In order to protect his right against self-incrimination in the criminal case, Alec Baldwin is asking a judge to put on hold a civil suit filed against him and other defendants by a script supervisor who says she suffered emotional distress from being in close proximity to the accidental fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust'' in 2021.
Baldwin's lawyers maintain that the actor's Fifth Amendment rights will be jeopardized in the criminal case if plaintiff Mamie Mitchell's lawsuit is not stayed pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
"The bottom line is that Baldwin has a constitutional right not to testify against himself,'' Baldwin's lawyers argue in court papers filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court. "But unless this action is stayed, his lawful exercise of his constitutional rights will severely prejudice him.''
Mitchell was standing adjacent to Hutchins, 42, when the cinematographer was killed Oct. 21, 2021, while Baldwin, a producer and star of "Rust,'' was helping to prepare camera angles for a scene on the film's set near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Baldwin fired a weapon that was supposed to contain only blank rounds but discharged a lead bullet that struck Hutchins in the chest, then lodged in the shoulder of director Joel Souza, now 49.
Mitchell's suit, originally filed in November 2021, names multiple defendants, including Baldwin and Halls. She alleges she suffered physical and emotional damages. Baldwin, 64, and 25-year-old armorer Hannah Guttierez-Reed were subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and the actor's attorneys say the civil case needs to be stayed in order to protect the actor's Fifth Amendment rights in the criminal case.
"That (Mitchell) intends to seek, and the prosecutors plan to rely on, the same evidence concerning defendant's involvement or lack thereof in the shooting means discovery in this case may be used against Baldwin in the criminal proceeding,'' Baldwin's lawyers state. "That would allow the prosecutors to obtain through civil discovery here information they are not entitled to under criminal discovery.''
A hearing on Baldwin's motion is scheduled March 22 before Judge Michael E. Whitaker.
Pending home sales crushed expectations in January, when mortgage rates dropped from recent highs of more than 7% and home buyers jumped at the opportunity.
According to data released Monday from the National Association of Realtors, it was the largest monthly sales increase since June 2020.
The pending sales index, based on signed contracts to buy a home rather than the final sales that are accounted for in existing home sales, rose by 8.1% from December to January, beating economists’ predictions for a rise of 1%. January’s jump followed a downwardly revised 1.1% rise in December.
“Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at NAR.
But since then, mortgage rates have risen again, climbing almost half a percentage point since the beginning of February, according to Freddie Mac.
“Mortgage rates took a breath in December and January before resuming their climb in February, reaching 6.5%, the highest level of the new year,” said Hannah Jones, an economic data analyst at Realtor.com.
At the current mortgage rate, the monthly payment on a median-priced home is about 45% higher — or $630 more — than it was at the same time last year, she said. “Many buyers are still holding off, waiting to see if prices or rates give a bit before getting into the market.”
Last year’s persistent increase in both mortgage rates and home prices pushed many would-be home purchasers out of the market, said Jones. This resulted in a slowing of new homes in the building pipeline and fewer sellers listing their homes, which limited options for buyers still in the market.
“New listings were at the lowest level in the last six years in January as sellers stayed on the sidelines, waiting to see buyers return, before placing their homes for sale,” said Jones. “However, the first month of the year brought glimmers of hope as year-over-year declines in both existing and new home sales slowed, and buyer sentiment improved slightly.”
While home sales were down by 24.1% from the still-hot market of a year ago, activity appears to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur, Yun said.
“An annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024,” said Yun. “Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”
All regions saw a month-to-month increase in pending home sales, with the Northeast up 6%, the Midwest up 7.9%, the South up 8.3% and the West up 10.1%.
“An extra bump occurred in the West region because of lower home prices, while gains in the South were due to stronger job growth in that region,” Yun said.
Home prices are dropping fastest in areas where prices ran up the most in the frenzied market of the past few years.
But overall, the number of home sales are expected to drop this year, according to NAR’s forecast.
NAR anticipates the economy will continue to add jobs throughout this year and next, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate steadily dropping to an average of 6.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2024.
