NFL News

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I’m gonna miss him

[edindetroit]

Enough co-opting the NFL thread morons. Take it to one of the political threads.

[CGVT]

[Futureshock]

DANIEL SNYDERO, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
ESPN's John Keim reports Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has opened an investigation into allegations of the Commanders' financial improprieties.


The attorneys general of Maryland and D.C. have also been made aware of the allegations against Daniel Snyder's franchise and could join Miyares in looking into the team's finances. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has already investigated the team's culture of sexual harassment. U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has investigated the Commanders for more than a year, recently said in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission that the Commanders withheld as much as $5 million in refundable deposits from season ticket holders. A former employees accused the franchise of having two sets of books that allowed the organization to keep money that should have been shared with the other 31 NFL teams. Lawyers for the Commanders have strongly denied any and all wrongdoings.

SOURCE: ESPN.com
Apr 26, 2022, 8:50 AM

[Futureshock]

DARREN WALLERTE, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Aaron Nagler of CheeseheadTV reports the Packers are targeting Darren Waller in a trade with the Raiders.


Take this with a gigantic grain of salt, but Nagler has been covering the Packers for a very long time. Waller turns 30 in September and has two years left on his contract, but he's coming off an injury-plagued down season that saw him miss six games en route to a 55-665-2 receiving line where he appeared to take more of a back seat to Hunter Renfrow. The Raiders have now added target-dominator Davante Adams, and the word from Nagler is the Packers and Raiders discussed Waller as part of that Adams trade, but league rules prohibited Waller's inclusion because a franchise-tagged player (Adams) can't be traded for a non-tagged player like Waller. Las Vegas is scheduled to make its first pick in this week's draft at No. 86. Flipping Waller to a starved-for-pass-catchers team like Green Bay in exchange for a high pick would make some sense.

RELATED:

• Green Bay Packers

SOURCE: CheeseheadTV
Apr 25, 2022, 6:49 PM

[Futureshock]

BYRON PRINGLEWR, CHICAGO BEARS
TMZ reports Bears WR Byron Pringle was arrested in Florida for doing donuts on a public road with a suspended license.


Pringle, signed by the Bears in March after three years in Kansas City, reportedly had a child in the vehicle. Pringle, 28, was "verbally confrontational" with police at the scene, according to TMZ. Pringle could be subject to punishment by the Bears or the NFL, depending on the outcome of his case.

SOURCE: TMZ.com
Apr 25, 2022, 8:18 AM

[Futureshock]

Linderbaum may go #12:


GARRETT BRADBURYC, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports that the Vikings are not expected to pick up Garrett Bradbury's fifth-year option for 2023.


The cost would be $13 million. Bradbury has been one of the worst pass-protecting centers in the NFL per PFF's grading for years, and notched a career-high 43.7 pass block rating in 2021. Bradbury has been better blocking for the run, but the Vikings could look at centers in Thursday's draft to try to find a long-term solution to the position.

SOURCE: St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Apr 24, 2022, 3:45 PM

[Futureshock]

Ryan Poles doesn’t like “rebuild” label for Bears

Posted by Myles Simmons on April 26, 2022, 3:42 PM EDT

USA TODAY Sports

Whenever a team starts a new regime, there’s always one word that no one likes to use:

Rebuild.

But that word is usually accurate when describing what’s going on with a club’s transactions — especially because teams don’t usually replace coaches and General Managers when things are going well.

When the Bears traded edge rusher Khalil Mack to the Chargers in March, it signaled that the team was looking to gain assets. Chicago doesn’t have a first-round pick after trading up to select quarterback Justin Fields last year.

But when asked if the team is rebuilding during a pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, General Manager Ryan Poles rejected that term.

“The ‘rebuild’ thing is like super sensitive,” Poles said. “We’re constructing a very good football team — regardless of how you use whatever term that is. We just continue to add talent and young talent, older talent, whatever it takes to make the best team possible.”

Then, Poles offered an analogy.

