Tag: bears news

Would the Bucs be crazy to pursue QB Mitchell Trubisky in 2021?

The Tom Brady era is underway in Tampa, but should the Buccaneers start thinking about who his successor will be?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially Tom Brady’s team now.

The six-time Super Bowl champion left the New England Patriots this offseason for a team that hasn’t been to the postseason in over a decade. But with a talented roster and rising defense, the Buccaneers seem poised to compete in the heavily-competitive NFC South.

But at 43 years old, the Brady era in Tampa may not last as long as people hope, and the Bucs would be wise to start looking ahead for who their next quarterback will be. With guys like Chris Godwin and Mike Evans just entering their prime, the Bucs have plenty of good years ahead of them if they can successfully transition to a new quarterback post-Brady.

While I still believe the Buccaneers would be wise to re-sign Jameis Winston in the 2021 offseason, there’s another quarterback out there who should also be on their radar: Mitchell Trubisky.

The Chicago Bears quarterback and former No. 2 overall pick has had a rough time in the NFL. While he did manage to throw a career-high six touchdowns against the Buccaneers back in 2018, consistency has been a big problem for Trubisky, who started only 13 games at the University of North Carolina before turning pro.

The Bears traded for former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles this offseason to compete with Trubisky, and with the Bears having declined the starter’s fifth-year option, Trubisky will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

The Buccaneers are still hoping Brady is their quarterback in 2021, but having a potential successor waiting in the wings would be a good idea for Tampa Bay. If Trubisky can sit and learn for a year behind a guy like Brady, it may pay big dividends down the road.

Just look at Winston. The former top pick signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints this offseason for the chance to sit and learn behind Drew Brees. If Trubisky came to Tampa Bay, there’d be no immediate pressure on him to start. He could take a year to learn and work on his issues before taking over for Brady. Plus, if Trubisky struggles in 2020 like he did last year, the Bucs could potentially get him for a bargain if no other team is willing to give him a chance to start right away.

While the Bucs and their fans want to enjoy the Brady era for as long as possible, it’s always smart to plan ahead, which is why management should keep an eye on Trubisky’s situation this season.

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9 Bears players in danger of being cut ahead of training camp

Let’s take a look at nine Bears players that are unlikely to survive those pre-training camp cuts ahead of Tuesday’s report date.

There have been a number of obstacles that the Chicago Bears have had to deal with during this unconventional offseason amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether that’s an entirely virtual offseason or absence of a preseason, which is a blow to late-round draft picks, undrafted free agents and other players looking to make an NFL roster.

As that wasn’t a big blow, NFLPA leadership informed players that rosters will be trimmed from 90 to 80 to start training camp. Which means the Bears need to cut 10 players by next Tuesday.

Chicago already parted ways with tight end Ben Braunecker on Thursday. Now they need to cut nine players ahead of Tuesday.

Let’s take a look at nine players that are in danger of being released by the Bears ahead of training camp.

S Kentrell Brice

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

With a crop of veteran safeties ahead of him, Kentrell Brice faces an uphill battle to lock down a roster spot. Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson will likely be the starting safeties, with returning Bears Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston Carson serving as depth. And Brice, who was undrafted out of Louisiana Tech, might not make it to training camp given guys like free-agent addition Jordan Lucas and Sherrick McManis, both who bring more as special teams contributors.

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What has Bears virtual rookie minicamp looked like?

Bears rookies are getting a unique welcome to the franchise through virtual rookie minicamp.

The Chicago Bears’ offseason program has looked a little different than in years’ past due to the coronavirus pandemic. But they’ve handled free agency, the 2020 NFL Draft and now their virtual offseason program with ease.

Now, they’re tackling rookie minicamp, where Chicago’s rookies are getting a unique welcome to the franchise.

The Bears’ Twitter account shared a video that gave fans a glimpse into how the team has been working around the social distancing guidelines that come with this virtual offseason.

The rookies got a welcome from their new teammates — virtually, of course — as well as held a virtual meeting with head coach Matt Nagy, general manager Ryan Pace and other coaches, where Nagy presented the rookies with a look at the Bears’ culture.

