NFL - NEWS & NOTES

If you offered me an average starting NFL RT, or a 5th round draft pick with lots of questions over his ability to play OT, I would take the former every time. This year, next year, and the years beyond that.

Relying on a 5th round draft pick to start immediately / within a year and to protect your new franchise QB is... well, it's something Ryan Pace would do.

 

Lots of line shake up in a year that the offense could be seeing changes is interesting, but I would bet that what Canada is going to do will hide a lot of issues.

This is definitely a transition year in Pittsburgh. Having Ben for one final year while resetting what they want to do on offense probably opens the door for one of two scenarios -

1. They are in the playoff hunt and ride with Roethlisberger until they're eliminated
2. They find themselves on the outside early and turn to Rudolph to close out the year to further clarify the future in Pittsburgh

Of course, at Ben's age there is a high likelihood that Mason sees meaningful snaps due to injury/needed rest throughout the season.

The schedule for Pittsburgh is favorable in some spots so if you pressed me on an early prediction (as in this very minute before I dig deeper), the Steelers are in the tail end of the playoff hunt, trailing Baltimore and battling with Cleveland for an in.

 

I'm gonna throw my 2 cents in on what I believe would be the reason this probably wouldn't happen either way...

I think the question is really whether the Bears ever had a serious chance to land Moses. It looks like he had a different idea of where his career currently is as compared to what Chicago viewed him as. The resigning of Ifedi looks like it was to shore up right tackle for the foreseeable future, but it is team friendly if they decide to move on from him. The Bears would have needed to sign Morgan to guarantees on starting or else the grass was going to be greener in another spot where he could look to earn multiple years while being on the field for game days. A one year deal to be a mentor to Jenkins, start at LT or be a swing tackle all look like unnecessary gambles for a player that has a good enough track record to start immediately for a team that needs him at his preferred spot.

George Fant will be Morgan's only real competition, which means the path to start is readily available.

The Jets actually offered Morgan more than a one year deal, but he declined. This seems like a player that wants to put himself into a strong market position for one final long contract for good money. Would the Bears have provided that with Andy Dalton starting? Once Fields comes in as the starter it would definitely put more national spotlight on Chicago, but Zach Wilson is starting from day one in the biggest media market in the country. Moses' play is definitely going to get some highlights in that situation.

Probably a smart move on his part, as he likely will only get this one shot at making that happen.

As for Borom, there is a lot of work to be done there before anyone can consider him a starting caliber player, IMO. He's got a skill set that profiles as more of a thug on the line that can be a solid short yardage plug in or potentially the kind of player that becomes a utility lineman, but unless there has been some breaking news out of Chicago that I'm not privy to... Is he even going to see the field in 2021?

 

It's my opinion but I don't see what else they can do but try to find a player to beat out and win RT.

He's going to get a shot at beating out Germain Ifiedi.
https://bearswire.usatoday.com/lists/chicago-bears-roster-battles-offseason-2021/

 

I'm not real high on Ifedi, but I think Borom taking that job from him this year is an extremely long shot.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Chicago was actually looking to negotiate Germain into a comfortable 3 year deal in the 2021 off-season that would provide the Bears the ability to have continuity on the line for Fields while looking to add premier talent up front in the draft.

 

Falcons sign No. 4 pick Kyle Pitts to $32.9M rookie contract

The highest-selected tight end in NFL Draft history inked his rookie contract.

No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts signed his four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, Scott Bair of the team's official website announced.

As with all first-round contracts, the deal comes with a fifth-year team option.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Pitts gets $32.9 million fully guaranteed over four years, with a signing bonus just north of $21 million.

A dynamic pass-catcher, Pitts compiled 1,419 yards and 17 TDs on 97 catches the past two seasons at Florida. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, the 20-year-old owns the ideal size, speed and athleticism to dominate as a modern tight end. Pitts displays stellar hands, the ability to beat both linebackers and defensive backs, stellar route-running for a rookie, and YAC skill.

With the trade of Julio Jones, the highly regarded Pitts -- who many analysts deemed the best non-QB prospect in the 2021 draft -- is expected to step in and immediately play a significant role in Arthur Smith's offense alongside Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage.

