Chicago Sports

The White Sox returned third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed reliever Joe Kelly from the injured list Monday while placing left-hander Aaron Bummer on the 15-day IL (retroactive to Saturday) with a right knee strain.

Jake Burger, who played 21 games at third base in Moncada’s absence, was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Danny Mendick, who can play three infield positions including shortstop as well as the outfield, provides more defensive versatility than Burger, who is batting .239/.276/.352 with two homers and two doubles in 77 plate appearances.

Burger has four hits in his last 24 at-bats, and struck out 14 times in his last six games, including six in his last two games in Boston.

Mendick, who played shortstop in the Sox’ 3-2 win against the Red Sox Sunday as manager Tony La Russa rested Tim Anderson, is batting .217/.280/.435 with a home run in 11 games.

Bummer, regarded as the Sox’ top left-hander, has experienced a bumpy start to the season with a 4.91 ERA with eight walks in 11 innings. He did not allow a run or walk in his last four appearances, including his most recent one Friday in Boston.

“His next to last pitch the last time, he felt a little tug in the back of his knee,” La Russa said Sunday.

Bummer’s absence leaves rookies Bennett Sousa (4.82 ERA in 12 games) and Tanner Banks (1.29 ERA in eight games) as the lefties in the bullpen. Sousa recorded one out for his first career save Sunday.

Moncada will start and bat second when the Sox play the Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field Monday night, La Russa said Sunday. Moncada strained his right oblique on April 5, before the Sox final spring training game. He was 7-for-22 with two homers, one double and two walks in six games and 25 plate appearances during his rehabilitation assignment at Charlotte.

The Sox signed Kelly to a two-year, $17-million contract March 14 knowing the start of his season would be delayed as he recovered from a right biceps nerve issue encountered last season, when he posted a 2.48 ERA in 44 games with the Dodgers.

Kelly made thre scoreless and hitless relief appearances at Charlotte, striking out three batters over three innings.

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The Bears waived linebacker Ledarius Mack and signed six players who participated in their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis last weekend: Northern Arizona defensive end Carson Taylor, Ball State linebacker Christian Albright, Charlotte safety Jon Alexander, Temple long-snapper Antonio Ortiz, Western Michigan safety AJ Thomas and Ohio running back De’Montre Tuggle.

Mack, the brother of former Bears linebacker Khalil Mack, was the only veteran among six players cut. The others were rookies signed as undrafted free agents following the draft: Ohio State running back Master Teague, Southern Illinois wide receiver Landon Lenoir, Utah State wide receiver Savon Scarver, Miami safety Amari Carter and Purdue linebacker Jaylan Alexander.

With Mack cut, the Bears have 29 players remaining from the 63 who were on the roster (active, injured reserve, COVID-19 list) at the end of last season.

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Since drafting Coby White back in 2019, the Chicago Bulls have seen his game develop on a pro-level with many ups and downs. Now with the 2021-2022 Bulls season finished, we can take a quick look at White’s last three years in Chicago and what lies ahead for the 22-year-old guard.

Coby White’s Arrival in Chicago

White’s rookie season wasn’t bad, as he averaged 13.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds coming off the bench. In his second year, he started 54 games for the Bulls and averaged 15.1 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds. Seeing his numbers progress in his second year put forth some hope his development would continue heading into this third season.

When the Bulls signed Lonzo Ball last summer to a 4-year deal, it put White’s role into perspective. This season, Ball was able to bring his playmaking ability into the Bulls’ offense. When Ball went down with an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, it left the door open at the starting point guard position. The duties were mostly shared by Alex Caruso, rookie Ayo Dosunmu and White. Caruso was hampered by injury most of the season, leaving Dosunmu and White with opportunities to shine for the Bulls.

2021-2022 NBA Playoffs

When the 2021-2022 NBA Playoffs came around, the Bulls found themselves with a huge need for someone to step up in the back court with Ball still out with his injury. The chance was still there for White. The results? 8.4 points, 1.8 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game — It wasn’t enough to make a difference for Chicago’s back court. The Bulls desperately needed White’s three-point shooting in the post-season and looking back at his performance, the outcome just wasn’t there.

