Nick Chubb’s Season is Over After Gruesome Knee Injury

Take these only for what it's worth, as we're all able to do some speculating. But Jon Heyman is inarguably plugged in, and Matt Spiegel does hear things. So there might be some meat underneath. A little. Don't go too far with it. But I'm obsessing, so I'm sharing. First, Jon Heyman would peg the Cubs as the favorites on Alex Bregman right now if he had to choose: Jon...

Although most of the team is already at camp, the Chicago Cubs are the first organization to require pitchers and catchers to report (this Sunday, February 9). Eleven short days after that, the Cubs will play their first Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And one day after that, they will play their first Spring Training game at Sloan Park, which will also be broadcast on Marquee Sports...

When the 2025 PECOTA projections were released on Monday, we were relatively overwhelmed by the forecasted rosiness of the Cubs playoff odds and projected record. According to PECOTA, the Cubs won't just be the best team in the NL Central, they'll be the best team in the NL Central by over 10 wins. They're even projected to finish with the third-best record in MLB overall. Even after a glowing set...

Great news today, spotted by Rich Biesterfeld out in Arizona, where Nico Hoerner is playing catch. We’ve got Nico Hoerner playing catch today at Cubs Camp! pic.twitter.com/VIccpz38U6— Rich Biesterfeld (@biest22) February 5, 2025 We had no idea on a precise timeline for Hoerner, but seeing him on the field, doing work, and making throws with some intent on February 5 seems like a very good sign. Hoerner, 27, dealt with a...

I don't know that any of us NEEDED additional context for just how bad the 2025 Chicago White Sox project to be, but I'm very, very glad FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski decided to give it to us anyway. Basically, Szymborski wondered what would happen to the AL Central projected standings, via ZiPS, if he took Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Tarik Skubal away from their current teams and then gave them...

I probably could've put this one under the "Obsessive Alex Bregman Watch" banner, because there are clear implications for that story, too. But, since the impacts to the NL Central and the Cardinals would be more immediate (and guaranteed) in the event of a Nolan Arenado trade, I focus on that part first: The Red Sox and Cardinals have had recent communication about Nolan Arenado, source says. If the trade...

The Fantastic Four teaser trailer was fine, I guess, but sufficiently surface that I have no take as to whether this is going to be a rebound for Marvel or not. I am hopeful, but there's a reason the previous iterations have been so bad: I just think F4 is a really tough one to adapt and get right. Pull it off, and I could see it being an incredible...

The Cubs and Dodgers have made the Ryan Brasier trade official, with the Cubs getting Brasier and some cash (he was set to make $4.5 million this year, not clear yet how much the Cubs are paying), and the Dodgers getting a Player to Be Named Later or cash. To make room on the 40-man roster for the new reliever, the Cubs designated Rob Zastryzny for assignment. The 32-year-old lefty...

I had a feeling the Chicago Cubs might get involved in these conversations when the Los Angeles Dodgers DFA'd an already-signed, and very-effective reliever in Ryan Brasier. Sure enough, the Cubs are getting him. Via Jeff Passan: The Chicago Cubs are acquiring right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Brasier, 37, was DFA'd last week but should get leverage innings for Chicago.—...

Today, Houston Astros GM Dana Brown talked about third baseman Alex Bregman like he was already gone from the organization, despite his free agency still ongoing. Does it actually mean anything? Hmm, well, that's the kind of thing we ponder when we're Obsessing. During his address at the team's annual media luncheon, Dana Brown twice spoke about Alex Bregman in the past tense, saying once that the team "lost Bregman."—...

The NFL's global reach is extending out to the land down under. ESPN league insider Adam Schefter reports the Los Angeles Rams will be the designated home team when they play in Australia in 2026: As the designated home team in Australia in 2026, the Rams will play their game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). https://t.co/2WApFU2woI— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2025 When I first saw the news from...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of Terell Smith. Terell Smith's 2024 Snapshot Ryan Poles' tenure as Chicago Bears general manager has been one full of extremes. The trade that resulted in DJ Moore, Caleb Williams,...

There are many reasons to tune in to watch Super Bowl LIX, but Trey Smith is at the top of my list. The Kansas City Chiefs starting right guard is a player to keep tabs on in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. I have had my eyes on Smith as a possible target for a Chicago Bears team seeking to upgrade the offensive line this offseason for quite some...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of Josh Blackwell. Josh Blackwell's 2024 Snapshot Josh Blackwell's 2024 season will best be remembered for his punt return touchdown in Week 18's victory over the Green Bay Packers at...

Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren deserves a fist bump for his efforts in the team's landing of new head coach Ben Johnson. In an interview with the CHGO squad at the Super Bowl LIX site, ESPN's Courtney Cronin sheds some light on how important Bears President Kevin Warren was to the team's successful pursuit of hiring Ben Johnson as its new head coach: How much impact do you think Kevin...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of offensive lineman Ryan Bates. Ryan Bates' 2024 Snapshot We recently discussed the 2024 season of Coleman Shelton, who, whether you believe he was serviceable (passable?) or not, was a...

The 2025 NFL regular season won't kick off until September. Preseason games will not take place until August. And it won't be until July when training camps begin opening their doors around the league. But offseason workout programs begin in April. Perhaps when those start taking place, we'll see Jaquan Brisker's return to organized football activities. 2025 NFL IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER Brisker, who will be entering his fourth year...

Day 31 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Happy Hump Day! Saquon Barkley says he was "pretty damn close to signing with the Bears last offseason, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. If you'll recall, the Bears were viewed as one of the "priority suitors" in a Saquon sweepstakes and it was even a thing during the offseason version of "Hard Knocks" with the Giants. Heck, we'd been discussing...

It was on this date 18 years ago when Devin Hester made NFL history. Hester's Super Bowl XLI-opening kick-return touchdown is the stuff of legends at this point. And after making it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we can say — with confidence — that it is the signature moment of the iconic long-time Chicago Bears standout's Hall of Fame career. But did you know that it has a funny...

Super Bowl Week is HERE! And while the Chicago Bears aren't playing for the Lombardi Trophy, it's not as if this game will be without some Chicago connections. Among them is Vic Fangio, who is the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator. Bears fans are likely familiar with Fangio from his time in Chicago, in which he was the team's defensive coordinator from 2015-18. As part of a Q&A session with the...

It's Matas' team now. https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2025/02/05/gs-nikola-vucevic-wire/ Game Info Chicago Bulls (22-29) at Minnesota Timberwolves (27-23) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Ayo Dosunmu Josh Giddey Patrick Williams Nikola Vucevic Minnesota Timberwolves Mike Conley Anthony Edwards Jaden McDaniels Naz Reid Rudy Gobert Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as an 11.5-point underdog against Minnesota at DraftKings...

We're less than 24 hours until the NBA Trade Deadline, and the two biggest fish on the market are still out there! Will Kevin Durant and Jimmy Butler get dealt? Will they be swapped for one another? Can the Warriors manage to bring one of them to The Bay? We still have a whole lot of questions to be answered before 2:00 PM CT tomorrow, so let's unpack the latest...

He loves me ... loves me not ... he loves me ... he loves me not. The Golden State Warriors continue to play with the Chicago Bulls' hearts as the NBA's trade deadline nears. Their reported interest in Nikola Vucevic dates back weeks, and he has been coined as one of their top targets numerous times. However, with the team sitting 11th in the Western Conference and the reality of...

All early indications were that the Zach LaVine trade was just the beginning for the Chicago Bulls. After years of copying and pasting a mediocre product, change was long overdue. The Bulls didn't possess the franchise centerpiece or additional assets to justify pursuing win-now upgrades. Tearing things down to the roots became their only option, and moving their long-time leading scorer suggested that they finally understood that. This is why...

As we anxiously cross our fingers for more Chicago Bulls trades before tomorrow's deadline, the rest of the NBA stays busy. News broke on Wednesday morning that the team up north has struck a rather significant deal. Long-time Bucks forward Khris Middleton has been sent to the Washington Wizards as part of a package for Kyle Kuzma. Full trade details can be found here. Shortly after the trade surfaced, Jake...

The Milwaukee Bucks are the latest title contender to make a splash! After rumors swirled the last few days surrounding the franchise and Kyle Kuzma, this morning the deal has gone down, per ESPN's Shams Charania, Milwaukee adds the 29-year-old forward from the Washington Wizards, as well as Patrick Baldwin Jr and second-round draft capital in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a future pick swap. https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1887157913732485366 Kyle Kuzma...

Tonight's game felt a lot like the broccolini served with your steaks. Yes, I see it's on my plate, but it's the last thing I'm thinking about. With the NBA trade deadline in full effect, the battle between the Bulls and Heat felt like filler. This is especially true when we consider the three players acquired in the Zach LaVine deal sat in street clothes behind the bench. Whether or...

More minutes are coming Matas Buzelis' way, and he couldn't look happier. The Chicago Bulls rookie had the best first half of his young career against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. In the team's first game since trading Zach LaVine, Buzelis received a season-high 17 minutes off the bench over the first two quarters. He proceeded to go a perfect 7-7 from the field to lead the Bulls with...

