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Panthers To Acquire Jared Allen From Bears

NFL News
September 28, 2015

3:55pm: The Bears are getting a sixth-round pick from the Panthers, tweets Glazer. As noted below, Brad Biggs initially reported that the pick is expected to be a conditional one, so there may be conditions tied to Allen’s playing time and/or production in Carolina — for now though, it sounds like it’s just a sixth-rounder.

3:31pm: In a surprising move, the Panthers and Bears have agreed to a trade involving veteran pass rusher Jared Allen, who will head to Carolina in the deal, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that the Bears are expected to receive a conditional draft pick in exchange for Allen.Jared Allen

With their top pass rusher Charles Johnson sidelined due to a hamstring injury, the Panthers had been seeking defensive line help, and head coach Ron Rivera suggested earlier today that the team would consider bringing in outside help. Of course, at the time, I would’ve guessed Rivera meant bringing in a few free agents for auditions, rather than acquiring one of the more dominant pass rushers of the last decade.

Allen, who was in his second year with the Bears, recorded double-digit sacks for seven consecutive seasons prior to signing with Chicago, and never had fewer than 7.5 sacks in a season during his NFL career prior to 2014, when he recorded just 5.5. Allen still played well for the Bears, but once the team brought in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and his 3-4 scheme, the 33-year-old was no longer a real fit for Chicago. In three games with the Bears this season, Allen held his own against the run and grabbed an interception, but had yet to pick up a sack.

In Carolina, Allen will get a chance to play defensive end in a 4-3 system once again, and that’s the situation in which he had all of his most productive years. Of course, Allen is no longer the All-Pro player he was in Kansas City and Minnesota, but he can still be an effective pass rusher, and he should help a Panthers team that has missed Greg Hardy over the last year and will be without Johnson in the short term.

The four-year, $32MM deal Allen signed in 2014 looked questionable at the time, and looks even worse now, as the Bears paid nearly $15MM for a little over a season from the veteran defensive end, who was signed by former GM Phil Emery. The fact that this year’s Bears were willing to move on from Allen so quickly suggests that, at 0-3 and with quarterback Jay Cutler injured, the team may already be looking ahead to 2016.

Since Chicago paid Allen an $11.5MM roster bonus earlier this year, the deal works out well for the Panthers from a financial standpoint. Carolina will take on the remainder of Allen’s $1MM salary for 2015, along with base salaries of $8.5MM for 2016 and $8MM for 2017. While this year’s salary is guaranteed, the ’16 and ’17 figures aren’t, so if things don’t go well this year for Allen and the Panthers this year, the team can cut ties with him in the winter.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Bears were having trade talks involving Allen for at least a couple weeks, and other teams knew he was available, so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of pick the Panthers had to give up to land him — especially since his salary for his new team is quite modest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vernon Davis sustained knee injury in Week 3

Fantasy Football, NFL News
September 28, 2015
InjuryDoes not appear to be long-term issue

Vernon Davis suffered a knee injury in the second half and left the game. He said it was not a long-term issue. Davis was targeted twice but finished without a catch. (Sacramento Bee)

Nerdy Football Analysis: Davis was the target on the first of Colin Kaepernick’s two pick-sixes as well as another interception that was overturned later in the game. Both throws were symbolic of the terrible throws Kaepernick made all game long. Davis is a high-end TE2 that could make for a serviceable bye-week replacement for owners of Rob Gronkowski or Delanie Walker next week versus Green Bay if he is able to suit up.

Chris Cooley Working Out For Giants

NFL News
September 28, 2015

When Chris Cooley discussed making an NFL comeback over the summer, it appeared his heart was set on rejoining his old team in Washington. However, the veteran tight end has a workout lined up with another NFC East team, the Giants, this Tuesday, according to ESPN 980 in Washington (Twitter link).

Cooley, who now works as an on-air personality for ESPN 980, indicated back in July that he was contemplating an NFL comeback after nearly three years away from the game. In nine seasons with Washington from 2004 to 2012, Cooley hauled in a total of 429 receptions -“ the all-time high for any tight end in franchise history – 4,711 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns. The former third-round pick made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2007, catching 66 balls for 786 yards and eight touchdowns, and followed that up in 2008 with another Pro Bowl nod, thanks to his 83 catches and 849 yards.

