My Thoughts On The Bears Arlington Racecourse Move
September 29, 2021, 9:33 PM CDT
Overnight, the Bears made one of the most significant moves in franchise history. They signed a purchase agreement with Churchill Downs Inc to purchase the property that the Arlington Racecourse sits on. The site had been up for sale for a while, with many speculating from the beginning that the Bears would make a move. In June, they did just that when they submitted a bid to purchase the property. Now that the agreement has come into place, I've seen many mixed reactions to this. So I'm going to give my thoughts on the move.
I personally think this is a great move for the Bears. Not only will they get to build a new state of the art stadium, but they could also develop the land around it. The Arlington property is larger than what the Rams had with SoFi, and look what they're doing over there. They are developing the area around the stadium with a bunch of amenities such as residencies and shopping areas. Imagine what we could do with even more space. That would be really nice, and the Bears value would skyrocket. Another good thing about this is that it will be more accessible to the suburban fans. The Arlington Heights Metra station is right across the street from the racecourse. I'm not even joking, you can check Google Maps. And there is also a highway right next to the station, so that's even better news. So those in the city aren't left in the dust because you can get there via train or car in about half an hour. Compare this to Soldier Field, where it takes a long time to get to the stadium once you enter the city.
Now, I've seen a few counters to this purchasing. The first being that Soldier Field will lose its history. That's not a good argument, because I could easily argue back that it already lost its history when we did the renovations in 2002 and it lost its Landmark status. I even saw someone say that higher capacity is bad because there would be more riots. I am not even joking, that actually came up on my Instagram. Lastly, someone else talked about losing snow games. While I do like snow games, we haven't had one since Christmas of 2017, and because of the lake wind chill, those cold games honestly suck. So, give me any reason why not to move to Arlington Heights, and I will find a counter to your reason that backs me.
Fixing Bears Madden Ratings
August 1, 2021, 12:54 PM CDT
These are probably the worst Madden ratings EA has ever done. So I need to fix the Bears ratings because they are so inaccurate. Instead of going by position and explaining small changes, I'll be going by best to worst and explaining the larger changes needed. Alright, let's start.
Khalil Mack (96 OVR)- No Change
Allen Robinson (90 OVR)- Fix To 93 OVR
This change would be deserving as he would move up in the wide receiver rankings.
Eddie Jackson (89 OVR)- No Change
Akiem Hicks (88 OVR)- No Change
Roquan Smith (88 OVR)- Fix To 91 OVR
Roquan is one of, if not the best ILB in the league, yet EA is not improving his rating all that much despite coming off a year where he should've been a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro. Fixing his overall would boost him in the rankings higher than other linebackers that he's better than.
David Montgomery (82 OVR)- Fix To 84 OVR
So apparently being top 5 in rushing yards and top 3 in broken tackles with a bad offensive line most of the year means you are not a top 20 running back. In fact, he doesn't even have top 10 break tackles. EA, this is the worst rating you've ever done. Monty is a top 20 running back and deserves recognition for it.
Eddie Goldman (82 OVR)- No Change
Cody Whitehair (80 OVR)- Fix To 82 OVR
Whitehair is a solid o-lineman who should be a little higher especially since he's been a consistent starter the last few years.
Damien Williams (80 OVR)- No Change
It will be interesting to see how Williams does this year being running back 2 most likely.
Bilal Nichols (79 OVR)- Fix To 82 OVR
Nichols is coming off of a breakout year with little change to his rating. I think he's just as good as Goldman now, especially with Eddie coming off an opt out. Bilal wants an All-Pro nod this year so I'm sure he is destined for another strong campaign.
Danny Trevathan (79 OVR)- No Change
Desmond Trufant (79 OVR)- No Change
Jimmy Graham (78 OVR)- Fix To 80 OVR
After many people said he was washed, Graham proved them all wrong with a strong 8 TD season. He is a quarterbacks dream in the redzone, and still has gas left in the tank. He should definitely be an 80.
Tashaun Gipson (78 OVR)- No Change
Cairo Santos (77 OVR)- Fix To 81 OVR
Santos is coming off a year where he was arguably a top 5 kicker in the league. Ice Cairo should be treated like a top kicker and should get into the 80s as a result.
Darnell Mooney (77 OVR)- Fix To 79 OVR
Mooney needs his rating boosted, but I don't think he's an 80 quite yet. With two new quarterbacks, he should get plenty of targets and will boost his rating as the year goes on.
James Daniels (77 OVR)- Fix To 82 OVR
Jaylon Johnson (77 OVR)- Fix To 80 OVR
I looped Daniels and Johnson together because these ratings puzzle me. Daniels has been arguably our best o-lineman the last few years, and a torn pectoral shouldn't stop him (it didn't for Roquan). That is why I think he should be 82, the same as Cody Whitehair. Johnson was a top rookie cornerback, a first round talent that we got in the second. He is better then Trufant, so he should be an 80 overall.
Robert Quinn (76 OVR)- Fix To 74 OVR
Quinn is doing well in training camp now that he is healthy. But a disappointing year last season should've lowered his rating a little more, and hopefully he can get back to his old self.