While rookie tight ends often struggle with the transition from college to pros given the increased responsibilities, the Falcons have spoken confidently regarding Pitts' ability to make the jump and impact the offense from the get-go.

NFL.com

 

I think Ifedi is trash. And haven’t been very encouraged by what I’ve seen of Borom from his highlights and scouting. His feet look way too slow to me.

Moses would have been a really good signing to boost an offensive line that needs it.

 

All 32 NFL teams have been given the green light to welcome full capacity crowds for home games during the 2021 season.

The NFL said late last month that 30 teams had been given approval by local authorities and that the Broncos and Colts were on the same path. The Broncos announced they received the go-ahead early this month and the Colts did the same on Tuesday.

Lucas Oil Stadium operated at a limited capacity last season and Colts owner Jim Irsay said in a statement that he’s looking forward to seeing a full house again.

“We were fortunate to be able to host fans in 2020 through the pandemic, and those fans were as loud and proud as ever,” Irsay said. “But gamedays at Lucas Oil Stadium are like family reunions, and it wasn’t quite the same without our entire Colts family alongside us. So we can’t wait to open the stadium doors to all our fans so they can take this journey with us as we work to bring a Super Bowl title back to Indianapolis.”

The Colts also announced that they will have fans in attendance for this summer’s training camp in Westfield, Indiana. No fans were permitted at last year’s camp, which took place in Indianapolis.

PFT

 

Oh, I don't disagree with your take. I think the Bears are long shots for most FA's, so I haven't gotten my hope up all offseason. It's well documented what I think of Pace and his excuse for roster building. You take salary limitations, clear failings of team management, uncertainty of how long said management will be with the team, and the recent disloyalty to clearly talented vets... I can see how a player might not want to be here.

I was more making the argument about Borom - that anticipating a flawed 5th round pick to be a starting OT within a year is disastrous thinking. Problem is, the Bears' media has been selling that, and a lot of fans are buying it. Because it's either Ifedi or Borom, and we know right now that one of them is not very good. So people are just hoping the other is.

And that's how Pace builds rosters in a nutshell. So... bad.

 

Yeah, this pretty much sums up where I'm coming from with it as well. There's nothing in Borom's profile that suggests to me that he can be counted on as a starter within the next couple seasons. I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again, and it does appear that @chitown king is basically saying it's his opinion, so you and I are definitely more in agreement with ours.

That agreement extends into Pace's idea behind roster building. I commented several times in the early days of the off-season that the move for a quarterback in Chicago almost had to happen at any cost because it's a job saving maneuver for the GM and HC.

And it honestly pisses me off to a degree, because I loathe seeing talented players get squirreled into shitty circumstances by desperate teams run by desperate people.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Ifedi improved down the stretch playing right tackle for the Bears last season?

I kind of got forced into paying a little more attention to him than what I would have thought going into his draft. Basically, there are still a couple Seattle fans that were/are members here that I talk with every year either through PM or email and the offensive line for the Seahawks has been a running theme in that conversation for years. With Ifedi being selected by Carrol a lot earlier than most expected him to go in that class, he naturally was a focal point for a lot of that discussion.

A lot of Germain's downside in Seattle was with penalties, and there's an obvious coinciding with the type of quarterback he was protecting and the holding penalties that he would take. He didn't appear to have those issues with Chicago and actually looked like a better run blocker at tackle. He was a decent pass protection guard that appeared to improve in that area at tackle as well.

Is there something specific in his game that you think is irredeemable, or is it the eye test that gets him the trash label?

 

Same here. It's been very bittersweet to see the Bears get Fields but also be stuck with Pace / Nagy. Many, many Bears fans feel the same way.

 

I thought the line as a whole improved down the stretch last season. Some of that was playcalling and some of that was how well Whitehair and Mustipher played together.

To me Ifedi plays like a pussycat in a lions body. He should be throwing guys around. He plays the position too soft for my liking. The reason I’m exciting to see what Jenkins can do is he’s the exact opposite….the guy plays like he wants to hurt someone.

