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Blackhawks Paid Homage To Chicago Police Commander Bauer All Weekend

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Unfortunately, tragedy often brings a community together and such was the case this week. The Blackhawks paid homage to fallen Chicago Police Commander Paul Bauer and did so not once, but three times this weekend.

On Friday Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith paid tribute to the officer by attending his wake. Never a comfortable event to attend, it was an extremely nice gesture on the player’s parts.

To follow up on Saturday evening before their game, the organization dressed a locker stall for Commander Bauer. It was complete with a nameplate displaying his name and a jersey with the same.

The organization wasn’t done and held a moment of silence before the National Anthem. The crowd responded with resounding applause in a show of respect for Bauer.

These gestures were all very respectful for a man that put his life on the line for the citizens of Chicago on a daily basis. While these gestures won’t bring officer Bauer back, it just proves that all Chicagoans are part of the community and have to recognize what men like him do for us.

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings.

 

These Are the Most Likely Chicago Bears Draft Trade Down Scenarios

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears draft

A Chicago Bears draft trade down discussion is always one of the most enjoyable parts of the off-season. Why is that? Perhaps because it rarely happens, for starters. Then there’s also the allure of acquiring more picks. By logic more picks means more chances to land superstar players. It’s a wonderful fantasy that is much harder to pull off than people realize.

To date Bears GM Ryan Pace has avoided that possibility. Both of his first round trades in three years have gone up the board. First for Leonard Floyd in 2016 and then for Mitch Trubisky last year. He comes from the Mickey Loomis school. Loomis has run the Saints front office since 2002. During that time he’s only traded back in the first round once. Pace has made it seem like the idea doesn’t hold much merit for him as well.

Then again Pace is notorious for his misdirections. So playing the what-if game, are there any viable trade scenarios that he might be willing to bite at? Here are three that stick out as possibilities.

With the Buffalo Bills for a quarterback

The Bills right now look like the team most poised for a move up. As of now, they are the second-best equipped team going into the draft in terms of draft picks. First is the Cleveland Browns who have five selections in the first two rounds. Buffalo is right behind them with four including two in the first and two in the second. This provides them the ammunition to move up if they wish. According to growing buzz, that may indeed be the case.

Buffalo was given a cold reminder of how far they have to go in the playoffs. Jacksonville held them to 140 yards passing (on 40 attempts) with two interceptions and three points. One doesn’t reach the Super Bowl that way. They need a better arm. Chicago could be a sweet spot for them depending on which QBs are available. It’s a matter of whether Pace would be willing to fall so far back to the #21 pick.

With the Arizona Cardinals for a quarterback

If there is any team on the market who might have a hard time finding a quarterback, it’s the Arizona Cardinals. They just lost starter Carson Palmer to retirement. They also changed coaching staffs and don’t exactly feature an ideal setup at wide receiver or offensive line. So luring a top free agent there is unlikely at this point. What makes matters worse is they sit at #15 in the draft order, all but eliminating their hopes of getting one of the top QB prospects as well.

This means one of two things. Either they have to settle for a lesser tier free agent or make a bold trade of some kind. Perhaps they might try to pursue former Arizona star Nick Foles, but that seems unlikely. Thus their best shot is attempting a jump into the top 10 for a quarterback they might covet. GM Steve Keim held off on such a maneuver last year and it ended up costing them. Will he try to make up for it this time around?

With the Miami Dolphins for a running back or guard

It’s not difficult to surmise where the problems centered for the Miami Dolphins in 2017. They had the 29th ranked running game in the NFL. That makes their trading of Jay Ajayi all the more puzzling. Be that as it may, the facts remain they have to find some way of regaining their ability to run the football. This can be accomplished via two methods. Either they find a top-tier running back they can feed, or they get a big-time blocker to open more lanes.

As it happens the 2018 class has two elite prospects who can accommodate them. The first is Penn State star running back Saquon Barkley who was two-time Big Ten Player of the Year. The other is Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, considered by many to be the best overall prospect in the draft. If either were to fall to Chicago at #8, the Dolphins would undoubtedly have considerable interest in moving up.

Report: The Cubs Made Addison Russell Available This Off-Season

By
Sean Sears
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mlb investigate domestic violence allegation addison russell

Theo Epstein made it clear during his end of the year press conference, the Cubs were going to explore all options during their search for pitching. And that search including trading from their depth, which reportedly involved Addison Russell.

