NFL rumors: Bears approached by multiple teams about Jordan Howard trade originally appeared on nbcsportsbayarea.com Add another running back to the list who could be a potential target for the Raiders. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday that multiple teams have approached the Bears about trading for tailback Jordan Howard. Howard, 24, rushed for 935 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018, but split time with explosive running back Tarik Cohen in Chicago's backfield. Schefter writes that "questions remain as to whether [Howard] is a long-term fit in coach Matt Nagy's offense," so the trade rumors have begun to swirl. Howard burst on the scene in 2016 as a rookie, rushing for 1,313 yards and making the Pro Bowl. But he has not been able to match those numbers since and is in the final year of his contract. While the Raiders issued an RFA tender to running back Jalen Richard on Thursday, the team's other two running backs in 2018 -- Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin -- are unrestricted free agents. The Raiders previously have been linked to former Steelers tailback Le'Veon Bell, wide receiver Antonio Brown, and many other high-profile players. They have the cap room (about $73 million, per OverTheCap.com), and the desire to make a "splash" after Gruden's first season in Oakland did not go according to plan. [RELATED: What coaches, scouts, execs had to say at NFL combine] So if Lynch and Martin leave in free agency and Bell signs elsewhere, perhaps a trade for Howard could be in the cards. Because with Gruden and these Raiders, you never know. As Kevin Garnet infamously said, "Anything is posssssssible!"<doc-sep>Getty Images The Bears were mentioned as a potential landing spot for Kareem Hunt before Hunt signed with the Browns, but their failure to land him may not stop them from making moves in their offensive backfield. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that teams approached the Bears about trading for Jordan Howard at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week. Per the report, the Bears were receptive enough to the overtures that discussions are “ongoing” with the start of the new league year less than a week away. Howard is set to make $2.025 million in 2019 after accruing enough playing time to qualify for the proven performance escalators included in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. It is the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. Howard ran for at least 1,122 yards in each of his first two seasons, but finished with 950 yards while splitting time with Tarik Cohen during the 2018 campaign. Howard has not shown much as a receiver over his three NFL seasons, so a time share is likely to be in his future whether he’s in Chicago or not.<doc-sep>Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press The 2018 NFL season was one of redemption for the Chicago Bears. The team rose from last place to first place in the NFC North division, with the Bears establishing a powerful defense led by Khalil Mack, boasting an improved offense as second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky showed significant growth and gaining confidence under first-year head coach Matt Nagy. However, as the team improved, it was not an easy season for running back Jordan Howard. The team seemed to de-emphasize his role in the offense, and it seems likely that the trend will continue in the future. Howard ran for 1,313 yards as a rookie in 2016, and he followed that up with 1,122 rushing yards in 2017. However, his numbers were not as strong in 2018. He ran for 935 yards last year, and his yards per carry have dropped quite a bit in his three NFL season. He went from 5.2 yards per carry, to 4.1 and then 3.7. With the Bears emphasizing the passing game more than the running game, it's not a surprise to hear that NFL teams are approaching the Bears about a trade for the running back. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter tweeted that multiple teams contacted the Bears during the recently completed Scouting Combine about acquiring Howard. It does not seem that the power-running Howard is an ideal running back for Nagy's game plan. The Chicago head coach is most interested in backs that can make tacklers miss, instead of backs that run over tacklers. "When you're dealing with running backs, in this offense, you want to be able to have a guy that has really good vision that can make guys miss," Nagy said, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. "And at the same time, there's that balance of being a hybrid, being able to make things happen in the passing game, too, where you're not one-dimensional. That's not easy." Three teams interested in Brown trade Antonio Brown's name has been on the trade front for several weeks, and while a deal between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills appeared to be close to coming through during the week, Brown reportedly would not have agreed to the deal. However, a deal may be at hand in the next day or two. Longtime Steelers reporter Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted that the Steelers were close to a deal Friday night and three teams were in the mix. Brown has largely been considered as one of the elite receivers in the NFL for years, but his relationship with the team has fallen on hard times. Brown has caught 100 passes or more in six straight seasons, and he caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdown receptions in 2018. It's clear that he remains a dangerous pass catcher. Foles appears headed for Jaguars When the league year begins March 13, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles is likely to be one of the top free-agent names available. The Eagles will not franchise him, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have been in the lead position for the quarterback who stepped in for injured starter Carson Wentz in 2017 and again last season. 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Shaquem Griffin Starting for Seahawks in Week 1 Right Arrow Icon Foles was able to lead the Eagles to postseason victories over the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings in 2017, and he then outdueled Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII as the Eagles vanquished the Patriots and won their first Vince Lombardi Trophy. Foles also led the Eagles to a late-season playoff spot following the 2018 season, and they were able to defeat the Chicago Bears in the wild-card game before falling short in the divisional playoffs against the New Orleans Saints. The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to be in the lead for Foles' services, as has been the case since the end of the season. ESPN writer Dan Graziano reported that Foles would sign with Jacksonville barring any last-second fallout. Schefter reported that Teddy Bridgewater of the New Orleans Saints was also a possible target for the Jaguars. The Jaguars made it to the AFC title game following the 2017 season, but they fell to last place in the AFC South in 2018 with a 5-11 record. If executive vice president Tom Coughlin believes the Jaguars can return to the form they had two years ago, Foles would appear to be the quarterback that would have the best chance to lead the team to postseason success.<doc-sep>
With trade talks heating up, the Chicago Bears should deal Jordan Howard now. For the last three season, Chicago Bears Jordan Howard has been the heart and soul of the team and an obvious fan favorite. His hard nose running style immediately resonated with the equally hard-nosed city of Chicago. Upon being selected out of Indiana University by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, little was known of or expected out of Howard. However, in his rookie season, he rushed for 1,313 yards and six touchdowns, en route to a Pro Bowl selection. Even more impressive is he only played in 15 games, and didn’t start until Week 4. He was the lone bright spot in an otherwise abysmal 3-13 season that year. Therefore, much was expected of Howard in 2017, but his production slipped a bit, down to just 1,122 yards on 24 additional carries. In 2018, head coach Matt Nagy was hired and it many wondered what Howard’s role would be in the new offense. Unfortunately for Howard, he never seemed to get his footing. On 250 carries (which was only two fewer than his rookie season) he rushed for a paltry 935 yards. In each of his first three seasons, not only have his rushing yards decreased, but so have his yards per carry (5.2, 4.1, and 3.7). His lack of production in Nagy’s supposed high-powered offense led many to speculate whether Howard was not long for this team. Moreover, rumors came out of the NFL Combine that a number of teams had approached the Bears about trading for Howard. Whether or not he’s a fan favorite, it makes sense for the Bears to deal Howard sooner rather than later. Here are three reasons why: