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It’s becoming more and more clear that Chicago Bears General Manger Ryan Poles is going to rebuild this roster early in his tenure the way he wants to. So far in his two pressers, Poles has dropped hints about how he wants the roster constructed both on offense and defense.

There also shouldn’t be any shock if Poles does release a few players in the upcoming free agency period here in March.  But now, there appears to be buzz surrounding a star player on the Bears defense.

Per Brad Biggs, the buzz around the NFL Scouting Combine this past week has surrounded edge rusher Khalil Mack and his future with the Bears. On Friday, Biggs wrote on Mack in his 10 Bears observations, revealing the rumored price tag for the edge rusher:

The name some folks in town are wondering about is Khalil Mack, the 31-year-old edge rusher who had six sacks in seven games last season before heading to the injured reserve list.

What would the market be for Mack? A second-rounder with another late-round pick the teams could haggle over was what an NFC executive suggested at the end of the season. An AFC executive suggested using the Von Miller trade as a template. The Denver Broncos traded Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for second- and third-round picks in 2022. The Broncos also paid down Miller’s contract to make the deal happen, absorbing $9 million of the remaining $9.7 million of his 2021 salary to facilitate the trade.

Mack is one of the best players on this defense but if the Bears can get out of that contract, it would be intriguing for Poles to do so. Plus, Mack missed most of last season with an injury.

For now it’s speculation but usually when Brad Biggs writes something like this, it’s worth paying attention too.

Check out our Chicago Bears forum for the latest on the team!

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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Another target may have become available at the wide receiver position for the Chicago Bears.

On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Dallas Cowboys are set to release wide receiver Amari Cooper ahead of the new league year. That will make the 27-year-old Cooper a free agent and able to sign with any team right away. Cooper was due $20M in fully guaranteed money and the Cowboys want to go a different direction with their receiver core.

But will the Bears be interested?

It’s clear Chicago has a need at wide receiver and should be doing everything they can to surround Justin Fields with talent going into his second year. So yeah, they should be if the price is right.

This free agent receiving class is strong with Davante Adams and Chris Godwin leading the way at the top, but both are expect to return to their teams. That leaves guys like Allen Robinson, Mike Williams, Christian Kirk, DJ Chark and now Cooper available.

It will be interesting to see how Ryan Poles attacks this free agency, his first as general manager of the Bears, and if he wants to go out and spend big money. If he does, Cooper could fit in that mold.

Cooper had 865 yards on 68 receptions with eight touchdowns in 15 games played last season but really struggled to find a role in the Cowboys’ offense in the final few games.

Make sure to check out our Chicago Bears forum for the latest on the Monsters of the Midway.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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The Chicago Bulls have maintained the top seed in the eastern conference for much of this season but ince the all-star break, the Bulls have begun to slow down quite a bit.

The Bulls still maintain a solid record of 39-25. That currently has them at the 4th spot in the east. The eastern conference has been very competitive this season compared to recent years. A short winning streak or losing streak can drastically change a team’s position in the current standings.

The Bulls’ current losing streak sits at four games. These four games have been against some of the top teams in the league, including the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Milwaukee Bucks. There have been a lot of question marks surrounding the Bulls lately. Especially about their ability to compete with these heavyweight contenders around the league.

With 18 games left in the regular season, is it time for Bulls fans to hit the panic button? Not quite.

By the time the playoffs come around, the Bulls’ roster should look very different. The Bulls did not make any moves at the trade deadline because of the reinforcements they have coming back from injury. Patrick Williams, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo ball are all expected back in the lineup by mid to late March. Although none of these players are bonafide superstars, their presence will drastically change how the Bulls perform.

The injury to Patrick Williams occurred at the very beginning of the season. He was able to play in the first five games before his wrist injury forced him to be sidelined for 4-6 months. In those 5 games, the Bulls were able to achieve a 5-0 record. What the 20-year old will bring to the lineup has yet to be seen. This season was meant to be hugely important to his development. Now the inexperienced Williams will have to find a way to contribute to this deep roster as it heads into the highly competitive eastern conference playoffs.

Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso coming back should be a huge spark to this Bulls team. Their energy on the defensive end has an immeasurable impact on games. When healthy, these two guards can arguably be considered among the top defensive guards in the league.

It’s clear that the Bulls are a much better team when Ball and Caruso are on the floor. Their presence greatly changes the way the Bulls are able to perform as a team. With Ball averaging 1.8 steals per game and Caruso with 1.9, the Bulls have a much easier time setting the tone defensively and getting fastbreak points. This can make all the difference in tight games like the Bulls’ loss to Milwaukee on Friday night.

Before getting injured, Alex Caruso had emerged as what appears to be a defensive captain of sorts. Teammates have praised not only his defensive skills but his communication as well.

