Akiem Hicks is Fun, Graham’s No-Trade, Steelers Out on a New QB, and Other Bears Bullets
I woke up this morning with a taste for a dipped ice cream cone. Guess that’s what happens when 40-degree temperatures in February make it feel like 80°.
• Akiem Hicks is awesome for how he answered fan questions on Twitter the other night:
Peyton. The one that got away lol
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
Willie young jerrell freeman pernell McPhee prince Amukamara Marcus cooper (ugly ahh nick Williams) just to name a few: almost for lift my dog Acho. For the ones I won’t get to take another snap with. My brothers
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
I’m at Portillos more than giordanos. If that makes sense lol
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
I’d do it if I could. The bears have some of the most iconic fits. As you know it’s the orange one for me. The OG AB 96 official orange pic.twitter.com/8UQckHBMns
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
Big vibes. Faith. No stress. Yoga . Family
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
Hasn’t happened yet pic.twitter.com/GTZkxPhvbx
— akiem hicks (@The_Dream99) February 23, 2021
• I think we got some real answers to important questions. Although, I wish he would push as hard for the white-on-white jerseys as he did with he orange ones a few years back. Akiem Hicks single-handedly changed my opinion on the orange tops. Because, I mean, who wants to be on the opposite end of an argument with that guy?
• One of these things is not like the other…
The 8 NFL players with a no-trade clause:
▪️Drew Brees
▪️Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (part of his restructure)
▪️Jimmy Garoppolo
▪️Jimmy Graham
▪️DeAndre Hopkins
▪️Patrick Mahomes
▪️Deshaun Watson
▪️Russell Wilson— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 24, 2021
• I have mixed feelings about the Jimmy Graham no-trade clause. On the one hand, it was pure silliness to give no-trade protection to a 33-year-old tight end coming off a career-worst year. Especially when the contract itself essentially served as a no-trade provision. But on the other hand, throwing a no-trade clause in Graham’s contract always felt performative. In other words, don’t get too worked up about it.
• Reminder: Chicago can create $7 million in cap space by cutting Graham. And considering their needs throughout the roster, I don’t imagine they’ll hang on to a tight end with a $10 million cap number for his age 34 season.
• One player who isn’t going anywhere is Ben Roethlisberger:
Statement from #Steelers President Art Rooney II on QB Ben Roethlisberger: pic.twitter.com/mB0CwkmrCh
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) February 24, 2021
• This is good news if you’re a Bears fan. For starters, Roethlisberger’s return to Pittsburgh means there is one fewer team looking for a starting QB on the market. Expect the Steelers to be in on finding a potential heir apparent to the soon-to-be 39-year-old. But don’t think they’ll be as aggressive as they would’ve been had Roethlisberger not been in the team’s short-term plans. Additionally, Roethlisberger re-upping with the Steelers means the Bears won’t sign a former star QB in the twilight of his career in hopes he can be he player he was 10 years ago. That was always a fear in the back of my mind. And now, that possibility is off the board. So … that’s a relief.
• On the other end of the spectrum is Trey Lance, a quarterback prospect whose throws look SO GOOD:
When Trey Lance is ON, he has one of the better strokes in this class. pic.twitter.com/hOVIeDMDki
— QB Film Room (@QBFilmRoom) February 22, 2021
• There is something about how the ball comes out of Lance’s hand that looks good. Every throw I see him make, a voice goes off in my head saying: A-ha! That’s what it’s supposed to look like! To be clear, Lance still has work to do and development to make before he becomes an impact QB at the pro level. But the tools are loud, his physique is legit, and the ball simply looks good coming out of the hand. When was the last time you could say any of those things about a Bears quarterback? On second thought, please don’t answer that…
• Inject all the QB-centric content into my veins:
🚨 2021 #NFLDraft QB rankings 🚨
🏈 My top-18 QBs in the class
🏈 Why Justin Fields is QB2
🏈 Why I prefer Trey Lance to Zach Wilson
🏈 My favorite sleepers
🏈 As many video highlights and advanced stats as you can handle🗣 https://t.co/AhwjHzKBX9 pic.twitter.com/Z2lBLcn7Zf
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) February 24, 2021
QB Special: Ranking the best options for the Bears https://t.co/5RO9ShNw8w
— The Athletic Chicago (@TheAthleticCHI) February 24, 2021
• Kristopher Knox (Bleacher Report) warns against the Bears reaching for a quarterback with the 20th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. A recently sample of quarterbacks drafted between picks 20-32: Jordan Love (26-2020), Lamar Jackson (32-2018), Paxton Lynch (26-2016), Johnny Manziel (22-2014), Teddy Bridgewater (32-2014), Brandon Weeden (22-2012), Tim Tebow (25-2010). That’s a mostly underwhelming group, to say the least.
• Galaxy phones, sleepwear, therapy products, vacuum sealers, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon. #ad
