees), aren’t assured on making the squad. Harris, meanwhile, likely won’t play an every-down role, but could act as a key backup to Hightower, whom New England wants healthy for the entire season.
  • Following Ezekiel Elliott‘s reported involvement in a barroom fight over the weekend, owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys are still gathering facts on the incident, according to USA Today. “Like all of us, we do good some days and don’t do good the others,” Jones said. “That’s not to be confused with tolerating bad behavior or illegal behavior. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about just learning that your every move will be scrutinized and how in this day and time it will be looked at from many vantage points.” For what it’s worth, a witness said Elliott didn’t throw a punch in the brawl.
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