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Month: December 2024

Bears Not Expected To Trade LB Roquan Smith

October 30th, 2022 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Parks

There are doubtlessly plenty of teams interested in acquiring Bears LB Roquan Smith in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline. Smith, though, is the midst of perhaps the best year of his career, and Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times says the team is not expected to deal its 2018 first-rounder.

Smith requested a trade in August, and he issued a statement indicating that the Bears’ front office was not negotiating a contract extension in good faith. Smith has been eligible for a new contract since the end of the 2020 campaign and is playing out the current season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which is paying him a $9.7MM salary. However, he was reportedly pushing for an accord with an AAV of at least $20MM, a sum that would exceed the annual averages of First Team All-Pros Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner. But unlike his fellow 2018 draftees, Smith does not have a Pro Bowl on his resume yet, let alone a First Team All-Pro selection.

Ultimately, Smith ended his training camp “hold-in” and returned to practice. At that time, we learned that Chicago GM Ryan Poles did not even initiate trade talks with other clubs, and teams that might have been interested were scared off by Smith’s contract demands. It was also reported that Smith is generally viewed as a good, but not great, defender.

Given the way he has performed this year, it is unlikely that Smith will be backing off his $20MM/year price, which could again complicate trade talks if Poles is interested in entertaining them. At this point, though, it seems as if the first-year GM views Smith — who profiles as a franchise tag candidate in 2023, despite the inevitable backlash a tag would engender — as a foundational piece that he will not move unless he is overwhelmed by an offer.

Even during his hold-in, Smith enjoyed the respect of his coaches and teammates, and nothing has changed in that regard. On the field, he currently leads the league with 78 total tackles and has added 2.5 sacks and two interceptions (he is one of just two LBs in the league with at least two picks). He has also taken every defensive snap, which is emblematic of the durability he displayed throughout his first four professional seasons.

In the interest of equal time, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics have never been particularly high on Smith. The highest overall score he ever earned from PFF was 67.2 — a solid, if unspectacular, figure — in 2020. In 2021, he was assigned a poor 47.8 mark, and through the first seven games of 2022, his grade sits at 57.9. It is possible that the more analytically-minded front offices are the ones that do not believe Smith’s contract demands are commensurate with his abilities.

Raiders Active In Trade Talks

October 30th, 2022 at 11:12am CST by Rory Parks

The 2-4 Raiders believe that they are postseason contenders despite their current record. Per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review- Journal, the club has been active in trade conversations, and it does not sound as if it is interested in trading for draft picks. Instead, Bonsignore says Las Vegas is seeking players to immediately upgrade its roster.

To be clear, the Raiders are reportedly uninterested in rentals; they want any player they acquire to be under contract through at least 2023, and if they swing a deal for an impending free agent, they would want to feel confident that they can extend that player. Specifically, the team is on the lookout for defensive upgrades, and a quality interior DL is atop the wish list.

That makes sense given that the Silver-and-Black boasts an offense that ranks in the top-10 in yards per game and points per game and a defense that presently resides in the bottom-10 in both categories. The club already parted with one interior defensive lineman when it traded Johnathan Hankins to the Cowboys earlier this week, but Hankins’ role was diminished under the new Josh McDaniels regime, and he clearly was not seen as a player who could help reverse the defense’s fortunes. Likewise, while former first-round pick Clelin Ferrell has lined up inside on occasion, he is a trade candidate himself.

It is possible that the Raiders are interested in Commanders DT Daron Payne, but the latest reporting indicates that Washington does not want to move Payne. The Panthers have also told interested teams that they are not trading DT Derrick Brown, but a player like Lions DL John Cominsky — who was claimed off waivers in May — could be available for a reasonable price.

The D-line, though, is not the only area that could use an upgrade. The Raiders, like many teams, would likely be in the mix for Bears LB Roquan Smith if Chicago should make him available, and a boost to the secondary in the form of a player like Washington’s William Jackson III  — who is very much up for grabs — could be a consideration as well.

