HEADLINES

Chicago Bears News & Rumors

Steelers To Start Russell Wilson In Week 7

October 19th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

While all signs have pointed to the Steelers pivoting to Russell Wilson, there hadn’t been any true confirmation about the team’s QB status for Sunday night. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has appeared to provide a definitive report, tweeting that Wilson will indeed get the start at quarterback for the Steelers tomorrow against the Jets.

[RELATED: Steelers’ Russell Wilson Expects To Play In Week 7]

Rapoport did provide a minor wrinkle, noting that both Wilson and Justin Fields are expected to play. However, Wilson is expected to receive the “bulk” of the snaps at the position.

Wilson all but confirmed his QB1 spot earlier this week when he discussed his “first game of the year.” According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, wideout George Pickens seemed to admit the same, telling reporters that he was working overtime this week in anticipation of Wilson’s “first start.” Head coach Mike Tomlin continued to play coy this week regarding the team’s decision, although that was most likely due to gamesmanship vs. a lack of a true commitment.

Fields hasn’t necessarily been a world beater in 2024, but he has played a significant role in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 start. The former Bears first-round pick is completing a career-high 66.3 percent of his passes while achieving a 5:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Fields is also still dynamic on the ground, collecting 231 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Considering Wilson’s underwhelming play in recent seasons, the sudden pivot has surprised many pundits around the NFL. Dianna Russini of The Athletic went looking for an explanation, with some sources pointing to potential trade compensation as a reason for the change. If Fields gets into at least 51 percent of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps, the Steelers will owe the Bears a fourth-round pick instead of a sixth-round pick. Russini is skeptical that Tomlin would consider this in his QB decision, but it is still notable speculation.

Russini notes that others are questioning Tomlin’s decision to have Wilson make his season debut against a tough Jets defense. A Week 8 debut against the Giants would be a much softer landing, although Russini notes that the Steelers may have had no choice but to stick with Fields if he had a solid outing tomorrow night.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Vikings, McManus

October 17th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady recently said the Bears were on his free agency radar four years ago. Although one fall 2020 report indicated Chicago had indeed waded into the Brady market, Bears chairman George McCaskey confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team did participate in a stealth operation to bring in Brady.

“Anytime you’re in a situation like that you’re not putting all of your eggs in one basket,” McCaskey said. “You’re looking at alternatives. It’s the same in free agency, it’s the same in the draft. If the person you’re targeting isn’t available, you want to make sure that you’ve done your due diligence on all other options. So that was one option that we were looking at.”

The Bears’ alternative that year became a Nick Foles trade. Foles did replace Mitch Trubisky for a stretch during the latter’s contract year, but the former No. 2 overall pick took his job back to help a defense-powered Chicago roster back to the playoffs. The Bears have since drafted two more quarterbacks — Justin Fields, Caleb Williams — in Round 1, as Brady retired (for good, thanks to his Raiders ownership agreement being approved) after a successful Tampa stay.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • Playing well at guard after an injury-plagued rookie year at tackle, Teven Jenkins makes sense as a Bears extension candidate. The Ryan Poles regime did not draft Jenkins — a 2021 second-round pick — but the GM has paid Ryan Pace-era pickups Jaylon Johnson and Cole Kmet. Jenkins has confirmed he approached Bears brass about a second contract, but that has been on hold for a while. Chicago’s Week 7 bye loomed as the next window for a Jenkins deal. Jenkins also has not generated too much momentum early in his contract year, missing time because of rib and ankle injuries. As such, it would be surprising — per The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain— if the Bears engaged in serious extension talks with Jenkins’ camp this week. Pro Football Focus still views Jenkins as a higher-end guard, ranking him in the top 20 after slotting the Oklahoma State alum as a top-15 option in 2022 and ’23.
  • The Vikings have Cam Akers back in the fold, agreeing to a late-round pick-swap trade to acquire the running back for a second straight season. This will be Kevin O’Connell‘s third stint with the former Rams second-round pick. Despite the second Akers-O’Connell partnership ending with the running back sustaining the second Achilles tear of his career, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert notes the Vikings attempted to re-sign him before training camp. Akers opted for a Texans offer instead and did enough filling in for Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce to entice O’Connell and Co. to bring him back.
  • Jordan Addison was arrested on DUI charges in August, putting the second-year wide receiver on a path toward a suspension. The Vikings pass catcher appears a good bet to play most of this season, as ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert notes his court date has been moved to Dec. 3. Addison had been scheduled to appear in court Monday.
  • Not charged with a crime, Brandon McManus saw a civil suit lead to his exit from Washington. The NFL had ruled the veteran kicker would not be suspended as a result of the suit — one filed by two flight attendants part of a crew on a Jaguars London flight last year — and both McManus’ attorney and counsel for the plaintiffs confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky) the matter has been resolved. Neither party indicated if the resolution came via settlement or a judge dismissing the women’s suit. McManus was accused of sexual assault in the suit; he denied any wrongdoing. The former Broncos and Jaguars kicker will now be asked to step in for a Packers team that has been unable to find a reliable option post-Mason Crosby.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/24

October 15th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s NFL practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: T Spencer Rolland

