Tag: bears news

DJ Moore still campaigning for Justin Fields’ return to Bears

The Bears have an important decision to make at quarterback. Will they take DJ Moore’s opinion into consideration?

The Chicago Bears continue to dominate sports conversation with their all-important quarterback dilemma right now.

Justin Fields and Caleb Williams are each going to be evaluated to the fullest extent before the team decides on what they are going to do. And it’s going to remain one of the biggest sports stories out there.

A lot of different people have weighed in on what they should be doing and there seems to be a lot of contradicting opinions. The most important thing that general manager Ryan Poles can do is listen to himself. His career as Bears GM is on the line with this decision, so he better make the right one.

The reason that Chicago has the number one pick in the draft for the second year in a row is a trade they made last year. They traded last year’s No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2023 and 2024 first-round selections along with DJ Moore and some other assets. The Panthers finished with the worst record in the league, which sent the Bears another great pick.

Moore was excellent in his first season with the Bears. It was his career year in just about every way. Moore had 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had one rushing touchdown as a wide receiver for nine all-purpose scores.

There is no doubt that this is a number one NFL receiver and will help any offense move the ball. He did all of this despite minimal passing development from Fields. We know Fields is an outstanding running quarterback but he hasn’t been able to grow his game as a passer. However, Moore still found a way to get it done.

Moore is going to be a big part of Chicago’s offense for years to come. It also isn’t going to matter who is under center in the future. Whether it’s Fields or Williams, they will have an elite receiver to target. If the Bears add another good receiver in the draft, Moore will be even more effective.

Moore certainly has an opinion on whether or not they should keep Fields. He’s been adamant since before the end of the season that he’d like to see Fields back in 2024, but he understands it’s a business.

“I advocated for [Fields] and to see it come through would be amazing,” Moore said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “But if it doesn’t, I’ll still be happy. I don’t get paid to make that decision. I just go out there and make as many plays as I can for the quarterback that’s back there, as I’ve shown this year.

“But it’d be nice to see Justin stay.”

It is easy to understand Moore’s position. He had a career year with Fields throwing him the ball. However, he has to know that winning could come with a different guy coming in there. If that is how Poles feels, Moore may have to move on with yet another quarterback, most likely Williams.

Kurt Warner believes the Bears should move on from Justin Fields

The Bears are going through a quarterback crisis right now. Kurt Warner shared his thoughts about Justin Fields’ future.

The Chicago Bears have a quarterback debate going on in town. A lot of people are having this conversation both locally and nationally, which puts them in the spotlight a little bit. The options are keeping Justin Fields for a fourth season or using the No. 1 overall pick on USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

Fields hasn’t shown the progression that Chicago has hoped for but he has shown flashes of brilliance. In the meantime, Williams had an all-time great college career that included a Heisman Trophy season. The latter has an unknown to him but could he be worse than what we’ve seen from Fields?

We’ve heard from plenty of NFL greats over the last few months and now we have Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner chiming in. He knows what it takes to win while playing that position. The man has two MVPs, a Super Bowl championship, and a Super Bowl MVP.

Warner spoke to NBC Sports Chicago about the Bears’ quarterback dilemma, and he has the opinion that the Bears should be moving on from Fields.

“They are weighing a tough decision,” Warner said. “What I’ll say is when you get to the point, we’re at with quarterbacks in this league and what you have to pay them and what that means for your organization, you better know he’s the guy. That, to me, really is where teams get in trouble. Like the Giants go give Daniel Jones $40 million to Daniel Jones. He hasn’t shown us he’s that guy. We can hope he’s that guy. We’ve seen glimpses maybe, but he hasn’t shown us he’s that guy. So, the Giants are behind the eight-ball because he’s still not that guy. Maybe he will be in three years, but he’s not right now. So, they pay him.

“I think the thing with Justin for me is, he hasn’t shown me he’s that guy. Doesn’t mean he’s not talented. Doesn’t mean he can’t be great and a franchise quarterback. But when you have three years and you don’t take out the doubt to go, ‘He’s our guy!’ I think you have to move on. You can’t just go pay that guy $50 million in hopes that those glimpses you saw turn into greatness. It may be unfortunate because some of these guys play too early, they are not ready yet, their next step or their next contract is going to be determined by it. But that’s all we can go on. If you have played for three years, you have to prove to me you’re that guy.”