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, a rival executive told Wittenmyer that the Cubs made Russell available in a few trades this off-season. And while the Cubs never pulled the trigger and addressed their needs via free agency, it’s clear Epstein was serious when he made those comments back in October.

It’s important to clarify that saying he was made available in trades doesn’t necessarily mean the team was ‘shopping’ Russell, but it’s not hard to see why the Cubs would consider moving the promising 24-year-old shortstop.

After an encouraging 2016 season in which Russell displayed surprising numbers, 21 home runs with 95 RBI, the former A’s prospect took a step back in 2017. Missing some time with shoulder and foot injuries, Russell only managed 110 games last season. The smooth-fielding shortstop also dealt with domestic violence allegations, which still has a murky outlook at the moment.

Russell was aware of the rumors this off-season, but instead of focusing on what if’s, Russell is happy to be healthy and still in a Cubs uniform.

Hopefully, a bounce-back season is in store for the Cubs 24-year-old shortstop and he can replicate his 2016 numbers in 2018. But for now, he’s just happy he’s still the Cubs starting shortstop.

 

Cubs Hoping To Find Another Hidden Gem In Shae Simmons

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs are always looking at different avenues to add pitching talent to the organization and this offseason has been no different. Whether it’s spending $126 million for Yu Darvish, or signing Tyler Chatwood early on to solidify the back-end of the rotation, or taking a low-risk chance at pitchers with previous arm issues. The latest project is right-hander Shae Simmons.

On Friday, the Cubs made the signing official, as they also placed Drew Smyly on the 60-day disabled list.

Smyly is recovering from Tommy John surgery and could be back late in the 2018 season.

Drafted in 2012 by the Atlanta Braves out of Southeast Missouri State, Simmons has dealt with a few injuries throughout his career. The 27-year-old pitcher has been limited to 36 innings at the MLB level since making his debut in the majors in 2014.

Simmons pitched great in his first MLB stint, recording a 2.91 ERA in 21.2 innings with the Braves in 2014. Unfortunately, the righty had Tommy John surgery in February 2015, forcing him to miss the entire year. After rehabbing and pitching in 19 minor-league games, Simmons was called up by Atlanta near the end of the 2016 season, and once again was pretty good in 6.2 innings, allowing just one run in seven appearances.

However, after being traded to the Seattle Mariners in January 2017, Simmons was once again hit with elbow issues. He was placed on the disabled list before the start of the regular season with a right elbow strain and he didn’t pitch again until July. Simmons made nine appearances for the Mariners at the end of last season and was pretty good until his final game. The righty allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning, giving him a 7.04 ERA after only allowing two runs in his first seven innings.

So, overall the numbers are good in the small sample size in the majors for Simmons. A 3.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, with 34 strikeouts and 15 walks. The numbers in the minors are also very good, with a 2.06 ERA in 131.1 innings. According to FanGraphs, Simmons averaged 96.1 mph on his fastball in 2017.

The Cubs are going to break camp with 13 pitchers and considering most of the spots are already locked in, Simmons is going to be competing for the eighth and final spot in the bullpen. Who will he be competing against? Justin Grimm, Dillon Maples, Eddie Butler and Dario Alvarez.

So, there’s that to look forward to this spring, and who knows maybe Simmons surprises us all and makes the team. He certainly has the stuff to do it.

A Comprehensive List Of Players The Blackhawks Might Trade In The Coming Week

By
Brian Foran
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There’s an overwhelming abundance of things I despise about this horrible, terrible, deplorable, dirty, rotten, no-good, put-you-to-sleep-quicker-than-Nyquil Blackhawks team.

But the thing that brings my piss to a boil more-so than anything else is this season’s gruesome beheading of the euphoria that comes with my annual trade deadline excitement. You see, deadline season to me is what Christmas morning is like to 6-year olds. But imagine if Christmas morning possessed the unpredictability and mystery of a George R.R. Martin novel. “What wizardry might Stan Bowman pull from his magic hat next?” was the prevailing question ushering me through what is inherently the year’s most miserably painstaking month. My annual “Blackhawks trade deadline targets” piece was always composed with an extra giddiness behind my typed-out rambling.

Instead, this piece, which will detail the likeliest candidates to be moved by the Blackhawks in the coming weeks, will be fueled by a combination of yawns, tears and Malort because Christmas is cancelled this year, kids. Santa is week-to-week with an upper body injury after running his head through Rudolph’s stable door after being forced, at gunpoint, to watch the Blackhawks performances in Arizona and Vegas earlier this week.

Anyway, here’s some of those names.

Tommy Wingels & Lance Bouma

Believe it or not, there actually still exists a number of GM’s and executives out there who value grit and toughness as profoundly as they do actual, real, hockey skill. You know, the things that actually garner real results. For this reason, Wingels or Bouma may be an appealing back-end, depth option for some team that is either injury plagued or simply needs relief on the penalty kill. Both are free agents at seasons and the pro-rated contracts of both are pennies compared to what many others of equal production are earning. If you can get a 6th or 7th round pick for either, why the hell not? You’re likely not going to re-sign them in the offseason, anyway.

Jan Rutta

In October and throughout the betterment of November, Rutta looked to be the steal of the international free agent pool; a potential staple of the Blackhawks defensive corps for years to come. But like the rest of his godforsaken team, Rutta eventually plummeted from whatever realm he was inhabiting back into this hellhole we call reality. He wasn’t terrible. He wasn’t great. He was just fine. And sometimes fine is miles better than what teams possess on the back-end of their defensive rotations. In that sense, Rutta would be an improvement for a lot of teams in their 5th or 6th defensive slots. With his essentially free cap hit and pending free agency, it wouldn’t shock me to see some GM, desperate for depth, throw a medium tier pick to the Hawks for Rutta’s service. That said, it’s hard to gauge exactly what he’s worth. But if there’s also a silver lining here, it’s that teams typically overpay for defense. If you can make away with a 4th or 5th round pick for Rutta, you’d be making out pretty well. Also, I must add that Rutta is currently on IR, though he did return to the ice earlier this week.

Michal Kempny 

The same for what I said about Jan Rutta pretty much applies to Michal Kempny. A pending free agent earning pennies on the dollar may appeal to someone looking to add depth on their blue line. Kempny should garner more of a return than Rutta due to his surprisingly solid numbers and analytics this season. It’s not very often you come across a bottom-pairing defenseman on a last place team with a +11 +/- and Corsi of nearly 54%. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kempny were to gambit these numbers into a multi-year contract for double what he’s being paid at the present moment in free agency.

Connor Murphy

Could you imagine the utter confusion that would engulf this city if Stan Bowman were to completely retcon the deal that sent Niklas Hjalmarssson to Arizona? Despite a series of inexplicable healthy scratches, Connor Murphy, in my – and many’s – opinion has been the Blackhawks most consistent blue liner this season. Murphy, who remains just 24-years of age and signed to a long-term, team-friendly deal, could very well be the Blackhawks most enticing asset. But for this exact reason I find it not only unlikely, but also incredibly silly for a defensively-famished Blackhawks organization to even consider moving a young defenseman with loads of untapped talent that they literally just traded for. The food has yet to even digest and in a lost season where literally anything that could go wrong, has gone wrong, and you’re looking to move on from what has been one of the few bright spots for you? Hogwash. Personally, I want to see what Murphy is capable of when riding in a Blackhawks mobile that actually possesses four working wheels. If he is moved, you better hope its for something better than what they currently have, which, is – well – a 24-year old, top-4 defenseman, with an incredibly team-friendly deal that has yet to even scratch the surface of his untapped potential.

Artem Anisimov

Anisimov would probably be the most given name on this list if it weren’t for that mangy no-movement clause awarded to him back when Stan Bowman was handing out NTC’s like they were Halloween candy. Still, I wouldn’t be shocked if management were to ask Anisimov to waive his. Despite being a ghost these past couple weeks, Anisimov may still hold some value for teams looking to beef up at the center position heading into the playoffs. The thing that’d really make Anisimov’s value skyrocket is if one of these prospective playoff teams were to suffer an injury in their top-six between now and the 26th when the deadline passes. Boy, wouldn’t it be alleviating to clear that 4-years, $4.55 million off the books and receive a relatively high draft pick doing so? As I mentioned previously, though, it’s all on Anisimov’s willingness to play ball here. I mean, who’d wanna stick around as fodder for this dumpster fire?

