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Every Chicago Bears Expiring Contract and What Likely Happens To It

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears

Even as the Chicago Bears prepare to make their latest foray towards a successful season, GM Ryan Pace must keep one eye towards the future. As was the case this year, he has a lot of expiring contracts to sift through before the 2019 season goes active. Several of which are important and others that could be if the right circumstances are met.

It’s early but here is a quick breakdown of each expiring contract. To be specific this list only includes future unrestricted free agents for the time being. Either they will be gone by no later than next offseason, given a limited extension or a long-term extension. Who makes the cut?

Tyler Bray (QB):  Gone

There is zero competition for Bray this year as the third-string backup QB. The Bears brought him in to help Mitch Trubisky absorb the new offense faster. He’s safe for 2018 but the Bears may look to find a long-term replacement for Chase Daniel in 2019.

Michael Burton (FB):  Gone

The new offense under Matt Nagy and Mark Helfrich will feature a lot of spread and West Coast styles. Neither of those systems featured big roles for the fullback. Maybe Burton survives for one more year but he may not even last that long.

Kevin White (WR):  Gone

In truth, it may not matter what happens with White at this point. If he crashes and burns again, he’ll have cemented his status as a draft bust and be cut loose. On the other hand, if he breaks out for a good year, the Bears may not have the financial flexibility to keep him after spending so much on Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel.

Josh Bellamy (WR):  Gone

He’s not the most sure-handed target in the world but Josh Bellamy is an able reserve who helps on special teams. That last part could be the deciding factor in his future. If he continues to perform well in the third phase, he might stick around. The odds don’t favor it.

Bennie Fowler (WR):  One-year extension

Another special teams ace the Bears scooped up in free agency. The difference with Fowler is he’s also a fairly decent receiver. Nothing flashy but good for a meaningful catch every now and again when people don’t expect it. He should come back on a cheap one-year deal.

Marlon Brown (WR):  Gone

This isn’t the same player that had a good early run in Baltimore. Brown feels like a veteran flier and extra body for training camp. He has little special teams value. This means he’d have to shock some people in camp and preseason to earn a spot. That’s unlikely.

Hroniss Grasu (C):  Gone

The odds are if anybody else other than Mark Helfrich had been made offensive coordinator, Hroniss Grasu would likely be cut this year. He’s never been an overly good center and that torn ACL did him no favors. Maybe Helfrich, who coached him at Oregon can change that but that seems like a stretch.

Eric Kush (OG):  One-year extension

The Bears brass genuinely loves Kush as does new line coach Harry Hiestand. He’s a strong, tough blocker who gets after in the run game. He can also move well. The ideal backup interior lineman whom the team can trust to start whenever needed. If he survives without injury this year, he should return for another.

Earl Watford (OG):  Gone

Nothing about this signing felt exciting. Watford was mostly an average blocker during his time before arriving in Chicago. His best hope is as a primary backup at tackle or guard. Even that feels unlikely with a number of young projects the Bears are trying to coach up.

Bobby Massie (RT):  Gone

People have slammed Bobby Massie a lot but that’s not totally fair. He’s played decent during his time at right tackle. That said, he’s no longer in an offense that suits him best. The Bears want to throw the ball and pass protection was never his strength. Look for them to find a more able replacement next year.

Eddie Goldman (DT):  Long-term extension

This is by far the most important contract the Bears will have to tackle next offseason. Eddie Goldman has become a fixture on their defensive line, a dynamic nose tackle who stops the run and squeezes the pocket up the middle. If he continues to stay healthy the Pro Bowl could be in his future and he’s still just 24-years old.

Nick Williams (DE):  Gone

Most fans would know nothing about Williams and that’s no surprise. He’s never held a meaningful job other than backup. He’s a camp body who fits their system well and will help out in practice. Don’t expect him to survive final cuts though.