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Amos is far-removed from his days as a full-time starter in the NFC North. With Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve, though, and only three safeties on the active roster, Amos could have an opportunity to make an impact in the Bay Area.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/24

October 12th, 2024 at 8:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions, including practice squad callups for Week 6:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

QB Rumors: Rodgers, Colts, Maye, Williams

October 10th, 2024 at 11:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers has now seen the offensive coordinator he has long backed, Nathaniel Hackett, stripped of play-calling duties. Interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich said Thursday the future Hall of Fame QB took his friend’s demotion in stride, calling Rodgers “supportive” of the choice, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Ulbrich said he talked to Rodgers and Jets offensive and defensive players before making that call. Hackett had begun to lose support in the locker room, and Robert Saleh was on the verge of either firing him or going through with the demotion Ulbrich ultimately carried out.

As for Rodgers’ role in Saleh’s firing, the quarterback vehemently denied complicity. Calling accusations he played a role in Saleh’s ouster “patently false,” Rodgers confirmed during his Pat McAfee Show appearance Woody Johnson‘s account the two talked Monday night. Seeing as the owner fired Saleh the next morning, it is a somewhat difficult sell that this topic never came up during the QB-owner conversation. However, Rodgers said (via Cimini) he and the longtime Jets owner discussed his ankle injury. Rodgers has been battling a low ankle sprain, playing through the malady. Also calling Saleh one of the reasons he delayed retirement to play for the Jets, Rodgers will now move forward with Todd Downing calling the shots and Hackett in an unspecified role.

Here is the latest from the QB ranks:

  • Giving Drake Maye first-team reps in training camp and during the season, the Patriots have now moved the No. 3 overall pick into the lineup. This comes after Jacoby Brissett has struggled in his season back in New England. The bridge quarterback ranks 28th in QBR but is playing with a bottom-end skill-position group and behind an O-line featuring key injuries. Still, the pivot to Maye — earlier than some anticipated — does not come as a knee-jerk reaction to Brissett’s performance against the Dolphins, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed notes. OC Alex Van Pelt had also said the team delaying Maye’s debut also had nothing to do with the current O-line composition. This Pats ramp-up period will be tested in Week 6, as Maye takes over against a 4-1 Texans team.
  • Anthony Richardson did not qualify as a game-time decision last week, per ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder, who indicates the second-year Colts QB was unable to move on the level he normally can. That led to Indianapolis downgrading its starter to doubtful the day before its Week 5 game. Optimism exists, based on “significant improvement” in his oblique rehab Richardson can go in Week 6. Richardson getting in a limited practice represents a good sign for his availability Sunday, though eyes will be on this situation after Joe Flacco proved more capable of moving the offense after early-season Richardson accuracy issues.
  • Concerns about Carl Williams’ involvement in his son Caleb‘s career have followed the former Heisman-winning passer, but the Bears received a positive report from now-Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury as they prepared for the draft. In discussing Caleb with Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus pre-draft, the recent USC QBs coach said he only saw Carl once at the Trojans’ practice facility, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, illustrating a more hands-off approach — at least, compared to public perception — from the prized prospect’s father. Carl Williams had made comments about his son having “two bites at the apple” regarding the NFL, inviting speculation the QB could return to school if he did not view the team with the No. 1 overall pick as a good fit. Caleb’s camp then tried to secure a no-franchise tag clause in his rookie deal — an unprecedented play the Bears shot down — and angled to be paid as an LLC for tax purposes. This invites some potential long-term issues for the Bears, but for now, the top pick’s development is their lone focus.

Bears Open Practice Window For DE Jacob Martin

October 9th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears are set to add some veteran depth to their pass rushing attack in a couple weeks after opening the 21-day practice window for defensive end Jacob Martin, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The opening of the window will give Martin three weeks to make his return to the active roster.

Martin opened the season on injured reserve with a toe injury. Thanks to new rules dictating NFL roster spots, teams were allowed to place two players on IR before the roster cut deadline and designate them to be able to return during the season. Before this rule change, any players placed on IR before the deadline would be lost for the season. Martin was one of Chicago’s two designations alongside offensive tackle Larry Borom.

After missing the first four games, both players were eligible to return to practice and the active roster, but it appears Borom and Martin each needed a bit more time. Borom’s window still has not been opened.

In his seventh NFL season, Martin is hoping to debut soon for the sixth team of his NFL career. Originally a sixth-round pick for the Seahawks out of Temple, Martin has also spent time with the Texans, Jets, Broncos, and Colts. His time in Seattle and Houston was the most productive of his career. Traded to the Texans after a three-sack rookie campaign, Martin collected 10.5 sacks in three years in Houston. He spent the final year of his rookie deal finally emerging as a full-time starter. Since then, he’s bounced around in minor roles.

