Chicago Sports

I often read opinion pieces advocating for these unconstitutional laws, yet seldom see any opinions to the contrary. I’d like to offer an opinion to the contrary for the proposed Protect Illinois Communities Act.

We have all seen the opinion pieces advocating for this, and all for the same reasons. “We need to protect the children,” always the same lines. Those seeking to essentially disarm the masses to feel safer, are all the while doing quite the opposite. We have seen multiple times where firearms were used to protect people, yet they seldom gain any media attention. We also tend to overlook that criminals by definition do not follow the laws. So a new law will only disarm law-abiding citizens.

We hear hot catch-phrases like “assault weapon,” “high-capacity magazine,” “military grade” and few people seem to understand what any of that means. No politician can tell you what an “assault weapon” is, as it is a made-up term. If they refer to it by how something looks, I can put the same parts on a nail gun that is used to build houses. Does that make that a weapon of war? Because it looks similar? And how about many other items that are weapons of war? Knives? Jeeps? Boats? Pens? Computers? Airplanes? The military uses all of those. And all have more blood on them than civilian AR-15s.

A “high-capacity” magazine is another made-up term. A 30-round magazine is standard capacity for most rifles. Pistols can vary from seven to 17, for standard capacity. None of those are “high-capacity.”

Let’s move on to the term “military grade,” which simply means it meets the minimum standard for the cheapest price. Military grade is no standard by which to judge quality or capability.

We see astounding numbers yearly about deaths from firearms. But information from places such as Pew Research and the FBI shows that of the 40,000 deaths yearly, over half are from self-inflicted gunshots. Suicide is a mental health issue. If those same people happened to use their car and drive in front of a semi, would we seek to ban cars? Or semi-trucks? We would seek to help those in need in times of great turmoil. So why do we blame guns for suicide?

Sure, more can be done to protect lives when it comes to gun violence, but the answer is not to remove the guns. Enforce the thousands of laws currently on the books. Stop letting violent criminals off so easily. Impose harsher punishments. Make criminals afraid of prison instead of seeing it as a stepping stone or a minor obstacle. Help get our youth off the street and out of the gang life. Help the poor get ahead so that crime does not look so appealing. Help those in mental distress. Fix the family court system so that men aren’t destroyed to the point of thinking suicide is better than to be seen as failures to their children, while a vengeful ex bleeds him dry.

Look around at what society has become and try to fix the problems. Don’t blame an inanimate object. Criminals will still be criminals, people will still harm one another. Suicides will still happen. Let’s address the real problems, and stop looking for scapegoats.

Jason Hartel, Naperville

Kevin McCarthy win is a last hurrah

I couldn’t help but notice the irony in the voting for Speaker of the House going a full 15 rounds. It was reminiscent of “The Thrilla in Manila” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975. Ali and Frazier had gone a brutal 14 rounds in the stifling heat of the Philippines before Frazier’s trainer mercifully signaled things to an end prior to the final round.

It’s too bad there was nobody to call it for Kevin McCarthy before his final round. The Thrilla in Manila was the last hurrah for both fighters, and despite Ali’s win, he was a shadow of his former self. Despite McCarthy’s win, an already weak man has been bloodied so badly that unlike Ali, he will never live to fight another day.

Tom Scorby, St. Charles

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A pregnant African lion at the Lincoln Park Zoo is almost ready to introduce at least a couple of new cubs to Chicago.

An ultrasound revealed that 4-year-old Zari is expecting at least two cubs, zoo officials announced Monday, adding that the lion’s “behavior changes indicate that delivery may not be too far off.”

The zoo could be expecting up to five cubs when the big day comes, officials said last month in a statement announcing Zari’s pregnancy.

Zari’s pregnancy came after the zoo used breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ “survival program” for captive African lions. It was suggested the Lincoln Park pair produce cubs after genetic testing was conducted on Zari and her 5-year-old mate, Jabari.

African lions are considered a “vulnerable” species, with declining wild populations estimated between 23,000 and 39,000, down from half a million in 1950, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

This is Zari’s second pregnancy. Pilipili, her first male cub with Jabari, was born last March, officials said.

