NFL Signs Off On 2020 Details/Rosters/Economics, Madden Madness, Rocking the Vote, and Other Bears Bullets

Since May, my neighbors and I have put together a socially distanced back-yard event that brings us together and celebrates our friendships. We have had BBQs, birthday parties, and Thanksgiving in July. Next up? Movie night. And now that everything is in order to host such an event in the back yard, the only thing left is to pick a movie. Suggestions? (Michael: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Blues Brothers).

•   Leading off with a wave of positive news from the league, which gets set to play during a pandemic:

•   This was never going to be easy. But I appreciate that the NFL and NFLPA were able to knock out things early in the process, come to a verbal agreement, then smooth things out at the end. As expected, the two sides were able to iron things out as players reported to camp. Now teams are ready to roll with the league having signed off on protocols aimed to make this season a full-go. For the full scope of the officially official changes, you’ll want to take some time and read this.

•   Now that we’ve got that settled, who wants to play quarterback? Jon Greenberg of The Athletic gives us a lay of the land:

•   “Only the Bears … would purposefully schedule a quarterback competition during the one offseason where you can’t have one.” Ahhh, that’s so Bears. But also … raise your hand if you’re surprised by any of this (OK, put your hands down because you’re lying to yourselves). Chicago sets off on a QB search, but sets course during a pandemic. Matt Nagy has a change of heart regarding playing regulars in the preseason, only to see preseason canceled. As Kurtis Blow once eloquently put it, “these are the breaks.”

•   Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog paints an optimistic picture for Nick Foles as he enters the fray. And by doing so, reminds me of why I was gearing up to enjoy this competition in the first place. Because when you put everything aside and look at it from its purest standpoint, the QB derby between Foles and Mitchell Trubisky is as football-y as it gets. This showdown pits someone with Trubisky’s prospect pedigree and athleticism against a player with Foles’ intangibles and know-how. These two quarterbacks couldn’t get any more different, which makes it all the more fascinating. Is it a perfect quarterback competition? No. It’s not even ideal. However, if you’re about competition, this is your kind of party.

•   It would’ve been nice to add a surefire starter to the offensive line in order to further aid the competition. Nevertheless, one possible option is headed to the Jets:

•   For the record … everyone looks good in navy blue and orange:

 

•   All things considered, I’m not sure there’s a better way to rank the Bears’ roster than by Madden rating:

•   And I’ve stumbled across a tie-breaker in case the QB competition is close:

•   For your listening pleasure:

•   Way to go:

•   It’s also nice to read news that Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy and his wife are funding scholarships to high-achieving student-athletes at their alma mater, Manheim Central High School (PA). There’s never a bad time to give back to the community. But in these times, I can imagine recipients being extra thankful.

•   There was a brief moment in which it looked like Odell Beckham Jr. had serious concerns about playing football this season, but those were quickly squashed:

•   I have questions concerning why the Wall Street Journal waited weeks to publish Beckham’s thoughts on the matter. Now the interview looks stale. And frankly, the site looks foolish for publishing it.

•   After nine years and 125 games in Carolina, this just doesn’t look right:

•   Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll told reporters the team is monitoring the respective situations of Antonio Brown (suspended for the first 8 games of the 2020 NFL season) and Josh Gordon (who hasn’t played a full 16-game season since 2012). Because that’s what happens when you have a franchise QB in a competitive window.

•   Hey, the Vikings made a trade:

•   Not ideal:

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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