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Bears Finally Get Some Help For Their Pass Rush Problem

By
Erik Lambert
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aaron lynch

There was a valid argument that edge rusher was by far the biggest problem on the Chicago Bears roster going into this off-season. Now that the team used their spending spree to secure two upgrades at wide receiver in Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, there is no longer an argument. Thankfully GM Ryan Pace seemed aware of the problem and took his first step towards a resolution by signing Aaron Lynch.

The former San Francisco 49er just turned 25-years old. He was drafted back in 2014 where he became a high-upside developmental project for then-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The results were promising as he had six sacks that year. He equaled that amount in 2015 but has since regressed in his ability to produce. No doubt the Bears are hoping a reunion with Fangio can reawaken his potential.

Lynch has only played 14 games the past two seasons. His role on defense gradually diminished as the schemes continued to change. One of the problems that bedeviled him was a simple lack of stability. One year he’s playing outside linebacker and the next he’s a defensive end. It’s hard to find any sort of groove when that happens to a young player.

He should get plenty of opportunities to prove his doubters wrong in Chicago. Outside of Leonard Floyd the team has no definitive starter on the roster. Lynch should be given every chance to earn it come training camp. Don’t expect the Bears to be done at that position though. Likely at least two more additions are coming with one expected in the draft.

Taylor Gabriel’s First Question to Mitch Trubisky Drew Epic Response

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky taylor gabriel

The Taylor Gabriel Mitch Trubisky dynamic is something Chicago Bears fans may fall in love with. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy had a clear vision when the wide receiver was signed. Gabriel made a name for himself in Atlanta as a big play threat. He was quick, athletic and blazing fast. It wouldn’t be hard for Nagy to get instant visions of Tyreek Hill watching his tape.

The Bears offense has been trying to find a true speed threat ever since Pace became GM. Their most recent attempt, Markus Wheaton, was a total disaster. The hope is Gabriel can succeed where he failed. Or at the very least make more than five catches. One thing is for sure. Gabriel is already getting into the good graces of his quarterback.

In fact, the two didn’t waste much time in meeting. Gabriel was anxious to get to know Trubisky and even had a great first question for him. Yet that paled in comparison to the response he got.

Taylor Gabriel Mitch Trubisky connection will entertain on and off field

They say Trubisky has a bit of swag about him. Gabriel seems to respect guys who carry themselves with a bit of attitude. Safe to say the young QB passed the first test. They should be able to make some sweet music together. Gabriel might not be quite the talent Hill is, but he’s no slouch. The versatile game-breaking ability he has is rare, especially if utilized in the right system.

Few coaches likely have a better idea of what Gabriel can do and how to get the most from him than Nagy. For an example, in 2016 he was the fourth-most targeted receiver on the Falcons roster. Matt Ryan threw to him just 50 times. Yet he managed to put up 35 catches for 569 yards and six touchdowns. That was despite not being anywhere close to a feature target in the passing game.

Imagine what might happen if the Bears change that. Gabriel seems intent on making it happen. Becoming buds with Trubisky is a great means to that end. The fact Gabriel will have Allen Robinson and Cameron Meredith peeling away coverages from him makes the idea of his signing all the sweeter. At this point all Trubisky has to do is look his way and try to get the ball in his general vicinity.

Don’t be surprised if he and Tarik Cohen try to one-up each other all season long.

Allen Robinson’s Controversial Nickname Will Draw Critics From Everywhere

By
Sports Mockery
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chicago bears

Everyone in Chicago is excited about their newly signed WR1 Allen Robinson, or at least those who know who he is. The 24 year-old Pro Bowler is coming off an ACL tear but has already shown tons of potential throughout his first four seasons in the league. Very comparable to a young Brandon Marshall, minus the split personality, Robinson has over 200 career receptions along with 22 touchdowns.

As Bears fans flock to follow his Twitter account, Robinson’s nickname has become a topic of conversation and it could likely get much more attention very soon. As the entire nation watched high school students walk out of class yesterday to “protest guns,” Robinson’s twitter handle is @Thee_AR15 … or “The AR-15.”

This is simply a combination of his initials and his number….. but, unless you’ve had your head buried in a bottle of whiskey for the last few months, you’re likely very aware that the AR-15 weapon is one of the most debated topics in the country right now. Primarily related to politics, and the second amendment, there is a raging argument underway to ban the AR-15 from the United States as it’s been used in the last few school shootings.

How the hell can a professional athlete market themselves with a nickname like that?