Coby White’s 2022 Playoff numbers

Future and Free Agency for Coby White

When we take a look at some of the potential free agents out there, it’s also possible Chicago may pursue another option. There are several names out there this summer that could also fit the bill for the Bulls coming off the bench.

Some of the unrestricted free agent role-playing guards out there include Tyus Jones, Patty Mills, Jeremy Lamb, Ricky Rubio, Dennis Schroder, and Lonnie Walker.

There has been no indication Chicago intends to move him this summer; it is still too early to determine what Chicago plans to do with their group of guards next season. The eventual return of Ball and solid play coming from Dosunmu this past year puts playing time into question for White as he will also be heading into the final year of his contract with Chicago. 

Should they keep Coby White?

There are several cases to be made for the Bulls to not keep White. His role throughout all these years has not been clearly defined, he has played both the spot-up shooter and point guard role for Chicago. Going into next season, it’s hard to see him as a better fit than the prospective free-agent shooters out there.

White’s numbers in Chicago

When taking a look at his career numbers since being drafted as the seventh pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, White’s averages all went down for the most part. His potential trade value across the league remains to be seen.

Instead, the Bulls could use another wing player instead of being so stacked heavily at the guard position. If Zach LaVine re-signs with Chicago, it further limits White’s playing time with Ayo Dosunmu blooming into his second year and Caruso returning from injury.

While it can be hard to see throughout the injuries this past year, Chicago has one of the strongest groups of guards in the league. The Bulls have a healthy mix of reputable veterans and youth in their backcourt which could take them places, however, they will likely need to make some big changes heading into next season.

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

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Fenway Park is a hitter-friendly ballpark. The Green Monster and quirky structure allow for hitters to easily get on base and find extra bases, and lineups can pile on the runs. The Chicago White Sox didn’t get the memo. In the three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, the team scored 10 runs.

The White Sox in the series and their current winning streak haven’t been carried by their lineup. Instead, the pitching staff has continued to steal the show. The White Sox only allowed five runs in the series and have only allowed nine runs in the current six-game winning streak. The pitching dominance has not only lifted the team out of an awful April, but it has proven it can lead the team in the upcoming weeks to an anticipated successful season.

White Sox bullpen continuing to seal victories

Against the Red Sox, the White Sox bullpen pitched 12 innings and only surrendered one run. But even the stat line fails to tell the full story. The White Sox bullpen has been dominant but is starting to see some of its relievers also emerge into major roles.

Liam Hendriks is the unquestioned closer and the nine saves on the season reflect that. However, the pitchers that would get the ball to Hendriks were a question mark entering the season, especially after Craig Kimbrel was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for AJ Pollock.

Matt Foster has established himself as a surefire reliever, providing the White Sox with a scoreless inning at any point. Foster pitched two scoreless innings in the series and has found his high heater as well as a low slider that paints the corner of the strike zone. Aaron Bummer and Reynaldo Lopez have proven they can get the White Sox out of jams mid-inning and still give the team a strong inning. Finally, Kendall Graveman, who isn’t relied upon daily, can give the bullpen two strong inning or six outs, which frankly is what manager Tony La Russa is counting at the end of a game anyway.

The White Sox bullpen wasn’t an anticipated strength this season. However, early on in this season, the bullpen has been heavily relied on. More importantly, the relievers allowed the team to shorten games, which the Red Sox experienced firsthand.

Cease steps up again

Dylan Cease didn’t earn the win in his start on Saturday. However, considering all things, the start wasn’t defined by whether he got the pitching win. Rather the outing against the White Sox was defined by everything else.

Cease pitched five innings and threw over 100 pitches. What stood out was the fastball, or lack of the fastball to be exact. The 26-year-old starter strike out only threw the pitch 48 times and notably is transitioning into an off-speed, unpredictable pitcher. The slider and curveball, which are both starting to hit the upper part of the strike zone as well as the lower half, allowed Cease to strike out eight Red Sox.

Cease has established himself as the White Sox ace this season. The fastball-slider combination has become tough for opponents to hit and with a curveball being mixed in, Cease is becoming unhittable this season. The right-handed starter has pitched 34 innings this year with 47 strikeouts and a .161 expected opponent Batting Average (xBA) and a 1.75 expected ERA that both rank among the best in the MLB.

