Chicago Sports

Chicago Bears roster is ranked low by PFF

The Chicago Bears have a lot of roster turnover from this overseason to overcome. With elite roster talents like Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson leaving for greener pastures, the Bears have a lot of spots that haven’t yet been filled. One analyst ranks the Bears roster in the 30s.

Major problems with the roster are seen at the wide receiver, offensive, and defensive line positions. The Chicago Bears didn’t have much capital coming into the 2022 NFL Draft for those positions. General manager Ryan Poles decided to focus on the secondary with the team’s first two picks in the second round.

PFF, partnering with ESPN, ranked all NFL team’s rosters for the 2022 season. They placed the Chicago Bears at 30th. Only the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans were ranked lower than the Bears. Here’s what PFF wrote about why the Bears are ranked so low:

Biggest strength: It shouldn’t be surprising for a team coming in at 30th overall on this list, but there isn’t a whole lot to choose from here. Chicago’s secondary has an opportunity to be much improved following the additions of Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon in the draft and slot cornerback Tavon Young in free agency. But even that requires a fair bit of projection. Jaylon Johnson improved his PFF grade by nearly 10 points to 64.3 in his second season out of Utah, and the Bears will be looking for another jump this season.

Biggest weakness: Describing the supporting cast around Justin Fields entering this season as ugly might be putting it kindly. The Bears lost their two highest-graded offensive linemen (Jason Peters and James Daniels) from a unit that finished the 2021 season ranked 21st in overall PFF grade. And Chicago’s top three wide receivers on the depth chart are Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones Jr. and Byron Pringle. That’s putting a lot of pressure on Fields’ shoulders to carry the offense to success in 2022.

X factor for 2022: The 2022 campaign for the Bears will be about finding positives to take away from their young core of players, including Teven Jenkins at tackle. Jenkins played meaningful snaps in only three games as a rookie last year after missing the beginning of the season with a back injury. His first taste of action in Week 14 came with seven pressures allowed in a matchup against the Packers, but he settled in a bit in two matchups against the Vikings. A strong season from Jenkins in 2022 would go a long way toward raising the confidence level in this offensive line moving forward.

PFF is harsh on a lot of Chicago Bears players

Many Bears players are graded harshly on PFF paper. Only one defensive player—who’s not a rookie as they have a college rating—has a rating over 70. That would be EDGE Trevis Gipson with a 70.4 score. The second-best player on the defense would be Robert Quinn, so one only wonders where the defense would rank when he leaves the Bears.

The offensive rankings are porous, especially on the offensive line. PFF also ranks running back Khalil Herbert nearly 10 points higher than David Montgomery. So take that for what it’s worth. I think Montgomery is a better running back. But then again, PFF grades linebacker Roquan Smith with a 47.1 score. Seeing the result of these “number” crunches makes me glad these “statisticians” work in sports versus something critical like healthcare.

Chicago Bears need to improve the roster soon to have success

While a lot of the PFF rankings are made up of the type of fillings put in your breakfast sausage, it shouldn’t take an expert to predict the Bears will be bad this season. The Chicago Bears will be especially short at the offensive and defensive line positions. For Justin Fields to have any chance of success getting the football to suspect wide receivers, he’ll need a more sturdy line than the one that gave up 58 sacks last season. And this offensive line appears to be notably worse.

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A 14-year-old boy was among four people killed, and a 13-year-old boy among 12 others wounded Thursday in shootings across Chicago.

The two teens were near the sidewalk about 5:40 p.m. in the 600 block of East 40th Street when someone opened fire, striking them both, Chicago police said. The 14-year-old boy was shot in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The 13-year-old was shot in the buttocks and taken to the same hospital in good condition, police said.A man was killed and a woman wounded in Kenwood on the South Side. The two were on the sidewalk in the 4600 block of South Ellis Avenue about 10:40 p.m. when someone opened fire, striking them both, police said. The man, believed to be in his 20s, was shot in the chest and was taken to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. A 29-year-old woman was taken to the same hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to the leg. Witnesses told officers that the suspect ran into an alley and drove south in a grey SUV, officials said.About 30 minutes earlier, another man was shot to death in McKinley Park on the Southwest Side. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds in an alley about 10:15 p.m. in the 3300 block of South Western Avenue, police said. The man, 38, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.A third man was was found in a vehicle about 9:40 p.m. in the 100 block of West 43rd Street with multiple gunshot wounds, police said. The 29-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago , where he was pronounced dead, police said.Three people were wounded when a gunman began shooting outside a home in Princeton Park on the South Side, firing off at least 45 rounds. The attack happened around 3 a.m. in the 9400 block of South Harvard Avenue, police said. A 22-year-old man was hit in the chest as he was leaving out a back door of the home and was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. A man and a woman, 46 and 45, were inside the home and were grazed by bullets. They refused medical attention on the scene.

At least seven others were wounded in citywide shootings Thursday.

A 17-year-old boy was killed and at least five others were wounded in shootings across Chicago Wednesday.

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Kevin Durant is available for trade and the Chicago Bulls have made a call to Brooklyn to inquire about him

The 2022 NBA free agency period is off to a fast start with multiple deals being announced on Thursday night including Andre Drummond signing a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. But the biggest news so far has been superstar Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.

That news broke on Thursday afternoon and the Nets are granting him that request and are expected to trade him soon. With a player like Durant available, teams are lining up and trying to toss their best trade package to Brooklyn.

And the Bulls might be one of those teams.

Per beat writer Joe Cowley, the Bulls were one of the teams that made a call to Brooklyn to inquire about Durant and a trade. Here is what Cowley wrote in his latest for the Chicago Sun-Times:

According to a source, the Bulls were included in that line of phone calls, despite Durant reportedly putting Miami and Phoenix atop his desired destinations.

And while the reality of the situation was that the Bulls don’t have the profile of player or the quality of desired draft picks the Nets were looking for in a return package, it was more about the organization doing its due diligence.

It also didn’t interfere with the Bulls’ main objective on Day 1 of free agency – which was to meet with unrestricted free agent Zach LaVine about a max contract that would keep him in Chicago for at least the next five years.

Now, the Bulls landing Durant seems like a long shot and the rumors are that Phoenix and Miami are at the top of his list. Chicago’s package would have to be huge as Durant will bring in a historic haul as he’s one of the greatest scorers in league history.

Will the Bulls have a new look again next year led by Durant? Stay tuned.

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Cubs catcher Yan Gomes paused to gather his thoughts. He wanted to be precise in his reaction to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments about wanting robo umps in the big-leagues by 2024.

“I don’t think that’s right,” Gomes told the Sun-Times. “The best thing in baseball, and professional sports in general, is the human element of things.”

Manfred revealed the timeline to implement some form of the automated strike zone to ESPN as part of a wide-ranging profile that was published Wednesday. It’s not yet clear the extent to which so-called robot umpires will be integrated into the game.

The system may call every pitch, or players may have the option to challenge an umpire’s call, as MLB is testing in the Low-A Southeast league this season.

Cubs players who spoke with the Sun-Times in the aftermath of Manfred’s comments had a range of responses, from cautious neutrality to frustration.

Asked his opinion of robo umps, manager David Ross joked, “I’ve never met one.”

He added: “I have a long history with umpires being a [former] catcher. The interaction there is fun. And you understand our game’s imperfect, and trying to make it perfect can be tough. But also that taking out some of the argument of balls and strikes, what that will look like and be like, we’ll see.

“I think there’s always unintended consequences of every change. And hopefully a lot of those are good, but sometimes there may be some bad and you may have to make another adjustment.”

For Gomes, whether the automated strike zone will call every pitch or just the one’s a player has challenged doesn’t matter.

“That part of the game,” Gomes said, “it’s been such an art of guys hitting their spots or catchers being able to present pitches well. . . . And as soon as that part of the game [framing] starts getting better, we just want to change it and figure out a way to do something different.”

