What Makes Bears the Best Fit? Exploring Oliver, Hearing Out Henry, Road Trip Jams, and Other Bears Bullets

Mar 24, 2023

I can’t think of a better song to start my Friday than “Friday I’m In Love” by The Cure. It’s just a perfect vibe.

Those Ed Oliver rumors came out of nowhere. But because I love surprises, I didn’t mind addressing them. The Bears need defensive help. Oliver might be someone who is on the block. There is a fit. But it isn’t something GM Ryan Poles should go out of his way to pursue unless the price is right. Josh Schrock (NBC Sports Chicago) drives that point home in his latest, saying that an Oliver trade would feel like Poles is forcing it. That isn’t something a second-year general manager early in his team’s rebuilding should do. And he better not do it for a deal that includes the No. 9 overall pick. That top-10 selection *SHOULD* have more value than a rising fifth-year defensive tackle who is a year away from hitting free agency.

Sometimes, I wonder if the Bears being floated as a fit for Player X has less to do with a player-team match and more to do with throwing Chicago as an option because the team has a bajillion holes and cap space up the wazoo. Don’t get me wrong. I love Derrick Henry. The Titans running back is one of my favorite players to watch. And not just because he helped win me a fantasy championship in 2022 (the winnings of which went to a new pair of Air Jordans). Henry is a throwback to a simpler time of football. And even though he’s taken a pounding over the years as a traditional RB1, he still keeps on ticking. But I just don’t see the Bears as a fit — at least, not in the way PFF’s Sam Monson does.

Could the Bears still add another running back? Absolutely. In fact, I’d encourage them to do so by way of a Day 3 pick, undrafted free agent, or waiver wire snag. Because unless you have a star of stars in the backfield, a unicorn as Monson might put it, there is a ton of value in volume at that position. The Bears have two starting-caliber rushers (Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman), a back who is a special teams ace (Travis Homer), and a second-year player with some raw skills but has a lot to prove before earning a roster spot (Trestan Ebner). Adding someone to battle Ebner feels like something that’ll happen on draft weekend (or at some point before training camp kicks off).

Nothing serves as a better reminder of how long the Bears offseason is like remembering that there are still something like 10-12 weeks between the end of the NFL Draft and the estimated start time of training camps. I suppose we can use that time to better map out driving routes to Halas Hall. Road trip, anyone?

Speaking of road trips:

If you were on a road trip with #Bears GM Ryan Poles & Head Coach Matt Eberflus and they gave you the aux, what's the first song on your playlist? pic.twitter.com/o1SDoqLQYO— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 23, 2023

One thing I love about Bears Twitter is that you guys and gals are creative. Your replies to this tweet were *chef’s kiss* good. I even made a Bears Twitter Road Trip playlist from some of the suggestions. You’re welcome. And Happy Friday!

Also: That three-city trip for the Poles-Eberflus gang visiting college pro days ends Friday with a stop at Penn State.

Wouldn’t it be wild if both of these guys ended up on the same team?

Bills: Tremaine Edmunds
Panthers: D.J. Moore

Every team’s biggest loss in free agency https://t.co/ySB7wR6v7A
— PFF (@PFF) March 24, 2023

It looks like the Bears’ latest depth signing (LB Dylan Cole) is essentially a 1-for-1 swap with Cole replacing Matt Adams, a linebacker departing for the Cleveland Browns. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin explains:

Of note, former Bears linebacker Matt Adams, who signed with the Browns this offseason, played over 47% of snaps on special teams in 2022 and rotated between all 3 LB spots and slot corner as a backup. Looks like Cole is the replacement for Adams. https://t.co/neB97DhJ3F— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) March 23, 2023

A tip of the cap to the Bears front office for making special teams a priority while simultaneously adding players who are useful at their respective position groups. Cole has starting experience … but has spent most of his career excelling on special teams. That profile reminds me a bit of Hunter Hillenmyer and Nick Kwiatkoski. You can start ’em in a pinch and bring ’em in at a moment’s notice without feeling like you’re totally falling off a cliff.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox writes building around Justin Fields will make the Bears contenders (sooner, rather than later … I hope).

The .gifs from the different angles of this throw remind me of how different Fields is from so many other QB prospects.

Old friend Eddy Piñeiro is re-signing with the Panthers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s nothing personal, Eddy. We’ll always have that game-winner against the Broncos in our hearts. But I hope you miss every game-winning kick this year en route to an 0-17 season in Carolina.

Is the Aaron Rodgers drama over yet? Wake me up when it’s over, Patrick! (BN NFL)

Are the cookies coming?

Another Farm System Ranking Has the Chicago Cubs Outside the Top Tenhttps://t.co/Q1CaLMbbm7 pic.twitter.com/AVgmc3eXHE
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 23, 2023

Down the stretch they come:

Some Numbers to Know as the Bulls Try to Make the Most of Their Final 10 Games

To say the Blackhawks were beaten last night would be an understatement. They got smashed by the Caps in a lopsided 6-1 game.

Have you gotten your tickets yet? If not, Michael has another tease for you:

I’ve got another special guest planned for the @BleacherNation event. This one will join our Cubs panel with Brett (@BleacherNation), Bryan (@cubprospects), and me.

Any guesses? I’ll announce it tomorrow.

In the meantime, get your ticket: https://t.co/Zb7EDZCiJp pic.twitter.com/T8J6gev7kG— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) March 23, 2023

Also … Patrick and I will be answering your Bears questions at the event. If they’re as good as your music suggestions, I’ll be happy.

[bet-bonus id=”360657″ ]

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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