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Early Mock Drafts By Top Experts Show Big Chicago Bears Oversight

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

With only three games remaining in this NFL season, most of the league has already moved into off-season mode. This is the typical time of year when the mock draft mayhem ensues. Fans start to see what the top draft experts believe their teams will place their focus come April. The Chicago Bears fandom is no different. They’ve eagerly awaited to hear what the big guns have to say. Well they don’t have to wait any longer.

It’s still early but most of the top names have begun to release their first mock drafts of the year. As most know by now the Chicago Bears hold the #8 overall pick. This due to their 5-11 finish in 2017 and strength of schedule. It marks the first time since 2001 they’ve held that selection when wide receiver David Terrell was selected.

Obviously that didn’t go so well. Perhaps they will have better luck this time. So was their a player that became a consensus favorite for them? Yes, and so was the position he plays.

Draft experts see Chicago Bears going after those wide receivers

A few things stand out about that list. Of course it starts with the name that crops up most. That being Alabama receiver Calvin Ridley. He’s the consensus top receiver in the 2018 class. Chicago had one of the worst passing offenses in the NFL last year. It’s logical experts would immediately see him landing there. Problem is he’s going to be 24-years old this year, so taking him at #8 is dicey.

All told of the nine experts referenced, four of them picked a receiver. Another three went with an offensive lineman. That’s seven out of nine seeing the Bears staying focused on Mitch Trubisky. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. At the same time it’s an amazing thing to see that none of them, not one, went after an edge rusher with the pick.

One mustn’t forget that Leonard Floyd, Willie Young and Pernell McPhee all ended the season on injured reserve. Young and McPhee are into their 30s this year. There’s a chance both could be cut. The free agent crop isn’t particularly strong on edge rushers. So how is that not considered a priority in the draft?

Maybe that’s something they’ll figure out in the coming months.

Vic Fangio Drops Stunning Reason on Why He Stayed in Chicago

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

Vic Fangio never disappoints during a press conference. Not only is his dry wit a delight, the man is not one to withhold his own honest feelings. His first words at the press conference re-introducing him as defensive coordinator was a classic, “All right, let’s continue this love fest.” There’s a reason he is growing so popular in Chicago.

Well that and being an excellent coach of course. Retaining Fangio was by far the biggest staff priority set for new head coach Matt Nagy. After all the man had just turned the Bears defense into a top 10 unit for the first time since 2012. Everybody in the building wanted him back. The big question wasn’t that. It was whether he wanted to return him.

There was speculation for months that Fangio wanted out. Most of it having to do with the weather and the losing. It was going to take a hell of a pitch in order to convince him to stay. Nagy said they had a great conversation and were on the same page from the start. Was that the main reason Fangio chose to stay though? Was it more money?

Vic Fangio throws surprise nod to Mitch Trubisky for his return

Certainly those things played a part. That and not wanting to change destinations again. However, Fangio couldn’t help but admit there was another big reason for his wanting to stick around. That being the young man who wears #10 on offense.

“Mitchell is part of the equation because I think he has a chance to be a really good player no matter who’s coaching him.”

Understand that this is kind of a big deal. Fangio has been around football for a long time. He’s coached on some teams that had future greats at the quarterback position. In Indianapolis he was there to watch the rise of a young Peyton Manning. When he headed to Stanford he had a chance to see the development of Andrew Luck. Then in San Francisco he saw a glimpse of what Alex Smith would eventually become.

So for him to single out Trubisky as a reason for his return? That’s a big a vote of confidence as Bears fans can expect to see from any coach. It means Vic envisions big things ahead for this team. With Mitch on offense and his continued work on defense there’s no telling how far they might go.

If nothing else this is an indicator that he wants to find out. That in itself is something worth getting excited about 2018 for.

Bad News For Bulls Point Guard Kris Dunn Following Nasty Face-First Fall

By
Aldo Soto
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The face-first fall didn’t look good from the start, as Chicago Bulls announcer Stacey King immediately sounded worried after point guard Kris Dunn remained sprawled out on the court following a dunk. Dunn had a bloody mouth and at least a chipped tooth or two, but now the news has gotten worse.

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg initially said Dunn wasn’t experiencing any concussion symptoms after Wednesday’s 119-112 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The guard would be evaluated further and now according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Vincent Goodwill, Dunn does indeed have a concussion.

Dunn finished the game with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals against the Warriors. Now, it’s unknown when the 23-year-old point guard will return to action, as the Bulls are set to begin a three-game road trip on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.

It’s an unfortunate situation for Dunn, who has finally shown signs of why he was taken fifth overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. His streak of games with at least eight assists ended at seven on Wednesday, but Dunn has also improved across the board offensively in his second NBA season, while proving to be a defensive headache for his opponents.

