Tag: Bears

Seahawks met with free agent wide receiver Chase Claypool

According to Howard Balzer, Seattle reported a visit with former Dolphins, Bears and Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool.

The Seattle Seahawks already have the top wide receiver room in the NFL. However, they never stop looking for more talent and they’re considering one of the more interesting free agents at the position.

According to Howard Balzer, Seattle reported a visit with former Dolphins, Bears and Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool.

Claypool (6-foot-4, 238 pounds) played his college ball at Notre Dame, where he totaled 150 catches, 2,159 yards and 19 touchdowns. After that Pittsburgh selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Claypool spent about three years with the Steelers before they traded him to the Bears, then another two seasons there before he was traded again, this time to the Dolphins. All together, he has appeared in 58 career regular season games, totaling over 2,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, the vast majority of his production came in his rookie season when he racked up 873 yards and nine scores. Since then his numbers have fallen off a cliff.

If Claypool signs he would most likely project as the team’s fifth or sixth option at the wide receiver position.

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Seahawks worked out free agent offensive lineman Lucas Patrick

According to Aaron Wilson, on Monday the team worked out free agent interior lineman Lucas Patrick.

Last week the Seahawks brought in veteran guard Greg Van Roten for a visit and were also reported to be interested in a couple of other free agent iOL in Cody Whitehair and Laken Tomlinson. This week the work continues to find more options at the guard and center positions, which are arguably the weakest on paper in the NFL right now.

We can add another name to the list of veterans Seattle is taking a look at. According to Aaron Wilson, on Monday the team worked out free agent interior lineman Lucas Patrick, who spent last year with the Bears.

Patrick (6-foot-3, 313 pounds) played his college ball at Duke. Despite going undrafted, he has managed to appeared in 96 games at this level, including five years in Green Bay and two in Chicago.

For most of his career Patrick has been a guard, putting in time at both spots but this last season he was the starting center for the Bears. PFF wasn’t too keen on what he did, giving him a 50.5 overall grade (ranking 30 out of 36 qualifying centers) including a 40.6 grade in pass protection.

If Patrick does sign he could compete at any of the three interior positions, but right now left guard is the team’s most-desperate spot. While they do have some inexperienced options at right guard and center, they have exactly none with any NFL experience at left guard.

The Seahawks could use as many bodies as they can get right now for that offensive line but they simply may not have the dough to sign anybody at the moment.  According to the latest figures at Over the Cap, the team has less than $1.8 million in cap room. However, their effective cap space (including rookies) is still in the red.

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Seahawks announce new VP of football administration

The Seahawks made a notable behind-the-scenes move on Wednesday for their front office.

The Seahawks made a notable behind-the-scenes move on Wednesday for their front office. The team announced that they are hiring Joey Laine as their new vice president of football administration.

Laine had been working as a cap analyst for the Packers, where general manager John Schneider came up. He replaces Matt Thomas, who had previously held the position since 2013. Laine has also worked for the Bears as their director of football administration for seven years after spending 10 seasons with the Saints.

At least to start Laine has his work cut out for him regarding Seattle’s salary cap situation. Before they announced the signing of Laviska Shenault the team had around $2 million in cap space leftover for the 2024 season. However, that figure doesn’t account for what it will cost to sign their rookie class, so the real number is closer to $3 million over the limit.

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Report: Chargers rejected Keenan Allen’s extension counteroffer before trade

A timeline of the events surrounding Keenan Allen’s talks with the Chargers organization before the trade can be established.

According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, a timeline of the events surrounding Keenan Allen’s talks with the Chargers organization before the trade can be established.

After the NFL Combine, the Chargers asked Allen to take a pay cut similar to what they asked of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. However, in a new wrinkle, LA offered Allen a two-year extension along with the restructured 2024 contract.

This isn’t necessarily surprising. At his press conference last week, Joe Hortiz mentioned that an extension was one of the options that was discussed with Allen prior to the trade. The specifics of it were unknown at the time though.

Per Rhim, the extension offer AAV was less than Allen’s current base salary of $18.1 million. While not a drastically low offer for receivers aging into their 30s, Allen is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also re-signed star wide receiver Mike Evans to a deal worth $20.5 million per season prior to the opening of free agency. It wouldn’t be surprising if Allen’s camp used that contract as a baseline for a new deal.

Allen’s camp responded with an extension counteroffer that they thought was more indicative of the receiver’s value. This was two days after the deal was offered to the new Bears’ wideout at the NFL Combine. Using Rhim’s exact words, the counteroffer extension from Allen and his team was “summarily rejected.”

We know the rest of what happened following the rejected counteroffer. Allen was traded to the Bears roughly two weeks ago prior to his roster bonus kicking in on the following Sunday.

Jim Harbaugh was a straight shooter in his media availability on Monday, saying that the NFL was a business. He also mentioned Allen doing what was “honorable” for his family. Hortiz indicated that a roster built around a pricey Allen and potential extensions for other members of the former Big Four restructures group would’ve limited how the new front office wanted to build the team.

The Chargers will look towards both the draft and free agency to fill the void left by Allen.

PFF proposes trade-up scenario for Saints in Round 1 of 2024 draft

Pro Football Focus says the Saints should consider this draft-day trade in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, making a big move to upgrade at left tackle:

Few teams are as aggressive on draft day as the New Orleans Saints have been with Mickey Loomis calling the shots for the last 20 years. They almost always trade up, never down, and the Saints are a candidate to move up the board again in the 2024 NFL draft.

Pro Football Focus analyst Brad Spielberger recently proposed six first-round trade scenarios that he would like to see happen on draft night. Of the six deals that he drew up, the New Orleans Saints were involved in a trade with the Chicago Bears.

In this scenario, Spielberger has the Saints trading up from Nos. 14 to 9 in the first round. In doing so, the Saints would give up picks Nos. 45 and 168 and receive No. 75 in return. That’s exchanging second- and fifth-round picks for a third rounder. Here’s why Spielberger said the Saints should make this deal:

“A tackle already made sense for the Saints with question marks on the left side, as 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning has not panned out thus far and veterans James Hurst and 2023 starter Andrus Peat — who is still unsigned — are not long-term starting options. Now, with news that stalwart right tackle Ryan Ramczyk has unfortunately not recovered as well as the team had hoped from knee surgery, tackle is by far the biggest need for this roster headed into 2024.

The Saints get ahead of the New York Jets at No. 10, who could still be in the market for a top tackle prospect despite adding Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses this offseason — both are signed only through 2024 — and the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 13. New Orleans has never shied away from a trade-up for a desired player, and this year could be no different, with a glaring need at one of the most important positions in the sport and with veteran quarterback Derek Carr in need of better protection.

Fashanu has great feet to cleanly kick slide and also reset against counters, and he allowed just 16 quarterback pressures and zero sacks over the past two seasons, earning an 88.4 pass-blocking grade in 2023 with an 82.0 true pass set pass-blocking grade. He appears to be sliding a bit in draft conversations, at least in the media’s eyes, even after many viewed him as the No. 1 tackle if he had been able to declare for the NFL after the 2022 college season.”

Spielberger makes a lot of great points specifically with the Saints’ offensive line struggles. With Trevor Penning and now Ryan Ramczyk each posing some level of uncertainty at the tackle spots, it makes the most sense in leaning in the direction of selecting a tackle in Round 1.

In terms of compensation, it seems a little rich for the Saints to give up that 45th pick in the draft due to the many needs that this team now has. Losing out on a potential starter at a different position doesn’t feel like a risk worth taking for this year’s Saints team, especially with the limited resources they have to play with. Getting a third rounder back is nice but there will be better prospects available earlier on, and the Saints could still get a quality offensive lineman in the first round without trading up. It’s a deep class and they need to take advantage of it.

