CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers on Tuesday signed quarterback Kyle Allen, set to become an exclusive-rights free agent, to a one-year deal.
Carolina now has three quarterbacks — Cam Newton, Will Grier and Allen — under contract for the 2020 season.
Allen started 12 games last season after Newton reaggravated a Lisfranc injury in a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay. He won his first four starts and, coupled with a victory in the 2018 season finale, became the first quarterback in NFL history to win his first five starts with no interceptions.
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Allen then lost seven of his next eight starts to finish 5-7 in 2019. He had four touchdown passes in his first start and seven touchdowns to no interceptions in his first four starts but then had nine touchdown passes and 12 interceptions over his next seven starts. He was undrafted out of Houston in 2018.
Grier, a third-round pick out of West Virginia, started the final two games and went 0-2.
New Carolina coach Matt Rhule recently said at the NFL combine in Indianapolis that he expects Newton to be on his roster in September. He didn’t guarantee the first pick of the 2011 draft or any other player on the roster a starting spot and reiterated that everything surrounding Newton hinges on his health.
Newton continues to rehab from Lisfranc surgery he had in December. He has shown steady progress and has posted numerous videos and pictures on social media showing him throwing and moving on his left foot without limitation.
Newton is expected to be ready to begin offseason workouts on April 6 at least on a limited basis
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears will pursue a veteran quarterback this offseason to push incumbent starter Mitchell Trubisky. That’s no secret.
Under no circumstances can the Bears enter the 2020 season with a quarterbacks room that consists solely of Trubisky, Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray.
For that reason, the Bears have to prepare for the likelihood of a midseason quarterback change by signing or trading for an experienced No. 2 passer who can take over for Trubisky (if necessary) and help Chicago still win games.
Why it makes sense: Smith checks every box — except health. The veteran quarterback is super tight with Nagy from their time together in Kansas City. For years, Smith, 35, was one the most efficient quarterbacks in the AFC. Whatever system Nagy intends to run in 2020, Smith could probably master it. Smith was said to be terrific influence on a young Patrick Mahomes before the Chiefs traded Smith to the Redskins after the 2017 season.
The downside: Smith suffered a catastrophic leg injury in 2018 and hasn’t played since. There’s no telling whether Smith’s career is over.
Why it makes sense: Because he’s Tom Brady.
The downside: Why would he choose Chicago? What are Brady’s connections to the Bears? Brady is, of course, better than Trubisky, but Chicago has missed the playoffs eight of nine years. The Bears’ offense finished near the bottom in every important statistical category last year. The last great Bears quarterback was Sid Luckman who played in the 1940s. There are a couple of attractive destinations for Brady besides New England, but Chicago doesn’t appear to be one of them.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Open-minded approach: When receiver Phillip Dorsett entered unrestricted free agency last offseason, his first choice was to return to the Patriots and that contributed to him not visiting with other teams. As for this year?
“I would say that will probably be a little different,” said Dorsett, who is one of a handful of Patriots free agents whose status has been overshadowed by quarterback Tom Brady’s. “Last year, I had my heart set on where I wanted to go and I didn’t have an open mind. This year, I know I have to go into it with an open mind.”
Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, a 2015 first-round pick by the Colts, has appeared in 45 games for the Patriots over the past three seasons. Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
That’s not to say Dorsett doesn’t view his three seasons in New England fondly, which included winning a Super Bowl championship and being widely lauded for his professionalism and team-first approach after the Patriots acquired him in a trade for quarterback
2. Weis relays his text exchange with Brady: Former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis always had a direct, blunt way of delivering a message, and that has continued in his role as a co-host on Sirius XM NFL Radio’s “Opening Drive” program. Weis has remained close with Brady, and in response to rampant speculation on Brady’s future, he relayed the following on Thursday’s show: “I do have one bit of scoop for us. I’ve been texting with Tommy. I don’t [usually] pass along these conversations, but one thing he told me — ‘Nobody knows anything. So anyone who is telling you they know, they don’t know.’ I’m not going through any other part of the conversation [but] I followed up and he said, ‘Clean it up.’ So I’m cleaning it up.”
