NEWSLETTER
It doesn’t happen often when a college basketball game lives up to lofty expectations, but last night’s Duke-Carolina game blew me away. Game of the year? For sure. Game of the century? Possibly. Last game of Coach K’s career? Unless he pulls a Tom Brady, definitely.
• There is never a bad time to re-share someone sharing this highlight clip:
List of NFL quarterbacks who can do this:
• Lamar Jackson
• Justin FieldsThat’s the list.pic.twitter.com/XnlpmAE0Mz
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) March 28, 2022
• Four weeks from today, I hope to be waking up feeling great about how the Bears did in the 2022 NFL Draft. Sure, I know that not all of their picks will be home runs. They won’t all pan out. But the upcoming draft is an opportunity for us to get our first real feel for what GM Ryan Poles and his staff will do moving forward. The first picks made by this new administration will represent the first steps in building a team in their vision, as opposed to piecing it together around what the prior regime left behind. In other words, this draft will tell us more about the Bears’ future than the team’s free agency exploits. Buckle up, friends. We’re going on a journey.
• While Matt Nagy was the Bears’ head coach, we often found ourselves dreaming of an offense that could emulate what the Chiefs were doing. That never materialized (for a number of reasons). And while I have no interest in dwelling on those days, with Poles (former Chiefs staffer) in tow, I find myself wondering (again) if what the Chiefs are doing now is a sign of things to come for the Bears. But not so much in terms of scheme type. Instead, I wonder if we’re in store for a more Chiefs-like team building process.
• It crosses my mind as I see how Kansas City has 12 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. No team has more and only the Jaguars have as many selections. And with five top-100 picks, the Chiefs are among the teams loaded with top-tier draft capital. The Bears aren’t in a position to get that much draft capital right now. But if they could do so moving forward, that would make for some fun times in Aprils to come.
• Here is a fun way to look at the state of draft capital:
Draft capital for the 32 NFL teams as of right now.
Sorted by six different draft pick value charts. https://t.co/4tg362Lg5b pic.twitter.com/Lor6MGSMkz— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) March 25, 2022
• Color-coding charts make everything better!
• Lost in the shuffle of watching another potential Bears receiver target go elsewhere is the Dolphins’ draft haul for next year. As Zachary Links (Pro Football Rumors) points out, Miami has two firsts, a second-rounder, and two third-rounders in the 2023 NFL Draft. So, not only are the Dolphins well-positioned to make the most out of this season, they are also in a good place to re-load in 2023 if things go off the rails. Frankly, I’m as envious of having that type of draft capital as I am the high-profile additions that team has made this offseason.
• Speaking of receivers, Alex Shapiro (NBC Sports Chicago) lines up 10 receivers the Bears could have their eye on when the draft rolls around. Even without a first-round pick, a solid receiver could fall into Chicago’s lap. And even though I have to pause when thinking about the risks in building a receivers room primarily through the draft right now, there is no doubt the reward could be tremendous. Especially if the Bears could land two of these targets Shapiro mentions.
• I’m looking forward to a month of tweets like these from folks like Danny and Brandon featuring all sorts of possible Bears fits:
#Bears need a vertical X and there’s a few to choose from in the draft. Alec Pierce WR out of Cincy is one of those guys. Explosive WR that wins with speed and size. Great at stacking once he wins vertically. Shades of DK Metcalf. Invited and will be at Bears local day next week. pic.twitter.com/cyhLyJoUjI
— Brandon Robinson (@BRobNFL) April 1, 2022
Sorry to those who waited. I was having router issues yesterday which delayed the cure for me of more Wan'Dale. But, we back, #NFLDraft Fam. Here he's on another wheel. A route he's asked to consistently and he toasts the secondary for another chunk play. pic.twitter.com/utgi0kgnqF
— Danny Meehan (@DanMeehan90) April 2, 2022
• One thing I find remarkable about this collection of pass catchers is the variety of playmaking skills. In search of a physical receiver with a big body? Maybe George Pickens (Georgia) or Alec Pierce (Cincinnati) piques your interest. Desiring a talent worthy of a first-round grade and willing to roll the dice on a player who comes with some risk? John Metchie III (Alabama) would’ve been a Round 1 possibility had it not been for an ACL tear in the SEC title game. In search of speed? Christian Watson (North Dakota State) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds, which was the sixth-fastest time at the NFL Scouting Combine this year.
• I still maintain the Bears would’ve been wise to pair a rookie with a veteran to go along with Darnell Mooney. But landing any combination of talented receivers in the draft could make up for not landing a more established player via trade or free agency.
• A former Bear is celebrating a birthday today:
https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1510588927295385605
• The Bulls are struggling down the stretch, but Patrick Williams is starting to find his stride:
So Patrick Williams just did this on back-to-back possessions: pic.twitter.com/PVOZNPjKzO
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 3, 2022
• Didn’t see this one coming:
The A’s Are Trading Sean Manaea … to the Padres?! – https://t.co/aIqVbNuYZC pic.twitter.com/lYxuZfFi71
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 3, 2022
