NEWSLETTER
If my calculations are correct, then the time between 3-5 p.m. will be the warmest part of our day in Chicago. At that point, I’ll be outside having socially distanced drinks with my neighbors and grilling steaks.
But if the past is an indicator of the future, Bears things tend to happen when I hop on a hot grill. So I’ll have one eye on my phone … just in case.
• Why would Russell Wilson want to come to the Bears? For starters, chasing a legacy with an iconic franchise could be a game-changer. We discuss it here in depth, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about since publishing. Reading through it all reminds me a bit of the Jon Lester situation. After carving out a nice career with the Red Sox, Lester took a leap of faith to sign with a Cubs team that hadn’t put together a winning season since 2009. There was familiarity with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, but Lester saw an opportunity to be a part of something BIG. And he was right. Evidently, Russell sees something similar with the Bears, and it’s not difficult to imagine why.
• After the Cubs’ drought ended, the last great challenge in Chicago remains finding a franchise quarterback for the Chicago Bears. Once that happens, the quarterback to be named later can go about curing the Bears’ other major franchise shortcoming — modernizing the offense. Those are the two biggest challenges in football right now. And whoever conquers those challenges will be legends. I’m not being hyperbolic, either. Being the best QB in Bears history, someone who modernizes the position, shatters all the records, and wins a title in this town will have the Bears world eating out of their hand. Frankly, I can’t wait to see who it ends up being.
• FWD: @ Russell Wilson. CC: @ Deshaun Watson:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1365693177563242498
• Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report) has every team’s offseason to-do list. The Bears’ checklist is what you’d expect. Figure out the quarterback, hand Allen Robinson the Franchise Tag, and find solutions at offensive tackle. If the Bears can’t get the quarterback right, the rest might not matter when it comes to 2021. But moving forward, it’s a different story. If Chicago can’t swing that big deal, then it should do everything in its power to make this team as attractive as possible moving forward. Upgrade the offensive line. Add weapons at skill positions on offense. Make that side of the ball a strength, while maintaining depth and excellence on defense. No pressure, folks.
• Fittingly enough, Maurice Moton – Sobleski’s BR teammate – identifies Oklahoma State offensive tackle Teven Jenkins as the Bears’ dream Draft target. Jenkins has been on our radar for some time. And recently, he has popped up in mock drafts as someone the Bears take. And with good reason. Jenkins has skills, experience at both tackle spots, and figures to be a Day 1 starter. This is a deep tackle class, so perhaps the Bears could wait until Round 2 to snag an immediate starter. But if they landed Jenkins, I don’t think I’d have an issue with it.
• A handful of players I’d consider “dream” targets who go to teams picking after the Bears in Round 1: Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman, Florida WR Kadarius Toney, Oklahoma OG/OC Creed Humphrey, Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg, USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Alabama OL Deonte Brown. Again, there will be plenty of linemen to choose from this spring when draft week d goes down.
• It’s a ridiculously deep group:
OT Rankings as of today, i will change my mind at some point i got till April to figure it out.
1. Slater
2. Sewell
3. Jenkins
4. Darrisaw
5. T. Smith
6. Radunz
7. Leatherwood
8. Eichenberg
9. Mayfield
10. Cosmi**** Walker little would be 4th, but hes played 1 game in 2 years
— Voch Lombardi (@VochLombardi) February 26, 2021
• This is my kinda content:
✶✶ Chicago's finest ✶✶
(via lc.artwork/IG) pic.twitter.com/akKr3gR8We
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 26, 2021
• Joe Lucia (Awful Announcing) ranks the five teams that can be forced onto HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer. And, no, the Bears aren’t one of them. It’s an interesting group of teams the NFL can push HBO’s cameras onto this summer. Denver has all sorts of talent and upside, and we in Chicago know that Vic Fangio is often good for a quote. The Panthers could be interesting with fresh faces in ownership and at head coach. And they could be even more intriguing if they make a splash move at QB. I don’t care at all about the Giants, but there’s probably something worth keeping tabs on. Following Arizona after it just missed the playoffs could be fun, especially if we get some Week 17 behind-the-scenes stuff. Do we really want to see the Cowboys unless they’re fun-bad?
