Tag: bears news

Bears should consider signing All-Pro safety Justin Simmons

The Broncos released All-Pro Justin Simmons, who joins a loaded free-agent safety class. Will the Bears target him?

The Chicago Bears are trying hard to become a powerhouse in the NFL. They are rebuilding from scratch under general manager Ryan Poles, who inherited a mess from the regime before him. Part of their recent climb is the good play of their defense, which has made strides over the last two years.

Now, they have a chance to make more upgrades during a franchise-altering offseason. A lot of people are focused on what they are doing with their offense, and rightfully so. However, there should be plenty of attention on the defense this offseason.

There have been some big veteran salary cap casualties ahead of free agency, but the most surprising has been the Denver Broncos cutting ties with All-Pro safety Justin Simmons. They cleared up $14.5 million in salary cap space. Now, Simmons will be a hot commodity in what’s turning out to be a loaded safety group for free agency.

The former All-Pro safety would be a great addition for the Bears secondary, which is already pretty good at cornerback and with third-year safety Jaquan Brisker. Following Eddie Jackson’s release earlier this offseason, Chicago has a hole to fill at that free safety position.

Since making his NFL debut in 206, no player has had more interceptions than Simmons with 30. He has been truly one of the best. A player like that would do wonders for everyone around him. The secondary and linebackers are already good and they are going to improve the pass rush through the draft and free agency. Doing all of that plus adding a ball hawk like Simmons would be very wise.

Bears expected to target these positions in free agency

The Bears have several needs to address this offseason, and it sounds like offense could be a focal point in free agency.

Free agency is just around the corner, and the Chicago Bears have some big needs to address — edge rusher, safety, wide receiver, tight end and center. And it sounds like Chicago could look to reinforce the offense.

According to The Athletic, the Bears are expected to target wide receiver and running back in free agency.

One of the deepest and best positions in this year’s draft is wide receiver. But it’s a potential target position for the Bears in free agency, according to several league sources at the combine.

Another position one league source brought up was running back, and a belief from outside the building that the offense could benefit greatly from a dynamic back.

The Bears may not be able to draft one of the big three wide receivers in this draft because of their positioning, but it would be nice to have Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers. If they are unable to get one as expected, free agency could be the route for them.

Mike Evans (extension), Michael Pittman Jr. (franchise tag) and Tee Higgins (franchise tag) are already off the board. But some other targets could include Calvin Ridley, Marquise Brown, Gabe Davis and Tyler Boyd.

As for running back, it’s a loaded free agent group featuring Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Austin Ekeler, D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs. The Bears could have a much-improved offense if they added a couple of these guys this offseason.

Chicago will  likely select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. They already have DJ Moore and Cole Kmet in place, so adding a good receiver and/or running back to the mix would help Williams hit the ground running in the league.

This is an offensive league and the Bears need to start trending in that direction. General manager Ryan Poles controls the draft with that top selection, and he has a good amount of money to spend in free agency. If he does this right, they could be a very good football team soon.

Adam Schefter would be ‘very surprised’ if Bears don’t draft Caleb Williams

Adam Schefter reinforced his belief that the Bears will draft Caleb Williams at No. 1.

What are the Chicago Bears going to do at the quarterback position? Will they select a QB with the first overall pick? Will they keep Justin Fields? It is going to define the career and legacy of general manager Ryan Poles.

Everyone has an opinion. But when insiders like ESPN’s Adam Schefter speak, people listen. Schefter has been on the Caleb Williams to Chicago train for awhile now, and that’s only solidifying.

Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show Monday and reinforced that belief that the Bears will draft Williams with the No. 1 pick.

“I’ve said all along that I’d be very surprised if the Bears didn’t go Caleb Williams at one,” Schefter said.

Speaking about how he thinks the Bears are going to select Williams led to him talking about the market for Justin Fields. It isn’t as big of a market as people may have thought when the offseason first started. At this point, the Bears need to take the best offer for Fields before they make this first overall selection.

“I don’t think the market for Justin Fields is as robust as the Bears and he had thought,” Schefter said.

Schefter isn’t always right when he makes claims like this, but this is in line with numerous reports coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine. The Bears need to hit on this quarterback decision, otherwise they are going to continue being a mediocre football team for the next decade.

Jackson Powers-Johnson would love to play for the Bears

The Bears have a huge need at center, and Jackson Powers-Johnson welcomed the idea of playing in Chicago.

The Chicago Bears are in the market for a new center, and it’s one of their top needs this offseason. It’s been an issue for them over the last few years, and it’s time to fix it. No matter what, they should spend some of their money on a good one in free agency.

