Bengals may not want to trade No. 1 pick but they’ll likely be listening

A trade is always possible until the final moment.

A report over championship weekend suggested the Cincinnati Bengals don’t plan on trading the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft. If they don’t, the pick is obviously Joe Burrow.

But that’s what NFL teams always say.

As we noted at the time, a mid-January report about something happening a few months down the line doesn’t mean much.

Funnily enough, in high-profile cases, it seems NFL teams always say a trade isn’t possible. The Giants said they wouldn’t trade Odell Beckham Jr. and the Jaguars said they wouldn’t trade Jalen Ramsey. Looking farther back, the Titans weren’t all too hot on the idea of trading No. 1 before the Rams swooped in, did a deal and drafted Jared Goff.

And the No. 1 pick is about as high-profile as it gets.

Simply put, the Bengals have to at least consider it. Give it the old “due diligence” pass. Burrow is the guy, a record-setting passer and on top of everything else he’s a local kid. But other NFL teams serious about moving up know they’ll have to come in with a historic offer, which means the Bengals should be picking up the phone.

Ultimately, the Bengals probably won’t deal the pick. But when NFL personnel meet at things like the combine and when the phone rings at Paul Brown Stadium, the Bengals will surely at least be listening — especially if a very serious team is making a historic offer.

Or written another way — strap in because the path to the draft is about to be wild, with the report about no trade happening surely to have a short shelf life as things start happening.

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Free agent TE Eric Ebron continues to show interest in Bears

Is former Colts TE Eric Ebron be interested in signing with the Bears in free agency? He’s dropping hints that might be the case.

The NFL postseason is wrapping up with just one game to go – Super Bowl LIV – that will see the Kansas City Chiefs square off against the San Francisco 49ers in just two weeks.

But for the other 30 teams, the offseason is underway, and with that, tons of speculation on where certain players may end up when the 2020 season begins. One such player is already dropping hints to where he may want to suit up in the fall.

Free agent tight end Eric Ebron, who spent the last two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, has been dropping not-so subtle hints regarding his preferred destination for the 2020 season. Once it became clear he would not return to Indy following general manager Chris Ballard’s comments, the breadcrumbs have been pointing him up I-65 North to Chicago.

His latest hint came during the 49ers-Packers game when current Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks posted a video wondering what Soldier Field would look like for an NFC Championship Game. Ebron then quote-tweeted the post with the thinking emoji.

He then added fuel to the fire, retweeting Bears running back Tarik Cohen, who seemed to extend an invitation to play for the charter franchise.

The Bears could use someone of Ebron’s skills, as their tight end position was arguably the weakest group in the league last season. Their five tight ends (Trey Burton, Adam Shaheen, Jesper Horsted, J.P. Holtz and Ben Braunecker) combined for just 395 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the season.

Meanwhile, Ebron caught 31 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games as a Colt in 2019. His last season was considered a major disappointment after posting a career year in 2018 that saw him make him the Pro Bowl, but he would still give the Bears a more dependable option at the position.

What’s more, he has familiarity with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, as they spent one season together in college at North Carolina. Ebron was drafted with the 10th pick in the 2014 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions and spent four seasons with them before being released and signing with the Colts.

Going into the new league year that begins in March, the Bears have an estimated $20 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. With a bevy of transactions likely to happen, will Ebron be on his way in to bolster the tight end position? We’ll have to keep an eye on what he posts to social media next to track the next clue.

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The case for and against Tom Brady joining the Dolphins

Would Brady want to play Belichick twice in a year?

As we near the 2020 offseason of the NFL, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are in a situation they have never delved in before. Brady is a free agent come March 18. And although there is a strong chance he returns, other teams will be vying for his services.

Here is a look at one of the teams that could be interested in Brady’s services. Should Brady consider signing with the Miami Dolphins?

The case for Brady signing with the Dolphins

Sunny weather and beautiful beaches aside, Miami’s pitch to Brady should be their empty canvas with a full array of tools to paint an offense of Brady’s liking.

Although a barren roster, Miami will have roughly $91 million of cap space this offseason, according to Over The Cap. Miami also has four picks of the top 40 picks in the upcoming NFL draft, including three first-round picks. Already equipped with a finally-playing-up-to-par X-receiver in DeVante Parker, the Dolphins also have an up-and-coming tight end in Mike Gesicki.

Technically, the Dolphins could bring in the likes of A.J. Green, Emmanuel Sanders and/or Danny Amendola to appease Brady, while also trading one of their first-round picks (and maybe one or two lower draft picks) for someone like Odell Beckham Jr. or Stefon Diggs on a cap-strapped Minnesota Vikings team. Miami could then use the rest of their top picks picks on talent on defense, to try to slap together at least an average unit to keep up with the offense.

