NFL - NEWS & NOTES

I don't know that there is anything Rodgers could do to cut down the dead money that would go along with a trade. That is, imho, the only thing that would keep the Packers from trading him.

 

Looking at Rodgers contract... he aint going anywhere and I doubt he retires till after next season. I cant see him leaving $60M out there (fully guaranteed). I didnt realize his contract is very beneficial to him and not so much to anyone else, including the Packers.

 

He is keeping the jersey because he's a petty fuck and the Lions kicked his ass twice this year - something that he was vocal about being upset over, the first time.

Guys, he literally does this EVERY YEAR. He is the biggest drama queen in the league. Please, until he is actually gone, don't give his bullshit any attention. It's why he does it, and it's so tiring. We're in for another entire off-season of "What will Rogers do?".

 

Damar Hamlin out of hospital, back in Buffalo



Monday brought another big step in Bills safety Damar Hamlin‘s recovery from last week’s cardiac arrest.

Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said at a Monday press conference that Hamlin has been released from the hospital. He returned home to Buffalo on a flight earlier in the day.


The doctors said that Hamlin had been walking around the hospital before his release and that he will continue his recovery under the care of doctors in Buffalo. They said they were “ecstatic” about the pace and extent of Hamlin’s recovery over less than a week.

One would imagine that there’s a good chance Hamlin will be in attendance for next weekend’s Wild Card game against the Dolphins and that would make for another emotional moment at Highmark Stadium after a Sunday filled with them during the win over the Patriots.

PFT
_________
_________________

Probably got tired of him running up n down the halls tackling people.

 

Former UGA guard Justin Shaffer had spent most of the year on reserve status but was able to return to finish the season with the practice squad. He was one of Atlanta's 18 futures contract signings yesterday.

That completes the set. All 17 of the players drafted by new GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith in 2021-2022 are still with the organization heading into 2023. 9 of them are starters and at least 2 others are significant role players.

A few of them will need to step up in camp to stick around for the 2023 season, but congratulations to all of them on making it this far. Atlanta has been a team that hasn't hesitated to rotate through prospects and cast off former draft picks.

 

Ravens, LB Roquan Smith agree to terms on five-year, $100 million contract extension

The Baltimore Ravens took care of some business ahead of Sunday's Super Wild Card Weekend showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens agreed to terms with Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith on a five-year contract that makes him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday.

Smith's extension is worth $100 million, including $45 million fully guaranteed with $60 million in total guarantees.

Baltimore acquired Smith at the trade deadline from the Chicago Bears with designs on signing the play-making linebacker long-term. Just over two months later, that pact is sealed.

NFL.com

 

I like how Allgeier came on at the end of the year. Have a few shares.

 

He's probably just trying to get his 2024 salary guaranteed. It's always about the money with Aaron.

 

Nah. 40.3M if he's traded.

 

Damar Hamlin is taking tests in the hopes of being sent home



Bills safety Damar Hamlin has returned to Buffalo from Cincinnati, but he remains hospitalized — eight days after suffering cardiac arrest during a Bills-Bengals game. He has posted an update regarding his status.

“Not home quite just yet,” he said on Twitter. “Still doing & passing a bunch of test. Special thank you to Buffalo General. It’s been nothing but love since arrival! Keep me in y’all prayers please!”


It’s an amazing recovery, fueled by excellent care and the simple fact that Hamlin is an elite athlete. And it’s been a great (and rare) example of how we can set aside our differences and rally around a common cause.

There will be plenty of people rallying around Hamlin if he is released from the hospital and ultimately is able to attend the Dolphins-Bills playoff game on Sunday. If Hamlin steps onto that field, it will be a scene unlike any we’ve ever witnessed at an NFL game.

PFT

 

NFL could decide on potential AFC Championship neutral site this week



The NFL’s decision to play an AFC Championship between the Chiefs and Bills at a neutral site becomes relevant only if the Chiefs and Bills qualify for the AFC Championship. This may tempt the NFL to try to keep its plans for the neutral site under wraps for as long as possible, given the possibility that the neutral site won’t be needed.

That’s what the league did with the potential coin flip that would have determined home-field advantage for the Bengals-Ravens rematch in the wild-card round. Since the Ravens lost, the coin-flip details never had to be divulged.


But the league still needs to have a plan for a potential neutral-site game, sooner than later. Via Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the NFL has been working on selecting the neutral site, and that it’s possible a decision could come this week.

Friday’s resolution authorizing the neutral site for Bills-Chiefs gives Commissioner Roger Goodell full discretion to pick the location. It should be, given that both the Bills and Chiefs play in the elements, an outdoor location in a place where weather can be a factor in late January.

