NFL Rumors: 49ers eager to 'push through' Nick Bosa deal before Week 1
Nick Bosa remains the target of tense intrigue as he and the 49ers have yet to agree to a contract extension. Bosa, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is entering the final year of his contract in San Francisco and seeking financial stability now and for the future in the event of injury.
The 49ers have come out and directly said they have no plans of shopping Bosa ahead of the 2023 season, and all the media reports so far indicate both sides are amicable to a deal.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler stated on Saturday that he believes the 49ers carry a bit more "optimism" about extending Bosa compared to the Chiefs and their Chris Jones situation.
Per Fowler's sources, the 49ers plan on making Bosa the highest-paid defensive player in the league, surpassing Aaron Donald and T.J. Watt. In terms of a timeline, "the 49ers would like to push this through before Week 1 but not a slam dunk, a deal of this magnitude has a lot of nuance to it."
As it stands, Bosa's status for Week 1 is still somewhat unknown with a potential deal looming. The 49ers will likely provide more updates on Bosa in the days leading up to their Week 1 season opener against the Steelers.
NFL Rumors: Patriots trying out pair of free agent wide receivers
The Patriots continue aiming to improve their roster ahead of Week 1 of the regular season and recently hosted a pair of free-agent wideouts for a visit.
New England currently has six projected wide receivers on the depth chart, not counting 2022 rookie Tyquan Thornton who will start the 2023 season on injured reserve. In Thornton's absence, the team may figure it needs a little extra help in the pass-catching department and hosted free agents Shi Smith and Cody Chrest.
Smith, a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in 2021, has played in 23 games in the last two seasons. Carolina released him last week; he recorded 22 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns last year.
Chrest, who went undrafted out of Sam Houston State, has bounced around different training camps this offseason including those of the Colts, Packers, and Steelers. He recorded 36 catches for 548 yards and two touchdowns in his final season with the Bearkats.
Do the Patriots' recent moves suggest the team is worried about depth at the wide receiver position? Last Thursday, the Pats signed ex-Viking and former first-rounder Jalen Reagor to the practice squad, so it would certainly seem they are trying to stock up on quality depth behind Juju Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and Kendrick Bourne.
Rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte are the newer kids on the block who should see their fair share of snaps this season, although a more experienced free agent like Shi Smith (if signed) could usurp them depending on how the season plays out.
NFL Rumors: Davante Adams could become Raiders trade chip in October
With the start of the regular season less than a week away, Raiders star Davante Adams will not be put up for sale these next few days.
Should the Raiders crawl to only a few measly wins in September and October, however, there is reason to believe the team might want to recoup picks for the veteran wideout for a possible rebuild.
Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson recently said on his "You Pod to Win the Game" podcast that multiple teams told him they were planning to keep tabs on Adams leading up to the NFL trade deadline on October 31.
I think teams are looking at the Raiders and saying that team has got some assets. If they start out rough, we're going to make calls. Charles RobinsonRobinson says when he visited some training camps this summer, certain teams asked him what was going on with Adams and what the Raiders might do with him this year.
Adams has attracted mostly quiet trade speculation this offseason and could be in an undesirable situation in Las Vegas. In March of 2022, he joined the Raiders specifically to link forces with Derek Carr, his old Fresno State teammate (and to secure his bag, of course). With Carr touching greener grass in New Orleans right now, Adams could force his way out of a Raiders franchise that has just two winning seasons in the last 20 years.
Adams will make roughly $6 million in base salary this year and is owed a fully-guaranteed $16.89 million salary in 2024. His current five-year deal with the Raiders doesn't feel too clunky for a potential suitor to take on -- it's the trade compensation that could be the stickler for WR-needy teams. Las Vegas acquired Adams from Green Bay for a first- and second-round pick and would likely seek a similar return. For a player of Adams' caliber, it could be well worth it.