Zari’s new cubs will grow alongside the 9-month-old Pilipili in a new lion habitat that won a Chicago Innovation Award in November.

The Pepper Family Wildlife Center, which opened in the fall of 2021, features temperature-regulated rock formations, zip lines and pulleys that deliver meals in a way that allows for stalking and hunting behavior and climbable trees that were sustainably harvested.

Contributing: Zach Miller

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In most Chicago Bears losses in the 2022-23 season, they’ve had opportunities to outshine their opponents and potentially win the game, but with 3 wins from 17 games I think it’s safe to say that they haven’t accomplished that on too many occasions. While there are signs of progress offensively, the players and the manager know that the team needs an overhaul to be competitive again. 

Below are some potential areas of defense and offense that Chicago Bears need to improve to turn the losses into wins.

Red Zone Offense 

New fans would not believe this, but the Bears had the 5th-best red zone in the season’s first three games. However, things have been downhill from here. The Chicago Bears’ four losses have been a single score, and in two of those (Commanders and Giants), you can blame the team’s red zone problems. Most users of football sportsbook software lost lost some funds because of this.

The Bears must improve their red zone stats if they are going to compete in the 2023 season.

Run Defense

The Chicago Bears run defense has been a big problem for the team, and they’ve been among the worst in the league. Missing tackles has been a massive problem for this defense unit, and it has faced some famous names in the run game, such as Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones, and Dalvin Cook. 

At one point, the Bears allowed 189 rushing yards each match, ranking 29th in the league. They only managed to hold one team below 100 rushing yards – The Texans with 92 rushing yards.

Pass Protection

Chicago Bears offensive line was a big concern even before the season began. Although the line has done a great job in run blocking, the team has yet to be able to protect Justin Fields effectively. Struggling pass protection is not a good thing for a 2nd-year quarterback. Fields has been sacked many times this season. 

There needs to be more trust in the offensive line because Fields mostly abandons the pocket earlier. We saw this against the Commanders in Match Week 6, where he was pressured 18 times and sacked five times.

Pass Rush

Before the season began, everyone had high hopes for the Bears’ pass rush, despite dealing Khalil Mack to Chargers in the offseason. Trevis Gipson got a mini-breakout season, Robert Quinn had a franchise-record 18.5-sack season, and they signed veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad. However, the Bears’ pass rush has been a vast disappointment on defense. 

At some point, the Chicago Bears had 11 sacks, ranking 23rd in NFL. It’s one of the sectors that need to be improved. 

Passing Game

Chicago Bears passing game has been abysmal since the season started, and there are no signs of change. The team has been averaging 122.8 passing yards each game. Fields has thrown for more than 200 yards in only a single game the entire season.

According to head coach Matt Eberflus, people know that the team has been running the ball well offensively. He says that they need to improve their passing game. The coach added that in areas they need to improve, they will work hard to achieve that.

Quarterback 

At the start of the season, Justin Fields appeared to have regressed. He looks indecisive and uncomfortable in the pocket and has also been part of the problems in pass protection and passing game. 

Fields seem to hold the ball for long, and there’s reduced trust in his unimpressive weapons and offensive line. His teammates have not helped, but he needs help with accuracy and footwork.

Field’s best match was in game week five against the Vikings. He looked confident, comfortable, and poised in this game and the passing game looked excellent. 

The Bears need to figure out how they can play like this. The offensive line should give Justin time, and the receivers need to make plays and get open, but Fields should rip the ball.

The team’s season is not about winning the title but developing. Fields’ development is the most important thing. The team will need to surround him with talent in the offseason and hope he’ll improve and grow.

Final Thoughts 

Currently, the vital thing for Chicago Bears is Fields’s development in the 2022-23 and coming seasons. The quarterback has been impressive offensively, considering the lack of weapons around him and the injuries to the offensive line. 

The rebuild of the team revolves around Fields, and while Chicago Bears didn’t sign a super-skilled player or spend a lot of money, they believe Fields can take the team to the next level.