Lambeau Field. Heinz Field. Soldier Field. Those would be my three top choices, in that order.

The NFL opted to ignore its existing rule for dealing with canceled games (the rule calls for playoff positioning to be determined based on winning percentage) in the name of equity. But the reality is that a significant inequity — the Chiefs getting a week off — was completely unaddressed.

Adding an eighth team to the AFC playoff field definitely would have neutralized that benefit. While the league’s official, on-the-record position is that expanding the field wasn’t considered, the truth is that all sorts of options were discussed — from an eighth team to resolving Bills-Bengals with a coin flip to everything in between and beyond.

In theory, it’s great that they were creative. In practice, it’s still disappointing that they simply chose to ignore the existing rule, a rule crafted in the event some extraordinary situation would result in the cancellation of a game.

PFT

 

Report: Cardinals plan to try to trade DeAndre Hopkins

A superstar NFL wide receiver could be available in the offseason.

The Arizona Cardinals plan to try to trade five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins, The Score's Jordan Schultz reported on Tuesday. Schultz added that Hopkins is likely to seek a new contract with two years and $34.4 million left on his current deal.

Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill plans to express this intention to general manager candidates, according to Schultz. General manager Steve Keim stepped down from his position on Monday, while head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired.

Hopkins, who turns 31 in June, was suspended for the first six games of the 2022 season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. Once he got on the field, though, Hopkins showed he was still one of the game's elite receivers, tallying 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns over nine games. He missed Arizona's final two contests with a knee injury.

Hopkins has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he would have to approve any deal.

So could the Chicago Bears be a potential destination?

The Bears are in need of a No. 1 wide receiver to pair with promising young quarterback Justin Fields. Chicago made an aggressive move at the trade deadline for a wideout by giving up a second-round pick for Chase Claypool, but the third-year pro didn't make much of an impact (14 catches for 140 yards in seven games).

Hopkins would surely improve the Bears' lackluster passing attack and help aid the development of Fields. Chicago has the draft capital to make a trade happen and the cap flexibility to give Hopkins a new deal as well.

But would it be wise for the rebuilding Bears to go all-in on a receiver entering his age-31 season?

That's a question Ryan Poles and Co. might be pondering in the coming months.

SI

 

Short of the Bears putting a big extension on the table, Hopkins isn't approving a trade to Chicago.

 

and at 31, he may not get a long term deal anywhere, I guess.

 

6 Takeaways from the Bears’ end-of-season press conference

The dust is still settling on the Chicago Bears’ 2022-2023 season but the front office is already getting to work on what should be one of the busiest offseasons in team history. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, fresh off their first year in their respective positions, met the media on Tuesday morning to reflect on the season and share their plans for the upcoming offseason.

The two talked for nearly a half hour, answering questions about the direction they might take in free agency and what they might (or might not) do with the top overall draft pick. Here are our takeaways from what was said up at Halas Hall.

1. It wasn't an unmitigated disaster


Jan 31, 2022; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey speaks at a Press Conference to introduce new Chicago Bears-Head Coach Matt Eberflus and General Manager Ryan Poles Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Remember the last two years when chairman George McCaskey and CEO and president Ted Phillips spent an hour trying to sell everyone on how they would fix the mess the Bears were in? One year it was with Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy, the next it was without them. It feels like just yesterday we were hearing how the Bears weren’t winning enough games and didn’t have the quarterback position right, but everything else was fine while Phillips wore his gaming headset. That was far from the picture fans saw this year.

Tuesday’s press conference provided pretty clear answers from both the coach and general manager and it took under 30 minutes. There was no word salad, no scolding of media members or fans, just a plan forward with the resources at their disposal. It was a nice change of pace after the firestorm of outrage that plagued the fanbase two years in a row.

2. Poles dominated the conversation


CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 25: General Manger Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears looks onward during pregame at Soldier Field on September 25, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

In the nearly 28 minutes of the Bears’ press conference, it felt as if Poles talked for 25 of those minutes. The general manager held court while Eberflus sat to his left, not butting in or adding his two cents while the vast majority of media questions went to Poles about the roster construction or vision for building this team moving forward. It felt very different from almost a year ago when these two men took the podium together for the first time, with Eberflus being the one to drive the conversation.

To me, it shows growth from Poles, who is younger and has less overall experience than Eberflus. He commanded the room more than he did when he first arrived and Eberflus didn’t need to chime in with his thoughts nearly as much. That’s not to say he had nothing to add to the conversation. Eberflus addressed a question about his staff and chimed in about Darnell Mooney’s injury timeline. But the coach talks every week to the media. Seeing Poles take control was a welcome site, especially just entering his second year at the position.