The Bulls confirmed that Dunn is in the NBA concussion protocol.

Dunn is averaging 13.7 points, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game on the season. His presence will surely be missed, but in a rebuilding year you should expect the Bulls to take their time bringing Dunn back, especially considering the extent of the injury.

Matt Nagy Breaks Down How He Convinced Vic Fangio To Stay

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy

The biggest hire for any new head coach is filling the coordinator position that is opposite of their personal expertise. Defensive head coaches must get the offensive coordinator position right. Offensive head coaches must get the defensive coordinator position right. If they don’t, winning games is difficult. Matt Nagy understood this the moment he took over command control of the Chicago Bears.

That’s why he aimed to make his first job easy. Rather than go out seeking a qualified coordinator elsewhere, he preferred to just keep things status quo. That meant finding a way to convince Vic Fangio to stay. The 59-year old completed one of his most impressive seasons to date in 2017. Despite not fielding a single Pro Bowler, Chicago finished with the 10th overall defense in the NFL.

This despite a rash of injuries to key starters like Leonard Floyd, Jerrell Freeman and Quintin Demps. The challenge for Nagy was finding a way to sell his vision on the Bears to Fangio who had plenty of other options open to him. It was touch and go for a bit. In the end the deal was closed. So how did he do it?

Matt Nagy talked with Fangio as expected: without the BS

One thing that has stood out about Fangio during the past three years is he’s not a man known for his subtlety. When he talks he gives it straight and honest. It’s one of the reasons fans love him. It also might be why he and John Fox were rumored to have some heat. Fox wasn’t known for being totally transparent at times.

Nagy clearly understood he had to make an impression. So he did it Fangio’s way:  straightforward.

“When I went through the process here, one of the biggest hires for me and making sure things would work out the right way and do it the right way was taking care of the defensive side of the ball with coach Fangio,” Nagy said.

“What a successful defense last year that he ran and those guys did such a great job, so that was important just to sit down with him, get to meet him as a person and listen to his philosophy, kind of explain my philosophy, see if it works and it did. We had a great conversation. I just have a world of respect for coach and I’m really excited for that part of it.”

Nagy seemed to get through. Fangio signed a new three-year deal to return to Chicago. His players are thrilled and no doubt fans already have a reason to like Nagy. He’s come across as a man who recognizes something logical and making sure to keep it that way. Retaining Fangio at all costs was a no brainer. The stats alone prove that much.

Mel Kiper Makes His First Official Chicago Bears Draft Prediction

By
Erik Lambert
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mel kiper

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. finally rolled out his first official mock draft of the off-season. It was and remains one of the most highly-anticipated releases each year. It’s heavy on intrigue for the Chicago Bears since they hold the #8 overall pick in the draft. So it is undoubtedly worth hearing where Kiper might think they go with what will be their fourth-straight top 10 selection barring an unexpected move.

The draft itself started out as expected. There was an early run on quarterbacks. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Wyoming standout Josh Allen going first overall to Cleveland. This despite serious concerns about Allen in terms of his accuracy and decision-making. Regardless the rest of the picks before Chicago played out relatively as expected.

Kiper then did what he does best. He made the obvious choice.

*Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

“Chicago has to add weapons for Mitchell Trubisky, and Ridley is the best receiver in this class by a mile. If the Bears can get a pass-catcher here — and don’t upgrade in free agency — Ridley makes the most sense. If he had played in a better passing offense, he could have been a Biletnikoff winner. He’s extremely talented.”

Mel Kiper selection of Calvin Ridley is logical but ignores big problem

It makes perfect sense that the Bears would target a wide receiver early in this draft. One could argue they had the worst receiving corps in the NFL in 2017. Their leading pass catcher was Kendall Wright with 614 yards. The last time Chicago had a 1,000-yard receiver was 2014. It’s plainly obvious they need better weapons.

Ridley though might not be an option at #8. Why? Kiper is ignoring one critical factor that may turn teams in the top 10 off from drafting him. Ridley will turn 24-years old in 2018. That’s old for an NFL rookie. Teams prefer not to invest such valuable picks in players who might have a shorter career, regardless of their talent or readiness to play.

Perhaps that changes in the pre-draft process but as things stand it’s hard to imagine the Bears going that direction. Factor in free agency there’s a strong chance their glaring need for a wide receiver won’t be as pressing by the time the draft begins. Given the strengths of the edge rusher and offensive line groups, it feels like those directions are far more likely.

We’ll see if Kiper starts to reach that same conclusion in the months to come.

Kris Dunn Being Evaluated For A Concussion After Scary Fall That Left Him Bloody

By
Aldo Soto
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Kris Dunn was helped off the court during the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s Chicago Bulls game against the Golden State Warriors after a scary fall face-first following a dunk. After the 119-112 loss at home, Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said the second-year point guard was being evaluated for a concussion.