Maybe I’m optimistic, but this losing streak along with the poor performances against the top teams isn’t enough for me to start looking towards next season. Yes, every team has injury setbacks but the Bulls are a completely different team when their defensive specialists are available.

Hit the panic button if you want, but the Bulls still have a lot of fight left.

Make sure to check out our Bulls forum for the latest on the team.

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The Chicago Bears are set to enter their first free agency period in the Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus regime as they look to build the roster and get them back to a contender. Right now, Chicago’s best piece to build around is quarterback Justin Fields who had a roller coaster of a rookie season with Matt Nagy and company.

Many believe Fields has the talent to be one of the best young quarterbacks in the league but he needs to take a step forward here in year two. But as we get set for the offseason, a new report from The Athletic from NFL execs state that Fields’ throwing motion is a point of emphasis for the Bears this offseason.

“He can be good,” a league source added. “But there are obviously some things that need to be fixed. … How long will that take?”

That was the consensus opinion. Several league contacts pointed to Fields’ mechanics, specifically his elongated throwing motion. But conversations were generally positive, a key difference from 2020 when questions and concerns about Trubisky were widespread. Fields’ deep ball was highlighted.

Most viewed the Bears’ hiring of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy favorably, but some had questions about quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko.

The piece from Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns’ is fantastic and gives fans a look at what other NFL execs think of the Bears situation.

Fields does have a baseball background which may help or hurt his mechanics but we did see some flashes of really good throws last year. His development remains the single most important thing for the franchise moving forward and that’s clear.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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MESA, Ariz. – Cubs 2020 first-round pick Jordan Wicks remembers the thud of his sweat-drenched jersey as it hit the pitch lab floor.

It was July, a sweltering day, and his first experience in the Arizona facility designed to supply heaps of pitch data for the Cubs organization.

“It feels a lot better being in there this time of year,” Wicks said last week in prospect minicamp. “I’m not sweating like crazy.”

Even when the Cubs were consistently going to the playoffs, they received criticism for the lack of big-league pitching they produced. Their 2016 championship core was made up of young hitters, and over the years the club paid handsomely to supplement pitching to match.

The Cubs have begun to challenge that reputation in recent years, with homegrown pitchers Adbert Alzolay, Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson showing promise, if not always consistency, last season. But the key is sustaining that progress.

“That’s our main goal, basically all the pitchers,” right-handed prospect Kohl Franklin said of shifting the external perception of the Cubs’ pitching development. “It’s always talked about, it’s always in the back of our minds, and it’s something we definitely want to change.”

The Cubs’ work with minor leaguers early in their professional careers, extracting the best version of each pitch in their arsenals, is a key to making that a reality.

To identify the best grip for a specific pitch, Cubs coordinator of pitching development Casey Jacobson said he starts with the pitcher’s mechanics. Then, he turns to high-speed video to see how the ball’s coming out of the pitcher’s hand.

“Pair that with the pitch data that we get,” he said, “and usually, if you’re done it enough times, it gives you a pretty good idea of what grip is going to help make the movement that you want.”

Take DJ Herz, for example. The Cubs named Herz, their eighth-round draft pick in 2019, the minor-league pitcher of the year last season. He posted a combined 3.31 ERA in Single-A Myrtle Beach and South Bend.

What clicked?

Hertz points to his new changeup grip and moving to the other side of the pitching rubber for a crossfire delivery. The new, deceptive delivery clicked right away, but finding the best changeup for him took some trial and error.

Jacobson called the first grip they tried “OK.” But when they switched to the vulcan grip – with the middle and ring fingers creating a “V” – they saw the type of movement they were looking for.

“It was nasty off my fastball,” Herz said.

The Cubs also changed right-hander Caleb Kilian’s changeup, abandoning his vulcan grip and switching to a circle change.

For Wicks, the changeup was already a strength. But he said his curveball has “made absolute leaps and bounds forward,”giving him a pitch with a lot of depth. A tweak to his slider “completely changed it for the better,” creating more horizontal sweep. And he’s shifted his focus away from his two-seam fastball, in favor of his four-seamer’s vertical ride.

“You learn about analytics stuff like that early, in college,” Wicks said, “but you don’t really understand the meaning of it, or what to put emphasis on. Here, they teach you about it, and they say, ‘this is what it means, this is what you’re looking for, this is what you want.'”

They’re also cognizant of tailoring the pace of information to each pitcher and his experience. The data is useless if the player doesn’t have the time or base knowledge to absorb it.

“A guy like Jordan, who really knows his stuff, he knows his arsenal, he has a very good idea of who he is as a pitcher,” Jacobson said, “you can generally work a little bit more with those guys, give him a couple different things at a time without it getting muddy.”

The result?

Said Wicks: “I feel like I’m loaded up weapon-wise different than I ever have been.”

