Category: Latest Bears News

Why Arlington Heights might be the best choice for new Bears stadium

The Bears are looking for a solution to their stadium crisis. Here’s why Arlington Heights might be the best option.

The search for a site for a new Chicago Bears stadium continues, and it sounds like Arlington Heights is back to be being a possibility.

This is a discourse that has been going on for a long time. Are the Bears going to stay in Chicago to play on the lakefront just south of Soldier Field or are they going to head east to the suburbs?

The best option for the Bears is to move to Arlington Heights with a brand-new stadium. If they do that, the overall fan experience would be much better and the business opportunity will be incredible.

Both a lakefront and suburban stadium would allow the Bears to host other huge events — including Final Fours, concerts and even a Super Bowl, which would be quite profitable.

While Arlington Heights is an hour outside of Chicago, a suburban stadium site would provide a more fan-friendly experience than downtown on the lakefront, where recent stadium renderings failed to account for parking. Not to mention, the downtown traffic makes the game-day experience inconvenient on most occasions.

Moving to Arlington Heights could cure these problems if the Bears do it the right way. It seems as if president/CEO Kevin Warren is the kind of guy to do it the right way if he’s going to pursue it, but it remains to be seen if that’s the case. With a nice stadium and good vibes, the Bears may even start playing some good football to go with it.

Titans DT Jeffery Simmons eager to smack talk Bears QB Caleb Williams in Week 1

One infamous Titans trash talker from giving Bears QB Caleb Williams some early bulletin board material.

We’re still a few months away from the Chicago Bears’ season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 8, but that hasn’t stopped one infamous trash talker from giving Chicago some early bulletin board material.

Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons appeared on the Rich Eisen Show this week, where he explained he’s eager to smack talk Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams — and he’s specifically going after one of his fashion choices.

“Painted nails. I can’t wait to say that to him,” Simmons said. “Most definitely. Oh, it’s gonna be one of them games. I mean, he probably gets smack-talked by his teammates right now, but especially a game like that. My first game, of course I missed the last end of the season. … It’s gonna be the first game of the season. They’ve got us coming to Chicago. All the hype’s gonna be around them of course. I think when special, even prime-time games … everybody just counts Tennessee out, which we all know. A game like Chicago, I’m sure (they’re) thinking we ’bout to get beat bad. That also make me even talk more smack and boost me up a little more, get into a different mode, as well. I’ll be in a different mode that game.

“I get it. You’ve got a first-round pick like Caleb Williams, which is a great player. Watching a couple games when he was at USC, he’s a hell of a player. But it’s a different league, and I’m excited to play him the first game.”

Williams has been known to paint his nails as a way to express himself — something he’s been doing since high school — and he’s proven he’s quite comfortable in his own skin. Following Simmons’ early trash talk, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Williams to have his nails painted with a message of his own ahead of his Week 1 debut against the Titans.

Bears’ Caleb Williams named to 2024 All-Rookie Team

There are high expectations surrounding Bears rookie Caleb Williams.

There’s a lot of hype surrounding Bears rookie Caleb Williams, who’s in a unique position to rewrite Chicago’s tortured quarterback history.

While Williams will surely experience his share of expected rookie struggles, he’s landed in arguably the best situation ever for a No. 1 pick quarterback as general manager Ryan Poles has surrounded him with an abundance of talent — both on offense and defense — to succeed.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter revealed his projections for his 2024 All-Rookie Team, and it’s no surprise that Chicago’s rookie passer made the list given his situation.

Justin Herbert was the 2020 All-Rookie Team quarterback, aided by a strong trio of pass catchers in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Hunter Henry. Caleb Williams is walking into a similar situation. Allen is now in Chicago, where he joins the dynamic DJ Moore and No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze. Cole Kmet and Herbert’s former teammate, Gerald Everett, will make some plays at tight end, as well, giving the top selection of the 2024 draft a great chance to be among the league’s most prolific passers as a rookie.

