Someone sent me a surprise Taylor Swift t-shirt and I feel so loved.
This, indeed, will be a mood all weekend long:
gonna be a whole mood all weekend long pic.twitter.com/9FfYhEBEW0
— Feb-Lu-rary (@lcm1986) February 12, 2021
But let’s get some Bullets out of the way before I play that new “Love Story” for the 13th time in the last 24 hours.
• Now *THIS* is how you recruit:
How many Italian beef sandwiches do you think it will take to get @JJWatt to come play for the @ChicagoBears? https://t.co/8iM0hWTvaZ
— Portillo's (@portilloshotdog) February 12, 2021
• ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets nearly a dozen teams are interested in Watt, which makes sense. He’s still good at football. But how many of those teams have a Portillo’s within shouting distance of their home stadium?
• Watt is still good:
Double team rate as an edge (x) by pass rush win rate as an edge (y) for the 2020 regular season.
Plus, by request from @DaneBeavers, label colors indicate 2020 cap hit (red = high). pic.twitter.com/b0msKIdttg
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) January 20, 2021
• The Bears have bigger needs elsewhere, but that’s not stopping me from dreaming on a front-line featuring Watt, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, and Khalil Mack.
• Speaking of Mack, he has been superb since joining the Chicago Bears:
Highest graded EDGE since 2018:
1. Khalil Mack – 92.5
2. T.J. Watt – 91.7
3. J.J. Watt – 91.1 pic.twitter.com/47cnI10Zw1— PFF (@PFF) February 13, 2021
• Brace yourselves: Green Bay will be listed as a top landing spot for Watt at almost every turn. He is a Wisconsin native, grew up a Packers fan, and played his college ball in Madison. It’s the kind of homecoming story you’d write, only to watch it get rejected by some editor who thinks it’s too pie-in-the-sky. The Steelers, Bills, Ravens, and Browns make sense as AFC contenders who could thrive by adding Watt to their mix. Part of me wants to root hard for Watt to join the Bears because I like having nice things. Otherwise, I hope he finds a home in the AFC. Because a motivated star in a new place can be dangerous.
• For a better feel on the looming Watt sweepstakes, The Athletic’s Mike Sando runs down the teams that make the most sense.
• The Carson Wentz predictions are rolling in. Earlier, we discussed Dave Wannstedt’s informed speculative prediction of Wentz being the Bears’ QB1 for Week 1 in 2021. Over at SI.com, Conor Orr spins the wheel and guesses at all sorts of quarterback landing spots this offseason. Like Wannstedt, Orr predicts Wentz goes to the Bears and Nick Foles returns to the Eagles in a trade. There’s no other compensation brought up in the matter, but Orr believes the Bears “have more enticing draft capital” to offer than the Colts. For what it’s worth, the Bears own the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
• As of this post, the Bears have six picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Colts have seven selections. This doesn’t count any compensatory picks that haven’t been given out yet. Nevertheless, I’m curious as to how the Bears’ draft capital can be more enticing than that of the Colts. How much is one spot in the draft worth?
• Benjamin Allbright, who is quite plugged into the Denver Broncos’ situation, is trying to put out Eagles-Broncos trade fires featuring Carson Wentz:
Nope. https://t.co/LFvzVprYHn
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/1360430404927279108
I can't imagine anyone dumb enough to actually believe this, but no…there's no truth to it, they haven't even spoken to have an "update."
I liked these fake trade accounts better when it was 2010 and they were at least pseudo original. https://t.co/TS2qYIeh0G
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 13, 2021
Lol, you guys gonna get fooled by this guy? The guess everything then delete the wrong ones and claim you hit guy?
The Broncos and Eagles aren't even talking about Wentz. https://t.co/LFvzVprYHn pic.twitter.com/M82s6PSPO6
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 13, 2021
• This would be far more interesting if Mitchell Trubisky was under contract with the Bears beyond March. Still worth jotting down for the sake of a reference point:
One interesting twist if there were ever a potential trade of Carson Wentz to the Bears: Wentz's agents also represent…Mitch Trubisky.
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) February 13, 2021
• It’s worth noting that the Bears’ new RBs Coach was Jermar Jefferson’s position coach in college:
https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1360468751804731396
• Also worth noting: The 2021 NFL Draft is in 75 days.
• Remembering bad QB play for the heck of it:
.@kfishbain talked to Virgil Carter, Kent Nix, Jimmy Clausen and Todd Collins for this story, so give it a read: https://t.co/HWiOxjLdSO
— The Athletic Chicago (@TheAthleticCHI) February 13, 2021
• You’d be absolutely nuts to draft this guy anywhere in the top-20:
Presumptive No. 1 pick #Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence will have labrum surgery on his left shoulder on Tuesday, source said, and noted surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache of Kerlan-Jobe in LA will perform the procedure. A 5-6 month recovery is expected. He should be fine by training camp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 13, 2021
• Chris Doyle’s time with the Jaguars was brief:
Chris Doyle resigned from Jaguars coaching staff tonight.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 13, 2021
Chris Doyle has resigned from the #Jaguars. Statement: pic.twitter.com/oxFwCRbUCW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 13, 2021
just thinking about how they tried to slip that hire in without anyone noticing, in the midst of a Twitter thread. and then announcing this news laaaate on a Friday night. just like normal people do with hires they’re proud of.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) February 13, 2021
• Plenty of ideas, but they’re all imperfect solutions:
We’ve got a few ideas on how to address his return, but they’re all imperfect solutions. https://t.co/QQofYOOWHA
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 13, 2021
• There should be no rush to trade Zach LaVine:
More indication that the Bulls are happy to keep the surging LaVine around. https://t.co/Y8EW2L2NDr
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 13, 2021
• Nailed it:
The entire #Cubs offseason in a nutshell. pic.twitter.com/Wzp04EGhta
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) February 13, 2021