The Chicago Bears odds are wacky going into 2018. That’s to say they don’t seem to have any definitive direction. Are they going to win? Will they suck again? Apparently neither. Or least that’s the way the oddsmakers have made it seem. ESPN conducted a recent collaboration with data-driven website Football Outsiders to reveal their odds for various key NFL events this season.
The two most prominent were who was most likely to make the playoffs and who was most likely to contend for the #1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. There weren’t a ton of surprises in either category. New England, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Green Bay, and Minnesota headlined the postseason contenders. The Browns, Jets, and Cardinals stand as favorite to be the first team picking next year.
So where does this leave the Bears? To paraphrase that Stealers Wheel classic song: stuck in the middle.
Chicago Bears odds unfavorable for both playoffs and #1 pick
If there is an NFL version of purgatory, this would be it. Not good enough to make the playoffs. Not bad enough to get the best possible player in the draft. Just sort of lingering right there in the middle. This is where the numbers seem to stack the Bears up in 2018. Projections have them winning somewhere in the vicinity fo seven games
Their chances of making the playoffs stand at just 12% and winning the division is a mere 6%. Forget the Super Bowl. The Buffalo Bills have more favorable odds than Chicago at this point. That just doesn’t seem right. Still, one can take solace in if this is true then the Bears will certainly be favored in the push for the top pick in the draft yes?
Sorry. Even there they seem to get screwed to a slight degree.
A 5% chance for the top pick and 27% for a top five position. While that ranks 10th among teams in the league it still feels rather weak and a testament to the position they find themselves. Experts no longer believe they’re a bottom dweller thanks to the work done this offseason. At the same time, after years of losing they can’t be trusted with the faith of making a run.
This begs the question. Will the Bears follow the prediction or blow it to smithereens? Fans will have to discuss which they’d prefer. Of course making the playoffs is preferred, but would they rather go 7-9 as an average team or have a shot at the #1 pick? Discuss.
Everybody has talked about what the Chicago Bears have gained in 2018. That’s no surprise given the massive turnover across the roster, especially the offense. Not enough time has been spent pondering some of the names they lost. Not just the big names but those who might be somewhat overlooked and undervalued.
Chief among those players is Mitch Unrein. Nobody is saying the veteran defensive end was a stud, but he made for a steady presence alongside Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks. He defended the run well and had a career-best 2.5 sacks. His leaving for Tampa Bay in free agency opens a rather puzzling hole at defensive end for them.
Hicks and Goldman are the mainstays up front but they can’t afford to have a constant weakness holding them back at that third position. So the competition to see who fills it will be more important in training camp than people think. Who’s the favorite? Most casual fans would have the easy answer.
They’d be wrong.
Roy Robertson-Harris emerging as favorite to claim starting job
The common answer to the question would be Johnathan Bullard. He’s the former third round pick of the Bears in 2016. He seemed to show marked progress in 2017. He still had just one sack but he was solid in run defense, forced a fumble and also deflected two passes. Many feel this could be his year to ascend.
However, there is another 2016 alum who might be poised to steal that shot from him. According to Bears defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, the team has been especially impressed with the progress Roy Robertson-Harris continues to make.
“He doesn’t have the mass, meaning the 300-and-plus pounds that maybe somebody else does. But he’s big and he’s strong. He can move. He can swivel his hips a little bit. And he does have a good burst, so he’ll make a lot of hustle plays.
He got a full season of what it’s like. Now he’s got an expectation that’s a little bit different, almost a higher expectation for himself because he understands it. It’s just a matter of going out there and mastering all the techniques, run and pass, in order to get production on the field.”
Watch #74. That's Roy Robertson-Harris with a mad bull rush, driving the OG into Mariota's lap. He's really progressing fast. #Bearspic.twitter.com/lnU6MeZ8EV
What’s amazing is how swift the transition for Robertson-Harris has been.
Keep in mind he was signed as an edge rusher and outside linebacker in undrafted free agency from Texas-El Paso. So not only was he making a huge jump in competition, he was also going to switch position for the 4-3 defensive end spot he played in college. Then things got worse when he missed the season due to a severe heat-related illness suffered in training camp.
By 2017 he was healthy but also switching positions again, this time to 3-4 defensive. He had to learn a totally different style of play while also trying to pack on several pounds from the 255 he weighed coming into the league. The fact he was able to do that and contribute so soon with two sacks last season is a testament to his hard work and natural talent.