3. The Bears are committing to Justin Fields


Nov 20, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

As the Bears trended towards the top of the draft order near the end of the season, talks of the team potentially wanting a new quarterback to eventually replace Justin Fields began to surface. Beat reporters suggested the Bears may not be completely sold on Fields, while other national analysts floated trade scenarios out. Those talks only intensified over the last couple of days when the Bears lucked into the No. 1 overall draft pick. But Poles wasn’t entertaining any of it.

The Bears general manager re-affirmed his commitment to Fields and indicated he will be the team’s starting quarterback to start the 2023 season. “Yeah, we had good conversations.” I’m excited for the direction he’s going,” Poles said via Adam Hoge of CHGO.

Poles also said he would need to be “absolutely blown away” by a quarterback prospect to want to draft him, leaving the door slightly ajar, but given Fields’ flashes and the players available in the draft, they would likely need to have grades that match Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck for that to happen.

Fields still needs to improve his passing and Poles acknowledged that fact. But there doesn’t seem to be a scenario where the Bears ship out their dynamic quarterback to pick someone who might have the same potential.

4. Cole Kmet is here to stay


CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 08: Tight end Cole Kmet #85 of the Chicago Bears carries the ball after making a catch during the 3rd quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Tight end Cole Kmet was the team’s best pass-catching threat last season, leading the team in receptions (50), yards (544) and touchdowns (seven). He was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal passing offense and it caught the attention of Poles, who shouted out Kmet multiple times for his performance.

First, Poles commented that Kmet had a “hell of a year” and then later singled him out when asked by the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer as a blue chip player who could be around for a potential title run. “I thought he elevated his game from the film I saw last year to what it was this year,” Poles said.

Kmet indeed elevated his game, becoming a receiver that was more fluid than he was before. He ran crisper routes and made better catches, clearly showing he made a leap from his second season to his third. Kmet is eligible for an extension this offseason and based off the comments made, it sounds like one will be coming at some point.

5. Offensive and defensive line are focuses for Poles


Jan 8, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison (2) runs the ball and is tackled by Chicago Bears defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad (55) and defensive tackle Justin Jones (93) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Poles was asked where he wants to focus his efforts when improving the team this offseason and not surprisingly, immediately mentioned both the offensive and defensive lines. Granted, he believes in building the team from the inside out no matter what but given the issues each unit had, that sentiment will need to be backed up by activity.

The Bears couldn’t generate consistent pass rush from their defensive line and they struggled in pass protection on offense. Expect plenty of movement along those positions both in free agency and the draft as they look to fix multiple glaring holes.

6. There's a path to keeping David Montgomery


CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 08: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball during the second half of the game agains the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

One of the biggest decisions the Bears have this offseason is what to do with David Montgomery. The fourth-year back has been the bellcow for the Bears since he was drafted in 2019 and has emerged as a leader on offense. But after having a down season in 2022, coupled with the fact paying running backs isn’t normally a wise decision, one might assume he played his last down in the navy and orange. But Montgomery is a popular player with Poles and it sounds like a reunion is possible if the financials works out.

“I have always wanted to keep David,” Poles said. “He’s part of the identity that we had this year that kept us competitive.” He then added a deal would need to make sense for both sides in order for Montgomery to stick around. “If we can find common ground, obviously I’ve learned that you can want a player but the value has to come together for it to happen.”

Poles was indirectly referencing Roquan Smith with his comment about wanting a player, but needing the value to come together. He singled out both Smith and Montgomery early on in his tenure, but of course wound up moving on from Smith when the two sides couldn’t find common ground. Things could be different for Montgomery, who has publicly stated he wants to remain a Bear.

BEARS WIRE

 

I was just watching the Boomer and Gio show on YouTube this guy Gio he's supposedly a Vikings fan I guess all he did was rip the Vikings a brand new ass hole WHAT A FRAUD what a loud mouth this joker is IMO

 

I don't think it would be wise to sacrifice trade capital right now for a guy who is 31 and hasn't been on the field much. Yes, he's good, but you make that move if you feel you can win with him now - if that puts you over the top. I don't believe the Bears are there even after next off-season or the one beyond.

It's hard to pass on an elite WR, because lord knows the Bears need one, but I don't think this is quite the right fit with a longer term view in mind.

 

It also doesn't strike me as Ryan Poles' style. Would he make a trade and sign a player to a big contract? Maybe. But I have a hard time seeing him do that to pick up a 31 year old WR.

I'm kinda wondering if he might follow Les Snead's playbook and trade down. I ended up having to mimic him in our mock draft last April, and from what I read about him back then I get the feeling that he'd prefer to trade the pick and reap the bounty.

 

Reminds me of a joke from 1995...


How many blondes does it take to screw the New York Jets?

One. Boomer.