Ifedi’s past definitely still taints him. The Bears need a good running game and they need good edge protection in the future for Fields and I just don’t see that coming consistently from this guy. Bears have been average to below average at both tackles spots for a while now and I don’t think Ifedi boosts that at all.

 

Life as a Bears fan.

 

Christian Kirk thinks it is “now or never” for the Cardinals



The Cardinals made a big splash in 2020 when they traded for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but they finished out of playoff position after losing five of their final seven games.

More big names came aboard this offseason. Defensive end J.J. Watt, wide receiver A.J. Green, cornerback Malcolm Butler, center Rodney Hudson, and running back James Conner have all joined the team since the end of their 8-8 campaign and those moves have led many people to raise the expectations for head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s third season in Arizona.

Wide receiver Christian Kirk thinks those thoughts exist inside the team’s roster as well.

“I think it’s now or never for us,” Kirk said on NFL Network Wednesday. “That’s the attitude in the locker room. We finally feel like we have all the pieces to put it together and really make a push for the playoffs and for a championship. I know guys in the locker aren’t expecting anything less than that. We know what opportunity we have at hand, and then we know we have to be better. . . . Since coach Kingsbury’s been there, we have gotten better every year. Now it’s the year where we’ve got a young group of core guys that have been through a lot, all the ups and downs. We know the opportunity is here, and we have to rise to the occasion, and we have the right guys and the right leadership to do it.”

The Cardinals won three more games in 2020 than they did in Kingsbury’s first season. A similar jump would do a lot to convince people that the Cardinals have the right people pulling the strings.

PFT

 

Tyler Lockett thinks new Seahawks offense will be more balanced



The Seahawks gave new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron high marks throughout the offseason program for the club’s incoming playbook for 2021.

Part of the excitement for what Waldron is implementing stems from how balanced the scheme is expected to be. Even with a quarterback like Russell Wilson, the Seahawks have been at their best under head coach Pete Carroll when they’ve had a strong run game. That is one element that should improve in the upcoming season.

But according to receiver Tyler Lockett, the receivers will factor into offensive balance when it comes to the types of routes they run.

“The explosive part of it’s not going to change, it’s just the fact that we’re going to learn how to be a lot more balanced, to where whatever teams decide to give us, that’s what we’re going to take,” Lockett said, via John Boyle of the team’s website. “If teams decide to play as deep, then we’re going to take everything short, and we’re going to be able to run our offense all the way down the field and control the clock. If teams try to take the short stuff away, we going to go deep.

“So at the end of the day, we’re just learning how to be able to build our offense up as a whole to where we don’t have to depend on one thing, but we can be able to depend on different types of phases of our offense. So whatever people give us, we’re just going to take. And we’re not going to be greedy, we’re not going to go out there force things to happen, we’re just going to naturally let the game come to us.”

Though the Seahawks won the NFC West and finished No. 8 in scoring last season, they were just 17th in total yards. And after averaging 34.3 points per game in their first eight games, Seattle averaged 23.1 points per game over their last eight before falling to the Rams in the Wild Card round.

Seattle should continue to be a factor in the strong NFC West. But having that offensive balance could propel the club to a deeper playoff run in 2021.

PFT

 

Ryan Ramczyk, Saints agree to terms on five-year extension



The Saints may be holding a quarterback competition at training camp, but there’s no question as to who will help anchor the club’s offensive line for the foreseeable future.

According to multiple reports, New Orleans has agreed to terms with offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk on a five-year extension that keeps him under contract through 2026.

Ramczyk has started all but one regular-season game for the Saints since they selected him at No. 32 overall in 2017. He was entering the last year of his rookie deal after New Orleans exercised his fifth-year option last spring.

NFL Network and ESPN currently report two different contact figures, but both would make Ramczyk the highest-paid right tackle in football. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the deal is worth $90 million with $60 million guaranteed. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the deal is for $96 million, which averages out to $19.2 million a year.

Ramczyk played his college ball at Wisconsin. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2019 and received second-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and 2020.

PFT

 

Just to add my bit to this, there is a lot that goes into the opening line of your post Tim if indeed its true, and bww's line there is my starting point.