Tarik Cohen (76 OVR)- Fix To 79 OVR
Cohen has never gotten that much respect from Madden, but he's still a good gadget guy. I don't think he will be RB2 with Williams here, but he should still be given a higher rating due to his versatility on the ground and through the air.
Mike Pennel (75 OVR)- Fix To 72 OVR
This one puzzles me, because Pennel only has 2 sacks and 8 TFL in his career. I know he's a DT and he should be a threat against the o-line but it still confuses me how he could be so high.
Damiere Byrd (74 OVR)- Fix To 75 OVR
For these small changes I won't go in depth or even explain them as we move down into the 60s, but Byrd had a solid season and should be the same as what Anthony Miller is.
Justin Fields (74 OVR)- Fix To 76 OVR
Fields is better then Zach Wilson, so he should be rated better then Wilson.
Marquise Goodwin (74 OVR)- Fix To 75 OVR
Andy Dalton (72 OVR)- Fix To 74 OVR
Dalton should be rated higher if he's QB1 and Fields would still be 2 overall higher. EA thinks Fields will start immediately yet it will be Dalton.
Cole Kmet (72 OVR)- Fix To 75 OVR
I'm pretty sure 72 is worse then last years Kmet rating, who improved and should be a 75 overall.
Mario Edwards (72 OVR)- Fix To 77 OVR
Edwards had a good campaign last season and should be a higher overall to reflect his performance. He was given a nice contract in the offseason as well.
Pat O'Donnell (72 OVR)- Fix To 74 OVR
Artie Burns (70 OVR)- No Change
Christian Jones (70 OVR)- No Change
Germain Ifedi (70 OVR)- No Change
Khalil Herbert (70 OVR)- No Change
Nick Foles (70 OVR)- Fix To 68 OVR
Foles was not a 70 overall player last year, he should be rated in the high 60s because he is a thrid stringer.
Teven Jenkins (70 OVR)- Fix To 75 OVR
Teven Jenkins was a first round tackle, and for some reason EA has disrespected the o-line class this year (Penei Sewell is only a 75 for context). So EA needs to fix all the tackles ratings.
Elijah Wilkinson (69 OVR)- Fix To 70 OVR
Javon Wims (69 OVR)- Fix To 61 OVR
Do I need to explain this one?
Jeremiah Attaochu (69 OVR)- Fix To 72 OVR
Attaochu had a good season in Denver last year and should be given a higher rating as a result.
Jordan Lucas (69 OVR)- No Change
Angelo Blackson (68 OVR)- No Change
Austin Calitro (68 OVR)- No Change
Riley Ridley (68 OVR)- No Change
Teez Tabor (68 OVR)- No Change
Khyiris Tonga (67 OVR)- No Change; Side Note: I accurately predicted his rating on an IG Reel a few months ago
Kindle Vildor (67 OVR)- Fix To 72 OVR
Vildor will likely be a starter and showed flashes last year. He should be a low 70s player this season.
Marqui Christian (67 OVR)- No Change
James Vaughters (66 OVR)- No Change
Joel Iyiegbuniwe (66 OVR)- No Change
Deon Bush (65 OVR)- Fix To 69 OVR
Bush has been playing well in training camp and could compete with Tashaun Gipson for the starting job. I think he should be higher then Marqui Christian especially since he has more experience.
Duke Shelley (65 OVR)- Fix To 67 OVR
Trevis Gipson (65 OVR)- No Change
Xavier Crawford (65 OVR)- No Change
Chris Lacy (64 OVR)- No Change
Dazz Newsome (64 OVR)- Fix To 70 OVR
Newsome is already a better WR then Javon Wims he should be higher then him to begin with.
DeAndre Houston-Carson (64 OVR)- Fix To 67 OVR
Mr. Clutch should be higher, especially since he got more time on the defense last year as opposed to his normal special teams role.
Sam Mustipher (64 OVR)- Fix To 69 OVR
Mustipher had a great season last year and could be our starting center for years to come. Another lineman EA is undervaluing.
Thomas Graham (64 OVR)- Fix To 70 OVR
Graham is being severely underrated as he is one of the biggest sleepers and steals of the draft. He is going to be competing for a starting job soon and should be treated like he is.
JP Holtz (63 OVR)- No Change
Tre Roberson (63 OVR)- Fix To 65 OVR
Roberson's role this year will be interesting to see, as the former CFL star will get his chance with and NFL team.
Alex Bars (62 OVR)- Fix To 66 OVR
Yet another undervalued o-lineman according to EA. Bars will be good rotation this season.
Artavis Pierce (62 OVR)- No Change
Jesper Horstead (62 OVR)- No Change
LaCale London (61 OVR)- No Change
Ryan Nall (61 OVR)- No Change
Larry Borom (60 OVR)- Fix To 67 OVR
Rookies need respect too, I can't believe Borom is only a 60 as a rookie.