Dunn exited the game with 2:52 remaining. The frightening scene began with a steal of Klay Thompson that led to a fast-break dunk by Dunn, who then hung on to the rim a little too long and came crashing down face-first on the United Center court. He stayed on the ground for several minutes before going back to the locker room.

Although Dunn was left with a bloody mouth, he didn’t loose any tooth, but he may have chipped a few, Hoiberg said.

Dunn’s streak of at least eight assists ended at seven games, finishing Wednesday night with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

At the very beginning of the game, Golden State rookie Jordan Bell got injured and was removed from the court because of a sprained left ankle. He did not return and will have an MRI on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Bulls will have a couple days off before getting back into action against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at 4 p.m.

UPDATE:

Looks like Dunn doesn’t have any concussion symptoms, but his teeth did get jacked up.

Chicago Bears Starting To Sniff Around Top Wide Receivers

By
Erik Lambert
-

What is the top priority for the Chicago Bears brass this 2018 off-season? GM Ryan Pace completed his first major task in hiring a new head coach. Now the focus shifts to how he and Matt Nagy will reshape the roster. Given Nagy’s background on offense, it stands to reason where the focus will be for this team. That’s finding Mitch Trubisky better wide receivers.

Suffice to say the rookie didn’t have the ideal cast in 2017. Kendall Wright led the way with 614 yards. The next closest was Josh Bellamy with 376. Not exactly a tandem to be feared. Admittedly the knee injury to Cameron Meredith in preseason hampered much of their plans but it also exposed how thin Chicago was to begin with at the position.

It’s clear Pace is bent on changing that come next year and is wasting no time exploring possibilities. Of course there is free agency and the draft to come. Both could offer solutions to the problem. However, it’s important to remember this is Pace. He has never been one to shy away from the bold move.

Chicago Bears brass exploring trade availability of big receiver names

Trades are always a valuable practice in the NFL, but they can also be dangerous if not handled properly. To this point Pace has saved his biggest moves for the draft. Any time he’s made a deal outside of that was of the lower tier variety. That could change this off-season. A source informed me that Chicago has begun exploring the possible market for this spring including three big receiving names.

“Bears are exploring multiple avenues to land a top wide receiver. Plan on talking to Cincinnati, Dallas and Denver about their star receivers.”

This undoubtedly means A.J. Green, Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas are the three names being considered. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Both Green and Bryant turn 30-years old in 2018. Thomas turned 30 in December of last year. Their respective teams may consider moving on from them in order to gain salary cap relief. A trade would make sense since they not only get the money back but they also get a draft pick too.

Don’t panic though. Pace is not the type to fork over a large package for an aging receiver. The source made it clear the Bears are feeling out whether a late round choice might be enough.

“They won’t give up top picks. They are eyeing late round picks and believe Dez and Thomas could be released.”

Late rounder would be an acceptable gamble if possible

Green, Bryant and Thomas may be on the down slope of their respective career but this doesn’t mean they can be big solutions to the Bears’ problem. Larry Fitzgerald was 34 this past season and went over 1,100 yards. So there’s good reason to think Chicago could get an extended run out of either of those names presuming they can stay healthy.

Of the trio Green would likely be the most appealing. His deep threat capability is something the Bears desperately need.

Problem is he’s likely the one who will be hardest to get. With Marvin Lewis still head coach the odds of him parting ways with Green are hard to envision. Thomas had a quieter than expected year with 949 yards. In fairness the Broncos have had quarterback issues. That said it feels like there is serious speculation that Denver might be willing to move on.

Perhaps the easiest name to acquire might actually end up being Bryant. Of course this is due in large part to two factors:  his reputation for being a head case and his declining production. Throw in an expensive contract to top it off? Dallas’ patience with him is certainly wearing thin. Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Nothing is set in stone at this point, but it’s clear the Bears are exploring every possible option.

Bulls Trade Fits-Mirotic to Portland?

By
Patrick Mooney
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Nikola Mirotic is now able to be traded, and with just three weeks left until the February 8th deadline his days as a Bull are likely numbered.

Rumors about Mirotic have been swirling for a while now, but only a few teams have been mentioned as serious suitors.

According to NBCSports Chicago and the Chicago Tribune, three different teams have inquired about Mirotic’s services, including the Portland Trail Blazers:

If the Bulls are indeed set on getting a first round pick, Portland might be the most likely of the three teams that have engaged in talks with the Bulls to cough up their pick. Utah is slipping into the lottery, Detroit is hanging on to postseason positioning by a thread, but Portland, with the addition of Mirotic, could end up finishing 5th or 6th in the West. Getting back a first rounder that should fall somewhere between the 20th and 22nd overall pick seems to be about as good a return the Bulls can get for Mirotic straight up.