Fellow catcher Willson Contreras, who made huge strides in framing before becoming a 2020 Gold Glove finalist, anticipates a massive shift in the catching position if MLB introduces an automated strike zone.

“It’s going to be like playing first base if you’re behind the plate in 2024,” he said. “Just catch the ball and throw it back.”

But Contreras, who added, “why not keep every umpire accountable instead of putting in robo umpires?” was far more concerned with the proposed pitch clock, which MLB is expected to introduce as a way to combat pace of play concerns.

Ian Happ, the Cubs’ MLB players association representative, could have some say on new rules implementation. He’s also an alternate on the competition committee.

“I think it’s a more holistic way to look at this,” Happ said of the new joint committee, which is comprised of active players, MLB appointees and an umpire, “as opposed to MLB coming in with rules changes, us rejecting it, and then it getting put in. So, hopefully, there’s some compromise or maybe thinking through what possible outcomes could happen before they happen.”

Kicking around ideas in front of the dugout Thursday afternoon, Happ suggested a plan that could serve as an alternative or intermediate step to robo umpires.

“With the technology of the earpieces they’re wearing now, I think it would be a nice first step to give them feedback in-game,” Happ said. “So, to be able to say, ‘Hey, that pitch is on the black, good call,’ or, ‘that pitch is two inches off.’ “

Players are able to check their sense of the strike zone in-between innings through video in the dugout. Umpires don’t have that kind of in-game resource on balls and strikes.

“Let’s see if that would help,” Happ said. “And I think that that’s only going to make them better. Because at the end of the day, they want to be the best version of themselves on the field just like we do.”

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The Bulls had a plan going into Thursday’s free-agent period.

Then again, all 30 teams had a plan.

Kevin Durant took all those plans, however, carried them to center stage, and all but set them ablaze.

With the two-time Finals MVP stealing the day by making it known that he wanted to be traded out of Brooklyn, business as usual quickly fell to the wayside, as teams tried to reposition themselves to at least make an offer for Durant.

According to a source, the Bulls were included in that line of phone calls, despite Durant reportedly putting Miami and Phoenix atop his desired destinations.

And while the reality of the situation was that the Bulls don’t have the profile of player or the quality of desired draft picks the Nets were looking for in a return package, it was more about the organization doing its due diligence.

It also didn’t interfere with the Bulls’ main objective on Day 1 of free agency – which was to meet with unrestricted free agent Zach LaVine about a max contract that would keep him in Chicago for at least the next five years.

Sources said that the Bulls remained confident that their price tag of nearly $215 million – the most any team could offer – would be agreed upon by LaVine, with the two-time All-Star wanting to hear all offers and be deliberate in the process.

The very approach LaVine admitted he would take.

A steep price for the Bulls to pay?

Absolutely, but also the price of business for an NBA franchise still trying to clean up an image that had resembled a dumpster fire for years.

When executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas took over in 2020, the Bulls had a reputation as a place where coaches were mistreated.

The hiring of Billy Donovan put that to rest.

It was a former front office that was lacking the creativity to snag a big-name trade candidate.

The acquisition of Nikola Vucevic started to change that.

A place that couldn’t attract All-Star-caliber talent?

Welcome in DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball in last offseason’s sign-and-trades.

And maybe the most damaging, it was a Gar/Pax-run front office that didn’t take care of its own. A player like Jimmy Butler did all the right things in becoming a superstar talent, and felt he was lied to on the evening he was traded to Minnesota.

In that regard, the pending LaVine signing is bigger than just adding an elite scorer who has improved in almost every category since becoming a Bull back in 2017. It’s the Karnisovas-led front office serving notice to the league and its players that doing the right thing to improve matters to them. It will be awarded.

That doesn’t mean that if LaVine signs soon it changes where the Bulls are in the power structure of the Eastern Conference. But the offer itself continued changing their reputation league-wide, which may have a bigger payoff years down the road.