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In most Chicago Bears losses in the 2022-23 season, they’ve had opportunities to outshine their opponents and potentially win the game, but with 3 wins from 17 games I think it’s safe to say that they haven’t accomplished that on too many occasions. While there are signs of progress offensively, the players and the manager know that the team needs an overhaul to be competitive again. 

Below are some potential areas of defense and offense that Chicago Bears need to improve to turn the losses into wins.

Red Zone Offense 

New fans would not believe this, but the Bears had the 5th-best red zone in the season’s first three games. However, things have been downhill from here. The Chicago Bears’ four losses have been a single score, and in two of those (Commanders and Giants), you can blame the team’s red zone problems. Most users of football sportsbook software lost lost some funds because of this.

The Bears must improve their red zone stats if they are going to compete in the 2023 season.

Run Defense

The Chicago Bears run defense has been a big problem for the team, and they’ve been among the worst in the league. Missing tackles has been a massive problem for this defense unit, and it has faced some famous names in the run game, such as Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones, and Dalvin Cook. 

At one point, the Bears allowed 189 rushing yards each match, ranking 29th in the league. They only managed to hold one team below 100 rushing yards – The Texans with 92 rushing yards.

Pass Protection

Chicago Bears offensive line was a big concern even before the season began. Although the line has done a great job in run blocking, the team has yet to be able to protect Justin Fields effectively. Struggling pass protection is not a good thing for a 2nd-year quarterback. Fields has been sacked many times this season. 

There needs to be more trust in the offensive line because Fields mostly abandons the pocket earlier. We saw this against the Commanders in Match Week 6, where he was pressured 18 times and sacked five times.

Pass Rush

Before the season began, everyone had high hopes for the Bears’ pass rush, despite dealing Khalil Mack to Chargers in the offseason. Trevis Gipson got a mini-breakout season, Robert Quinn had a franchise-record 18.5-sack season, and they signed veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad. However, the Bears’ pass rush has been a vast disappointment on defense. 

At some point, the Chicago Bears had 11 sacks, ranking 23rd in NFL. It’s one of the sectors that need to be improved. 

Passing Game

Chicago Bears passing game has been abysmal since the season started, and there are no signs of change. The team has been averaging 122.8 passing yards each game. Fields has thrown for more than 200 yards in only a single game the entire season.

According to head coach Matt Eberflus, people know that the team has been running the ball well offensively. He says that they need to improve their passing game. The coach added that in areas they need to improve, they will work hard to achieve that.

Quarterback 

At the start of the season, Justin Fields appeared to have regressed. He looks indecisive and uncomfortable in the pocket and has also been part of the problems in pass protection and passing game. 

Fields seem to hold the ball for long, and there’s reduced trust in his unimpressive weapons and offensive line. His teammates have not helped, but he needs help with accuracy and footwork.

Field’s best match was in game week five against the Vikings. He looked confident, comfortable, and poised in this game and the passing game looked excellent. 

The Bears need to figure out how they can play like this. The offensive line should give Justin time, and the receivers need to make plays and get open, but Fields should rip the ball.

The team’s season is not about winning the title but developing. Fields’ development is the most important thing. The team will need to surround him with talent in the offseason and hope he’ll improve and grow.

Final Thoughts 

Currently, the vital thing for Chicago Bears is Fields’s development in the 2022-23 and coming seasons. The quarterback has been impressive offensively, considering the lack of weapons around him and the injuries to the offensive line. 

The rebuild of the team revolves around Fields, and while Chicago Bears didn’t sign a super-skilled player or spend a lot of money, they believe Fields can take the team to the next level.

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Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was vacated because of NCAA violations, was among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class announced Monday.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon; and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Bush played on two national championship teams with USC in 2003 and ’04, and led the Trojans to another title game in 2005, a season in which he won the Heisman with a spectacular season. He ran for 1,740 yards, averaged 8.7 yards per carry and scored 19 touchdowns.

He went to become the second overall pick in the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints after a college career that saw him run for 3,169 yards in three seasons, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and score 42 touchdowns.

