Todays temperatures should reach the mid-50s today in Chicago. On Monday? Snow.
This is March.
• When we’re not obsessing about free-agents-to-be, we’ve got eyes on draft-eligible prospects. At the top of the pecking order are quarterbacks. As expected, Trey Lance’s pro day at North Dakota State opened eyes. And, yes, the Bears were there.
• There are some absolute jaw-dropping throws in this bunch:
Trey Lance was dropping dimes throughout his @NDSUFootball Pro Day. @treylance09 | @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/su6FFrtEQu
— NFL (@NFL) March 12, 2021
• An assessment from Adam Hoge:
In general, QBs should look nearly flawless at their pro day. Trey Lance missed more throws than he should have. But it also looked like they were challenging him more than you usually see at pro days and Lance dropped some absolute dimes. Nothing changed for me. He's good.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) March 12, 2021
• More from Hoge, who notes that Bears GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy were in attendance with eyes on Lance. Additional commentary from Harry Lyles Jr. (ESPN) on Lance, who happens to be the No. 13 overall prospect on Mel Kiper Jr.’s board. And insight from Sean Hammond (Shaw Media) on his latest podcast appearance.
• As Chase Goodbread (NFL.com) writes, Lance is drawing favorable comps because of his size, athleticism, and arm strength.
• Football evaluation can be weird. I liked Josh Allen for some time at Wyoming. Being a big-bodied, strong-armed quarterback with mobility and athleticism intrigued me. But because I’d been burned by liking those types before, the more I watched him, the less I liked him. Now, he’s a really good quarterback on a team that looks like it will be a perennial contender. All things considered, the Josh Allen story is a reminder that development isn’t always linear. In other words, let’s give Trey Lance a chance because toolsy football players can get it done — if given time to properly develop.
• Here’s hoping the Bears spent some time looking at and talking to offensive tackle prospect Dillon Radunz. The other NDSU standout figures to be a second-round pick and has the potential to be a Week 1 starter at tackle in the right situation.
• Keeping tabs on this prospect’s stock as we roll toward the 2021 NFL Draft:
Chris Rumph II is one of loosest, twitchiest, most flexible rushers in the class
But he’s very undersized & an early down liability against vs run. Fun piece to move around in pressure packages – has rushed from depth & also isolated vs OGs
Helps your dad is NFL OLB coach too! pic.twitter.com/VAG8LaXAi3
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) March 13, 2021
• This feels like a good time to mention his dad, as mentioned in the tweet above, is now the Bears’ DL Coach.
• More notable pro-day stuff:
Chicago Bears executive scout Jeff Shiver was at the Arkansas State pro day today, per source.
Shiver has worked for the Bears since 1987.
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) March 12, 2021
Arkansas State will hold its Pro Day this afternoon. Second-team All-American wide receiver Jonathan Adams will be in attendance.
Also participating:
-DL Forrest Merrill
-RB Jamal Jones
-TE Giles Amos
-Deep snapper Seth Gottengim— Eli Lederman (@ByEliLederman) March 12, 2021
21 NFL teams watched 5 Red Wolves Friday at Arkansas State Pro Day
– WR Jonathan Adams Jr.
– DL Forrest Merrill
– TE Giles Amos
– RB Jamal Jones
– DS Seth CottengimHear from all 5 on Region 8 News app & here: https://t.co/YEgoGEgpkQ @AStateFB #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/LiMOkWLxGJ
— Chris Hudgison (@ChrisHudgison) March 13, 2021
• Check out additional breakdown of Cairo Santos’ new deal over at Spotrac. I’m glad we mostly came to the conclusion that the deal is a moderate contact for a kicker who is (1) coming off a great year, (2) still just 29 years old, and (3) could be a stabilizing presence on the special teams unit.
• Those few days before the free agency opens is more fun now than ever before because players are out here being social on social media:
https://twitter.com/ceeflashpee84/status/1370555385124372483
Gm don’t wanna be recruited at the moment lol. #GMONBREAK
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) March 13, 2021
“Leave me out the comments, leave me out the nonsense Speakin' out of context, people need some content” #Year7 pic.twitter.com/N7H342Q4ba
— Allen Robinson II (@AllenRobinson) March 12, 2021
• Hmm … Brendan Sugrue (Bears Wire) explains a path to acquire Russell Wilson by trading Allen Robinson in an attempt to acquire assets that could be moved to Seattle for Wilson. I don’t love the idea of trading your best pass-catcher right when you’re getting a quarterback who can reliably get him the ball. However, I do love the creativity here.