What it does presently is hopefully keep the face of the franchise in a city he has embraced since arriving in the Butler draft-night deal.

Which is what both LaVine and his core teammates were petitioning for since the season ended in a first-round playoff loss.

“Max player, max talent, max everything,” veteran DeMar DeRozan said of LaVine in his exit interview. “He’s one of those players in this league that you don’t see too often. I tell him all the time how envious I am of the things he’s able to do. He deserves everything that’s coming to him for sure.”

What the Bulls did get done on Thursday was addressing their rebounding issues, agreeing on a two-year, $6.6 million deal with veteran big man Andre Drummond. Year 2 of the deal was reportedly a player option.

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Cubs catcher Willson Contreras was asked to imagine on Thursday what a third All-Star start would mean to him.

“It would be nice for me, my family and the city of Chicago, who have my back and support [me],” Contreras said Thursday. “And doing it with the Cubs also, it means everything to me.”

Contreras likely won’t have to imagine it much longer. Major League Baseball announced the 2022 All-Star ballot finalists on Thursday, including Contreras, who led National League catchers in Phase 1 with 2,146,343 votes.

The second phase of voting runs July 5-8, and Contreras will be going up against Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud for the NL starting spot behind the plate.

No other Cubs were named finalists, but Contreras’ brother William, a catcher and designated hitter for the Braves, is competing against the Phillies’ Bryce Harper for the NL DH spot in Phase 2. Harper is the favorite to win but recently underwent surgery on his broken left thumb and will need a replacement in the All-Star Game.

“I’m not thinking about it yet because a lot of things can change from now until then,” Willson Contreras said of the possibility of playing with his brother in the All-Star Game. “But if we can make it together, I’m sure that we will both enjoy it a lot, and my family would be really proud.”

The pitchers and reserves for both sides are determined through player ballots and Commissioners Office selections, so the Cubs could end up sending more than just Contreras and athletic trainer PJ Manville.

“The work [outfielder Ian Happ’s] done this year is impressive,” Contreras said, pointing to Happ’s breakout stats. “And I 100% know that he deserves to be there with me.”

Entering play Thursday, Happ ranked No. 4 in FanGraph’s wins above replacement among NL outfielders.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Catcher Reese McGuire’s overhand cross fist pumps after big strikeouts have evolved into a bigger part of the catcher’s game since he came to the White Sox in a trade at the end of spring training.

“This team brings that out in me,” McGuire said.

The Sox have lost six of eight games going into their series against the Giants Friday, but they’re still functioning with the mindset of a team that views itself as a postseason contender.

With proven leaders like Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn and Liam Hendriks, McGuire sensed it as soon as he came over from the Blue Jays. After the Sox fell to 35-39 Wednesday, right-hander Michael Kopech said there is no panic in the clubhouse.

“We haven’t even reached All-Star break yet,” said Kopech, who took the loss in a 4-1 decision against the Angels and Shohei Ohtani, “so I don’t think anyone has a real worried state or sense of urgency. The urgency is always there as far as being the first ones to score and to have the first-one-two three inning. We want to set the tone of the game, that’s where the urgency is. But it doesn’t change from day to day. We know the process and know it’s going to catch back up to us.”

On a team hampered by defensive mistakes, McGuire’s athleticism and throwing ability behind the plate are sorely needed assets. And his energy on the field is appreciated.Pitchers say they like it when McGuire’s first step to the dugout after an inning-ending strikeout is accompanied by an overhand right.

“Nowadays those high leverage situations come earlier in the game and it’s a moment for me,” McGuire told the Sun-Times. “I’m super passionate and super happy for the guy on the mound for striking a guy out. It’s a momentum swing where his back is against the wall and we make our pitch and get out of it. It’s like, ‘Alright, that was a moment.’ ”

Traded for Zack Collins on April 3, McGuire instantly became the Sox’ best pitch blocker and thrower.