Nagy continued to stress the “Be You” mantra that has been his calling card since he arrived in 2018, which included a Tik Tok video of defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano dancing. If there’s one positive to come out of this virtual offseason, it’s been the intimate looks at these players and coaches at their own homes.

We caught some quick glimpses of Nagy getting to know his new players, including their hobbies and quizzing them on random things like country capitals.

While the rookies haven’t had a chance to show their coaches what they’ve got on the field, they’re getting to know their coaches, teammates and the playbook from the comfort of their own homes.

It’s still unclear when teams will reopen facilities for players and staff, but the hope is before training camp begins in late July. The Bears will continue their virtual offseason with the start of organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp in the coming weeks.

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Buster Skrine played a role in Tashaun Gipson signing with Bears

It doesn’t hurt when you have your defensive players helping recruit talent that can make your already-dominant defense even better.

There’s something to be said about the culture that Matt Nagy has created in Chicago. For all of his faults last season on offense, Nagy has created the kind of culture that players want to be a part of.

It also doesn’t hurt when you have your defensive players helping recruit talent that can make your already-dominant defense even better.

Much like two-time Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson played a role in bringing safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Chicago last year, cornerback Buster Skrine had a hand in getting new safety Tashaun Gipson to join the Bears.

“Having a guy like Buster here who’s able to tell me and be real about how things are operated and run here was major and it was a key point for me because that’s somebody I trusted,” Gipson said, via ChicagoBears.com. “He had nothing but great things to say about the city, about the organization, about the fans, and that made it a whole lot easier.”

Despite the Bears’ disappointing 2019 season, it says a lot about this franchise when players believe that Chicago is a place where you can come and play meaningful football. After all, the expectation is playoffs. Even after last year’s struggles. And Gipson certainly sounds like he believes the Bears are poised to make a run in 2020.

“I want to play meaningful games and win games,” Gipson said. “You only get such a small window to be able to play in this league and leave your mark. And being able to play in meaningful games, this is a team that’s got everything that you need to be able to truly make a run and I think that that was a major deciding factor for me.”

But as alluring as the potential to be a team that has the potential to make a playoff run, is a team that has the kind of culture that makes you proud to wear the uniform and be a part of a franchise. Which is exactly what Skrine pitched to Gipson.

“He talked about the coaching staff and how just cool and how just vibrant the atmosphere there is,” Gipson said. “Besides everything else, when you walk in the building the biggest thing that you want to do is make sure that you’re having fun. This is a kids’ game. We’ve been playing this game since we were kids. At the end of the day, that was the biggest thing for me is when he talked about the coaches and how much he had love for them.”

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6 takeaways from the Bears’ 2020 NFL Draft

There’s a lot to digest with this Bears’ draft class, including several implications for this team moving forward in 2020.

With the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, the Chicago Bears welcomed seven new players to their roster. General manager Ryan Pace addressed several roster needs, including tight end with Cole Kmet, cornerback with Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor, pass rush with Trevis Gipson, receiver Darnell Mooney and offensive line with Arlington Hambright and Lachavious Simmons.

There’s a lot to digest with this Bears’ draft class, including several implications for this team moving forward in 2020.

Here are six takeaways from the Bears’ 2020 draft class.

1. Safety wasn’t a pressing priority in their eyes

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, safety was listed among the top needs for the Bears. With a strong safety spot left to vacate with Ha Ha Clinton Dix’s departure, the Bears were expected to bring in a rookie to start opposite Eddie Jackson.

The stars looked to be aligning for Chicago in the second round. The Bears had some top safeties still on the board when picks 43 and 50 rolled around, and they’d have had their pick of LSU’s Grant Delpit, Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield Jr. and Southern Illinois’ Jeremy Chinn.

Instead, they opted to select tight end Cole Kmet at pick 43, surely a need, but it was definitely a surprise. When pick 50 rolled around, they nabbed one of the draft’s top cornerbacks in Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, which no one could argue with.