Even with an improving interest rate environment and job gains, Yun still expects annual existing-home sales to drop about 11% this year from last year, before jumping up about 18% in 2024. NAR projects new-home sales will fall about 4% this year compared with last year before surging nearly 20% in 2024.
Signed contracts to buy existing homes in the U.S. rose in January in the largest monthly increase since June 2020, as the housing market sets course for rebound mode.
The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales climbed 8.1% to 82.5 in January, higher from the projected estimate of 1.0% by Bloomberg economists, according to data the group released on Monday. On a yearly basis, however, pending transactions plunged by nearly 24%.
The measure, a leading indicator of the housing market's health, highlights how much the market has reversed this year in the wake of slowing home-price appreciation and higher mortgage rates.
“Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January,” NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement.
According to NAR, the group anticipates that the economy will remain robust and add more jobs throughout this year and next year, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate headed for a downswing to an average of 6.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2024.
Yun said he expects annual existing-home sales to drop 11.1% in 2023 to a total of 4.47 million units before jumping 17.7% in 2024 to a total of 5.26 million units. NAR projects new-home sales will fall 3.7% year-over-year in 2023 before growing 19.4% in 2024.
“Home sales activity looks to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur,” Yun added. “But an annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024. Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”
Contract signings increased in every region. Pending sales increased 6.0% in the Northeast, 7.9% in the Midwest, 8.3% in the South, and 10.1% in the West. Pending home sales dropped in all regions compared to one year ago.
“An extra bump occurred in the West region because of lower home prices, while gains in the South were due to stronger job growth in that region,” Yun added.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: A For Sale sign displayed in front of a home on February 22, 2023 in Miami, Florida. US home sales declined in January for the 12th consecutive month as high mortgage rates along with high prices kept people shopping for homes out of the market. It was the weakest home sales activity since 2010. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
These figures occurred during the month that mortgage rates stabilized, the labor market remained resilient, and inflation slowly eased. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate headed on a downswing, reaching near 6% at the end of January compared to mid-November last year, which peaked at 7%.
“When rates were seesawing up and down in fall, many buyers dropped out because they could wake up the day after finding their dream home to a three-digit increase in their potential monthly payment,” wrote Redfin Economics Research Lead Chen Zhao, in a statement. “Now they have a better sense of how far their budget will go in which neighborhoods and which homes they can afford.”
Separately, other data shows that new home sales are climbing while existing home sales are falling. The reason: More homeowners of previously owned homes are sitting on cheaper mortgages, causing them to be hesitant to cut their selling prices.
Builders, meanwhile, are pulling out tools from their toolbox to help move inventory. And it appears to be working. For example, homebuilder PulteGroup (PHM) offers a 30-year fixed rate as low as 4.25% this quarter and plans to ramp up the pace of new builds.
"Builders are not only using incentives to bolster sales, such as rate buydowns, paying points and offering price reductions, but also offering upgrades on appliances and other quality features, essentially giving the buyer more home for the same amount of money that they had originally contracted for,” Odeta Kushi, First American Deputy chief economist, told Yahoo Finance in a statement.
Dani Romero is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter@daniromerotv
Pending home sales crushed expectations in January, when mortgage rates dropped from recent highs of more than 7% and home buyers jumped at the opportunity.
According to data released Monday from the National Association of Realtors, it was the largest monthly sales increase since June 2020.
The pending sales index, based on signed contracts to buy a home rather than the final sales that are accounted for in existing home sales, rose by 8.1% from December to January, beating economists’ predictions for a rise of 1%. January’s jump followed a downwardly revised 1.1% rise in December.
“Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at NAR.
But since then, mortgage rates have risen again, climbing almost half a percentage point since the beginning of February, according to Freddie Mac.
“Mortgage rates took a breath in December and January before resuming their climb in February, reaching 6.5%, the highest level of the new year,” said Hannah Jones, an economic data analyst at Realtor.com.
At the current mortgage rate, the monthly payment on a median-priced home is about 45% higher — or $630 more — than it was at the same time last year, she said. “Many buyers are still holding off, waiting to see if prices or rates give a bit before getting into the market.”
