The Chicago Bears kept things quiet for the most part at the trade deadline. Their only addition was Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a former 1st round pick who hadn’t been doing much with the Cleveland Browns this season. It was felt he would get more opportunities in Chicago and give their pass rush some much-needed juice. Outside of that, nothing happened. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though. GM Ryan Poles almost had a deal in place for cornerback Alontae Taylor from New Orleans before the Saints jacked up the price. The same was true of Jermaine Johnson in New York, but the Jets refused to come down from their demand for a 2nd round pick.
The Bears weren’t willing to give up high picks for players like them, so they settled for Shoyinka. As it turns out, they were thinking bigger than many people realized. Adam Schefter of ESPN appeared on WGN TV to discuss diabetes awareness before providing updates on the Bears. He revealed that people around the NFL weren’t surprised Poles got extended, believing it was the right decision. However, he saved the biggest bombshell for the trade deadline. Apparently, when they began the process of acquiring Shoyinka, they asked about another name on the Browns’ roster.
Myles Garrett.
He is arguably the best defensive player in football. His presence on that Chicago Bears front would’ve been franchise-altering. A combination of him, Montez Sweat, and Gervon Dexter would’ve given offenses nightmares. He already has 11 sacks this season. Alas, Cleveland maintained the same stance they’ve had since these rumors began last year. He’s not available. That isn’t surprising. Browns ownership demonstrated their determination to keep Garrett when they handed him the biggest non-QB contract in NFL history. Despite the team’s struggles this year, nothing has changed.
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While it would’ve been incredible for the Bears to pull off a heist of that magnitude, the odds were always low. Still, it was smart of them to at least ask. There is always the chance the Browns might’ve said yes. Still, it is interesting to think the Bears were looking to make a splash—something to keep in mind moving forward.
After losing to the Seahawks in Week 2, the Steelers decided to shake up some things on the offensive side of their roster.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to bounce back after their disappointing Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But before the Steelers face off against the New England Patriots in Week 3, Pittsburgh decided to shake up their roster.
Wide receiver Rakim Jarrett and tight end JJ Galbreath have both been released from the practice squad, via Alan Saunders of Steelers Now. While no one has been signed yet, Pittsburgh hosted a tryout with a number of players on both sides of the ball. Both tight end Matt Sokol and linebacker Jacoby Windmon were in attendance.
Jarrett signed onto the Steelers practice squad in early September. He didn’t last long, getting released before he can record a catch for the team. Galbreath signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent and wound up on the practice squad after missing the 53-man roster. Now, both he and Jarrett will be looking for NFL opportunities outside of the Steelers organization.
Ultimately, the Steelers are hoping they don’t have to dive too deep into their practice squad and that their starters perform as advertised. Their matchup against the Patriots will be extremely telling about this team’s ability to dig deep after a loss.
The Pittsburgh Steelers saw Kaleb Johnson make a big mistake on Sunday that could affect his role on the team moving forward.
The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their first loss of the season in a 31-17 beatdown by the Seattle Seahawks. After a dramatic win over the New York Jets to start the year, Mike Tomlin’s offensive attack looked good. However, rookie running back Kaleb Johnson, made a fatal mistake in Week 2. In the aftermath, Johnson might be off special teams against the New England Patriots.
Johnson’s misunderstanding of the kickoff rules resulted in an unorthodox touchdown for the Seahawks. After that, the Steelers never recovered and walked out of their home opener with a loss. Despite the error, Tomlin wants his team to put the game behind them and focus on the Patriots in Week 3. However, he could not get out of talking about Johnson’s role on the team.
Pittsburgh took the running back in the third round of the NFL Draft. While the Steelers gave Jaylen Warren a multi-year deal before the regular season, the future of the team’s running game is up in the air. Johnson is a good change-of-pace runner who has shown flashes early in his NFL career. However, Tomlin told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor that he is unlikely to return more kicks.
“Probably not in the short-term,” Tomlin said. “I’m certainly going to give [Johnson] an opportunity to work his way back from that. I believe in his talent. He’s a sharp young man. He’s a hard worker, and so you leave the light on for him. You give him an opportunity to move on from it, but he has to do that.”
Johnson is unlikely to forget his mistake for a while. However, the Steelers need to put the loss behind them quickly as Week 3 looms. Both Pittsburgh and New England enter their matchup at 1-1 with a lot on the line when it comes to the rest of their respective seasons. Johnson will have a chance to rebuild his value, even if it doesn’t come on special teams.