Adam Redmond (60 OVR)- No Change
Daniel Archibong (59 OVR)- No Change
Michael Joseph (59 OVR)- No Change
Arlington Hambright (58 OVR)- Fix To 60 OVR
Josh Woods (58 OVR)- Fix To 62 OVR
Lachavious Simmons (58 OVR)- No Change
Badara Traore (54 OVR)- No Change
Pat Scales (30 OVR)- Fix To 68
If they had long snapper as a default position, Scales would be like an 88. But sadly they list him as a tight end and I'm sure he can catch. #stopdisrespectingscalesmadden.
Takeaways From Bears Week 1 Loss
September 13, 2021, 9:03 PM CDT
I don't really have an intro to this article. I would just be repeating myself from the last one. Well, except for the fact that these are the takeaways and not a recap. I have a list of 5 to share.
1. Andy Dalton Was Not As Bad As We Thought
Ok, Andy Dalton exceeded expectations. At least, the ones that we set. He did the job. While we did see some Fields, it was only on some runs and one pass play. Dalton didn't try to throw deep, he got the ball out quickly on some short routes. He made some crucial mistakes though, but not as much as we originally thought.
2. Monty Is Easily The Best Player On This Team, Top 10 Running Back
I knew the only reason we would win this game is if Montgomery put the team on his back. And he basically did. He ran 16 times for over 100 yards, along with a touchdown. He got the first TD of the season, becoming the first Bears running back since Walter Payton to rush for a touchdown in six straight regular season games. Not only that, he did this against an elite run defense in the Rams. But he alone wasn't why he got so many yards.
3. The Interior O-Line Did A Good Job Neutralizing Aaron Donald
I said this was going to be huge if we were to beat the Rams. Sam Mustipher, Cody Whitehair, and James Daniels needed to step up. And guess what. They limited Donald to one sack (on a third string LT). Donald looked a little better because he went against Jason Peters for a good portion of the game, along with Larry Borom (who looked solid until injury) and Elijah Wilkinson. But if you go back to the first long Monty run, you can see Mustipher and Whitehair double team Donald to create a huge gap for Montgomery. A massive step up from last year.
4. We Need Secondary Players, Badly
So, in my first podcast with @superbowl_shufflers (who I will now be referring to as Shufflers for convenience sake) we went on a long rant about our cornerback room. Most of this will be summed up in our next episode, but basically, our secondary is terrible outside of Jaylon Johnson and we need to make a trade. Or sign Richard Sherman. This is something I will talk about in another article this week as well. So stay tuned.
5. Eddie Jackson Was Abysmal Out There
My favorite player sucked against the Rams. I won't say it lightly. He should've touched Van Jefferson down, he blew coverage against Cooper Kupp, he couldn't tackle. To be fair to him, its not his fault for having to play everywhere in the secondary, but still. His tackling needs work. Now, I did see he liked a post on Twitter where Alex Brown called him out, so hopefully this means an Eddie revenge game is coming.
When Should Fields Start?
September 15, 2021, 9:03 PM CDT
Today, news came that the Bears wish to not start Fields until Week 4. That should honestly be simple. A chance at a victory over the Bengals and a likely loss to the Browns would set up perfectly for Fields to debut against the likely basement team in the NFC North. But is that when he should start? Should he start against the Bengals? Well, right now, I think Dalton should start these next two games. He gets a chance against his former team and if he does well he can try to beat the Cleveland Browns. Now, to be honest, Fields gives us the best chance of winning right now in my opinion. However, as I said before, Dalton will very likely get the nod for the next two games at least. He's a sure lock against the Bengals if he doesn't get injured. But Fields should come in Week 4 if Dalton struggles against Cleveland. Oh, and one final note. Fields will definitely get snaps this week. So advice to Matt Nagy, don't bring him in to hand the ball off. If you're going to run, do what worked last week and go with some triple option routes. Either way, let the kid throw.
Takeaways From Bears Week 2 Win Over Bengals
September 19, 2021, 8:43 PM CDT
This was a great way to build some momentum going into Cleveland. Remember, we beat a contending 13-3 Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2017 with Mike Glennon at QB. If we could do that, we can win next week. But this isn't about next week. This is about this week. You know, the 20-17 win over the Bengals. Yeah, I have takeaways. So I guess I should stop waiting and start listing them.
1. Justin Fields Is Not As Ready As We Thought
Justin had to come into the game after Andy got hurt. While he played decent, he wasn't exactly the dominant force we thought. Now to be fair, he was thrust in unexpectedly. He's a rookie, so he made some mistakes. He might be ready, but I think we overrated how ready he actually is.
2. WR Drops Are A Bit Concerning
ARob and Mooney had a couple of drops today. Not much, but drops that could've gotten touchdowns. That could've cost us had we choked and Fields didn't get the first on that final series. They need some adjustments before the Cleveland game.
3. The IOL Was Not As Good This Week, Limiting Monty
After last weeks dominant performance by Monty and the IOL against Aaron Donald, I was a little disappointed with today. Bengals D-Lineman were getting through the holes, neutralizing Monty to 41 yards. I was especially disappointed with Sam Mustipher. Hopefully they can regroup, especially with a dangerous Cleveland line coming next.
4. Robert Quinn Might Be Back
It is no secret that Robert Quinn's contract was not worth it. However, he played up to standard today. He was able to break through the Bengals O-Line for 2 sacks today. Obviously, this is one game, but it is a step in the right direction. Also, that personal foul when he knocked Joe Burrow out of bounds was not his fault. More on our revenge next.