John Jenkins (DE):  Gone

He did enough in 2017 to warrant another one-year deal as a backup to Goldman and Akiem Hicks. Jenkins never lived up to his full potential but he’s a decent enough reserve provided he avoids injury. Does he survive beyond this year? That’s hard to see.

Aaron Lynch (EDGE):  Two-year extension

The Bears are starved for pass rush help at the moment, so they’ll take in anyone they can get. Aaron Lynch got a one-year deal because he’s not exactly trustworthy given his poor production and health issues the past couple seasons. That said he’s still young. If he turn in even a modestly good year, he’ll get a solid extension to stay with Vic Fangio.

Jonathan Anderson (ILB) and John Timu (ILB):  Gone

The massive influx the Bears have made at inside linebacker this offseason pretty much spells the doom of both Anderson and Timu. Anderson is the most likely to be gone by final cuts. Timu may survive as a special teams fixture. Still, Roquan Smith and Joel Iyegbuniwe are the future in Chicago.

Bryce Callahan (CB):  Three-year extension

He’s one of the most frustrating players on the entire roster. When Callahan is healthy and on the field, he has all the qualities of a true starting nickel corner in the NFL. The problem is he can’t do that often enough. It’s why the Bears only tendered him for 2018. They want to see if he’s worth long-term money. This feels like it might finally be his year.

Marcus Cooper (CB): Gone

It was a mild surprise the Bears brought Cooper back at all. Not only was he ineffective for the most part last season, his special teams gaffe against Pittsburgh was almost unforgivable. Maybe Fangio thinks he can still turn him into a solid player but it doesn’t feel like he’s much more than a roster bubble guy at this point.

Adrian Amos (S):  Long-term extension

The Bears were pleasantly surprised when Adrian Amos re-emerged last season to have his best year after getting benched. What they want to know now is whether he can do it again. Was 2017 a one-year wonder or has he actually turned the corner as a pro? Given he’s found his role in the scheme, things should go smoothly for him on the contract front.

Nothing is More Vital To the 2018 Chicago Bears Than This

By
Erik Lambert
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2018 chicago bears

The 2018 Chicago Bears are trying to solve a puzzle previous generations have failed at for almost a decade. How can they make the playoffs? Most of this has to do with the composition of the coaching staff and roster. Such things are delicate and finding the right formula can be a painful slog through the mud. How can they make this year different?

People will go into long platitudes about the offense needs to execute better. This guy needs to stay healthy. On and on. Yes, that’s all true for the most part. However, people are overlooking a fundamental flaw the Bears haven’t been able to overcome for a long time.

That is simply getting off to a good start on their schedule. Slows starts have absolutely killed them up through the last season. They say it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Problem is the margin for error in the NFL is extremely thin. Often teams need good starts and finishes to make the playoffs.

It’s especially true for this one.

2018 Chicago Bears can’t fall victim to a stumble out of the gates

Looking back over the past decade, the Bears have often been slaves to the way they start their seasons. If they get out of the first month with a winning record, things almost always go well. If they come out with a losing mark, the results are often much worse. Here is a breakdown of all the starts and final records going back to 2008.

2017
  • Start 1-3
  • Finish 5-11
2016
  • Start 1-3
  • Finish 3-13
2015
  • Start 1-3
  • Finish 6-10
2014
  • Start 2-2
  • Finish 5-11
2013
  • Start 3-1
  • Finish 8-8
2012
  • Start 3-1
  • Finish 10-6
2011
  • Start 2-2
  • Finish 8-8
2010
  • Start 3-1
  • Finish 11-5
2009
  • Start 3-1
  • Finish 7-9
2008
  • Start 2-2
  • Finish 9-7

RESULTS FROM STARTS ABOVE .500 = 36-28 (1 playoff appearance)

RESULTS FROM STARTS AT OR BELOW .500 = 36-60

The numbers don’t lie. Whenever the Bears did 3-1 during the previous 10 seasons, they never had a record worse than 7-9. If it was 1-3 or worse? The best they’ve managed to this point was 6-10. Go back through every playoff season the Bears have had in the Super Bowl era. Of the 14 times they’ve made it, only once did they manage to do so overcoming a start of 1-3 or worse.

