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NFC Notes: Stafford, Palmer, Lockette

November 13th, 2015 at 10:42am CST by Luke Adams

After surveying seven NFL coaches and personnel men, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com say the results were unanimous, with those sources suggesting the Lions would be “foolish” to part with Matthew Stafford in 2016. Although Stafford could net a nice haul of draft picks for Detroit, the fact that there’d be no obvious replacement in free agency or the draft makes it unlikely that the Lions make a move.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

With Carson Palmer having another strong season in Arizona, the Cardinals now firmly believe that the veteran can be the team’s quarterback “for years to come,” according to Schefter and Mortensen. Assuming Palmer doesn’t run into any serious health problems, the Cards believe Palmer can play out his current contract – which voids after the 2017 season – and may want to retain him beyond that.
Defensive back DeShawn Shead wasn’t the only player to receive a $25K signing bonus from the Seahawks this week — according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Seattle did the same thing for wide receiver Ricardo Lockette. While $25K isn’t a huge amount for an NFL player, teams don’t often simply give a player a mid-season bonus without making any other changes to his contract, so it’s a commendable move by the Seahawks — particularly if it happened after Lockette underwent season-ending neck surgery.
With a game against the Bears on tap this weekend, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher admitted to reporters that he viewed Jay Cutler as the top quarterback prospect in the 2006 NFL draft, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. Of course, Fisher – who was coaching the Titans at the time, and didn’t yet have final say on draft decisions – ended up with Vince Young, the third overall pick in that draft.
The Giants will work out former Eastern Washington tackle Jake Rodgers next Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Rodgers was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round of this year’s draft, but was cut prior to the regular season.

NFC North Notes: Patterson, Bennett, Lions

November 5th, 2015 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

With Stefon Diggs emerging as the Vikings‘ top explosive young receiver, a role that Cordarrelle Patterson had previously been expected to occupy, Patterson tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’s not worried about his future in Minnesota.

“I don’t need to worry about my future,” Patterson said. “I’m here. I’m here for a reason. If they wanted to let me go, they would have let me go when the trade [deadline] was here. I’m not worried about anything.”

Although Patterson isn’t sure why he’s barely seen the field this year, he says he just wants “to control what I can control,” and is trying to make the most of his limited snaps. Here’s more from around the NFC North:

Bears tight end Martellus Bennett doesn’t sound thrilled by his role in the Bears’ offense, but tells Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times he’s not going to complain about not getting more looks. “That’s a bad employee,” Bennett said. “I just kinda keep my head down and go to work. Because when you say something, you become the a–hole, even if it’s a valid point. So I just avoid drama.”
Bears GM Ryan Pace has scouted Cal’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook in person this season, and will constantly be on the lookout for the type of elite franchise quarterback he had in New Orleans with Drew Brees. Still, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes, Jay Cutler has shown positive signs under new offensive coordinator Adam Gase, and the guaranteed salary left on his contract suggests he’s likely to be Chicago’s quarterback again in 2016.
While Sheldon White is taking over for Martin Mayhew as the Lions‘ general manager on an interim basis, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com identifies five potential candidate for the permanent GM job in Detroit.

Latest On Matt Forte, Bears

October 4th, 2015 at 8:49am CST by Rory Parks

As NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport correctly points out, the Bears’ recent trades of Jared Allen and Jonathan Bostic do not exactly constitute a “fire sale,” a term that has been generously applied to those transactions over the past week. After all, trading two players who were not integral to the team’s defense moving forward does not signal that the Bears are going to tear their roster apart and play for the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2016.

Nonetheless, according to one rival general manager, Chicago has essentially told the other 31 teams in the league that they should not be afraid to ask if they are interested in someone on the roster. Rapoport writes that there are only a few players the Bears would not consider trading, and the list is fairly predictable: Kevin White, Kyle Long, Alshon Jeffery, Kyle Fuller, and Pernell McPhee. Noticeably absent from that group, of course, are Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.

It has been reported that the Bears considered dealing both Cutler and Forte during the draft, though a source familiar with the team’s thinking says the conversations regarding Forte never happened. And, although rumors surrounding Forte have heated up in the wake of Chicago’s disappointing start, it would be difficult for the Bears to recoup much value in a Forte trade, given the back’s age (30 in December) and salary (over $7MM).

That does not mean, though, that the Bears are not trying. Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, they are more than willing to deal the two-time Pro Bowler, who has been one of the club’s few bright spots this season, but they would want at least a second- or third-round draft pick in exchange. It would take a special set of circumstances for Chicago to net that type of return for Forte–perhaps a team with legitimate championship aspirations losing their starting running back to injury–and even then, any trade would likely not happen until closer to the November 3 deadline, when the Bears’ asking price would be more likely to drop.

As for Cutler, his declining production and contract have continued to make the prospects of any trade remote. But if you’re a GM and there is someone on the Bears that intrigues you, apparently all you have to do is ask; Ryan Pace is willing to listen.

