NEWSLETTER
Today is Jackie Robinson Day in MLB, commemorating when the legend broke the league’s color barrier and changed the game forever. Baseball isn’t where it should be when it comes to inclusion and diversity, especially when considering how much time has passed since Robinson’s debut. But that thought always gets me thinking about where the Bears/NFL are in their efforts.
The Bears hired a Black general manager and assistant GM. And even though they didn’t hire a Black head coach, Matt Eberflus’ staff has two Black coordinators and brought in eight minorities as new assistants. So many new hires. Ronell Williams, a lone holdover from last year’s staff, makes for a ninth assistant. The NFL is starting to say the right things publicly when it comes to diversity and inclusion, but it still has work to do when it comes to acting on it.
• Tell me you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, searching for new narratives without saying it. I’ll start:
Justin Fields is in an impossible situation: expected to step his game up while the team around him is torn down. @ConorOrr wonders if we’d be better off with an NFL transfer portal https://t.co/Up4UtkePtv
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) April 15, 2022
• I know I’ve had some ridiculous ideas over the years. For example, not throwing the tight end shovel screen in every goal line trip, covering that receiver streaking down the field with no one within 20 yards of him, or throwing past the sticks on third down. Wild ideas, to be sure. But nothing like the transfer portal concept for the NFL.
• In the author’s defense, I suppose there are some valid points worth underlining here:
⇒ The Bears have failed in surrounding Fields with a supportive roster for 2022.
⇒ And because of those shortcomings, it will be increasingly difficult to fairly and adequately evaluate his performance in the coming year.
⇒ But this so much of this is first-year GM Ryan Poles being put in a terrible spot by Ryan Pace and the old regime (and George McCaskey sticking with the old regime for one year too many)
⇒ And thus, Poles is probably doing the right thing when it comes to overall organizational health and well-being.
• And yet, as a reader, so much of this gets undercut by introducing the concept of a professional transfer portal. Ugh. I don’t wanna belabor the point. Let’s move on.
• Here’s Cole Kmet looking yolked during the Bears’ offseason training program:
Just my QB & his WR2. https://t.co/IBhGvX6O7i
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) April 15, 2022
• A reminder of what Cole Kmet can do when appropriately utilized, featuring a breakdown from Tom Thayer:
• I’ve been envious of how the Packers have been using their tight ends since Bubba Franks was lining up. Here’s hoping Luke Getsy took copious notes on how Green Bay was deploying Robert Tonyan, Jared Cook, and others.
• Say hey to RB1:
Oh hey, @MontgomerDavid 😏 pic.twitter.com/HHE1X6w3FZ
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 14, 2022
• REMINDER: David Montgomery was on a 293-carry, 1,313-yard, 13 TD pace for 17 games before suffering an injury in Week 4 against the Lions. Montgomery was running at a 4.48 yards/carry clip and had increased his yards per attempt in Weeks 3 and 4. The arrow was pointing up, and it looked like the Bears were finally getting good usage out of Montgomery. And then he missed four games. He just wasn’t the same after the injury, averaging just 3.46 yards/attempt. Hopefully, an entire offseason of healing, rest, recuperation, and working out will get Montgomery back in tip-top shape.
• Matt Eberflus’ old friends have been busy in Indy:
Stephon Gilmore just text me he is signing with the #Colts.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 15, 2022
Colts F.A. adds:
Trade for QB Matt Ryan
Trade for DE Yannick Ngakoue
Re-sign TE Mo Alie-Cox
Re-sign LB Zaire Franklin
Re-sign DE Tyquan Lewis
Re-sign OT Matt Pryor
Signed CB Brandon Facyson
Sign S Rodney McLeod
Sign S Armani Watts
Sign LB Brandon King
Sign CB Stephon Gilmore— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) April 15, 2022
• OPE!
The $518,000 sale of the game ball used in the now-unretired Tom Brady's "final" touchdown pass has been voided by mutual agreement between buyer, consigner and auction house, per @DanHajducky.https://t.co/GcrHr7N3IZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 15, 2022
• Remember when Peanut Tillman became an FBI agent in 2018? Well, now that story has a new chapter:
Damn Charles Tillman raided Lil Reese. I know bro has a job but you could’ve answered lil homie. He just wanted verification you the football player🤷🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/s24esyJO1s
— KingMac74 (@Mac74King) April 14, 2022
• They don’t make ’em like Pat Foley anymore. So, of course, his last Blackhawks game behind the mic on United Center ice came (1) with a win and (2) in a shootout. Chicago hockey fans didn’t want to let Foley go, and the Hockey Gods™ weren’t ready to watch him go either.
After a shootout victory for the Blackhawks Pat Foley is named the first star of the game, his final game. What a finish at the United Center tonight. #Blackhawks #FoleysFarewell pic.twitter.com/BsgcVa2Qol
— Patrick K. Flowers (@PatrickKFlowers) April 15, 2022
• Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan need contributions from their teammates if the Bulls are to make this upcoming playoff series vs. the Bucks competitive:
Whether it be White's 3-point shooting, Green's active hands, or Thompson's rebounding, the Bulls' role players will have to step up in a big way against the Bucks.
Typed more words ⬇️https://t.co/vBkf47bGqU
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) April 15, 2022
• Who needs a fútbol team anyway?
They're Out – The Ricketts Family Has Withdrawn Their Bid to Buy Chelsea FC – https://t.co/ei473dyxvm pic.twitter.com/usKyrqcb1m
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 15, 2022
