Tag: 2021 Free Agency

Details of Ty Nsekhe’s Cowboys deal emerge as potential swing tackle

After agreeing to terms on Tuesday, the contract details for Ty Neskhe in Dallas make him the 4th highest paid OL for 2021 in Dallas.

After a 2020 season full of injuries on the offensive line, the Cowboys were in need of reliable veteran backups to starting tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins. Last year, undrafted rookie free agent Terence Steele played all 16 games, starting 14 and second-year UDFA Brandon Knight played 13 games while starting nine.

The Cowboys had Cam Erving as the intended veteran, but he wasn’t able to hold the job down. On Tuesday, Dallas made a move to replace that veteran functionality on the offensive line, agreeing to terms with former Bills swing tackle Ty Nsekhe. The details of his one-year contract with Dallas came out on Wednesday as he checks in with a $1.75 million cap hit.

After playing limited snaps in 2020, a 36-year-old Nsekhe wasn’t expected to have a huge market, and Dallas brings some veteran leadership into the position room.

The Texas State product will be returning to the state he played college football and went to high school as an alum of Arlington-Bowie.

Considering Collins missed the whole season in 2020 and how Smith’s season ended in early October, there’s a possibility Nsekhe could be needed to play an integral role in the club’s pursuit of the playoffs, something he’s been a part of the last two seasons in Buffalo.

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Here’s what the Bears offered the Seahawks for Russell Wilson

Bears GM Ryan Pace threw a lot at the Seahawks to acquire QB Russell Wilson, but Seattle didn’t budge.

The Chicago Bears made an aggressive push to land Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. But, when all was said and done, it wasn’t enough for the Seahawks to decide to part with their franchise quarterback.

Unfortunately for Chicago, that meant settling for veteran Andy Dalton in free agency, who the Bears signed to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million with incentives.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Chicago offered a lot for Wilson. But what exactly was a lot? Multiple first-rounders? Players? Now, details about the Bears’ offer have surfaced.

According to Dan Patrick, Chicago offered Seattle three first-round picks, a third-round pick and two starters for Wilson.

While the three first-rounders and third-rounder isn’t a surprise, it’d be interesting to hear exactly which starters were offered in a package for Wilson.

But when it comes to landing a star franchise quarterback like Wilson, you figure everything is on the table. There’s no player that’s too valuable to give up, no number of draft picks too much for the team’s first potential franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman.

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Free Agency: Grading the Bears’ signing of QB Andy Dalton

The Bears signed QB Andy Dalton to a one-year deal. Here’s how we graded the signing.

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The Chicago Bears finally got their first 4,000-yard passer in franchise history, it just wasn’t the one fans were hoping for.

Chicago shocked the NFL world when they signed quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth $10 million — and potentially $13 million with incentives.

It was a move made in desperation after Bears GM Ryan Pace made an aggressive move to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. When the Seahawks told the Bears that they weren’t trading Wilson, Chicago scrambled to sign Dalton.

While the disappointment of losing out on Wilson and settling for Dalton is a gruesome reality for Bears fans, let’s take a look at Dalton’s potential in Chicago.

When head coach Matt Nagy was asked about the three important qualities he was looking for in a quarterback, he named leadership, decision-making and versatility. So it’s not a surprise that Dalton was an option for Chicago.

Dalton’s leadership has been one of his defining qualities, along with his decision-making, where he’s managed to find timing and rhythm in the passing game. While you’re not likely going to have designed quarterback runs with Dalton in there, he remains a threat with his legs, even now.

Dalton wasn’t the addition everyone was waiting for, but he’s not a terrible one. And he’s also not the right one, which falls more on Pace than Dalton. This situation is what happens when you don’t have a definitive plan in place. Trading for Wilson was always going to be a long-shot, and signing Dalton was a move of desperation more than anything.

At this point, you assume Chicago will look to add another quarterback through the NFL draft, be it trading up for a top prospect or selecting a mid-tier guy to groom behind Dalton. Although, it’s still not a recipe for “win now.”

Now, Pace has hitched his and Nagy’s future on the right arm of Andy Dalton. It’s a bold strategy, we’ll see how it plays out for them.

Grade: D

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Here’s why the Bears decided to sign QB Andy Dalton

The Bears inked QB Andy Dalton to a one-year deal, which had everyone asking: Why? Chicago’s reasoning doesn’t help matters.

Death, taxes and the Chicago Bears managing to make their quarterback situation worse.

The Bears finally made a move in free agency at quarterback, but it wasn’t the move that everyone was expecting. Chicago agreed to terms with veteran Andy Dalton on a one-year deal worth $10 million with an added $3 million in incentives.