On top of all that, the Dolphins would still have room give Brady a more lucrative contract than the Patriots could offer.

The case against Brady signing with the Dolphins

Signing with an AFC east rival of the Patriots means Brady would have to see Bill Belichick and his old squad two times a year. And although that sounds like something the competitive Brady would like, the GOAT would be banking on Miami’s extravagant offensive makeover to pan out. As we’ve seen with other offseason champion teams, all talent does not mesh.

Additionally, trusted Brady confidant Chad O’Shea is now out as Miami’s offensive coordinator in favor of Chan Gailey, meaning Brady’s offense, exactly how it is, would probably not be the system for Miami. And of course, any offensive system needs a competent offensive line, and the Dolphins allowed a league-worst 58 sacks with this unit in 2019.

There’s also a level of risk for Miami with this. Although they have a ton of cap space, if the above plan is carried out, they would have allocated a great deal of it (and potentially draft picks) to Brady and his pick of veteran players, altering their future plans.

Miami has a hole at virtually any position after X-receiver and a No. 1 cornerback (Xavien Howard). They need a litany of help in various areas, and may need to use all of their assets, while also spreading the wealth to areas outside of pass-catching weapons for Brady.

Would utilizing all of their assets for a one or two-year run with Brady be worth it?

How good is the fit?

Although an adequate enough market and the available assets to create a team of Brady’s liking, the move to stay in the same division without O’Shea on board damages the potential fit. But because of the cap space, and former Patriot assistant Brian Flores leading the way as head coach, the idea isn’t that far-fetched, it would just be unprecedented to build a contender of veterans this quickly around a soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback in one offseason.

Fit: 5 out of 10

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 13-19)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels for news to break through, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Jan. 13-19:

Bellator 238: Jan. 24, Inglewood, Calif.

Welterweight: With Craig Plaskett out, David Pacheco (1-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) fights Miguel Jacob (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)

Featherweight: With Tyler Beneke out, Jarrett Connor (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) fights Tony Bartovich (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)

UFC on ESPN+ 24: Jan. 25, Raleigh, N.C.

Featherweight: With Josh Emmett and Nad Narimani out, Arnold Allen (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Nik Lentz (30-10-2 MMA, 14-7-1 UFC) get matched up

UFC 247: Feb. 8, Houston

Bantamweight: Andre Ewell (15-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Jonathan Martinez (11-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) (BJPenn.com)

Next page: Bellator 239, UFC 248

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Reuben Foster ‘not ruling anything out’ when it comes to recovery timetable

Foster is coming back from an ACL, MCL and LCL tear, and he’s hoping to be back by the 2020 season.

Washington Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster has made significant strides when it comes to his recovery from a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL injury suffered in June of 2019.

According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Foster has recently gotten feeling back in his toes and the underside of his foot, something that he didn’t have for months after experiencing nerve damage in the leg.

Foster still has a long way to go before being fully healthy for the 2020 season, but this development is optimistic, according to Foster’s agent.

He hopes Foster can participate in some form or fashion in training camp, but there is no timetable set for his return. Based on how positive the week in Colombia was, he’s not ruling anything out.

There is no word yet on whether or not Foster will be healthy enough for training camp this spring, but all signs point towards him returning to the field by the time the 2020 season rolls around.

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John Johnson ‘learned a lot about the game’ while out with injury

John Johnson explains what it was like to miss most of the season with a shoulder injury.

John Johnson went into the 2019 season with Pro Bowl aspirations. As one of the best young safeties in the NFL, he was poised for a breakout year with the Rams. Only six weeks into the season, though, Johnson suffered a shoulder injury that would land him on injured reserve not long thereafter.

He was replaced by rookie Taylor Rapp in the starting lineup, who certainly held his own at safety, but Johnson’s injury was a devastating one. He finished the year with 51 tackles and two interceptions in only six games, so he was on pace for a big season.

Having to stand on the sideline was a new experience for Johnson, but one he learned from. In an interview for the team’s website, Johnson was asked if he learned something about himself this past season.

“I don’t think about myself. I think I learned a lot about the game just watching, seeing opportunities that you don’t normally see, being out there,” he said. “This is the first time I actually like was down. When I got hurt, it wasn’t that I was hurt, I just didn’t have anything to do when I got home from rehab, even before the surgery. It was just weird to not have structure in my life.”