The Bears are excited to see what will happen now that the game has slowed down for him and his body is built to proper proportions. Could he do even more damage with starter snaps? They seem interested in finding out.
Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan hold three of the Bulls' four Larry O'Brien trophies in front of a jam-packed Grant Park during their championship rally in 1996.
The Finals!
As I sit here writing this, the current time is 7:30 AM CST, and game two of part (what seems like) 45 Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors is upon us.
It seems everyone (even casual basketball fans) have their own opinion concerning this Finals 4-peat of inseparable foes. Some say it’s exciting based on the sole fact that it is unprecedented.
While some may not even tune in because the narrative of Steph Curry and the Harlem Shakes vs. LeBron and the Chalk Tossers is simply played out. Others want to see if Kevin Durant will finally shake the traitor narrative and finally eat at the big table.
Finals Nostalgia
Seemingly not long ago (even though it was, unfortunately, fucking eons ago), the Bulls were quite literally in the Finals conversation every single year. Chicago fans were in heaven and anyone who wasn’t could go (insert derogatory slang here). Let’s face it, the Warriors, much like those Bulls, are here to stay. And while LeBron IS currently the world’s greatest player, he has been playing basketball at the highest level for damn near half his life, and inevitably the mightiest will fall. Odds are, that happens before the Warriors are finished etching their story into the annals of NBA lore.
So, in sobering acknowledgment that the Bulls are far removed from the greatness we are witnessing in the Finals, we’ll revisit those times once again. Not to compare, but to appreciate their greatness and possibly find some hidden facts that could make this broken record fun again.
The Goal
Getting down to brass tacks, Based on a myriad of factors, I will attempt to rank the six Bulls championship teams of the nineties.
Before you leave, this is not the same old song and dance based simply on record or Jordan’s stats. We will look at opponents basic and advanced stats as well as Jordan’s counterparts and their effectiveness. So for example, the 95-96 Bulls may not be the best simply because they went 72-10. Or, the 1992 version of Michael Jordan may not be the best simply because he scored more points (759) that postseason than any of his other Finals runs.
Perhaps, the ’93 team that beat the Suns was best? Defeating a Sir Charles that boasted the most win shares in the playoffs and was coming off not only an MVP season but an Olympic run where he led the dream team in PPG. So with that being said, let’s dig in.
1992 was an interesting, albeit, down year all things considered.
The Showtime Lakers were officially no more with Magic retiring. Which meant the Clippers finished with a better record than the Lakers for perhaps the first time in… ever. There was only one 60 win team in all the NBA, your Chicago Bulls. A total of 8 teams between the two conferences managed to make the playoffs with fewer than 50 wins. The mighty Pistons were officially mediocre, etc. etc..
Needless to say, the league was pretty weak.
Yet, somehow despite all this, a Bulls team that compiled a 67-15 record whilst capitalizing on said weaknesses managed to lose 7 games during the 1992 playoffs.
Sure they won it all, but ouch.
The overall record of their playoff opponents was a respectable 203-125 (.619%). However, they faced only two Hall of Famers en route to their second title. Those were, Patrick Ewing in the second round and of course Clyde Drexler in the Finals.
The Bulls 15 wins were by an average of 14.9 points. Highly respectable, but come on, it probably should have been higher.
‘Five Thirty-Eight’ claims this is the toughest challenge the Chicago Bulls ever faced in the Finals during the Jordan era.
I call bullshit.
The article I’m referencing is only accessible if you’re a shmuck and pay for ESPN “Insider.”
A shmuck like me.
If you’d like to read a drawn out boring piece of shit and dissect it for thirty minutes like I did… just email me. I’d be more than happy to give you my login.
Oh… and spoiler alert. 1993 was a mother fucker. Stay tuned for more on that.
An estimated 44 percent of Las Vegas homes tuned into Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, a new record for Vegas sports.
When the NHL announced its newest expansion team would call Las Vegas home, there were mixed reviews in the hockey universe. How could hockey work in a city like Vegas, one that has never been home to a professional sports franchise (unless you count the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels of the late-1980s/early-1990’s a pro team, which may make sense if you saw what kind of cars the players drove to practice back then)?
And, yet, here the Vegas Golden Knights stand, three wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup over their heads as they share a storybook journey with the city of Las Vegas and southern Nevada.