Last year’s persistent increase in both mortgage rates and home prices pushed many would-be home purchasers out of the market, said Jones. This resulted in a slowing of new homes in the building pipeline and fewer sellers listing their homes, which limited options for buyers still in the market.
“New listings were at the lowest level in the last six years in January as sellers stayed on the sidelines, waiting to see buyers return, before placing their homes for sale,” said Jones. “However, the first month of the year brought glimmers of hope as year-over-year declines in both existing and new home sales slowed, and buyer sentiment improved slightly.”
While home sales were down by 24.1% from the still-hot market of a year ago, activity appears to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur, Yun said.
“An annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024,” said Yun. “Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”
All regions saw a month-to-month increase in pending home sales, with the Northeast up 6%, the Midwest up 7.9%, the South up 8.3% and the West up 10.1%.
“An extra bump occurred in the West region because of lower home prices, while gains in the South were due to stronger job growth in that region,” Yun said.
Home prices are dropping fastest in areas where prices ran up the most in the frenzied market of the past few years.
But overall, the number of home sales are expected to drop this year, according to NAR’s forecast.
NAR anticipates the economy will continue to add jobs throughout this year and next, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate steadily dropping to an average of 6.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2024.
Even with an improving interest rate environment and job gains, Yun still expects annual existing-home sales to drop about 11% this year from last year, before jumping up about 18% in 2024. NAR projects new-home sales will fall about 4% this year compared with last year before surging nearly 20% in 2024.
A sharp drop in mortgage interest rates brought homebuyers out in force in January, but rates have bounced back higher again, so the gains may be short-lived.
Signed contracts on existing homes jumped 8.1% last month compared with December, according to the National Association of Realtors. That's the second straight month of gains. Sales, however, were still 24% lower compared with January 2022.
The so-called "pending sales" are the most current indicator of housing demand, as it can take up to two months to close on a signed sale. Closed sales in January were lower because they were based on contracts signed in November and December, when mortgage rates were higher.
And January's jump is all about mortgage rates. After hitting a high of just over 7.3% in October, which caused sales to plummet, the average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage dropped back close to 6% in January, according to Mortgage News Daily.
"Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January," said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun.
But mortgage rates moved higher again in February, and the average rate stood at 6.88% as of Friday. Sales activity is likely already slowing. Mortgage applications to buy a home, which are a weekly indicator of buyer demand, have been falling for much of February.
The mortgage rate effect was also seen in sales of newly built homes in January, as those numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau are based on signed contracts as well, not closings. Builder sales jumped just over 7% compared with January. Some of that was due to incentives offered by big builders, but lower rates improved affordability, especially for buyers of entry-level homes.
Going forward, with rates higher and the supply of homes for sale still historically low, sales may not be able to continue this type of growth.
"Home sales activity looks to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur," Yun said. "But an annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024. Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price."
WASHINGTON (February 27, 2023) – Pending home sales improved in January for the second consecutive month, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. All four U.S. regions posted monthly gains but saw year-over-year drops in transactions.
The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* — a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings — improved 8.1% to 82.5 in January. Year-over-year, pending transactions dropped by 24.1%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.
“Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.
NAR anticipates the economy will continue to add jobs throughout 2023 and 2024, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate steadily dropping to an average of 6.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2024.
With an improving interest rate environment and job gains, Yun still expects annual existing-home sales to drop 11.1% in 2023 to a total of 4.47 million units before jumping 17.7% in 2024 (5.26 million units). NAR projects new-home sales will fall 3.7% year-over-year in 2023 before growing 19.4% in 2024.
“Home sales activity looks to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur,” Yun said. “But an annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024. Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”
NAR also predicts median existing-home prices will be stable compared to the previous year for most markets — with the national median home price decreasing by 1.6% in 2023, to $380,100, before regaining positive traction of 3.1% in 2024, to $391,800. It estimates median new-home prices will increase by 1.3% in 2023, to $461,000, and increase by 2.8% in 2024, to $474,000, due to higher costs of land and construction materials.
Pending Home Sales Regional Breakdown
The Northeast PHSI rose 6.0% from last month to 68.7, a decline of 19.8% from January 2022. The Midwest index grew 7.9% to 83.3 in January, a drop of 21.1% from one year ago.
