First Day of School Vibes, Snacks Are Important, Cap Gymnastics, and Other Bears Bullets

I keep thinking I forgot to put something in my calendar for Friday. But when I check the calendars on my phone, laptop, and desktop, there’s nothing there — even though it *FEELS* like something is missing. Can’t wait for it to bop me on my head on Friday afternoon (if it is to come at all).

  • Today marks the first practice session of the Matt Eberflus/Ryan Poles era. As for yesterday, the first day of school vibes were off the charts:
  • One thing I find necessary to drive home early (and often) this year is the importance and value of a clean slate. That Jaylon Johnson is talking about it freely and painting such a picture with his words serves as a reminder that it is as important to the players to get a fresh start as it is for us as fans. The last two years of the Matt Nagy/Ryan Pace era were a drag. Even the year in which the Bears made the postseason was a tedious taffy pull. This first year under Matt Eberflus won’t be a walk in the park, but there isn’t this ominous cloud hovering as there was around this time last year.
  • But seriously … you can really tell that the consensus was that folks were at the end of their rope with the previous regime:
  • Circling back for more from Johnson, who appears to have taken a fellow DB under his wing:
  • The Thomas Graham Jr. pick was an inspired one during Pace’s final draft with the team. Selecting a player who opted out of playing during the pandemic-altered 2020 college football season and slow-playing his rookie year development could turn out to be a nice parting gift from the previous regime to its successors. And that Graham spent a chunk of time during the offseason working with the Bears’ top cornerback suggests he knows what could be at stake this year. Graham has been set to compete for some sort of starting job in the secondary for some time. But after drafting Kyler Gordon, it sure looks like Graham and Tavon Young are competing to be the Bears’ top nickel cornerback.
  • It’s been a rough offseason for first-year GM Ryan Poles, but much of that is to be expected when you embark on a teardown and rebuild after your hiring. But I must tip my cap for these cap shenanigans:
  • The NFL’s best teams excel in these types of cap gymnastics. And for the Bears to get to that upper echelon, they’ll have some contracts along the way that look something like what they did to get Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield. Then again, my preference would be to bring on better long-haul options for the line moving forward. But bolstering the line with vets like Reiff and Schofield will do (for now).
  • Necessary roster maintenance after signing a pair of new offensive linemen:
  • What was your favorite part of the Willie Wright era? Mine is that he is the answer to the trivia question “who was Ryan Poles’ first free agent signing as Bears GM?”
  • This rookie gets it:
  • Snacks are important! And don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
  • Some Bears-adjacent news came through with the 49ers publicly saying what we’ve long been assuming — this is Trey Lance’s team:
  • Trey Lance vs. Justin Fields in Week 1 at Soldier Field has the potential to be all sorts of fun.
  • After signing Julio Jones as a free agent, the Bucs embarrassment of riches at receiver grew even larger. Given this collection of reserve talent, I’d be into the Bears kicking the tires on someone like Scotty Miller or Tyler Johnson to round out the depth:
  • WELP, I can’t imagine Jonathan Toews is alone in feeling this way:
  • I hope LaVar’s crystal ball isn’t cloudy:
  • ‘Tis the season to be obsessing about MLB trade rumors. Although, this one would drive me away from watching the Cubs for a while:
  • 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.

    more bears news

    Ryan Poles Tells Pat McAfee What Went Into Drafting Caleb Williams No. 1

    Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles made an appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, and I found a particular segment to be enlightening. This portion of Poles' appearance stood out to me: "As we spent more time...

    Chicago Bears Stadium Update: Proposal a “Non-Starter” For Illinois Governor

    Expect an uptick in discussions surrounding the Chicago Bears stadium plan as the team continues its pivot from a move to suburban Arlington Heights to a return to Chicago's lakefront. At this time last week, the Chicago Bears were unveiling...

    So Long, Trenton Gill

    Drafting punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of last weekend's NFL Draft was the first step toward the inevitable parting of ways between Trenton Gill and the Chicago Bears. And now, it is officially official: https://twitter.com/BearsPR/status/1785769975417901556 It really is...

    Around the NFL: Falcons Head-Scratcher, Stephen Ross Turns Down Insane Offer for Dolphins, More

    NFL Notes — It's been a while since we've had an ATNFL column, but with the NFL Draft in the books, I figured we would hammer one out today and maybe try to get back into a regular offseason schedule...

