Brian Hoyer - Pro Football Rumors

Bears’ Brian Hoyer Has Broken Arm

October 20th, 2016 at 9:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a broken arm during tonight’s game, head coach John Fox told sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson of CBS (Twitter link). The injury was to Hoyer’s non-throwing arm, but he’ll still be sidelined for awhile.

Hoyer had played well since taking over for an injured Jay Cutler during Week 2, completing more than 68% of his passes for 1,396, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. The 31-year-old had thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his four starts, but the Bears only managed to post a 1-3 record during that time. Hoyer is set to become a free agent at season’s end.

Hoyer may have had a shot to permanently displace Cutler in the Windy City, as Fox indicated earlier this month that Hoyer had a chance to remain the Bears’ starter even after Cutler returned. “Anybody’s that performing well, I don’t think we’re going to be likely to change,” Fox said at the time. Now, Cutler is likely to regain his job once he comes back from a thumb injury.

With Hoyer sidelined, the Bears turned to backup quarterback Matt Barkley, the only other signal-caller on the roster. Chicago will surely add another QB in the coming days, but the club isn’t currently carrying a quarterback on its practice squad.

Latest On Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer

October 9th, 2016 at 9:07am CST by Rory Parks

Jay Cutler is nearing a return from his thumb injury, but he may not have a job to come back to, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Brian Hoyer has played reasonably well in Cutler’s absence, leading the Bears to a victory over division-rival Detroit last week, and La Canfora reports that Cutler has fallen out of favor with some on the coaching staff. He writes, “There were some heated words exchanged between coaches following Cutler’s last appearance, sources said, about whether he should have been out of that game sooner, and Cutler’s status in the Bears’ locker room has long been under debate.”

This report jives with head coach John Fox‘s comments earlier this week, when he stated that Hoyer will remain the starter if he continues to play well. And with the Jaguars and Colts next on the docket for the Bears, there is a good chance that Hoyer will indeed continue to play well, at least for the next several weeks. While Hoyer will never be the type of quarterback that can take a team to the promised land, at this point he appears to be just as effective as Cutler, and he comes at a fraction of the cost.

After all, although Cutler is signed through 2020, he has no more guaranteed money left on his deal after this season, so it will be easy for Fox and GM Ryan Pace–who inherited Cutler from the prior regime–to release Cutler and begin the search for a long-term solution under center while using a quarterback like Hoyer as a placeholder.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com lends support to La Canfora’s story, tweeting that, “This is Brian Hoyer’s job to win. If he continues to thrive, he’ll start. Door is open.” Barring some sort of unexpected turnaround, then, it appears that Cutler will not be Chicago much longer. To paraphrase a Chicago Tribune story from several weeks ago, the end of Jay Cutler’s tenure with the Bears feels as real as it ever has.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Bears To Start Brian Hoyer Over Jay Cutler?

October 3rd, 2016 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Could this be the end of the Jay Cutler era in Chicago? The Bears have have enjoyed some success with Brian Hoyer under center and coach John Fox indicated today that he will remain the starter if he continues to play well. “Anybody’s that performing well, I don’t think we’re going to be likely to change,” Fox said (Twitter link via Chris Emma of 670 The Score).

Cutler has been sidelined with a sprained thumb, leaving Hoyer to start the Bears’ last two games. The Bears lost to the Cowboys in Week 3, but they bounced back with a 17-14 victory over the Lions yesterday. Hoyer obviously isn’t the long-term answer for Chicago under center, but it’s fair to speculate that the team might not want to continue with Cutler either. Cutler is set to count for $16MM against the Bears cap in 2017 but the team could release him and be on the hook for just $2MM in dead money.

In three games (two starts), Hoyer has completed more than 69% of his passes while throwing four touchdowns against zero interceptions.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Patriots, Hoyer, Turner, Dolphins

May 4th, 2016 at 9:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have 30 players on expiring deals this year, as CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran writes. That group includes notables such as linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, defensive ends Rob Ninkovich and Jabaal Sheard, defensive backs Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon and Malcolm Butler (restricted free agent), and special teams ace Matthew Slater. Ultimately, it all adds up to a complex puzzle for Bill Belichick & Co. as they look to retain their best players.