Brandon Saad 

I saved the most significant and most unlikely for last. But, just because I noted its unlikeliness doesn’t take away from the fact that Brandon Saad is the Blackhawks most appealing core asset. Why? Becuase he’s the only player belonging to this team’s so-called core not to possess any sort of no-movement clause. So, by default – yes, Brandon Saad – whether you agree with it or not – is the Blackhawks most tradeable player-of-significance at the present moment. Although no Blackhawks player has fallen victim to what is now being heralded as the “LOST season” as notably or drastically as Saad, the market for the 25-year old winger is still likely as high as ever. While a brief glimpse at Saad’s numbers would paint an immediate picture of disappointment for most, a closer examination into these statistics reveals the two-way forward has been as unlucky as any player in hockey this season. Being snake-bitten and plain bad are two completely, distinguishable things. And if I can see this pretty evident fact, you bet your ass General Managers across the NHL can, too. Saad would be a godsend in the top-6 of many teams across the NHL. Could you imagine a Toronto team, already possessing Auston Matthews and William Nylander on its top line, with Saad in the mix? Now I ask, could you envision the backlash here in Chicago? Dealing beloved sparkplug Artemi Panarin for Saad and then immediately swapping Saad for something far-less valuable than Panarin? Not only would such a hissy fit, tantrum-fueled shakeup be inexcusably overboard, it’d be plain stupid to give up on a snakebitten 25-year old who has simply has fallen victim to the relentless floodwaters that have seemingly engulfed every player in a red sweater not named DeBrincat this season. Again, the odds of Saad being moved a mere 8 months into his second tenure with the Blackhawks is not one I’d put my chips on. But with this organization, I’ve adapted to the notion that there exists no move too far-fetched for the likes of Stan Bowman.

Why Allen Robinson May Actually Be In Reach for The Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears free agent

There is a fierce debate going on between football experts in regards to 2018 free agency. Most notably around the wide receiver position. This year has a chance to be one of the best its seen for the talent available in a long time. Much of this due to somewhat rare circumstances regarding some of the biggest names involved. Chiefs among them is former Pro Bowler Allen Robinson.

Under normal parameters, the 24-year old would undoubtedly be a runaway favorite to receive the franchise tag. However, a series of events have created a scenario where the Jacksonville Jaguars could elect to let him hit the open market despite being arguably their best receiver. It started back in 2016.

Robinson was coming off an electric 2015 with 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Most expected him to continue dominating. Instead, he crashed back to earth with just 883 yards and six touchdowns. If that weren’t bad enough, his 2017 season ended before it began when he tore his ACL after just one game.

This already makes it a dangerous gamble to consider him for the tag. That’s before another issue that can’t be ignored.

Jaguars cap situation could enable Bears to have a shot at Allen Robinson

Conor Orr of the MMQB released his list of all players involved in the franchise tag discussion this off-season. Curiously he separated two names who fell into the “possible but unlikely” category. Robinson was one of those names. Most of it has to do with the Jaguars tricky cap situation.

“Jacksonville is relatively tight on cap space (Over the Cap estimates about $20 million this offseason) but could almost double that number if they decide to part ways with quarterback Blake Bortles. In this scenario, is there enough of a cash flow to woo a top-tier quarterback on the open market and allow Robinson to count roughly $16 million against the books? Probably not.

That being said, Robinson is certainly a point of pride. A 2015 Pro Bowler, he shined brightly for Jacksonville before the arrival of Leonard Fournette and the team’s formidable offensive line. As ESPN Jaguars beat man Mike DiRocco noted, a one-year deal for Robinson, who tore his ACL in September, would almost certainly come in below the tag number anyway.”

If tagged Robinson would be on the hook for $16 million in 2018. That would leave Jacksonville roughly $4 million in space remaining to make other moves. That isn’t ideal. Cutting Bortles is now less likely after they just went to the AFC championship. Thus the ways for them to create more breathing space is limited.

The team may choose to avoid tagging Robinson and instead re-sign Marqise Lee to an extension. Lee isn’t quite on Robinson’s level of talent but he’s been healthy, productive and would cost less to keep. Jacksonville could then look to the draft for help in replacing Robinson. This would open the door for the Bears, who have more than enough cap space, to make a hard push for him.

It’s far from guaranteed to happen, but the possibility is there.

Let’s Watch Highlights Of All 4 Times Michael Jordan Scored 55 Points On His 55th Birthday

By
Patrick Mooney
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nba jam creator leak version michael jordan

Michael Jordan, THE greatest basketball player/athlete in the history of humans, turns 55 today.I can go on all day about how incredibly blessed Bulls fans were in the 80’s and 90’s, but I’ll just show you instead.

MJ put up 55 points four different times in his career, once in Madison Square Garden and three times in the playoffs. Presented without further introduction, his greatness himself:

Enjoy.