They could also consider drafting one to develop under a veteran that they sign in free agency. This could be the key to having long-term success at that vital position.

Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson is someone that they might consider. He’s one of the top centers in this 2024 draft class, and he was asked if there’s a possibility of playing for the Bears.

“I sure hope so,” he said, confirming that he met with Chicago during the NFL Scouting Combine.

Powers-Johnson, a projected first-round selection, is already calling them “da Bears” and commenting on deep-dish pizza which means he is already picturing himself living with Chicago culture. Hopefully, someone showed him Tavern Style, too.

If the Bears end up with Powers-Johnson, they’d be getting someone who can help them for the long-haul. He’d certainly be in play for them if they opt to trade back from the No. 9 pick into the middle of the first round. It’s worth considering, especially since it genuinely seems like he’d want to be a Bear.

JJ McCarthy on playing for hometown Bears: ‘It’s been one of my dreams’

JJ McCarthy has dreamed of playing for his hometown Bears – or against them.

The Chicago Bears have an important decision to make at quarterback this offseason where choosing between keeping Justin Fields or drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick will define general manager Ryan Poles’ tenure.

This is a deep quarterback class, where some even believe four quarterbacks could go in the top 13. While Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels headline the group, there could be some wild cards in the mix.

That includes Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, who welcomed the idea of playing for his hometown Bears.

“It’s been one of my dreams,” he said at the NFL Scouting Combine, “whether that’s playing for the Bears or against them.”

McCarthy, who confirmed he met with the Bears at the combine, grew up in LaGrange Park, Ill. He acknowledged that it would be special to play at Soldier Field, where he grew up going to games, whether it was as a Bear or an opposing player. That makes sense for any kid coming from the Chicagoland area.

But it’s unlikely that the Bears select him. Chicago will likely choose between the big three in Williams, Maye or Daniels. But there will be quarterback-needy teams who could turn to McCarthy in the first round. Chicago will likely choose between the big three in Williams, Maye or Daniels.

McCarthy has proven that he can win on the big stage. He led Michigan to a National Championship this season, but the NFL is an entirely different animal. He’s going to have to prove that he can be an impactful player. And some team will take a chance on him. Just probably not the Bears.

Rome Odunze says playing with Caleb Williams would be ‘something special’

Rome Odunze loves the idea of being paired with Caleb Williams in Chicago.

The Chicago Bears could very well have a lot of good options with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

They could pass rusher, offensive lineman or wide receiver if one of the big three falls to them there. One of those elite wideouts is Washington’s Rome Odunze, who touched on the potential of playing for the Bears.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Odunze was asked about potentially playing with Caleb Williams in the pros. The Bears are expected to select the USC star QB with the first overall pick. That means that Odunze would be catching his passes if they were both drafted by Chicago.

“I got to see Caleb first hand,” Odunze said. “I got to see his talents and abilities.”

Odunze went on to say that being paired with Williams would be “something special.”

It is good to know that he would enjoy playing with Williams. There needs to be chemistry if things are going to work. With guys like DJ Moore and Cole Kmet already in the mix, the Bears could have a breakout offense.

Odunze is right there with Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers at the top of the receiver class. As confident as Odunze is in Williams, he is in himself. Odunze believes that he is the best receiver in the class despite being the third-ranked one on most people’s boards.

“Me… I’ve shown the skills that can transfer to the NFL,” he said, via Matt Zahn.

If the Bears decide to draft both of these guys, they can only hope that the confidence spills onto the football field. Williams playing well would impact the career of Odunze if they were paired together. If he is as good of a wide receiver as he claims, that could be a lethal combo for years to come.

Tyler Nubin says it would be a ‘dream’ to play for hometown Bears

The Bears are in the market for a new safety. Could hometown product Tyler Nubin be a fit?

The Chicago Bears are looking to make their team better ahead of the 2024 season. They went 7-10 in 2023, which was a great improvement over the 3-14 season that they had in 2022. If Chicago has a good draft and is smart in free agency, they should be in a position to compete for a playoff spot in 2024.

One player who has noticed what they are building is Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin. He’s a safety who should be drafted within the first couple of rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Nubin talked about potentially being a Chicago Bear.

Nubin, a self-described “Chicago boy,” would love to play for his hometown team. Out of all the teams he interviewed with, he said that the Bears stuck out for him. Being from St. Charles, Ill., he loved this team growing up and would enjoy the chance to play for them.