The South PHSI increased 8.3% to 99.2 in January, dipping 24.7% from the prior year. The West index elevated 10.1% in January to 66.2, diminishing 29.3% from January 2022. “An extra bump occurred in the West region because of lower home prices, while gains in the South were due to stronger job growth in that region,” Yun added.
The National Association of REALTORS® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
# # #
*The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing. Pending contracts are good early indicators of upcoming sales closings. However, the amount of time between pending contracts and completed sales is not identical for all home sales. Variations in the length of the process from pending contract to closed sale can be caused by issues such as buyer difficulties with obtaining mortgage financing, home inspection problems, or appraisal issues.
The index is based on a sample that covers about 40% of multiple listing service data each month. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined. By coincidence, the volume of existing-home sales in 2001 fell within the range of 5.0 to 5.5 million, which is considered normal for the current U.S. population.
NOTE: Existing-Home Sales for February will be reported on March 21. The next Pending Home Sales Index will be on March 29. All release times are 10 a.m. Eastern. View the NAR Statistical News Release Schedule.
Information about NAR is available at nar.realtor. This and other news releases are posted in the newsroom at nar.realtor/newsroom. Statistical data in this release, as well as other tables and surveys, are posted in the “Research and Statistics” tab.
Signed contracts to buy existing homes in the U.S. rose in January in the largest monthly increase since June 2020, as the housing market sets course for rebound mode.
The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales climbed 8.1% to 82.5 in January, higher from the projected estimate of 1.0% by Bloomberg economists, according to data the group released on Monday. On a yearly basis, however, pending transactions plunged by nearly 24%.
The measure, a leading indicator of the housing market's health, highlights how much the market has reversed this year in the wake of slowing home-price appreciation and higher mortgage rates.
“Buyers responded to better affordability from falling mortgage rates in December and January,” NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement.
According to NAR, the group anticipates that the economy will remain robust and add more jobs throughout this year and next year, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate headed for a downswing to an average of 6.1% in 2023 and 5.4% in 2024.
Yun said he expects annual existing-home sales to drop 11.1% in 2023 to a total of 4.47 million units before jumping 17.7% in 2024 to a total of 5.26 million units. NAR projects new-home sales will fall 3.7% year-over-year in 2023 before growing 19.4% in 2024.
“Home sales activity looks to be bottoming out in the first quarter of this year, before incremental improvements will occur,” Yun added. “But an annual gain in home sales will not occur until 2024. Meanwhile, home prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”
Contract signings increased in every region. Pending sales increased 6.0% in the Northeast, 7.9% in the Midwest, 8.3% in the South, and 10.1% in the West. Pending home sales dropped in all regions compared to one year ago.
“An extra bump occurred in the West region because of lower home prices, while gains in the South were due to stronger job growth in that region,” Yun added.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: A For Sale sign displayed in front of a home on February 22, 2023 in Miami, Florida. US home sales declined in January for the 12th consecutive month as high mortgage rates along with high prices kept people shopping for homes out of the market. It was the weakest home sales activity since 2010. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
These figures occurred during the month that mortgage rates stabilized, the labor market remained resilient, and inflation slowly eased. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate headed on a downswing, reaching near 6% at the end of January compared to mid-November last year, which peaked at 7%.
“When rates were seesawing up and down in fall, many buyers dropped out because they could wake up the day after finding their dream home to a three-digit increase in their potential monthly payment,” wrote Redfin Economics Research Lead Chen Zhao, in a statement. “Now they have a better sense of how far their budget will go in which neighborhoods and which homes they can afford.”
Separately, other data shows that new home sales are climbing while existing home sales are falling. The reason: More homeowners of previously owned homes are sitting on cheaper mortgages, causing them to be hesitant to cut their selling prices.
Builders, meanwhile, are pulling out tools from their toolbox to help move inventory. And it appears to be working. For example, homebuilder PulteGroup (PHM) offers a 30-year fixed rate as low as 4.25% this quarter and plans to ramp up the pace of new builds.
