HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Bears’ Danny Trevathan Done For Year

November 19th, 2021 at 12:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have placed Danny Trevathan injured reserve, per a club announcement. This marks the veteran linebacker’s second trip to IR, which will officially shut him down for the rest of the season. In related moves, the Bears have officially signed linebacker Bruce Irvin while promoting fellow LB Cassius Marsh to the 53-man roster.

[RELATED: Bears Sign Bruce Irvin]

Trevathan, 31, has been with the Bears since 2016. A training camp knee injury camp sidelined him to start the year, but the 10th-year linebacker returned after missing the first four games. His presence alongside Roquan Smith figured to strengthen Chicago’s defense, but he wasn’t able to stick around for long. Appearing mostly as a reserve, Trevathan registered just 19 tackles across five games and appeared in roughly one-quarter of Chicago’s snaps. That’s a big drop from last year when Trevathan turned in a full slate, registered 113 stops, and lifted the Bears to the playoffs.

Even with Trevathan in the lineup, the Bears have sunk to 3-6 on the year. Now, they’re out to stop their four-game skid against the Ravens without one of their key defenders.

Trevathan is no stranger to injuries, having missed a ton of time since 2016. Still, he’s been a starter for most of his Bears tenure and remains under contract through 2022, thanks to the three-year pact he inked in 2020.

Eagles Sign Dallas Goedert To Four-Year Extension

November 19th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have signed Dallas Goedert to a four-year contract extension, per a club announcement. The deal positions Goedert as one of the three highest-paid tight ends in the NFL on a yearly basis (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) and ties him to the club through 2025.

Before the deal, Goedert was on course for free agency in March, where he would have commanded top dollar. “There’s going to be no discount on Dallas Goedert,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman confessed in October, the same week in which he traded one-time star Zach Ertz to the Cardinals.

“No discount” is right. Goedert’s new four-year deal is worth $59MM with $35.7MM guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That’s a sizable — and well-deserved — bump up from his current $1.24MM salary.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provides the full details on the contract, pointing out that “only” about $14.92MM is guaranteed at signing (in the form of a $10.22MM signing bonus, $408K 2021 salary, $3.22MM option bonus for 2022, and $1.08MM base salary for 2022). However, Goedert’s $12.92MM option bonus for 2023 and his $1.08MM base salary for 2023 — which are both guaranteed for injury already — become fully guaranteed this coming March, so unless something unforeseen happens over the next few months, Goedert’s practical full guarantee is about $29MM.

With Ertz out of the picture, Goedert has served as the undisputed top dog in the club’s tight end room. Through nine games played, the 26-year-old has 29 catches for 429 yards and two touchdowns.

In his 26 games between 2019 and 2020, Goedert tallied 104 catches for 1,131 yards and eight TDs. He’s also been highly efficient throughout his career, having caught more than 70% of his targets over the last four years.

Goedert’s new average annual value slots him ahead of Ravens TE Mark Andrews for third at the position. He trails only George Kittle ($15MM/year) and Travis Kelce ($14.3MM), which makes sense given his production and age. Goedert, who won’t turn 27 until January, already has 166 catches for 1,894 yards and 14 touchdowns to his credit — numbers that are even more impressive given his previous split with Ertz.

Bills Sign Bobby Hart

November 19th, 2021 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have signed offensive lineman Bobby Hart, per a club announcement. He’ll help fill in for right tackle Spencer Brown, who was placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list earlier this week. 

Hart has managed to stick in the NFL for seven seasons despite being selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft. The lineman started 21 games for the Giants between 2015 and 2017. He later started 45 games (out of 46 appearances) for the Bengals between 2018 and 2020.

The Bengals dropped Hart in March and he’s been making the rounds ever since, spending time with the practice squads of the Bills and Dolphins. The Titans also picked him up for a bit, using him in three games this year. Now, the 6’5″, 330-pound lineman is back in Buffalo with a chance to play.

The Bills will likely start Daryl Williams alongside Dion Dawkins while Brown is out. They’ll be supported by Hart and fifth-round rookie Tommy Doyle.

The Bills advanced to 6-3 last week, cruising past the Jets 45-17. Next up, a Sunday afternoon tilt against the Colts in Buffalo.