The Bears haven’t succeeded in developing quarterbacks in the past, but Poles has certainly approached things differently adding an arsenal of weapons, including DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, along with shoring up the offensive line and building a potential top-10 defense.

While there’s no guarantee Williams will have the kind of success like Texans rookie C.J. Stroud last season, Chicago has certainly put him in a position to find early success as a rookie.

The Bears have the brightest future of any Chicago sports team

The Bears are a bright spot on the Chicago sports scene.

For the first time in a while, people are optimistic about the Chicago Bears. They drafted quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze in the first round, and have made many other additions over the past couple of years that have the future looking bright.

There is some caution when talking about them because of how things went the last time they rebuilt around a first-round quarterback. Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields both failed, and the regime that brought both of them in is gone. The Bears have gone about it differently this time — building a strong foundation for a rookie QB — which gives more optimism that it could work this time.

When looking at the overall landscape of sports in Chicago, it isn’t very bright. There is a lot of darkness hovering over the teams that call “The Windy City” home. Honestly, the Bears appear to have the brightest future.

The Chicago White Sox are the worst team in the MLB. At 21-58, they are 30.0 games out of first place and 21.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. There is no future there right now and things are only going to get worse before things get better.

On the other side of town, the Chicago Cubs had a nice start to the season, which lined up with the spring training MLB predictions. The problem is that they have almost been as bad as the White Sox since the start of May. At 37-41, they are 2.0 games out of a wild card position. They currently sit in fourth place in the NL Central and are 8.0 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers.

The Chicago Sky made two brilliant first-round picks in 2024 with Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. However, it is going to be a while before they are back in contention for the WNBA title. Their future isn’t as bleak as others in town, but they have a long way to go.

On the West Side, where the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks reside, there are two different situations. The Bulls are almost as bad overall as the White Sox, which makes sense because they share an owner. Instead of making solid trades during the season for a better return, they tried to make the playoffs, which was a failure as well. Now, they will suffer the consequences.

The Blackhawks, like the Sky, have a nice young foundation being built around Connor Bedard. However, it is going to be a long time before they are competing for the Stanley Cup again. Out of all the teams in Chicago, the Blackhawks might be the closest to the Bears in terms of overall optimism.

The Bears are going to save everyone in town when it comes to their sports fandom. They still have a lot to work on when it comes to the on-field play, but they are on the right track. With the way Williams played at USC and Oklahoma, it is hard to see him not leading Chicago to where they want to go. Hopefully, this all works out well and they do start competing for championships.

Report: Arlington Heights remains in contention for Bears stadium

According to Mark Carman, the Bears have made “progress” with Arlington Heights regarding a stadium deal.

The Chicago Bears’ search for a new stadium site continues despite the organization’s public plans to build on the Chicago lakefront next to Soldier Field.

While it seemed like Arlington Heights, the 326-acre property the organization purchased last year, was out of the running due to property tax issues, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

According to CHGO’s Mark Carman, the Bears have made “progress” with Arlington Heights and the school district board in regards to getting a stadium deal in place.

Source: The Bears have made progress in their discussions with Arlington Heights and the school district board for their stadium deal. The belief is that Kevin Warren’s timeline to get a deal done remains aggressive.

Carman provided an update regarding the team finding a resolution with property taxes and Arlington Heights officials are still optimistic that the Bears will choose to build there — although the organization remains publicly committed to building on the lakefront.

Update: Bears continue to work towards a resolution regarding property taxes with school board and Arlington Heights on the land they own. AH remains hopeful Bears will build their new stadium there. The Bears maintain their stadium focus remains on the museum campus in Chicago.

“I’m confident at the correct time that we will come together to figure out a stadium solution,” president/CEO Kevin Warren said, via NBC Sports Chicago, earlier this month.

While the public goal remains to find a resolution in building a new stadium on the Chicago lakefront, Arlington Heights could very well be an answer.