Warner doesn’t necessarily think it is all Fields’ fault but he knows the opportunity the Bears have with the number one pick in their hands for the second year in a row. You don’t get chances like this too often.

“We have to put in the elements of, they’ve got the No. 1 pick,” Warner said. “It’s not like they got the 23rd pick and they are just going to go, ‘Oh, let’s just go get another quarterback.’ You got the pick of the litter if you believe Caleb Williams might be that guy. I think that’s the unfortunate thing for Justin, but again, he’s had three years. Not perfect situations. There’s a lot of elements involved. But I just haven’t seen the consistency of his play to go, ‘I think he can get there.’ Being unsure to me leads to you got to go get the other No. 1 pick and move forward.”

Warner makes a good point about it not being a random selection in the middle of the first round. Moving on from Fields for the number one overall pick is a lot different than moving on from him in favor of a random mid-round hopeful.

It is hard to disagree with Warner here. Fields has shown that he can make plays with his legs but his evolution in the passing game just isn’t good enough. That might be enough to move on from him.

Warner is very involved with today’s NFL as an analyst. He knows what he is talking about. This isn’t some random former player just throwing an opinion out there. If Poles was smart, he would consider listening to someone like Warner, who has a resume worth respecting.

Rome Odunze welcomes the idea of playing with Justin Fields or Caleb Williams

Rome Odunze had nothing but positive things to say about the Bears, as well as Justin Fields and Caleb Williams.

The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft via the Carolina Panthers and it is all anyone can talk about. Will they use it on USC quarterback Caleb Williams? Will they consider one of the other top prospects with that pick? Would they consider trading it for a haul and keeping Justin Fields? Any of those scenarios is possible.

They also have their own selection at No. 9 overall and there are sure to be some really good options for Chicago when they come up and select again. One person they might consider who should be available is Rome Odunze, the wide receiver coming out of Washington.

Coming into the year, Odunze was thought to be a late first- or early second-round pick in the 2024 Draft. However, after a strong season, he is now projected as a top-15 pick. He might even end up being drafted inside the top ten. If the Bears take him at No. 9 overall, it should not shock anyone.

Odunze stopped by to chat with Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago at Super Bowl Radio Row this week to chat about the Bears, from growing up watching them to a potential fit with the current team. Odunze said that he modeled his game after Devin Hester, who played most of his career with the Bears and is now headed for the Hall of Fame. “I was a big fan of Devin Hester growing up. That was my favorite player,” he said. Odunze feels that he can help this team have success again, as it did during those days of Hester flying around.

He also believes that he could thrive with either Justin Fields or Caleb Williams under center. Odunze talked about how much he likes Fields as a quarterback. “I think his ability to extend plays is what glares at a lot of people who watch him. It’s rare that he gets taken down in the backfield,” Odunze said. “He can play with his feet, and then he can make a play with his feet and get the ball in the air. To be so versatile in a league that has such great pass rushers, I think he’s got a unique skill set.” He knows that he can make plays that would help him grow in the NFL.

He also played against Williams last season (a 52-42 win for Washington over USC) and saw firsthand how good he can be. “He’s special player. It would be exciting to play with him.” Odunze knows that having a guy like that would make this transition into the league easier. Coming in at the same time would be very cool for the now-former PAC-12 stars.

We’ll see if the Bears go through with it, but it is good to know he is confident no matter what decision they make. A player that is all in no matter what is never a bad thing.

Bears may have Hall of Fame Game and ‘Hard Knocks’ this summer

It’s shaping up to potentially be a busy and memorable summer for the Bears.

The Chicago Bears have a lot going on right now. There is an expectation that they will be a big spender in free agency, they have the number one pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and they just had three players named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. 

With some cap space to spend, you can assume that the Bears will use their financial wealth to improve their team. They might not be adding any game breakers or anything like that, but they should be able to fill in the cracks with some good talent.