In other words, they need to score at least a mark of 2-2 this September to have even a reasonable shot. Their opening schedule is marked with Green Bay, Seattle, Arizona, and Tampa Bay. Two of those teams beat the Bears last year. The Seahawks were 9-7. All except Arizona have a Pro Bowl quarterback running the show.

Certainly not ideal. So if the Bears are anxious to prove they truly are a different team than years past, this coming September will be their ultimate proving ground.

Joe Maddon’s Moves Failed Miserably In Series Finale Against Pirates

By
Aldo Soto
-

There is no stronger Joe Maddon defender than me and it’s silly that the most successful manager in franchise history needs defending, but that being said his moves flat out stunk during Sunday’s series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cubs had a chance to sweep and after the Milwaukee Brewers lost 4-3 earlier in the day, Chicago also had a chance to be in first place. The Cubs blew that opportunity Sunday and the biggest problem most fans had watching was what happened in the fifth inning.

Kyle Hendricks gave up a leadoff home run, but other than that he was cruising right along against the Pirates. He threw 87 pitches through five innings and that was all Maddon let him throw.

After not doing anything through the first four innings against Ivan Nova, the Cubs offense finally got something going in the fifth. Addison Russell leadoff with a single and then Chris Gimenez hit a ground ball that should have been a double play, but a Pirates error gave the Cubs life with runners at first and second and no outs.

Down by one and the pitcher’s spot up, Maddon elected to pinch-hit Tommy La Stella for Hendricks. It’s nothing new for Maddon, who has been aggressive in these spots before, deciding to go for it with pinch-hitters earlier in the game, opposed to waiting for another chance to develop later on.

Unfortunately the move back fired for Maddon, as La Stella, who is the best pinch-hitter in the game, hit into a double play.

Then, Javier Baez struck out swinging to end the inning. That was another move that didn’t go well. Maddon’s been putting hitters who have struggled at the leadoff spot, hoping to give them a spark and for the most part it has worked. For Baez? It did not, as he went 0-for-4.

So, with Hendricks out of the game, Maddon went to Brian Duensing, who gave up a couple runs, left with the bases loaded and then Luke Farrell gave up a bases-clearing triple. Just like that, the Cubs went from down 1-0, to 6-0, and the game was essentially over from that point on.

You can argue that Maddon should have just had Hendricks bunt the runners over in the fifth and the worst case scenario would be the Cubs still down 1-0, but at least Hendricks would still be pitching in the sixth inning and maybe the Cubs eventually break through against Nova.

Oh well, you can’t win ’em all and at least the Cubs didn’t lose any ground in the division with Milwaukee losing as well.

Speaking of Milwaukee, the Cubs start a series against the Brewers Monday. Hopefully the Cubs don’t go on a similar streak as the one in early May, when after winning five in a row, they lost five in a row and the offense really struggled.

I bring that up because during the five-game winning streak at the end of April, the Cubs scored 12 runs. Including Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the Pirates, the Cubs have only scored 10 runs in their past four games.

Good thing the Cubs have Jose Quintana on the mound for the series-opener, as he’s been awesome against the Brewers.

VIDEO: Dumbass Yankees Fan Gets Tackled After Running On Field During Cubs Game

By
Aldo Soto
-

Is it just me, or have there been more of these incidents lately? I think this jackass wearing a New York Yankees jersey that ran on to Wrigley Field during Sunday’s game is the third fan to do in the last week.

The game’s on WGN and play-by-play man Len Kasper absolutely detests these idiots, so he didn’t even mention it. The cameras just panned around for fan shots in the stands and for a few moments you had no clue what was happening, as you heard loud cheers and laughter in the background.