Bears RT Darnell Wright named to 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team

Bears RT Darnell Wright is poised for a breakout second year, according to NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks.

The Chicago Bears had some impact contributors in their 2023 draft class, which included first-round pick Darnell Wright, who started all 17 games as a rookie at right tackle.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks released his 2024 NFL All-Breakout Team (offense-specific), and Wright made the list as a player who will be key in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams’ success.

The Bears’ hopes of making the playoffs in Caleb Williams’ debut season hinge on the performance of an offensive line anchored by this rugged right tackle with a nasty disposition. As a rookie in 2023, Wright delivered a series of eye-opening performances. With the spotlight on Williams and Co. in 2024, Wright should catch even more attention. He’s a bully on the edge with long arms and quick feet, possessing the tools and talent to play at a Pro Bowl level as a sophomore.

Wright was also named to Brooks’ All-Rookie Team following the conclusion of the 2023 season.

The Bears look to have found a franchise right tackle in Wright, who held his own against some of the league’s best pass rushers as a rookie starter. He was the only starter along the offensive line who didn’t miss a single snap last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Wright allowed six sacks and totaled 11 penalties on the season.

Following an encouraging rookie campaign, Wright is certainly a player to watch heading into the 2024 season.

Why the Bears should consider signing center Connor Williams

The Bears should consider upgrading at center with veteran Connor Williams.

The Chicago Bears are trying to find success at the center position. It’s one of the most important positions on the field, and Chicago doesn’t have a long-term answer there yet. With a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams, the Bears want to make sure he has the tools he needs to succeed.

During the offseason, Chicago made some moves to shore up the offensive line. They traded for Buffalo Bills interior lineman Ryan Bates and signed former Los Angeles Rams center Coleman Shelton. Both are in the middle of a battle for the starting center position, while also providing depth along the interior.

If the Bears are still trying to make an upgrade at the position before camp starts, they might want to consider signing Connor Williams, who is currently still a free agent. Williams spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys before spending the last two with the Miami Dolphins.

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Williams was healthy after having season-ending knee surgery after nine games in 2023. Williams wants to sign before training camp and has a handful of teams to choose from. Schefter did not, however, name-drop a team.

While Chicago has already made moves to improve the offensive line this offseason, it would make sense for the Bears to at least inquire about Williams given the question marks along the interior.

Not everything is going to go smoothly for Chicago’s offense right away, but having a solid veteran like Williams play center could help things move along quicker. The one guy who is guaranteed to touch the football first on every play is surely important, and the Bears shouldn’t stop trying to improve until they get a viable option in place.

Bold predictions for Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams

SI’s Conor Orr had a couple of bold predictions for Bears QB Caleb Williams’ rookie season.

There are high expectations surrounding the Chicago Bears in 2024, which has a lot to do with highly-touted rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, selected with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr shared his 100 bold predictions for the 2024 NFL season, and he had a couple for Williams that would indicate a successful rookie seaosn.

The first bold prediction bodes well for Williams leading Chicago’s offense to success — throwing 26 touchdowns, the same as Peyton Manning during his rookie year in 1998. That would be a far cry from the current record holder for touchdowns by a Bears rookie quarterback — Charlie O’Rourke threw 11 touchdowns in 1942.

8. Caleb Williams will throw for the same number of touchdown passes as another rookie who wore No. 18 …

Peyton Manning threw 26 during his rookie season in 1998 (along with, many forget, 28 interceptions). Should Williams throw 28 picks, I would imagine the entirety of the Chicago Bears’ building would be cleaned out. How times have changed. Anyway, Williams has a great weapon set at his disposal and an offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron who really came into his own after the departure of Russell Wilson from Seattle.

Orr’s second bold prediction features a very successful rookie season for Williams, who has a solid completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and nearing the 4,000-yard mark. Orr also predicts that Williams will finish a very close second to Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.