"Builders are not only using incentives to bolster sales, such as rate buydowns, paying points and offering price reductions, but also offering upgrades on appliances and other quality features, essentially giving the buyer more home for the same amount of money that they had originally contracted for,” Odeta Kushi, First American Deputy chief economist, told Yahoo Finance in a statement.
Dani Romero is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter@daniromerotv
The Chargers won’t be as aggressive as they have been in recent years when it comes to signing free agents.
While they’re cash-strapped, general manager Tom Telesco will likely make some moves to have some spendings available to them so they can sign some low-cost players.
That said, I will list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A.
Next up is the AFC North.
Cincinnati Bengals: G Max Scharping
Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Chargers need more depth along the offensive line, which they would be able to get with Scharping, a player with plenty of experience, including 33 starts. Scharping was originally a 2019 second-round pick by the Texans. He played his first two seasons at left guard, allowing four sacks on 930 pass-blocking snaps. In 2021, he moved to right guard, where he allowed two sacks on 400 pass block snaps. Scharping was waived prior to the 2022 season and picked up by the Bengals. He served as depth before being called on to start in Cincinnati’s three playoff games due to injuries. Overall, Scharping has the stoutness, run blocking and athleticism to be counted on in a pinch. Additionally, he has the versatility to play tackle.
Pittsburgh Steelers: EDGE Malik Reed
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Chargers will be in the market for edge defender depth behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. They could target someone that Brandon Staley is familiar with. Staley was Reed’s position coach in 2019 on the Broncos. In three seasons with Denver, Reed had over 20 quarterback pressures, with 36 coming in 2020. That was also the same year he had a career-high eight sacks. This past season, the Steelers traded for Reed. He had a down year, finishing with just ten pressures. But at 26 years old, Reed is still a young and talented edge defender who could supply juice in a rotational role.
Baltimore Ravens: WR Demarcus Robinson
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Chargers could be remodeling the wide receiver position this offseason. While the draft is the most optimal route, they may seek the free agency pool, especially if Keenan Allen becomes a cut casualty or trade candidate. And Robinson would be a good get. The 28-year-old Robinson flourishes as a down-the-field and after-the-catch threat, winning with his straight-line speed and slivers of separation with his polished route running. In addition, his 6-foot-1 and 207-pound frame and strong hands allow him to succeed in contested situations and the red zone. Robinson spent six years with the Chiefs, with 145 receptions for 1,679 yards and 14 touchdowns. This past season with the Ravens, Robinson had 48 catches for 458 yards and a pair of scores.
Cleveland Browns: RB D'Ernest Johnson
The Chargers finished with one of the least efficient rushing offenses in the league. Much of it has to do with the injuries along the offensive line and to Donald Parham and Keenan Allen. But Sony Michel wasn’t impactful, nor was Isaiah Spiller or Larry Rountree. Joshua Kelley flashed, but he was hurt for four games. Ultimately, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore may want to bring in a new body to the running back room to compete behind Austin Ekeler. Johnson only had four carries and 17 yards in 2022 while being buried on the depth chart behind Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. However, his 2021 campaign saw him carry the ball 100 times for 534 yards (5.3 yards per carry) when Chubb and Hunt were hurt, showing that he can be a solid contributor.
The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of NFL free agency, where general manager Ryan Poles will look to retool arguably the league’s worst roster from last season.
Luckily, Poles has the resources to bring in some impact players. The Bears are estimated to have roughly $100 million in salary cap space, which is the most in the NFL by a wide margin.
While Chicago will look to add some new faces to the roster, they have some in-house free agents that could factor into their plans for the 2023 season.
The Bears don’t have many noteworthy pending free agents, but here’s a look at those who the team could consider re-signing.
WR N'Keal Harry
Quinn Harris/Getty Images
The Bears took a flier on Harry when they traded a seventh-round pick to the Patriots in exchange for the former first-round wideout. While Harry boasted impressive size and showed chemistry with Justin Fields, he suffered a significant ankle injury during training camp that kept him out until October. Harry tallied just seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in eight games. Still, it doesn’t seem likely that the two sides will reunite in 2023.
