NEWSLETTER
Sometimes, the best nights are the ones where you have a lot of fun while doing very little.
- The Tribune, Sun-Times, NBCS Chicago, and Bears’ official website were among those honoring the memory of John “Moon” Mullin, who passed away on Sunday after fighting Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Mullin was a long-time reporter most known for his work on the Bears beat, and also someone I got to know when I was a student at SIU Carbondale. “Moon” couldn’t have been kinder to an aspiring sports journalist during our encounters. And it has been nice to see that so many others had positive interactions with Mr. Mullin over the years. May his friends, family, loved ones, and fans find peace in these tough times.
- Something for your listening pleasure:
- Come for the Kenobi chatter, but stick around to hear what Bears situation is giving off “dig up, stupid” Simpsons reference vibes.
- One thing we didn’t get into on the pod was forecasting the Bears’ first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Is it way too early to project that pick? Probably. But so long as the Bears have obvious receiver needs, it is a safe bet to see way-too-early mocks connecting them with college football’s top pass-catchers. For instance, this two-round mock from Pro Football Network has Chicago targeting USC WR Jordan Addison.
“Although he might be considered slender,” writes Oliver Hodgkinson. “Addison has the hops to get up and challenge at the catch point while possessing a highly alluring athletic profile. His explosive speed not only allows him to stretch the field as a deep threat but also allows him to be a significant after-the-catch threat.”
- There isn’t much else you could ask for from a college prospect with a top-10 projection.
- As you might expect with mock drafts this time of year, the Bears’ other premium pick is used on an offensive tackle, with Georgia’s Broderick Jones going off the board to Chicago with pick No. 40. There is no need to dive too deep on draft fodder this time of year. But after last offseason, it is pretty easy to project the Bears having draft weekend needs to fill at receiver and along the offensive line. In any case, there is nothing wrong with stashing names away for a later date. A much later date, in fact.
- Sometimes, a headline says it all. Like the one accompanying the latest from Jason Lieser at the Sun-Times — Bears GM Ryan Poles looks for building blocks; Ryan Pace didn’t leave him much. Is it a bummer that the Bears are widely seen as talent-deficient? Absolutely. But does this provide ample opportunity for any number of players to play their way into the future? It sure does. And, to me, that is what makes this Bears team so fascinating. In a way, the 2022 Bears might as well be a choose-your-own-adventure story. The possibilities of what can happen with any number of players makes it feel like anything is possible.
- One position group we’ll see competition at this summer is at running back. And while B/R doesn’t list the Bears among the best running back rooms in football, that their new offensive play-caller comes from a Packers team that has the No. 2 group has my attention. With teams no longer relying on bell-cow backs to carry the load, offenses are deploying multi-pronged ground attacks to matriculate down the field. Few teams have a tandem like Green Bay’s Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. Perhaps the Bears can create something similar by mixing-and-matching with David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert, Darrynton Evans, Trestan Ebner, and others.
- Buzz is building regarding Zach LaVine’s pending return to Chicago:
- The College World Series has been churning out some elite plays, with this catch being the latest:
