When the Chicago Bears drafted Malik Muhammad in the 4th round last month, most reactions were the same. They saw the Texas cornerback as a perfect challenger to Tyrique Stevenson at the outside spot opposite Jaylon Johnson. It made sense. Stevenson has one year left on his rookie contract and saw his playing time drastically cut down the stretch last season. However, the Bears threw a twist into the story when they deployed Muhammad at the nickel corner position quite frequently in the rookie minicamps.

This caught some off guard. Had the Bears eyed Muhammad as more of a challenger to Kyler Gordon instead of Stevenson? Sure enough, a short time later, it was revealed that Gordon was dealing with another soft-tissue injury that had haunted him throughout last season, when he missed 14 games. It is starting to look like the Bears have grown tired of betting on Gordon staying healthy. The best ability is availability, and this has been the story of his NFL career. At some point, you had to think the team would start making future plans that didn’t include him.

Malik Muhammad has the tools to play nickel.

It is a difficult position that requires somebody with specific skills. You need short-area quickness to handle the tighter spaces you need to maneuver in. High intelligence is needed to understand which direction your coverage assignment is going. After all, nickels don’t have the benefit of the sideline to help them. You also absolutely need to be physical and reliable as a tackler. One person quipped that you need corner coverage skills, linebacker tackling skills, and safety spatial awareness.

Luckily, Muhammad does check those boxes. He has very good coverage technique and more than enough speed and quickness to handle those responsibilities. His spatial awareness isn’t a huge problem either. As far as tackling, he doesn’t shy away from it. The primary concern is whether his body can handle the physicality. Muhammad is listed at 182 lbs, which is very light for a corner. It is likely why one of the first things the Bears mentioned after drafting him was that they wanted him to put on weight.

Gordon has nobody to blame but himself.

If this were knee, ankle, or other joint-related injuries, it would be one thing. His problem has been soft tissue in nature for most of his career. That speaks to a serious problem with his conditioning. There is no such thing as weak muscles. Just poorly prepared ones. Whatever the issue is, it is now threatening to cost him his job. The Bears may not be able to cut him at this point because of dead money issues, but that doesn’t mean they’re obligated to play him. Last year, the Bears didn’t have insurance in case he was out.

That is no longer the case. It started when they signed veteran Cam Lewis in free agency. He has extensive experience at nickel. Now you add Malik Muhammad to the mix. This serves as a clear message to Gordon. Either he finds a way to get his body right in the next few months, or he won’t have to worry about injuries anymore because he’ll be on the bench. It’s unfortunate because Gordon is a good player. Sadly, he is also untrustworthy. The Bears would much rather have an okay player who plays every game than a good player who might give you seven or eight a year.

There is no denying that the Green Bay Packers enter the 2026 season desperate for revenge. The Chicago Bears humiliated them last year, stealing the division from them with that overtime win in December and then crushing their dreams with a comeback for the ages in the playoffs. That said, the Packers are still a good football team and no doubt intend to focus on reasserting control of the rivalry. A huge part of that plan is running back Josh Jacobs, who remains the focal point of their offense.

Or at least that was the plan. News broke on Tuesday that the Pro Bowler was arrested in Wisconsin. He faces five charges, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. None of them is good.

“Green Bay Packers star running back Josh Jacobs was arrested Tuesday and booked on several domestic violence charges, according to the Hobart-Lawrence (Wisconsin) Police Department.

Jacobs, 28, was booked on charges of battery — domestic abuse, criminal damage to property — domestic abuse, disorderly conduct — domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation, and intimidation of a victim.”

Jacobs and his representatives deny the charges, stating proper evidence hasn’t been submitted yet. Still, this is not a good look. If the running back did any of that, he would be looking at serious jail time. Never mind suspension from the league. If all charges reach conviction, Jacobs is looking at 20+ years in prison.

The Packers better pray Josh Jacobs is being set up.

It isn’t uncommon for people, be they women or others, to try to exploit professional athletes for money. That is what Green Bay must hope is the case here. Jacobs doesn’t have a history of off-field issues. His only incident on record was a DUI in Las Vegas that was later dismissed. Outside of that, he’s stayed out of trouble. This violent outburst, for which he’s been arrested, feels like a significant departure from his known character. That isn’t to say he is incapable of it, but it is certainly not part of any pattern.

If it is true, then his career might be over. It also puts the Packers in a brutal spot. Their offense has been built around running the football under head coach Matt LaFleur for years. As Jacobs goes, the Packers go. If he’s out, the team is left with Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, and Pierre Strong Jr. as their other options. Brooks hasn’t cracked 200 yards rushing in any of his three previous seasons. Lloyd has barely played because of constant injuries. Strong is a journeyman who didn’t accomplish much at previous stops.

Green Bay would have to hope one of them steps up or finds a solid veteran in free agency who can carry the load. Neither option is ideal.

Like it or not, this is great news for the Bears.

Josh Jacobs is a really good player. He’s been a constant thorn in Chicago’s side over the past two years. Go back and watch that backbreaking run late in the first matchup last season at Lambeau Field. The guy is a nightmare to get on the ground. His absence would immediately put more pressure on quarterback Jordan Love to shoulder the load. It is worth noting that Green Bay’s quarterback is 4-10-1 in games in which he’s thrown more than 36 passes. There is a reason the Packers prefer running the ball.

That is why this Jacobs development hurts so much. If it had happened in February or March, the team would’ve at least had time to go hunting for help in free agency or the draft. The timing is brutal. It leaves them in the lurch with no clear solution. Their only hope is that the charges are somehow dismissed before the start of the regular season in September. Otherwise, they go into a critical season of their Super Bowl window without their most important offensive player.

The Chicago Bears entered the 2026 NFL draft with a semi-clear idea of how the board would fall. General manager Ryan Poles knew there would likely be big runs at offensive tackle and edge rusher in the first 20 picks. That proved true. A good number of wide receivers would be mixed in as well. That means the Bears would have to stick closely to their board. Picking 25th overall meant they couldn’t afford to be too focused on positional value. Thankfully, the decision was made easy when Dillon Thieneman reached their spot. Many experts were shocked that the Oregon safety was still on the board, believing he’d be gone somewhere between the 12th and 18th spots.

The reaction from Minnesota Vikings fans, whose team picked 18th, proved they thought the same. Yet nobody had a better reaction than Dennis Allen. A new clip from an upcoming episode of 1920 Football Drive revealed that the Bears defensive coordinator was incredibly excited when he realized Thieneman would fall to them. Head coach Ben Johnson couldn’t resist teasing him once the pick was turned in. Allen openly admitted during the subsequent phone call with the young safety that he’d been literally sweating it out.

Allen knows what value Dillon Thieneman can bring to a defense.

Safeties might not get the same love as pass rushers and cornerbacks, but one thing is clear. When you have a really good one, it changes the entire landscape of a defense. Minnesota knew that with Harrison Smith, their decision to pass on Thieneman was all the stranger. Allen also has plenty of experience with good ones. His best defenses in New Orleans featured some very good safeties. It started with Vonn Bell, then included Malcolm Jenkins, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Tyrann Mathieu.

Thieneman is a rare specimen. He has the size and toughness to play down around the line of scrimmage, making tackles and taking on blockers. At the same time, his legitimate 4.3 speed enables him to drop into coverage and cut off passing lanes. Having players with that level of versatility is incredibly valuable. It will enable Allen to throw all sorts of different looks at opposing offenses with both Thieneman and Coby Bryant lined up everywhere. When the opponent doesn’t know what look you’re giving, you’ve won half the battle.

Both Allen and the Bears made a little history together.

In his long coaching career, the defensive coordinator has never been present when his team drafted a safety in the 1st round. The closest he’s come is a few 2nd-round picks over the years, between Denver (Rahim Moore) and New Orleans (Roman Harper, Vonn Bell, and Marcus Williams). It is rather fitting that his first opportunity came in Chicago. After all, prior to last month, the organization hadn’t taken a 1st round safety since 1990. Crossing that line together is another classic example of the football gods having a sense of humor.

Whatever the case, Dillon Thieneman has all the makings of a good player. When drafting so late in the 1st, that should be the objective of every team. Swinging for home runs rarely pans out well. Go for the safest options and hope they work out better than expected. Thieneman has the capability to do that. His floor is that of a good starter who can probably play ten years in the league. His ceiling is the Hall of Fame. The Bears would be satisfied with either.

The Chicago Bears are in a race to get the PILOT (or Megaprojects) bill passed by the Illinois state government before the May 31st deadline, when the legislature adjourns. Multiple factions are fighting in these negotiations, trying to steer which direction the money from such a bill will flow. It was here that the Cook County treasurer, Maria Pappas. Her office conducted an in-depth study of the potential economic impact of such a bill, were it to pass. The findings made were interesting.

As things stand, the Bears would pay $39 million less in taxes if the bill passes. Since they plan to invest over $1 billion in the property, the bill would grant them a tax freeze for up to 40 years. That means a property tax of less than $4 million per year and a potential savings of $1.5 billion overall. Yet the biggest bombshell came towards the end of the study. Pappas stated that it might actually be in the state’s best interests to let the Bears move to Hammond, Indiana. Since it is closer to Chicago than Arlington Heights, it would still bring economic benefits to the city while having Indiana foot the infrastructure bill.

“It’s also worth noting that a Bears stadium in Hammond would be just 20 miles from Soldier Field, compared to the 38-mile distance from the city to Arlington Heights,” the study said. “As a result, a stadium in Hammond would still produce economic benefits for Chicago and the state of Illinois — with Indiana taxpayers picking up the $1 billion tab to subsidize the development.”

The Chicago Bears stadium situation may have just shifted.

If Illinois politicians saw this study, it might convince them that letting the Bears go to Indiana might not be the worst thing after all. They wouldn’t have to give up $1 billion to help build out the infrastructure in Arlington Heights, but still reap some of the rewards once they do build a complex in Hammond. Given how greedy we know this state government to be, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they lose their sense of urgency to get the bill passed by the end of the week, knowing it would likely force the Bears to decide that Indiana is their goal.

It would be a brutal outcome for Arlington Heights. They are banking on that stadium project and the businesses it is expected to attract to provide economic help to their township. If the Bears move to Indiana, it leaves that massive Arlington Racecourse property barren and unused. The town received around $3.2 million in property taxes each year, which helped both the local government and public school districts. All of that money goes out the window if the Bears don’t build there.

There is no politics involved in this.

The study was meant to be nothing more than gathering information. Straight facts. What other people do with it isn’t the treasurer’s responsibility. What we can say for certain is we know why the Chicago Bears want that bill passed. It provides them with financial security over a 40-year period, allowing them to build the stadium without piling on debt. The entire goal of this venture was to increase their profitability. A state-of-the-art stadium that can host all sorts of events year-round does that.

May 31st is the date to circle. Fittingly, it’s a Sunday. If the bill isn’t passed by then, there is a strong likelihood it won’t be passed for the rest of 2026. If that proves the case, the Bears moving to Indiana becomes a near certainty. Arlington Heights leaders will undoubtedly push hard to prevent it. They know the stakes. They will take a severe economic hit if this stadium doesn’t get built. Hammond, on the other hand, may get resurrected from the grave after years of sitting in an industrial wasteland.