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — It’s hard not to get swept up in that annual rite of March, the writing of the spring training love sonnet for a beloved prospect. And with major leaguers locked out of camps across Arizona and Florida right now, the prospects are all there are to love.

Take Oscar Colas, the Cuban outfielder and prized international prospect signed by the Sox for a $2.7 million bonus in January. Let White Sox hitting coordinator Andy Barkett romanticize his potential.

“You see a guy and it’s like, ‘OK show me what you want to do. Let’s try to do it right off the bat,’ ” Barkett said of Colas Monday. “He’s got some explosive power. Some big time, upper deck light-tower power. He can do it to all fields.”

The left-handed hitting Colas, 23, has been an attention grabber at the Sox training complex in Glendale for one week, and his enthusiasm and appreciation for the moment were evident on his first day.

“For every baseball player, for every Cuban baseball player, the dream is to play in the majors and be part of a minor-league organization,” Colas said through translator Billy Russo. “It was like a dream come true. Now it’s on me to perform and do what I really know I can do — being able to reach my dream.”

Colas projects as a right fielder and the Sox right field picture is not clear – though there are in-house candidates such as Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets and former Gold Glove finalist Adam Engel in the mix, as well as potential bigger name free agents. But the dream won’t be reached this year. Colas’ experience consists of 187 career games between Cuba’s best league, Serie Nacional, from 2016-20, and the Japan Western League, the Japaneese minors, in 2019. Colas owns combined .282/.343/.483 hitting line with 28 homers and 38 doubles.

A run of success against a steady diet of pitching for at least one season in the minor leagues in the U.S. is needed for Colas to move into the Sox big league picture.

“He just needs to play and, we are nowhere near making teams or anything like that,” Barkett said. “But wherever he goes, he’s going to be fun to work with. He’s got a bright personality and secondly he wants to get better and that’s what we are looking for. He looks hungry. He wants to be good.”

Barkett has noticed other Sox prospects from Cuba, such as infielder Yolbert Sanchez and outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes, “kind of go towards him a little bit in a way.”

“He’s got this leadership about him,” Barkett said.

And an “advanced” set of skills, according to Marco Paddy, the Sox’ special assistant to the general manager who serves as the organization’s international talent guru.

Barkett watches Colas work around the cage and he was all eyes, sizing up the left-handed hitter whose left arm was so good that he also pitched – well enough to be known as the Cuban Ohtani for a while.

“First you look for personality, I feel like. And I’ve been doing this a long time,” said Barkett, the Red Sox’ assistant hitting coach from 2017-19. “You are looking for skill and all that, but I figured there was skill. I saw the videos. I just wanted to see what kind of guy he is.”

Fun, and hungry, Barkett said. Colas took to the Sox’ specific hitting drills program instantly and wanted to know the ins, outs and whys surrounding them.

“He’s nodding his head and understanding, and I’m able to speak in two languages so we are communicating and he’s getting it and doing it and it’s really cool to see him embrace the process right away,” Barkett said.

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The Blackhawks’ pipeline of forward prospects has nearly run dry.

There’s a reason why new general manager Kyle Davidson has been so forward — pun intended — with identifying it as an area needing improvement. And once Lukas Reichel graduates to the NHL, it’ll be even drier.

But an ‘X’-factor in this conversation is Landon Slaggert, the Hawks’ 2020 third-round pick who has grown at Notre Dame over the past two years into a hardworking, versatile forward.

If Slaggert eventually develops into a useful NHL role player, it’d give the Hawks at least something of value from their current pool of young forwards. Outside of Reichel, he and Colton Dach are the most intriguing guys in the group.

“I see myself as a 200-foot player that brings some energy,” Slaggert said recently. “Honestly, I like to look up to Brandon Hagel in that aspect. I know he’s a special player, and I have a long way to go to be even mentioned in the same conversation as him, but he’s definitely someone I look up to. I’d like to get my game to his level someday.”

After tallying eight goals and 22 points in 25 games as a freshman last season, Slaggert has recorded 11 goals and 24 points in 37 games as a sophomore this season, including 14 points in 18 games since Jan. 7.

That point production is respectable, but he admits he tries not to focus on it too much, knowing his game likely won’t be predicated on scoring at the pro level.

Alternatively, his upside resembles a Hagel- or Drake Caggiula-like jack of all trades who can make positive impacts in all three zones, winning puck battles and races, to help his teammates while contributing a little bit himself. He can play all three positions, which helps.

With his 6-0, 190-pound frame, he’s never going to be a bruiser, but he could be a solid bottom-six forward.

Notre Dame hockey has become a rather Slaggert-laden program, with Landon skating on a line with his senior brother Graham while being watched over by father Andy, an associate head coach. And it’s working out well for Notre Dame, which enters the Big Ten semifinals Saturday against Michigan with a 27-10-0 record, ranked No. 8 in the country.

