Finding Upside in the Youths, Jim McMahon Throwback Theater, Cake Takes, and Other Bears Bullets

A leaky faucet has been the bane of my existence this weekend. And that it has extended into Tuesday really chaps my behind. Ah, well. Onward we go. May the Force be with us.

•   One of my goals this year at BN Bears is to find the intersection of football and football food. And when it comes to my travels, I fully intend on avoiding any roads with Dan Orlovsky:

https://twitter.com/espnnfl/status/1528873786908545024?s=21&t=VwgTR5MCSTEPjfkvZxmUwQ

•   You know what would be as deliciously sweet as your favorite birthday cake? A much-improved Bears secondary. Because of our obsession with fixing an offense that feels like it has been broken for at least a decade, we (collectively) can lose sight of how woeful Chicago’s defense was last year. And it can be really easy to look past it because the pass-rush was so excellent up front. But the result of having a poor secondary despite great pass-rushing season was exactly what you saw last year. Splash plays down the field by opposing offenses outweighing the ones provided by the defense. That’s an easy way to lose games in a pass-happy NFL.

•   This collection of talent has so much potential:

https://twitter.com/bn_bears/status/1528816033980633093?s=21&t=VwgTR5MCSTEPjfkvZxmUwQ

•   I sure wish the Bears were represented on this list:

•   Ideally, Justin Fields makes this list at this time next year. Fields, 23, would need a tremendous year to crack the cut. But it isn’t totally implausible. Help from fellow under-25 potential standouts such as Cole Kmet (23), Larry Borom (23), and Teven Jenkins (24) would be helpful. Maybe some interceptions by cornerback Jaylon Johnson (23) could aid in raising the Bears’ profile. Just saying. Bears got some young options. It’s just that I wish they had more.

•   It’s a shame Darnell Mooney didn’t make the cut. He won’t turn 25 until October.

•   Don’t tease us like this:

•   Last year’s NFL Draft-centric episode was probably its best. Let’s do that again? Everyone loves a good sequel!

•   Some old pass-catching friends are on the move. Marquise Goodwin is on his way to Seattle, per NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Meanwhile, the Jets part ways with 2021 Bears training camp and preseason standout Rodney Adams. Yes, that Rodney Adams.

•   I feel like I’m always learning something about Bears players from yesteryear during the offseason:

•   A little throwback theater featuring Jim McMahon:

•   This will take some time to get used to:

•   That’s … good news:

•   It’s gonna be interesting to see how Hard Knocks covers potential in-season extension negotiations between the Cardinals and Kyler Murray:

https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1529098642186985472?s=21&t=VwgTR5MCSTEPjfkvZxmUwQ

•   Smells like The Rock is cookin’ up multiple years of XFL programming:

•   🎶 BALL SO HARD ADAM SILVER WANNA FINE ME 🎶

•   There is an element of Patrick Wisdom’s game that reminds me of 2011 Alfonso Soriano:

•   Ope! You don’t wanna make Jeff McNeil mad. Because this is what happens when you do so:

written by

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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