I believe the big OL reshuffle happened for like the final 5 games of the season and a lot of the improvement started with new C Sam Mustipher(who many of us were very complimentary of) and rippled outwards. Nagy no longer calling plays prob helped as well.

But the big reason Ifedi may have appeared more solid imo was level of competition. Those last 5 games the Bears played some utter garbage Defenses. The Lions, Texans, Vikes & Jags were dogshit wrapped in catshit. They made up 4 of the bottom 6 teams in the league for both scoring D and YPG D and thats in a season featuring the likes of the Falcons, Cowboys & Jets Defenses! Ifedi played against bums and he looked no more than average, cue alarm bell.

Technique wise by this point in the season i was no longer paying enough attention tbh, but earlier on at G it wasn't pretty. I saw several times on run plays Ifedi just lunging out of the snap, completely out over his feet, balance lost and any initial move inside or outside by the defender and he was beat. Putting aside the awful technique a moment, a Guard would need to be really quick off the ball to succeed at that kind of approach and Ifedi isnt that. He also never had the demeanor to play G. There's no way he would've been my choice for starting RT in 2021 but hey ho.

Re penalties i thought i saw a stat showing Ifedi being top10 in the league for pens among OLs, so not sure there was really much improvement there.

One good thing i want to say about Ifedi though. In the Saints game when Javon Wims turned into a maniac bitch and started head punching other bitch Gardner-Chancey and got ejected. Wims kept jawing at Saints players/refs after and it was Ifedi who went over and told him to GTF off the field. I always respected Ifedi for that cos it showed that he got it.

 

Justin Simmons feels Broncos are “really close” to being playoff contenders



The Broncos have not made the playoffs since safety Justin Simmons joined the team as a 2016 third-round pick, but that did not stop him from pledging his future to the club this offseason.

Simmons signed a four-year contract extension in March and will be back as a key part of the team’s defense. He said on NFL Network Thursday that he believes that defense can be the best in the league and that the Broncos on a whole are positioned for a bid to end their five-year playoff drought.

“I feel like we’re really close,” Simmons said. “We’re finally having a year where we’re having coordinators come back and guys are familiar with the schemes and the systems, both on offense and defense and on special teams. I feel like we’re really close. I feel like this could be the year and I’m really excited for that. I’ve been itching for it ever since I came into the league — 9-7 is the closest I’ve been. And so I’m really looking forward to this season.”

One of the biggest obstacles that the Broncos have to clear in order to go from close to actually making the playoffs is finding a quarterback capable of playing at a high level on a consistent basis. Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater are the players in contention for the job this summer and the results of that battle will go a long way toward determining if Simmons gets his first taste of playoff football.

PFT

 

NFL “unable to confirm” the statement made to Eugene Chung, or who said it



Eugene Chung made a general allegation of an inappropriate comment during a job interview with an NFL team. He declined to get specific. Thus, not surprisingly, the NFL’s investigation of the matter went nowhere.

The league issued a statement on Thursday that, without using such obvious terminology, closes the book on the investigation.

“Following public reports of comments made in a conversation with former NFL player and coach Eugene Chung — comments that have no place in the NFL or in any contemporary workplace — we undertook a review of the matter,” the NFL said, via Mike Garafolo of NFL Media.

“After multiple discussions, including with Mr. Chung and his representative, we were unable to confirm the precise statement that was made, or by whom and under what circumstances any such statement was made.”

Again, if Chung isn’t going to provide details, no investigation will confirm anything. Unfortunately, some will interpret the league’s statement as a not-so-subtle suggestion that the league decided Chung wasn’t truthful. The truth is that he chose not to be fully and completely candid.

“Nevertheless, we intend to use this occasion to reinforce the commitment of the NFL and of every NFL club ensure appropriate interview processes and develop diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplaces on and off the field,” the league said. “Mr. Chung has offered to assist us moving forward and we welcome the opportunity to speak with him about how we can better advance employment opportunities throughout the League.”

The best way would be for Chung to tell his entire story, so that whoever said to Chung that he’s “not the right minority” so that a clear instance of an inappropriate comment during an interview can be properly handled and disciplined.

PFT