Falcons’ Cordarrelle Patterson Out Tonight

November 18th, 2021 at 6:44pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons will be without a key offensive weapon tonight against the surging Patriots. The team announced that Cordarrelle Patterson will miss tonight’s game thanks to an ankle sprain.

The veteran suffered the injury last weekend, and there were whispers that Patterson could end up missing a few weeks. The fact that Atlanta hasn’t placed him on IR is promising, although it remains to be seen if Patterson will suit up for his team’s matchup against the Jaguars in Week 12.

Patterson joined the Falcons on a one-year, $3MM deal this offseason. After serving as a Swiss Army Knife-type player during his stints with the Patriots and Raiders, the 30-year-old has taken it to another level in 2021. Through nine games this season, Patterson has collected 776 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns on 116 touches, which are all already career-high marks.

The Matt Ryan-led offense is already without leading wideout Calvin Ridley, meaning someone besides rookie tight end Kyle Pitts will have to step up against a tough New England defense. Mike Davis should get the bulk of the carries with Patterson out of the lineup, with Wayne Gallman serving as the main backup.

Bruce Irvin Signs With Bears

November 18th, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Bruce Irvin has found his next gig. The veteran linebacker has signed with the Bears, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Irvin confirmed the signing himself on Twitter.

Irvin made a name for himself back in Seattle, collecting 22 sacks between the 2012 and 2015 seasons. He later spent two-plus seasons with the Raiders (adding another 18 sacks), and after finishing the 2018 campaign with the Falcons, Irvin compiled another 8.5 sacks with the Panthers in 2019.

Irvin returned to Seattle prior to the 2020 season, and he started each of the team’s first two games. However, he suffered a season-ending ACL tear, and he’s remained unsigned throughout the entire 2021 campaign.

Now 34, Irvin will have a tough time replicating the pass-rushing prowess he displayed earlier in his career. However, he will add some reinforcement to a banged up Bears edge. Khalil Mack missed the Bears two games prior to their Week 10 bye, and his foot injury has lingered into this week. However, the team is optimistic that the former Defensive Player of the Year will be able to play this weekend.

Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown Accused Of Using Fake Vaccination Card

November 18th, 2021 at 6:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Antonio Brown is in hot water once again. The receiver’s former live-in chef told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times that Brown obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to avoid the NFL’s protocols.

According to screenshots obtained by Stroud, Brown’s girlfriend texted the chef offering $500 for a fake vaccination card. The chef was unable to complete the request, but he claims Brown showed off his fake card weeks later. A picture of the card was later sent by Tom Brady/TB12 guru (and trainer) Alex Guerrero to Buccaneers head trainer Bobby Slater for documenting, with neither individual being aware of the card’s lack of authenticity. It’s also worth noting that Brown and the chef had a falling out due to unpaid debts.

“After an extensive educational process conducted throughout our organization this past offseason highlighting the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, we received completed vaccination cards from all Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and submitted the required information to the NFL through the established process in accordance with league policy,” the Buccaneers said in a statement. “All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed.”

Brown’s lawyer denied the allegations.

“Antonio Brown appreciates the severity of the pandemic, which is why he got the vaccine and supports everyone for whom it is advisable to get the vaccine,” Sean Burstyn said. “Coronavirus has hit close to home as it took him out of a game. He is healthy, vaccinated, and ready to win another Super Bowl…One of the worst parts of the pandemic has been a movement to cast doubt on our country’s vaccination programs with baseless, vindictive tabloid gossip.”

NFL’s VP of communications Brian McCarthy told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that the league is “aware of the report and have been in contact with the club” (Twitter link). The NFL is also reviewing the matter.

These are some pretty serious allegations, and the matter would be reviewed under the NFL’s personal conduct policy (per Auman). The fake vaccination card could also be “handled as a federal criminal offense.” For comparison’s sake, in the NHL, San Jose Sharks star Evander Kane was suspended a quarter of the season for using a fake card. The NFL previously handed out fines to the Packers organization and Aaron Rodgers following an investigation into their handling of COVID-19 protocols. Brown also isn’t a stranger to league discipline; he was suspended eight games last season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Brown missed a game earlier this season after testing positive for COVID-19, and per Auman, Brown had to deal with the 10-day waiting period reserved for unvaccinated players (vs. vaccinated players, who need to be asymptomatic and return two negative tests 24 hours apart).

