BEARS COULD USE SOME MORE BITE AT QUARTERBACK
Chicago seems to be in market for a pivot as NFL’s trade deadline looms on Tuesday
1. Who else will be traded by Tuesday’s deadline?
NEWS: In-season trades in the NFL now seem more commonplace than ever, when not even a decade ago they were rare. As the 2019 trade deadline nears on Tuesday, we’re already seeing a wave of deals struck. Just this week, Atlanta sent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu to New England, Denver sent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to San Francisco, Detroit sent safety Quandre Diggs to Seattle, and Dallas acquired defensive end Michael Bennett from New England.
VIEW: Might we see a name quarterback traded by Tuesday? Don’t be surprised.
The Chicago Bears hierarchy must be nearing the end of its collective rope with 2017 No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky. He is struggling so badly that even head coach and chief offensive strategist Matt Nagy this week publicly admitted Trubisky’s confidence is at a low ebb.
Might the Bears make the Jacksonville Jaguars an offer for Nick Foles, who broke his collarbone in Week 1 and returned to practice this week? The Jags seem set with rookie replacement Gardner Minshew.
Similarly, the New York Giants have moved on from two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning after going all in by Week 3 with rookie Daniel Jones. But Manning has a firm no-trade clause in his contract with the Giants, however, and might just want to end his career in New York before his 39th birthday on Jan. 3.
It’s doubtful Chicago would find Manning a match for Nagy’s attack anyway. But maybe the Bears would see an upgrade in another failed No. 2 overall draft pick, Tennessee QB Marcus Mariota, whom the Titans benched last week for Ryan Tannehill.
Another team possibly looking to upgrade now at QB could be the Denver Broncos, what with Joe Flacco failing big time. But at 2-5 and struggling mightily to score even 17 points in a game, the Broncos might not care to make any more quarterback gambles with a draft-pick price tag.
As for other positions, Washington since the spring has refused to trade holdout left tackle Trent Williams, one of the best in the league. He’s under contract for one more year.
There’s no shortage of teams, especially in the AFC, who’d be willing to offer a nice package of draft picks for the 31-year-old. Hello, Cleveland.
2. The NFL won’t abide league employees slamming officiating.
NEWS: Late last week, the NFL reportedly fined three players $12,500 each — Los Angeles Rams linebacker Clay Matthews, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker — for publicly criticizing game officials.
VIEW: It is not uncommon for a pro sports league, even a college conference, to hand out severe financial penalties, reprimands, even suspensions when game officials’ performances are slagged in public. Usually leagues pick their spots, though.
And coming just days after one of the worst officiated NFL games in recent memory — and that sure is saying something — the league comes off looking not only petty and vindictive, but more thin-skinned than a dishwasher soap puck.
On Wednesday, the outspoken Mayfield did not hesitate one iota to keep on slamming the league and its officials. As ProFootballTalk.com pointed out, he’s basically daring the league to fine him again. Not that he sounded like he cared.
“I wouldn’t say it was complaining when it was blatantly obvious,” Mayfield said of his statements last week that got him fined.
“I would say that’s just stating facts. Freedom of speech. I thought that’s OK, but I get fined for it. That’s the league. That’s what they do … I knew I was going to get fined, but it needs to be said.
“They fine you for ridiculous things. It’s just how it is. There’s a reason everybody is talking about it. It’s not just me.”
3. Sam Darnold “saw ghosts” during loss to Patriots.
NEWS: The second-year New York Jets quarterback wore an in-game microphone during the blowout loss Monday night to the New England Patriots, supplied by one of the league’s multimedia arms, NFL Films. During the game, a temporarily overwhelmed Darnold could be heard on ESPN’s telecast saying, “I’m seeing ghosts.”
VIEW: Apparently, ESPN had nothing to do with the decision to let that rather embarrassing comment air.
Before sun-up on Tuesday, Darnold’s “seeing ghosts” comment had gone viral. The 22-year-old simultaneously became a figure of derision and pity.
While his head coach, an angry Adam Gase, has since questioned the wisdom of permitting any of his players to be miked up, he said Darnold is “good” and has “done a good job of moving on.”
For his part, Darnold on Thursday downplayed the incident.
“I’m going to continue to be myself because if I start worrying about that kind of stuff, I’m worried about the wrong things,” he said at a news conference, per ProFootballTalk.com.
Numerous former star quarterbacks spoke out in defence of Darnold this week.
“Every single one of us has been in that situation before,” Kurt Warner said on NFL Network, meaning being a bit overwhelmed and seeing or sensing things that aren’t there.
I would say that’s just stating facts. Freedom of speech. I thought that’s OK, but I get fined for it. That’s the league.