Latest On Colts HC Frank Reich, GM Chris Ballard

October 30th, 2022 at 10:38am CST by Rory Parks

An owner-imposed quarterback change is generally not a good omen for a head coach or general manager, and Colts owner Jim Irsay‘s recent mandate that Indianapolis bench offseason trade acquisition Matt Ryan for 2021 sixth-rounder Sam Ehlinger has led to speculation that HC Frank Reich and GM Chris Ballard could be on the hot seat. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears from multiple sources that Reich is safe and that his job is not at all in jeopardy.

It seems Reich has done enough to merit additional time as the club’s sideline general. The Colts hastily pivoted to Reich after being jilted by Josh McDaniels during the 2018 coaching cycle, and under Reich’s watch, Indy has compiled a 40-30-1 regular season record. The only year in which the team did not post an above-.500 record was in 2019, when Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired weeks before the regular season got underway.

On the other hand, the Colts’ collapse in the final two weeks of the 2021 campaign — which featured a Week 18 loss to the 2-14 Jaguars to eliminate the team from the postseason field — is a black mark on Reich’s resume (though former QB Carson Wentz has shouldered plenty of blame for that disappointment as well). The fact that Indianapolis has not won a eminently-winnable division during Reich’s tenure is also working against him.

Of course, the team has been slapping duct tape on its quarterback situation since Luck’s retirement, and while 2020 signal-caller Philip Rivers led the Colts to a playoff berth, the subsequent additions of Wentz and Ryan did not go as well. It would hardly be fair to blame Reich for QB development when the QBs he has had to work with have been near the ends of their careers or otherwise became expendable in the eyes of their prior clubs. Instead, the growth of Ehlinger over the remainder of the season may be more reflective of Reich’s acumen.

It may not even be fair to lay the blame for the QB carousel at Ballard’s feet, as Irsay is more involved when it comes to his franchise’s signal- callers than he is with other aspects of roster construction. Indeed, Ryan’s health and injury guarantees for 2023 may have been a factor in his Irsay-led demotion, and Irsay spearheaded this offseason’s Wentz trade as well.

Nonetheless, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes the seats are warming for Reich and Ballard, and he spoke with one AFC executive who said, “I’m concerned for them. They’re already being questioned about how they evaluate quarterbacks, and if [Ehlinger] comes in there and doesn’t play well, it’ll reflect poorly.”

Irsay himself has responded to the speculation in an emphatic way. He said he has given no thought to moving on from either his head coach or GM, and he added, “I’m in a great spot with Chris and Frank. We’re all re-energized with the move to Sam Ehlinger. Nothing is easy but [I] feel really good” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Chris Mortensen).

Browns’ Kareem Hunt Available For Trade?

October 30th, 2022 at 8:29am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 30: Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms Fowler’s report that Cleveland is willing to deal Hunt and would like a fourth-round pick in return. Florio now seems to be in agreement on this point as well and says that it is “starting to feel inevitable” that Hunt will be traded by Tuesday’s deadline.

OCTOBER 26: This summer, Kareem Hunt requested a trade. The Browns, bracing for a significant Deshaun Watson suspension that would force them to lean more on their run game, resisted and communicated to Hunt his importance to the team season. Less than a week ahead of the trade deadline, they may be ready to reverse course.

Certain teams believe Hunt available for the price of a fourth-round pick, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes the price is believed to be much higher. Cleveland, per Florio, is believed to want a Christian McCaffrey-type package for Hunt. Obviously a sizable gap exists between these two values, with a McCaffrey-level haul probably wishful thinking. But Hunt’s name being circulated is interesting by itself.

The Browns initially took a gamble by signing the once-embattled running back, who went from NFL rushing champion to a player the Chiefs waived after a video circulated that showed him assaulting a woman at a Cleveland hotel. Since serving an eight-game suspension, the Cleveland-area native has become the 1-B option in one of the better NFL backfield duos to emerge this century. But Nick Chubb has been Cleveland’s 1-A since this tandem formed. Chubb’s salary reflects it, and Hunt is running out of time to cash in again.

Hunt signed a two-year, $12MM extension just before the 2020 season. While that move represented a nice payment for a player who had severely damaged his NFL stock, lower-profile backs passed Hunt as the market shifted.