43. Caleb Williams will put up the following numbers during his rookie season:

A 65% completion rate, 26 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and 3,727 yards. Williams will finish a very close second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and win at least seven games. The hallmark of his rookie season will be a few critical throws he makes under duress, taking hard hits as he releases the ball and dispelling some of the predraft narratives on the No. 1 pick.

Williams has been set up for immediate success as a rookie. The Bears have surrounded him with an arsenal of weapons, including receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, along with a potential top-10 defense and an improved offensive line.

While it’s fair to expect growing pains along the way, there’s no reason not to believe Williams could find success early on during his rookie season.

3 Bears named to CBS Sports’ Top 100 NFL Players of 2024

The Bears have plenty of young talent, and three players landed on Pete Prisco’s list of the Top 100 Players of 2024.

The Chicago Bears have a slew of talent on the roster, which general manager Ryan Poles has spent the past three years cultivating in order to put this team in a position to succeed.

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco unveiled his annual “Top 100 NFL Players” list, where three Bears players made the cut. And it’s no surprise all three returning veterans played a key role during the late second-half run in 2023.

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson topped the list for Chicago at No. 34. He established himself as one of the NFL’s best cover corners, and he also has a career-high four interceptions. He also has recorded 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups. Johnson earned a massive contract extension this offseason.

He had his breakout season in 2023, which earned him a new contract from the team. He gives them a true No. 1 corner and will team with Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon to give them one of the best trios in the league.

After Johnson, there was a dropoff until defensive end Montez Sweat landed at No. 73. He was acquried in a trade last year and quickly earned a massive contract extension. Sweat’s career-high 12.5 sacks ranked third in the NFC. He led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks last season, becoming the first player to accomplish that in NFL history.

He had a career-best 12 1/2 sacks last season playing for the Commanders and Bears. He was traded midway through the season from Washington to Chicago and quickly established himself as the top edge player on the Chicago defense.

Wide receiver DJ Moore rounded out the list for the Bears at No. 84. Moore is coming off a career year with Chicago, with 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns, after being acquired in the massive trade for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. While the Bears added two big names at receiver with Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, Moore will still be the featured guy on offense.

He had a career-best 96 catches in his first season with the Bears. But the best thing about him is his big-play ability that is evident by his 14.2 yards-per-catch average.

When looking at the talent on the roster, there’s no reason these players — and some returning veterans and newcomers — won’t be able to crack this list at this time next offseason.

Why training camp is extra important for Bears’ offense

With a new offensive scheme and new impact players, training camp will be even more important for the Bears offense.

The Chicago Bears are one of the most intriguing teams heading into the 2024 season. This is a squad that hasn’t had success on the field in a few years, but they are coming out of a potential great rebuild. If they do things the right way, they might be able to find some playoff success in the coming years.

Heading into training camp, there is a lot that needs to happen for this team to find success in 2024. Not many people think they are full-blown Super Bowl contenders yet, but most believe they can be in the mix for a playoff berth if everything goes right.

Training camp is especially important for the offense this year. Not only are they learning Shane Waldron’s new offense, but they have several new players who are considered impact guys. That starts with quarterback Caleb Williams, as well as receivers Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, running back D’Andre Swift, tight end Gerald Everettt and offenisve linemen Coleman Shelton and Ryan Bates.

Finding chemistry, especially in a new offense, is a big key during the early stages of camp. All of these guys are going to be playing together for the first time.

Out of them all, Williams has the most pressure to succeed, even as a rookie. He’s already the franchise quarterback, and he hasn’t taken a single snap in the NFL yet. Although he was incredible in college, there is going to be a learning curve. Chicago did a good job bringing in a lot of talent to help support him, but it could take some time to get going in training camp.

If everyone stays healthy and gains that aforementioned chemistry during camp, it will bleed into the preseason. At that point, the Bears might be able to find a way to be a good team once the regular season starts. There are a lot of points to be scored.