Their plan with the first overall pick depends on the decision made with Justin Fields. Is he their guy at quarterback going forward or will they draft Caleb Williams out of USC? That is one of the top NFL conversations going on locally and nationally. 

The three players going into the Hall of Fame are Devin Hester, Julius Peppers, and Steve McMichael. They are the first trio of players to go into the Hall at the same time that played for the same team (for at least four years) since the San Francisco 49ers (3) in 2000. 

With those players being inducted into Canton, and all being Bears, Chicago is a good bet to participate in the annual Hall of Fame Game. That would also likely be the first time that we see Williams in a Bears jersey, if they go that route this spring.

The excitement and anticipation for that type of offseason/training camp will be off the charts compared to other years. The Bears, good or bad, always have a lot of hype, but this year will be different. 

As a result, don’t be surprised if they are chosen to do “Hard Knocks,” the hit documentary that follows an NFL team during training camp and shows the ins and outs of the early season process. 

If an NFL team hasn’t made the playoffs over the previous two seasons, they have a new head coach, or they have been on in the last 10 years, they can’t be forced to do it. A team could be forced to do it if they meet that criteria and no other team has volunteered. A lot of teams — from owners to coaches to players, namely George McCaskey — don’t want to do it. 

The Bears are one of just three teams — along with the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints — who can be forced to do “Hard Knocks” in 2024. Based on how unexciting those two teams are right now, Chicago feels like a lock. There is no escape this year. 

The Bears are just an interesting team right now for all of the reasons mentioned. With the number one pick possibly being a generational talent, along with an extra preseason game, it is going to be a circus. The organization might as well embrace the chaos.  

Bears legend Brian Urlacher weighed in on the Justin Fields-Caleb Williams dilemma

The Bears have a quarterback decision to make. Chicago legend Brian Urlacher weighed in on what they should do.

The Chicago Bears have a quarterback dilemma.

Do they keep Justin Fields, who they drafted 11th overall in the 2021 NFL draft, or do they use their first overall pick in 2024 on USC quarterback Caleb Williams? It is a debate sweeping the NFL world right now. It is a national conversation just as much as it is a local focal point.

A lot of people have an opinion on the direction that general manager Ryan Poles should take. That includes Bears legend and Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, who played 13 seasons with the Bears, so people respect his thoughts on the current state of the team.

He gave an interview on “The 33rd Team” and revealed his opinion on the current Bears quarterback situation. He believes that if you are questioning whether or not someone is still going to be your franchise guy after three years they are probably not. With the number one pick, he thinks the Bears should be taking Caleb Williams.

“If people are still asking if Justin is the guy, then he’s probably not the guy,” Urlacher said. “…In my opinion, they probably have to draft a kid.”

The theory does make a lot of sense. Fields has not taken enough big steps with the Bears during his tenure with the team. We’ve seen plenty of other quarterbacks come in and make an impact much quicker. Fields has shown flashes but has never made anyone confidently say that he is their franchise player.

It is a shame because he is a very good person and people seem to like being around him. The fact of the matter is that he doesn’t move the needle for the offense. He has weapons around him and the offensive line has improved so the excuses are wearing thin.

This doesn’t mean that Williams is going to come in and be a superstar, but the potential for that is there. Many scouts have claimed him to be amongst the best quarterback prospects in recent history. Names like Andrew Luck and Trevor Lawrence come to mind when thinking of other players who got that kind of praise.

The thing is, he can’t be much worse than a 10-28 quarterback. Wins aren’t necessarily a good quarterback stat, but Fields hasn’t helped this team do much winning and that is a fact. Listening to Urlacher might be a good idea for Poles and his staff. It is good to hear Bears legends chiming in though as they are up to date with the team.

Chargers conclude interview with Ian Cunningham for general manager opening

Ian Cunningham is a rising star.

The Chargers on Sunday confirmed they have interviewed Ian Cunningham for their general manager position.

Cunningham, 38, finished his second season as the assistant general manager with the Bears.

