Daily Briefing

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH CHICAGOThe Bears are stacking veteran talent on their offensive line with their second trade in a week.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com on the acquisition of G JOE THUNEY from the Chiefs: When the new league year opens, one of the Chiefs’ key offensive linemen will be on the move.According to Ian Rapoport of NFL…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH  MINNESOTAAdam Schefter says the Vikings will not be putting a franchise tag on QB SAM DARNOLD: @AdamSchefterVikings QB Sam Darnold is unlikely to be franchise tagged ahead of Tuesday’s 4 pm ET deadline, per league sources.  Minnesota still is interested in working to re-sign Darnold, but it is likely to be without…

AROUND THE NFL Jeff Howe of The Athletic on how the drama over QB MATTHEW STAFFORD, now committed to a return to the Rams, revealed how NFL execs feel about this draft quarterback class: The Stafford tellQuarterback Matthew Stafford’s return to the Los Angeles Rams didn’t come as a surprise to many around the league who didn’t understand…

AROUND THE NFL The AP tells us that the NFL’s salary cap will soar again in 2025: The NFL’s salary cap will be a record-high $279.2 million in 2025, an increase of $23.8 million. The league informed teams of the new cap figure on Thursday during the NFL Scouting Combine. The salary cap was set at $255.4 million…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH  DETROITGM Brad Holmes does not want Lions supporters to get excited about the addition of EDGE MYLES GARRETT or any other accomplished veteran pass rusher.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com: Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has spoken to Browns defensive end Myles Garrett about the possibility of playing together, but it sounds like…

AROUND THE NFL A team (initially secretive, but now outed as the Packers) wants to put the Tush Push on ice.  Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com: The Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push” play is as controversial as it is successful. While the play was not banned by the NFL last offseason, the league’s executive vice president of football operations…

AROUND THE NFL Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com talked to an “experienced GM” who has a crystal ball on two big name quarterbacks: The Scouting Combine in Indianapolis will become not only Tampering Central but also the thickest patch in the NFL grapevine of the offseason. Rumors will be rampant. Some will be accurate, some won’t be.This year, the…

AROUND THE NFL NFC EAST  NEW YORK GIANTSCould QB MATTHEW STAFFORD be headed to the Giants?  Dan Duggan and Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic explore how and if that might happen: It’s no secret the New York Giants are desperate to find a quarterback. They literally don’t have one — there are no quarterbacks currently under contract. General manager Joe…

AROUND THE NFL BURGLARY RING BROKENFollowing up on the arrest by Ohio police of three illegal Chileans, the FBI has now arrested seven South Americans who were invading homes of famous athletes.  Richard Pollina of the New York Post: A gang of Chilean nationals has been charged with a string of robberies that stole millions in valuables…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH  CHICAGOJacob Robinson of The Athletic has two navy-and-orange teams winning the offseason so far.  The Bear are one: Can a team “win” an offseason? And if they do, does it mean anything? Asking for Bears fans, as Chicago again landed the offseason’s biggest fish, head coach Ben Johnson (though NFL insiders disagreed). Joining his…

AROUND THE NFL WHAT NEXT FOR AARON RODGERS?Mike Jones of The Athletic ponders the options for QB AARON RODGERS: So what’s next for Rodgers? The 41-year-old rebounded from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in Week 1 of 2023 to complete 63 percent of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season. Rodgers’ passer rating of…

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH  CHICAGODan Pompei of The Athletic, from the funeral, on the gentle greatness of Virginia McCaskey: They came in droves to say goodbye to the daughter of George Halas, the matriarch of the Chicago Bears, Mrs. McCaskey to all who were not kin. The wake for Virginia Halas McCaskey was open to the public…