However, if talks drag out and the Bulls are unable to acquire the 1st round pick that they desire, the Blazers have a couple players on their roster that are cheaper, younger and under contract longer than Mirotic is. Perhaps some sort of combination of Maurice Harkless, Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan would interest the Bulls?

Collins and Swanigan are rookies that are struggling to get on the floor in Portland. Both of them were 2017 first round picks, with Collins being selected 10th overall and Swanigan selected 26th, and both are just 20 years old. If you can’t net a first round pick in return for Mirotic, isn’t a 20 year old player less than a year removed from being a first round pick the next best thing?

Swanigan has some red flags in his game, as he was highly touted as a rebounder, perimeter shooter and interior finisher, but his lack of athleticism raises serious questions about his ability to rebound or score at the NBA level. His slow release is also causing him problems, he’s currently shooting just 20% from three. If the Bulls are going to make a deal with Portland, they should set their sights on Collins.

Collins has the profile of a legitimate rim protector with the ability to score in the post. Standing at 7 feet tall, he blocked almost two shots per game and shot over 65% from the floor in college. The Bulls are lacking a rim protector of the future, and with them winning too many games to be a player in the Deandre Ayton sweepstakes, trading for a player like Collins makes a lot of sense.

While Portland had a $12.9 million trade exception they could use on Mirotic this season, they are already a couple million over the luxury tax and could prefer to send back some salary to the Bulls. The’d likely try to shed Chicago native Evan Turner’s contract, but the Bulls have no interest in taking on 2.5 years of a guard making more than $17 million a year who can’t shoot and is likely already on the downswing of his career. Hard pass.

Maurice Harkless on the other hand would be worth looking into. Harkless, owed around $21 million over the next two seasons, is a 24 year old small forward with excellent length at 6’9 and a promising shooting stroke. He shot over 35% from three and posted a 55.8 eFG% last year, but has taken a step back in both categories this season. He could be a nice, affordable bench piece over the next couple of years for the Bulls.

The fanbase would likely be disappointed as a whole if the Bulls failed to receive draft pick compensation for Mirotic, and the Bulls themselves have stated they are determined to get a first rounder for him, but if the Bulls sent Mirotic to Portland and received Collins and Harkless (plus an expiring contract to get the Blazers under the luxury tax) in return, you can count on this Bulls fan being excited.

 

 

Scotty Bowman On Crawford, “It’s Not What They’re Reporting”

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
-

The Corey Crawford saga continues as Senior Advisor Of Hockey Operations Stan Bowman made some comments on Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. He told the reputable Canadian sports outlet “It’s not what they’re reporting.”

Reports last night said that Crawford is suffering from vertigo-like symptoms but Bowman says differently. He elaborated on his initial statement and said, “Now, apparently what he really has is post-concussion syndrome.”

With the tight-lipped Blackhawks, no one really knows when the latest concussion may have a occurred. Crawford did suffer a heavy blow to the head in late November from Evgeni Malkin. He left the game but later returned. This story may line up since he did make a short trip to the IR on December 1st.

Whatever it is, the Blackhawks have handled this situation very poorly with their procedure of keeping injury information in house. This is the same organization that was named in a lawsuit just last year for mishandling concussions.

I personally don’t care what the actual issue is. I just want Crawford to get right and return to the ice. It’s just very frustrating thinking of how the organization has handled the issue. It has led to too much speculation and now it’s turning into a circus.

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

 

Jordan Bell Receives $3.5 Million T-Shirt Trolling Bulls From Chicago Radio Host

By
Aldo Soto
-

Chicago Bulls fans know the story by now and although the core has been playing great recently and Zach LaVine’s return has added some more excitement there’s still the Jordan Bell storyline that won’t quite go away. The second-round pick was traded to the Golden State Warriors back on draft night for $3.5 million and the rookie has taken it personally.

Bell started his rookie campaign slowly working himself into the Warriors’ rotation and was playing well in limited minutes. In early November, he was feeling pretty good about himself that he was even poking some fun at the Bulls.

A few weeks later the Bulls played against the Warriors and Bell made sure everyone knew that he was still taking the draft-night trade to heart.

Before Wednesday night’s game at the United Center, Steve Kerr said the rookie was past that.

However, that didn’t stop Danny Parkins from 670 The Score, to once again troll the Bulls.

And Bell loved it!

By the way, not only are the t-shirts a fun jab at the front office, but the Spiegel and Parkins Show is also raising money for charity.

Oh and by the way, Bell is once again starting for the Warriors against the Bulls. Last time out, the Warriors beat the Bulls by 49 points.

Speaking of t-shirts BUY THE ONES BELOW!

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