The sell-off has begun! https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2025/02/04/zach-lavine-farewell/ Game Info Miami Heat (24-23) at Chicago Bulls (21-29)– 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Lonzo Ball Coby White Ayo Dosunmu Josh Giddey Nikola Vucevic Miami Heat Tyler Herro Haywood Highsmith Duncan Robinson Bam Adebayo Kel'el Ware © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as a 3.5-point underdog against Miami at DraftKings Sportsbook. https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2025/02/04/bulls-lavine-tribute-vid/ What...

There may not have been another blockbuster deal today, but NBA trade rumors continue to swirl surrounding some of the biggest names in basketball with less than 48 hours until the trade deadline. The Jimmy Butler saga continues to linger in Miami. Will he be gone within the next two days, and will he get his wish to be in Phoenix? Plus, the Warriors won't let up in their search...

Before Wednesday's game, the Blackhawks announced a few roster moves. The team formally activated veteran forward Craig Smith from IR. To make room on the roster, they needed to assign at least one player to Rockford. The Blackhawks sent both Artyom Levshunov and Colton Dach to the IceHogs. We knew Levshunov was headed back to Rockford without playing a game when he joined the Blackhawks earlier this week; the intent...

Yes, the Blackhawks are back on national television. And yes, it's against a really good team with legit championship aspirations. And yes, they're sitting a couple young guys in the press box again. But... this one's at home? And... yeah. That's all I've got. Get ready for a late night if you're attending because this is the second game of the night on TNT. Broadcast Info Puck Drop: 8:45ish PM CT...

On Wednesday morning The Athletic released the results of their informal, anonymous NHL player poll. They asked the usual range of questions, from coaches players would/would not want to play for, which cities would be on a no-trade list and whether or not Gary Bettman should retire from his role as commissioner of the NHL. And there were a few interesting results. Here the ones that got my attention: Ordinarily...

The Blackhawks are back in action tonight with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in town. Based on practice the last couple days, it appears Craig Smith will return to the lineup and the Blackhawks will hope to rekindle the magic he had with Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon on a line together. Which means Colton Dach will be the odd man out. Again, based on practice the last couple...

At The Athletic, Scott Wheeler has been providing his mid-season pipeline rankings of the 32 NHL franchises. What I like most about the prospect evaluation that takes place at The Athletic is the very different views and evaluations of prospects we get from Wheeler and Corey Pronman; they aren't writing in unison and often don't agree on a prospect's potential/ceiling. That is certainly the case with a number of Blackhawks...

First off today, happy birthday to Savoir-Faire, Denis Savard. Savvy turns 64 today. His 1,096 for the Blackhawks still rank fourth in the history of the organ-I-zation, trailing only Stan Mikita (1,467), Patrick Kane (1,225) and Bobby Hull (1,153). I will note that his long-time winger, Steve Larmer, still ranks fifth (923). That duo, with Al Secord on the other wing, was dynamite in the 1980s and a big reason...

On Monday morning, the Chicago Blackhawks unfortunately had to place defenseman Louis Crevier on IR (concussion protocol). He was boarded in the middle of the first period Saturday in Florida and left the game. He did not return. The Blackhawks were already carrying eight defensemen, so this opens up a spot for one of Ethan Del Mastro or Nolan Allan (even better: both!) to get into the lineup. However, the...

Since the Blackhawks were off on Sunday, let's start our Monday with a some prospects. A quick note for those looking for IceHogs action with the Blackhawks off for a couple days: the AHL All-Star Game is tonight. Kevin Korchinski and Cole Guttman will represent the Blackhawks and IceHogs at the event. You can watch the event(s) on NHL Network tonight at 8 PM CT. https://twitter.com/goicehogs/status/1886212901607755889?s=51&t=ESwYjOKcGL_TWWx-NV4tsw Another reminder: co-captain Ryan...

At the NHL level, the attention of Blackhawks fans remains on the team and, for some, the Rockford IceHogs. The 4 Nations Face-Off will take the NHL off the ice for a couple weeks this month, and then it's a sprint to the March 7 trade deadline. However, now that our calendars have flipped to February, we're entering the home stretch for college hockey this season. And the Blackhawks have...

Nick Lardis, the CHL leader in goal scoring, remained on absolute fire for Brantford. Today is his 47th game of the season. He scored his 45th goal of the season near the end of the first period on Sunday. Sunday afternoon 🚨 for #Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis for @BulldogsOHL He continues to be absolute 🔥 pic.twitter.com/r0AmaZ51xR— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 2, 2025 He scored his 46th at 4:36 into...