The White Sox entered the season with the hope that Cease or Michael Kopech could have a breakout year, giving the rotation three viable starters. Six starts into the season and the White Sox have not only found that pitcher but Cease might carry the rotation this season as well.

Even Keuchel gave White Sox a strong outing

Recently, there has been a legitimate argument to leave Dallas Keuchel out of the rotation. Keuchel is having an awful start to the season, allowing 21 runs in 21 innings pitched with the inability to effectively locate the cutter, particularly costing him.

The Red Sox batting order was poised for a big game after being eliminated in the first two games of the series. However, Keuchel arguably had his best start of the season, pitching six innings and allowing only two runs, both of which came in his final inning. Keuchel had five strikeouts and notably relied on his sinker, using the pitch for 58 of his 92 pitches.

Keuchel has been unpredictable this season and it’s unclear how he will be relied on in the rotation. However, the recent start was a reminder of how the 34-year-old veteran can control a game if he executes his pitches, especially his groundball-inducing pitches.

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

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There are signs of minor progress, only to be eliminated by a wide-ranging form of setbacks.

It’s added up to a five-game losing streak for the Cubs, whose mission of working out of their current abyss becomes more ominous with a three-game trip at San Diego starting Monday night.

Sunday night’s 7-1 loss to the Dodgers captured many of their struggles that have led to their 9-18 record.

Any chance of averting a three-game series sweep was deflated by the loss of Marcus Stroman, their best starting pitcher who was placed on the 10-day injured list with no designation.

That is often reserved for players who produced a positive COVID-19 test. Without Stroman, who allowed two earned runs in his last 13 innings and blanked the Brewers over seven innings in his last start, the Cubs were forced to start left-hander Justin Steele, who was originally scheduled to pitch Monday night.

Steele pitched four innings of three-hit ball but left after warming for the fifth due to left thumb soreness, the team announced.

The loss of Stroman and Steele’s ailment creates more concern for a rotation that has struggled to pitch past the fifth inning. The Cubs haven’t named a starter for Tuesday and Wednesday against the Padres. And following Thursday’s day off, they are scheduled to play 14 consecutive games without a day off.

As for the offense, they were harnessed by Walker Buehler, who threw seven innings of four-hit ball and didn’t allow a runner to advance past first base after the third.

The Cubs scored three runs in this three-game series, although their offensive struggles can’t be attributed to a lack of effort.

Willson Contreras disclosed after Saturday’s doubleheader loss that the players have shared information on opposing pitchers after each at-bat on a frequent basis.

Seiya Suzuki, who was 2-for-18 with eight strikeouts on this five-game homestand, was looking at a tablet after one of his at-bats Sunday.

“I think over the course of six months, whether things are good, bad or in-between, the relationships with people around you is going to carry you through that and making it enjoyable as well,’ Hoerner said. “We’re lucky to have good people around here.”

Contreras provided some short-lived hope when he smacked a meaty 0-2 pitch into right field to score Rafael Ortega for a 1-0 lead and causing Buehler to yell several times.

But Buehler (4-1) allowed three baserunners the rest of the way in lowering his ERA to 1.96. Buehler has allowed one run in his last 21 innings. Ian Happ went 0-for-4 and finished the homestand 1-for-13 with eight strikeouts.

The Cubs aren’t scheduled to face former ace Yu Darvish at Petco Park, but they need to find some formula to pull them out of this rut.

In a perfect script, Ross would have a dominant rotation, a lockdown bullpen and an offense providing quality at-bats.

That description fits a Dodgers team destined to regain the National League West title after finishing second with 106 wins in 2021.

“I know our record is not good, but we’re in most of our games,” Ross said before Sunday’s game. “I would say we’re fighting right up until the end and giving ourselves a chance. We just hadn’t had that big hit with runners in scoring position.”

Nico Hoerner, who answered questions about his ability to play dependable defense at shortstop in the first four weeks, committed his first error – a fielding miscue in the ninth that scored two runs.

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The Cubs hope a stint at Triple-A Iowa can help first baseman Frank Schwindel regain the hitting proficiency that made him a two-month wonder after the trade deadline last season.