5. The Defense, In General (Including The Secondary), Is Back
Although we almost choked late, the second touchdown was a Fields interception that caused that. Speaking of interceptions, we avenged Quinn in the fourth quarter with three interceptions. On three straight passes. This came while we broke Burrow's 199 pass with no interception streak. Roquan started it off with a pick six that put us up 17-3 at the time. Jaylon Johnson got the secondary some points with his first career pick the next pass. Lastly, Alec Ogletree deflected a pass that Angelo Blackson picked off and capped off our three pick streak. Also, Eddie Jackson bounced back with a force fumble on Tee Higgins that Tashaun Gipson recovered. To say Desai made an adjustment is a bit of an understatement.
Takeaways From Bears Week 3 Loss To Browns
September 26, 2021, 7:26 PM CDT
Its time for Week 3 takeaways. And oh boy, are there some big ones in here. The head coach might be the biggest one. #FireNagy is in full force right now. But the thing is, the Bears don't fire coaches midseason. I'll talk about that later this week (not WWCI). But, lets get this little "preview" of that article out of the way as I begin my takeaways.
1. Matt Nagy Must Give Up Playcalling Before The Bears Give Up On Him
Yup, there's one scenario where Nagy remains head coach. He has to get his head out of the sand and give up playcalling to Bill Lazor. Nagy being down on the sidelines is a huge disadvantage, because he can't see everything happening on the field. This is likely why our offensive line was exposed today. Not only that, he refuses to adjust to his players skills. He uses the same scheme over and over. Remember, Lazor modified to Trubisky's talents and he thrived. A guy like Brian Daboll would be perfect for head coach. Why? Look what he did with Josh Allen, a guy who was supposed to be raw and a high bust potential. Daboll basically got him a huge extension by playing to his skills. He's my top choice to replace Matt Nagy should he get fired. So if Nagy wants to avoid this fate, be the bigger person and give up playcalling.
2. The O-Line Needs Adjustments Desperately
The o-line has been horrendous this season. In Week 1, it was the tackles. In Week 2, it was the interior. This week, it was everybody. They let Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney eat up the young Justin Fields. Nine sacks allowed. For comparison, the 2018 Raiders had only 13 sacks all season. Germain Ifedi was probably the worst. He could not block Myles Garrett if his life depended on it. Juan Castillo has a lot of work to do this week to get the line up to speed.
3. Nagy Ruined Justin's Debut
Matt Nagy's scheme ruined Justin Fields debut. Like I said in takeaway one, Nagy cannot see the offensive line's full collapse. If Bill Lazor called this game, we would've been in a much better position. Justin literally threw the ball four times in the first half. This is because the Browns sacked him and got pressure onto him so much. This was not on Justin, this was on Nagy.
4. Robert Quinn Is Officially Back
Quinn is officially back. Last week, I said he might be back. But after today, its confirmed. He has played lights out, especially under Desai. He is playing up to his contract, and now I am starting to think he might've been genuinely injured last year. Or Pagano wouldn't use his skills to his potential. It might be a combination of both. Either way, Robert Quinn is back!
5. Desai Is A Defensive Mastermind, Top 10 Defense If They Can Tackle
Sean Desai's best quality as DC so far is his ability to adjust. He prioritizes turnovers, but also noticed how poorly we did Week 1 trying to just get turnovers. So, he adjusted for Week 2, and it worked. You can guarantee that next week the defense will look different yet again. This is going to be important. The Lions almost beat the Ravens today, if Justin Tucker didn't hit a record setting 66-yard field goal. Oh, and the Ravens should've lost off of a delay of game, but the officials missed it. Desai is going to have the defense working hard this week. Oh, and we need to sort out tackling if we want to win.
It's Time For Nagy (And Maybe Pace) To Go
October 1, 2021, 7:33 PM CDT
Yep, I know I made a YouTube video about it over a month ago. I defended him, saying he had time with his new rookie quarterback. But it's become clear following last weeks embarrassing defeat to Cleveland that Nagy has had enough time. Now, I'm hoping he did give up playcalling for this week and beyond. He has to get his head out of the sand if he wants to save his job, because his playcalling has been horrendous. It is apparent that maybe he was the reason Mitch failed. For all we know, Mitch could be the greatest QB of all time, he just didn't have a good scheme. Sorry Mitch! The current theory is that Bill Lazor will call plays this week, and I hope he does. That might be the only way we can beat the Lions. Plus, Lazor would probably be a better developer of Fields then Nagy. If Nagy decides to take playcalling duties back after this game despite a nice win, he should go. Immediately. He is holding this team back and we would be better off without him.
