NEWSLETTER
Nothing says I need a wardrobe update like realizing the only green shirts I have are Christmasy.
• Khalil Mack is leaving. So are Tarik Cohen and Eddie Goldman. Others could join the mass exodus, so stay tuned:
Of the 53 players the Bears had on their active roster heading into the kickoff game of the NFL's 100th season — just two-and-a-half years ago — here are the players under contract for 2022 …
Roquan Smith
Cody Whitehair
Eddie Jackson
Danny Trevathan (for now)— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) March 11, 2022
• The Bears are undergoing an overhaul with new GM Ryan Poles calling the shots. A new league year begins on Wednesday. But the new era of Bears football is already taking shape. And yet, I’d feel better if there was more about guys the Bears could bring in (as opposed to the ones getting away). But that is just where I am right now.
• Mike Tannenbaum is a former NFL general manager who often cosplays as one in his analyst role at ESPN. With that being said, I’m very much into this piece on the players he would sign in free agency. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill ex-GM plays decision-maker bit, either. Tannenbaum highlights five players he would sign and how he would draw up their deals. It makes for an interesting bit of perspective. Especially since there are some names that could draw interest from the Bears.
• For example, Tannenbaum cooks up a five-year deal worth $117.5 million (with $55 million in guarantees) for left tackle Terron Armstead. We recently discussed Armstead as a Bears target. And because stud left tackles don’t hit the market often Armstead figures to be the type teams throw gobs of cash at — even if he is entering his age 31 season not having played a full, healthy season in his career. Taking the lack of durability into consideration, maybe center Ryan Jensen is a better fit for a Bears discussion. Tannenbaum’s three-year, $39 million deal ($22.5 million in guarantees) is a far more palatable deal — even if center isn’t as important as left tackle on the positional hierarchy chart. Tannenbaum raving about Jensen’s intangibles piques my interest, especially since the Bears could use someone in the trenches who plays with an edge.
• If the Bears don’t want to go the free agent route for linemen, a trade option recently became available:
Another name for #Bears fans to watch (though not likely, I don’t think): Collins’ deal is expensive in Dallas but very team-friendly to whoever trades for him. Could have your RT in place for ~10M/Y (3 years) https://t.co/TwlU8imjJb
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) March 12, 2022
• One day after reports surfaced surrounding the Cowboys shopping La’el Collins, the new buzz is that their starting right tackle has been given permission to seek a trade. As Robert Schmitz points out in the tweet above, Collins’ contract would be far more team-friendly to a team with cap space (*cough*Bears*cough*) than it is to a team that is up against it like Dallas. I wouldn’t entertain the idea of sending one of the Bears’ Day 2 picks to take on Collins and that contract. But maybe a Day 3 selection and future considerations? I’d consider it at a lesser price. After all, I’m not here to do the Cowboys any favors.
• There are some names here:
Some of the players cut recently:
LB Bobby Wagner
DE Trey Flowers
S Landon Collins
LB Cory Littleton
K Greg Zuerlein
LB Jordan Hicks
NT Eddie Goldman
CB Tavon Young
LB Kyle Van Noy
RB Tarik Cohen
TE Kyle Rudolph
OL Rodger Saffold
OL Jon Feliciano
RB Devontae Booker
LB A.J. Klein— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 12, 2022
• And let the record show that signing players who have been cut won’t count against the compensatory draft pick formula. So while that pick wouldn’t convey until 2023, every little bit helps. Just keep that in mind.
• The Bears got a new running back in Darrynton Evans. But let’s not forget about the one currently leading the stable of ball carriers:
https://twitter.com/PFF_Bears/status/1502313397483831298
• Something to keep tabs on, even if the Bears won’t be in on this sweepstakes:
Deshaun Watson not indicted. https://t.co/N8MSZRK7yu
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 11, 2022
This tweet reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how the legal system actually works. https://t.co/D2S1HYHWf8
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 11, 2022
• Obvious Shirts is still 30% off everything in the store through this weekend. So if you haven’t yet, you should jump on it.
• The surest sign that spring is jut around the corner is when these tweets make their annual appearance on my timeline:
The Atlanta Falcons are restructuring QB Matt Ryan’s contract to clear cap space in 2022
Ryan is owed a $7.5M roster bonus on March 19th and has a $16.25M salary for 2022.
His $48.662M cap hit for 2022 was the biggest in the NFL headed into the season, Atlanta gets some room
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) March 11, 2022
The #Falcons have restructured the contract of QB Matt Ryan, source said, created $12M worth of cap room ahead of the new league year. Ryan, due $23.75M in cash in 2022, previously had a cap number of $48.66M.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2022
• I’m glad they stacked wins when they did, because the Bulls’ schedule down the stretch is rough:
What Are Some Must-Win Games Left on the Bulls Schedule?https://t.co/SMDHnnQmls pic.twitter.com/6SQQ0ukUPy
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 11, 2022
• A questionable defense-first signing when the offense is lacking is the kind of signing I’d expect from Ryan Pace. Nevertheless, the Cubs made a move on Friday:
The Cubs have signed the stellar defensive shortstop I think they'd needed, but it reportedly doesn't have much impact on any Carlos Correa pursuit. I agree, though a big part of that is because actually landing Correa was always unlikely. https://t.co/gM8LE8kqyX
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 12, 2022
• WELP:
Rumor Roundup: Latest on Marc-André Fleury and Blackhawks Most Likely to be Tradedhttps://t.co/l67oREa940 pic.twitter.com/o9G4N8iuJn
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 11, 2022