    Bears YouTube Rabbit Holes, Odunze, Hype Videos, Is Caleb the Best? And Other Bears Bullets

    I fell down a YouTube rabbit hole last night and somehow landed on the 1985 NFC Championship Game between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. Firstly, I humbly request that you don't ask how I got to that point....

    Everything You Need to Know About 2024 Chicago Bears Fourth-Round Pick Tory Taylor

    The Chicago Bears wrapped up NFL Draft weekend by making 5 picks. They didn't check every box on their to-do list, but General Manager Ryan Poles looks to have solidified a busy offseason with immediate impact starters and depth. We'll...

    Roger Goodell Reportedly Has the Support of Owners For His 18-Game Schedule Proposal

    An official proposal for the NFL moving to an 18-game schedule is coming sooner than later. But first, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell floated a trial balloon during an appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show during the network's coverage of...

    Everything You Need to Know About 2024 Chicago Bears Third-Round Pick Kiran Amegadjie

    The Chicago Bears wrapped up NFL Draft weekend by making 5 picks. They didn't check every box on their to-do list, but General Manager Ryan Poles looks to have solidified a busy offseason with immediate impact starters and depth. We'll...

    DJ Moore and Caleb Williams are Already Hitting It Off

    It isn't taking long for the Caleb Williams and core pieces of the Chicago Bears to hit the ground running. And it sure sounds like DJ Moore is impressed with the Chicago's new QB1. Moreover, there is one specific takeaway...

    There is a Non-Zero Chance the Chicago Bears Do HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2024

    The Chicago Bears have made their stance known regarding HBO's "Hard Knocks" series. Simply put: This franchise really, REALLY does not want to be on Hard Knocks. To each their own. But as times change, so do people. And when...

    Latest News

    Marlins vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, May 2, 2024

    The Colorado Rockies (7-23 look to avoid the sweep when they visit the Miami Marlins (8-24) in the final game of a three-game set. Bookmakers have listed the Marlins as -165 favorites, while the Rockies are +138 underdogs to pick...

    76ers vs. Knicks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 6 – Thursday, May 2, 2024

    The New York Knicks are slight 3-point underdogs for a decisive Game 6 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, starting at 9:00 PM ET on TNT. The Knicks...

    Marlins vs. Rockies Probable Starting Pitchers – May 2

    The Colorado Rockies (7-23) face off against the Miami Marlins (8-24) on Thursday at LoanDepot park after a four-game losing streak. The game starts at 12:10 PM ET.This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Marlins will send Edward Cabrera...

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 1, Mets 0 – May 1, 2024

    Okay. Wow. I got out all my thoughts and context of that INSANE final play of the game in a separate post. So please check that out if you're looking for the highlight, the explanation, and the absurdity of how...

    Astros vs. Guardians: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Spencer Arrighetti will take the ball for the Houston Astros (10-20) when they host starting pitcher Logan Allen and the Cleveland Guardians (20-10) on Thursday, with first pitch at 8:10 PM ET.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on...

    Rangers vs. Nationals: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Texas Rangers (16-15), led by Marcus Semien, host C.J. Abrams and the Washington Nationals (15-15) at 2:35 PM ET on Thursday in the rubber match of the series.See how to watch the Texas-Washington matchup below.When is Rangers vs. Nationals...

    How to Watch Red Sox vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    The Boston Red Sox (18-13), with Josh Winckowski on the mound, host the San Francisco Giants (14-17) who will counter with Kyle Harrison, at 1:35 PM ET on Thursday.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to watch...

    Mets vs. Cubs: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Adrian Houser will take the mound for the New York Mets (15-15) when they host starting pitcher Ben Brown and the Chicago Cubs (19-12) on Thursday, with first pitch at 1:10 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the...

    Los Angeles Chargers 2024 NFL Draft Grade: Lightning Strikes Twice for Chargers Drafting Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey 

    The 2024 offseason for the Los Angeles Chargers was one of change. A disappointing 2023 season led to a coaching shakeup, with the arrival of the highly-respected Jim Harbaugh. With a talented young quarterback in Justin Herbert already under center,...

    Marlins vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Miami Marlins (8-24), with Edward Cabrera on the hill, host the Colorado Rockies (7-23) who will counter with Peter Lambert, at 12:10 PM ET on Thursday.See how to watch the Miami-Colorado matchup below.When is Marlins vs. Rockies and when...

    more bears news