Schwindel was demoted Sunday after batting .209 with 21 strikeouts and a feeble .308 slugging percentage in 96 plate appearances. He was claimed off waivers from the Athletics on July 18, took over at first base after Anthony Rizzo was traded to the Yankees and batted .342 with 13 home runs, 40 RBI and a 1.002 OPS in 56 games in 2021.

Schwindel, 29, struck out 36 times in 239 plate appearances in August and September and showed no signs of struggling until this season.

”This is a league [where] you’ve got to produce, and he’s working on some things,” manager David Ross said. ”We’re just going to take a little bit of the bright lights off and let him work through some things.

”Hopefully it’s not very long, and he gets back and finds his rhythm and is able to come back and help us out real soon.”

The move clears more playing time for left-handed-hitting Alfonso Rivas, who is 9-for-27 with a .936 OPS. Rivas, 25, doesn’t have the same power as Schwindel but is considered a better contact hitter and a superior defender at first. He also can play left field.

”[Rivas] is off to a good start and showing a nice, calm approach in the batter’s box, and being a really good defensive player allows him to get a little runway here,” Ross said. ”We’ll see what he can prove to continue to establish himself as a regular big-leaguer.”

Caleb’s case

Iowa right-hander Caleb Kilian won’t be under consideration as the Cubs look for candidates to start Tuesday and Wednesday against the Padres in San Diego.

Nevertheless, Kilian continues to strengthen his case for a promotion. He pitched five scoreless innings to lead Iowa to a 10-3 victory at St. Paul.

Kilian, who was acquired at the trade deadline last season as part of the deal that sent Kris Bryant to the Giants, lowered his ERA to 1.46 in 24? innings.

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons (right shoulder) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and three strikeouts as the designated hitter in his second game of a rehab assignment.

Roster update

Right-hander Adrian Sampson was selected from Iowa, where he posted a 2.04 ERA in his last four starts. He had a 2.80 ERA in 10 games with the Cubs last season, and Ross likes his versatility.

Reliever Ethan Roberts will start rehabbing his right shoulder this week at the Cubs’ complex in Mesa, Arizona. Outfielder Clint Frazier (appendicitis) hopes to join him, pending tests Tuesday.

Right-hander Luke Farrell, who made 20 appearances for the Cubs in 2018, will join the roster at Iowa.

Bleacher ‘pink-out’

The Cubs honored breast-cancer survivors, their families and technicians before the game. Pink T-shirts were distributed to fans sitting in the bleachers as part of a ”pink-out” to raise awareness.

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Here come the White Sox.

Riding a six-game winning streak as they return home to face the Guardians and Yankees this week, the Sox are back above .500 — at 14-13 — for the first time since April 20. They are on fire, scorching, sizzling, red-hot. No, make that white-hot. Is it too soon to start planning the championship parade?

“It feels amazing,” catcher Reese McGuire said Sunday after a 3-2 win in Boston.

At the least, thank-you notes should be sent to the Red Sox and Cubs, the stuck-in-the-muck squads the Sox just swept. How does a team go 6-0 despite scoring only 20 runs in that stretch? By pitching very well, steadying a shaky defense, sprinkling in a few clutch hits and — perhaps the key to the whole operation — playing two of the worst teams in baseball so far.

The Sox went 6-2 to start the season. Then came an eight-game losing streak as injuries mounted, an explosion of errors occurred, Tony La Russa was knocked for his managing and fans muttered expletives into their soup. Now the Sox have a winning streak that matches their longest one of the entire 2021 season. What a roller-coaster ride it already has been.

But are the Sox really on the right track, which is to say one that will go in pretty much in the intended direction for a nice, long stretch? Think freight train, not roller coaster. If three games against the Guardians don’t illuminate us, four against the American League-leading Yankees sure will.

Here’s what’s happening:

MON 9

Panthers at Capitals, Game 4 (6 p.m., TBS)

Top-seeded, Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida is in trouble already, down 2-1 in the series. This is one serious high-danger scoring chance for Alex Ovechkin and the Caps.

Celtics at Bucks, Game 4 (6:30 p.m., TNT)

Giannis Antetokounmpo outscored Jayson Tatum 42-10 in Game 3 as the defending champs took a 2-1 series lead. If you want to be a superstar, this is when you have to act the part.

