Jaguars OLB Geno Hayes (knee) has been cleared to resume football activities. Hayes missed the final two games last season and underwent offseason surgery. He started 14 games on the strong side and registered 78 tackles. Hayes is solid in coverage but struggles mightily in run support. He's currently penciled into a starting role but could face competition from a draft pick.

Jaguars OLB Geno Hayes (knee) has been ruled out for Week 17, and requires offseason surgery. Hayes needs a scope. He'll be questionable for the start of the Jaguars' offseason program, but will have a strong chance at being ready. A 14-game starter this season, Hayes graded out as a bottom-seven 4-3 outside linebacker in Pro Football Focus' ratings. The six-year veteran is signed for $975,000 in 2014.

Jaguars signed LB Geno Hayes, formerly of the Bears. Hayes spent one season in Chicago after playing four years in Tampa Bay. He was the Bears' top backup linebacker, but he could be asked to fill free agent Daryl Smith's shoes on the strong side in Jacksonville. The problem is that Hayes (6'1/226) is terrible against the run. Some Jaguars fans may be hoping Hayes isn't the only Geno on the team's Week 1 roster.

Bears GM Phil Emery expects recently signed LB Geno Hayes to compete with Nick Roach to be the team's starting strong-side linebacker. Emery also confirmed Hayes will be Lance Briggs' primary backup on the weak-side. Roach is vulnerable coming off a mediocre 2011, but Hayes should begin the year as a reserve after being one of the primary reasons the Bucs had the league's 32nd ranked run defense last season.

Bears signed LB Geno Hayes, formerly of the Buccaneers. Hayes, who's still only 24, is a scheme fit as an outside linebacker for the Bears' Tampa 2 scheme. The athletic Hayes recorded 64 tackles and forced two fumbles in 16 appearances last season, making 13 starts but getting benched late in the year. Hayes will be Lance Briggs' backup with Chicago.

The Bears recently worked out free agent LB Geno Hayes. Hayes has experience in a defensive scheme like Lovie Smith's, having played in Raheem Morris' Tampa 2. The Bears have worked out a flurry of veteran linebackers this week, also including Rocky McIntosh, Zac Diles, and Bryan Kehl.

Free agent WLB Geno Hayes will visit the Broncos. Hayes wasn't a priority for the Bucs this offseason, and would provide the Broncos with solid insurance for WLB D.J. Williams as he awaits a ruling in his appeal of his six-game suspension. Hayes started for the Bucs the past three years, but was benched for a three-game stretch last season.

Free agent WLB Geno Hayes is "not among the team's priorities in free agency," according to the St. Petersberg Times. The Bucs have plenty of salary cap room, so they're reluctance to re-sign Hayes before free agency speaks volumes after he was temporarily benched last season. One possibility for Tampa is pursuing MLBs Curtis Lofton and Stephen Tulloch with the intention of shifting Mason Foster outside.

Geno Hayes has regained his starting weak-side linebacker job from Quincy Black. Hayes had been benched the last two weeks, but the Bucs went 0-2 and gave up 32.0 points per game during that span. Ge was averaging 5.7 tackles per game in seven starts earlier this year.

Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said that WLB Geno Hayes will be benched in favor of Quincy Black going forward. Morris cited performance issues as grounds for the benching, so Hayes looks to be taking the brunt of an underwhelming effort against the Saints. The Buccaneers linebacking group has been notably weak this season and sweeping changes appear to be in the works. In addition to Black, Adam Hayward will get an opportunity to start at strong side.