Domestic Flights Only, Relax With Justin, Walker’s Promise, Baby Got Backfield, and Other Bears Bullets
I guess it wasn’t plausible to expect the Cubs to win every game I attend. But that four-game unbeaten streak to start the year was fun. It’s better than the alternative.
- Start your Bullets read by taking some deep breaths with Justin Fields:
- I took some time out of my day when the Bears tweeted this yesterday and felt better about how my afternoon went. There is never a bad time to step back and take some deep breaths. Onward with Bullets.
- The NFL’s schedule rollout is underway with the league announcing its holiday schedule and international showdowns. You’ll notice that the Bears are NOT heading to Germany. Instead, the Chiefs will play the Dolphins. So much for Tyreek Hill’s return to Arrowhead. However, getting a chance to play his former team on an international stage could be fun. If I were a betting man (and I am on certain Saturdays and Sundays on the calendar), I’d smash the over on any Hill prop wagers. But I’d only do it in a responsible manner and for entertainment purposes.
- No matter where you’re putting Justin Fields and Patrick Mahomes, you’re going to get a show. And while a part of me feels bad for folks who were looking forward to seeing the Bears in Germany, the consolation prize is that fans already in Europe get to see the defending Super Bowl champs and the league’s best player.
- OK, so they won’t see new Bears defensive end DeMarcus Walker go to work in person. But we will. And if he lives up to the promise he makes here, then he’ll instantly be a fan favorite:
- We’ve been asking for a game-wrecking defensive end all offseason. Maybe they have one in Walker, who signed on for a three-year deal this offseason. Walker came up with career highs in games (17), starts (6), sacks (7), total tackles (32), solo tackles (23), tackles-for-loss (10), and QB Hits (16). I’ll bake a cake in Walker’s honor and name it after him if he replicates those numbers in Year 1 as a Bear.
- At a minimum, Walker should be a stabilizing young veteran presence to a defense that needs as much juice as it can get.
- Now that the heavy lifting portion of the offseason is over, I can take some time and look at the bigger picture of the roster construction. And one area where I see tremendous depth is at running back:
- Chicago has three running backs I think who can be 1A types in the backfield with Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, and (eventually) Roschon Johnson. And I like what Travis Homer could potentially do as a third-down back who can block and receive out of the backfield. Having a superstar playing the position would be nice. But building a well-rounded group of ball carriers is a fine alternative. Especially when they’re all different types of backs.
- A fun find from NBC Sports Chicago’s Alex Shapiro, who unearths a video from April 6 featuring NFL analyst Chris Simms calling Roschon his RB3 in this draft.
- Anonymous NFL team officials giving Justin Fields bulletin board material feels ominous:
- Also: Isn’t it hard to judge Fields’ pocket passing when the pocket was collapsing like a cheap picnic table? I’m not sure how much better the pass-blocking will be in 2023, but it should be better than it was last year. Then again, it should be damn near impossible for it not to be.
- Anker power stations, Ninja kitchen gear, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon. #ad
- Good for Alex Caruso:
- Watching Christopher Morel and Dansby Swanson hit homers last night were enjoyable moments in a game that had an unsavory outcome.
- How about some Connor Bedard highlights for your perusal?