But this is what happened.

And apparently he was wearing a Yankees jersey.

And you know this dude is a jackass not just for running on the field, but who wears another team’s jersey to a game in which they aren’t even playing in?

Boo this man!

VIDEO: Former White Sox Pitcher Mat Latos Starts Epic Baseball Brawl

By
Aldo Soto
-

If you’re wondering what former Chicago White Sox pitcher Mat Latos is up to these days, then you’re in luck because we have your answer and that is starting benches-clearing brawls in the Can-Am League.

The fight between the New Jersey Jackals and Rockland Boulders appears to have started because of this play at the plate.

Latos then threw at a guy’s head and all hell broke loose.

Latos last pitched in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017, pitching in three games before being let go in May.

It’s pretty crazy that Latos was actually pretty good at the start of 2016 with the White Sox. He won his first four starts and had a 1.84 ERA through five starts. Then, it went downhill pretty fast in May and by the middle of June he was released by the White Sox.

But hey, if the baseball career, which is on fumes right now, ends soon at least Latos could go on to wrestling.

Theo Epstein Wears Hat, Snowflakes Get Mad

By
Aldo Soto
-

No, the biggest news to come out of UFC 225 in Chicago wasn’t Robert Whittaker’s split decision win, or Holly Holm’s easy victory and certainly not CM Punk getting his ass kicked again, but none other than Theo Epstein’s hat.

The president of baseball operations for the Cubs was at the UFC event and boy did some people get angry at his “resist” hat.

You know, the anti-Donal Trump movement, the resistance.

Anyway, turns out some people really hated that hat.

But obviously this was the best tweet of the night.

Yes, grow up Theo Epstein, do better things in your life than running a twitter account that’s supposed to be a Confederate general.

By the way, that thread is amazing.

If you’ve ever paid attention to Theo Epstein you’d already know where he stands on politics and he hasn’t been shy about it either.

So yeah, go pound sand if you’re really that pissed off that Theo Epstein doesn’t share the same political beliefs that you do.

Oh, before I forget, how about this gem.

Just completely made up. Love it.

Former All-Pro WR Tempers the Mitch Trubisky Expectations

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

It was fair to say that the optimism surrounding Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky wasn’t going to infect everyone. Many critics, be they fans or media don’t like to go by speculation. They want results before they set their expectations for a player to a higher tier. Jared Goff had to experience that last season. Former All-Pro wide receiver Reggie Wayne made it clear that Trubisky will have to do the same.

To be fair the standards for quarterbacking to a guy like Wayne are ridiculously high. Here’s a guy who spent most of his NFL career catching passes from Peyton Manning. Then he finished it up catching them from Andrew Luck. That’s some Grade A meat among QBs. So it’s only natural Wayne would be less willing than most to declare Trubisky ready for the ascent.

He explained on NFL Network that while the arrow is pointing up, it’s going to take a little more time for him to get going due to circumstances involving the offense itself.

Speed of digesting offense is key for Mitch Trubisky

Wayne made it clear enough with his statement. Right now the Bears QB is starting from scratch in a new offense. Jay Cutler once said it takes three years for a quarterback to become truly engrossed within a system. The Bears are no doubt hoping Trubisky doesn’t end up in the same nightmare Cutler did, changing schemes almost every year.

The fact that Trubisky is reportedly ahead of schedule in his understanding of the Nagy system is welcome news. However, learning it on paper and executing it on the field are two different things. Wayne knows this. Hence why he’s in wait-and-see mode. The good news is Trubisky has a lot more help this season than as a rookie.

Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen remain in the backfield. Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller and Trey Burton bring a litany of new options to the passing game. So the foundation is there for him to take that next step. It’s a matter of whether the added experience he has under his belt can get him to execute with more precision.

Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen Ranked Among Best RB Duos

By
Erik Lambert
-
ryan pace

All the talk this offseason for the Chicago Bears has centered around the shiny new things. Matt Nagy and his revamped coaching staff. People wonder what they have planned on offense. Mitch Trubisky entering his all-important second year. Now he’s surrounded by a glutton of weapons that include Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller, and Trey Burton. However, amidst the chaos, most can’t forget the real engine of this offense:  Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen.

The Bears offense racked up 4,599 yards in 2017. Those two accounted for 1,970 of those yards, or 42.83%. It’s hard to imagine how bad things might’ve been if they hadn’t been on the field all season without injury. Now it will be less about necessity with them. The Bears, hopefully, won’t lean on them to do everything but can make them one of several parts of a devastating offensive machine.

That aside it’s interesting to wonder where this pairing rank in the view of the national media. Bears fans finally got an answer.

Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen are among the best but have work to do

Ask Howard and Cohen themselves and they’d say they’re the best. Bucky Brooks isn’t there yet. The former scout and NFL.com analyst released his rankings for the best running back duos in football. Chicago got a strong placement but one thing is clear:  there is still plenty of respect left to earn.

“4) Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears: For a team that won just five games in 2017, the Bears have plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the new season. And a lot of the positive vibes spawn from this 1-2 backfield punch, which gave opponents fits last fall.

Howard has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first two NFL seasons, exhibiting a one-cut running style that is ideally suited for rugged runs between the tackles. Cohen is a 5-6, 181-pound jitterbug with explosive stop-start quickness and wiggle. He routinely makes defenders miss in tight quarters and is nearly impossible to snag in the open field.

As a designated receiver out of the backfield, Cohen exhibits Darren Sproles-like playmaking ability, but he is more polished and refined as a pass catcher. Considering Matt Nagy’s experience working with versatile playmakers in Kansas City, the Bears’ backfield could be a treat to watch in 2018.”

The scariest thing about Howard and Cohen isn’t just their ability. It’s their age. Howard is 23 and Cohen is 22. That makes them the youngest combination on the list with their best years still ahead of them. It’s hard to imagine how much better they can get given what’s been seen thus far. Never mind their being placed in a new, more modern offense.

It wouldn’t surprise if they end up claiming that coveted #1 spot away from Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. Either way, it’s another thing that bodes well for the present and future of this franchise. When the Bears run the ball well, they tend to win a lot of ball games.

Chicago Bears Already Experienced Their Jordan vs. LeBron Debate

By
Erik Lambert
-
jordan vs. lebron
Pro Football Hall of Fame and Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) breaking tackles in the Bears 45-10 victory over the Washington Redskins on 9/29/1985 at Soldier Field in Chicago Illinois. (Photo by James V. Biever/Getty Images)

The NBA Finals is over once against. For the sixth time in his Hall of Fame career, LeBron James lost. This puts him at 3-6 in his career for those counting at home. For starters, it must be made clear that eight finals appearances with two different teams since 2007 is absolutely insane. James proved again this year he’ll go down in history as one of the two or three greatest of all-time. The best ever though? People who saw Michael Jordan will never allow that. Thus Jordan vs. LeBron was born.

The Chicago Bears can empathize with that.

What does a football team have to do with a basketball debate? This isn’t about the sports. It’s about understanding a vicious argument between fans over which player was the best ever. Bears fans sat in that seat before, and it wasn’t from the Jordan angle either. They would identify more with LeBron fans these days.

That may come across as insane since they come from Chicago but it’s true. Payton came around a few years after the man most football historians called the greatest ever hung up his cleats. As his star rose, people began to say he was the best ever. Old school fans vehemently denied it. Thus the war of words commenced.

That man’s name was Jim Brown.

Jim Brown vs. Walter Payton was the NFL’s Jordan vs. LeBron

The roots began back in 1957. The Cleveland Browns drafted the running back out of Syracuse. Brown became an instant sensation. Teams and fans had never seen a physical specimen like him before. The mixture of power and speed was unprecedented. He was a 21st-century athlete playing in the mid-20th century. Think about that.