Even around the time Hunt reupped with the Browns, standouts like Dalvin Cook and Joe Mixon inked deals worth double Hunt’s per-year figure. This year, Chase Edmonds, James Conner and Leonard Fournette each passed Hunt as well. Chubb is tied to a three-year, $36.6MM extension, illustrating the Browns’ view of their backfield situation. Hunt’s $6MM-AAV mark sits 15th at the position.

Hunt’s contract-year salary is just $1.35MM, meaning a team would owe the sixth-year back barely half that by trading for him. However, the potential for Hunt to be had for a fourth-round pick appears to stem from the $200K-per-game roster bonuses, Fowler adds. That said, one GM who spoke to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora said Hunt would be the best back available and “it’s not even close.”

It is worth wondering where Hunt’s career would be had the assault not occurred. The former third-round pick won the rushing title as a rookie and was on pace for better numbers in Patrick Mahomes‘ first season as Kansas City’s starter. Although Hunt’s 1,145 scrimmage yards contributed to the Browns snapping their playoff drought in 2020, that figure came in below even his 11-game 2018 season (1,202 yards, 14 touchdowns). This season, Chubb’s carry count (126) has nearly doubled Hunt’s (66).

At 27, Hunt would still stand to draw interest on the 2023 market — which could feature one of the deeper running back groups in free agency history — and the suspension did conserve the Toledo product some mileage. Still, Hunt’s age will work against him in free agency. A trade to a team willing to extend him would be an interesting development.

No deal should be considered likely until deadline day. The Browns are 2-5 and clinging to the prospect of Watson returning to revive their season, and Monday night’s Bengals matchup could represent the team’s last window to that reality. But the Browns still have Watson-less games against the Bills, Buccaneers and Dolphins. Staying in contention until Watson’s December debut will be difficult, which will put the franchise to a decision on Hunt. With the Watson trade’s historic cost stripping the Browns of draft capital, collecting picks for Hunt appears to be a route the team will consider.

Chiefs, Rams Expected To Pursue Pass Rushing Help

October 30th, 2022 at 7:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.

Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.

Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.

While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”

Lions Notes: Williams, Goff, Smith, Vaitai

October 29th, 2022 at 9:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions have dealt with a number of injuries on offense, including a notable one suffered even before the draft. Rookie wideout Jameson Williams has yet to play this year, as he continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in the CFP title game.

A midseason return was once the team’s target, but plans have changed with respect to his timeframe. Head coach Dan Campbell echoed confidence that the Alabama product will see the field in 2022, but that will not come any time soon.

“There’s still hope,” Campbell said, via Justin Rodgers of the Detroit News. “There again, he’s put together a pretty good month, a real good month. So we feel like we’re going to have him before this season’s out. It’s hard to say when that’s going to be. I would say at least probably another month. But I do feel like we’re going to get him before this is said and done.”

The Lions currently have DJ Chark on IR, but Campbell insisted that a lack of depth at the position will not play a role in the team’s handling of the highly-touted Williams with respect to his return. Here are some other notes from the Motor City:

  • 2022 was widely considered the year in which the Lions decided whether or not Jared Goff could be a long-term solution at the quarterback position. To date, the 28-year-old has committed nine turnovers (six interceptions and three fumbles) this season, giving him a total of 23 in 20 games in Detroit. Not surprisingly, then, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that no one in the organization “truly believes Goff is the quarterback of the future” (subscription required). The Lions are one of only two teams in the league with a one-win record (1-5), so they are on track to have a top choice in next April’s draft. That will give them a prime opportunity to find a franchise signal-caller amongst this year’s celebrated class of prospects; in doing so, they could move on from Goff, who has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal after this year.
  • Saivion Smith suffered a neck injury during the team’s lopsided loss to the Patriots in Week 5. As a result, the former UDFA will undergo neck fusion surgery next month, Birkett tweets. Smith, 24, confirmed that he did not suffer a concussion on the play, but is still facing a lengthy recovery after the procedure. His absence will be felt in Detroit’s much-maligned secondary.
  • Halapoulivaati Vaitai is, of course, dealing with injury troubles of his own. The starting o-lineman continues to recover from back surgery, and is unlikely to see the field in 2022. The degree to which he is able to return to previous health and form could go a long way in determining his financial future, since, like Goff, no guaranteed compensation remains on the final two years of his contract. The 29-year-old agreed to a move affecting the books in 2022, though; ESPN’s Field Yates reports that the Lions have restructured Vaitai’s deal, creating roughly $2.4MM in cap space (Twitter link). In advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Detroit has just over $3MM in available funds, though their placement at the bottom of the NFC certainly points to the team being sellers, rather than buyers, on the market.

