Kyle Fuller (CB) - Pro Football Rumors

Bears Decline Kyle Fuller’s Option

April 29th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but GM Ryan Pace says the Bears will decline cornerback Kyle Fuller‘s fifth-year option (Twitter link via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times). The Bears technically had until May 3 to make the call, but this isn’t a decision they were really struggling with.

Fuller underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in August and spent the entire season on IR. At one point, the team designated him for return, but he never made it back to the field. The former first-round pick started in 30 of 32 games in 2014 and 2015 and actually intercepted six passes, but Fuller didn’t quite live up to what Chicago had in mind when selecting him No. 14 overall.

There’s still time for Fuller to get back on track, but the Bears did not want to risk being on the hook for $8.526MM in the case of an injury. While he looks to prove himself, he’ll play out the year at a reasonable $3.08MM cap number.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Bears, Eagles, Cards

December 21st, 2016 at 7:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Multiple concussions have felled superstar Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly this season, though the 25-year-old unsurprisingly told media Wednesday that he isn’t mulling retirement. “I’m holding off that retirement word for a little ways down the road,” he said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “It’s something you appreciate everybody concerned with how you’re doing, but whenever my opportunity comes back I’ll be back out there.” Kuechly has recovered from the concussion that he suffered Nov. 17, but the Panthers haven’t cleared him to return to action. Considering they’re 6-8 and all but out of playoff contention, it would behoove the defending NFC champions to keep Kuechly out until next season.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Fuller, Vikes, Peterson

November 30th, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears announced last week that defensive back Kyle Fuller would be their IR/return player, and Fuller is practicing today for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve in late September. This opens the 21-day window for the team to evaluate the former first-round pick. Chicago head coach John Fox said last week he would be “surprised” if Fuller wasn’t participating in workouts soon, and that level of optimism could be an indication that Fuller could return to game action quickly.

Here’s more out of Chicago:

The Bears tried out tight ends Kivon Cartwright and J.P. Holtz, defensive back Justin Currie, and linebacker John Lotulelei this week, according to Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com (Twitter link). Chicago also auditioned linebacker Wynton McManis, who has since joined San Francisco’s practice squad. The Bears have been hit with injuries at nearly every level of their offense and defense, and could be aiming for additional depth as the year comes to a close.
Adrian Peterson is “way ahead” of schedule, according to fellow Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon, who keeps in touch with Peterson, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Peterson is currently going through the rehab process with an eye on a December return, and a report yesterday indicated that he had engaged in some light running during practice sessions.
Earlier this week, the Bears placed veteran linebacker Danny Trevathan on injured reserve after he ruptured his patella tendon, and used the open roster spot to promote rookie wide receiver Daniel Braverman from the practice squad.
The Packers and Bears are among the NFL clubs that are expressing interest in a pair of Australian Rugby League players.

Bears’ Kyle Fuller To Return From IR

November 25th, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller is primed to come back from injured reserve, perhaps early next week, head coach John Fox said Friday.

“I’d be pretty surprised depending on how it goes after [Friday] because he had a pretty brisk workout [Friday], if he’s not practicing Monday,” Fox told Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Fuller underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in August and has been on IR since Sept. 27. Once the Bears designate him to return, they’ll have a three-week window to activate the 24-year-old. At 2-8, Chicago’s hopes for 2016 are dashed, but it would be beneficial for the team to continue evaluating Fuller in advance of the offseason. The Bears have to decide on Fuller’s fifth-year option for 2018 by the spring, though they’re unlikely to exercise it, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wrote in September. A 2014 first-round pick, Fuller has started in 30 of 32 games – including all 16 last year – and intercepted six passes.

When Fuller comes back, the season will officially end for another of the Bears’ recent first-rounders, receiver Kevin White. The second-year man landed on IR on Oct. 5 with a fractured fibula. Injuries have limited White to just four games since the Bears chose him seventh overall in 2015.

Bears To Bring CB Kyle Fuller Back?

November 21st, 2016 at 2:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears may be looking to designated cornerback Kyle Fuller for return from injured reserve, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Fuller will take his first step towards game action when he practices on Wednesday. If everything checks out, he may get to play again this season.

