NEWSLETTER
Carolina sure did a number on Duke in Coach K’s final game on his home court.
This tweet (and picture) says it all:
Thousand words, etc… pic.twitter.com/NE9AtVt5We
— Joe Ovies (@joeovies) March 6, 2022
How can you not love the power of images in sports? On to the oblong ball sport …
• I’ve had just enough of the Aaron Rodgers drama, and I’d bet I’m not alone in feeling this way. But I think this is all coming to a head by Tuesday:
and those teams interested are ready to go with their offers… https://t.co/VrP3RYEIID
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 5, 2022
While the Packers await final word from Aaron Rodgers, other teams have contacted them, I'm told. They don't want to trade him in NFC. DEN and TEN are interested, PIT has made no overtures. Will seek massive return if he is dealt. Rodgers also seeking top market QB compensation.
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 5, 2022
This isn't about staying in Green Bay or leaving. This is about choosing a team that will help Rodgers cement his legacy. (His best move, then, would be to stay put.) If he leaves, it's going to be for one specific team where he thinks the deck will be most stacked in his favor.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 5, 2022
The Packers aren’t going to trade Aaron Rodgers wherever he wants to go. His decision requires coordination and planning. He needs to know his options before deciding. It’s not nearly as basic as, “OK I want out. Now, where can I go?” This really isn’t that hard to understand.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 5, 2022
From our Scouting Combine coverage: As we await a decision by #Packers QB Aaron Rodgers presumably by Tuesday, the #Broncos have emerged as a prime location for a veteran QB this offseason. pic.twitter.com/eY7Zu1Gwsy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2022
• So … why Tuesday? Because that is the NFL’s deadline for teams to declare Franchise/Transition Tag players. And for Rodgers, he could very well be leveraging this deadline for himself — as well as Adams, a teammate he is fond of and probably wants to keep throwing to moving forward. In all honesty, Rodgers and Adams would be wise to use whatever leverage they have in this situation to arm-wrestle the Packers into deals that make all three parties happy. Of course, that is easier said than done. Nevertheless, that deadline is an important one to keep in mind.
• As for some other important dates, your guide to the 2022 NFL offseason and when to expect Bears things is here.
• I wish I knew exactly when to expect Bears signings. But that would take a crystal ball and/or Jedi mind strength to be on that level. More specifically, I’d like to know when (and how) the Bears will announce that some new receivers are on their way. And, to keep it real, Amari Cooper is the most fascinating to me. Brent Sobieski (Bleacher Report) lists five potential landing spots for Cooper, who is on his way out of Dallas. Naturally, the Bears make the list. They’re not alone, of course. The Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins, and Browns make the cut, too. In other words, you shouldn’t expect this to be a one-horse race.
• AHEM! I said what I said:
#DaBears should pursue Amari Cooper if the #Cowboys cut him based solely on this highlight. pic.twitter.com/dIqNg1lRhn
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 5, 2022
• There are some notable things these teams have in common. For instance, two of these teams (Dolphins, Jaguars) are like the Bears in that they have quarterbacks on rookie-scale contracts who could use a big-play receiver to throw to when times get tough. But we shouldn’t rule out the Lions and Browns, as both teams have veteran QBs who could use a pass-catching stabilizer at the top of the depth chart. All this to say that the Bears aren’t alone in needing receiver help.
• As Illinois sports betting makes a return to full mobile online registration, the best apps in Illinois will be offering $1000s in bonuses with promos.
• NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport’s reporting on how the edge defender prospects are the Combine could impact free agency has me thinking about how it could also impact the trade market:
From our NFL Combine Coverage: A look at how a blazin’ edge group could affect some rushers in free agency. pic.twitter.com/cQYDq1FICj
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2022
• It isn’t as if Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn don’t have have value. They absolutely do. But between free agency’s “legal tampering period” opening a week from tomorrow and the NFL Draft a little more than a month away, there might be enough of a supply to make there less of a demand to acquire trade options. We were recently discussing a comparison to what the Broncos got (2nd and 3rd round picks) from the Rams for Von Miller. And while that might be enticing, it might not be available now. Part of the reason that return was what it was is because the two teams were working ahead of a trade deadline. Perhaps that might be the best time to extract top value from top pass-rushers. But we’re such a ways away from that possibility.
• In any case, the Bears shouldn’t be making any trade decisions based on cap savings, dead money hits, or selling high. This brass needs to figure out what someone like Mack (or even Robert Quinn) is worth to this team and weigh it against the perceived value in what they could get in return for the player. What the Bears should be doing is shifting money and high-end draft capital from defense to offense while (1) Fields is under his rookie contract and (2) the team’s defensive coaching staff — one that is known for getting more from less — remains a strength.
• I didn’t know humans of this size could move at this speed. And with fluidity, to boot:
These defensive linemen are ready to get to the QB in a hurry ‼️
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/k3fu498OHb
— NFL (@NFL) March 6, 2022
Top official 40 times among second group of defensive linemen at #NFLCombine:
1) Amaré Barno, @HokiesFB, 4.36
2) Sam Williams, @OleMissFB, 4.46
3) Travon Walker, @GeorgiaFootball, 4.51
4) David Ojabo, @UMichFootball, 4.55
5) Kayvon Thibodeaux, @oregonfootball, 4.58— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) March 6, 2022
BIG MAN MOVIN.@GeorgiaFootball DL @jordanxdavis99 with an UNREAL 4.82u at 341 lbs. 😱
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/aEVRSssbOC
— NFL (@NFL) March 5, 2022
• Apple trying to get into the NFL broadcast game is neat:
Apple might consider acquiring more than just Sunday Ticket in potential NFL deal https://t.co/GhJY49Dwye pic.twitter.com/R9sHj1MSM1
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 4, 2022
• The evolution of how we watch football is fascinating. It says a lot about technology’s growth and people’s willingness to switch up how they indulge in the product. To go from the NFL being exclusively on over-the-air network TV and cable to finding its way onto different streaming platforms is mind blowing when you allow yourself to think about the steps that were taken to get to this point.
• Bears fans need to come together, buy this house, and turn it into a real Club Dub. I’ve got $5 on it:
Matt Nagy really went all in with this $6 million house he's now selling.
1. His playsheet wall is still up.
2. He installed orange lockers.
3. He has a custom Bears basketball court with an "N" at the free-throw line.
And this is just one level too. https://t.co/Pnnc454boe pic.twitter.com/8OsZDBQiH2
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) March 5, 2022
• Oh:
Marc-André Fleury Reportedly Told the Blackhawks He Doesn't Want to Be Dealt … But There's a Conflicting Report – https://t.co/cHp9J26Q7q pic.twitter.com/jU6juyRMsk
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 6, 2022
• Prospects touching 99 m.p.h. will always grab my attention:
Cubs Pitching Prospect Kohl Franklin Faced Batters Today for the First Time in a Year … and Touched 99 MPH – https://t.co/NRYJOUZdds pic.twitter.com/uMuBk0xJzq
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 5, 2022
• This is not a headline I thought I’d see in 2022:
REPORT: WNBA Star Brittney Griner Detained in Russiahttps://t.co/bpo0ZwjBW1 pic.twitter.com/5SZUeBvOA6
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 5, 2022