Before his time with Chicago, Cunningham was the director of college scouting with the Eagles in 2017. He was then promoted to assistant director of player personnel in 2019 before becoming their director of player personnel.

Cunningham started his time in the NFL ranks with the Ravens for nine seasons, starting from player personnel assistant to area scout.

Cunningham has a football-playing background as he was an offensive lineman at the University of Virginia from 2003-07, starting 31 career games. He signed with the Chiefs as a rookie free agent in 2008.

Chargers general manager candidate profile: Ian Cunningham

Examining who Ian Cunningham is, where he comes from and why he’d be a good choice to be the GM of the Chargers.

For the first time in a decade, the Chargers are searching for a new general manager.

Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley were fired on December 15, ushering in a new era of football in one half of SoFi Stadium. Telesco, hired in 2013 as the youngest general manager in franchise history, brought the team to just three playoff appearances and two wins.

So, who could be next?

Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham

The son of a basketball agent and cousin of tennis player Arthur Ashe, Cunningham started 31 games at Virginia as a center and guard before signing with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. As a Cavalier, he played under coach Al Groh, who had spent time as an assistant under Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, and Nick Saban, among others. Groh put Cunningham in touch with Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, who hired the 23-year-old as a player personnel assistant in 2008, the same year Baltimore hired John Harbaugh.

Over the next eight years, Cunningham climbed the ranks in Baltimore, becoming the Southeast area scout for the team in 2013 and adding the Southwest area starting in 2015. A move to Philadelphia in 2017 earned him a promotion to director of college scouting and a second Super Bowl ring while working under Howie Roseman. Cunningham was promoted to assistant director of player personnel in 2019 and director of player personnel in 2021, a position he held for just a year before being hired as the assistant general manager for the Bears under Ryan Poles.

The 38-year-old Cunningham also declined the Cardinals GM opening that eventually went to Monti Ossenfort last season. In Tennessee, Cunningham was the runner-up to new general manager Ran Carthon during the Titans’ search in 2023. Earlier this week, Cunningham also lost out on the Commanders front office opening to 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters. Later that day, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported that Cunningham would interview with the Chargers on January 14th.

In 2020, while serving as assistant director of player personnel in Philadelphia, Cunningham was named to The Athletic’s 40 Under 40 list, which tabbed him as one of the “few minority candidates in the GM pipeline.” In a 2022 interview with the Bears media team about his role as assistant GM, Cunningham said that his responsibilities included “free agent meetings, draft meetings, operations, sports science, strength, and conditioning.”

With those responsibilities in mind, it’s reasonable to evaluate Cunningham to some degree on what Chicago has done in the draft and free agency over the past two seasons. In 2022, Chicago found a starting offensive tackle, Southern Utah’s Braxton Jones, in the fifth round. They supplemented that choice with ten other selections, including starting secondary members Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker. This year, the Bears found their other starting tackle, first-rounder Darnell Wright, and Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson at cornerback and Texas running back Roschon Johnson.

Chicago has had a rocky record in the trade market, however. The Bears sent Roquan Smith to Baltimore for draft capital, only to see Smith continue his All-Pro level play as one of the best linebackers in the league. They traded the 33rd overall pick in 2022 for Chase Claypool. But they’ve also shown a willingness to move around on draft night, sliding down a spot from 9 to 10, likely thanks to Cunningham’s connections in Philadelphia. They traded up in the second for Stevenson, then sent another second later in the year for Montez Sweat, who immediately took Chicago’s defense a step forward.

Around the league, Cunningham is seen as one of the foremost general manager candidates on the market. The Athletic reported in relation to the Commanders job that he and Peters were considered the most sought-after candidates this cycle. That report also cites Cunningham’s “ability to marry traditional player evaluation with analytics” as a major draw. That should be especially appealing to a Chargers organization that often felt constrained by Telesco’s traditional vision for how to build a team.

When reporting Cunningham’s interview scheduled for Sunday, Popper wrote that “interest on both sides” was in Chicago’s assistant general manager coming to Los Angeles as the headman. The 38-year-old would break Telesco’s record as the youngest GM in franchise history, with an influx of new ideas about how to win in the modern NFL. He also has ties to oft-rumored Chargers head coaching target Jim Harbaugh through his brother John, the head coach of the Ravens while Cunningham was working his way up the ladder.