Now that his practice window has been opened, Martin has 21 days to be activated from IR onto the active roster. If he’s unable to return to the 53-man roster after those three weeks, Martin will be relegated back to season-ending IR, unable to return in the 2024 NFL season. The Bears will hope to add him and bolster a group currently led by Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/24

October 9th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

Tennessee Titans

Wilson is a former collegiate basketball player who played for two years apiece at Idaho and Oregon State. He transitioned to football, transferring to Washington State for three years, appearing in 12 games in 2022 at right and left tackle. He then played in 13 basketball games for the Cougars before transferring to Minnesota and transitioning back to basketball for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Texans Place Nico Collins On Injured Reserve

October 9th, 2024 at 9:33am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Texans have placed wide receiver Nico Collins on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury suffered in Houston’s Week 5 win over the Bills, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

His absence will be a blow to the Texans offense, but Collins is expected to be back “sooner, rather than later,” according to Rapoport.

Collins is the NFL’s leading receiver with 567 yards through five weeks despite going down in the first quarter last week. Now, he’ll be sidelined until at least Week 9, depriving Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud of his most efficient and explosive offensive weapons.

Houston will lean on its receiver depth to withstand Collins’ absence, starting with offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs. The former Bill started out slow with 70 yards through two games, but he’s averaged 85 yards per game in Weeks 3 to 5 as his chemistry with Stroud improves. He will have to keep up the pace to help replace some of Collins’ production.

The Texans will also be hoping that second-year wideout Tank Dell can recapture some of his explosive rookie form now that he is recovered from the fractured fibula that ended his 2023 season and an offseason shooting. He is only averaging 34.3 yards per game after posting nearly double that last season, which is partially due to Collins’ emergence as an alpha and the arrival of Diggs. Dell could also be dealing with some physical limitations from his fibula surgery; Tony Pollard and Mark Andrews suffered similar injuries in recent years and had to work back up to their Pro Bowl level of play.

Collins’ injury could also mean more opportunities for third-year receiver John Metchie, who sat out his rookie year after a leukemia diagnosis. Metchie has been unable to carve out a role in the Texans offense since returning to the field in 2023, catching just 16 of his 30 targets for 158 yards. He has just one catch for seven yards in 2024 after watching the first three weeks from the sidelines as a healthy scratch. While the Texans are likely to rely on veteran Robert Woods as a known quantity and strong run-blocker, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik could take the opportunity to expand Metchie’s role and help him find his footing in the NFL.

The Texans signed tight end Teagan Quitoriano off the Bears’ practice squad to fill Collins’ spot on the 53-man roster, per Rapoport. Quitoriano was originally a Texans fifth-round pick in 2022 but struggled to stay healthy across his first two seasons. A preseason calf injury ultimately led to Quitoriano’s before the start of the regular season, and the Bears signed him to their practice squad a few weeks later. Now, Quitoriano will return to Houston after his brief stint in Chicago where he will take up a depth tight end role in the Texans’ offense.

Bears’ Teven Jenkins Still Aiming For Extension; Nate Davis Likely To Be Cut?

October 6th, 2024 at 2:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The guard position could see multiple changes for the Bears this offseason. Teven Jenkins is a pending free agent, while Nate Davis‘ pact does not include guaranteed money after the 2024 campaign.

Jenkins was eligible for an extension this offseason, and he attempted to start negotiations on a second contract. That effort was unsuccessful, though, which left the summer as a period for the 26-year-old to turn his attention on preparing for the 2024 campaign. A new commitment could still be worked out, but that may not be the case until after Chicago’s Week 7 bye.

Attempts on the part of Jenkins and his camp to agree to a new deal date back to the end of the 2023 season, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. After a poor rookie season spent as a right tackle, the former second-rounder found success by moving inside to guard and in doing so demonstrated his potential as an extension candidate. Jenkins drew favorable PFF evaluations in 2022 and ’23, although his early showings this season have not been graded as well.

The guard market has seen positive movement in recent years, and four players at that spot are now attached to an AAV of $20MM or more. Jenkins will not approach that mark on a new deal, but a raise would be in store if he and the Bears were to engage in serious negotiations for a second contract. Regardless of if that takes place, though, Davis’ future in the Windy City appears to be on shaky ground.

The former Titan inked a three-year, $30MM deal in free agency but did not live up to expectations last season. Davis was limited to 11 games and earned the second-lowest PFF grade of his career. His evaluation through the current season has not been encouraging either, and a release next offseason (before or after June 1) would produce $9.5MM in cap savings while only generating a $2MM dead money charge. As Biggs notes, it would come as no surprise if Davis were to be let go this spring.

That would create one vacancy for a starting guard spot, but of course that number could jump to two if Jenkins were allowed to depart in free agency. Without any contract talks taking place for now, plenty is left to be determined over the coming weeks up front for the Bears. The team’s offensive line – a unit which, Biggs adds, could see Ryan Bates activated from injured reserve after the bye – will certainly be worth watching closely as the campaign continues.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad updates around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Jermaine Jackson
  • Released: WR John Jiles

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released: DT Matt Gotel

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Broncos are bringing in the veteran running back Ahmed after he spent four years in Miami. Ahmed’s biggest role came in four starts as an undrafted rookie back in 2020 in which he rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns over six games. He served as a reliable backup for the Dolphins for the past few years.

The Chargers released Jefferson yesterday, but they’ll keep him around on the practice squad with today’s signing. The veteran adds some quality depth to the roster.

Load More Posts