Johnson said he “won’t take it for granted anymore,” saying he got a different outlook on football while sidelined.

Johnson is in line to return as a starter in 2020 next to Rapp, which will probably leave Eric Weddle on the outside looking in. But with Johnson and Rapp at safety, the defense is in good hands on the back end.

NFC Championship Game is the ultimate ‘what if’ for Seahawks

Would the Seattle Seahawks be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl if they had a third matchup against the San Francisco 49ers?

Despite having a solid season and making it further than many expected, the Seattle Seahawks’ season obviously ended too early – in the divisional round to the Green Bay Packers. While the Seahawks and their loyal fans are certainly disappointed they weren’t playing during championship weekend, Sunday’s action rubbed a little more salt in the wounds.

Not only are the Seahawks watching the rest of the playoffs from home, but they also were forced to witness their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, advance to Super Bowl LIV in Miami. It is now the second straight year an NFC West rival has reached the Super Bowl.

What perhaps stings the most is the fact the NFC Championship Game played between the 49ers and Packers is an ultimate example of “what if?” for the Seahawks.

In both games against San Francisco, the Seahawks gave the Niners all they could handle. Seattle delivered San Francisco’s first loss of the season in a wild 27-24 overtime win on “Monday Night Football.” Then the Seahawks came literally centimeters away from sweeping the Niners during an equally entertaining 26-21 season finale loss at CenturyLink Field.

Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers didn’t even come close to standing a chance against the buzzsaw known as the 49ers. The Pack was blanked 27-0 at halftime, and never even came closer than being down 14 points in a 37-20 embarrassment.

Although the Niners very well may have still won the NFC in a third matchup versus the Seahawks, it’s rather hard to argue Seattle wouldn’t have put up a better fight to dethrone San Francisco.

Unfortunately, it’s all up to speculation at this point for the Seahawks, who will likely spend the rest of the offseason wondering what might have been if they could have stopped the Packers on any of the third and longs they allowed Green Bay to convert to ice their 28-23 win.

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Raiders RB Josh Jacobs named top rookie running back by Pro Football Focus

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs named top rookie running back by Pro Football Focus

The Raiders had arguably the best rookie class in the NFL this season as they were able to find productive players on all three days of the draft. Players such as Travyon Mullen, Maxx Crosby, Hunter Renfrow, and Foster Moreau all exceeded expectations during their rookie seasons.

But without a doubt, the team’s best rookie was running back Josh Jacobs. In 13 games, Jacobs totaled 1,316 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. He averaged an incredible 4.8 yards per reception and 8.3 yards per catch.

Jacobs was a big reason why the Raiders were able to sustain some success in the middle of the season, and if it weren’t for a shoulder injury, he might have been able to help lead the Raiders into the playoffs.

In a recent piece by Pro Football Focus, Jacobs was named the league’s top-ranked rookie running back, edging out Miles Sanders with the Eagles. Take a look at what PFF had to say about Jacobs’ rookie season:

If you’re going to draft a running back in the first round, at least choose the right one. And that’s just what the Raiders did at No. 24 in the 2019 NFL draft. Jacobs led all running backs this season in elusive rating, as his mark of 103.6 was one of the best we’ve ever seen. You could even argue that the Raiders didn’t use him enough in the passing game, where he broke nine tackles on 20 catches.

Jacobs battled a shoulder injury all season long, but it didn’t appear to hamper him too much. Assuming he is 100 percent healthy next season, there is an excellent chance that he will lead the league in rushing yards in 2020. At pick No. 24, Jacobs was a home-run selection by general manager Mike Mayock.

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Michael Dwumfour transfers to Big Ten East school

The New Jersey native is headed home.

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Michael Dwumfour is going to be quite close for his final go-round. So close, actually, that he’ll get a chance to play his now former team in 2020.

It was surprising news earlier this month when Dwumfour announced on Twitter that he was submitting his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal. With his subtraction, Michigan loses a player who commanded double teams, but who struggled this past year with health problems after suffering a labrum injury in fall camp.

Dwumfour opted to not play in Michigan’s turn in the VRBO Citrus Bowl, electing to have surgery to repair his labrum. Now on the mend, the Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic standout is heading home, as Dwumfour announced he will play at Rutgers.

It’s a big win for returning-yet-new head coach Greg Schiano, especially as Dwumfour will be eligible immediately as a grad transfer. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

He will make for the second player on the Rutgers roster to transfer from Michigan, as Drew Singleton is a linebacker in Piscataway. Former Michigan CB Ross Taylor-Douglas, who also transferred there, is an assistant defensive backs coach at Rutgers, as well.