Bears Notes: Allen, Young, Forte, Ratliff

September 29th, 2015 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

NFL teams typically don’t make many trades once the season begins, since new offensive and defensive systems can be tricky to learn on the fly, and salary cap considerations and draft pick compensation can make it challenging to find the right deal. However, the Bears were certainly active on Monday, consummating two trades that sent defensive players out of town. Chicago sent veteran pass rusher Jared Allen to the Panthers, then dealt linebacker Jon Bostic to the Patriots.

The Bears have lost their first three games, have seen their starting quarterback – Jay Cutler – go down with an injury, and have now traded away two key contributors on defense. Everything points to the team looking ahead to the 2016 season, as the rebuilding process moves forward under new head coach John Fox.

Here’s the latest out of Chicago, with plenty of items on those two trades:

Ken Harris, Allen’s agent, tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that the trade process for his client began when Allen and Bears GM Ryan Pace discussed a mutually beneficial option for both of them. Presumably, both the player and team decided a trade would be the best course of action.
Pace issued a statement yesterday, indicating that the Bears’ depth at linebacker allowed them to trade Allen, and adding that the team “will continue to be aggressive in finding ways to improve.” Head coach John Fox also noted that moving Allen will give Willie Young a chance to play more (Twitter links via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune).
The disastrous Allen contract is a good lesson for Pace and the Bears, who should focus on building through the draft in the future, rather than trying to build through free agency, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes, Allen is the third big contract jettisoned by the Bears this year — the team also cut Tim Jennings and his guaranteed salary, and traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets a year after extending him.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the Bears to listen on trade offers for running back Matt Forte, whose contract expires after the season. In Dickerson’s view, it’s also worth gauging interest on Cutler, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett.
As two defenders depart, another returns — nose tackle Jeremiah Ratliff is back today from his three-game suspension, and the Bears will have a roster exemption until Thursday for him, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. By Thursday, Chicago will have to either cut Ratliff or officially give him a spot on the 53-man roster.

NFC Notes: Cutler, Brees, Cowboys, Eagles

September 22nd, 2015 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Backup Jimmy Clausen will now start in Cutler’s absence, but one has to wonder if Chicago might look out-of-house for veteran reinforcements if Cutler is out for an extended period of time. At the very least, David Fales could be in line for a promotion from the practice squad.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees believes there’s a reasonable possibility he overcomes his rotator cuff injury enough to play in Week 3, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links). It will require an aggressive rehab process, and Brees and the Saints will have to see how the injury responds to that rehab and treatment.
The Cowboys are still mulling whether or not to use their IR-DTR slot on Tony Romo, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. In the meantime, Dallas is auditioning several signal-callers. In addition to the names we heard reported yesterday, McLeod Bethel-Thompson will also work out for the club, per Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link).
The Eagles plan on bringing quarterback Stephen Morris, who was just released from the 53-man roster, back to their practice squad, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Morris will have to clear waivers today first.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Injury Updates: Cutler, Lacy, Boyd, Adams

September 21st, 2015 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

While we don’t cover every NFL injury at Pro Football Rumors, we keep a close eye on them nonetheless, and we’ll often pass along injury news if it pertains to a key player, or if a team may have to make a roster move due to an injury. Here are some of the latest noteworthy updates on injuries sustained by players during this weekend’s games:

NFC:

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has a strained hamstring, according to head coach John Fox, who added that the Bears haven’t decided whether or not to add another QB to the roster this week (Twitter links via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune).
Packers running back Eddie Lacy sprained his ankle against the Seahawks last night, but the injury is minor and he could play in Week 3, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
While the initial diagnosis on Packers defensive tackle Josh Boyd suggested that his ankle injury may not be too significant, an MRI revealed torn ankle ligaments, and his season is now in jeopardy, tweets Rapoport.
Falcons running back Tevin Coleman fractured a rib yesterday, and will likely be sidelined for a couple weeks, depending on his pain threshold, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Despite the injury, head coach Dan Quinn said he doesn’t anticipating adding another running back to the roster, according to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link).
Panthers wideout Jerricho Cotchery has a high ankle sprain, which is often a multi-week injury, but the team hopes he’ll be ready for Week 3, says Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
Cardinals receiver J.J. Nelson is expected to miss two to four weeks with a shoulder injury, according to head coach Bruce Arians (Twitter link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic).

AFC:

Texans offensive lineman Jeff Adams suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). It’s a season-ending injury for Adams, who figures to land on the team’s injured reserve list this week.
Bills defensive back Aaron Williams sustained what appeared to be one of the more serious injuries of Week 2, but head coach Rex Ryan passed along some positive news today, indicating that Williams was back at the team’s facility and is “doing OK.” As Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News details, Ryan said it’s probably a stretch to think Williams will be back for this Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, but it sounds like he avoided a significant injury.
Jaguars running back Denard Robinson‘s knee injury is a sprained MCL, and he’s considered week to week, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links).