You really can’t blame Robinson for this, he’s carried that nickname for a while and there was no way to know the weapon reference would take such a wild public turn. However, the nation is currently divided with the “AR-15” as the center of debate in relation to high school kids dying. Not quite something Robinson will want his name to be linked to.

That being said, we’ve come up with a new alternatives for him….

  • ARob
  • Trubisky’s Savior
  • BMarsh #2
  • AR
  • A Better Alshon Jeffery

Just a few suggestions, I’m sure you can come up with more. In any case, Chicago is one of the most liberal cities in the entire country, whether you agree with it or not, Robinson’s publicist is likely going to tell him to take a long hard look at that nickname and come up with something else. That’s the world we live in today.

F*ck politics.

Anthony Rizzo Has A Message For The Loyola Men’s Basketball Team

By
Gus
-

Today is the first full day of March madness games and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s the two days out of the year that I walk into work and act like I’m getting something accomplished — when in reality, I have the live stream of every game minimized on my computer.

I wish every day was like March.

The unanimous Cinderella story in the 2018 tournament comes straight out of the city of Chicago. The eleventh-seeded Loyola Ramblers are playing in the tournament for the first time since 1985 and have a tough first round draw when they face the sixth-seeded Miami Hurricanes today at 2:10 PM.

The Ramblers have everyone in Chicago pulling for them today, including Cubs superstar Anthony Rizzo.

Since I’m not off until 4:00 today, there may or may not be a good chance that I’ll be catching the Ramblers and Hurricanes later on today — and possibly doing some actual work as well.

Three Time Pro Bowler Just Hit The Market, Watch Closely Bears Fans

By
Sports Mockery
-

Breaking news out of Miami, the Dolphins have released center Mike Pouncey after he wasn’t willing to take a pay cut. The three-time Pro Bowler is only 28 years old and would fit quite nicely in between Kyle Long and Cody Whitehair making this a very interesting situation for Bears fans to watch.

The brother of six-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, Mike is reportedly “heart-broken” after Miami failed to honor his contract.

This move by the Dolphins could play directly into Chicago’s favor. The Bears have multiple needs on their offensive line but landing Pouncey could give them one of the strongest interiors in the league. You’d have to think protecting Mitch Trubisky is high on Ryan Pace’s priority list making Pouncey an ideal signing that fills a direct need.

The Dolphins appear to be entering full rebuild as they traded Jay Ajayi and parted ways with Jarvis Landry, Ndamukong Suh and now Pouncey. This gives the Bears a rare shot at an elite interior lineman.

Back in 2011, when Pouncey was drafted 15th overall by Miami, the Bears were consistently linked to him in the media. Chicago has an entirely new regime now, but the need on the interior of the offensive line remains especially with the recent release of Josh Sitton.

The Chicago Bears have a press conference scheduled for 2pm today to announce their new class of free agents, adding Pouncey into that mix would immediately elevate the offensive line and give Trubisky three of the best interior players in football.

NOTE: There is an injury concern here as Pouncey was told by doctors he might need a hip replacement before he’s forty, but that hasn’t affected his stellar play on the field. He also won’t be forty for 11 more years. (h/t Joel Greggio)

Watch this one closely.

Lauri Markkanen Out Again With “Back Spasms”

By
Patrick Mooney
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The 23-44 Bulls have tried just about everything to lose more games after the all-star break. For the most part, it has worked. They’ve lost nine of their last 12, but the problem is the bottom seven teams in the league have been worse. The Bulls are now closer in the standings to the league’s ninth-worst team than the seventh-worst team, despite the Bulls being on pace to win just 26 games!

With 15 games to go and the fifth worst record in the league within striking distance (2.5 games), the Bulls have a chance at one more push towards the bottom of the standings.

Back spasms ya say?

Most of the time I feel good, but then sometimes it just hits like sharp. So I don’t even know exactly what’s the movement that bothers me more. Right now I feel pretty good.”

What’s that Lauri? Not every physical movement you make is 100% pain-free 67 games into your rookie season? You should probably take a week or four off.

The Bulls have struggled to lose against their tanking counterparts, primarily because of the Markkanen-Dunn-LaVine duo. By taking one of the three out of the lineup tonight against the dreadful Grizzlies (and again next week when the Bulls travel to New York) maybe the Bulls will be able to slide a few spots down the standings by season’s end.

