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Jordan Howard Casually Trashes Loggains Offense on TV

By
Erik Lambert
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jordan howard

Jordan Howard is not a man known for stirring the pot. Controversy isn’t his thing. Teammates will be the first to tell people that. He’s just a rock solid person who does whatever is asked of him for the good of the team. At the same time, he’s still a human being and a relentless competitor. One doesn’t get to the NFL without those traits. So it’s natural for a competitor to get frustrated.

At first glance, it’s hard to know why he’d be that way. Howard was the focal point of the Bears offense in 2017. He ran the ball more times and scored more touchdowns than he did as a rookie. He also went to his second Pro Bowl. One would think he’d be pretty happy. Except no. Howard has said repeatedly since last year personal stats mean nothing to him. He wants to win and a 5-11 record is not what he had in mind.

A big reason for why things went that way was the poor performance of the offense. Not just their inability to throw the ball due to a lack of talent at wide receiver. Fans were irate with the utterly predictable and two-dimensional nature of its operation. It seems even Howard himself couldn’t stay silent on it anymore.

Jordan Howard calls out former coaches for “basic” offense

Howard took time to make an appearance on the popular NFL Network program called “Good Morning Football.” There he got a chance to talk about his thoughts on the hiring of new head coach Matt Nagy. Though not the emotional type, Howard did seem excited about what the 39-year old could do to help the offense improve. At the same time, he also couldn’t hide a tinge of resentment towards the previous staff for how poorly things were handled this past season.

One can understand the frustration. In 2016, Howard faced a tackle box of eight or more defenders 27.78% of the time. This past year, with the lack of creativity evident almost every week, that number skyrocketed to 43.12%. It’s not much fun having to constantly slam your head against the proverbial wall, taking the abuse and knowing the coaches could be doing more to ease your burden.

Thankfully he’s in store for a treat. Kareem Hunt, the NFL leading rusher this season, played under Nagy in Kansas City. He faced an eight-man or more box just 23.53% of his carries. That was thanks to the formations and play designing Nagy and the Chiefs staff were able to cook up to keep defenders from crowding the line of scrimmage. If the same can be done for Howard moving forward, the result could be huge for Chicago.

Through All Of The Chaos, Re-Signing Mirotic Was Well Worth It

By
Patrick Mooney
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Nikola Mirotic had a long and strange career with the Bulls, but it’s finally over.

After Tuesday’s public debacle about a trade that “fell through”, the Bulls and Pelicans came to an official agreement this afternoon. Mirotic and a 2nd-round pick head to New Orleans, and the Bulls get that first round pick they’ve been seeking, along with a player in Omer Asik who could provide some nice depth at center next season (Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen are also in the deal, but both are likely to be dealt ASAP).

For all of the grief that Gar Forman and John Paxson get from the fans and media, credit where credit is due. If the Bulls gave up on Mirotic this offseason after six years in the organization, like so many people (myself included) wanted them to, the Bulls wouldn’t have gotten the valuable asset they got today.

The Bulls took Mirotic with the 23rd pick in the 2011 draft and stashed him overseas for three seasons, watching him blossom into the MVP of one of the most competitive leagues in Europe.

When he came to The Bulls as a 23-year-old rookie in 2014-15, expectations were high. The Bulls needed as much scoring help as they could get to help their core of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol, but Mirotic’s best games came with both Rose and Butler sidelined with injuries, as he led the NBA in 4th quarter scoring in March of his rookie season.

After a streaky rookie season, Mirotic was expected to break out in new coach Fred Hoiberg’s spread out offensive system. He even uprooted fan favorite Joakim Noah in the starting lineup, a move that was not well received.

Still, the shooting was streaky and the results were disappointing. Mirotic got another shot as a starter at the end of last season when the Bulls traded Taj Gibson to the Thunder, but despite the Bulls run to the playoffs, Mirotic did little to inspire confidence that he belonged in the team’s future plans.

Apparently, his performance didn’t inspire much from the league’s other 29 teams, either. Mirotic remained a free agent until training camp before signing a one year deal with the Bulls for $12.5 million, with a club option for a second season at the same cost.

The move reeked of desperation, just another example of Garpax giving one of their pet projects one last chance to show some value, mostly so that they could be proven right. Even though the move worked out, I still think that was their motivation, but hey the NBA is a results-based business and the move panned out in the end.