Teams are only permitted to bring one player back from IR during the season, but it sounds like Kevin White‘s season is through either way. From what Biggs hears (Twitter link), it sounds like it will be either Fuller returning or no one returning. The team was hoping that White could return from leg surgery, but he was not able to recover in time for this season. To date, White has only 191 NFL snaps to his credit.

It will be interesting to see how the increased uncertainty around White affects the Bears’ offseason plans. The Bears cannot reasonably give Alshon Jeffery a franchise tag for the second year in a row and a long-term deal may be ill-advised after his recent positive test for PEDs. However, White was supposed to be the heir apparent at wide receiver. If they cannot trust White to stay upright for a full season, they may have to bite the bullet and work out a new deal with Jeffery.

Bears Place Kyle Fuller On IR

September 27th, 2016 at 7:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears have lost another key defender, as the club announced that cornerback Kyle Fuller has been placed on injured reserve. Fuller could return from IR at some point, down the line, but he’ll have to miss a minimum of eight weeks.

[RELATED: Bears Sign Joique Bell]

Fuller, 24, hasn’t played yet this season while battling a knee injury. The third-year pro underwent a knee scope last month, and his recovery has gone much slower than expected. A full-time starter in each of his first two seasons, Fuller’s loss is just another blow to a Chicago defense that can’t afford many more hits. For now, the Bears will lean on Tracy Porter, Jacoby Glenn, Bryce Callahan, Deiondre’ Hall, and others to hold down the fort in the secondary.

Chicago sits at 0-3 on the season, and their lackluster play on the defensive side of the ball has contributed to the club’s woes, as the Bears’ defense ranks 27th in DVOA. The Bears have already lost Lamarr Houston for the season, while Danny Trevathan and Eddie Goldman will miss several weeks with their own injuries.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Updates: Sunday

October 19th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Rory Parks

Several big names who have been contending with injuries are expected to suit up for their Week 7 matchups today. Be sure to check back here when the games begin to keep an eye on any significant injuries that may arise over the course of today’s action:

Falcons‘ offensive lineman Peter Konz will have an MRI tomorrow, but a source has said that the injury is considered to be severe and will cost him the trip to London if not more, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bills‘ running back Fred Jackson‘s injury is thought to keep him out of the lineup for a maximum of four weeks, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He notes that four weeks is the worst-case scenario.

Earlier Updates:

Fred Jackson suffered a groin injury during today’s game, and he will miss at least two weeks, per La Canfora (on Twitter). The Bills have a bye during Week 9, so it’s possible the veteran running back could return for Week 10.
Bears first-round cornerback Kyle Fuller has suffered a broken hand in addition to a hip pointer, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). There’s no word on how long the rookie will be sidelined, but as La Canfora notes, “it’s hard to play corner [with one] hand.”
In an unfortunate turn of events, Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman broke his foot during warmups, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Terry Blount of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had already been dealing with concussion issues during recent weeks, and now head coach Marvin Lewis tells reporters, including Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link), that Burfict has a “cervical neck strain.”
Having recovered from a minor groin injury, Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers was forced from today’s game against the Chiefs with a concussion, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
Ravens long-snapper Morgan Cox tore his ACL, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Harbaugh confirms the team will immediately begin looking for a new LS.
Saints center Jonathan Goodwin had to be helped off the field during Sunday’s loss to the Lions, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Tim Lelito is Goodwin’s direct backup.
Also per Sessler, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo suffered a pectoral injury today, and will undergo an MRI tomorrow. A significant injury to Orakpo could mean more playing time for rookie Trent Murphy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Bengals WR A.J. Green will not play against the Colts.
Saints TE Jimmy Graham is expected to take the field against the Lions today, but he wants to test his shoulder prior to the game before officially declaring himself ready, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter adds (via Twitter) that even if Graham does play, he is not expected to start, and NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that he expects the Saints to use Graham in red-zone packages as they have done when he has been banged up in the past.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin, who has been dealing with a concussion, has been cleared to play against the Packers this afternoon.