“He works very well with the pitchers, he’s very athletic behindthe plate, throws extremely well and clubs aren’t going to be able to come in and run wild,” coach Jerry Narron said. “He has a passion for the game and it shows. That’s what you want to see. It’s not fake.”

With Yasmani Grandal down with a low back injury, McGuire’s value is even more appreciated, although Seby Zavala, called up on June 12, looks improved since last season.

“Seby is much more relaxed than a year ago; he looks like a major league catcher right now,” Narron said. “He knows he can play here. Last year there was a little question that he could play at this level but he knows now that he can. His framing numbers are off the charts for the number of games he caught.

“He’s always had a good head for the game. And he’s had really good at-bats, he’s not chasing pitches, he’s seeing the ball well and had some big hits for us.”

McGuire hitting .300/.358/.400 in his last 26 games and Zavala .282/.310/.462 in 14 games softened the blow of losing Grandal, who’s offense (.185/.294/.237 in 50 games) has been missing in action.

“It could happen in the fifth inning, or seventh or whenever,” he said. “As a catcher you’re the one everyone sees on the field so the energy can feed off each other. And pitchers have made comments, they love it. So, all around it shows energy and passion for the game.”

SOX AT GIANTS

Friday: Lance Lynn (1-1, 6.19 ERA) vs. Alex Cobb (3-3, 5.48), 9:15 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Saturday: Dylan Cease (6-3, 2.56) vs. Logan Webb (7-2, 3.04), 3:05 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Sunday: Lucas Giolito (4-4, 5.19) vs. Anthony DeSclafani (0-2, 9.95), 3:05 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

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SAN FRANCISCO — Catcher Reese McGuire’s overhand cross fist pumps after big strikeouts have evolved into a bigger part of the catcher’s game since he came to the White Sox in a trade at the end of spring training.

“This team brings that out in me,” McGuire said.

The Sox have lost six of eight games going into their series against the Giants Friday, but they’re still functioning with the mindset of a team that views itself as a postseason contender.

With proven leaders like Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn and Liam Hendriks, McGuire sensed it as soon as he came over from the Blue Jays. After the Sox fell to 35-39 Wednesday, right-hander Michael Kopech said there is no panic in the clubhouse.

“We haven’t even reached All-Star break yet,” said Kopech, who took the loss in a 4-1 decision against the Angels and Shohei Ohtani, “so I don’t think anyone has a real worried state or sense of urgency. The urgency is always there as far as being the first ones to score and to have the first-one-two three inning. We want to set the tone of the game, that’s where the urgency is. But it doesn’t change from day to day. We know the process and know it’s going to catch back up to us.”

On a team hampered by defensive mistakes, McGuire’s athleticism and throwing ability behind the plate are sorely needed assets. And his energy on the field is appreciated.Pitchers say they like it when McGuire’s first step to the dugout after an inning-ending strikeout is accompanied by an overhand right.

“Nowadays those high leverage situations come earlier in the game and it’s a moment for me,” McGuire told the Sun-Times. “I’m super passionate and super happy for the guy on the mound for striking a guy out. It’s a momentum swing where his back is against the wall and we make our pitch and get out of it. It’s like, ‘Alright, that was a moment.’ ”

Traded for Zack Collins on April 3, McGuire instantly became the Sox’ best pitch blocker and thrower.

“He works very well with the pitchers, he’s very athletic behindthe plate, throws extremely well and clubs aren’t going to be able to come in and run wild,” coach Jerry Narron said. “He has a passion for the game and it shows. That’s what you want to see. It’s not fake.”

With Yasmani Grandal down with a low back injury, McGuire’s value is even more appreciated, although Seby Zavala, called up on June 12, looks improved since last season.

“Seby is much more relaxed than a year ago; he looks like a major league catcher right now,” Narron said. “He knows he can play here. Last year there was a little question that he could play at this level but he knows now that he can. His framing numbers are off the charts for the number of games he caught.