Critics of the move are now shoveling massive amounts of crow into their mouths this week as the Stanley Cup Final ratings totals for what has already been a monumentally successful inaugural campaign for the Golden Knights hit the wire. Both Games 1 and 2 scored record ratings for Las Vegas as well as NBC Sports, which aired Game 2 on its NBCSN network. The series opener delivered a 3.72 overnight rating, the highest for a Stanley Cup finals Game 1 since 2015, while Game 2 hit a three-year high with a 2.8 overnight rating.
Capitals-Golden Knights Game 2 overnights hit three-year high. Fifth-best SCF overnight ever on NBCSN.
24% decline from Game 1 is actually the smallest drop from NBC to NBCSN in several years: https://t.co/ZuV7x6OTro
The Vegas market was even more impressive. It’s estimated roughly 44 percent of Las Vegas homes were tuned in to Game 1 on NBC and 19.8 percent tuned in for Wednesday evening’s broadcast on NBCSN. There was a 24 percent decline from Game 1 to Game 2, the smallest drop from NBC to NBCSN in several years.
So much for hockey drying out here in the desert. Yeah, but what about merchandise sales? According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Golden Knights have sold more merchandise this year than any other U.S.-based NHL franchise. So, in ‘Murica, the Golden Knights are kings.
It was almost as if southern Nevada didn’t have a population of 1.2 million-plus. Las Vegas has a population of roughly 633,000, which is somewhat small if it were the only market. It isn’t. I’d bet the rest of the nation slept on good old Henderson, which has another 300,000 or so residents. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Henderson and Vegas are basically the “boroughs” of Sin City. Spit one way or the other, and you might hit Vegas and you may hit Henderson. That close. Oh, and North Las Vegas? Another 239,000. Borough No. 3.
Oh, did I mention it is also the Entertainment Capital of the World? We take in about 40 million visitors every year, like clockwork. Somehow this didn’t qualify as “ready” to so many “experts.” Winnipeg, on the other hand, has roughly 705,000 residents. Seattle’s population? Also around 705,000. Quebec City? Maybe 532,000. Apparently experts don’t do math “too good.”
Here’s how I picture these “experts,” as they sit around, spewing out their “hot takes” over what is, I’m sure, some sort of pretentious dinner consisting of sea bass and caviar downed with a cool, quenching glass of ignorance.
Critics were lightning quick to criticize the move, second-guessing what was sound research by the NHL powers-that-be of a market absolutely thirsting for a major league sports team. “Quebec City,” they cried. “Seattle’s a better fit,” they whined (which worked, because Seattle is next on this NHL expansion train). In the heat of the moment, the hot takes abounded all over social media.
Las Vegas hockey team will flop so hard, if you're in Vegas you're not going to a hockey game
One of these yahoos even doubled down on it and took an even more extreme stance. This dude managed to lump the Golden Knights in with the Los Angeles Rams, who — despite playing in an ancient and decrepit Los Angeles Coliseum that seats 93,607 — brought in an average of more than 63,000 per game last season. It’s a double-victory for tweets that don’t age well.
Football won't work in LA just like hockey won't work in Las Vegas #NFL#NHL#relocation
Contrary to what the interwebs expertise told us, deep down we all knew — here in Vegas — the Golden Knights would be a hot ticket, win or lose, this year. I mean, this is the city that managed to give comedian Jeff Beacher his own show at Hard Rock, with great success. If Tiny Kiss and a giant dancing sock monkey can sell out every night here, I’m going to go out on a limb and say NHL hockey, in a city more than ready for major league sports, can handle it too.
If not, maybe they’ll bring back Beacher’s Madhouse instead.
Former Texas center Mo Bamba, one of the most exciting prospects in the upcoming NBA draft, worked out for the Bulls today. By all accounts the workout went very well.
Draft prospect Mo Bamba joined the #Bulls for a workout today 👀
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) June 1, 2018
A month ago, you could have said Bamba would probably be available at #7. But then the NBA combine happened, making it far less likely he falls outside of the top 5.
Both the eye test and the statistics show that Bamba has a really good chance of becoming a game-changing defender and rebounder at the NBA level. He led the Big 12, arguably the most competitive conference in college basketball last year, in blocks and rebounds as a 19-year-old freshman.
