Day 30 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I want to go on record with a change of heart. The Chicago Cubs should trade for Dylan Cease (so long that it doesn’t cost them Matt Shaw). Acquiring Cease probably puts the Cubs in the 92-93 win range, which could position them to go Cease, Shōta Imanaga, and Justin Steele 1-2-3 in a wild-card round series. The idea of Dylan Cease starting Game 1 of a playoff series at Wrigley gives me chills.
You can read more about the Cubs’ projections here via our friends at BN Cubs.
- Take some time to read this 2024 Chicago Bears exit interview of cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Patrick makes some good points about Stevenson being a starting-caliber NFL cornerback (those don’t grow on trees, but you already knew that) and how he could get a clean slate working under the guidance of a new defensive coordinator. In case you’re unfamiliar, Dennis Allen (Chicago’s new DC) was a secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints from 2008-10. Given Allen’s coaching history as a position coach and a play-caller, I am looking forward to seeing what he can do to get Tyrique back on track in 2025.
- The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports (via Twitter/X) that the Bears are splitting with Jim Arthur, who was in his second stint with the team and serving as its head strength and conditioning coach. Biggs expects Arthur to land on his feet elsewhere. Meanwhile, Biggs also notes that it falls on Ben Johnson to bring in a new leader to oversee that department. Considering how the injury bug nibbled at the Bears in recent years, I understand why this decision was made.
Between bringing in some coaches with callous personalities (Dennis Allen, Eric Bieniemy) and the search for a new strength and conditioning coach, my read on this situation is that Ben Johnson believes the team he is inheriting is soft and needs some toughening up. As long as this change of direction doesn’t cross any boundaries or get in the league’s crosshairs, then I am OK with this as a new regime embarks on a journey to set new standards at Halas Hall.
- I love this quote that Chris Emma (670 The Score) pulled from Dennis Allen, who had this to say about joining Ben Johnson’s coaching staff in Chicago:
“Look, just facing the offense, the creativity of the offense, the way that he’s able to utilize all of his assets and get him in the best position to have success, I was always really intrigued with how he was able to do that. In terms of the guy, I knew that he was going to be a grinder, a hard worker, tireless, and I knew that he had a clear vision of what he wanted this team to look like. And I think that aligns with kind of what I think we should be, how this team should be and in particular how I want this defense to be.”
- The creativity stuff is great. But also, knowing that Ben Johnson was the architect of that offense makes him different than the last two offensive-leaning coaches the Bears have hired to be their head coach.
- Speak of the devil, Matt Nagy has some advice for the guy who replaced the guy who replaced him (h/t CHGO):
Chiefs OC Matt Nagy’s advice to Ben Johnson:
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) February 4, 2025
“Win. And beat the Packers.” pic.twitter.com/FUsVgs4SBy
- “Win. And beat the Packers.” Simple and sweet. I could not have said it better myself.
- A very random aside: If Dave Wannstedt (40-56 overall record, 1 playoff appearance) can return to Chicago and have a successful media career, then Matt Nagy (34-31, 2 playoff appearances) could probably do the same.
- An old friend finds a new home: NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reports the Seattle Seahawks are hiring Andrew Janocko as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Janocko was with the Saints last season. Before that, he spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Bears as the QBs coach for Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent, and others. Janocko joins other coaches in Seattle with Chicago ties including Leslie Frazier (Super Bowl XX champ), Justin Hinds (Bears Assistant DL Coach from 2022-23), and Charles London (Bears RBs Coach from 2018-20).
- Packers President Mark Murphy is “not a fan” of the Tush Push Brotherly Shove play and would like to see it banned. This might be the middle ground that Bears fans can find with the leader of the Packers. (Pro Football Talk)
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