OT Riley Reiff
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Reiff was signed to a one-year deal to compete for a starting job and provide valuable experience and depth at tackle. He didn’t start the season at right tackle, but he ultimately took the job from Larry Borom. The Bears will be looking to upgrade at the tackle position, so bringing Reiff back isn’t a top priority. But he could do well in a reserve role — at a reasonable rate — especially after Poles praised Reiff for setting the tone last season. But Reiff is 35 years old and was still available last July. It’s a possibility, but not a guarantee.
OL Michael Schofield
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Schofield was signed last summer to serve as an experienced veteran for a questionable offensive line. He wound up serving as the primary backup along the interior of the offensive line, playing both left and right guard when Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins were sidelined by injury. Schofield isn’t a must-sign for Chicago, especially as the team will look to free agency and the draft to shore up the offensive line. But he is a nice depth option, if they want him back.
C Sam Mustipher
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski
Mustipher has been a point of contention among Bears fans due to his struggling play. Mustipher has started all but one game in the last two seasons at center, and that experience is valuable. But he won’t be the starting center going into 2023, which puts his future in question. Mustipher, a restricted free agent, could find a starting job in the free agent market, where the Bears will have the option to match another team’s offer. But Chicago likely won’t prioritize re-signing Mustipher as they’ll look elsewhere to upgrade.
DT Armon Watts
David Berding/Getty Images
The Bears claimed Watts off waivers after he was cut by the Vikings before the 2022 season. Watts served as a mainstay along the defensive interior, where he quickly passed Angelo Blackson on the depth chart opposite Justin Jones. But Watts didn’t have a standout year as part of the NFL’s worst defensive line. But with Matt Eberflus implementing a rotation along the defensive line, bringing back Watts as a rotation piece and depth option is certainly a possibility.
Scales has been with the Bears since 2015, and he was one of the few in-house free agents Poles opted to bring back last season. Scales is coming off another solid year with Chicago, where he was the only Bears player to earn a single All-Pro vote in 2022. While Chicago could choose to draft a young guy to replace him, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Poles re-sign Scales to another cheap, one-year deal and keep together the special teams unit of Cairo Santos, Trenton Gill and Scales.
FB Khari Blasingame
AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
Blasingame was the first fullback on the Bears roster since 2018, and he served a key role in the success of Chicago’s top-ranked rushing attack despite not recording a single stat. Blasingame helped open up holes for Montgomery and Herbert, and he was a big reason why Chicago averaged over 150 rushing yards per game. Given the importance of the run game in this offense, it certainly feels like that the Bears will look to bring back Blasingame, unless they find another option.
S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Houston-Carson has been one of the longest-tenured veterans on the team, and there’s a reason Poles brought him back on a one-year deal. Not only is Houston-Carson a leader on special teams, but he’s a key reserve at safety. After Jackson went down for the year in Week 11, Houston-Carson started the final six games of the season opposite Brisker. Given Houston-Carson’s contributions on defense and special teams, it feels like another sure bet that he’ll be back in 2023, if the price is right for both parties.
LB Nicholas Morrow
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Morrow signed a one-year deal with the Bears, where he served as a key contributor on defense. Morrow led the team in tackles, and he set career highs in combined tackles (116), solo tackles (83) and tackles for loss (11). He was an underrated contributor on defense, especially against the run, and wasn’t helped by a weak defensive line in front of him. Poles has a decision to make at linebacker, where he could go out and sign a veteran, draft a young player to develop or both. But bringing back Morrow, who you could have at an affordable price, makes it easier to address bigger needs on the roster.
RB David Montgomery
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Montgomery has been a key contributor on offense since being drafted by Chicago in 2019. But he had an average season in Luke Getsy’s offense — where Khalil Herbert outplayed him — with 801 rushing yards for 4 yards per carry. Still, Montgomery was key in short yardage situations, the passing game and in pass protection, which is where Herbert lacks. Poles made it clear he wants to re-sign Montgomery — and Montgomery wants to return — but it’s all a matter of whether or not they find common ground on an extension.
A Winnipeg man found guilty of bludgeoning his mother to death in her bed when he was 16 has been released on bail pending appeal and retained a lawyer instrumental in overturning several high-profile wrongful convictions.