1. Mo Bamba (7'10) 2. Udoka Azubuike (7'7) 3. Jaren Jackson (7'5.25) T-4. Isaac Haas / Austin Wiley (7'5) 6. Ray Spalding (7'4.75) 7. Wendell Carter (7'4.5) 8. Bruno Fernando (7'4.25) 9. Kevin Hervey (7'3.5) 10. Keita Bates-Diop (7'3.25) pic.twitter.com/tQttHKlPVB
In a draft filled with post prospects, Bamba might have the highest ceiling of all. Deandre Ayton is the class favorite, but he was less dominant than he could have been at Arizona while seeming disengaged far too often during big games. Still, it would be a shock if Ayton fell outside the top-2.
Marvin Bagley’s defensive concerns may be stronger than Bamba’s offensive ones, and Jarren Jackson Jr. was the #4 option on a not-that-loaded Michigan State squad.
Bamba is considered an offensive project, and he likely is. But you could argue the concerns over his offensive games are nitpicky and overblown.
He averaged 13 points a game on 54% shooting. More importantly, he’s already started to develop a 3-point shot. Granted he only made 27.5% of his 51 attempts, but the work ethic and the desire to succeed is already there.
Pay no attention to the makes and misses, as there are literally no defenders contesting him, pay attention to the stroke. That’s not at all an ugly or unfixable shooting form.
If Bamba stays healthy, he could have the same defensive impact as Rudy Gobert, Deandre Jordan and Tyson Chandler have had. Imagine how good any of those three players would be if they had a jump shot?
With the young core the Bulls have in place, Bamba would fit in swimmingly as a monster rim protector and will immediately contribute offensively as a rebounding, screen setting, rim rolling big with potential pick-and-pop capability.
Mo Bamba calls the Bulls one of the best fits for him in this draft.
CHICAGO, IL- JANUARY 03: Matt Forte #22 of the Chicago Bears shakes hands with the fans after the game against the Detroit Lions on January 3, 2016 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Lions won 24-20. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Now that Matt Forte is retired, he doesn’t have to worry about angering teams with his words anymore. He’s free to say what he liked. So the former Chicago Bears two-time Pro Bowl running back decided open up for the first time about his excellent NFL career and all his personal thoughts regarding it, his former teams, teammates and the league in general.
Forte was considered by many to be part of a new generation of running backs. A type that fully embraced the multidimensional style of both running and catching the ball. There were greats before him like Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk, but few made look smoother than Forte. He stepped away with 14,468 total yards from scrimmage including 75 touchdowns.
He caught 554 passes in his career including an NFL running back record of 102 in the 2014 season. For a long stretch, he was the Bears offense and there wasn’t a close second. Everybody has their favorite moments with him, but it might be even more interesting to hear what his might be.
Matt Forte reveals his best (and worst) Bears moments
Kaylyn Kahler of The MMQB got a chance to sit down with Forte and talk about his career in great detail. They covered a wide range of topics from his current state of health, the reason why he retired and what the future of running backs in the NFL may look like. Soon she got to asking him about his favorite moment of his career.
It wasn’t hard to find an answer.
“THE MMQB: What would you say was your career highlight?
There are many highlights, which is why I felt so good about shutting it down. My rookie year, my very first game, being able to come out on a large stage and rush for over 120 yards and have a big long touchdown run in front of my parents, my first touchdown run, that was awesome.”
Forte broke the play down to an incredible level of detail. The Bears had been throwing it on third down all game. So on the play, they decided to run a trap up the middle, knowing the Colts defense had two interior pass rushers on the field. Thanks to a huge cut block by Roberto Garza on a linebacker, he slipped right through the line and into the open field.
He then put a move on future Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea and raced the remaining distance untouched for the score. Chicago won 29-13. It was quite the first impression for a rookie who wasn’t slated to be the starter before the season.
That said, not all of his Bears career was joyous
He had his moments of frustration with the team. One that still sticks with him to this day was their signing of veteran running back Chester Taylor in 2010. Many felt he’d be their third down back, but Forte felt the move was pointless and only served to antagonize him.
“THE MMQB: Did you ever have to fight with coaches to stay on the field?
FORTE: No, they left me out there. And that was the thing I was fighting against when I was doing my contract negotiation. My third year going into the league they brought in a third-down back, Chester Taylor. And nothing against Chester, but I played on third down. So I was like, why? And then he was making millions more than me because was still on my rookie contract.”