In nine years as a pro, he went to nine Pro Bowls, won three MVP awards and captured a championship in 1964. He retired at age 30 with 12,312 rushing yard, 2,499 receiving and 126 touchdowns. Other running backs got close to those numbers but it took them four or five more seasons to do it. That’s how dominant Brown was.

Then Payton came around.

Like LeBron, he brought something different. He didn’t have blazing speed. What he had was know-how. He could do everything on the football field and do it well. Despite playing on mostly less talented teams and never under a Hall of Fame head coach, he racked up 16,726 rushing yards, 4,538 receiving yards, and scored 133 touchdowns. Eight of those were as a passer. Payton was a nine-time Pro Bowler, MVP in 1977 and won a Super Bowl in 1985.

Football fans of that era were ready to declare Payton the best ever. As with Jordan, the older generation simply refused to even entertain that possibility. Thus the raging arguments began. It’s impossible to comprehend how it might’ve been had social media existed back in those days. Probably every bit as heated as Jordan vs. LeBron is now.

What made it so funny is Brown made it clear he was a big Payton fan. While fans raged about which was better, the two men held a mutual respect and liking for one another. Maybe that, more than anything is the lesson to take from this.

Rather than waste time debating who was better, sit back and enjoy what the two men accomplished. Both sides will always have their hardcore supporters. Don’t sour the witnessing of great play taking place with such pointless things that will never get a definitive answer.

Jon Lester’s Postgame Comments Are Guaranteed To Get Cubs Fans Fired Up

By
Gus
-
Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are rolling once again. Winners of four straight and 11 of their last 13, the 2018 Cubs seemed to have finally arrived. After playing .500 ball the first two months of the season, their offense has finally woken up and the pitching staff now leads the league with nine shutouts.

That staff is led yet again by future 2018 All-Star, Jon Lester.

The Cubs defeated the Pirates 2-0 at Wrigley Field today behind another solid outing from Lester. The big lefty went seven innings, allowing one hit and collected the win which upped his record to 7-2 this season. More importantly, in my opinion, is today’s outing lowered Lester’s ERA to a measly 2.22 for the season.

The win today was Lester’s 50th as a Cub and he has been everything the Cubs envisioned when they signed him in December of 2014. He’s eaten up over 665 innings or work during his time and has consistently given the Cubs quality start after quality start.

Today’s win over Pittsburgh was no different. On top of dominating the Pirates from the mound, Lester had the opportunity to bust out his patented “bounce pass” to throw a runner out at first base.

I’m sorry but this will forever be hilarious to me.

As they’ve done all season, the bullpen came in to relieve Lester and closed the door on the Pirates offense. Following the game, Lester shared his thoughts on the 2018 team and if this doesn’t fire you up as a Cubs fan, I don’t know what else you need.

Let’s. F*cking. Go.

Every Cubs fan remembers the magical ride of the 2016 season (and the disappointing 2017 season) so to hear Lester say that this year’s team is back to the 2016 mindset is everything I needed to hear.

Even before Lester’s comments, I felt like this year’s team was very reminiscent of the 2016 team. The “target” is now off their back and the pressure to repeat has gone by the wayside. Now they can get back to having fun and playing baseball and if you’ve watched any of this season, the team just looks much more relaxed.

With a little over 100 games remaining in the season, there is still a long ways to go. They have to get healthy, keep the bullpen fresh, and continue to improve on situational hitting which is something I’m fully confident they will do.

It also helps that the undisputed leader of the pitching staff has now reassured fans that the team is back in the championship mindset and 2017 is just an after thought. I know Lester is one of the leaders in the clubhouse, so with his post game comments today, I have to believe that the Cubs have gotten that 2016 swagger back which means the rest of the season is shaping up to be quite the ride.

 

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