Despite the Bobby Portis punch and the public humiliation it brought both Mirotic and the organization, despite the no-trade clause that the Bulls gave him, which almost nixed the trade they just completed, despite the newborn riffs between Mirotic’s camp and the organization, the bottom line is this:

He produced, and the Bulls cashed in.

This Might Explain Why Yu Darvish Hasn’t Signed With Anyone Yet

By
Aldo Soto
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Pitchers and catchers report to camp in a few weeks and spring training games begin in less than a month, but baseball fans have yet to see the biggest free agents sign anywhere. Yu Darvish is the big fish left in the pond and he seems to be the number one target for the Chicago Cubs among other clubs. However, there hasn’t been any real traction between Darvish and any team and now we might have a better idea as to why that is.

Besides the Cubs, the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers and in recent days the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have popped back into the mix for Darvish, but still nothing concrete. There have been reports that the 31-year-old has received offers of at least $100 million, but obviously that hasn’t been enough.

According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports it’s because Darvish is still seeking an enormous contract comparable to Stephen Strasburg’s deal with the Washington Nationals.

The Brewers were reported by FanRag Sports to be strongly in the mix for Darvish, who is said by sources to have at least one five-year offer and at least one (and probably multiple) offers for at least $100 million – though he has been seeking something closer to the Stephen Strasburg deal of $175 million for seven.

See, the issue isn’t with the average annual salary of $25 million, it has everything to do with the length of the contract. Of course, the reason this has been reported is because Darvish obviously wants to drive up the offers.

But will this make the Cubs do just that? Again, I said since the original projection of six years for $160 million came out that there was no way the Cubs would pay him that. As of now it seems like the Cubs offer is at four years and Darvish expectedly wants more years. Who’s going to blink first?

There’s also this bit of information from Heyman’s latest MLB notes.

The Cubs are still in the mix for Yu Darvish but for now seem to be hoping that Darvish will choose them for reasons that are not economic. The Cubs are a very attractive team/organization and Chicago is a great city so it is entirely possible they win this, but they appeared to be running behind in terms of the offer, quite likely to at least the Brewers.

If, at the end of this entire ordeal the Brewers end up out-bidding the Cubs for Darvish then Theo Epstein is going to have some hard questions to answer. Under no circumstance should the Cubs be out-bid by the Brewers.

A few days ago Darvish was pinned to three different teams as being his preferred destination, including the Cubs. The intriguing part about that is Jon Morosi reporting that other teams would have to blow the Cubs’ offer out of the water.

Maybe if the Cubs give in and offer one more year Darvish will finally agree.

So, the waiting game continues. I’m waiting for the Dexter Fowler type entrance to Cubs camp from Yu Darvish. If not, I hope he chooses any other team aside from the Brewers.

Bulls Trade Nikola Mirotic To Pelicans (It Actually Happened This Time)

By
Aldo Soto
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nikola mirotic continues distance bulls teammates

Well hey, later is better than never. The Chicago Bulls are trading Nikola Mirotic to the New Orleans Pelicans and they are getting that coveted first-round pick.

After the trade fell apart the other day because New Orleans wasn’t willing to pick up Mirotic’s team option for next season, the two sides have worked out the kinks and the Bulls are now going to be taking on a little more salary for the first-round pick they’ve been trying to get. That comes in the form of Tony Allen along with Omer Asik’s money.

Allen isn’t expected to stick around.

That’s not all though. Jameer Nelson is in the deal too, but he’s going to be gone as well.

Check that.

Also, it appears there won’t be much of a protection on that first-round pick the Bulls are receiving.

But wait, there’s more. The Bulls are also sending the Pelicans a second-round pick.

So, if you’re a Bulls fan start rooting against New Orleans. The minimal protection part is key because let’s say the Pelicans don’t make the playoffs and just nose-dive in the standings and end up with the ninth pick or something, the Bulls could have two top-10 picks in the upcoming draft.

Here we go.

Even if New Orleans doesn’t falter in the second half the Bulls are at least getting a mid-rounder from the deal. Not bad at all.

To recap, Mirotic to the Pelicans plus a future second-round pick, while the Bulls are taking on Asik, Allen and Nelson to go along with a first-round pick with minimal protection. Allen is expected to be waived by the Bulls. Asik will stay and has $14.3 million guaranteed through next season.

And the final piece.

Also, more into what the Bulls are looking at cap wise next offseason.