Now onto Ryan Pace. I've seen plenty of people wanting him to go first instead of Nagy. But we have to remember that he is not our playcaller and he is not responsible for our players performances. He just hasn't had the right head coach. Here's my thing on Pace. Fox was the McCaskey's hire. So he got his guy in Nagy. It worked for one season until teams figured out our offense. Nagy did not adjust, and we fell into mediocrity. There is one guy available who can change all of that. Brian Daboll. If we give Pace one offseason and pick up Daboll, that could save many jobs at Halas Hall. Daboll knows how to play to a QB's strengths, we've seen it with "high bust potential" pick Josh Allen. Not only that, he has a great gameplan for Mitch as well. If Nagy goes, Lazor stays and Desai stays. Desai for obvious reasons but Lazor might raise some eyebrows. Look, he is a good playcaller. Plus he is great at helping the offensive development. So Lazor stays. Back to Pace, he's drafted fairly well. Kevin White is a bust only because of injury. Leonard Floyd is a question mark. He was more of a "meh" pick. Mitch obviously didn't work out. Roquan has been a great pick by Pace. Not only that, but he's really good at finding late round talents from lesser-known schools. Bilal Nichols and Darnell Mooney for example. Bryce Callahan was an undrafted free agent. I hate to say it but Adrian Amos was also a steal for the time. So he can find talent. That is why I have a hard time letting him go. The questionability comes with free agency. Mike Glennon was a massive flop, and so was Buster Skrine. Robert Quinn looks better now but last year was horrendous. Free agency is Pace's biggest downfall, so hopefully he can change it around or else he will be out, just like the head coach.
Takeaways From Bears Week 5 Win Over Raiders
October 12, 2021, 5:06 PM CDT
A statement win for us. We showed the NFL that we can compete with solid teams. We also gave Jon Gruden a send off loss as well (I will not get into detail with that stuff). So obviously, there will be many takeaways. I know, I forgot to do this last week. So I am back again this week (a day late though). I am once again going to be giving 5 takeaways from the Raiders game. Keep in mind these are my own opinion.
1. Fields Continues To Improve
While he didn't have as explosive of a game as last week, Fields was more of a game manager this week as he should be. But he did improve overall in this one, not really having any turnover opportunities for the Raiders. Expect him to have an explosive game against Green Bay though.
2. Run Game Is The Offense Biggest Strength
Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert can both be RB2's. Both were dominant in this game, especially Herbert who ran wild. If Monty was still healthy just imagine how dominant we would've been.
3. Darnell Mooney Can Make Clutch Plays
Late in the game, up by 5, it was 3rd and 12. Fields throws a low pass, and Mooney hauls it in for a crucial first down. This set up a Santos field goal. If Mooney doesn't make that catch, we punt and the Raiders have the two minute warning still down by 5. And who knows what happens then. If Mooney can keep this up against Green Bay, their defense is going to have a tough time against us.
4. Sean Desai Is A Defensive Guru
We've known this for multiple weeks now, but Desai is the new Vic Fangio. He has schemed up really good games so far, and has helped Khalil Mack return to dominant form. Expect him to scheme up a dominance against the Green Bay Packers this week.
5. Cairo Santos Might Be The Best Kicker In The NFL
Cairo Santos went 4/4 on Sunday kicking wise (2 FG, 2 PAT). Why is this significant? Well, kickers missed a combined 26 KICKS THIS WEEK. And Ice Cairo nails all 4 of his kicks. How the tables have turned following our kickers curse between 2016-2019.
Officiating Mistakes In Bears-Steelers
November 10, 2021, 4:47 PM CST
The man you see in the cover photo is Tony Corrente. Now, you may not know who Tony Corrente is if you aren't a Bears fan or didn't watch the Bears-Steelers game a couple of nights ago. Tony Corrente was the head ref of that game and made a ton of bad calls that allowed the Steelers to win. But what were these calls? I will discuss those in this article.
The first of the questionable calls was the low block penalty on James Daniels. He was in the tight end box, and the block should've been legal. Instead, what does Tony Corrente do? He calls it a penalty and negates a would-be important touchdown. We ended up kicking and losing by 2.
The second questionable call I am going to talk about is the no call offsides on Cairo Santos' 65-yard try to end the game. The Steelers had lined up in the neutral zone, meaning Santos should've gotten to try again from 60 yards out. Or even have thrown a hail mary. Instead, he missed and we lost.
The last call is the worst call by far. The taunting call. According to the NFL, Cassius Marsh got celled for posing and looking at the opponents sideline. That is the dumbest call ever. Not to mention the fact that Tony Corrente hip checked him on his way back to the sideline. The Bears should've gotten the ball down by 3 and not 6, meaning we probably would've won. Here's to hoping Corrente never officiates a game ever again.
Tony Corrente
5 Potential Candidates To Replace Matt Nagy
November 29, 2021, 10:19 PM CST
So last week, a bunch of rumors swirled around about Matt Nagy potentially being fired after the Detroit game, no matter if we won or lost. Obviously those rumors were not true, and it is expected the Bears will keep Nagy and GM Ryan Pace to the end of the year (I may write a whole other article on the Pace situation). Now, obviously we would need a new head coach to replace Nagy. So today, I explore 5 different candidates that could replace Matt Nagy for next season.
