Mitch Trubisky’s Development is in Good Hands With Bears Receivers and Other Bullets

I’m not always a fan of leftover cold pizza that was ordered from the night before, but the sausage-garlic-onion thin crust I bought at Art of Pizza really hit the spot today.

  • ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers would like to send wide receiver Antonio Brown to an NFC team, with the team citing “competitive reasons” for wanting to do so. It makes sense. Because much like the Raiders wanting to send Khalil Mack to the NFC in order to avoid having to face him in an in-conference showdown, moving Brown to the NFC would kick a potential grudge-match between AB and his ex-teammates down the road. Of course, Mack will get his shot at the Raiders in 2019 in London and I’m very much looking forward to that matchup.
  • Back to Brown for a moment. Imagine him joining the Bears’ group of receivers:
  • Changing offensive schemes and bringing in coaches with experience in quarterback development helped Mitch Trubisky grow in Year 2. But make no mistake about it, none of it would have been possible without an upgrade in talent around Trubisky. Bears receivers dropped just 14 passes in 2018, which was tied for the third fewest in the NFL last season. Dropped passes in 2017 did their part in keeping Trubisky from maximizing on his chances as a rookie, while improved pass-catching on the outside helped the young quarterback scratch the surface of his potential. So, why not add another when the opportunity arises?
  • Even if the Bears didn’t trade for Brown, they still have youngesters like Anthony Miller who are on the come-up:
  • Trubisky posted a 116.4 passer rating and 6-1 TD-INT ratio when throwing to Miller last season. Seeing that tandem grow over the course of their respective rookie contracts is one of those things I’m looking forward to seeing when training camp starts again. Can we just fast forward through the rest of winter and spring to get to summer already – or am I asking for too much?
  • Is it ever too early to talk about fantasy football options? Of course not:
  • I’m as guilty as anyone for over-drafting Bears tight end Trey Burton, but there is untapped fantasy potential for a player who was one of Trubisky’s favorite targets. Trubisky posted a 72.5 completion percentage and 112.0 passer rating when targeting Burton last year. He also threw six touchdowns to Burton and was intercepted just twice when throwing his way. Perhaps Trubisky is just scratching the surface of how to properly use his tight end in this offense.
  • And to think, the Bears’ core of pass-catchers is signed for at least the next two years. Yeah, Trubisky’s development is in good hands with the guys who have reliable hands.
  • Another landing spot for Cody Parkey could be in Arizona:
  • As we mentioned in yesterday’s set of Bullets, the Minnesota Vikings could be a possible spot where a Parkey reclamation project hits the ground.
  • It’s early in this process, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the first two potential destinations for Parkey are teams whose kickers kick indoors. Parkey has made 86 percent (18-for-21) of his kicks in dome/retractable-roof stadiums and 95 percent (21-for-22) of extra-points. It’s not the largest sample size, but it’s probably something a desperate team looking for an alternative on a bounce-back deal would be interested in.
  • Over at The Athletic, Dan Pompei lays out a case for one of the best offensive linemen in Bears history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
  • Interior offensive linemen have had an up-hill climb in getting into the Hall, so maybe Kevin Mawae getting voted in earlier this month will help his cause. Hilgenberg was a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro during his 11-year career with the Bears. He was at the top of his position during a franchise’s most competitive era and was an integral member of the Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team. Hilgenberg’s career ended in 1993, but it’s never too late to right a wrong and get a deserving player into the Hall of Fame. Here’s hoping Pompei’s piece is the first step toward that happening.
  • So where do I pick up my shiny trophy?
  • https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1099716966338756609

    written by

    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.

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