Grizzlies at Warriors, Game 4 (9 p.m., TNT)

Did the Dubs’ Jordan Poole really try to hurt sensational Grizz star Ja Morant in Game 3? Probably not, but the rancor that’s here to stay in this series doesn’t want to hear it.

TUE 10

NHL draft lottery (5:30 p.m., ESPN)

Only with a top-two draw do the Blackhawks get to keep their first-round pick. Any other result can just be tossed onto the heaping pile of recent disappointments.

76ers at Heat, Game 5 (6:30 p.m., TNT)

Any Joel Embiid is better than a watching-from-the-bench Joel Embiid. As long as the banged-up big fella is on the floor, the Sixers are always going to have a chance.

Blues at Wild, Game 5 (8:30 p.m., ESPN)

The sultry stench of violence hangs over this series, which promises to be deliciously nasty until the end. You know, in case you’re into that sort of thing.

Mavericks at Suns, Game 5 (9 p.m., TNT)

Who’s the point guard on the all-zero-rings team? John Stockton? Steve Nash? Chris Paul? The championship quest continues for CP3.

WED 11

Guardians at White Sox (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Cleveland probably isn’t the division rival the Sox need to be most worried about, but the games between these teams always feel 10% bigger — and that’s a guaranteed rate.

Cubs at Padres (3:10 p.m., Marquee)

The Pads have been killing it without their best player, Fernando Tatis Jr. Early MVP frontrunner Manny Machado might take issue with that “best player” designation.

Liberty at Sky (7 p.m., Marquee, CBSSN)

Three cheers for old pal Stefanie Dolson, who makes her return to Wintrust Arena with her new team. May she experience winning it all again soon … but not too soon.

THU 12

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal (1:45 p.m., USA, Universo)

The fourth and final Champions League spot is there for the taking in a massively important North London Derby. Folks, that’s soccer-ese for “really big game.”

Yankees at White Sox (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Dylan Cease is lined up to take the bump, and can we just start the best-pitcher-in-Chicago conversation right now?

FRI 13

Cubs at Diamondbacks (8:40 p.m., Apple TV+)

The Cubs are back in Arizona for the first time since spring training, which raises a question: Should they have ever left?

SAT 14

FC Cincinnati at Fire (7 p.m., Ch. 9)

In only its fourth MLS season, Cincinnati might be the league’s best surprise. So much for the Fire circling a rare game on their schedule as a “W.”

SUN 15

Yankees at White Sox (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Wouldn’t it be something if these teams ran into each other in October? Not-so-fun fact: The Sox and Blue Jays are the only American League teams left that have never faced the Yankees in the postseason.

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CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs scratched starting pitcher Marcus Stroman for Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, placing him on the injured list without a designation.

That move is normally reserved for COVID-19 related issues.

Stroman, 31, will be replaced by lefty Justin Steele who is 1-3 with a 5.50 ERA in five starts. Stroman had just started to find his stride after struggling in his first few appearances with the Cubs after signing a 3-year, $71 million deal with them this past offseason. He threw seven shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in his most recent outing.

Righty Adrian Sampson has been called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Stroman’s place on the roster. The team also sent down struggling first baseman Frank Schwindel.

The Cubs have lost four in a row.

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White Sox starters own a 2.50 ERA in their last 13 games. Keuchel, who entered with a 8.40 ERA, wanted in on the action.

Manager Tony La Russa, knowing his bullpen was thin Sunday, wanted to see that, too.

“Come on Keuchel!” La Russa said before the Sox completed a series sweep of the slumping Red Sox with a 3-2 victory, their sixth straight.

With Liam Hendriks and Kendall Graveman unavailable, La Russa got scoreless innings from Ryan Burr, Matt Foster and Jose Ruiz in the seventh, eighth and ninth to preserve the win. Ruiz allowed a leadoff double off the Green Monster in left to J.D. Martinez but retired Christian Vazquez and Alex Verdugo.

La Russa then went to rookie left-hander Bennett Sousa with Jackie Bradley Jr. due up. Right-handed hitting Kevin Plawecki pinch hit and flew out as Sousa recorded his first career save.

Faith in the 34-year-old veteran has been waning, but Keuchel made his longest start of the season with six innings and allowed two runs — both in his final inning as Red Sox hard contact was ramping up — on eight hits and a walk. Seven of the hits were singles. Keuchel struck out five.