3. Brady’s future in the red zone: When Brady tells Weis no one knows anything, this is my translation from Brady’s viewpoint: How can anyone know anything about my future team when I don’t know myself, as there is currently no indication of the type of financial/annual commitment coach Bill Belichick is willing to make? Once Brady gets that information definitively, and knows what he is agreeing to or walking away from, then the pieces should fall into place. That’s why news that the players’ vote on the collective bargaining agreement is to be completed by March 12 is significant; it will determine the financial rules under which all teams operate and should finally force Belichick to show his hand with four days on the calendar before other teams can legally negotiate with Brady’s agents.
4. CBA from a Patriots perspective: Dorsett told me he is undecided on how he’ll vote for the CBA, and plans to study it and reach out to Patriots player representative Matthew Slater before deciding. It highlights Slater’s important role behind the scenes as a conduit to his teammates. “I’ve seen him a couple times this offseason. He talks about it, and is doing everything he can [to keep us informed],” Dorsett said. Offensive lineman Ted Karras and long-snapper Joe Cardona are alternate reps. Karras, by the way, told me he voted for the new CBA.
5. Rivers’ workout crew at Gillette: A handful of players are continuing to work out at Gillette Stadium this offseason, including fourth-year defensive end Derek Rivers, who told me the group includes veteran cornerback Jason McCourty, core special-teamer Brandon King, practice squad linebacker Terez Hall and practice squad safety Malik Gant, among others. “It’s a good group of younger guys and older guys. We get our work in, then laugh and joke with each other,” said Rivers, the 2017 third-round pick from Youngstown State who spent his rookie season and last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. “Coming off the injury, praise God, the knee feels awesome. I’m looking forward to seeing all the guys back, offseason workouts, and then camp. And we’ll see what happens from there.”
Veteran cornerback Jason McCourty has two interceptions and 16 passes defended against in 28 games played for the Patriots. Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images
6. McCourty’s presence: The Patriots have a decision to make on cornerback Jason McCourty, who has a $500,000 option bonus on March 18 that would activate the second year of his contract. If they don’t pick it up, it would create about $4 million in salary-cap savings. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported the Patriots intend to pick up the option, which is a small price to pay when factoring in how McCourty’s A-plus leadership is important to have around young corners
A number of NFL owners hope the current collective bargaining agreement proposal doesn’t pass with the players because they believe they can negotiate a better deal with eyes on an 18-game season in the future, a league source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Saturday.
“They think they can get a better deal next year,” the source said. “They feel they gave up too much on the economics.”
The owners told commissioner Roger Goodell this at an owners meeting in New York in February, citing frustration with the players’ monetary increases and the increase to active rosters.
The owners approved the proposed CBA last month, though ESPN reported at the time that the vote was not unanimous. Three-fourths of the owners had to approve the CBA for it to be ratified.
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Players have until 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday to cast their votes on the proposed CBA via DocuSign. The CBA will pass if it receives a simple majority (50% plus one vote) of all ballots sent in. It would be in effect for the 2020 league year, with the possibility of a 17th game not being added until the 2021 season at the earliest.
If the CBA is approved, the NFL regular season could not be expanded past 17 games through the life of the deal, which would run through the 2029 season.
But a handful of owners want an 18-game season eventually, and that could come up in future negotiations if the players’ vote doesn’t pass next week.
In July, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith acknowleged that the NFL had raised the idea of an 18-game schedule in early labor negotiations but said at the time that isn’t something he sees happening.
“I don’t see an 18-game schedule — under any circumstance — being in the best interest of our players,” Smith said. “If somebody wants to make an 18-game proposal, we’ll look at it. I haven’t seen anything that makes me think that it would be good for the players.”