“Actually, late night with the wife, we’re watching TV — the home network where there’s some rooms that are good, you might have to redo some countertops over here, some fresh paint over there. Some rooms are good, you don’t need to touch them. So that’s kind of the thought process there. That’s not a rebuild either.”

To that point, Poles noted that Chicago already has talent on its roster.

“I think some of the expectations, the standards that we want to meet — we have players who are already in that mindset of doing things,” Poles said. “And then watching them perform, there’s talent on this team that I’m excited to build around and build with.”

Still, nailing the draft will be important for the Bears to establish a foundation under Poles and new head coach Matt Eberflus.

“Every draft is important,” Poles said. “Any time you can bring in new, young talent that can create competition and help get better, and obviously with the way free agency is, you get a rookie contract and you get a little bit of time to keep tweaking things and improve.”

[Futureshock]

Brian Gutekunst: Aaron Rodgers will be heavily involved in developing receivers

Posted by Myles Simmons on April 26, 2022, 12:14 PM EDT

Getty Images

The week of last year’s draft, reports emerged that Aaron Rodgers was unhappy with the Packers front office — setting off a saga that seemingly ended when Rodgers signed a contract extension in March.

The relationship between Rodgers and General Manager Brian Gutekunst has apparently been smoothed over, which is particularly important as Green Bay moves forward with a remade receiving corps.

Rodgers is not attending the Packers’ voluntary offseason program. But Gutekunst said he’s had plenty of conversations with the two-time defending MVP.

“I’m in pretty constant communication with Aaron,” Gutekunst said. “This is his downtime, and I know he enjoys that. But yeah, again, the specifics with what we talk about, I won’t get into. But it’s obviously carried over from what we’ve been doing for the last year and a half or so. ”

The Packers have Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard back as established receivers, with the club also signing Sammy Watkins this month. Amari Rodgers is back for a second season as well. But with Davante Adams now in Las Vegas, the Packers are a clear candidate to draft (at least) a receiver in the first round of this year’s draft.

Whatever influence Aaron Rodgers may have over the draft process is unclear. But Gutekunst said the quarterback will be important in getting everyone going in the right direction.

“Aaron’s going to be heavily involved in the development of not only players who are in our building right now, but certainly whoever we bring in,” Gutekunst said.

The Packers have the No. 22 and No. 28 picks in the first round along with the No. 53 and No. 59 picks in the second round.

[Futureshock]

The clock ticks toward a potential Deebo Samuel deal

Posted by Mike Florio on April 27, 2022, 6:37 AM EDT

Getty Images

The 49ers have not slammed the door on a Deebo Samuel trade. Deebo supposedly has slammed the door on returning to the 49ers.

As the first round of the draft approaches, the clock ticks toward a potential deal that will send Deebo to a new team.

On one hand, the 49ers could be trying to get through the draft and then hope that the passage of time plus efforts to sweet talk Deebo will result in Samuel choosing to stay put, at least for another year. On the other hand, the 49ers could be waiting for — if not already sitting on — a great offer for Samuel.

Remember this. There’s no reason for the 49ers to finalize a trade and slide into a slot in round one before that pick is on the clock. The smart move is to wait until the team that will be trading for Samuel has entered its 10-minute window for making its first-round pick. Otherwise, the 49ers risk being leapfrogged by someone who accurately guesses the name of the player the 49ers plan to pick.

That could be exactly what they 49ers are doing, waiting for the pick to be on the clock before pulling the trigger. However, sports books like DraftKings still have the 49ers as the clear favorite as the next team for which Samuel line up, at -350. The Jets land at +500 to snag Samuel.

Will the Jets do it? Will someone else? Within the next 48 hours, we’ll have some sort of an answer.

[Futureshock]

Bears in “good place” with Byron Pringle despite arrest

Posted by Josh Alper on April 27, 2022, 6:24 AM EDT

Getty Images

Bears wide receiver Byron Pringle was arrested in Florida last weekend and General Manager Ryan Poles addressed that development during a Tuesday press conference.