If being a Bear is his “dream,” they should consider it if he is available at a time when they are on the clock. After all, we know how general manager Ryan Poles loves local products and Chicago has a pressing need at safety following Eddie Jackson’s release.

Nubin also fits what they’re doing with Matt Eberflus’ defense so it makes sense from a tactical standpoint. It might be something to consider from that perspective.

The fact that players want to play for the Bears these days is refreshing. Hopefully, that trend continues through the draft and with future free agents.

Caleb Williams reveals what he wants to still learn about Bears

What does Caleb Williams want to learn about the Bears this pre-draft process? His answer was simple and to the point.

The Chicago Bears are considering selecting USC star quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. That could be a career-defining decision by general manager Ryan Poles and his staff. If it works, he could be in that GM chair for a very long time.

If Williams came to Chicago and performed well, he’d be a legend for the rest of his life (something he aspires to be). This organization is starving for a winner and will embrace anyone who gives them what they need at the quarterback position.

Williams is the type of person who wants to know that he is going to a good situation where he’s drafted. Some people might not like that, but we’ve seen so many quarterbacks drafted high to teams that don’t give them what they need. The Bears are included on that list.

As the pre-draft process continues with pro days and Top 30 visits, Williams said there was one thing he still wants to learn about the Bears: “Do you want to win?”

It is fair for someone on the outside to wonder if the team wants to win. They haven’t done much of it in the last two decades. We can only hope that they can show they want to win through their steady improvement since Poles took over. Williams also has to know that he would be the X-factor on Chicago getting over the hump.

“I don’t play for fame. I don’t play for money. I don’t play for jewels and stuff like that,” Williams said, via Chris Emma. “It’s to go out there and win as many games as possible.”

Dan Orlovsky believes Bears should draft Jayden Daniels at No. 1

Not everyone believes Caleb Williams is the consensus No. 1 pick for the Bears.

The Chicago Bears are the center of the hottest draft debate in the streets right now. Should they keep Justin Fields and trade the No. 1 pick? Should they draft USC star Caleb Williams and move on from Fields? Only general manager Ryan Poles knows which direction he is leaning.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, who is known for giving hot takes, made a bold statement on the situation. Orlovsky believes neither of those two scenarios is the right answer for the Bears. He thinks they should go off script with their selection.

Orlovsky thinks the Bears should draft last year’s Heisman winner, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at first overall. That would leave the presumptive top two prospects in Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye on the board.

“Jayden Daniels should be the guy,” Orlovsky said. “If I were the Chicago Bears right now I would take Jayden Daniels out of LSU.”

If the Bears listened to Orlovsky and took Daniels, Poles would automatically be on the hot seat in town before the season even started. Taking Daniels instead of Williams (or even Maye) would cause chaos in the Chicago community. Going against the grain might not be the best option here.

Orlovsky believes what he is saying is right, but he doesn’t exactly have the best track record either. Ultimately, it’s Poles who has the final say. And he’ll be  listening to the staff that he has in place and then ultimately doing what he thinks is right.

Bears great Robbie Gould has a new football job

Robbie Gould has found a new job in the Chicagoland area after his retirement from the NFL.

The Chicago Bears had some legendary moments with Robbie Gould, one of the best kickers in NFL history. When Gould was released in 2015, he left as the team’s all-time leading scorer. It was an incredible tenure for him.

Gould played in Chicago for 11 seasons (2005-15), one year with the New York Giants (2016) and six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2017-22). In that span, Gould connected on 86.5% of field goal tries and 97.5% of extra point attempts.

Gould made 447 field goals on 517 attempts. He made 620 extra points on 636 attempts. Thirty-six of those field goals were from 50-plus yards. There is no doubt that he was consistently one of the best.

In retirement, Gould found a new job in football. It’s not in the NFL or college football, however. Instead, he is back to Chicagoland to become the head coach at Rolling Meadows High School, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

This is a great move — one of the most beloved Bears is back in Chicago and coaching a local high school. He has many ties to this area, as he met his wife and raised his family after becoming a resident of the northwest suburbs.

Gould played a few seasons with Jimmy Garoppolo, who attended Rolling Meadows. Now, Gould gets to coach at Garoppolo’s former school. The connections there are strong. You never know if Jimmy G will come back to coach with Gould once his playing career ends.

It’s always nice when former Chicago athletes come back around after they are done playing. It always felt like it was going to happen with Gould at some point, and here we are. Don’t be surprised if he has Rolling Meadows winning state titles in the not-so-distant future.