Tag: Bears rumors

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.

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.

C.J. Stroud says Bears would be ‘smart’ to keep Justin Fields

Add C.J. Stroud to the list of people who believe the Bears should stick with Justin Fields at QB.

Everyone has an opinion on the Justin Fields vs. Caleb Williams debate as the Chicago Bears face a franchise-altering decision at quarterback.

That includes both current and former NFL players as we’ve seen since the beginning of the offseason. General manager Ryan Poles is the one with the final say, but it’s interesting to hear what others think, especially those who are successful in the league.

One player people might enjoy hearing from is C.J. Stroud, last year’s No. 2 overall pick who thrived as a rookie en route to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year. At this point, there are only a few quarterbacks you’d rather have right now over him.

He is going to be one of the most impactful NFL players for a long time. For that reason, people are always going to care what he thinks about things. That was especially true when he sounded off on the Fields-Williams debate during an interview with USA Today Sports at the Super Bowl. And his answer should come as no surprise.

“Caleb Williams? I don’t know. Who has the first pick?” Stroud asked.

“The Bears. You think they’re gonna keep Justin [Fields]?” USA Today asked.

“They should if they’re smart. But … you know,” Stroud said.

“It’s the Bears,” USA Today said.

“You said it, not me,” Stroud said.

Stroud, who succeeded Fields at Ohio State, made his opinion very clear. It is unclear how serious to consider what he’s saying. There is a good chance he is just standing by his former college teammate. Stroud might believe in Fields, which is great, but he doesn’t have the best interest of the Bears in mind when commenting on it.

It is very interesting to see all of the people making comments about Fields’ future. It is one of the hot topics in the football world and will be until a resolution is reached.

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Why Bears should consider adding WR Mike Evans this offseason

It sounds like Mike Evans is trending toward hitting the free agent market, where the Bears would be wise to consider signing him.

For a very long time now, Tampa Bay Buccaneers stud Mike Evans has been one of the best (most consistent) receivers in the entire NFL. He has become everything that Tampa Bay needed him to be and more since selecting him seventh overall in the 2014 NFL draft.

Now, according to Bleacher Report insider Jordan Schultz, it sounds like the Buccaneers and Evans are far apart on an extension. It is trending towards Evans becoming an unrestricted free agent next month, which would make the wide receiver market even more interesting.

Talks are going to continue, but nothing is guaranteed at this point. Evans has accomplished a lot in his career. He brings a lot of catches, yards, and Super Bowl-winning experience to the table. Being in a huddle with Tom Brady is certainly a nice thing to have in his back pocket, as well. Lots of teams are going to come calling if he is truly available.

One team that should be all over this is the Chicago Bears. If they don’t opt to draft one of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze in the first round, they’ll have to add another solid wideout opposite DJ Moore in free agency to give Justin Fields, or a rookie quarterback, a solid receiving duo.

The options on offense will be unlimited if a receiver like Evans comes to town, along with Moore. Chicago’s offensive unit has been underwhelming for a long time now, but this could be their chance to turn that around.

General manager Ryan Poles has a lot of options at every position this offseason. It is fair to assume that he is going to make the decision that he feels is best for the team in the long run. Evans, 31, might not be a long-term answer, but he’d be great for helping this team take a step offensively in 2024.

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Why Lance Briggs should be the next Bears Hall of Famer

Making the case for Lance Briggs to be the next Bears player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Chicago Bears saw a few of their all-time greats make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame last week — Devin Hester, Steve McMichael and Julius Peppers. The Bears were the first team to have three players (at least four years with the team) who made the Hall of Fame in the same year since the San Francisco 49ers in 2000.

These guys will be celebrated and rightfully so. It will also drive the conversation about who from the Bears’ storied history deserves to make it to Canton. A few really good candidates come to mind, but linebacker Lance Briggs is at the top of the list.

Briggs spent a lot of incredible years as a linebacker for the Bears after they drafted him in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. From that moment on, he became a franchise legend. He should be in the Hall of Fame based on all of his accomplishments.

Was he as good as Brian Urlacher? No, he was not. Playing the same position at the same time as Urlacher might make some people question his legitimacy as a Hall of Fame candidate but it shouldn’t. Two elite players can play together at the same time. Just because one was slightly better doesn’t mean that the other should be punished.

There are a few numbers to support Briggs as a Hall of Famer with or without Urlacher around. For one, Urlacher missed the entire 2009 season after suffering an injury in Week 1. Briggs went on to lead Chicago in tackles with 118 that year. That effort earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Briggs is a three-time All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler and among the 100 greatest Bears of All-Time.

He also had a total of six career defensive touchdowns, which are the third most in team history. Five of those were interceptions, which is the second most interception touchdown returns for any Bear ever. He had one in each of his first three NFL seasons, which are the most ever. There is no doubt that this guy was as impactful as anyone during his time.

We don’t know when Briggs’ time is going to come, but it should be soon. He’s been among the original 100-plus nominees, but he hasn’t yet made it to the semifinalist stage. Briggs is one of the best linebackers from his era and deserves to be recognized as such.