“It was a pretty deep corner draft and there was a run on them in the first round,” GM Ryan Pace told reporters. “We tried to stay true to our board as we could and when Cole was there with that first pick, we were excited to get him there at that spot.”

There were still some developmental safeties on the board when Round 5 rolled around, but the Bears opted to forgo safety for edge rusher, cornerback and wide receiver. If anything, it speaks more to the deeper cornerback class than anything.

The Bears feel comfortable, to a degree, with Deon Bush, Jordan Lucas and DeAndre Houston-Carson competing for that strong safety spot opposite Jackson. Not to mention, the Bears could still snag Tony Jefferson on the free-agent market if anything else.

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Report: Former Georgia LB Leonard Floyd signs with new NFL team

Per a report, former Georgia OLB Leonard Floyd has signed with a new NFL team just one day after being released by the Chicago Bears.

Just one day after being released by the Chicago Bears, former Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd had found a new home.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Floyd and the Los Angeles Rams have agreed on a one-year, $10m fully guaranteed deal that can go as high as $13.5m through incentives.

This comes after the Rams lost their star pass rusher Dante Fowler in free agency — Fowler, who had 11.5 sacks in 2019, reportedly signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday according to Ian Rapoport.

Floyd, who played for Georgia from 2013-15, was the No. 9 overall pick by the Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft.

The tall and lanky 27-year-old out of Eastman, Georgia, has played for the Bears for all four years of his professional career. Floyd has played for the new Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who coached the outside linebackers in Chicago from 2017-18.

He struggled to stay healthy during his first two seasons in the NFL, playing in just 22 games. His rookie season, Floyd recorded 7 sacks. Since, he has not had a season with more than 4.5 sacks.

He has compiled 153 total tackles and 18.5 sacks throughout his career.

Congrats to Floyd his new big money contract.

Report: Chicago Bears to release former Georgia LB – what’s next for him?

Per a report, the Chicago Bears are releasing a former Georgia football LB.

There may not be any sports being played, but NFL free agency has provided some excitement during these difficult times.

Former Georgia Bulldog released:

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Chicago Bears are releasing former Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd.

Floyd, who played for Georgia from 2013-15, was the No. 9 overall pick by the Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft.

The tall and lanky 27 year old out of Eastman, Georgia has played for the Bears for all four years of his professional career.

During that time, he made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2016, he’s racked up 153 total tackles and has recorded 18.5 sacks.

Floyd became an important member of one of the league’s best linebacker units that included fellow Bulldog Roquan Smith, superstar Khalil Mack and Kentucky Wildcat legend Danny Trevathan.

What’s next for Floyd?

Floyd is still young and in the prime of his career, so there should many suitors for the 3-4 linebacker.

His ability to get to the quarterback is there, and he’s displayed that many times during his young NFL career.

One team to keep an eye on is the Seattle Seahawks, who, whether or not keep Jadeveon Clowney, need some help on the outside getting to the quarterback.

Then there’s the Atlanta Falcons, a team that could really use some help at edge rusher. Many outlets see Clowney as a good fit with the Falcons, but if that does not happen, Floyd would be a good choice as well.

And one final team to keep an eye on is the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers will be looking to add a pass rusher in free agency after finishing just 27th in the league in sacks in 2019.

Watch: Former Georgia WR Riley Ridley on why he committed to UGA

Former Georgia football WR Riley Ridley, now with the Chicago Bears, discusses why he chose to commit to UGA.

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Former Georgia football wide receiver Riley Ridley surprised many when he committed to UGA in January of 2016.

At the time of his commitment, Ridley was a 4-star receiver out of Deerfield Beach, Florida and ranked as the nation’s 47th best player at his position.

Ridley had been in talks with South Carolina, his brother was a star player at Alabama, and Georgia was kind of looking in from the outside.

But when Ridley heard the news of Smart going to Athens, that changed everything.

He further discussed why he chose to commit to Georgia in this interview (above) conducted by CampusLore.

Ridley had a successful collegiate career, recording 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns during his three years. His breakout game came against his brother and the Crimson Tide in the 2017-18 national championship game where he hauled in six passes for 82 yards.