Fascinating Twist Makes Bears Drafting Calvin Ridley More Acceptable

By
Erik Lambert
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bears drafting calvin ridley

From a distance, the idea of the Chicago Bears drafting Calvin Ridley makes perfect sense. They were the worst passing team in the NFL this season, throwing for just 3,085 yards. None of their wide receivers managed to go over 700 for the season. Their two best options were both lost. Alshon Jeffery became a free agent. Cameron Meredith tore his ACL. The position is likely poised for a giant overhaul in 2018.

This is why Ridley is a constant part of the conversation. Nearly every draft expert agrees he’s the best wide receiver in the draft and by a considerable margin. This might be hard to accept considering he has just 2,781 yards receiving with 19 touchdowns in three seasons. By comparison, Courtland Sutton, another of the top receivers, has 3,193 yards and 31 touchdowns over that same span.

What makes Ridley so special? In these cases, context is so important. Not only does Ridley play on a run-oriented team in Alabama, he was also their sole receiving threat. This past year Ridley had 967 yards. The next closest on the team was Jerry Jeudy with 264. The Crimson Tide ran the ball 612 times. SMU, Sutton’s school, ran it just 486 times. Sutton had far more opportunities and wasn’t even the leading receiver on his team.

Ridley was far more effective despite limited chances and every defense knowing he was the sole credible threat in the passing game. So again, why are so many Bears fans reluctant to make him the #8 overall pick?

Bears drafting Calvin Ridley comes down to age

The big hangup has nothing to do with ability. Ridley has speed, strong hands, runs sharp routes and is plenty physical despite his seemingly thinner frame. A constant big play waiting to happen. Concerns stem from his age. Ridley is 23-years old and will turn 24 before the end of the 2018 season. That isn’t ancient for a rookie but it’s older than normal. Generally, players taken in the top 10 are expected to be franchise anchors who can play at a prime rate for at least a decade. Ridley will be almost 30 before his rookie contract is even up.

Robert Zeglinski of Windy City Gridiron made a strong point about why drafting him #8 overall carries such risk.

“Back in relation to (Amari) Cooper, the struggles he’s gone through in his NFL career from inconsistent hands, adjusting to navigating complex coverages, to confidence, are all things that young players go through in contrasting manners. Not that it’s guaranteed, but Ridley will likely go through at least one of these mentioned trials to acclimate as a pro. If the Bears give him the opportunity to learn under their watch, it’ll come at the expense of essentially at least two lost seasons in comparison to other receivers coming in.”

It’s a hard point to argue. Teams want to maximize their top picks however possible. That includes longevity. Drafting an older player comes with plenty of risks. However, people might be overselling this fear a little bit.

History says age doesn’t determine whether a player is great

Since the start of the Super Bowl era, 58 players were drafted in the first round who turned 24 or older that season. At present 18 of them made at least one Pro Bowl, seven had careers that spanned 10 or seasons and three reside in the Hall of Fame. The more amazing part is the hit rate is even better at wide receiver.

In that same span, three receivers have gone in the first round who was 24-years old. All three of them made at least one Pro Bowl and one is in the Hall of Fame. His name was Marvin Harrison.

Harrison got taken out of Syracuse by the Indianapolis Colts in 1996. Unlike Ridley, he actually turned 24 before the NFL season began that year on August 25th. Did the Colts regret their decision? Not in the slightest. Harrison went to eight-straight Pro Bowls between 1999 and 2006, going over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of those seasons. The last came when he was 34-years old, the same year the Colts won the Super Bowl.

The point is draft age does not determine the greatness of a player. Harrison didn’t have his first 1,000-yard season until he was 27. That didn’t seem to slow him up much. If a player is meant to be great, they find a way. That’s always how it’s been in sports. All the Chicago Bears need to worry about is answering this simple question.

Is Calvin Ridley a good football player and can he help them win games? The answer is yes to both.

Top Potential Bears Draft Target Earns a Generous Pro Comparison

By
Erik Lambert
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bears draft target

Can anybody truly say they know for certain who the Chicago Bears draft target will be for the #8 pick this April? Of course they can’t. Why? That’s because even the Bears themselves aren’t certain who it will be yet. The pre-draft process has only just begun. The Senior Bowl is over but the scouting combine and pro days are still to come. Those can have a significant impact on draft boards in the next couple months. Not to mention the ever-present risk of injuries and uncovered off-the-field shenanigans.

Nonetheless one can at least say certain names have begun to separate themselves from the pack. Names that stick out as likely top five or top 10 picks given their athletic prowess and college exploits. By now most people know the big names like USC quarterback Sam Darnold, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson.