The NCAA later investigated USC and Bush and determined he and his family had received impermissible benefits from a marketing agent while playing for the Trojans.

The NCAA hit USC with severe sanctions in 2010 and later the Heisman Trust vacated Bush’s Heisman victory and asked him to return his trophy.

Among the NCAA penalties, USC disassociated with Bush for 10 years. That sanction lifted in 2020 and Bush was welcomed back by the school.

The Heisman win remains vacated, saying it would only return the award if the NCAA reconsiders the penalties against Bush. The NCAA has said it will not be re-evaluating old infractions cases, though there have been calls do to so in light of today’s less-restrictive rules around athlete compensation for endorsement deals.

While Bush is still not a Heisman winner in the official record books, he will be a Hall of Famer.

The National Football Foundation, which runs the college hall, has be more lenient in recent years in regards to players and coaches who have been attached to NCAA scandals.

Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was elected in 2015. He was forced to resign in 2011 by the school he led to a national championship for misleading NCAA investigators.

SMU running back Eric Dickerson waited decades before going into the Hall of Fame in 2021. Dickerson was never found to have broken NCAA rules, but his association with a program that was shut down in the mid-1980s for violations that spanned his time at the school was enough to keep him out.

The rest of the latest class of college Hall of Famers includes: Eric Berry of Tennessee; Robert Gallery of Iowa; Derrick Johnson of Texas; Bill Kollar of Montana State; Jeremy Maclin of Missouri; Terrance Mathis of New Mexico; Bryant McKinnie of Miami; Corey Moore of Virginia Tech; Michael Stonebreaker of Notre Dame; Troy Vincent of Wisconsin; Brian Westbrook of Villanova; and DeAngelo Williams of Memphis.

The four coaches to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in December will be Monte Carr of Shepherd; Roy Kramer, the Central Michigan coach who became Southeastern Conference commissioner; Mark Richt, who coached Georgia and Miami; and triple-option guru Paul Johnson, who had stints at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech.

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Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was vacated because of NCAA violations, was among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class announced Monday.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon; and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Bush played on two national championship teams with USC in 2003 and ’04, and led the Trojans to another title game in 2005, a season in which he won the Heisman with a spectacular season. He ran for 1,740 yards, averaged 8.7 yards per carry and scored 19 touchdowns.

He went to become the second overall pick in the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints after a college career that saw him run for 3,169 yards in three seasons, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and score 42 touchdowns.

The NCAA later investigated USC and Bush and determined he and his family had received impermissible benefits from a marketing agent while playing for the Trojans.

The NCAA hit USC with severe sanctions in 2010 and later the Heisman Trust vacated Bush’s Heisman victory and asked him to return his trophy.

Among the NCAA penalties, USC disassociated with Bush for 10 years. That sanction lifted in 2020 and Bush was welcomed back by the school.

The Heisman win remains vacated, saying it would only return the award if the NCAA reconsiders the penalties against Bush. The NCAA has said it will not be re-evaluating old infractions cases, though there have been calls do to so in light of today’s less-restrictive rules around athlete compensation for endorsement deals.

While Bush is still not a Heisman winner in the official record books, he will be a Hall of Famer.

The National Football Foundation, which runs the college hall, has be more lenient in recent years in regards to players and coaches who have been attached to NCAA scandals.

Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was elected in 2015. He was forced to resign in 2011 by the school he led to a national championship for misleading NCAA investigators.

SMU running back Eric Dickerson waited decades before going into the Hall of Fame in 2021. Dickerson was never found to have broken NCAA rules, but his association with a program that was shut down in the mid-1980s for violations that spanned his time at the school was enough to keep him out.

The rest of the latest class of college Hall of Famers includes: Eric Berry of Tennessee; Robert Gallery of Iowa; Derrick Johnson of Texas; Bill Kollar of Montana State; Jeremy Maclin of Missouri; Terrance Mathis of New Mexico; Bryant McKinnie of Miami; Corey Moore of Virginia Tech; Michael Stonebreaker of Notre Dame; Troy Vincent of Wisconsin; Brian Westbrook of Villanova; and DeAngelo Williams of Memphis.