How About A Super Bowl Winner: Former Eagles HC Doug Pederson
Let's explore the only one on this list with NFL Head Coaching experience. Former Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson is an intriguing option to me. Pederson won the Super Bowl with the Eagles back in 2017, one year after being brought in. Not only that, he went the whole playoffs with Nick Foles instead of would have been MVP had he not gotten injured Carson Wentz. So Pederson has proven he can do it. He was also spotted with the Bears during the offseason, suggesting he may have been considered for Nagy's coaching staff this season. Either way, I am starting to grow on the idea of getting a guy with NFL experience like him.
A Long Shot, But Someone Who Has A History With Fields: Ohio State HC Ryan Day
Ryan Day has only just begun to float around in Bears rumors recently. I like this idea, but I know it is probably the least likely to happen. But Ryan Day did help Fields a lot in college. The two went to a National Championship game in 2020, and came so close in 2019 (losing to Clemson controversially). But someone that already knows Fields and can build around him would be great. The question is, what is the cost to pry him away from Ohio State?
My Personal Favorite: Bills OC Brian Daboll
I like Brian Daboll. He's my #1 target. Recently, a report came out that the Bears were already doing their homework on potential Nagy replacements, which had Daboll as the front runner but also included Cardinals DC Vance Joseph (who is not on the list). What I like about Daboll is what he has done with Josh Allen and even Mitch. Allen was regarded as a high bust potential pick. But Daboll has made sure that Allen would be a good quarterback, and not a bust in the league. He's even improved Mitch tremendously (as seen in our preseason matchup against Buffalo). Daboll would be my guy to help develop Justin Fields and lead this team to the Super Bowl.
A More Recent Fan Favorite: Cowboys OC Kellen Moore
Kellen Moore has gotten a lot of attention from Bears fans lately. I can see why. The Cowboys offense has been pretty good this season, and he seems ready to be an NFL Head Coach. Unlike Daboll, Moore does not have the same resume of developing quarterbacks. Dak was already a household name when he got there. I still like Moore as a candidate, but I like Daboll a little better.
Someone Who's Worked With The GOAT: Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich
As I mentioned in the title, Leftwich is the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator, meaning he has worked with Tom Brady. Just to put something into perspective, Leftwich is younger than Brady and already has been mentioned as a head coach candidate for next year. He's reportedly on their shortlist as well, along with Daboll and Josh McDaniels. Maybe Leftwich can use what he has learned from Brady to help Justin Fields develop.
No matter who the Bears choose, we would probably expect success right away. Nagy did it. So why can't our next coach do it? My top 3 are Daboll, Moore, and Leftwich, with Pederson right behind them. But, the ball is in the McCaskey's court now.
Brian Daboll
The Rise of Trevis Gipson
December 7, 2021, 1:30 PM CST
As the Chicago Bears season is basically lost at this point, one young player has given us a lot to look forward to in the future. This player is OLB Trevis Gipson. Trevis was a 2020 5th-Round Pick, and was seen as a project player who could eventually take over for Khalil Mack. Trevis saw little playing time in 2020, despite the struggles of 2020 FA signee Robert Quinn. Coming into 2021, Trevis was seen as a guy who could replace Quinn. That was until Quinn had a comeback season, making us believe he was injured last year. Trevis was seeing more playing time, but not as much as we thought he was going to get before the season started. However, everything changed when Khalil Mack got injured and was ruled out for the season. This would mean Trevis would have to start from Week 8 onward. At this point in the season, Trevis has 28 tackles, along with 3 sacks, the same as Roquan Smith. He has 5 TFL, 2 pass deflections, 2 force fumbles (recovering 1), and 4 QB hits. But if you watch the games, you can tell that Trevis has performed better than what the stats say. All in all, Trevis has been a pleasant surprise to many Bears fans, and I expect him to be a main contributor to the next great Bears defense.
Trevis Gipson
Ranking Ryan Pace‘s NFL Drafts
December 9, 2021, 12:58 PM CST
Recently, Ryan Pace has gotten a lot of hate, with many people sayin his time in Chicago as GM should be up at the end of the season. So today, I am going to look at the negatives and positives of his career by focusing and ranking his NFL Drafts.
7. 2015 Draft
Kevin White, Eddie Goldman, Hroniss Grasu, Jeremy Langford, Adrian Amos, Tayo Fabuluje
This was not a horrible class necessarily, as Goldman has been great in his career, Langford gave us a good season, and Amos was good before he became a snake and left for Green Bay. The reason this class is at the bottom is because White could never stay healthy, Grasu was bad, and Fabuluje never played for us. White being a first rounder brought this down though.
Class Grade: D+
6. 2019 Draft
David Montgomery, Riley Ridley, Duke Shelley, Kerrith Whyte Jr, Stephen Denmark
What weighs this class down was the lack of picks Pace had to work with. The reason this isn’t bottom is because none of these picks were necessarily bad. Monty has been a stud obviously, but he’s really it. Ridley never really got a chance (blame Nagy for playing Wims instead), Shelley has not been good in coverage, and Whyte and Denmark didn’t play for us.