“He’s always had a good head for the game. And he’s had really good at-bats, he’s not chasing pitches, he’s seeing the ball well and had some big hits for us.”

McGuire hitting .300/.358/.400 in his last 26 games and Zavala .282/.310/.462 in 14 games softened the blow of losing Grandal, who’s offense (.185/.294/.237 in 50 games) has been missing in action.

“It could happen in the fifth inning, or seventh or whenever,” he said. “As a catcher you’re the one everyone sees on the field so the energy can feed off each other. And pitchers have made comments, they love it. So, all around it shows energy and passion for the game.”

SOX AT GIANTS

Friday: Lance Lynn (1-1, 6.19 ERA) vs. Alex Cobb (3-3, 5.48), 9:15 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Saturday: Dylan Cease (6-3, 2.56) vs. Logan Webb (7-2, 3.04), 3:05 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Sunday: Lucas Giolito (4-4, 5.19) vs. Anthony DeSclafani (0-2, 9.95), 3:05 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

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It’s good for Jay Cutler to be back in Chicago. Very good, actually.

He’s back for an American Cornhole League tournament in Bedford Park, and six years removed from his run as the Bears’ prolific and polarizing quarterback, the welcome seems to be increasingly warm.

“I think maybe now there’s a little more appreciation for what I did while I was here,” he told the Sun-Times.

There has to be. After enduring Mike Glennon, Mitch Trubisky, Andy Dalton and Nick Foles, there’s no doubt Bears fans look back a little more fondly on the Cutler years.

And now the attention has shifted fully to former first-round pick Justin Fields, who struggled through a chaotic rookie season under Matt Nagy and is hoping to stride confidently into the future with new coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

The fan base desperately wants him to succeed, and that includes Cutler. He knows better than anyone how difficult it is to win over the city, but he’s optimistic Fields can do it.

“If the Bears start winning… I hope they do. And I hope Justin is successful and I hope he’s the next big thing here and he’s the best quarterback to come out of Chicago Bears history.”

The first steps of Fields’ career were choppy as herattledaround in Nagy’s dysfunctional offense and ill-fated plan for him to sit behind Dalton all season. He played 12 games, starting 10, and finished with seven touchdown passes, two touchdown runs, 10 interceptions and a 73.2 passer rating.

The Bears believe that cleaning up the mess Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace left behind is the first step toward Fields becoming a franchise quarterback. While that might be true, the next challenge will be to create stability.

In Cutler’s eight seasons, he played under three head coaches and six offensive coordinators. He’s apprehensive about the Bears putting Fields through a similar ordeal.

“I like him… he’s got all the tools, but it’s the same problem the Bears have had for a long time: They’re turning over coaches and turning over OCs,” Cutler said. “It’s hard for a quarterback. You look across the league and the guys that are really good at quarterback have the same coaches and same systems each year.

“This is like learning a different language. It’s like if I told you: ‘Hey, you’ve gotta learn Spanish this year and next year learn Italian and the next year learn Chinese,’ it’s not gonna be easy.”

While Cutler’s life is a little too busy at the moment, he envisions eventually establishing a stronger post-career relationship with the organization.

Eberflus has been reaching out to prominent former players ever since he took the job, but hasn’t contacted Cutler. Or maybe he has.

“I’m horrible with my phone, so there’s no telling,” Cutler said with a laugh. “He could’ve called me, maybe not — I have no idea. I don’t even check my voicemail.

“But I spent the most time with the Bears, I was a Bears fan growing up, my kids love watching Chicago, so it’s one of those things that if the opportunity arises and it works, I’d definitely be down for it.”

He’s also been consumed by practicing for the ACL event, which opens Friday night at Wintrust Sports Complex with a celebrity contest that also includes ex-Bear Zach Miller, Jarrett Payton and country singer Brett Young as they vie for $100,000 for charity.

ACL’s Final Chase tournament runs Saturday through Monday as pros compete for $70,000 in prize money. All days of the event have free admission.

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