It’s hard to argue his point. Taylor averaged just 2.6 yards rushing that year and caught 20 passes. He was eventually relegated to a role as a short-yardage back while Forte took most of the snaps in other situations. Taylor was gone by the next season, making one wonder why it was ever a smart idea to sign him to a four-year, $12.5 million deal.
It might explain why Forte gave the team a lot of grief in future contract negotiations a couple years later. Hard to argue his reasoning.
Game day. 4:13 a.m. As with every playoff game day, I can’t sleep much. Too excited and sleep seems like a waste of time. I have two tickets in my Flash Seats account. Not seats I’m proud of (upper level) but still seats to the Stanley Cup Final. Can’t complain. The seats cost me $875, but I’m pretty sure I can flip them and pocket some money. My wife and I have decided this is the best course of action to offset our costs for our ridiculous Game 1 experience.
By 9:00 a.m., I’ve had quite a few offers on my tickets. I begrudgingly unload them and text my wife. She’s happy because it’s profit for us, and she could use her husband at home to help with the kids and a few odd jobs around the house. The feeding, bathing, brushing, flossing, pajamas, bedtime story, and shut-eye routine is exhausting, even more so when you have to go it alone. Mad respect to all single parents out there. I seriously don’t know how you do it, and — keep in mind — we’ve been playing this playoff ticket “Game of Thrones” since April 11th. April 11th!
It has literally been an extra quarter of a season. Love it!
When 12:30 p.m. rolls around, regret has sunk in like Mark Grace after a failed slump buster left a little too much peanut butter and pasta sauce on his couch. I’m mad at myself. Disgusted. Terrible self-loathing. I’ve sold my tickets, my soul, for what? A few hundred extra dollars? I can’t miss this game.
WHAT WAS I THINKING? Shame!….Shame!…Shame!
The clock strikes 1 p.m. and I’m looking for a single ticket. I decide I’ll go to the game if I can find an affordable ticket and I’ll cheer for the Knights on behalf of my wife, because we are “one” in marriage so, if I’m there, simple logic tells me she is there too. I convince myself I’m being selfless and my lovely wife will agree with this logic. It’s all making sense to me now.
2:10 p.m. — I decide to call my wife and explain to her why I really should be at the game. I figure a call is more personal than a text. I practice my speech, using all the different husband tones we’ve all learned over time. After I select the proper delivery method, I make the call. No answer.
2:30 p.m. — I go old school analog. No texts, no calls, no emails. I leave the handwritten note. When’s the last time you left a note for someone? I mean, back in the 80’s we used to leave them all the time. We’d pass them in class for the teacher to eventually intercept and read to the rest of the class as a form public shaming. We wrote notes asking our crushes to check Box No. 1 to “be our girlfriend,” or Box No. 2 for “No,” or — as I like to call it — total heartbreak destruction.
Hopefully this letter would not bring such utter destruction. Hopefully.
Went to store, be back soon…at Tom’s house…ran to the bank…I didn’t really know what to write so I garnered inspiration from one of my favorite movie characters of all time — The Shawshank Redemption’s Andy Dufresne.
Sometimes, though, your grand plan falls apart, as all things do, and sometimes, your wife publicly shames you like your middle school teacher used to.
Anyone have a couch I can borrow until Game 5? Talk about a make-up game! Until then, I’ll be watching the Golden Knights play in DC from a place we married men know of as “The Doghouse.”As I headed out to my new cell, my wife called back to me one more time. My ears perked up, thinking she would forgive me. Instead, she countered with these words:
“I believe in two things: the Golden Knights and the Bible. Here you’ll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord; your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank, Stafford.”
Part of having success in the NFL draft is being able to secure good players at an optimal value. In other words, drafting them at a pick position that is actually far later than they should’ve gone. Long-term evaluations later call these players “steals.” The Chicago Bears draft history is filled with a number of such types, and it appears the team feels they got another one.
Most would assume it’s one of the first three picks. Getting Roquan Smith at #8 or James Daniels at #39 have been called great value picks by several experts. Smith is considered the best linebacker in the 2018 class. Many felt Daniels was the best center. Not bad work. Then there was the trade up for Anthony Miller whom some saw as the best wide receiver.
Any of them could be the choice for the biggest steal. However, one Bears coach believes the team got a huge scoop later in the draft. One people might not expect.