Class Grade: C-
5. 2017 Draft
Mitchell Trubisky, Adam Shaheen, Eddie Jackson, Tarik Cohen, Jordan Morgan
Ok, this class is weighed down by one player. Not Mitch, Mitch was a C+ pick and a solid player that everyone underrated and gave hate to him for no reason. The man I am talking about is Adam Shaheen. He was another level of bad. The worst part is someone else was on the board who we could’ve taken at Tight End. George Kittle was available, and yet we took Shaheen. That’s why this class drops from a B- to a C. Oh yeah we took a guy named Jordan Morgan in the 5th round who never played for us.
Class Grade: C
4. 2016 Draft
Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair, Jonathan Bullard, Nick Kwiatkoski, Deon Bush, Deiondre’ Hall, Jordan Howard, Deandre Houston-Carson, Daniel Braverman
Again, this class wasn’t bad. Everyone was solid that we took in 2016. Whitehair, Bush, and DHC remain on the team to this day. Howard was great for a couple of seasons. Floyd was not bad, he just didn’t live up to the first round hype he got. All in all, a solid B- class.
Class Grade: B-
3. 2020 Draft
Cole Kmet, Jaylon Johnson, Trevis Gipson, Kindle Vildor, Darnell Mooney, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons
It may be too early to tell, but this class is one of Pace’s best. Although Kmet has struggled this year, he still has potential. JJ, Gipson, and Mooney have all been contributors these past two seasons, with JJ and Mooney getting a lot of gametime in their rookie seasons while Gipson has kade huge strides this year. Vildor has been a disappointment this year, keeping this class below an A.
Class Grade: B+
2. 2018 Draft
Roquan Smith, James Daniels, Anthony Miller, Joel Iyiebuniwe, Bilal Nichols, Kylie Fitts, Javon Wims
Again, not a terrible class. What keeps it out of the top spot is Javon Wims mostly. A seventh round draft pick that got way to much playing time. Not to mention the Anthony Miller debacle. Roquan, Daniels, and Bilal Nichols were all great picks though. Those players puts this class just above 2020.
Class Grade: A-
1. 2021 Draft
Justin Fields, Teven Jenkins, Larry Borom, Khalil Herbert, Dazz Newsome, Thomas Graham Jr, Khyiris Tonga
It may be recency bias, but this is the best Ryan Pace draft in my opinion. Fields looks like he may finally be the franchise QB that we’ve been searching for. Jenkins has a ton of hype, despite his back injuries. Larry Borom has been great this season. Khalil Herbert played great in Monty’s absence. Newsome and Graham are high potential prospects. And Tonga has been solid this season. This class could go down as the one that turned the Bears around, even if Pace is shown the door after the season.
Class Grade: A
Ryan Pace
The Bears Have Found A Gem In Thomas Graham Jr
December 31, 2021, 12:54 PM CST
I was going to write and publish this Pre-Seattle, but I figured I would let Thomas Graham Jr play one more game and see if Minnesota was just a fluke before I judged his performance. Many may overlook his great performance and point to the DK Metcalf touchdown as a big downside. While that was bad, I will acknowledge that, I believe people need to take a more in-depth look at his stats. Following the Metcalf touchdown, he allowed just 2 completions for 12 yards. Something else to keep in mind is he warmed up with the 2s for some reason, so he wasn't fully prepared. I still have no clue who thought Kindle Vildor was better than him, whether it was Nagy, Desai, Deshea Townsend, or whoever. All I know is that they were wrong.
Thomas Graham took to the press conference stand a couple days after the Minnesota Vikings game. In this press conference, he gave a little more clarification as to why he had not played. He said he was lacking confidence, which could be expected considering he didn't play a game in almost two years. He said he started to regain that confidence following the bye, which makes me wonder why Kindle Vildor played against Baltimore and cost us the game, when Thomas Graham was ready and could've made the play. Look what Graham did to Kirk Cousins. Against a team full of backups, Kirk Cousins only passed for 87 yards. Thomas Graham made a huge impact, as the rookie was targeted a lot in the first half. He made multiple plays to keep the Bears in the game. It gave us a glimpse into what the future could hold, especially with him and Jaylon Johnson playing together. Speaking of which, the two will be starting together for the first time against the Giants. I will be watching for them, to see if the duo are the real deal or not.
Bears CB Thomas Graham Jr
7 Players The Bears Must Extend This Offseason
January 4, 2022, 12:00 PM CST
With just one week left in the season, and the Bears having already been eliminated from postseason contention, it is time to start looking ahead to the offseason. Today, I'm going to take a look at 7 key players the Bears should give contract extensions to, whether they are in a contract year or not. These are players that the Bears need to secure to help guide us in the right direction for the future.
1. ILB Roquan Smith
There are little to no arguments that can be made to justify not extending Roquan Smith. Next year is his fifth-year option, and the Bears should look to lock him down long term this offseason so that they don't take any risks next offseason when they are rushing to make a deal happen.
2. DT Bilal Nichols
This is one that I could see going either way, and it could depend on other extensions we may give out. However, I believe we should give Nichols a new contract. He has been a valuable player on the defensive line, and despite the smaller amount of production this season, he has still earned a new contract.