The question ahead is who else will join them? Odds are a few names that weren’t being talked about a couple months ago will enter the conversation shortly. In fact, there’s one that shooting up boards at a remarkable rate. One that is almost certain to catch the eye of Bears fans both for his ability and who he was just compared to.

V-Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds draws Urlacher comp

Tremaine Edmunds wasn’t a huge name to start the 2017 season. This was largely because he played on a talented Virginia Tech defense and thus didn’t stand out as much. Soon though his tape and measurements have begun to make the rounds and teams are salivating over the possibilities. Edmunds is a rare physical specimen with near limitless upside. So much that draft expert Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gave him a big-time pro comparison.

“NFL COMPARISON Brian Urlacher

BOTTOM LINE Edmunds combines elite size, speed, and explosiveness into a productive, versatile linebacker package that will have evaluators salivating. Edmunds has posted high-impact production over the last two seasons and he still has room to get bigger and better. Edmunds will make mental mistakes and his instincts are subpar, but he has an ability to mitigate those issues with his athletic ability. Edmunds can play in any alignment at any linebacker spot and has All-Pro potential no matter where he lands.”

Linebackers like Urlacher, not just in terms of athleticism but also size are extraordinarily rare. This is proven true by the fact Urlacher retired five years ago and it took that long for another possibility like him to appear. Edmunds was a force for Virginia Tech in 2017. He made 108 tackles, 14 of them for a loss, collected 5.5 sacks and forced three fumbles. There isn’t a linebacker position in any scheme he can’t play.

Urlacher comparison gets foggy between the ears

He can run sideline to sideline, makes snap decisions and flies to the football. He’s also got enough length to bring pass rush off the edge or carry a running back down the field in coverage. So from a purely physical perspective, the likeness to Urlacher is striking. That said what separated Urlacher from so many other middle linebackers was his brain. He was one of the smartest, most aware players on the field. A true quarterback of the defense.

Does Edmunds have that same capacity? Maybe. The only way to know for sure is to get him on a team and see how he develops. The good news is his athletic floor is that of a 10-year starter in the league. If he reaches even a modest level of his full potential he will have a couple Pro Bowls in his future. Health permitting, of course. Give him to a coach like Vic Fangio and the possibilities could be endless.

Jarrod Dyson Is A Perfect Fit With The Cubs

By
Sean Sears
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As spring training draws closer, it’s looking like the Cubs will rely on Albert Almora Jr. as their primary center fielder. And while Jon Jay is still available despite the solid season he gave the Cubs platooning with Almora, the Cubs might be better suited to sign a different veteran. The speedy Jarrod Dyson.

The 33-year-old Dyson fits the exact profile the Cubs would be looking for in a back-up center fielder. Has excellent speed on the bases, stealing at least 26 or more bags since 2012, swiping 28 in 2017 – the 10th most in the league.

And a source close to Sports Mockery says the Cubs have show an interest in the veteran outfielder, and that the interest may be mutual.

Dyson would have easily led the Cubs in steals, something the team has struggled with since before Joe Maddon took over as skipper, with Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez tying for the team lead with 10. Adding Dyson would give the Cubs one of the fastest runners in baseball, ranked 30th in sprint speed according to Statcast.

The thought of having Dyson and his speed coming off the bench in a close game has to make Maddon’s mouth salivate. However, his work at the plate is about average at best, as the left-handed-hitter is slashing .263/.329/.372 over his eight year career.

The good news is though, despite Dyson’s offensive short-comings, the lefty still finds ways to score runs. Last season, the veteran scored a career-high 56 runs as the Mariners 4th outfielder.

In the field is where Dyson might provide the most value for the Cubs, who had a defensive runs saved of 15 with the Mariners last season, per Fangraphs. According to Statcast’s catch probability, out of 15 balls that had a catch probability of 25% or less, Dyson caught three of them for a 20 percent 5-star catch probability – the 13th best in the MLB.

So with a platoon between Almora and Dyson, the defense will not suffer no matter who Maddon decides to start in the center. And the best part is, he won’t cost a ton, likely somewhere between the $2-$3 million per year and for a 2.6 WAR player, that’s not bad at all.

The only downside to Dyson is that multiple teams are attracted to the speedy-veteran, which could possibly drive the price up for the Cubs. But with an addition like Dyson, the Cubs would not only improve on the base paths, but it would also give them more versatility. And for a club like the Cubs, more versatility is never a bad thing.