The four coaches to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in December will be Monte Carr of Shepherd; Roy Kramer, the Central Michigan coach who became Southeastern Conference commissioner; Mark Richt, who coached Georgia and Miami; and triple-option guru Paul Johnson, who had stints at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech.

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Bears players were encouraged to voice grievances in their exit interviews Monday and defensive tackle Justin Jones was more than willing to air his — the loss of linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Robert Quinn at midseason was a bigger blow to the locker room than general manager Ryan Poles might have thought.

“It was pretty huge,” Jones said. “I don’t want to say too much about it. It was a pretty big loss — I’m not gonna lie.”

After a 3-4 start, the Bears were 0-10 after Quinn was traded to the Eagles in Week 8 and 0-9 after Smith was traded to the Ravens in Week 9 to finish 3-14.

“Obviously, the team hasn’t been the same since we traded Roquan and Rob — we haven’t won since then,” said Jones, who was named a team captain after the two defensive leaders were traded. “That speaks to how much of a leader Roquan and Rob were to our defense and everything. You can see the shift in production — sacks, TFLs [tackles for loss], pass break-ups and interceptions.

Indeed, the Bears were tied for seventh in the NFL in points allowed (18.9 per game) and 12th in yards allowed (330 per game) before Quinn and Smith were traded. The bottom fell out after that. In the final 11 weeks of the season after the Quinn trade, the Bears were last in the NFL in points allowed (33.1) and last in yards allowed (408.0) to drop to 32nd in points and 29th in yards for the season.

“It all took a toll,” Jones said. “But there’s no replacing that. I had brought up [in the exit interview] the fact that I would step in and fill some shoes, but Roquan is a household name here. He is Chicago. It was tough for me to step into that role, because it’s like, all I can do for the guys is listen and see how they feel and keep checking in on them. Stuff like that. But that [leadership void] played a big role as well.”

The big picture

Sunday’s loss to the Vikings could be running back David Montgomery’s last as a Bear. But that’s not why he was taking pictures with his family on the field before heading home Sunday.

“I was just taking a picture with my family, honestly,” said Montgomery, who will be a free agent after four seasons with the Bears. “I was just soaking it all in, reminiscing on everything — just being grateful for everything.”

Montgomery said he is hopeful he can re-sign with the Bears. But that’s not entirely up to him at this point.

“I just want to play football,” Montgomery said. “I would love to be here.”

Gipson ‘excited’ for 2023

Defensive end Trevis Gipson had a long season, with just three sacks and no forced fumbles (but a team-leading 11 pressures) after having seven sacks and five forced fumbles last season. But he won’t be gone for long.

“I’ll be back up here in early February. I’m excited, man,” Gipson said. “This year has been a struggle. People always ask me, ‘Are you sad? Are you mad? Are you depressed?’ I’m like, ‘Nah. I’m actually encouraged, because I could have ended up with double-digit [sacks] or close to it. I was just a tick away a bunch of times.

“I’m encouraged to get back in the lab, work on my change-of-direction — left right, polish up my pass rush and get ready for next season.”

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During his freshman and sophomore years at the University of Denver, Cole Guttman was productive offensively but didn’t play on the penalty kill.

So he decided to change that. He worked on faceoffs, positioning and defensive stick usage. He set a goal to be a regular penalty-killer by his senior year, and he accomplished it — and, along the way, captained Denver to a national championship.

“That was a big focus of mine and something I wanted to earn,” he said.

Now in his first season as a Blackhawks prospect — having signed in August, shortly after letting his draft rights with the Lightning expire — Guttman, 23, has brought the same work ethic, versatility and quick learning skills to Rockford. Coach Anders Sorensen has enjoyed watching him.

“His instincts for the game, his competitiveness and his willingness to get inside the dots [is impressive],” Sorensen said. “He’s not the biggest guy, but he can make plays and he’s slippery. It’s hard to catch him. We like him for those attributes.”