The now-20-year-old was released from custody Thursday with the consent of the Crown, following a hearing before the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
He stood trial for first-degree murder in the March 2019 slaying, but was convicted by a jury in June 2022 of the lesser offence of second-degree murder.
A judge last month rejected a motion by the Crown to sentence the man as an adult and instead imposed the maximum youth sentence of seven years custody (three years of which are to be served under conditional supervision in the community).
Jury verdicts are rarely overturned and are generally given deference by appeal courts.
It was unclear Friday on what grounds the man is appealing his murder conviction.
A copy of the man’s notice of appeal was not provided Friday by the court for review by the Free Press, as it involves an accused convicted as a young offender.
Sources with knowledge of the case say the man has retained Toronto lawyer James Lockyer, founding director of Innocence Canada (formerly known as the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted).
Lockyer has been involved in overturning the murder convictions of David Milgaard, Kyle Unger, James Driskell, and Frank Ostrowski and others across the country, including Guy Paul Morin and Steven Truscott.
Lockyer did not return a phone call from a reporter late Friday afternoon.
The Free Press is not naming the 51-year-old victim, as it would identify her son, who cannot be named under terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Jurors heard evidence at trial the victim, who shared custody of her son with her ex-husband, had been off work for several months due to a physical injury and mental health issues.
The night before the killing, the then-teen bought his mother flowers and made her dinner — all part of a ruse, prosecutors said, to divert attention from himself.
Prosecutors said the woman was already dead when her son left home at 9:08 a.m. to take their dog for an unscheduled visit to pet daycare and other errands meant to provide him with an alibi. The man returned home at 10:38 a.m. and five minutes later called 911.
Security video from neighbouring houses showed no one else leaving or entering the house during the teen’s absence.
The woman was struck at least a dozen times on the head, with possibly a crowbar. Her arms were broken as she tried in vain to fend off the attack.
After killing his mother, jurors were told, the son poured bleach over her head, cleaned himself up, disposed of the murder weapon and his bloody clothing, then went outside to change the air filter in his mother’s car. Over the next 90 minutes, he sent numerous texts to his mother’s cellphone and others, while running “errands.”
Thousands of text messages uncovered by police, a sampling of which was provided to jurors at trial, showed the woman was dependant on her son for cooking, shopping, cleaning and other chores, beginning when he was as young as 14, prosecutors said.
Jurors also heard testimony from the woman’s former co-worker, who police interviewed after the accused told investigators a man had been harassing his mother at work.
The victim filed a complaint against the man in May 2018, accusing him of “inappropriate behaviour” and “unwanted attention.”
Winnipeg Police Service Det. Sgt. Kenneth Lepage testified he interviewed the “person of interest,” and found his claims as to his whereabouts around the time of the killing were confirmed by electronic records showing his arrival and departure from work and a sign-in sheet showing he had dropped his children off at a YMCA location.
dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Dean Pritchard Courts reporter
Someone once said a journalist is just a reporter in a good suit. Dean Pritchard doesn’t own a good suit. But he knows a good lawsuit.
They’re working to replace both coordinators, they will likely sign Jalen Hurts to a mega deal and then there’s free agency. And no matter how you slice it, the Eagles are going to look different in 2023.
They have a ton of really great pending free agents and plenty who are worth of spots in the top 50 or 100 free agents from around the NFL.
So we took a quick stroll around the internet to see where individual Eagles rank on these lists:
2. DT Javon Hargrave
8. CB James Bradberry
23. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
31. OG Isaac Seumalo
32. DT Fletcher Cox
38. RB Miles Sanders
40. LB T.J. Edwards
48. DE Brandon Graham
3. DT Javon Hargrave
10. C Jason Kelce
13. CB James Bradberry
18. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
25. LB T.J. Edwards
27. OG Isaac Seumalo
53. RB Miles Sanders
61. DE Brandon Graham
76. DT Fletcher Cox
92. LB Kyzir White
4. C Jason Kelce
9. DT Javon Hargrave
12. OG Isaac Seumalo
14. DE Brandon Graham
17. CB James Bradberry
26. LB T.J. Edwards
39. RB Miles Sanders
It’s clear that Hargrave is considered to be the Eagles’ top pending free agent and for good reason. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2021 and followed it up with an 11-sack season in 2022. The Eagles signed Hargrave from Pittsburgh three years ago to a three-year, $39 million deal. And that $13 APY won’t get it done anymore. Hargrave is projected to get a contract in the $20 million per season range. That might end up being too pricey for the Eagles but we’ll see.
