The Tua Effect, Air Claypool, Shuffling the Starters, A Losing Bet on Bama, and Other Bears Bullets

Justin Fields Falcons

The extra hour of sleep that comes with “fall back” is nice, but I could’ve really used *ANOTHER* hour to help me decide what to make for breakfast. I’ve been stuck between ham, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwiches OR fried chicken and french toast. Maybe today is a breakfast for dinner day so I can have both?

  • This is the most excited I’ve been about a regular season Bears game (that isn’t being played in Week 1!) in quite some time. Giddy up, friends!
  • It’s been a newsy morning in these parts. Firstly, Riley Reiff is starting at right tackle for a second consecutive week. This moves Larry Borom (who was the starter for the first seven games) into a reserve role. This is an interesting development for the ever-changing offensive line in Chicago. Borom has just one practice under his belt after being in concussion protocol since the Bears’ win against the Patriots in Week 7. So this could be Reiff building a bridge until Borom can string together some practices. Or it could be a sign that the Bears want to see something from a veteran. Whatever it is, I feel as if we should’ve been on high alert for a shakeup.
  • And yet, I was caught off guard by Velus Jones Jr. being INACTIVE for today’s game. A third-round rookie receiver and top return option getting a healthy scratch had me like wut — but there is no way that should’ve been my initial reaction. Think about it. Chase Claypool’s arrival was always going to bump everyone down the depth chart. But knocking Jones off the gameday roster altogether feels telling. And I think it makes sense, too. Jones has been riding the struggle bus all year. He wasn’t healthy to begin the season, then muffed punts in key moments that directly led to Bears losses, and dropped a pass against the Cowboys last week. Maybe it’s just time to give Jones a week off to clear his head, re-focus, and eventually earn his way back into the lineup.
  • I want to briefly circle back with some offensive line thoughts:
  • The only thing more important than depth in the NFL is usable depth. Ryan Poles’ signings of Reiff and Michael Schofield are turning into a net positive now that we’re seeing them start in a pinch. But this seems like it was always part of the plan. Sign veterans with starting experience on incentive-laden deals and see if they can beat out the young incumbents. If they would’ve done so, it would’ve meant that the Bears’ late-summer additions proved to be important because signing one-year stopgaps isn’t something we should overlook in the team-building process. But neither Reiff nor Schofield won a job out of camp, which left the Bears with a pair of experienced linemen who could start in a pinch without making the team feel like it was about to head for a steep drop-off.
  • Chase Claypool’s acquisition was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. And soon, he’ll be making his Bears debut. A first look at the new guy in Bears gear on a Sunday morning:
  • Also? I’m going to need Chase’s AJ1 hookup PRONTO:
  • Because you’re probably curious, Claypool’s Week 9 projection (per ESPN): 4 targets, 3 receptions, 35 yards; 1 carry, 3 yards. I still think Claypool has a chance to score today. So much so that I’m willing to wager on it. There’s value to be had here today, folks!
  • The Dolphins’ handling of Tua Tagovailoa concussion issues could ultimately be a game changer in the NFL. This is a good read with some quality perspective from the Trib’s Colleen Kane:
  • There are no smooth transitions going from talking about head injuries to whatever else is happening in football. However, it’s one we need to make. So let’s do so in an uplifting fashion by pointing out how much fun college football is:
  • Is the next college trip on Ryan Poles’ agenda a visit to the University of Georgia? If not, it should be:
  • I, too, lost a bet having to do with the Alabama-LSU game:
  • Is the Carson Wentz era over already?
  • Bears defensive backs are probably glad they waited until *AFTER* Week 8 to get on the horn and reach out to Odell Beckham Jr.:
  • *Laughs in schadenfreude*
  • Is a report of “multiple teams” reaching out to the NFL to push back the league’s trade deadline code for “the Packers want more time to almost make trades” or is this a real thing teams want?
  • If it was up to me? We’d have no trade deadline. Let teams make deals whenever they want in the regular season. Imagine what a bidding war before Week 18 would look like for teams desperately trying to make the playoffs. Sign me up for that RIGHT NOW.
  • The Astros won the World Series last night. Yawn. But at least one Bears player was happy about that development:
  • As for the rest of us? Bring on the rumors, player fits, and potential reunion buzz:
  • Last night’s loss to the Jets marks the Blackhawks’ fifth loss in six games since rattling off four straight victories. They’re streaky:
  • 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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