Maybe when this free agency frenzy ends, I’ll give “The Rise of Skywalker” a watch now that it is out on digital. But good luck getting me to turn away from NFL Network’s around-the-clock coverage of the “legal tampering” period.
Cordarrelle Patterson is having fun online with some former teammates …
https://twitter.com/ceeflashpee84/status/1239716288555081728?s=20
… so let’s celebrate his birthday in style:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B91l2ntloyq/
Patterson was an integral piece of what the Bears do as a special teams unit and a bit player on an offense that could have used more of his speed and playmaking ability at various points last year. But he is also a refreshing social media presence. He’s fun. And in times like this, we need more athletes having fun online.
But also, we could use more Patterson in the Bears’ offense. The rare combination of speed and power that Patterson possesses makes him tough to stop when he gets the ball. But it happened too often last year when Patterson’s usage led to predictable situations. I imagine finding a balance is difficult, because there is going to be an urge to get that guy the ball whenever he is on the field. Unfortunately, that played right into the defense’s hands. Patterson could conceivably line up outside at receiver, in the slot, and in the backfield on any given formation. He should probably play more snaps at the various spots, give defenses something to worry about, then get him the ball when he is open. There’s nothing wrong with being a decoy.
I can’t get this tweet out of my mind:
Bears GM Ryan Pace often falls back to some things that remind you that he worked all those years with the Saints. Whether it is a prospect’s traits that are reminiscent of a past player, a general philosophy with roster build, how he obsessively compares every quarterback to Drew Brees. But I have long wondered throughout this offseason if Pace would lean on Sean Payton one last time in an attempt to get it right at quarterback.
It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, especially considering Payton’s work with Teddy Bridgewater. The last two years in New Orleans have allowed Bridgewater to re-boot, rebuild his skills and confidence, and get proper tutelage from one of the game’s most respected offensive coaches while sitting behind an all-time great quarterback. Essentially, we’re talking about a red-shirt program for a player who needed a fresh start in a new town. Soon, Bridgewater will be out of Brees’ shadow and away from the comforts of New Orleans. And he will be more prepared for it now than when he left Minnesota and the New York Jets. At this point, it’s just a matter of where he lands.
Ultimately, this offseason comes down to where Tom Brady goes. Earlier, Brady announced he was leaving New England. And yet, part of me still is of the mindset that I’ll believe he is leaving New England when I see him in another team’s uniform come September.
They’ll be playing football by September, right?
But seriously …
Thanks to the scientific findings of a Madden NFL simulation of the 2020 season, we already know Tom Brady and the Bears would be a great fit. Make it happen.
Football rumor season is fun. There was a point yesterday when the Bears were connected to Bridgewater, Andy Dalton, Nick Foles, Karl Joseph, Graham Glasgow, and Austin Hooper. Two players – Hooper and Glasgow – are off the board after signing with the Browns and Broncos, respectively. Dalton and Foles are still with their current teams, the Bengals and Jaguars, and will remain there until the cost of doing business via trade comes down.
Let me be clear: In no universe should the Bears be giving much of anything for either of these quarterbacks they are rumored to be “in” on:
The money is flowing freely in the NFL. But as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune warns, danger is always lurking in free agency:
It is wild to think about how the Packers beat out the Bears to land Graham two years ago, were quick to move away from his contract, only to see the Bears swoop him up as their first move in free agency. Chicago is banking on Graham, 33, to bounce back from two of his least productive years. That’s a tall order. But when the 2019 crop of tight ends in Chicago combined for 46 catches, 416 yards, and two touchdowns, then Graham’s two-year average in Green Bay of 46 catches, 542 yards, and two touchdowns all by himself presents itself as an upgrade. Graham arrives in Chicago as the best tight end on the Bears’ roster, which says a lot about the group as a whole (and where Graham is currently in his career).
It’s never too early for Obsessive Compensatory Pick Watch:
Moving forward, the NFL is taking precautionary measures this offseason:
Celebrate responsibly. At home. Please:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1239927140415651841?s=20
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