The Sox gave Keuchel a 3-0 lead in the third. Leury Garcia, leading off in Tim Anderson’s customary spot — Anderson was rested by La Russa with Danny Mendick playing shortstop — scored Reese McGuire with an infield single, and Jose Abreu doubled in two runs.

Keuchel needed an inning in an 11:30 a.m. (ET) start to get his footing. He walked leadoff man Kike Hernandez and allowed a one-out single to Rafael Devers but retired Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez to finish a 26-pitch inning. His previous longest starts were five innings. His 92 pitches were a season high.

The last time Keuchel wore pink cleats on Mother’s Day was in 2018 when he pitched seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts for the Astros against the Rangers.

He seemed unfazed sitting through a lengthy top half of the fourth that included an 18-minute delay after plate umpire Ron Kulpa left the game when he was hit in the mask by a foul tip. Marty Foster, needing that time to change gear and get ready, moved from first base to the plate.

La Russa told Anderson he would have Sunday’s game off before Saturday’s 3-1 victory.

“Look, he’s playing at a high level, he’s hot so he’s on the bases all the time,” La Russa said. “So we were talking with the morning game, sometimes you just don’t play some guys. Tim is just resting. He feels good, he’s playing at a very high level.”

Before the game, the Red Sox’ scheduled starter Michael Wacha landed on the injured list with left intercostal irritation, retroactive to May 5. Former Sox right-hander Tyler Danish was recalled from Triple-A Worcester and pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Starter Tanner Rouck went 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs.

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The NFL is a huge step for every player at rookie mini-camp, but center Doug Kramer has the sweetest transition of all — from Bears fan to Bear.

The Hinsdale Central product, a sixth-round draft pick from Illinois, had his introduction to Halas Hall this weekend. After being “kind of in shock” about becoming a Bear when he was drafted last week, the reality hit him this week.

“That’s a cool moment,” Kramer said. “I know what the logo means to so many people in this city. I was impacted by the team growing up — that was one of the reasons why I fell in love with the game, was watching the Bears as a kid.

“I understand what it means to people in this city — to the people who wear it to the people who have worn it in the past. Obviously I haven’t gone through it yet, so there are still things I need to learn and figure out. I’m just happy to go through it.”

Kramer, who will turn 24 next month, was coming of age as a sports fan when the Bears went to the Super Bowl XLI in 2006. So his favorite Bears players growing up were predictable.

“Before I started playing offensive line, it was Brian Urlacher and Devin Hester — those are the two guys I think a lot of young guys growing up in Chicago loved,” Kramer said. “Once I started playing offensive line, Olin Kreutz was the guy that I always watched. I just loved the way he played the game, what he stood for. He just got after it every single play, so I loved him.”

Now the work begins. As a sixth-round draft pick, the 6-2, 299-pound Kramer has a long road ahead of him, with the practice squad a likely spot to learn behind Lucas Patrick. But centers with his makeup have had long NFL careers.

“You just have to have confidence in yourself and your ability,” said Kramer, who started 48 games in five seasons at Illinois and was a second-team all-Big Ten selection in 2021. “I was drafted here and this is the reality. Now it’s about taking it to the field and the film room, getting to meet the guys in the offensive line room, become a part of that room and earn that spot.”

Looking out for No. 1

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is undaunted by the likelihood that the Bears will go into training camp without a proven No. 1 receiver. He’s hoping the offense will produce one.

“Everybody wants Davante Adams. Who wouldn’t want Davante Adams, right?” Said Getsy, who was the Packers’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator the past two seasons. “But Davante wasn’t Davante until he became Davante. I think the system will enable some of these guys to play at their potential. So we’ll see what we can do. We’ll give them an opportunity to show what they’ve got.”

High EQ-rating

Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who had nine receptions for 98 yards and no touchdowns for the Packers last year, is a candidate to be better than people think. The Bears signed St. Brown to a one-year contract in free agency.

“I was really excited that we were able to snag him because I think his best football is ahead of him,” Getsy said. “You talk about a big body, a guy that can run –his toughness and all that stuff and everything we’re going to preach in this system, he’s that expectation. He’s that leader of that mindset.”

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