Chicago Bears draft grade was high on sixth rounder Kylie Fitts
Probably the man who has the toughest job in 2018 for the Bears is outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley. Not only is he entering the NFL for the first time as a coach, he’s inherited what might be the weakest position on the entire roster. Former mainstays Pernell McPhee, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston were gone before he could even settle in. Leonard Floyd still isn’t back from his knee injury as well.
There is a ton of unproven names on the depth chart, and the team didn’t make a strong push in free agency to provide help. The only notable addition was former 49ers edge rusher Aaron Lynch. That meant they needed to find help in the draft, but even there it seemed the investment was lacking.
Only sixth round pick Kylie Fitts out of Utah was added. Bitterly disappointing to many fans, one man who was happy about it? Staley. He explained why.
“We had a lot higher grade on him than where he was drafted. He does a little bit of everything well. He’s a shade under 6-4, but he’s 263 [pounds]. So he’s a big guy. He can run. And then he did 31 reps on the bench press. So this guy’s got a lot of the tools that you’re looking for.”
The lack of excitement over Fitts was understandable
He spent a huge chunk of his college career on the sidelines with various injuries. After enduring such an avalanche of injuries over the past few years, Bears fans wouldn’t be interested in hearing about another player who can’t stay healthy. That said there were glimpses of serious talent. Talent which he flashed a ton at the Senior Bowl prior to the draft.
Here is Kylie Fitts beating Brandon Parker 1-on-1 at this year's @seniorbowl
He’s got the mix of size, quickness, and athleticism that can make him an effective outside linebacker. Staley feels Fitts would’ve gone much higher in the draft if not for the injury concerns. How high? Judging by his good tape it’s likely he could’ve cracked Day 2 in the third or even second round had he put together a more complete college run.
Of course, that’s mere speculation. Staley feels Fitts can plug the hole in the roster at outside linebacker for the Bears. Let’s find out if he’s right or just blowing smoke.
In recent news, the Chicago Blackhawks have been tied to the New York Islanders’ franchise center, John Tavares. Elliotte Friedman, a Canadian sports journalist and a regular panelist on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, was the latest to make a connection between Tavares and the Blackhawks. Friedman said,
“They’re not going to tolerate being that bad again, they’re going to try something. I think they’ll make a run at John Tavares too. I do, i think they’ll ask, is there any way we can get him here?”
Friedman is absolutely right. There is no way in hell that the Blackhawks’ organization will allow the dumpster fire that was the 2017-18 season to happen again. Now I know someone somewhere is saying, “Crawford was injured for most of the season.” While Crawford is very important to the Blackhawks, he only plays one position. Every single player and coach on the team failed to live up to the expectations that were placed on them. 2017-18 was a total loss on all ends. No ifs, ands, or buts.
In one of my previous articles, I had mentioned that Stan Bowman is well aware of the hot seat that he has created for himself, and this offseason, he is looking to do something drastic in order to save his behind.
Enter John Tavares.
John Tavares Sweepstakes
Come one, come all. The John Tavares sweepstakes are now underway. The price tag on a player of Tavares’ caliber is well worth it. He is the total package, and his offensive and defensive awareness are off the charts. To put it simply, Tavares makes your players better and your team better. To get a better idea of how good John Tavares is, check out these stellar numbers.
If you are not really a numbers person, don’t worry about it. I have you covered. Here is a compilation of John Tavares’ greatest hits for you instead.
As you can see, Tavares is the real deal and a proven leader. He is a beast on both ends of the ice and preys on opponents’ mistakes. He has that killer instinct and can score from just about anywhere, and also, creates for his teammates. Another thing Tavares brings to the table is his experience in the brightest lights and on the biggest stages, as he has participated in the NHL playoffs on three different occasions and also played for Team Canada in international play. What is not to like? I will go ahead and answer that for you – nothing.
How Does Tavares Fit in Chicago?
Free Agency officially begins July 1st and John Tavares is an unrestricted free agent. As soon as Free Agency starts, anything goes. Now, I know that you are probably thinking there is no way that the Blackhawks can afford Tavares. Not true and I will show you how.
In my article about the Blackhawks’ 2018 offseason priorities, I discussed affordable free agent targets and I also mentioned that the NHL salary cap is expected to increase anywhere from $78-82 million this year. It is looking like it will be around $80 million. Either way, the increase would benefit the Blackhawks’ cap space situation. The Blackhawks will have between $8-12 million in cap space burning a hole in their pockets this offseason. There are a number of situations that would allow for the Blackhawks to bring John Tavares onboard. Let me break it down for you and show you what I believe is the most realistic path to Tavares.