 

Will Kevin Love Injury Spur Cavs Interest In Mirotic?

By
Patrick Mooney
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are going through their annual mid-season lull, but this year there is no Kyrie Irving to help Lebron turn up the heat down the stretch. They will also be without all-star power forward Kevin Love for the foreseeable future.

Kevin Love has been the second best player on the Cavs this season, averaging 17.9 ppg and 9.4 rpg while shooting over 40% from deep with an eFG of 55.0 and a 22.9 PER.

With that much production sidelined for the next several weeks, should the Cavs urgency to add at the deadline heighten? With Lebron James set to hit free agency and the Cavs slipping to just 0.5 a game ahead of the #4 seed in the East, they could desperately use some outside help. Could Nikola Mirotic be in their plans?

Mirotic is averaging just 1 point less than Love is (with less playing time) and has a higher eFG%. Mirotic’s PER is also 22.2, which is much higher than his career average. Given what we saw with the Pelicans official-then-unofficial trade agreement, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Bulls could get the Cavs first rounder if they took on Channing Frye or Iman Shumpert’s contract in the trade as well.

However, a big hold up would be the Cavs current defensive struggles. Cleveland ranks dead last in the NBA in multiple defensive categories and Mirotic isn’t going to help them improve in that area. Especially considering Love has primarily started at center for the Cavs this season. Mirotic would be a disaster trying to protect the rim on a consistent basis.

If Cleveland is indeed looking for a temporary Love replacement, it makes more sense for them to go after someone like Deandre Jordan, who can help them immediately on the defensive end while allowing Love to return to his natural position when he returns to the lineup.

The Cavs will be searching far and wide for help this deadline, and odds are that they will look into Mirotic. However, with other (and better) options out there for Cleveland, don’t hold your breath on the Bulls and Cavs striking a deal.

Chicago Bears Defense Could See a New Face Up North in 2018

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears defense

The 2017 season isn’t even over yet and the NFL has already seen its first major trade of the 2018 off-season. This came when the Kansas City Chiefs dealt three-time Pro Bowler Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins. This move does many things, but above all else, it signals the likely fate of Kirk Cousins. Speculation now is he’ll hit free agency and be the most coveted name on the market. Normally this wouldn’t be a huge issue for Chicago, but it potentially could be soon. Especially for the Chicago Bears defense.

Speculation is already running rampant about where Cousins could end up. There will be no shortage of suitors. Cleveland has over $100 million in salary cap space and a new GM. The New York Jets have over $70 million and also a new offensive coordinator in Jeremy Bates whom Cousins is a fan of. The favorite though at this juncture is the Denver Broncos. No organization has proven better at maximizing veteran quarterbacks than them.

Most expect them to be the front-runner for Cousins’ services. However, there is a growing undercurrent that another more palatable option could swoop in for the steal should that be their wish.

Kirk Cousins to Vikings would be a major headache for Bears defense

Make no mistake. The Minnesota Vikings are a definite threat in these sweepstakes. They have the most palatable roster by a mile with the #1 defense in the NFL and two high-quality wide receivers in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielein waiting for whomever the quarterback is. Most would expect one of the current trio Minnesota already has will be the choice. Then again none of them have done what Cousins has.

Cousins has thrown for over 4,000 yards each of the past three seasons. He also has 81 touchdown passes in that span with a Pro Bowl appearance.

Case Keenum did get them to the NFC championship game. Teddy Bridgewater led them to the playoffs. Sam Bradford had a terrific late run in 2016, completing over 70% of his passes. At the same time, none of them have had near the consistency in production that Cousins has. By that same token Cousins has never played with a defense the caliber of Minnesota’s. In truth, it seems like a perfect match.

Money won’t be the issue either. The Vikings are projected to have over $53 million in cap space this off-season. That’s more than enough meet the lofty demands Cousins will have. They play in a dome which is ideal for quarterbacks. It’s hard to imagine any team having a better pitch than they do. It’s just a matter of whether they decide to throw their hat in the ring. No doubt the Chicago Bears defense would prefer they didn’t.

Former Bull Rasual Butler, Wife Die In Car Accident

By
Emmet McClain
-

Last night, former Chicago Bull Rasual Butler and his wife died in a car crash.

Players and personnel all across the league have taken to Twitter to pay their respects to Butler.

Specifics to what exactly caused the crash are still unknown at this time. He was 38.

 

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