The Hawks have a plan to bolster their meager forward prospect pipeline. They used nine of 11 draft picks last summer on forwards and will devote a similarly large portion of their 2023 draft capital, including almost certainly their top-five overall selection.

But for the next couple years — before those generations reach the NHL — the Hawks will need to strike gold in unlikely places to keep a small stream of offensive talent moving up the ranks.

Guttman fits the “unlikely place” category. He was a sixth-round pick in 2017. He’s only 5-9, 170 pounds. He was a very good player but not a superstar in college. His odds of turning into gold, however, are steadily increasing.

“I don’t know exactly what his ceiling is going to be, but I think he can be an NHL player,” Sorensen said.

The IceHogs have leaned on Guttman in many different situations this season, which is rare for a rookie. He really is effective at faceoffs, which is even rarer for a rookie, because he knows how to win them in different ways and feels comfortable switching styles within games if necessary. He has received “more and more” PK time as the season has gone on.

And he has tallied points at a stellar rate, too, with 11 goals and 11 assists in 26 games despite missing a few weeks early on with a concussion. He’s seventh among AHL rookies in points per game (0.85).

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect coming into my first year pro, but obviously the college level really helps prepare you for this level,” Guttman said. “I was happy with how [Hawks training camp] went. And then coming into the season, I’m obviously happy how it’s going so far.”

Offensively, he has worked on winning battles and immediately attacking the net off the wall. The presences of much bigger, older defensemen do not intimidate him; he knows he’s faster and equally strong, albeit undersized.

And defensively, Sorensen has coached Guttman on reading plays at a higher level so he can identify not only where the puck is but where the next play will take it.

“He’s a sponge,” Sorensen said. “Everything we’ve talked about, he adapts pretty quickly. Even within the game, you can tell him to make some adjustments on little things and he picks up on it right away.”

With Lukas Reichel now promoted to the NHL full-time, Guttman might be the best forward prospect in Rockford. Josiah Slavin and Mike Hardman are just grinders, nothing more; Michal Teply has been inconsistent; the other forwards are minor-league veterans.

It would not be surprising to see the Hawks reward Guttman — and satisfy their own curiosity about his ceiling — with an NHL call-up during the second half of this season.

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While speculation surges about his future with the Bears, Justin Fields spoke Monday as though it is a given that he’s the franchise quarterback. He talked about the upcoming offseason like someone with total certainty about his standing in the organization.

Fields talked about high hopes for next season, his role as the leader of the team — “It’s already mine,” he said — and his confidence in general manager Ryan Poles to use the wealth of salary-cap space and draft picks to make major upgrades.

He even mentioned helping Poles recruit free agents.

“I’m sure we’re going to have that conversation here in a bit,” Fields said. “Whatever he’s going to do, I fully trust him. His goal is to make the best team he can for us.”

That doesn’t sound like someone with even a shred of concern that Poles will use the No. 1 pick to replace him.

It’s unlikely, but that possibility will linger until the Bears trade back or take a defensive star with the pick instead. Poles could squash it with an absolute endorsement of Fields, but he probably won’t since his job is to drive up trade offers.

As impressive as Fields was at times, Poles will be tempted by the option to pick his own quarterback — likely a choice between Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. And Fields was far less convincing down the stretch than he was in October and November.

The best thing he established was something he wants to do less. Fields was the NFL’s best running quarterback and finished 63 yards short of Lamar Jackson’s record at the position of 1,206 yards rushing. His improvement as a passer, however, was modest.

“It’s a rushing record, and I’m a quarterback,” Fields said, downplaying its importance. “If there was one record I’d like to break, it’d be a passing record. We’ll see if we can get that done in the near future.”

Fields finished seventh in the NFL in yards rushing — no other quarterback cracked the top 30 — but was last among starting quarterbacks at 149.5 yards passing per game. His completion percentage (60.4) and interception percentage (3.5) held steady from his rookie season. He raised his passer rating 12 points to 85.2, which ranked 25th.