 

Three Reasons Tyrann Mathieu Likely Won’t Land In Chicago

By
Sports Mockery
-

The Arizona Cardinals recently released their former Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu. At just 25 years old, with four years of NFL experience, Mathieu is entering the prime of his career. Arizona reportedly released him because he wasn’t willing to take a pay cut.

With two years left on his contract, Mathieu was set to get $18.8 million guaranteed to him on March 16th but the Cardinals cut him before that could happen after they failed to renegotiate a new contract. So, now the NFL world is waiting to see where he lands with Chicago fans excited about another possible huge free agent splash by Ryan Pace. Unfortunately, that excitement is likely to end with disappointment because Mathieu really doesn’t fit with the Bears. Here’s three reasons why.

  1. Mathieu claims he wants to WIN above anything else and Chicago has finished last in their division for four straight years. “It’s not all about money for me,” said Mathieu, ranked No. 5 in NFL.com’s Top 101 Free Agents of 2018. “I want to go somewhere where I can be completely immersed in football, and it’s not too much about anything but winning. I want to be a part of winning culture, where you feel that all the time. That’s all I want.” A winning culture is something Pace is trying to build but definitely not something the Bears currently have.
  2. Nobody has selected Chicago as a possible landing spot. Taking into account his salary demands along with his eagerness to win, Mathieu has the ability to pick almost any team in the NFL and nobody expects it to be the Bears. Several teams have been named as possible candidates to land Mathieu by the national media and Chicago isn’t one of them. Favorites include the Jets, Steelers, Patriots, Panthers and Seahawks.
  3. Contract demands do not fit Pace’s history. In 2017, Mathieu was the second highest paid safety in the entire NFL and that likely won’t change when he negotiates his new deal. Pace has been surgical when negotiating contracts and keeping Chicago’s salary cap under control. Mike Glennon was a small mistake, but look how easily he was wiped away because his contract allowed the Bears to do what they needed. Mathieu’s new deal might make him the highest paid safety in the NFL, possibly NFL history, that isn’t a road we’ve seen Pace go down. A perfect example is Jimmy Garoppolo. Everyone expected Chicago to be the perfect landing spot but most people failed to realize that he was going to need a gigantic payday upon leaving the Patriots. Now he’s currently the highest paid player in the NFL for 2018 while Chicago signed several new free agents and rebuilt a large portion of their roster using their salary cap space. This will be Mathieu’s second contract, usually the time when NFL players try to cash in on blockbuster deals with multi-year security.

Most Bears fans would love to see Mathieu in orange and blue, including me, but the possibility of this deal seems low given his salary demands and Pace’s history in Chicago. Something to watch though, that could give this deal hope, is what happens with Bryce Callahan. If the Bears lose him, their need for a playmaking safety / nickelback could drastically increase overnight.

Again though, the chances of Mathieu landing in Chicago are very low so temper your expectations. He has a long history of injury concerns, he will demand a gigantic payday and he wants to win. Don’t bet on the Bears to win this race.

Trubisky Isn’t Only One Who Will Benefit From Bears Free Agent Blitz

By
Erik Lambert
-
jordan howard trade

The Chicago Bears free agent rush the past 48 hours was a sight to behold. For three years GM Ryan Pace had operated with a particular goal in mind. He wanted to spend his cap space diligently, making sure not to make any rash deals. He’d seek out fewer big names on the market and instead focus on adding depth and potential second tier talent that still had room to grow. It’s a mode of operation that worked a couple times, particularly with Akiem Hicks. However, for the most part, Bears free agency operations have struggled.

Pace knew he could no longer sit back like that. He’s yet to produce a winning season and now has a young quarterback to think about. So when the legal tampering period commenced on March 12th, the Bears leading man was ready. In the span of less than a day, he secured the rights to three key additions that could change the entire landscape on offense.

Former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson signed a three-year, $42 million deal. He was soon followed by versatile tight end Trey Burton, arriving on a four-year $32 million contract. Last but not least was speedy receiver Taylor Gabriel, locking up his future for four years at $26 million. Three brand new pass targets, all young and talented. Mitch Trubisky was the obvious beneficiary behind it all.

Except he’s not the only one. There’s another who should be doing cartwheels over this development.

Bears free agent blitz will be a huge help to Jordan Howard

Few men had a harder time finding space to work in 2017 than running back Jordan Howard. That was because he faced a situation where defenses stacked the tackle box with eight or more men 43.12% of the times he touched the ball. Only two other feature running backs, Leonard Fournette and Jonathan Stewart, facing higher percentages. It was a frustrating situation. The fact Howard still ran for over 1,000 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry is impressive.