OTA Previews: Panthers, Bears, Seahawks

May 26th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Rory Parks

It’s the calm before the storm tonight, as most teams are set to begin OTAs either tomorrow or Wednesday. Given that, let’s take a quick look at some of the main storylines to follow as we inch ever closer to training camp:

Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer summarizes the uncertainty facing the Panthers after they replaced nearly their entire secondary and drew criticism for the way they handled their receiving corps. Person wonders who will replace Steve Smith as the team’s primary receiving threat, if Byron Bell is ready to slide over to left tackle, and if Ed Dickson can rekindle the embers of high-level ability he once flashed in Baltimore.
Like the Panthers, the Bears are prepared to head into the season with a pair of new safeties, and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune describes the positional battle about to unfold between incumbent Chris Conte and new additions like Ryan Mundy and Brock Vereen.
Staying on the Bears, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune looks at the adjustments first-round pick Kyle Fuller will have to make as he enters his first OTAs, and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune takes a deeper look at Shea McClellin‘s transition from defensive end to linebacker.
Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com looks at what the Redskins must do to fix a special teams unit that floundered in 2013.
Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes that the Chargers will continue to focus on pursuit as OTAs unfold, a concept that escaped them far too often last year, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Manti Te’o enters his second year of OTAs at his mental and physical peak.
Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star looks at a couple of Chiefs highlights from the days leading up to tomorrow’s OTAs, such as the excellent weekend that converted basketball player Demetrius Harris–who spent last season on Kansas City’s practice squad–enjoyed.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times looks at five burning questions facing the defending champion Seahawks.

NFC Roundup: Suh, Cowboys, Bears, Eagles

May 18th, 2014 at 10:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite the fact that he will be attending organized team activities this week, Ndamukong Suh continues to be the subject of trade rumors. According to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, teams are still contacting the Lions to inquire about Suh, despite Detroit claiming that no teams have shown interest (Twitter links). A trade of the All-Pro defensive tackle would yield almost $3MM in cap space for the Lions, but Suh’s 2014 $12.55MM base salary would probably prove too costly for any team looking to acquire him. In order for a trade to take place, it would probably take a willingness from Suh to restructure his deal, along with a first- or second-round pick heading to Detroit.

More news from the NFC:

The Cowboys have a fondness for Boise State players, so it was logical that the team surrendered its second- and third-round picks to move up and select BSU linebacker Demarcus Lawrence, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. “We like Boise guys,” said Dallas head coach Jason Garrett. “We always take a hard look at where the player has played, what kind of program [it is] and what that program is all about. They do a great job up there. It’s a very competitive program. The players that come out of there compete; they play hard. We’ve got two of them,” he said, referencing Orlando Scandrick and Tyrone Crawford.
Jason Witten was pleased with the Cowboys draft, as he believes the selection of guard Zack Martin shows Dallas wants to improve to the running game, according to Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I think it says a lot about where our football team’s headed,” said Witten. “It was huge for us, because for a long time, we didn’t have that solidified. I think it speaks volumes for where we’re at and where we’re trying to go.”
Despite the presence of veteran corners Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, Bears first-rounder Kyle Fuller is expected to contribute in 2014, specifically because of the spread offense. “Typically, at least half of the snaps that you’ll play in the season will be with five defensive backs in the game,” said defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. “And sometimes you’ll go into game weeks or games and almost every snap will be in sub personnel…A third corner is like a starter. A third corner plays as much if not more than your third linebacker in a 4-3″ (per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times).
Eagles second-rounder Jordan Matthews is expected to replace Jason Avant in the slot, and fellow rookie receiver Josh Huff isn’t thought of as a field-stretcher, but that hasn’t stopped the DeSean Jackson comparions, writes Martin Frank of USA Today.
49ers coach John Harbaugh is known as a quarterback guru, and after San Francisco added Josh Johnson to compete for the third QB role, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com ran through the extensive list of signal-callers that Harbaugh and company have brought in over the past three seasons.

Bears, Kyle Fuller Agree To Terms

May 14th, 2014 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bears continue to lock up their 2014 draft picks faster than any other team in the league, becoming the first club to reach an agreement with a first-rounder. According to the team (via Twitter), Chicago and cornerback Kyle Fuller have agreed to terms on a four-year contract, which includes a fifth-year club option.

Fuller, the 14th overall pick in the draft, should be in line for a signing bonus worth about $5.365MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, who projects the overall four-year value of the corner’s contract at $9.687MM.

The Bears now have just one draftee left to sign, having locked up all their picks except for Arizona State’s Will Sutton. I’d expect the club to announce a deal for Sutton within the next few days.