 

Free Agent Tight End is Rising To Top of Bears Wish List

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

Every GM has their preferences when it comes to a certain position group. For one reason or another they just always seem to be adding to it each year. For Ryan Pace of the Chicago Bears, it looks like that position is the tight end. It seems like every off-season be it free agency, the draft or undrafted free agency that group is seeing a new face arrive. Last year was a shining example when they signed Dion Sims and drafted Adam Shaheen.

It seems the turnover is set to continue too. Shaheen looks like the starter moving forward for the Bears, but the rest of the depth chart is surrounded by questions. Longtime veteran Zach Miller is coming off a catastrophic knee injury. It’s hard to imagine the Bears keeping him after that, especially since he’s 33-years old. Sims was largely a bust in 2017. His blocking was adequate but he disappointed as a receiver. They may cut him for cap relief. Veteran Dan Brown is coming out of contract.

So the odds grow likely they might look to add more punch alongside Shaheen at that position. Based on the latest rumors, they already have a name picked out.

Chicago Bears seen as heavy competitors for emerging TE Trey Burton

The free agent market for tight ends isn’t overly strong this year. That said there are some potentially strong names worth exploring. A growing favorite among experts is Trey Burton. Despite playing as a backup to Zach Ertz all season in Philadelphia, he managed to make a significant impact on his team with 248 yards and five touchdowns.

The 26-year old former undrafted free agent looks ready for a larger role on offense. Noted draft specialist and insider Chad Forbes believes Chicago is ready to give it to him.

I reached out to my own sources to see if this was the case. I was told this was indeed the case. He’s one of their primary targets this March.

Burton seems like such a classic Pace move. He’s younger, trending up in his career and likely won’t cost top tier money to get. Pairing him with Shaheen would certainly give the Bears offense more flexibility and another major red zone threat. Head coach Matt Nagy became a specialist at using tight ends in Kansas City. All-Pro Travis Kelce had the two best seasons of his career both years Nagy was the offensive coordinator.

This may not be a blockbuster move but if it’s another receiving weapon they want, Burton would be a significant upgrade over what they got last year with Sims.

Chicago Bears Have Another Chance to Nab Huge Defensive Upgrade

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

The Chicago Bears 2016 free agent class was a good one. Highlighting it was, of course, Akiem Hicks who has become one of their best defenders. There was also linebacker Danny Trevathan in that group. Yet as good as it was, it’s hard not to feel like it was almost perfect had they been able to snag one other big name on the market.

Before the action began that year, it was generally accepted that defensive lineman Malik Jackson was one of the top prizes. He’d just had a breakout season in Denver, helping them win the Super Bowl. It was clear his career had started to trend up. The Bears seemed like such a logical spot. They ran a 3-4 defense like he’d played in with the Broncos and they also employed John Fox, the coach who originally drafted him.

Sadly it never happened. Jackson instead took a blockbuster deal to join the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since then he has reached his first Pro Bowl in 2017 and helped his team get to the AFC championship. One would think he’s not going anywhere, right? Well not entirely according to one insider.

Chicago Bears could get Jackson in a favorable trade

John Middlekauff of The Athletic covers the 49ers and has perused possible upgrades for their defense. It was then he came across some fascinating information regarding the status of Jackson and his contract.

“I’m told defensive lineman Malik Jackson can be had in a trade this offseason. It’s not because Jacksonville doesn’t think he can play — he’s a stud — but because the Jaguars can’t afford him. Jackson is scheduled to make $13.5 million in 2018, and has an out with only a $4 million dead-cap hit in 2019. 49ers executive Adam Peters has a long history with Jackson from their Denver days.

Jackson would clearly help the 49ers’ pass rush, and they could easily afford the contract. Would they be willing to give up a fourth-round pick, let’s say for argument’s sake, for a guy they might only have for one season?”

Jackson turned 28-years old in January. His production continues to steadily ascend with eight sacks this past season. A career high. He’s under contract until 2021, so any trade for him would have him under control for possibly four seasons. So why would Jacksonville consider cutting him? Namely their current list of pending free agents.

Several prominent players are due new deals over the next two off-seasons. Among them are Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Blake Bortles, Dante Fowler Jr. and A.J. Cann. Right now they’re projected to have just $16 million in cap space for this year. If they were to trade Jackson, they’d gain $9.5 million and a draft pick.

For the Bears, he’d carry a hefty $15 million cap hit. At the same time, the idea of pairing him with Hicks and Eddie Goldman up front has to sound appetizing in every way.

