OK, so I realize the World Baseball Classic isn’t for everyone. But if you love baseball, then I’d bet this moment would’ve given you chills if you were watching it:
Down 0-2 in the count and two runs on the scoreboard in the eighth inning of an elimination game, Trea Turner coming through with a no-doubt grand slam was a moment.
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
The Houston Texans were busy this morning doing things with players who have been on the periphery of our radar. First, we’ll briefly address the Brandin Cooks trade to the Cowboys. ESPN’s reporting has the Texans getting a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-rounder in 2024 as part of the deal that sends Cooks to Dallas. Cooks is no stranger to the trade block, going from the Saints to the Patriots (March 2017), Patriots to the Rams (April 2018), Rams to the Texans (April 2020), and now Texans to the Cowboys. Cooks’ arc reminds me of Edwin Jackson who was traded somewhere around a dozen times in his career. Good ballplayer … just constantly on the move for reasons.
Weird optics that probably aren’t all that weird if I allow myself to think about them for an extended period: Cooks (who has six 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his belt) gets sent to Dallas for fifth- and sixth-round picks in March after Chase Claypool (who has no 1,000-yard seasons) goes to Chicago for a second-round pick. It just looks weird. That’s all. Claypool being five years younger and the Bears’ desperation to get receiver help before the trade deadline changes how I view this trade. Don’t get me wrong. I still like that GM Ryan Poles had the gumption to make this move. But part of me wishes the Bears had that pick, which will be the first in the second round.
Also: Please don’t take this as a sign that I’m giving up on Claypool. Hardly. There is still a good ballplayer in him. Perhaps there will be more opportunities for him with D.J. Moore grabbing the defense’s attention.
I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. However, I’m liking the makeup of this offense because there is a growing number of playmakers opposing defenses must account for ahead of game time. Your defense has to game plan for Moore. Defenders have to be aware of what Khalil Herbert can do out of the backfield. Cole Kmet found ways to sneakily get open last year, so defenses should be cognizant of where he is. Robert Tonyan can make plays vertically, so that is something defenders should keep in mind. Darnell Mooney can get open on the outside and out of the slot. If Luke Getsy is the play caller we think he is, he’ll be able to leverage this group of talent into points.
Oh, yeah, and there’s that Justin Fields fella.
You know the potential is through the roof when your team’s QB can do this…
… and this:
Keep in mind that the two clips above were from the same game. Against a top-15 defense, per Football Outsiders’ DVOA rankings. So this isn’t me cherry-picking two highlights as a gotcha moment. This is me showing that the Chicago Bears’ QB1 can do those things in the same game at a moment’s notice. And I can’t wait to see him get a chance to do that again with upgrades in talent around him (plus, I imagine having a year of experience in the system helps).
The diversification of Getsy’s offense is one of those things I’m looking forward to seeing develop in real-time as football activities begin this summer. If I didn’t value how precious it is to be alive, I’d want to skip days and fast forward to training camp.
Seeing the Laremy Tunsil extension news was a bummer:
News of Tunsil’s extension and the news late last night of rumored Bears target Isaac Seumalo signing (RapSheet reports it’s a 3 yr/$24m deal) with the Steelers takes a pair of options off the board. Blergh.
The Bears swinging a trade for Tunsil was always a pipe dream. But so was trading for D.J. Moore, so I’m not the type who is going to rule anything out. Nevertheless, that is still one fewer offensive line option for Chicago to consider.
I want to feel better about this offensive line. And maybe I will after the NFL Draft closes its doors in April. But I wish the Bears weren’t pigeon-holing themselves into taking an offensive lineman. This situation reminds me of the Giants telegraphing their pick being Georgia linebacker/edge rusher Leonard Floyd, only to see the Bears jump them with a trade-up. That move left NYG scrambling and taking cornerback Eli Apple. Whoopsiedoodle. That pick didn’t go all too well for the Giants. And that is the type of fate I’d like for the Bears to avoid.
Although, I’ll say this: If the Bears’ top OL option is off the board at No. 9, there are still so many holes to fill on this roster that they should still be able to land a top-tier talent without scrambling to make a pick. Maybe they’d have to pivot to a cornerback such as Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon or Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez. Perhaps they’ll have done enough homework to feel good about taking Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Is the ninth spot too early to take Iowa defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness? Are there other trade-back possibilities? The Bears were lucky to bottom out the way they did after beating the Pats on MNF. And while I don’t want to rely too much on luck, maybe the ball will continue bouncing their way. After all, isn’t Chicago’s football team due for some good fortune?
Speaking of good fortune, the Blackhawks took the L last night as they kept their spot in the tank sweepstakes: