Nathan Peterman is Back Because Someone Has to QB During Preseason Garbage Time (And Other Bears Bullets)
I couldn’t have asked for a better Opening Day. My friend Jim hooked it up with some Dimo’s pizza, there were cookies and Chicago handshakes, too. Plus beer bats. The sun was out (for most of the game) and the rain clouds didn’t come around until the middle of the night. But the best part of it all was the friends who were along for the ride.
Michael said it best: The vibes were immaculate.
- Look who is coming back to do some quarterbacking for the Chicago Bears in 2023:
- Tank Commander Nathan Peterman is re-signing with the Bears, as first reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Peterman, 28, played three games and made one start for the Bears last season — and that one start was an important one. Because losing Week 18 against the Vikings helped the Bears land the No. 1 pick. No one will remember that line (11/19, 114 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 92.9 rating), but we’ll all remember where we were when we found out the Bears were getting the first pick. And I bet we’ll recall the time and place we learned about Chicago trading the first pick. Those milestone moments were, in part, thanks to Peterman. Maybe a one-year re-signing is a “thanks for a job well done” nod. At least, that’s how I will think of it.
- Even with Justin Fields entrenched as QB1, P.J. Walker as his backup, and Nathan Peterman bringing up the rear, part of me still thinks the Bears should bring in another quarterback. Sure, I realize employing four quarterbacks will cut into some backup’s reps. But I’ve felt the Bears should try and unearth a developmental prospect every year since Ryan Pace planted the idea in our heads that he would draft a QB every year (he didn’t, but that’s not the point). I’m not saying Chicago should use a premium pick to do so. But I’d be into a quarterback project landing in Chicago on Day 3 or via the post-draft UDFA signing frenzy.
- In making all 259 picks in his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jordan Reid has a bunch of quarterbacks going on Day 3. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA), Tanner McKee (Stanford), Jake Haener (Fresno State), Aidan O’Connell (Purdue), Jaren Hall (BYU), Clayton Tune (Houston), Stetson Bennett (Georgia), and Max Duggan (TCU) Names go here and whatnot. Does anyone here tickle your fancy? As for who Reid has the Bears taking, you can find out here.
- Another position I’d try to draft on Day 3 annually is along the offensive line. Even though the best tend to come in the early rounds, there are always gems to be unearthed in the late stages. The Bears rolled the dice with Braxton Jones, Doug Kramer, and Zachary Thomas. Jones emerged as a viable NFL starter as a rookie. And at left tackle, no less. No, I’m not saying to expect a Week 1 starter to come out of a Day 3 selection from every draft. But if you don’t take shots at drafting and development, then you’ll never know what you can get.
- A different look at the NFL Draft’s top prospects:
This consensus big board could come in handy.
- As soon as the calendar flips to April, I’ll be obsessing over the mock drafts that come our way.
- A headline that bummed out me out, via NBC Sports Chicago: “Bears recent history of first-round picks is kinda sad.”
- Here is some good news on that front: The guys who made the assortment of disappointing picks mentioned in the above-linked piece are no longer employed by the Bears. Whew.
- At best, the Bears’ picks over the last 10 years has been a mixed bag. Shae McClellin, Kevin White, and Mitchell Trubusky didn’t get second contracts with the team whose selections will always be remembered by who was picked after them. We might be able to say that about Leonard Floyd, but Floyd was a solid pro who is going to have a lengthy NFL career. But the Kyle Long and Kyle Fuller picks were strong. Long was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Bears. Meanwhile, Fuller got the nod twice (and a first-team All-Pro nod, too). You can’t be upset about drafting Pro Bowl players with first-round picks.
- Brett writes about Dansby Swanson having a tremendous Cubs debut and I hope my Tremaine Edmunds comp follows in those footsteps. What’s the middle linebacker equivalent of going 3-for-4 with a run, RBI, and a sweet defensive stop?
- Sometimes, I wish Isiah Thomas would just disappear:
- Down the stretch they come in search of the No. 1 overall pick:
- It really is nice to have baseball back:
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