After spending nearly a week in Indianapolis at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, speaking with general managers, coaches, agents and sources from around the league, it's a pleasure to end the chatter (I may as well be freezing up from all the chatter). not the face). and share with you the latest I hear around the NFL.
Here's what you need to know:
If the Chicago Bears planned to keep their plays secret, it wasn't hard to solve their game with quarterback clue based on all the talk in restaurants, coffee shops and convention center hallways about the team holding the keys to the top NFL Draft.
Multiple league sources I spoke with believe the Bears are trying to move on from Justin Fields, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The team, which has the Nos. 1 and 9 picks, appears to be focused on selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams with its first pick.
Although there were suspicions that Williams had no interest in playing in Chicago, he revealed in a recent interview that he would like to be a Bear if selected. I spoke with some of the Bears' top players who had seen Williams' recent views on his interest in Chicago, and they seemed pleased. When Williams met with the Chicago staff in person, they spent most of their time discussing the installation on the whiteboard and observing his recollection and the process.
GO DEEPER
Caleb Williams meets the media: QB unfazed by attention, questions, Bears story
As for their current quarterback, Bears decision-makers would like to decide on Fields' future before the NFL free agency window, which begins March 13. This is what they prefer, but not necessarily what they will achieve. General manager Ryan Poles openly shared that he wants to “do the right thing” by Fields and understands that “no one wants to live in the gray area.”
The team spent most of the week gauging interest around the league to assess his value. The Bears may need movement on the veteran quarterback market, which includes Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield, before interested teams begin serious discussions with the Bears for Fields. While I expect demand for Fields to be strong with teams like the Raiders, Broncos, Steelers and Falcons all looking for a quarterback, it appears his market is weak right now. It was difficult to find strong interest from any team. An NFC executive explained the problem with the current timing: “When people know you're getting rid of something, they don't pay as much for it.”
GO DEEPER
What could the Bears get if they traded Justin Fields? 8 NFL managers and coaches speak out
Chicago only needs one team to change everything. But the Bears may have to wait for the veteran quarterbacks to find homes before drawing interest.
That brings us to cousins.
Despite an Achilles tendon injury he suffered in October, he is the most valuable player on the market. The Vikings want to keep him, and the 35-year-old has expressed his love for the organization, but history has shown us that Cousins is the best contract negotiator in sports. The question remains how much Minnesota is willing to retain the quarterback that coach Kevin O'Connell clearly wants back in his offense.
I'll be keeping an eye on the Falcons next month. They believe Cousins is the type of player that will take them from a fringe playoff team to a contender. New Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson are both familiar with Cousins. Knowing that this could be a seamless transition for Cousins and the talented young group of players on their roster, I expect the Falcons to compete for the rights to his contract. It makes all the sense in the world.
GO DEEPER
The Vikings' negotiations with Kirk Cousins are testing the discipline in the front office's long-term vision
A consolation prize for Atlanta? How about Mayfield? I expect the Falcons will try to sign him if they miss out on Cousins or if Tampa Bay can't get a deal done with Mayfield. The Bucs have offered Mayfield a new deal, but they are still in the early stages of their negotiations. We'll see if the man who bet on himself, replaced Tom Brady and led a team to the playoffs can get a deal that could pay him $30-$35 million per year. Not bad for a QB who just played for a $4 million deal and now has multiple suitors.
Speaking of the Bucs, wide receiver Mike Evans plans to enter free agency for the first time in his career. The Bucs and Evans are still in talks, but he wants to explore his options. That doesn't mean his time in Tampa is over, but Evans wants to hear from any interested teams. This is his first chance to be courted. I still believe he will stay with the team that picked him.
Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones and the Chiefs are in talks to complete a deal. Even if Jones could reach free agency, there is optimism that the Chiefs will keep him. The Super Bowl champions are determined to capture their best player not named Patrick Mahomes.
GO DEEPER
The Chiefs are “growing optimistic” that they will retain Chris Jones with a new contract
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has received high praise for his coaching efforts that helped the Chiefs win another title. Although he recently signed a new contract to remain with the Chiefs, the 49ers were trying to sign him, according to a league source. The 49ers plan to promote Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator after parting ways with Steve Wilks, and the team is expected to hire former Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley as associate head coach, league sources confirmed. ESPN first reported the news of these moves.
• I met Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and was overwhelmed by his support for Kyler Murray. It's clear that Murray is her guy. It's always nice to hear a coach sound like he's in love with his quarterback. The Cardinals are ranked fourth in the draft, and some around the league believe they are open to a trade back. Could we see four quarterbacks fit the top four picks? One executive told me, “Absolutely!”
• I spent time with a head coach who wasn't with Chicago and who was hesitant to meet with Caleb Williams. He had some reservations based on his own information gathering. After the coach met Williams, I received a text message that said, “I really like him; It was a really good interview.” This is a small but nice example of why personal meetings are important for players and teams. A single interaction can trigger a change of mind and an important decision for an organization.
• The Broncos have made it very clear that the Russell Wilson chapter will soon be over. Across the league, people believe Denver will cut him next week.
GO DEEPER
Broncos will make a decision on Russell Wilson in the next two weeks, but there remains little secret
• Don't expect running backs to be franchise tagged this year as they are priced above market. Based on multiple conversations with various teams, Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley are at the top of the free agent running back lists, followed by the next wave of backs like Derrick Henry, D'Andre Swift and Tony Pollard.
However, teams behaved as if they would rather pay around $6 million to second-tier players rather than more than $10 million to Jacobs and Barkley. Even though the free agent market includes the most talented group of backs we've seen in years, I don't feel like that changes their decline in value in the NFL.
(Photo by Caleb Williams: Michael Hickey / Getty Images)