Still, for most of the season, Fields was the one who gave the Bears any chance. As they point to being within a touchdown in the fourth quarter in nine of their 14 losses as cause for optimism, Fields was the reason.

That’s why the best thing they could’ve done in Week 18 was sit him. The Bears needed to lose to the Vikings and have the Texans beat the Colts to get the No. 1 pick. They safeguarded their side of it by playing Nathan Peterman and Tim Boyle.

They declared Fields out with a strained hip — an injury he played through the week before against the Lions. Not that anyone genuinely fretted about it, but Fields said Monday his hip felt “pretty good” and he “probably” could have played, but would’ve been at about 80% of his usual ability.

“But actually, it really wasn’t up to me,” he said. “The trainers, they didn’t want me playing. Yeah, I couldn’t be out there.”

Fields had mixed feelings about his season, saying he grew in intangible ways such as his grasp of the offense but that he still needs to “get better at a lot of stuff.”

That last part is the toughest for Poles to evaluate. Would Fields instantly improve his deficiencies with a legitimate offensive line and skill players around him, or would the same shortcomings still be there? And if he is ascending, could Young or Stroud ascend higher and faster?

It’s probably the biggest decision Poles will make in this job, and regardless of the circumstances around Fields this season, he didn’t prove his case conclusively enough to make it an easy one.

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Teven Jenkins will watch what the Bears do this offseason, if, for no other reason, to know where he stands.

“It does have to do with my job, and it does affect my family a little bit,” he said. “So, of course, I’m going to start paying attention a little bit.”

So will the rest of Chicago.

“There’s going to be a lot of roster turnover and rollover,” center Sam Mustipher said.

General manager Ryan Poles has $118.1 million in 2023 salary cap room, more than $50 million more than the Falcons, who rank second in NFL.

The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, a byproduct of their season-ending loss to the Vikings and the Texans’ self-immolating comeback victory against the Colts on Sunday. They also boast the No. 56 overall pick — the Ravens’ second-rounder, from the Roquan Smith trade — and the first pick of Round 3, No. 65 overall. The Bears would not, however, land a compensatory Round 3 pick if they lose assistant GM Ian Cunningham to a general manager position. The Titans and Cardinals are expected to interview him for their vacancies, but the draft picks only come if an executive has been with the team for two years.

Poles could end up with even more draft picks were he to trade the No. 1 overall pick to a quarterback-hungry team. That presumes the Bears aren’t one of those squads.

When he meets the media Tuesday for the first time since Oct. 24, general manager Ryan Poles will be asked about his offseason plans — and about one player in particular: quarterback Justin Fields.

The Bears have been pleased with the development of their former first-round pick this season, praising his leadership, athleticism and mindset while acknowledging the steps he still needs to take in the passing game. But Poles also have the No. 1 pick — and the ability to draft any of the top three quarterbacks in April should he so choose.

If Poles gives anything other than a full endorsement of Fields on Tuesday, it could be a sign the Bears aren’t convinced about their quarterback. Or, more likely, it could be a bluff to try to entice teams that need a quarterback to trade for the Bears’ No. 1 pick.

Landing additional picks for the top selection would help the Bears fill a roster that ranks among one of the worst in the NFL.

“We’re gonna get some good guys in here, man,” defensive lineman Justin Jones said. “We’re gonna do it crazy. We have a lot of good talent here already — and we’ve got a lot of good talent we’re gonna build on.”

It sounds extreme, but it’s not ridiculous to project half the Bears’ 22-man starting lineup being different next year than their most common lineup this season.

“I mean, we have a lot of cap space and a lot of opportunities in this draft, so I really don’t know how it’s going to go,” Jenkins said. “I don’t ever want to be the person to say, ‘Yeah, I have a spot.’ I don’t want to do that because I always want to stay hungry and feel like I still have to chase my job even if I have it secure.”

Change is coming.

“My job is strictly to get better, work on my skills at quarterback and ultimately get my teammates better,” Fields said. “So of course I’m going to pay attention to who we get and stuff like that, but to be honest, I’m just focused on me right now. And everybody else that’s on the team. And just getting better with those guys.”

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