Extra Points: Cousins, 49ers, USFL, Europe

November 18th, 2021 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Kirk Cousins has been the Vikings’ starter for four years now, his status came up constantly ahead of his 2018 free agency bid. Kyle Shanahan confirmed the 49ers would have been in play for Cousins in 2018 — for what would have been a reunion between he and the QB he coached while Washington’s OC — but San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo extension preempted such a pursuit. Washington’s head coach at the time, however, believes the 49ers would have coughed up a considerable trade package for Cousins prior to October 2017’s Garoppolo trade. Jay Gruden said Washington could have obtained two first-rounders and perhaps two seconds for Cousins ahead of the 2017 deadline, and the then-WFT HC said — during an appearance on the Kevin Sheehan Show, via the Washington Post’s Jake Russell (Twitter links) — Daniel Snyder and Bruce Allen effectively killed such talks due to not wanting to reunite Shanahan and Cousins.

The 49ers gave up only a second-round pick for Garoppolo, though Cousins was a far more established starter at the time. The 49ers were mentioned in trade rumors regarding Cousins ahead of the 2017 draft, prior to his second Washington franchise tag, but Shanahan has only confirmed the team was planning to go after him in free agency. Gruden suggested Washington still had hopes of re-signing Cousins then; the team walled off this path after trading for Alex Smith in January 2018. Washington has long since moved on, firing Gruden during the 2019 season and Allen at its conclusion, though a notable void still exists for the franchise at QB.

Here is more from around pro football:

  • The XFL is not planning to launch its latest reboot until 2023, but another spring football attempt is in the works. Fox Sports is aiming another effort at establishing the United States Football League and has slated the effort for April, Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal reports. The USFL represents the best effort yet of a spring league in America; its ill-fated plan to move to the fall in 1986 led to its demise after three seasons. Fox employees Daryl Johnston and Mike Pereira, along with The Spring League co-founder Brian Woods, are set to be involved with this latest spring effort. Games would be televised primarily on FS1. Details are scarce at this point, but the recent Alliance of American Football and XFL 2.0 forays illustrate the uphill battle spring football presents.
  • The NFL’s push to play a game in Germany is expected to come to fruition by Super Bowl weekend, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports noting plans for the league’s future in Germany will become clear by February. The league is set to begin playing games in Germany annually either next season or in 2023, depending on COVID-19 restrictions, JLC adds. This would up the total of international games to at least four — two in London, one in Mexico City and one in a to-be-determined German city. With the NFL having sent more than two games to London in several previous seasons, it is possible the number of international games will surpass four.
  • Additional COVID testing is on tap for the post-Thanksgiving week. The league will require masks for all players, regardless of vaccination status, from Nov. 25-Dec. 1 at team facilities, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. All players and staffers will be tested twice the week following Thanksgiving.

Falcons Place TE Hayden Hurst On IR

November 18th, 2021 at 3:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will make an adjustment to their two-tight end sets in the weeks to come. They placed Hayden Hurst on IR due to the ankle injury he is battling.

Hurst did not practice this week. The fourth-year tight end played 23 snaps in Atlanta’s loss to Dallas and has played alongside Kyle Pitts in every Falcons game this season.

Blocking tight end Lee Smith, however, is good to go for Thursday’s game, according to the team. Smith missed the Cowboys game due to a back issue. Atlanta also elevated tight end Parker Hesse from its practice squad ahead of its game against New England.

Atlanta traded for Hurst last year, but the team’s new regime replaced him as the primary tight end by selecting Pitts fourth overall in April. Hurst caught 56 passes for 571 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. While Pitts is now the leader of this group and has emerged as one of the NFL’s most promising rookies, Hurst still has 20 receptions through nine games.

Although the Falcons traded second- and fifth-round picks for Hurst last year, they declined the ex-minor league baseball player’s fifth-year option. Hurst, 28, is due to be a free agent in March. The former first-round pick would have a few games at the end of this season to make a final impression for tight end-seeking teams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/21

November 18th, 2021 at 1:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB John Kelly

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/21

November 18th, 2021 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

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