Bye Brady, Hello Bucs WRs? A List You Don’t Want Your Team On, Real Reasons for Hope, Watch Those Linemen, and Other Bears Bullets

Feb 01, 2023

Chicago’s cold air is mean as heck right now. Please bundle up and stay warm.

Here we go again. Tom Brady is retiring. Again:

Whoa! Tom Brady just announced his retirement. pic.twitter.com/9vx2jzf61i
— Bleacher Nation NFL (@BN_Touchdown) February 1, 2023

OK, but he means it this time. No, really. He made a video and everything. Assuming Brady doesn’t have any second thoughts, we’ll remember him as a three-time league MVP, 15-time Pro Bowler, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and a contributor to the “Fresh Pair of Js Fund” after helping me cash a 50/1 Bucs Super Bowl ticket a few years ago. We thank you, Tom.

And let’s not forget Brady was the author of one of our favorite moments at Soldier Field to happen in recent years.

Older Gentleman Battles Memory Fog at Key Moment https://t.co/Tfwt8uWg16 pic.twitter.com/GCHs6PkAws
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 9, 2020

C’mon, you thought I was going to forget this?

I guess we can add the Buccaneers to the list of QB-needy teams this offseason. However, I can’t imagine the Bears trading with Tampa Bay, which has the No. 19 overall pick in the first round. Nevertheless, we’ll keep tabs on them. Ideally, the Bucs snag a QB in free agency or via trade — and thus, keeping potential Bears trade partners in play.

If the Bucs decide to blow it up, Bears GM Ryan Poles better be on the phone trying to pry one of these two guys out of Tampa:

Who will be the Bucs starting QB next season? pic.twitter.com/s8N2rdeqa1
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 1, 2023

Surely, it isn’t too soon to call dibs on one of these guys. My friends Justin and Ryan are curious…

In light of today’s news, I’m throwing this out there just so it’s on the record: The Bucs trading Chris Godwin would clear $8.75 million in cap space at the cost of a $15 million dead money hit, per OverTheCap.com’s data. Dealing Mike Evans is a bit more complex. Because while it would come with $2.302 million worth of cap savings, it would also come at the cost of $21.3965 million when it comes to dead money. It is tough imagining Tampa trading one of these two. But this team might need to go in a brand new direction. Certainly, the Bears will be ready with an offer if either of these wideouts becomes available. Right?

It is easy to dream on the Bears’ big future:

🐻 A franchise QB
🐻 The No. 1 pick
🐻 Cap space galore
🐻 Experienced new team president
🐻 New stadium on the horizon?

Despite a 3-14 record in 2022, it's a 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 time to be a #Bears fan

Former #NFL TE @clayharbs82 explains why the stars may be aligning for #DaBears pic.twitter.com/GmWxmrQmNb— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 31, 2023

In fact, I can make the case for them having one of the best futures in football. It is OK to dream big!

Because of the things they have going for them, there is definitely a vibe around the Bears that makes me feel that things are lining up for them this offseason. And I can’t say I’ve ever felt this strongly about this team in a previous year. At least, not since before the 2005 season — which was the last time it felt like the Bears were about to cook up something special. And they did. Winning back-to-back division titles in 2005 and 2006, then making the Super Bowl with a 13-3 record had me feeling some type of way. But we don’t need to talk about what happened after that (at least, not right now).

Sigh. OK, sure. The 2018 team gave me positive vibes. And they, too, were well positioned with a top-tier draft pick and boatloads of cap space. But the energy around that team was more rooted in building out from the ashes of what John Fox left behind. The current feels are slightly different. Ultimately, that is a good thing. We need all the good mojo we can get right now.

Considering the Bears’ needs at offensive tackle, we should be watching what Trent Williams does this offseason:

#49ers LT Trent Williams declines to rule out retirement: "It does get pretty grueling." https://t.co/jiGstQcUeT #49ers pic.twitter.com/a0du7reZDx— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) February 1, 2023

Chicago could still roll with Braxton Jones at left tackle. Making the All-Rookie Team and earning strong grades from Pro Football Focus as a first-year player gives him a good floor to build from as he develops. But part of me can still envision Poles and company exploring the left tackle market. Ideally, the Niners will stay out of it because the fewer teams the Bears have to go against in the hunt for line help, the better their odds of snagging a top tackle to add to the trenches.

This is a list I don’t want to see the Bears on any more:

Longest NFL droughts since last playoff win:

Lions: 1991
Dolphins: 2000
Raiders: 2002
Commanders: 2005
Bears: 2010
Jets: 2010
Broncos: 2015
Cardinals: 2015
Panthers: 2015
Steelers: 2016
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 31, 2023

Technically, the Commanders have never won a game. Just saying.

It begins with hiring a coach. But the next step for the Texans is trading all of the draft picks to move up to No. 1 so they can take the quarterback of their dreams. For DeMeco Ryans’ sake, I hope Houston’s management does him better than they did Lovie Smith or David Culley. (BN NFL)

Ah, yes! Please follow us at our new NFL coverage at Bleacher Nation. Check us out on Twitter and Facebook, please and thanks!

Occasionally, I would think about Patrick Mahomes in a Bears uniform. How can you not? But here’s to putting this to rest once and for all:

Would the Bears have been in a Super Bowl by now if they drafted Patrick Mahomes? 🤔@Schrock_And_Awe, @DavidHaugh & @markgrotesports have the debate pic.twitter.com/3AIXLa1lKk— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) February 1, 2023

I’ll always have strong feelings about Patrick Mahomes. After all, he was our pick to click in that 2017 NFL Draft. But at this point, I’m more about enjoying him from afar than I am wishing he was here. Don’t get it twisted. I’d probably do unmentionable things to turn back time and get this version of Mahomes in a Bears uniform. On the other hand, I like where Justin Fields is and where he can go. Ultimately, I’m over talking about the Mahomes-Bears stuff. Let the past die, as Kylo Ren once said. Although, maybe we can re-visit discussions during a Bears-Chiefs Super Bowl in the future.

Similarly, how many teams dream about a do-over when it comes to a Fields re-draft?

I am preparing my brain to see Patrick Kane play in another sweater:

Do the Rangers and #Blackhawks Line Up on a Deal for Patrick Kane? https://t.co/dHUQ9aMJrY pic.twitter.com/IOMpkiJjf0
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 31, 2023

The Bulls continue to find new ways to drive us up a wall. And at this point, Eli’s sentiment rings true to me (and I many others, I reckon):

Look, it's hard for me to want this team to lose. But if dropping games this week leads to the organization making changes at the deadline, so be it.

It's necessary.— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 1, 2023

One of my favorite Cubs to ever put on a uniform hung ’em up on Tuesday:

Congrats on a wonderful 14-year career, Dex.

You go, we still go: https://t.co/226ZN8suM4 pic.twitter.com/4HEpqRirGe
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 31, 2023

He brought rap music to Wrigley’s speakers with his walkup tunes, had an Air Jordan collection that put me to shame, and won a ring with the Cubs in 2016. Good luck finding someone who did more in two years for Cubs culture than Dexter Fowler.

Jazz Chisholm is an inspired choice to be the 2023 MLB The Show cover athlete. Chisholm is charismatic, fun, and an excellent baseball player. But the Marlins don’t exactly give him too many opportunities to shine publicly, so maybe getting some cover love will boost his profile:

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Gets the 2023 MLB The Show Coverhttps://t.co/qiFgeInXoV pic.twitter.com/318kG104I1
— Baseball is Fun (@flippingbats) January 30, 2023

written by

Luis C. Medina

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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