First, the salary cap increases to $80 million. Second, Marian Hossa’s remaining cap hit problem can be alleviated a few different ways. My plan is to find a trade partner who is looking to meet the salary cap floor, such as the Arizona Coyotes or Florida Panthers. I went with the Arizona Coyotes. Third, find a trade partner for Artem Anisimov. In this case, I ended up trading Anisimov to Florida and I held onto $550,000 of his salary. Next, I signed UFA Ian Cole (D) to a 1-year contract worth $2.5 million and I re-signed Anthony Duclair, John Hayden, and Vinnie Hinostroza all to 3-year deals worth $1.5 million per year. I “drafted” defenseman Quinn Hughes 8th overall, and then, signed him to a 3-year entry level deal worth $800,000 per year. Then, I finally signed UFA John Tavares to a 5-year deal worth $10 million per year.
After trading Hossa and Anisimov, and signing Tavares, Cole, Duclair, Hayden, and Hinostroza, I also made a few roster moves. I assigned Victor Ejdsell, Dylan Sikura, David Kampf, and Collin Delia to the Chicago Blackhawks’ active roster and sent Anton Forsberg down to the Rockford IceHogs.
My Proposed 2018-19 Chicago Blackhawks Roster
After all of my moves, this is what my roster looks like.
I made this visual of my proposed team via Cap Friendly.
After every move, I ended up with $1,849,455 in cap space for the 2018-19 season. Not bad for a day’s work, right? If Stan Bowman really wanted to save his behind and get back into contention quickly, my plan or something similar to it should be highly considered.
It wouldn’t be surprising if 2018 ended up being the best offseason Ryan Pace has had as Chicago Bears GM. The work he did overhauling the coaching staff and the roster, especially on offense, has earned almost universal praise from peers and the national media alike. They feel he’s gotten his team a massive step closer to contention.
Yet, as the saying goes you can’t please everybody. One person who had a minor criticism, intentional or not, was defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. That may sound odd to think about. After all, Pace successfully retained all three starting corners including Kyle Fuller on new deals. He also delivered a first round pick to the defense with Roquan Smith.
So what exactly could Fangio be upset about? It has to do with the same criticism that fans and some media have continued to level against Pace since before free agency and the draft began. His inability to properly fortify the pass rush.
Fangio gives lukewarm response to Ryan Pace work on Bears pass rush
There is no such thing as short-selling the importance of rushing the quarterback in the NFL. Want an idea of how much? Of the teams that finished in the top 10 in sacks for 2017, seven of them made the playoffs. Chicago was among those 10 but was undone by their often anemic offense. Since the end of last season, thing haven’t improved. At least not on paper.
The Bears chose to cut veterans Pernell McPhee and Willie Young. Lamarr Houston was allowed to leave as well in free agency. Those three accounted for 10 sacks last year despite missing a number of games. In their place, the Bears have added Aaron Lynch (1.5 sacks in 2017) and sixth round rookie Kylie Fitts. Not the most inspiring overhaul.
Though Fangio remains confident, he also didn’t seem too impressed with Pace’s work.
“There is a little bit of question there of depth and depth quality. But we are confident that the guys we have there, somebody will surface to be the two starters and couple of backups we need.”
Outside of Leonard Floyd, the team has nothing.
Or at least nothing proving. Even Floyd himself comes with question marks after a knee injury ended his 2017 season early. Can he stay healthy for a full season? After that, it’s all question marks. Lynch has consistency issues. Acho is a career reserve who’s in his 30s. Isaiah Irving was a preseason standout as an undrafted rookie but did nothing with his few chances in the regular season. Fitts has loads of injury concerns from his time at Utah.
Fangio just isn’t sure if they have enough.
“Time will tell. We think that Leonard, when he’s healthy, has proven to be proficient enough. Lynch has had a checkered career, to say the least, but there has been some display of talent throughout his career at times. Hopefully we can get that to be more consistent. Sam Acho made some improvements last year in that area. We’ll see how Isaiah and these young guys come along.”
In truth, the past rush will hinge around two men this year. That being Floyd and defensive end Akiem Hicks. When they work in tandem the results have been solid. It’s a matter of whether they can stay on the field together. If either of them goes down with injury, the Bears could be caught in the worst possible position given the QB-rich schedule they’re set to face in 2018.