3. DT Akiem Hicks
We need to extend Akiem Hicks. Look, I know his production is not where it once was during the 2016-2018 seasons. The harsh reality is that he has been injury-prone these past few seasons. However, when he is not injured he still provides a big impact on the D-line. Look at the Minnesota game. He basically shut down Dalvin Cook all game. I know many will say to let him walk, but he likes being here and he should retire a Bear.
4. WR/PR Jakeem Grant
The Bears traded a 2023 6th Round Pick for Grant earlier in the season. Many kind of joked about how he had lost the Bears yards by taking the ball out of the endzone on kickoffs instead of taking a knee. Once Khalil Herbert returned to that role, and Grant was doing punt returns, he began to thrive. He scored the first punt return touchdown in the entire NFL this season. Grant had a breakout performance during that Green Bay game, bringing the punt back and catching a pass for a touchdown. I think he has warranted an extension.
5. RB David Montgomery
While Monty is not in a contract year, I think it is best to lock him down right now. Many people argue against giving running backs a second contract, but I think Monty is different, and he can do wonders paired with the right head coach. Him and Khalil Herbert are a backfield that many Bears fans should be excited about for the future.
6. IOL James Daniels
The Bears need to extend James Daniels. Daniels has had many people torn on whether to re-sign him or not, but compared to the rest of the interior O-line he has been the most consistent, and we should not have to worry about replacing him this offseason when there are other roster changes needed.
7. DB/ST DeAndre Houston-Carson
These past couple of seasons, Houston-Carson has seen more time in a defensive role. He provides good backup in the secondary, and also has good special teams value. The Bears should re-sign him this offseason.
Roquan Smith
Jim Harbaugh Could Have A Future As A Chicago Bear
January 6, 2022, 11:21 AM CST
As the season comes to a close, we have a clearer picture of what teams will be active in the Coaching Carousel this offseason. The Bears will likely be one of the most attractive destinations, as a young roster, combined with franchise history, being in a major market, and the idea of playing in a shiny new stadium in a few years could sway coaches away from other openings. One name to keep an eye on is Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Look, I get the general idea that college coaches do not work out in the NFL. Look at a guy like Chip Kelly or Urban Meyer, and even Nick Saban, back when he went from LSU to the Dolphins. But unlike those 3, Harbaugh actually has NFL experience. Winning experience too. He brought the Niners to 3 straight NFC Championship games, making the Super Bowl in 2012. If Harbaugh didn’t leave to take the Michigan job, its safe to say he probably would still be in San Francisco and Shanahan would be somewhere else. Not to mention, the Bears are his dream job, the team he played for, and surely he would take the vacancy if we called.
Harbaugh Could Bring Another Familiar Face Back To The Windy City
Harbaugh’s return could also bring Vic Fangio back to the team. Fangio could be fired from Denver after three straight losing seasons. If he does get fired, we could see the former Bears Defensive Coordinator return. Why would he return? Well, Vic was actually Harbaugh’s DC while he was in San Francisco. If Harbaugh brings Vic back, our defense could return to 2018 form.
Harbaugh Has A Record Of Winning Against The Packers
Here’s another big thing about Harbaugh that could make Bears fans happy. He is undefeated against the Green Bay Packers in his career. 4-0 to be exact. The Packers have beaten us almost every game since 2010, and Bears fans have had enough. It‘s time to bring in a Head Coach who can beat our biggest rivals and bring the Bears back to the top of the North.
Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh
Calvin Ridley Would Be The Perfect A-Rob Replacement
January 7, 2022, 12:49 PM CST
Sunday is almost certainly Allen Robinson’s last game a a Chicago Bear. He’s playing on the franchise tag, and his production this season has dropped to the point where it doesn’t seem sensible to keep him anymore. The Bears probably could get a good amount of value out of him, which is why I am proposing a Robinson for Calvin Ridley trade. The Bears would probably need to add a 5th or 6th round pick to get the deal to go through. This would be perfect for the Bears, as we need to add a top quality receiver pre-draft and then snag another receiver in the draft.
Why Is Ridley Ideal?
For the longest time, I have wanted Michael Gallup to become a Bear, trading A-Rob for a second round pick. But following Gallup’s ACL tear, combined with an inevitable divorce between Ridley and the Falcons, sets up an ideal scenario for the Bears to swoop in and snag him as our WR1. It’s a win for both sides. Atlanta gets a receiver who can immediately replace Ridley, and we get a younger receiver who can make contested catches. A contested catch guy is exactly what the Bears need, as Mooney is more of a speed threat and is on the smaller side. Then, we can go snag an all around receiver in the draft.
Calvin Ridley
Who I Want For Bears Head Coach and GM
January 11, 2022, 10:13 PM CST
The Bears have begun the process of finding people to replace Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Many people have been interviewed already, as the Bears are going for all different kinds of mindsets at both positions. There are two people who I would like to see hired. For Head Coach, I would want to see Former Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson, and then pair him up with GM Rick Smith. Pederson is a Super Bowl winner, and a guy who spent time at Bears camp last season. He’s a proven Head Coach, and I would love to see him in Chicago. As for Smith, he built a good Texans team, specializing in the draft while also managing the cap well. If he came to Chicago, I think he could pick up where Pace left off and draft well while also doing a better job in free agency than Pace.
Rick Smith