The Bears though want to do everything in their power to maximize what Howard can do. A great goal would be finding a way to force defenders out of the box. This would give him more space to work with and possibly lead to more big plays.

In 2016 for example, Howard averaged a whopping 6.1 yards per carry when he faced six men or fewer in the box. The last thing opponents want is for him to have room. Yet they no longer have a choice in the matter. The arrivals of Robinson, Gabriel, and Burton combine with Adam Shaheen and a returning Cameron Meredith to provide Trubisky a litany of options in the passing game. A problem opponents didn’t have to deal with last year.

If they try to stack the box in 2018, that will mean one-on-one coverage across the board. If head coach Matt Nagy is as good a play caller as advertised, somebody will be open for Trubisky to find. Then again if the defense tries to drop more men into coverage, it’s one less at the line of scrimmage to stop Howard. It’s a classic football version of a Catch 22. Something the Bears haven’t seen since 2013 with Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett.

That offense finished the year ranked eighth overall. Matt Forte finished that year with career highs in rushing yards (1,339) and rushing touchdowns (9).

Bears Feel They Have a Shot at Trading Failed 2017 Signing

By
Erik Lambert
-
2017 chicago bears free agent class

The 2017 Chicago Bears free agent class still gives some fans nightmares. Aside from the surprising success of cornerback Prince Amukamara, the class was an utter bust. Mike Glennon flamed out after just four games as the starter. Quintin Demps broke his arm before the season barely began. Markus Wheaton failed to even make five catches. Marcus Cooper put himself on blooper reels forever with his botched field goal return. All of those men have since been released. Only one remains standing.

That is tight end Dion Sims. His survival on the roster is a curious one. He was already supplanted as a starter last season by rookie Adam Shaheen. Since then the Bears added even more finality to his place on the roster by locking up free agent Trey Burton. Most would’ve expected the team would be eager to get that $5.66 million cap relief by cutting him loose.

Except it’s never wise to unload an asset that may bring some value. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears think they might have a limited market to trade Simms.

A Simms trade would soften the blow of 2017 Chicago Bears free agent class

“An NFL source said Wednesday night the Bears are believed to be shopping Sims, a move that surely has a timetable attached to it if the team doesn’t want to be on the hook for that base salary guarantee. They probably can’t get much in return considering Sims’ salary but there’s a shortage of accomplished blocking tight ends on the market and general manager Ryan Pace might find a taker.”

The Bears thought Sims had potential as a receiving threat in addition to his solid blocking ability. They were proven incorrect when he managed just 180 yards and a touchdown in 14 games. He had a frequent problem with dropped passes too. That said he wasn’t helped much by poor scheming by the Bears coaching staff. Another team might feel he could provide more value in a better system.

Given the contract and other factors, it’s likely the Bears won’t get more than a late round pick for him, and a conditional one at that. Still, getting anything back for him at this point could be considered a minor victory for GM Ryan Pace as the team prepares to move on from the wreckage of 2017. Either way, it’s clear Sims won’t be a Bear for much longer.

IceHogs Make Playoff Run With Goalie Collin Delia

By
Nicole Capone
-

One goalie in the Chicago Blackhawks organization is delivering, and that is Rockford IceHog, Collin Delia.

The Rockford IceHogs are trying to make a playoff run and if they qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs, Delia deserves some of the credit.

The 23-year-old started out playing college puck at Merrimack College for three seasons. Collin then signed with the Blackhawks last July. What impacted the signing was Delia’s junior season at Merrimack. During the year, Delia had .927 save percentage in 21 games and an eye-catching performance at a prospect camp prior to the signing.

But, similar to the Blackhawks, Delia’s season didn’t get off to a good start either. Delia played 10 games with a 1-7-2 record, 4.12 goals-against average and .887 save percentage.

After his rough patch, Delia made 16 starts for Rockford with an 11-2-3 record since January 6. This past week, Delia played back-to-back games where he made a total of 71 saves allowing only one goal. After this performance, Delia earned AHL Player of the Week honors.

The Ice Hogs have won five of their last seven games with Delia in the net. Rockford now stands two points behind the Grand Rapids Griffins as they fight for a playoff spot. If indeed the IceHogs do make it, Delia will surely be in the net, which means he will get more game and postseason experience, along with other prospects like Gustav Forsling, Anthony Louis and Luc Snuggerud.

In terms of the big picture, Delia’s development and saves like this have given the Blackhawks an AHL goaltender worth watching.

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