Pringle faces charges of reckless driving and driving with a suspended license after he was observed squealing his tires, burning rubber, and doing a doughnut by law enforcement officers. Pringle signed with the Bears this offseason and Poles, who was in Kansas City with Pringle the last four years, said he does not believe this is indicative of the wideout’s character.

“I know him very well. And it’s not a reflection of who he is at all,” Poles said, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. “You don’t want your guys in the news at all . . . [so] it’s a disappointment. But we had a good conversation about it. We’re in a good place. We’ll keep [the details] internal.”

Pringle could face discipline under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy as a result of the arrest. He signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Chicago.

[Cody_Russell]

NFL News/ Draft related:

and the Robinson news came AFTER this:

Quite the shift for Walker…

[Futureshock]

Darren Waller: “There’s no trade that’s going to happen”

Posted by Mike Florio on April 27, 2022, 10:12 PM EDT

Getty Images

A recent report suggested that the Raiders may trade tight end Darren Waller to the Packers. In response, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said there’s “no chance” that will happen.

Appearing Wednesday night on CBS Sports Radio with Zach Gelb, Waller basically said the same thing.

“I’ve had talks with the team, and they said this is not a thing that’s happening,” Waller said. “There’s no trade that’s going to happen.”

That’s as clear as it gets. So if there were any trade talks, it sounds as if those talks have ended and Waller will stay with the Raiders.

That said, we know by now how fluid the NFL can be. If, for example, the Packers are unable to get the pass catchers they’re targeting in the 2022 draft, maybe they come calling again. If they were even calling in the first place.

[Futureshock]

Report: Sean Payton in negotiations with Fox to become studio analyst

Posted by Charean Williams on April 27, 2022, 7:24 PM EDT

Getty Images

Sean Payton won’t coach in 2022. He could coach in 2023, and a studio analyst job, rather than as a game analyst, will make it easier for him to leave TV and return to the NFL if that’s what he wants.

To that end, Payton is nearing a deal with Fox Sports, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports. He would appear on “Fox NFL Kickoff,” the network’s Sunday morning show and contribute to its top pregame show, “Fox NFL Sunday,” per Marchand.

Fox has an opening at its lead game analyst spot with Troy Aikman having left for ESPN. Kevin Burkhardt is expected to replace Joe Buck as the No. 1 play-by-play announcer, but Fox has not announced its NFL broadcast teams.

Amazon Prime Video, which has “Thursday Night Football,” also has had interest in Payton for its pregame show.

Payton, 58, left the Saints after 15 seasons but has not ruled out a return to coaching.

If he decides he likes the television work, Payton could be the heir apparent to Jimmy Johnson on the “Fox NFL Sunday” set. Johnson, 78, currently doesn’t appear every Sunday during the season.

[Futureshock]

David Tepper: Matt Rhule has my full support

Posted by Josh Alper on April 27, 2022, 4:39 PM EDT

Getty Images

Panthers owner David Tepper held a pre-draft press conference on Wednesday that featured votes of confidence in a couple of key members of the organization.

Tepper called Sam Darnold “a very good quarterback” amid speculation the team will add another quarterback that General Manager Scott Fitterer has done little to douse. There’s been less focus on head coach Matt Rhule’s immediate job security, but plenty of thoughts that his situation could get dire if he can’t show improvement on a 10-23 record in his first two seasons.

Tepper said that Rhule has his “full support” while discussing the need to have “the patience to build the foundation” for success.

“I do believe that coach Rhule and Scott are doing a great job creating that foundation,” Tepper said, via the team’s website. “I do think we have made improvements in the coaching staff; we have done a good job during free agency to fill holes. Obviously we have some needs, and we’re going to try to attempt to fill some of those in the draft. I’m fairly optimistic about the new season given all the different things that have happened here.”

Nailing the quarterback call would be a good way for Rhule and Fitterer to ensure that April’s support for their work remains in place next January.