As my area continues to dig out from under a massive pile of snow without freezing to death (12-15 inches in a 24-hour span this weekend!) I’m warmed by the return of one of my favorite television shows, FX’s Justified. I was able to catch the season premiere late last night (after finishing most of my work for this here site) and it didn’t disappoint. Between this and the upcoming return of Sherlock to American television, I might even be able to survive another blizzard. Unless, of course, it knocks out the satellite signal. If that happened, I don’t know how I’d stay busy; beyond, you know, working two jobs and planning a wedding.
Brandon Marshall is also keeping busy; he was on ESPN this past Sunday as a guest analyst, and he’s started the week off by appearing on both NFL Network and Fox Football Daily. You can find a nice summary of his media exploits in this Chicago Tribune article from Dan Wiederer; it includes a video of his FOX appearance, which came alongside Brian Urlacher. (And it plays automatically, just to warn you.) He sounds genuinely upbeat about his offseason plan, as well as the direction in which the team is heading.
After the salary cap post yesterday, a few readers noted that this Tribune article from Brad Biggs reports that all of the recently signed Bears have clauses in their new deals that allow for an “automatic conversion” in which the base salary can be re-designated as a signing bonus to be prorated over the course of the deal. Yet another example of how fluid the cap situation can be. I actually don’t think the Bears want to do this if they can avoid it; to me, it seemed like front-loading the contracts to minimize dead money later in the deals was the goal. But I’m sure if it comes down to it, it’s a nice tool to have in order to sign useful free agents.
ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert weighed in on the Cutler deal, and thinks it’s as good as either side could have hoped for.
The Lions are still searching for a coach, and according to ESPN’s Ed Werder, they’ll interview recently fired Titans coach Mike Munchak. That same report notes that Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt remains the frontrunner, while the team also interviewed recently fired Texans coach Gary Kubiak. All three of those men have NFL coaching experience, which makes sense; the Lions are, in theory, ready to win right away.
That has possibly attracted the attention of another former coach, with plenty of experience as well as a Super Bowl ring; Tony Dungy appeared on the Dan Patrick Show last Friday and said that if he were to return to coaching, the Lions job is the one he’d want. Of course, he also said the he had no plans to coach, so take that with the appropriate amount of salt. My guess is they like Whisenhunt for his potential to work with Matt Stafford; it’s very possible that the Lions looked at the Bears situation and saw what an offensive-minded coach can do for a quarterback.
The Vikings are also still looking for a coach, and according to this Pro Football Talk report, they’ll be taking a similar approach to the Bears, interviewing a wide array of candidates with varying backgrounds and levels of experience.
Bears legend and NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers joined a new lawsuit seeking compensation for brain-related injuries suffered due to negligence by the NFL. That’s different from the original lawsuit that the NFL settled in August for $765 million; that deal is slowly winding it’s way toward completion, although according to this ESPN.com story from Lester Munson, it could still fall apart.
Finally, if you want a nice Bears-related long read, CBS Chicago’s Adam Hoge has his first offseason notebook, in which he grades the performance of every outgoing free agent, attempts to predict whether they’ll be back next year, looks at a draft prospect who might fit Chicago’s needs, and more.
Later this morning I’ll be announcing a new feature for the offseason, so be sure to stay tuned.
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...
NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...
You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...
Cubs and White Sox opening day is today today. March Madness resumes with the Fighting Illini playing in the Sweet 16 later tonight. SIU, my alma mater, is reportedly hiring a "Coach Nagy" to lead its basketball team. And what...
There was no escaping the mixed emotions from Chicago Bears fans when the Justin Fields trade went down earlier this month. But there were none of that from Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell. Heck, I'd argue there was just...
Another day. Another pass rusher signing. And another defensive lineman going to a team that isn't the Chicago Bears. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was the first with the news of Jadeveon Clowney signing with the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, ESPN's...
Today was LSU's Pro Day and Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles was scheduled to be in attendance, per The Athletic's Adam Jahns. Assuming Poles made his flight, he got a good look at the likes of quarterback Jayden Daniels, as...
I keep forgetting that I have a Starbucks gift card from Christmas that has gone unused to this point. Maybe I'll remember it next time I go out for coffee. A big shout out to PFF Brad, who made the...
When I saw them pop up, RGIII's comments suggesting Caleb Williams pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Chicago Bears were met with an eye-roll, audible groan, and immediate dismissal before moving onto more pertinent topics. But...
It sure is starting to sound like Arlington Heights fumbled the bag when it comes to locking in Arlington Park as the future home of a Chicago Bears stadium. While meeting with the media at the NFL owners meetings in...
The Miami Marlins (0-1) are favorites (-132) on the moneyline when they square off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) Friday at 7:10 PM ET, live on BSFL.Miami's Andrew Jacob Puk and Pittsburgh's Martin Perez have been named the starters for...
The Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) and Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) meet Friday at Tropicana Field, starting at 6:50 PM ET on SNET. The Rays are -122 moneyline favorites for the contest, however, the Blue Jays are favored against the spread...
The New York Yankees (1-0) visit the Houston Astros (0-1) for a road game on Friday at 8:10 PM ET.The Astros will look to Cristian Javier versus the Yankees and Carlos Rodon.Astros vs. Yankees Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen: Friday,...
This weekend is packed with great sports action including the NCAA Tournament, MLB, and NBA for bettors. Check out the FanDuel promo code to score a $200 bonus if your first $5 bet wins! If you live in NC, you...
This time of the year on the sports calendar is truly special with the MLB season starting, college basketball in full swing, and much more! Don't miss out on the chance to grab a bonus by using the latest DraftKings...
The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) play on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Tropicana Field. The game is set to start at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.The Rays will call on Aaron Civale versus the Blue Jays...
The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) play on Friday in Miami against the Miami Marlins (0-1). First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET.The Marlins will call on Andrew Jacob Puk against the Pirates and Martin Perez.Marlins vs. Pirates Pitcher Matchup and Game...
We have a couple of number-one seeds in March Madness action tonight including Houston (32-4) as the Cougars take on Duke (26-8). Check out the odds and more for Duke vs Houston which tips off tonight at 9:39 pm ET...
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoyed a successful 2023 season, capturing their third straight NFC South title and pushing the Detroit Lions in a thrilling Divisional Round matchup. This strong showing translates to a relatively stable roster with few glaring weaknesses...
After a long wait, legal sports betting has finally arrived in the Tar Heel State. Fanatics NC, along with host of other sports books are up and operating in North Carolina. This exciting development opens doors for fans to wager...