You’ll see Kelce on some of these lists and not on others. He’s technically not a pending free agent but he won’t play under his current deal because it was designed to be a one-year agreement. Kelce is really a unique case because it’s very clear he won’t be playing anywhere else. He’s 35 now and it’s really just a matter of his choice. Either he’ll retire or he’ll come back and play for the Eagles in 2023. That doesn’t mean he’ll be cheap. Kelce was the highest-paid center in the NFL in 2022. But if he wants to come back in 2023, he’s worth that again.
After that, the other interesting pending free agent is Brandon Graham. Because in some ways, he’s like Kelce. He won’t play for free, but it would make sense that he’d take a minor hometown discount to continue and hopefully finish his career in Philly.
The Eagles’ top priority might be Gardner-Johnson, who was as high as 7 on one list but didn’t even make the top 50 of another. CJGJ played the 2022 season on the final year of his rookie contract after the trade from New Orleans and he played at a brand new position. But he played well enough at safety to think he has a bright future there. The Eagles will try to keep him.
After after all that, the money is running out. Howie Roseman and the Eagles are very good at cap management but there’s just no way to keep everyone.
They’re working to replace both coordinators, they will likely sign Jalen Hurts to a mega deal and then there’s free agency. And no matter how you slice it, the Eagles are going to look different in 2023.
They have a ton of really great pending free agents and plenty who are worth of spots in the top 50 or 100 free agents from around the NFL.
So we took a quick stroll around the internet to see where individual Eagles rank on these lists:
2. DT Javon Hargrave
8. CB James Bradberry
23. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
31. OG Isaac Seumalo
32. DT Fletcher Cox
38. RB Miles Sanders
40. LB T.J. Edwards
48. DE Brandon Graham
3. DT Javon Hargrave
10. C Jason Kelce
13. CB James Bradberry
18. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
25. LB T.J. Edwards
27. OG Isaac Seumalo
53. RB Miles Sanders
61. DE Brandon Graham
76. DT Fletcher Cox
92. LB Kyzir White
4. C Jason Kelce
9. DT Javon Hargrave
12. OG Isaac Seumalo
14. DE Brandon Graham
17. CB James Bradberry
26. LB T.J. Edwards
39. RB Miles Sanders
It’s clear that Hargrave is considered to be the Eagles’ top pending free agent and for good reason. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2021 and followed it up with an 11-sack season in 2022. The Eagles signed Hargrave from Pittsburgh three years ago to a three-year, $39 million deal. And that $13 APY won’t get it done anymore. Hargrave is projected to get a contract in the $20 million per season range. That might end up being too pricey for the Eagles but we’ll see.
You’ll see Kelce on some of these lists and not on others. He’s technically not a pending free agent but he won’t play under his current deal because it was designed to be a one-year agreement. Kelce is really a unique case because it’s very clear he won’t be playing anywhere else. He’s 35 now and it’s really just a matter of his choice. Either he’ll retire or he’ll come back and play for the Eagles in 2023. That doesn’t mean he’ll be cheap. Kelce was the highest-paid center in the NFL in 2022. But if he wants to come back in 2023, he’s worth that again.
After that, the other interesting pending free agent is Brandon Graham. Because in some ways, he’s like Kelce. He won’t play for free, but it would make sense that he’d take a minor hometown discount to continue and hopefully finish his career in Philly.
The Eagles’ top priority might be Gardner-Johnson, who was as high as 7 on one list but didn’t even make the top 50 of another. CJGJ played the 2022 season on the final year of his rookie contract after the trade from New Orleans and he played at a brand new position. But he played well enough at safety to think he has a bright future there. The Eagles will try to keep him.
After after all that, the money is running out. Howie Roseman and the Eagles are very good at cap management but there’s just no way to keep everyone.