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Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on Keenan Allen trade: ‘It’s the business part of the NFL’

This marked the first time Jim Harbaugh spoke after Keenan Allen was traded.

Jim Harbaugh spoke to the media at the NFL’s annual owners meetings for the first time since Keenan Allen was traded to the Bears.

It’s the business part of the NFL. Everybody does what’s best for them. Joe [Hortiz] talked about it last week. It’s very transparent. It’s the buisness part of it. Everybody does what’s in their best intesrest. And Keenan? Make $23 million a year, play in Chicago. You know? Who’s got it better?

Harbaugh stated that Joe Hortiz and Allen’s agent, Joby Branion, primarily facilitated the deal to send Allen to the Bears. Harbaugh mentioned Allen doing what was right for his family.

With Mike Williams leaving to the Jets on a one-year, $15 million, Harbaugh also mentioned that he did what was in his best interest. With Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack staying for 2024, Harbaugh said he’s “thrilled” to have those two return.

Asked about plans for the wide receiver room, Harbaugh said that he’s “excited” about Quentin Johnston, Josh Palmer, and Derius Davis in the wide receiver room. Like Hortiz said in his press conference last week, Harbaugh was quick to point out free agency as a source for talent in addition to the draft.

The Chargers could end up addressing their receiver room with one of the class’ top talents like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze. However, Hortiz did note the depth of the wide receiver class back at his combine presser. Free agents like Odell Beckham Jr. and Michael Gallup remain on the market.

Whatever combination of options the Chargers choose, I’d be willing to bet this is far from their final depth chart at the wide receiver position.

3 fun and funky bear videos to help you start your week right

Appreciate these cute critters.

Have you ever thought about the world’s obsession with adorable bears? Humans create plush versions of the animal in the form of teddy bears, there are contests devoted to picking the fattest bear, and fictional bear characters like Winnie the Pooh have captured the hearts of millions. Despite this critter’s sometimes ferocious and grisly behavior, people just can’t get enough of bears.

If you’re one of the world’s many bear enthusiasts, start your day off right with these three fun, strange, and silly bear videos. These recent clips come to you from locations like the snowy wilderness around Lake Tahoe, California’s Oakland Zoo, and the Woburn Safari Park in England.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C41TDZaMUpI/

While this first video seems to show a sleepy bear slowly emerging from hibernation within a snow-filled forest, this next video from the Oakland Zoo features a delightful and energetic grizzly bear.

This bear isn’t the only one having fun in the water, though. Recently, England’s Woburn Safari Park shared a video showing some of its North American black bears playing in a swan boat. See it for yourself in the video below.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=897117842190538

Chargers GM Joe Hortiz explored ‘multiple options’ with Keenan Allen before trade

Joe Hortiz spoke for the first time since Keenan Allen was traded to the Bears.

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz spoke to local reporters on Thursday for the first time since wide receiver Keenan Allen was traded to the Bears a week ago.

Asked about Allen, Hortiz said they explored “multiple options” before their eventual final measure.

“There was extensions, there was everything. We kind of went down every path, and in the end, this was the one that fit us best and fit him best.”

Allen was asked about a potential extension with Chicago at his introductory Bears presser last week. There seems to be mutual interest on both sides in getting something done there, as the former Chargers’ receiver said something could be done “down the line”. While nothing is imminent, he said he expects to remain a Bear past the 2024 season.

It’s worth noting that the extension offered to Allen and what the star receiver was willing to take are probably different figures. Mike Evans received a two-year, $52 million contract extension with Tampa Bay earlier this offseason. As Allen aims for what could be his final big-money NFL extension, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that deal used as a framework by his team.

Considering it’s been reported that the team asked him to take a pay cut prior to the trade along with Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, it seems unlikely that the AAV or guaranteed structure offered on a new deal probably would’ve ended up satisfying Allen.

The Chargers will technically be more rich with cap space next offseason than the Bears. But as the Bears look to be staring down a cost-controlled, five-year contract with star prospect Caleb Williams, it’s understandable that they may feel more confident in their ability to complete this deal.

We’ll likely never know what went down with Allen and the front office or what the financials were exactly. The pressure of getting a proper plan of WR succession going at April’s draft has ratcheted in intensity one week after the Chargers moved on from both Allen and Mike Williams.

Jaguars sign former Bears, Titans OLB Trevis Gipson

Trevis Gipson, who was once a fast rising star in the Bears defense, will look to get his career back on track with the Jaguars.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed former Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Trevis Gipson, the team announced Monday.

Gipson, 26, was a fifth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2020 NFL draft and played the first three seasons of his career with the team. While he recorded seven sacks and five forced fumbles in a breakout second season in 2021, Gipson struggled to make the transition to the Bears’ new defensive scheme under Matt Eberflus in 2022.

After recording only three sacks in 2022, Gipson was granted permission to search for a trade ahead of the 2023 season and was eventually released by the team in final cuts. He signed with the Titans in August, but was a healthy scratch in nine games and finished with only one sack.

In Jacksonville, Gipson will try to rediscover the momentum he had early in his career when he was seen as a fast rising and promising young pass rusher. The Jaguars could certainly use the edge rushing depth after getting very little out of K’Lavon Chaisson and Dawuane Smoot in 2023 and allowing both to reach the free agency market.

Terms of Gipson’s contract with the Jaguars haven’t yet been revealed.

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Saints could have traded for Justin Fields, if they had wanted to

The Saints had the draft picks to trade for Justin Fields, and they just hired his quarterbacks coach. It says a lot about their plans that he wasn’t considered:

It says a lot about the New Orleans Saints’ plans at quarterback that they never entered trade talks while the Chicago Bears were trying to find a new home for Justin Fields. The 25-year-old was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft; if he’s able to get on the field ahead of Russell Wilson and play well, it can turn into a fourth rounder.

The Saints could have beaten that offer. They own multiple picks in rounds five and six this year which is more lucrative than selections in 2025. They could’ve made a stronger offer than Pittsburgh did, had they chosen to.

And they had an inside scoop on Fields after hiring his quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. Janocko worked closely with Fields the last two years in Chicago and knew everything there was to know about the young quarterback. If the Saints liked what he had to say, they would’ve made a move. But they didn’t.

Which gets to our point: the Saints weren’t interested. As we’ve been saying, they want to support Derek Carr, not threaten his position on top of the depth chart with someone who might be better. They don’t want to have more ugly moments were fans were booing him off the field and cheering on Jameis Winston as happened last year. That’s why they signed a mediocre backup in Nathan Peterman, whose best-case scenario is getting blitzed by Jake Haener in training camp before hanging on with the practice squad, maybe.

Carr was a tough watch for much of the 2023 season. Still, Saints decision-makers like head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis are confident he can deliver on the expectations that come with his $150 million contract. To his credit, Carr was much more impressive through the last six weeks when ex-offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael began tailoring the offense to his strengths with more play-action passes and pre-snap movement. Allen hired an entirely new offensive coaching staff this offseason, including Janocko, with the goal of putting Carr in a position to succeed.

Does that mean they were right to pass on Fields? No. Teams should keep adding quarterbacks until they know they have the right one, whether that means rolling the dice in free agency, taking a flyer on another team’s castoff, or drafting one themselves. Carr, who turns 33 in a few weeks, has probably hit his ceiling without ever winning a single playoff game. Allen, Loomis, and the Saints as an organization are determined to find out if he can lead the team to success in spite of that. They’re going with Carr, sink or swim, and that’s why they’re not in on an exciting young quarterback like Fields. It’s why fans shouldn’t expect them to draft another passer coming out of college, either.

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