Ridley went on to be selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Jake Fromm would embrace chance to reunite with Georgia teammates on Bears

Former Georgia football QB Jake Fromm would embrace the opportunity to play with his former UGA teammates on the Chicago Bears

It’s been tough to get a read on what NFL general managers think of former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, a guy who was once considered an early first round NFL Draft pick.

He struggled in the 2019 season, causing his draft stock to slide, but the success he had in his three years at Georgia should not be overlooked.

He broke multiple records, cemented himself as one of the greatest in UGA history, won three straight division titles and led his team to the national championship as a freshman.

Despite his inconsistent junior season, he’s still viewed as a passer who could go in the second or third round, sit for a few years and then eventually get his shot as a starter.

One NFL general manager who has an affinity for Georgia prospects, Ryan Pace of the Chicago Bears, is someone who could take a chance on Fromm with one of the Bears two second round picks.

There’s a lot of question marks surrounding the quarterback position that the Bears must address this offseason. Chicago is looking to add a veteran quarterback in free agency to give starter Mitchell Trubisky an extra push, but there’s also a strong chance that Pace turns to the draft to find a young, promising passer.

The Bears offense already has two Georgia wide receivers who once caught balls from Fromm — Riley Ridley and Javon Wims.

Regarding joining Ridley and Wims in Chicago, Fromm told NBC Sports Chicago:

“What more could you ask for? To play with those guys, especially two of the guys I’ve thrown the ball to. I’ve gone up against Roquan every single practice. It would kind of be like home away from home.”

Fromm met with the Bears while at the NFL Combine, so the interest is certainly there. Additionally, Fromm would be joining former Georgia linebackers Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith, who make up half of the Bears punishing linebacker group.

It’s NFL Mock Draft Tuesday and the latest on Georgia football QB Jake Fromm

A look at where PFF has Georgia football QB Jake Fromm going in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The drafting of an NFL quarterback is far from an exact science and the wrong decision can set back a team for years. Pro Football Focus used their analytical skills to select where the top ten quarterbacks will fall out in the 2020 draft.

To no one’s surprise, LSU’s Joe Burrow is the overall No. 1 selection by Cincinnati. Burrow had an insane 2.95 wins above average metric (WAA). Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (1.21 WAA) falls into the lap of Miami with the fifith pick. Indianapolis picks Oregon’s Justin Herbert with the 13th pick in the first round.

In the second round, Chicago selects Georgia’s Jake Fromm with the 43rd overall pick. In terms of WAA, Georgia’s Jake Fromm is fifth on the list of eligible draft quarterbacks, with a metric of 0.79. See below what PFF has to say about Fromm.

With the 49th overall pick, the Steelers select Utah State’s Jordon Love (.10 WAA). The next QB isn’t selected until the fourth round when the Carolina Panthers select Washington State’s Anthony Gordan with the 103rd pick. Former UGA QB and current Washington Husky Jacob Eason (.31 WAA) goes to Tampa Bay with the 107th pick. Hawaii’s Cole McDonald is selected with the 109th pick by Atlanta. Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts is heading to Kansas City with the 128th pick.

In the fifth round, Detroit selects San Jose State’s Josh Love (.91 WAA) with the overall 131st pick.

PFF speaking of why the Bears should draft Fromm:

Why they should choose Fromm: PFF has been pretty honest when it comes to Mitchell Trubisky. He isn’t quite what we and the Bears thought he’d be.

What they are getting: Jake Fromm graded out reasonably well throughout his time at Georgia, producing a PFF grade above 80.0 in each of his three seasons. This is mostly due to the care he takes with the football. In 2019 alone, he had a turnover-worthy play rate that ranked sixth of 125 qualifying quarterbacks. He was solid throwing into a tight window, as well, producing the fourth-highest grade and the second-highest rate of “accurate plus” passes on his tight-window throws.

The big concern with Fromm is that Georgia relied more on everyone else to win games. He fits the “game manager” title and wasn’t someone who could create outside the structure of the play. 

The 2020 NFL Draft will be the 85th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible players. The draft is scheduled to be held from April 23–25, 2020 in Las Vegas.