Tag: 2020 NFL season

Bears open with 25-1 odds to win Super Bowl LV

The Chicago Bears have opened with 25-1 odds to win Super Bowl LV, according to Sports Betting AG.

The 2019 season is officially in the books after the Kansas City Chiefs battled back to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV.

Now, thoughts turn to the next century of the NFL.

The Chicago Bears have opened with 25-1 odds to win Super Bowl LV, according to Sports Betting AG.

The Bears are tied with the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders at 25-1. There are 10 teams ahead of them, including the 49ers who opened as favorites to win Super Bowl LV at 5-1 odds.

The Bears have a long way to go if they’re going to make a return trip to the playoffs. Coming off a disappointing 8-8 season, the Bears are focused on fixing the offensive issues that plagued them in 2019.

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Redskins to lay new grass turf at FedEx Field before 2020 NFL season

A series of concerts will take place at FedEx Field this summer, which leads the Redskins to lay a new grass turf before the season.

There have been a lot of talks about a new stadium being built for the Washington Redskins sometime in the near future, but it appears that a new playing field will be set before anything else happens.

The quality of the playing field in Washington has been up for debate for years among fans, and a string of concerts at the stadium this summer could leave conditions a bit worse for the wear when the NFL season rolls around. Luckily, it appears that the Redskins will be laying down a new turf before the season begins, according to NBC Sports Washington. 

There have been a number of concerts and events announced to take place at FexEx Field this summer, including appearances from Justin Bieber, BTS, Rammstein, and Monster Jam. For any surface, all of that foot traffic is bound to make it a little worse for the wear, especially when you do it on a playing field that is already subject to profound scrutiny by a fanbase.

The question still remains how the team will navigate their preseason schedule throughout all of this activity, much of which will take place in August. If the turf isn’t ready for preseason play due to the concert series, the team needs to take the right precautions and do something about it.

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Dolphins, Patriots to face off in Mexico City in 2020 Divisional meeting (Dolphinswire)

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

Dolphins, Patriots to face off in Mexico City in 2020 Divisional meeting (Patriotswire)

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

Dolphins, Patriots to face off in Mexico City in 2020 Divisional meeting

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

Fox Sports tweeted Tuesday that the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to meet in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City during the 2020 season.

WATCH: Larry Fitzgerald will return to Arizona Cardinals in 2020

The Arizona Cardinals are getting another year of Larry Fitzgerald.

The Arizona Cardinals are getting another year of Larry Fitzgerald.

The wide receiver is returning for his 17th season in the NFL on a one-year deal. The team announced the news Wednesday morning with this spectacular edit:

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says the one-year deal will be worth approximately $11 million, which Fitzgerald made for the 2019 season.

Fitzgerald was drafted by the Cardinals in 2004 and has led the team in receiving years for 13 of his 16 seasons. He is behind only Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time receiving yards list with 17,083.

The receiver shared a heartfelt post for Cardinals fans after the news broke:

Bears should target Mike Kafka as new offensive coordinator

Someone that’s been linked to the Bears as an offensive coordinator candidate is an Andy Reid disciple: Chiefs QBs coach Mike Kafka.

The Bears have taken their time searching for their next offensive coordinator. Perhaps they’re doing their due diligence. Or perhaps they’re waiting for someone currently on a playoff team.

With Pat Shurmur officially off the market, as he’s expected to join Denver as their new offensive coordinator, another name that’s been linked to the Bears is another Andy Reid disciple: Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka.

Kafka has ties to Bears coach Matt Nagy, as both worked on Reid’s coaching staff in 2017, where Nagy served as offensive coordinator and Kafka as an offensive quality control coach. Before that, Kafka played as a backup quarterback with the Eagles during Nagy’s time as an offensive assistant in Philadelphia with Reid.

Kafka is an option that makes the most sense, especially now with Shurmur off the market. The Chiefs can deny the Bears the ability to interview Kafka, but Reid is someone that tends to encourage his guys to move up the ranks.

While Kafka was expected to be promoted to Chiefs offensive coordinator after Eric Bieniemy got a head coaching gig, that didn’t go as planned. Bieniemy will remain with the Chiefs next season.