And Bears fans were left wondering…why?

Why sign a quarterback you could’ve had last season? Why sign him to a salary that’s not exactly team-friendly? Why bring in another aging veteran that’s in the downside of his career?

According to ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson, the Bears were “drawn” to Dalton’s experience, leadership, accuracy, durability and decision making. Oh, and his previous experience with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor certainly helped matters.

Not that it helps matters much, as far as Bears fans are concerned. This is a franchise that remains content with mediocrity. Two years in a row, they’ve settled for a veteran quarterback that doesn’t make this team better.

Sure, they threw everything they had at the Seattle Seahawks when it came to attempting to trade for Russell Wilson. But to be fair, that was always a long shot, even as Bears fans basked in the very idea of a franchise quarterback in Chicago.

But it seems like general manager Ryan Pace’s quarterback woes are finally catching up with him — and during a season where he can’t afford another mediocre offensive showing.

On the bright side — because lord knows we need it — this is also a move that seems to indicate that Chicago will be making a push for a young quarterback in the NFL draft next month. They really don’t have another choice.

Are Pace and head coach Matt Nagy willing to bet their futures on Dalton and Nick Foles? And if they are, then at least Bears fans will finally get that cleaned house they’ve been waiting for.

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QB Andy Dalton leaving Cowboys for possible starting role in Chicago

Dak Prescott’s primary backup in 2020 will be competing to be a starter once again after agreeing to terms with the Bears.

The Red Rifle is riding off into the sunset… or at least to The Windy City.

Quarterback Andy Dalton played an instrumental role in his lone season in Dallas by stepping into the starting role after Dak Prescott’s brutal injury in Week 5, but he’s now on his way to the Chicago Bears. Dalton has reached an agreement with that team on a one-year deal and is expected to compete for the chance to start.

Dalton went 4-5 filling in for Prescott, missing two games along the way: one for a concussion suffered against Washington and one while under COVID-19 protocol.

Dalton had been on a one-year deal in Dallas, marking a return to his native Texas after being a collegiate star at TCU and following a nine-year career in Cincinnati. His new contract with Chicago is another one-year deal worth a reported $10 million.

According to Adam Schefter, the Bears had made “a very aggressive pursuit” of Seahawks passer Russell Wilson, but were told that Seattle is not trading Wilson.

“I feel like I can play, and I feel like I can help a team win,” he said after the Cowboys’ 2020 season finale, as per the team website. “Hopefully, with the film that I put out this year, people see that and value me in that way. I obviously feel like I still got a lot of good football left, and we’ll see how it all plays out.”

Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles shared quarterback duties for Chicago last season, guiding the team to an 8-8 record.

As for Dallas, Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert remain on the roster for now as Prescott’s backups heading into 2021.

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Bears were aggressive in pursuit of Russell Wilson, but Seahawks aren’t trading him ‘at this time’

The Bears were “aggressive” in their pursuit of Russell Wilson, but the Seahawks made it clear they’re not trading him right now.

The Chicago Bears have been aggressive this offseason at the quarterback position. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t pan out. Now, they’re left to settle for an aging, below-average quarterback in Andy Dalton, who signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with $3 million in added incentives.

My, oh my, how things changed in a day.

The last couple of weeks have been an exciting time for Bears fans, mostly because they were able to enjoy entertaining the idea of Russell Wilson in a Bears uniform, however unsure it was.

Chicago was one of four teams Wilson’s agent named as potential trade destinations, should the Seattle Seahawks decide to deal their franchise quarterback. The Bears were reportedly prepared to throw a “boatload” of picks the Seahawks’ way in order to acquire Wilson, who would’ve been the team’s best quarterback in franchise history from the moment they traded for him.

While the Wilson-to-Chicago rumors were gaining some steam, they’ve come to a screeching halt as the Seahawks informed the Bears — who made “a very aggressive pursuit” of Wilson, according to Adam Schefter — that they aren’t trading Wilson at this time.

That forced the Bears to scramble at a barren free-agent market for a quarterback, which led to the Dalton signing, a move that Bears fans aren’t handling well. And rightfully so.

Anytime you go from rumors of Wilson, however far-fetched they might’ve been, to the reality of signing an aging, below-average quarterback in Dalton, it’s enough for fans to question everything. And ensure that general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy will be out of a job after 2021.

Well, that was fun while it lasted. But us Bears fans should’ve known better by now than to get caught up in optimism involving Chicago and quarterbacks. Now, it’s time for the Andy Dalton era.

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Twitter explodes after Andy Dalton signs with Bears

The reaction to Andy Dalton signing a one-year deal with the Bears was as crazy as you’d expect it to be.