Jay Cutler Out With Hamstring Injury

September 20th, 2015 at 2:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jay Cutler went to the locker room after being injured attempting to make a tackle after an interception before halftime of the contest against the Cardinals. After being looked at by team officials, the Bears have announced that he is out with a hamstring injury and will not return, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).

Jimmy Clausen has taken over under center for the Bears, and the team does not have another active quarterback behind him. Cutler had played well prior to that interception.

The bigger concern is how serious the injury is for Cutler. Hamstring injuries often linger throughout the season, although more commonly effecting receivers and running backs. Often they can cause players to miss significant time.

Cutler isn’t necessarily a threat to run, but a hamstring issue would make it difficult to throw the ball downfield. It is unclear which leg was injured, but either or could threat the immediate future of the Bears’ starting quarterback. Whether it is his plant foot or his drive leg, a serious strain could keep him on the sidelines for a few weeks.

In that case, the team would need to bring in another quarterback to back up Clausen, even if only for a few games.

Bears Discuss No. 2 Pick With Titans

April 30th, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Luke Adams

6:33pm: Besides the Eagles, the Bears are the team pushing hardest for the No. 2 pick, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Kuharsky passes along word from ESPN’s Bob Holtzman (Twitter link) that the Bears have tried to stir up interest in Cutler, but the Titans have no interest.

2:51pm: A handful of teams, including the Eagles, Browns, Jets, and Rams, continue to be cited as potential Marcus Mariota suitors, linked to the second overall pick in the draft. Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has added another club to that list. According to Rapoport (Twitter links via Shayne L. Marsaw), the Bears have touched base with the Titans about the possibility of moving up to No. 2.

The Bears, who currently hold the No. 7 overall pick, would certainly have an easier time moving up from their spot than a team like the Eagles (No. 20) would, but there are several notable roadblocks impeding a potential deal. For one, the team has Jay Cutler under contract, and while the new regime hasn’t exactly been overflowing with praise for the incumbent quarterback, the guaranteed money still left on his contract would make it difficult to simply move on from him.

Additionally, the Bears have a number of other holes on their roster, and will likely be in the market for players who will fit their new defensive scheme — surrendering multiple picks to move up for Mariota would significantly hinder the club’s ability to add talent at several different positions.

Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) suggests that the Bears’ primary needs are at wide receiver, tight end, cornerback, and safety, and landing a pass rusher wouldn’t hurt either. Giving up another premium pick to move up from No. 7 to draft a quarterback would leave Chicago with plenty of question marks, putting pressure on the club to nail its mid-round picks.

Bears Notes: McDonald, Forte, Cutler

April 28th, 2015 at 5:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Bears defensive end Ray McDonald hasn’t been charged despite a sexual assault allegation in December, and said Tuesday he’s “extremely confident” he will not be, Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “I had two incidences as to where I feel like I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “But, still, it’s in the spotlight. It was in the national spotlight for quite some time. I’m just trying to move forward from it. I’m a Bear now. I’m just trying to help this team win football games.” More from Chicago..

When asked about the whereabouts of running back Matt Forte, John Fox replied: “I prefer he’d be here,” according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter). Forte has been absent from the team’s voluntary workouts and, ostensibly, is looking for a contract extension.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler acknowledged that his relationship with former teammate Brandon Marshall wasn’t the best. “We’ve had our ups and downs and back-and-forths,” the quarterback said of the wide receiver (via Jahns on Twitter).
TE Gator Hoskins, G/C Ronald Patrick, NT Derrick Hopkins, OLB Rakim Cox, S Malcolm Bronson are all tryout players at the Bears’ minicamp, Jahns tweets.

North Notes: Steelers, Cutler, Patterson

March 25th, 2015 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL has informed the Steelers that the seventh-round compensatory pick the team received will actually be a sixth-rounder (Twitter link). The league initially miscommunicated the pick, which will now be the 212nd selection rather than the 252nd (Twitter link). Conversely, the Broncos‘ sixth-round compensatory pick (No. 208) will be bumped down to a seventh-rounder (No. 250), according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter). We’ll update our list of draft picks by round and by team this afternoon to reflect the change.

Let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFL’s two North divisions….

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (all Twitter links), Bears decision-makers, including new head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace, discussed Jay Cutler‘s contract as the guarantee date for more of the QB’s salary neared earlier this offseason. After meeting with Cutler, the Bears’ brass left convinced that he’s their guy going forward.
If there was any doubt about the Vikings‘ commitment to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, head coach Mike Zimmer cleared things up on Tuesday, as Chris Wesseling of NFL.com details. According to Zimmer, there’s “no chance whatsoever” that the team will trade Patterson this year.
Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams will visit the Ravens prior to next month’s draft, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
The Lions aren’t pursuing tampering charges against the Dolphins in regard to Miami’s pursuit of Ndamukong Suh prior to the start of this month’s free agent period, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Of course, just because Detroit isn’t pushing for it, that doesn’t mean the league isn’t looking into a potential violation by the Dolphins and other teams who reportedly reached agreements with free agents prior to March 10.