I sang. I vibed. I cried. But most importantly, I had a good time at Saturday’s Blink-182 show. It wasn’t what I was envisioning when I first got serious about buying tickets in November. However, it felt like an important part of the healing process. And it was exactly what I was needing. Party on!
It’s always nice to see rookies making splash plays:
For all the talk about the new guys on offense around Justin Fields, I’m also looking forward to seeing fresh faces on defense. That group will have at least four new starters when the year begins. But let it be known that number could balloon depending on how rookies Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens develop. I don’t think Travis Bell is going to go from seventh-round pick to starting DT, but we’ve seen stranger things happen. Plus, I feel as if Head Coach Matt Eberflus will allow rookies to play their way into roles. In other words, I’m keeping my mind open to any and all possibilities.
This is an interesting bit of framing by Mark Potash (Sun-Times), who sees the Dexter and Pickens picks as an organizational litmus test. Seeing how these two D-tackles develop could give us an inkling on how Eberflus and his staff are as developmental coaches. And I suppose it’ll give us a better idea as to GM Ryan Poles’ assessment of his coaches. Plus, it’ll give us something of a feel for Poles’ scouting eye. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not all hingeing on those picks. But following these prospects will give us a window into things.
Rookie running back Roschon Johnson had big leadership energy as a rookie. And I’m digging the vibes:
It doesn’t take much imagination to envision Roschon thriving in a multitude of roles early. His blocking and receiving skills as a back were solid at the collegiate level. If Johnson can prove he can do it at the pro level, he’ll get ample opportunities in that kind of role. Johnson could also be an asset in the return game. He’ll need to battle with Velus Jones Jr., Dante Pettis, Tyler Scott, and others to snag that role. No, watching a return specialist battle won’t be everyone’s cup of tea this summer. But I’m very much here for it.
Even though he played behind Bijan Robinson at Texas, his 4.28 yards after contact per attempt were second in the nation. While he doesn’t have much burst speed, he’s a big strong runner who has improved as a receiver year-over-year and shines in the pass-blocking game, which will have him as Chicago’s lead back before the season is over.
For a look at the other six sleepers, I strongly recommend reading this:
There is a real chance that Johnson ends season as RB1 in Chicago. And that speaks volumes for what we believe about his potential when you consider he is starting this cycle as RB3 behind D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert. That the Bears have three starting-caliber running backs also says something about Poles’ roster construction capabilities. Chicago has one of the league’s most talented running back rooms while not spending a ton in terms of cash or draft capital. That means the team should be comfortable spending elsewhere.
Among the notes Nicholas Moreano (CHGO) takes from Day 2 of Bears rookie minicamp is that kicker Andrew Szmyt hit a 40-yard field goal that “had plenty of leg left.” The Syracuse product will start the spring as an extra camp leg. Even still … I want to see where things go from here. Maybe Szmyt can hang around as a security net on the practice squad. Can Szmyt kick his way into a place-kicker competition with incumbent Cairo Santos? I love that pretty much every position has potential battles for roles on the squad. There will be so much to watch this summer.
Hey, now! Congrats to Justin Fields, who graduates this weekend with a degree (h/t Bears Nation) in consumer and family financial services from the Ohio State University. It’s always nice to read about an athlete going back to school to finish what they started. Way to go, QB1.
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.
Here's how peaceful things are at Halas Hall: Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has yet to sign his rookie contract. And yet, there have been no whispers of a holdout and no buzz...
Summer break is underway for the Chicago Bears. Next up, training camp! The Bears just announced their training camp schedule, so clear your calendars. Chicago Bears 2024 Training Camp Practice Schedule These are the dates in which Chicago's football team...
The 2024 season promises to be an entertaining one for the Chicago Bears and their fans. This team has games on Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football on its schedule. It also has a trip to...
During his press conference this afternoon, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus announced that the team will host the Cincinnati Bengals for a live practice during training camp. The practice will take place on Thursday, August 15, ahead of their preseason...
The last day of Bears mandatory minicamp is today. Here's hoping everyone (present company included) finishes the week on a high note. In case you missed it: We've got some news, notes, nuggets, tidbits, and highlights from Day 1 and...
A team in the NFC North is set to debut a new uniform this season. Unfortunately, it is not the Chicago Bears. The Minnesota Vikings dropped a video on Thursday morning revealing the eye-popping, fashion-forward new uniform look. Check it...
Another day of Chicago Bears mandatory minicamp shenanigans. Let's get into it: Caleb Williams hooks up with Velus Jones Jr. I'm not even going to waste time with a wordy intro. Instead, I just want you to enjoy this throw...
Teven Jenkins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which means the Chicago Bears will soon hit a crossroads regarding what to do with their starting left guard. Bear Report's Zack Pearson sets us up for Teven Jenkins...
We'll have a fuller roundup of mandatory minicamp shenanigans later in the afternoon. But before we get to those, we clearly need to discuss Chicago Bears punter Tory Taylor, who apparently stole the show during Wednesday's practice. https://twitter.com/AdamHoge/status/1798429242449129586 Herb Howard...
The NFL has become a year-round sport. Since the final second ticked off of another Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory on February 11th, the league has dominated sports highlights and headlines with the likes of the NFL Combine, a busy free...
Here's how peaceful things are at Halas Hall: Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has yet to sign his rookie contract. And yet, there have been no whispers of a holdout and no buzz...
Summer break is underway for the Chicago Bears. Next up, training camp! The Bears just announced their training camp schedule, so clear your calendars. Chicago Bears 2024 Training Camp Practice Schedule These are the dates in which Chicago's football team...
[Ankin_law] Whether you felt he should be sent back down to Triple-A Iowa or not, and whatever you think of his future role with the Chicago Cubs, I don't think you can feel anything but bad about what happened to...
The 2024 season promises to be an entertaining one for the Chicago Bears and their fans. This team has games on Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football on its schedule. It also has a trip to...
Draft season is officially upon us, and it’s a big one for Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley. Not only is their team stuck in the mud after back-to-back losing seasons, but this year will mark only their third first-round pick...
We're one step closer to a name for the new NHL franchise in Utah. The artist formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes announced the six finalists for the new name of the team, which it will assume for the 2025-26...
CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs have won two games in a row - but just barely (and against the worst team in MLB). Let's see if they can deliver a more convincing victory in the first of four games against...
Paul Skenes is a SoCal native who watched Shohei Ohtani play for the Los Angeles Angels for the last half-decade. On Wednesday, he squared off with him for the first time. That and more in today's MLB Notes. Skenes vs....
After a four-hit game in a loss to the Angels, Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the San Diego Padres (32-33) as -124 favorites against the Arizona Diamondbacks (29-33). Action gets underway from PETCO Park at 9:40 PM ET on Thursday, live...
Cubs vs Reds — The Cubs did not have a great time facing the Reds last weekend, squeezing out just one win over three games despite Javier Assad and Justin Steele both throwing in that series (as well as Ben...
NEWSLETTER