Another 49ers assistant to interview for promotion with another team

The #49ers have another assistant who could leave for a promotion with another team:

Another strong year for the 49ers makes their coaching staff a popular one for teams to explore in their search for coaches. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has received a couple interview requests for head coaching gigs, and now passing game specialist Klint Kubiak is a candidate for the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator job according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Kubiak, 36, joined the 49ers’ staff this offseason following the exit of Bobby Slowik, who became DeMeco Ryans’ offensive coordinator in Houston. Before landing in San Francisco, Kubiak broke into the NFL with the Denver Broncos in 2016 as an offensive assistant under his dad, Gary Kubiak.

He was also a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Vikings before returning to the Broncos in 2022 as a passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

While the opening isn’t a head coach job, it would be considered a promotion for Kubiak not only in title, but he’d also get an opportunity to call plays – something he would not get a chance to do under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

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2023 Power Rankings Roundup, Week 9: Where Chargers stand after win over Bears

Here is what the national media thinks of the Chargers after their win over the Bears.

The Chargers are coming off a primetime win over the Bears.

Here is what the national media thinks of the Bolts ahead of Week 9:

USA Today: 14 (Previous: 21)

“The juice has returned to the offense, largely thanks to the life that’s returned to Austin Ekeler’s legs. Sunday night, he became the first running back in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to amass 30 TD receptions with one team.”

Touchdown Wire: 14 (Previous: 15)

“Speaking of the Chargers, if they played the Bears every week, they’d be the best team in football. If they can get to 4-4, their playoff hopes will stay alive.”

NFL: 18 (Previous: 22)

“Justin Herbert and Brandon Staley suggested after defeating the Bears that this was exactly the kind of win the Chargers needed, and I absolutely agree — from a confidence standpoint. Sometimes you need to open it up on the highway; Herbert and the passing game certainly did that Sunday night, even if the run game still lags behind. But let’s keep the big picture in mind here. The Chargers are still swimming upstream at 3-4 (and 1-3 in the conference), and I am not convinced that taking down Chicago and a Division-II rookie QB making his second NFL start was the get-right event that immediately veers the season back on course. The Bolts face mostly tough defenses from here on out (if you believe the Broncos are fixed) and will need their own defense to tighten several screws.”

CBS Sports: 14 (Previous: 18)

“That Chargers team we saw against the Bears is the one we expect to see with all that talent. But consistency is always an issue with that team.”

ESPN: 15 (Previous: 18)

Team QBR: 69.6 (4th)

“The Chargers made Justin Herbert the highest-paid player in franchise history in the offseason after three seasons that established Herbert as one of the best in the NFL at the position. But his play this season has fluctuated between spectacular and dreadful. After a fractured left middle finger in Week 4, Herbert had one of the worst three-game stretches of his career, with missed throws and career lows in yards and completions. Herbert returned to form in Week 8, a blowout win over the Bears in which he completed his first 15 passes and finished with no interceptions for the first time since Week 3.”

Yahoo Sports: 14 (Previous: 17)

“Austin Ekeler looked healthy for the first time since he suffered an ankle injury early this season. He had 123 total yards. He can add an element to the Chargers’ offense that has been missing.”

The Athletic: 15 (Previous: 23)

Something scary (for others): Joey Bosa could be getting there.

“The veteran defensive lineman hasn’t looked like himself in a while, but he had a season-high five pressures against the Bears, and his pressure percentage (23.5) was his second-highest of the season. Bosa has four sacks this year and only 6 1/2 in the last two seasons, but if he can get back to his 2020 form (10 1/2 sacks), it’ll be a boost for a Chargers defense that needs some help.”

Best photos from Chargers’ win over Bears in Week 8

Here are some of the best photos from SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

The Chargers defeated the Bears in Week 8 by the score of 30-13.

To relive the game, here are some of the best photos from SoFi Stadium.