Bears Mailbag – Who Improves Most On Offense Next Year?

By
Dhruv Koul
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chicago bears questions

Welcome to this week’s Bears Mailbag! I apologize for getting this out later than usual — I prefer to write and post the Mailbags mid-week, but Valentine’s Day always seems to ruin sports-related things. Even when the Bears are BAE!

I’ll get in trouble for saying that.

No big prelude this week: I’ll get straight to the Mailbag. Thanks to everybody who submitted questions!

 

This is an easy one: If it isn’t Mitch Trubisky, the Bears are in big trouble. That being said, I do expect Trubisky to improve by leaps and bounds the size of the Milky Way.

Two of the obvious answers are Tarik Cohen and Adam Shaheen, too. Expect them both to explode in Matt Nagy’s offense next year. For one, both will finally be utilized the way they’re supposed to, in packages they’re supposed to, and as often as they’re supposed to. Frankly, I had no idea what John Fox and Dowell Loggains’s plans were for these two on offense. But it made no sense. I’m beyond excited to see these two in the offense next year.

I think it’s also easy to take Jordan Howard for granted given his tremendous work the last two years. But imagine what he can do when the box is suddenly free of eight and nine defenders? Don’t underestimate the impact it’ll have on his ability to contribute.

I would like Mark Sanchez back in *some* capacity, mainly because he reportedly made a very positive impact on Mitch Trubisky’s development last season. If Trubisky sees value in him being on the sidelines, then I’m all for getting it done. Whether that’s as a second or third string quarterback, or an assistant QB coach of some sort, remains to be seen.

Chase Daniel certainly makes a lot of sense as a backup QB. He spent time behind Drew Brees in New Orleans, with Doug Pederson in Philadelphia, and with Matt Nagy in Kansas City. He could certainly benefit the team with his presence. Other to-be free agent veteran QBs that could help the team include: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Moore, Austin Davis, Scott Tolzien, and Jay Cutler (just kidding). Kind of … To be honest, I miss Cutty. Having him light up (on the sideline) would be a spectacle. But that’s not going to happen …

Back to the question at hand.

Of course, the Bears will also consider adding a quarterback in the draft. Ryan Pace is on record saying he thinks taking a QB every year is a good idea. He didn’t in his first two years (though he wanted Marcus Mariota and Carson Wentz). He took Trubisky last year, and could certainly be looking to add another young signal caller this year to groom and build their value. Keep an eye on Kyle Lauletta, Mike White, Tanner Lee, and Luke Falk.

The reality is the Bears are certain to have a new face or two in the QB room next year. I’d like to see them draft one and have a veteran to mentor both.

Mason with the double-dip! Appreciate the participation.

I’m not a professional scout, so I could be missing something. But Pro Days and the Combine are so utterly worthless, except when it comes to interviews. I get that they are scripted, but having face time with a player whom you’ve only been able to watch either on film or in the stadium is pretty valuable.

But you’re right, the Combine is absolutely nothing better than Underwear Olympics. What’s the point of the 40-yard dash when straight line speed has nothing to do with game speed? What’s the point of the catching drills when you barely have time to actually secure the catch before the next ball comes zipping towards you? Who cares about the bench press for most of the athletes? It’s all for show.

I like the “academic tests” that some coaches and GMs put players through. Measuring football intelligence is certainly important. I also like the Senior Bowl concept where coaches have the chance to actually work with and mold players and install “game plans” for a week and see how they prepare. There’s certainly some scouting value there.

But as far as the Combine goes, I don’t really know how you fix it just yet. I haven’t had a lot of time to think it through, and frankly the scope of possibilities is pretty vast. But what I do know is that in its current form, it doesn’t really move the needle for me in ranking players. The game film tells way more than a 40 yard sprint ever will.

I am a big fan of Will Hernandez. I think it comes down to what the Bears decide to do with Cody Whitehair. Josh Sitton is almost certain to be released to free up cap space. And the Bears need to pick a position for Whitehair and keep him there. He entered the league as a left guard but played center the last couple of years. Once the Bears have plan for Whitehair, they can start planning ahead.

Back to Hernandez: Though he’s considered “short”, it doesn’t matter as much as a guard and I don’t think that held him back UTEP. He’s a solid athlete and moves pretty well and is strong in the running game. He’s a very “safe” pick and would make a lot of sense in Round 2. It remains to be seen if he’ll be available, but I would not mind him whatsoever, even though the Bears have much bigger needs.

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