Two years ago, Kafka joined Reid’s staff in Kansas City, where he quickly rose up the ranks. Many believe that Kafka could wind up with a head coaching gig within the next two years.

Then there’s the hometown element. Kafka is from Chicago and played for and coached at Northwestern, which you have to figure would make Chicago an attractive option.

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Nick Kwiatkoski offers optimism for 2020 – but Bears need to lock him up first

Bears ILB Nick Kwiatkoski is someone that should offer optimism for the playoff-less Bears heading into 2020

The Bears defense battled countless injuries in 2019, including the loss of starting inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks.

But the Bears saw several reserve players step up in those starters absences, perhaps none more impressive than inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, who thrived in relief of Danny Trevathan.

Kwiatkoski had career highs with 76 combined tackles, three sacks, four pass breakups and a safety, as well as one forced fumble. He was one of the better defenders down the stretch for the Bears.

Kwiatkoski is someone that should offer optimism for the playoff-less Bears heading into 2020, according to Pro Football Focus.

While Kwiatkoski is a free agent, he was a bright spot for the Bears defense, filling in admirably on his 512 snaps this season. He came out of college as a solid run defender who overcame a lack of great physical tools by usually being in the right place in coverage, and that’s exactly what he did this season for the Bears. Kwiatkoski finished with a solid 72.6 overall grade while making 26 defensive stops and breaking up three passes, and that performance makes him a valuable piece to re-sign in free agency.

Kwiatkoski’s performance this season was more than enough to garner a contract extension from the Bears this offseason. The Bears have a few inside linebackers that are pending free agents, including Kwiatkoski, Trevathan and Kevin Pierre-Louis.

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NFL executives predict where QB Philip Rivers will play in 2020

Who will quarterback Philip Rivers suit up for in 2020?

The future of quarterback Philip Rivers is currently up in the air.

It’s clear that the 38-year old wants to continue to keep playing, but where that is remains to be seen.

The Los Angeles Chargers could elect to re-sign Rivers to a one-year deal, or they could let him hit the market when free agency begins on March 18.

It is a mystery who Rivers will be suiting up for in 2020 – but NFL executives believe that it will be a team not named the Chargers. Instead, they believe that Rivers will sign with the Colts, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

With Indy looking to add quarterback competition for Jacoby Brissett in 2020, multiple league execs say the Colts could turn to Rivers, who threw 92 touchdown passes from 2013 to 2015 with Frank Reich as his quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Current Indy coordinator Nick Sirianni was also an assistant on that Chargers staff.

“He’s not mobile and his arm strength looked questionable at times, but he’s still a year removed from an MVP-type season. And the Colts have a window,” one exec said.

But here’s the other side: Adding Rivers, whose contract is up in L.A., might not align with the personality of general manager Chris Ballard, who covets young talent he can mold. He could opt for a QB in the draft. And the team hasn’t totally given up on Brissett, who started hot in 2019.

Indy has $93,628,216 in 2020 cap space, more than enough for two veteran-quarterback contracts. Ballard said at his end-of-year news conference that he wished he bolstered the team’s depth with all that space in 2019.

We’ve listed the Colts as an ideal landing spot for the former North Carolina State product. Not only do they have the ammo to bring him in, but there are a few different variables that could entice Rivers.

Coach Frank Reich was the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach during the 2013 season. That season, Rivers led the NFL with a 69.5 completion percentage, the highest of his career.

Along with throwing for 4,478 yards and 32 touchdowns that season, Rivers managed to take care of the football, throwing just 11 interceptions while earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Along with the familiarity with Reich, Indianapolis has young playmakers, as well as one of the league’s top offensive lines. Rivers would also be able to play an ideal conditions the majority of the season since the Colts play in a dome.

Rivers threw for 4,615 yards and completed 66% of his passes this past season. He also threw for 20 interceptions and 23 touchdowns, his lowest scoring output since his second season as a starter.

Should the Chargers elect to move on from Rivers, they have Tyrod Taylor, who’s entering the second and final season of his contract. The team also has the sixth pick in the NFL draft, the perfect spot to take a young quarterback.