We’re still waiting for second overall pick Mitch Trubisky to sign his deal with the Chicago Bears, but maybe the news of the NFL Draft’s top selection putting pen to paper on Friday will accelerate the process.
Defensive end Myles Garrett signed his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns on Friday. It’s a contract Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports is a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $30.4 million. The agreement comes with a fifth-year option the Browns can exercise, as well as a signing bonus of $20.25 million.
For what it’s worth, Carson Wentz was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles with the second pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and reportedly received a four-year deal worth $26.67 million and a $16.7 million signing bonus. After Adam Shaheen signed on Friday, Trubisky is the only Bears draft pick without a contract. But with Garrett on board in Cleveland, his price tag gained a little bit more clarity.
With the ink dried on his rookie contract, CSN Chicago’s Chris Boden writes how Adam Shaheen is looking to grow into his role with the Bears. Known for his physical growth in college (thanks in part to Chipotle’s burritos) Shaheen’s next area of growth will be at the NFL level as he gets to learn his playbook and the ins-and-outs of his position.
One of Shaheen’s next challenges will be standing out (preferably for the right reasons) at the team’s upcoming OTAs. Over at Pro Football Weekly, a look at 11 storylines that will be worth keeping an eye on when the veterans and rookies mix it up for the first time in 2017.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell’s division-by-division look at what transpired in the offseason has made its stop at the NFC North, where the Bears’ grade isn’t all that great. Barnwell breaks down what went right (he sees an improved secondary), wrong (the quarterback decision leaves notable questions), and what could be on the horizon. The team’s C-minus grade is the worst in the division. Even still, there’s nowhere to go but up for this rebuilding squad.
Joey Bosa of the Chargers was a monster as a rookie, finishing with the most quarterback pressures among his peers. However, take notice of where Leonard Floyd (36 pressures) sits on this list:
The conditional lease for the stadium in which the Las Vegas Raiders will play in starting in 2020 has been approved. The Las Vegas Stadium Authority Board overseeing the project gave it an unanimous OK, closing the book on what was a tumultuous deal – one that featured billionaire casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson pulling out his pledge and creating a $650 million financial gap. But thanks to a loan from Bank of America and the increased taxing of area hotel guests, $750 million will be raised … with about $500 million coming from the Raiders and the NFL.
In other stadium news, the building that will host the Rams and Chargers in Los Angeles is being delayed and won’t open until 2020. The shared stadium was originally scheduled to open in 2019, but construction delays due to – get this – an “uncommonly wet winter” has mucked things up for Los Angeles’ football teams. The project, which could be part of Los Angeles’ bid for the 2024 Olympics and host the Super Bowl in 2021, is now scheduled to be completed a few months before the 2020.
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