Brian Hoyer‘s one-year, $2MM deal with the Bears includes $750K in guaranteed cash, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Hoyer’s deal has a $250K base and could also bring him a $500K Super Bowl bonus. Click here for more on what Hoyer’s signing means for Chicago.
Panthers guard Trai Turner has hired agent Ron Butler for representation, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald questions the Dolphins‘ willingness to continue to trust agent Jimmy Sexton, noting that the team has “been burned multiple times by Sexton doing what is best for his clients.” Sexton negotiated Ndamukong Suh‘s deal with the Dolphins last March, and also represents head coach Adam Gase and new draftee Laremy Tunsil, among others. So, as Salguero points out, the agent has been involved in plenty of franchise-altering decisions.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Bears To Sign Brian Hoyer

April 30th, 2016 at 7:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

7:19pm: Hoyer’s one-year deal is worth $2MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

6:18pm: The Bears have agreed to sign quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). A report earlier this week indicated that Hoyer was likely to wait until after the draft to find a new home, and it appears he’s done just that, agreeing to terms with Chicago less than an hour after the conclusion of the draft. It’ll be a one-year pact for Hoyer, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Hoyer didn’t want for suitors after he was released by the Texans earlier this month, as both the Broncos and Jets expressed interest in adding Hoyer to their respective quarterback rooms. Hoyer took visits with both clubs, but both Denver and New York drafted quarterbacks — Paxton Lynch and Christian Hackenberg, respectively — in the first two rounds of the draft. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (Twitter link), Hoyer and his camp were waiting for the Broncos’ and Jets’ QB situations to clear up before deciding where to sign. New York, in fact, was not in the mix for Hoyer as he neared a final decision, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.

The Bears signing of Hoyer doesn’t come completely out of left field, as a report earlier this month linked the 30-year-old signal-caller to Chicago. The Bears, in fact, were one of three clubs that had offers out to Hoyer, joining the Steelers and Cowboys as a team that had interest in adding Hoyer as a backup quarterback. Hoyer will head to Windy City to back up Jay Cutler, and he’ll reunite with Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who was the Browns’ QB coach when Hoyer started 13 games in 2014.

Hoyer posted the best season of his career in 2015, completing 60% of his passes for more than 2,600 yards while throwing 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. After leading the Texans to a 5-4 record in his nine starts, Hoyer’s streak of good play ended in the first round of the playoffs, when he threw four interceptions as Houston was shut out by the Chiefs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Out On Hoyer; Three Teams Have Made Offers

April 29th, 2016 at 6:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

On the heels of selecting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch with the 26th pick in the draft, the Broncos informed free agent Brian Hoyer on Friday that they won’t be signing him, Mike Klis of 9News reports. The Broncos will instead go forth with their current signal-calling trio that consists of veteran starter Mark Sanchez, Lynch and second-year man Trevor Siemian.

General manager John Elway doesn’t currently intend to add any more QBs because he doesn’t want to take reps from any of Sanchez, Lynch or Siemian. Further, team brass is confident that Sanchez is a good fit for head coach Gary Kubiak‘s West Coast offense. Sanchez, whom the Broncos acquired last month from the Eagles for a conditional pick, has struggled mightily since going fifth overall to the Jets in the 2009 draft. However, he was part of two Jets teams whose strong defenses helped lead them to back-to-back AFC title games. The Broncos, of course, won the Super Bowl last season on the strength of their all-world defense and figure to continue stymieing opposing offenses next season.

Prior to adding Lynch, the Broncos visited with Hoyer shortly after the Texans released him this month. They wanted to sign Hoyer as of last week, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link), but Thursday’s developments obviously changed that. Hoyer has offers to serve as a backup with the Steelers, Cowboys and Bears, per Renck, and will decide his next team soon. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune corroborated Renck’s report that the Bears are in on Hoyer (via Twitter).

The 30-year-old Hoyer made 11 appearances (nine starts) for the Texans in 2015 and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60 percent of his passes and racked up 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The AFC South-winning Texans went 5-4 in Hoyer’s starts, but his horrible first-round playoff showing (four interceptions in a 30-0 loss to Kansas City) helped lead to the signing of ex-Bronco Brock Osweiler, thus sealing Hoyer’s fate in Houston.

Brian Hoyer To Sign After Draft

April 27th, 2016 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer plans to wait to see how the draft plays out this week before choosing where to sign, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). That means that Hoyer’s free agency will drag until next week.

Hoyer visited the Jets and Broncos earlier this month and there are reportedly “at least” half a dozen teams with interest in signing him. Both teams, of course, are currently scouring the market for quarterback options. The Broncos ID’d Colin Kaepernick as a target weeks ago, but talks with the 49ers are on hold after Kaepernick refused to take a drastic pay cut. The Jets, meanwhile, are at a standstill in their negotiations with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Gang Green is reportedly fixated on Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch and if they ultimately select him, that could cause both Hoyer and Fitzpatrick to lose out on a suitor.

Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in Hoyer’s starts, but he became expendable when the team went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month. The Texans released the veteran, though GM Rick Smith contends that he could have traded him for a draft pick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

South Notes: Texans, Jaguars, Saints

April 22nd, 2016 at 4:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Texans exercised the fifth-year option on receiver DeAndre Hopkins‘ contract last week and ensured he’ll be under their control through at least 2017. Not surprisingly, their focus now is to lock him up for the long haul, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle details. The 23-year-old Hopkins certainly seems open to an extension with Houston, having said in February that, “If I can play my whole career here, I would. I love this place.” No deal is imminent, a source told Wilson, but a new accord for Hopkins would surely make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid wideouts. After racking up 76 catches for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in 2014, his second season, the 2013 first-rounder from Clemson improved his numbers across the board last year. Hopkins totaled 111 catches, 1,521 yards and 11 scores en route to his first Pro Bowl nod.

Here’s more on the AFC South and one NFC South club:

Texans general manager Rick Smith believes he could have ultimately traded Brian Hoyer for a draft pick, but he decided releasing the quarterback last week was the better option for both parties, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. “There may have been some value there for us organizationally, but we felt like this was the right time,” Smith said.
Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com came away from the Jaguars’ draft luncheon Friday convinced that UCLA linebacker Myles Jack will be their pick if he’s on the board at No. 5 overall. Jaguars brass, led by GM David Caldwell and head coach Gus Bradley, loves Jack’s blend of coverage and rush skills, according to Carlyon. Jack is seventh months removed from a torn meniscus, but CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported earlier this week that it shouldn’t hurt his draft stock.
Former Saints receiver Robert Meachem, who’s looking to make a comeback after missing all of last season, worked out for the club Friday, reports Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate. The Saints used Friday to test Meachem’s speed and conditioning and will have him back in three weeks for on-field work, tweets Leslie Spoon of WWL-TV. New Orleans took Meachem in the first round of the 2007 draft and he went on to catch 141 passes and 23 touchdowns with the team before signing with the Chargers in 2012. After an unproductive season in San Diego, Meachem rejoined the Saints and amassed just 23 receptions and two scores in 26 games from 2013-14.

Jets Notes: Fitzpatrick, Hoyer, Wilkerson

April 22nd, 2016 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

As they have insisted for the last month and a half, the Jets said again today that re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick remains their top priority when it comes to adding a quarterback to the roster. As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets, general manager Mike Maccagnan said that the team’s visit with Brian Hoyer was “due diligence,” and that the club’s focus is Fitzpatrick.

Although the Jets want to bring back Fitzpatrick, the team won’t alter its draft plans based on whether or not the veteran is back under contract by next Thursday, according to Maccagnan (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). The Jets GM said today that he’d consider selecting a QB “at any point in the draft” (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).

Let’s round up a few more Jets-related items…

Maccagnan said today that the Jets aren’t actively shopping Muhammad Wilkerson. However as Cimini points out (via Twitter), this may simply be an issue of semantics. Cimini and Mehta (Twitter link) both believe Gang Green would like to trade Wilkerson.
One scenario that’s not in play for Wilkerson? His franchise tag won’t be rescinded like Josh Norman‘s was in Carolina, Maccagnan said today (Twitter link via Mehta).
Maccagnan acknowledged that he and the Jets did inquire about the No. 1 overall pick in the draft before the Titans sent it to Los Angeles (Twitter link via Costello).
The Jets have a solid starting duo at wide receiver, in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but the team uses plenty of four-wideout packages, and may explore adding to its receiving corps at some point during the draft, writes Cimini in an ESPN.com piece.

Latest On Brian Hoyer

April 22nd, 2016 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

After visiting the Jets and Broncos this week, free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer doesn’t have any other visits lined up, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A source tells Florio that Hoyer’s plan for now is to head home and let things “percolate” for a few days, while staying in touch with the Jets and Broncos.

ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweeted on Wednesday that Hoyer would likely find a new home quickly, and added yesterday that the veteran signal-caller has “at least six teams” interested in him. However, nothing is imminent at the moment, according to Florio, who suggests that Hoyer won’t rush into a deal.

The Jets and Broncos both have several balls in the air — Gang Green remains in a holding pattern with Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is still the team’s preferred option, while the Broncos are in a similar holding pattern with Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. Both teams may also use the draft to add a quarterback.

Outside of New York and Denver, there aren’t many landing spots that would allow Hoyer to compete for a starting job right away, so it makes sense that he’d prefer to wait to see if either of those clubs wants to sign him. The alternative would be joining a team for whom he’d be the clear-cut backup, such as the Cowboys. Along with Dallas, the Bears and Steelers have also been mentioned as possible suitors for Hoyer, though it’s not entirely clear how serious those teams are about the ex-Texan.

Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in Hoyer’s starts, but he he became expendable when the team went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.