Have you ever wanted to buy something online so badly, only to see it in person and have a wave of second thoughts come crashing onto you? I have had my eyes on the Air Jordan XIII “Cap and Gown” since their recent release, but have been hesitant to pull the trigger and make the purchase.
But after seeing them in the flesh, I’m glad I didn’t hand over the cash to buy them yesterday. It’s not that I don’t like the shoes any more, but I didn’t like them as much upon seeing them with my own eyes as I thought I would. Maybe those feelings will chance when the price drops.
Shout out to Brett for landing on The Athletic’s Cubs podcast. I’m looking forward to hearing it when I get a chance. And shout out to those of you who asked when the BN Bears podcast is coming. It’s a fair question to ask, and one that has been on my mind. The best answer I can give is “I don’t know.” Sorry if that disappoints. I would be into doing one, to be sure. But I want it to be good. When it comes to new ventures, I always ask myself if I can give readers/listeners/consumers something they can’t get elsewhere. As soon as I can do that, I think we’ll have our BN Bears podcast. Until then, please hold tight.
I was a proud owner of the Bears defense last year:
Yours truly has been guilty of over-valuing defenses in fantasy football, but I liked what I had with the Bears last season. That group scored points for me with sacks and turnovers, then made me feel good by winning games on the field. Any time you can feel good about a defense on your fantasy team, your squad is going to be in good shape. Tack on a return touchdown or two next year and I’ll feel even better. More points, please!
Nickel cornerback Buster Skrine is an important piece of the Bears’ defensive puzzle. If he can hold his own without giving up big plays early or committing penalties that keep drives alive, it will go a long way toward softening the blow of losing Bryce Callahan. But let’s not lose sight of sixth-round pick Duke Shelley and the potential he brings to the table. In a mailbag segment at the Bears’ official website, Larry Mayer shared a belief that Shelley could challenge Skrine for playing time during training camp and preseason. Winning the job won’t be easy, but if he can learn the defense and show he can hang, Shelley will be one of those rookies you can’t keep your eyes off.
Part of me would feel uneasy that a player the Bears gave a decent free agent contract to in the offseason lost out on a starting gig to a sixth-round rookie. Then again, I’m all for fielding the best 53-man roster possible – which means I want the best starting 11 on both sides of the ball. And if a standout rookie un-seats a seasoned veteran with his play, so be it. May the best man win!
Could an undrafted free agent rookie snag a spot on the 53-man roster? Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy thinks so:
Dax Raymond is one of those prospects who could make some teams scratch their heads while regretting not using a pick on him. That Nagy heard from teams that projected Raymond to be picked in the third or fourth rounds explains why the Bears made him a priority free agent. It’s like the Bears picked up an extra middle-round pick without actually having a selection.
I wonder if so many underclassmen entering the draft is what pushes guys who would have otherwise been drafted off the board and into free agency. If that’s the case, then teams with good scouts will always have a fighting chance at finding a diamond in the rough. The Bears have had a handful of UDFA standouts in recent years, so perhaps Raymond is next.
We often applaud GM Ryan Pace for his aggressiveness and creativity, especially when it comes to creating salary cap space to make moves. But as Matt Eurich (247 Sports) points out, the Bears will be paying at least eight players to not play for them this coming year. Cody Parkey and Dion Sims are the ex-Bears with the biggest contracts who have been let go, but the one that stings the most might be Jordan Morgan. The Bears drafted Morgan in the 5th round (147th pick) in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he never played a game for the team. That pick still stings because the team passed on Desmond King, who went to the Chargers with pick No. 151 and earned first-team All-Pro honors as a defensive back and return specialist. Two picks after King went off the board, the Bengals drafted kicker Jake Elliott, who has connected on 83.9 percent of his field goals during his two-year stint with the Eagles. an was a big part of their Super Bowl run. Missed opportunities to add impact talent still bother me, even if the Bears have done well in picking up late-round talents.
A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one:
Yes, Spice Adams had a life before becoming your favorite meme:
Who doesn’t love a good scrapbook?
Good stuff:
For the kids:
Pernell McPhee was fun to watch when he was healthy, but he was never healthy enough while with the Bears. Here’s hoping he finds success in his return to Baltimore:
Projectors, cases, coding for kids, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon.
NEWSLETTER