The Chicago Bears made their first major acquisition of the offseason and fans are not happy with it.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears are signing former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year, $10 million deal. Dalton can earn an additional $3 million in incentives.

After being linked to countless quarterbacks on the market, most notably Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, it’s Dalton who winds up as the next potential starter for the Bears.

The veteran quarterback spent nine seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals starter before coming to the Dallas Cowboys to be the backup to Dak Prescott. Dalton found himself starting most of the games for Dallas after Prescott injured his ankle in October, missing the rest of the season. He threw for 2,170 yards with 14 touchdowns and eights interceptions.

The news rocked social media late Tuesday afternoon as fans showed their displeasure for the signing, while rivals couldn’t help but laugh.

https://twitter.com/_SmashAmos31/status/1371931643074785281

https://twitter.com/thetonygill/status/1371931535302086662

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Sorry Bears fans, Andy Dalton is coming to Chicago

The Bears have agreed to terms with QB Andy Dalton on a one-year deal worth $10 million.

The Chicago Bears made a big quarterback move ahead of the start of the new league year. It just wasn’t the one Bears fans were hoping for.

Chicago is signing quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth $10 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. There’s a chance for Dalton to earn another $3 million in incentives.

Where it stands, Dalton will be the Bears’ starting quarterback heading into the 2021 season. But, at this point, it makes sense for Chicago to make a move in the NFL draft for a young prospect to sit behind Dalton for a year. Or, for those of us still holding onto the last sliver of hope for Russell Wilson, perhaps the Bears signed Dalton to serve as Wilson’s back-up. Although that certainly isn’t likely to happen.

But, then again, perhaps general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are really stupid enough to put their futures in the hands of Dalton. If that’s the case, it won’t take long for Pace and Nagy to be shown the door.

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Details of Chidobe Awuzie’s deal with Bengals, comp pick implications

A look at the financial details of Chidobe Awuzie’s deal with the Bengals and what it means for the Cowboys comp formula.

Early on Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys lost their first high-value free agent when cornerback Chidobe Awuzie agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals. The three-year deal sent the starter for 42 of a possible 64 games to the AFC, and leaves an expected void in the rotation at the position. Dallas will look to fill that void in free agency and more than likely the draft.

Meanwhile, the club got another piece in their future-building puzzle with the announcement of the terms of Awuzie’s deal. As an unrestricted out-of-contract free agent, Awuzie already was going to figure into the compensatory formula. The terms of the deal indicate he will slot in at the fifth-round compensatory level after signing a three-year pact for an average of $7.5 million a season with $9.25 million in Year 1.

While comp picks also take into considering playing time in the first year of a contract, the average value is the biggest piece. In the 2021 draft, 2020 free agents who earned an average between $6.5 million and $10 million were worth fifth rounders as compensation. That may decrease with the lower salary cap in 2021, as it dropped from $198.2 million to $182.5 million thanks to the pandemic and lost revenue.

The Cowboys are also in line for a sixth-round comp pick (depending on who they sign) based on losing OT Cam Erving to the Panthers. QB Andy Dalton, CB Jourdan Lewis and safety Xavier Woods are all expected to be part of a formula that could result in as many as four extra picks for the team. Joe Thomas’ one-year deal with the Texans is a qualifying deal that will be below the threshold of awarding a pick. The contracts for Ty Nsekhe and Jake McQuaide will factor into the formula as well.

This year Dallas received four picks for losing Byron Jones, Robert Quinn, Randall Cobb and Jeff Heath in last year’s offseason.

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Steelers OL Zach Banner posts Twitter video to announce Pittsburgh deal

The gregarious Banner took to social media to be the first to announce his new contract with Steelers.

For as many players leaving via free agency, a few are actually staying in Pittsburgh.

Offensive lineman Zach Banner took to social media today to let everyone know that he’ll be remaining in Pittsburgh for two more seasons. Per NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala, the deal is worth $9.5 million with a $3.25 million signing bonus.

After all the hard work Banner put in to earn the starting tackle position, he went down with an ACL tear in the first game of the season.

A few weeks ago, Banner tweeted that he would stay off social media until he had a new deal with the Steelers. Last night, Banner was back, leading everyone to believe he would be donning the Black and Gold in 2021 and beyond.

“I’m really, really excited and thankful for the opportunity from [general manager] Kevin Colbert and [head coach] Mike Tomlin, and especially [president, owner Art], Mr. Rooney.”

With Matt Feiler gone and the status of Alejandro Villaneuva up in the air, Pittsburgh will need all of the veterans it can keep.

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