Packers Rule Out WR Allen Lazard For Week 8

October 29th, 2022 at 8:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers will be without their leading receiver when they attempt to pull of an upset of the Bills Sunday night. The team announced that Allen Lazard has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury, adding further to the question marks surrounding Green Bay’s pass catchers.

Lazard had played in six straight contests after missing the season opener due to an ankle injury. He has operated as the team’s new No. 1 wideout, as expected given the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling during the offseason. Lazard has seen at least six targets in all but one game this season, eclipsing 100 yards just once as the Packers have struggled to find a consistent passing game.

The news also comes only one week after fellow veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb swapped places with one another regarding their availability. The latter being placed on IR made room for the former to make just his third appearance of the season. Cobb’s absence could be acutely felt, as he ranks second on the team with 257 yards on the campaign.

In more positive news at the position, Christian Watson is listed as questionable and could return after missing three games, including each of the last two. The second-round rookie said during the week that he was “feeling really good, feeling really confident” about his recovery from a hamstring injury. He could see a large role upon his return, given the loss of both Cobb and Lazard, though his and fellow rookie receiver Romeo Doubs‘ lack of consistency and rapport with quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been a talking point amidst the team’s struggles.

That has led to the Packers being named as a team interested in making a move at the position via trade. Their league ranking in passing yards per game (19th, with an average of 239), along with their relatively flexible situation with respect to cap space would make it unsurprising if they executed a move to boost their pass-catching corps. Two nights before the deadline, they will take on the AFC’s top seed; a victory would be made even more noteworthy given Lazard’s absence.

Panthers QB Baker Mayfield Likely To Return In Week 8; P.J. Walker To Start

October 29th, 2022 at 7:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

The quarterback who began the season as the Panthers’ top option appears set to return tomorrow, but not in his previous role. Baker Mayfield worked with Carolina’s scout team during the week in practice, and interim head coach Steve Wilks said he should be available for tomorrow’s game against the Falcons (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Athletic).

The former Browns starter suffered a high ankle sprain during what was ultimately Matt Rhule‘s final game as head coach. Two weeks was initially considered to be the short end of his recovery timeframe, before further testing revealed a torn ligament. That was expected to delay Mayfield’s return, but he has recovered quickly to the point where he can dress as a backup.

As Wilks suggested on Sunday, however, health would not guarantee Mayfield – or, for that matter, Sam Darnold, who has yet to suit up in 2022 – a first-team spot. The play of fourth-stringer P.J. Walker in the team’s win over the Buccaneers gave him the inside track to start against Atlanta. Wilks said earlier this week, via ESPN’s David Newton, that he “[saw] no reason not to” with respect to keeping Walker in place as the No. 1.

The former XFLer has already matched his career total in starts over the past two weeks from his previous seasons in Carolina. Walker threw for just 60 yards in the Panthers’ loss to the Rams, but had a far more effective and productive game (177 yards, two touchdowns) leading the team to their upset win over Tampa Bay. The decision to trade away receiver Robbie Anderson and running back Christian McCaffrey has left the Panthers’ offense without two notable skill position players, but Walker’s potential upside relative to Mayfield and Darnold make him a logical starting choice in at least the near-term future.

“He understands exactly where we’re going this week and knows his role,” Wilks said of Mayfield (Twitter link via Person). “And he was fine with it.”  How much of an opportunity the latter has to retake the No. 1 role after tomorrow will be worth watching as Carolina looks for its second straight victory of the Wilks era.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/22

October 29th, 2022 at 5:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor moves leading into Sunday’s slate of games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

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