There was a point in 2018 when I came to the realization that I wasn’t getting the sleep I needed because I was receiving push notifications on my phone late at night. Eventually, I muted all notifications after a certain hour and my life was immediately better for it. Only recently have I eased up on it, and while I rarely get good notifications after midnight, I finally received one that was worth my time. And because of it, I’ll be able to knock Target Field off the baseball stadium bucket list in August.
No, the Cubs won’t be involved. But I’ll (hopefully) get to see two of my favorite players (Francisco Lindor, Jose Berríos) in action. All things considered, that’s a win!
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix looks (and sounds) better than he ever did while wearing the mustard and relish colored jerseys worn by That Team in Wisconsin:
Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) rounds up the most underpaid veteran on each of the NFL’s 32 teams, and Clinton-Dix pops up as the Bears’ representative. The deal includes $500,000 in total guarantees at signing that is is tied for 93rd among safeties and a 2019 salary + bonuses number that checks in at 34th among players at his position. It’s absurd that a player with Clinton-Dix’s prospect pedigree and success at the pro level was available for a bargain basement price.
Clinton-Dix’s one-year “prove it” deal worth $3 million came after the likes of Earl Thomas, Landon Collins, Tyrann Mathieu, and Adrian Amos signed big-money multi-year deals. I can only imagine what it would feel like to watch my peers secure the bag while I was left holding an empty one. But if Clinton-Dix can rebuild his value playing next to Eddie Jackson, it’s possible he’ll soon join the 2019 class of free agents in getting paid.
At this time next week, I’ll be in Bourbonnais watching the Bears’ first open training camp practice. Let’s get it!
Last year, I was invested in seeing how Matt Nagy’s offense operated. We weren’t going to get the whole meal during summertime practices, but I figured we would be treated to a cookie or two. And we did. Nagy’s offense (even in its most basic practice form) was a treat. Fresh concepts provided a breath of fresh air that was greatly appreciated. But as we move into this year, I find myself more intrigued about the pieces within the offense. The blend of returning players and new additions has me geeked up about what Nagy’s offense will look like in Year 2.
Ted Nguyen (The Athletic) offers up new Bears receiver Cordarrelle Patteson as one of the 10 most valuable and versatile players in the NFL. Because even though Patterson never grew into the ace receiver he had the potential to be in Minnesota, he carved a niche as a winning player in New England, which helped make him someone the Bears felt they needed to sign in free agency. Patterson is listed as a receiver on the depth chart, but that’s because listing a player as APT (All-Purpose Threat) hasn’t caught on yet. In addition to his return prowess, the Bears figure to use Patterson as someone who can get handoffs on jet sweeps, reverses, and even out of the backfield. Good luck accounting for the most dangerous threat on the field when he and Tarik Cohen are lined up together.
The Bears have waves of playmakers who can break one off and take it to the house at a given moment. But to do so in practice, they’ll need to breakthrough one of football’s best defenses. I strongly believe practicing against the best can only make you better, so I’m imagining how some tough love from the defense could spark some things.
On the other hand, I can’t imagine it’s too much fun practicing against this beast:
Check out Vic Fangio helping to bring folks together:
For the first time since Denver fired him in 2008, Mike Shanahan will attend a Broncos’ practice at team’s training facility today. Broncos GM John Elway, HC Vic Fangio and OC Rich Scangarello were instrumental in bringing back Shanahan, who led Denver to two Super Bowl titles.
So many of you asked why Fangio would leave the comforts of running the league’s best defense for the challenges of being a head coach for a team that is building up after a rough season. Among the many answers I could give you, let’s not overlook the obviousness of getting to run your own ship the way you see fit all the way down to the smallest detail:
“There’s no music in games. And when it comes to the point where we need to simulate crowd noise in practice, which we will do, it will be noise. It won’t be music … Noise by definition is sounds annoying. Music sounds nice.”- Vic Fangio on why he’s not playing music in camp
Those of us at BN Bears can attest to the value of adding a superstar, so we’re hoping our friends at BN Bulls can get theirs soon. Bonus points if it’s a Chicago kid:
Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.
In a few hours, the Chicago Bears will have a new franchise quarterback, Caleb Williams. He'll be the best quarterback prospect they've ever welcomed into Halas Hall. There are many reasons why I believe that drafting Williams is a no-brainer,...
If you're looking for chaos on NFL Draft day, you just might get it. And leave it to the script-writers to get a team out in Hollywood involved. Here is a scoop from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, who hears the...
NFL Draft followers seem to have settled on four quarterbacks going somewhere in the top 10 picks. Many appear to think that we could get a draft with quarterbacks going 1, 2, 3, 4 in succession at the top. Others...
The 2024 NFL Draft begins TODAY. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos....
The 2024 NFL Draft begins TODAY. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos....
We've been talking about this day since the Bears' 0-4 start to last season, and it's finally here. It's NFL Draft day. We know it'll be Caleb Williams at first overall, but what direction will the Bears go with the...
If the Chicago Bears end up drafting Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, I imagine this tweet from Tom Pelissero is going to get a ton of engagement: https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1782905425689522654 In fairness, it already has gotten all sorts of clicks. But that...
Draft Day is finally here! We've taken quite a few cracks at what the first round could look like, and this will be the last one before the NFL Draft kicks off tonight! It still feels like a really unpredictable...
The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos....
The Chicago Bears drafting Caleb Williams with the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is a foregone conclusion. However, what happens with the Bears' other first-round pick is anything but a lock. One name we haven't discussed much as...
The Los Angeles Lakers meet the Denver Nuggets at 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this clash requires two trifectas from LeBron...
D'Angelo Russell must make four 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Los Angeles Lakers play the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.D'Angelo Russell's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...
To beat his 3-point over/under, Michael Porter Jr. must make three from downtown on Thursday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, tipping off at 10:00 PM...
On Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, the Denver Nuggets face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and Jamal Murray's 3-pointer prop for this clash requires three treys.Jamal Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...
Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets meet the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and to beat his 3-point over/under, he needs to make two from downtown.Nikola Jokic's...
The Los Angeles Lakers play the Denver Nuggets at 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this clash requires just one trey from...
I knew Dan Straily was pitching in Korea, and I knew there was a time in relatively recent memory that he was trying to come back to MLB. But sometime between then and now, he fell off my radar as...
If you're looking for chaos on NFL Draft day, you just might get it. And leave it to the script-writers to get a team out in Hollywood involved. Here is a scoop from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, who hears the...
A three-game series featuring the Detroit Tigers and the visiting Kansas City Royals will start on Friday, April 26 at 1:10 PM ET.Tigers vs. Royals Series Info Royals @ Tigers Time: Friday, April 26 at 1:10 PM ET Tigers Starting...
NFL Draft followers seem to have settled on four quarterbacks going somewhere in the top 10 picks. Many appear to think that we could get a draft with quarterbacks going 1, 2, 3, 4 in succession at the top. Others...
NEWSLETTER