Considering he hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since the 2012 season, it seems unlikely that Cooley would return to the game at this point, or that a team would have interest in adding him to its 53-man roster. But the 33-year-old said last week that he still wants to play, and it appears the Giants would like to at least take a look at him.

The Giants haven’t gotten a whole lot of production out of their tight ends so far this season, with Daniel Fells and Jerome Cunningham battling injuries behind starter Larry Donnell.

Community Tailgate: Winless Teams

NFL News
September 28, 2015

With the NFL season underway, we have a whole new series of topics to discuss, and Nerdy Football’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those topics. What’€™s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’€™s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Nerdy Football. You are no longer required to be a registered user –€“ simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Through three weeks of the 2015 NFL season, 28 of the league’s 32 teams have managed to record at least one victory, with the Seahawks, Eagles, and Colts among the clubs that got into the win column in Week 3. However, that still leaves four teams that have lost all three of their games so far — the Ravens, Bears, Lions, and Saints.

While most of those teams didn’t show up in many preseason Super Bowl predictions, they all had playoff aspirations, and it will be a significant uphill battle for any of them to earn a postseason berth now. The Bears and Saints are in particularly rough shape, with their starting quarterbacks banged up and out of action this past weekend.

Here are the upcoming schedules for all four teams over the next five weeks, as they look to turn their respective seasons around:

  • Baltimore Ravens: at Steelers, vs. Browns, at 49ers, at Cardinals, vs. Chargers
  • Chicago Bears: vs. Raiders, at Chiefs, at Lions, Bye, vs. Vikings
  • Detroit Lions: at Seahawks, vs. Cardinals, vs. Bears, vs. Vikings, at Chiefs
  • New Orleans Saints: vs. Cowboys, at Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Colts, vs. Giants

None of those schedules are a cakewalk, but there are some winnable games in the mix. The Saints, for instance, should be favored against the Tony Romo-less Cowboys if Drew Brees returns to action this weekend. The Ravens have the underachieving Browns and Niners on their schedule. And the Bears and Lions play each other in Week 6, so at least one of them should come out of that game with a victory.

What are your thoughts on the NFL’s four remaining winless team? Will any of them turn things around and make a run at a postseason spot? Which team will take the longest to pick up a win? Will be seeing two or three of these clubs at the top of the 2016 draft order? Weigh in below in the comments section!

Extra Points: Pryor, Jets, Dolphins, CAA

NFL News
September 28, 2015

Last week, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the Seahawks would be working out quarterback-turned-wide-receiver Terrelle Pryor. We later heard word of Pryor’s tryout with the Jets, though it wasn’t clear if he ever made it to Seattle. Today, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes that the ex-Raiders signal-caller is auditioning for the Seahawks as a receiver this week. While PFT’s report makes it sound like it’ll be Pryor’s first workout with the Seahawks this season, La Canfora suggests (via Twitter) that the 26-year-old is auditioning for the club “again.”

Whether it’s Pryor’s first or second tryout for Seattle, it’s clear the team is interested in seeing what he can do as a wideout. While he didn’t last long on the Browns’ roster, Pryor has enough speed and athleticism to make him an interesting – albeit raw – project, so we’ll see whether or not the Seahawks decide to take a flier on him.

In the meantime, let’s check in on some other items from around the league….

  • The idea that the Jets would sign both Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson to blockbuster deals “has always been a fairytale,” writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Although he cautions that the team hasn’t given up on the idea of negotiating a multiyear extension for Wilkerson, Mehta suggests that perhaps the standout defensive lineman could be franchised in 2016 and then used a trade chip to try to move up in the draft to land a franchise quarterback.
  • It’s probably too early to start talking about Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin being on the hot seat, but defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle may not last much longer in Miami if the club’s poor defensive play continues, says Jason Cole of Nerdy Football (video link).
  • Player agent Todd France has officially joined CAA Sports, bringing approximately 50 NFL clients with him, writes Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas and Bills defensive lineman Marcell Dareus are among France’s clients who got lucrative, long-term contracts this year.