NFL Rumors: Colts RB Jonathan Taylor remains unhappy ahead of 2023 debut
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's stance seemingly hasn't changed. Taylor was disgruntled with his current situation during the offseason and requested a trade out of Indy, which the team tried to accommodate ahead of the season.
Taylor didn't end up getting moved and started the year on the PUP list due to an ankle injury. As Taylor nears his 2023 debut, the latest reports reveal Taylor is just as unhappy now as he was before.
According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Taylor "still doesn't want to play for the Colts." Nor do the Colts want to give him a long-term contract. The standoff remains as tense as ever.
Taylor is eligible to return to the field after Week 4, when the Colts face the Rams, but his ongoing dissatisfaction may continue to ruffle feathers in Indy.
Taylor's situation has NFL analysts divided on what his future might portend. On one hand, the Colts may hold onto Taylor if they don't receive a compensation package they deem worthwhile (last we heard, Indy was looking for a Day 2 draft pick at the very least). On the other hand, the Colts and Taylor may have irreconcilable differences over a future extension and the two sides may be better off parting ways before the NFL trade deadline on October 31.
After the Kareem Hunt signing and Cam Akers trade, it wouldn't be surprising to see a RB-needy team pursue Taylor this fall. The Packers and Dolphins already expressed interested in him in the offseason, though the Dolphins may have already found their backfield tag-team of Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane. The Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were all reportedly suitors for Cam Akers, could still be in the market for a lead back; however, they may not be willing to fork over the draft capital that a Taylor trade with the Colts would require.
NFL Rumors: Cowboys sign veteran center Billy Price
The Dallas Cowboys' Week 3 loss to the Cardinals proved they were not, in fact, unstoppable, and that reality check may have pushed the team to secure extra roster insurance.
On Wednesday, the Cowboys announced that they were signing center Billy Price. Price was a first-round pick by the Bengals back in 2018 and last spent short stints with the Giants and, coincidentally, the Cardinals.
As center Tyler Biadasz continues to recover from his hamstring injury, the Cowboys likely wanted to add starting-caliber depth at his position, and Price fits the bill.
Prior to the Price signing, the Cowboys have been elevating Brock Hoffman from the practice squad to start in lieu of the injured Biadasz. Sunday's game marked the third time Hoffman was called up, and in order for the Cowboys to activate him again, they would have to sign him to the 53-man roster.
Clearly, the Cowboys didn't want to tinker with their active roster and decided to bulk up their O-line depth on the practice squad instead.
Along with Biadasz, tackle Tyron Smith and guard Zack Martin are also nursing injuries. The Cowboys' offensive line is starting to look a little shaky as the injuries pile up at the start of the season, but hopefully, Price will be able to contribute when needed.
Price has started 45 of 69 games in his five-year NFL career and has mostly avoided major injuries.
NFL Rumors: Bears get roasted for poor performances from linebackers
Giving up all those picks for Mitch Trubisky back in 2017. The Chase Claypool trade. Potentially the Justin Fields pick? The Chicago Bears have a long list of questionable franchise decisions they've made in the past. Add this one to the top.
Bears linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards are two of the team's marquee free agent acquisitions who were coming off of productive campaigns with their respective teams. Less than a year later, both Edmunds and Edwards look... broken. If you think about it, this Bears organization is kind of the equivalent of Ursula stealing souls in "The Little Mermaid".
Edmunds left the Bills to sign a four-year $72 million deal; Edwards left the Eagles to sign a three-year $19.5 million deal. At the time, these seemed like savvy acquisitions for a rebuilding franchise that had plenty of money to spend last summer. Fast forward to September, and the Bears are already getting trolled for their linebacker moves.
According to NextGen Stats, through three weeks, Edmunds and Edwards in coverage have allowed 25-of-27 completed passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
As sad and pitiful as it is, one can't help but laugh at the fires burning in Chicago. Trauma and humor really go hand in hand.
In principle, the Edmunds and Edwards signings seemed great -- the Bears essentially acquired one Pro Bowl linebacker and one bargain-bin consistent starter in exchange for one Roquan Smith. Two for the price of one! What a steal!
Well, no one's patting Ryan Poles and the Bears on the back now. Chicago shipped out Smith, Khalil Mack, and other top-performing veterans last year in an effort to remodel their defense. This year, the only thing getting remodeled is a certain coach's office once he packs up his things and finds another team to ruin.
Maybe the spotlight should shine less brightly on the players themselves and more on the puppeteer controlling the strings. Two productive starting-caliber linebackers don't just fall off a cliff in the span of less than a year. Someone's going to get the boot after this season, and his name might rhyme with "Cat Weberflus."