“It started out a little tough to be critical of each other,” Slaggert said about playing with Graham. “It’s funny to do as brothers, because we have a unique relationship. But now it allows us to have an extra level of chemistry, because we have a brotherly connection that allows us to find each other out there. It has been a blast playing with him and seeing our relationship grow.”

As for himself, Slaggert has worked hardest on improving his poise — building his confidence with and without the puck, maximizing his ability to see and evaluate every on-ice situation and ultimately make the right decision.

It’s something his coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program — which Slaggert was drafted out of two years ago — first identified as an area for him to focus on, and he has been doing so ever since. He believes it has “come a long way.”

The Hawks are predictably keeping in touch. Development coaches Kendall Coyne Schofield and Erik Condra often break down Slaggert’s video or pass along advice on handling the mental side of hockey.

He hasn’t thought much yet about where he’ll be next season, but realistically, he’s probably destined for at least one more year of college. And he’ll need to maintain his upward trajectory during that year or two to come, as it’s not guaranteed yet that he’ll turn into the next Hagel or Caggiula.

But if he does, it’d certainly help the Hawks.

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The Chicago Bulls have maintained the top seed in the eastern conference for much of this season but ince the all-star break, the Bulls have begun to slow down quite a bit.

The Bulls still maintain a solid record of 39-25. That currently has them at the 4th spot in the east. The eastern conference has been very competitive this season compared to recent years. A short winning streak or losing streak can drastically change a team’s position in the current standings.

The Bulls’ current losing streak sits at four games. These four games have been against some of the top teams in the league, including the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Milwaukee Bucks. There have been a lot of question marks surrounding the Bulls lately. Especially about their ability to compete with these heavyweight contenders around the league.

With 18 games left in the regular season, is it time for Bulls fans to hit the panic button? Not quite.

By the time the playoffs come around, the Bulls’ roster should look very different. The Bulls did not make any moves at the trade deadline because of the reinforcements they have coming back from injury. Patrick Williams, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo ball are all expected back in the lineup by mid to late March. Although none of these players are bonafide superstars, their presence will drastically change how the Bulls perform.

The injury to Patrick Williams occurred at the very beginning of the season. He was able to play in the first five games before his wrist injury forced him to be sidelined for 4-6 months. In those 5 games, the Bulls were able to achieve a 5-0 record. What the 20-year old will bring to the lineup has yet to be seen. This season was meant to be hugely important to his development. Now the inexperienced Williams will have to find a way to contribute to this deep roster as it heads into the highly competitive eastern conference playoffs.

Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso coming back should be a huge spark to this Bulls team. Their energy on the defensive end has an immeasurable impact on games. When healthy, these two guards can arguably be considered among the top defensive guards in the league.

It’s clear that the Bulls are a much better team when Ball and Caruso are on the floor. Their presence greatly changes the way the Bulls are able to perform as a team. With Ball averaging 1.8 steals per game and Caruso with 1.9, the Bulls have a much easier time setting the tone defensively and getting fastbreak points. This can make all the difference in tight games like the Bulls’ loss to Milwaukee on Friday night.

Before getting injured, Alex Caruso had emerged as what appears to be a defensive captain of sorts. Teammates have praised not only his defensive skills but his communication as well.

Maybe I’m optimistic, but this losing streak along with the poor performances against the top teams isn’t enough for me to start looking towards next season. Yes, every team has injury setbacks but the Bulls are a completely different team when their defensive specialists are available.

Hit the panic button if you want, but the Bulls still have a lot of fight left.

Make sure to check out our Bulls forum for the latest on the team.

Read More

The Chicago Bears are set to enter their first free agency period in the Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus regime as they look to build the roster and get them back to a contender. Right now, Chicago’s best piece to build around is quarterback Justin Fields who had a roller coaster of a rookie season with Matt Nagy and company.

Many believe Fields has the talent to be one of the best young quarterbacks in the league but he needs to take a step forward here in year two. But as we get set for the offseason, a new report from The Athletic from NFL execs state that Fields’ throwing motion is a point of emphasis for the Bears this offseason.

“He can be good,” a league source added. “But there are obviously some things that need to be fixed. … How long will that take?”

That was the consensus opinion. Several league contacts pointed to Fields’ mechanics, specifically his elongated throwing motion. But conversations were generally positive, a key difference from 2020 when questions and concerns about Trubisky were widespread. Fields’ deep ball was highlighted.

Most viewed the Bears’ hiring of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy favorably, but some had questions about quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko.

The piece from Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns’ is fantastic and gives fans a look at what other NFL execs think of the Bears situation.

Fields does have a baseball background which may help or hurt his mechanics but we did see some flashes of really good throws last year. His development remains the single most important thing for the franchise moving forward and that’s clear.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

Read More