Chicago Bears: Should team pursue Clay Matthews?on March 19, 2020 at 8:50 pm

Los Angeles Rams. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears have elite talent at the pass rush position, but they are in desperate need of depth. Could a familiar face fill that role?

According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Rams are set to release former Defensive Player of the Year, Clay Matthews. While the Chicago Bears have made a flurry of moves to get help opposite Khalil Mack, they could stand to add some valuable depth behind the likes of Mack and Robert Quinn. Would a possible signing of Clay Matthews make sense for Chicago? Lets examine…

While Matthews is 33-years old, the Southern California product just finished a season in which he tallied 37 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and 8 sacks. Could you imagine that kind of production coming from your third-best edge rusher?

I know, I know… Many will point the fact that Matthews is over the hill and that the Bears should be looking for a younger player with more upside, but it seems evident to me that the Bears brass knows that they need to win now — and there’s no better way to make that happen than to stockpile talent at a premium position.

Yes, the Bears need help on offense, but what’s that famous saying again? Oh, right… Defense wins championships. Imagine the Bears playing on the lakefront, and as Aaron Rodgers goes to take a snap under center he’s looking out at a mix of Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Robert Quinn and his close friend, Clay Matthews.

I don’t know about you, but that gets my blood going!

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With that being said, we have to examine what it may cost to acquire the services of one, Clay Matthews. Last season, Matthews signed with the Los Angeles Rams for 2-years, on a contract worth up to $16.75 million, and was due a cap hit of $5.5 million for the coming 2020 NFL season.

Obviously after being released and only getting older, it would be foolish to think that Matthews would command the same level of contract on the current open market.

So, I think the Bears could get away inking Matthews to a 1-year incentivized deal worth roughly $4.5 million guaranteed. This would most likely fit the Bears current cap situation, and give them an insurance policy behind their two stud edge rushers.

Next: Brandin Cooks to the Bears?

Why would Clay Matthews want to come to Chicago? Isn’t it obvious? He’d be able to square-off two times per season against his former team, the Green Bay Packers. How fun would that be as a Bears fan to see former Packer great, Clay Matthews wrestling Aaron Rodgers down onto the turf? If I’m Ryan Pace, I’m calling Clay Matthews’ agent as soon as I can to inquire if there’s any mutual interest on spending a year in the Windy City.

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Chicago Bears have a key connection to Todd Gurleyon March 19, 2020 at 8:08 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

With the Los Angeles Rams releasing star running back Todd Gurley, it’s worth noting that he has a strong connection with the Chicago Bears.

The free agency frenzy rolls on and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. While the Chicago Bears have made some notable moves this week, the Day 4 bombshell goes to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams announced they are parting ways with 3-time Pro Bowl running back Todd Gurley. If Los Angeles hadn’t released him, they would have owed him $10.5 million in 2020.

Gurley has meant the world to the Rams over the past four seasons, and one has to wonder whether Los Angeles will take an even further step back from where they were during their Super Bowl run two years ago. Along with releasing Gurley, they have also cut veteran pass rusher Clay Matthews.

Back to Gurley, though, as he might be the biggest name on the market all week, other than maybe Tom Brady. The Bears currently have second-year pro David Montgomery as their lead back, but behind him, they don’t have a true compliment.

Tarik Cohen is more of a gadget player, as is return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson, who should see more work out of the back field in 2020. But, one has to wonder if the Bears want to add a true, prototypical running back next to Montgomery.

The money would have to work itself out, obviously, because the Bears are strapped for cash at the moment. Whether that’s an extension or two, or even some restructuring with one or two players, the Bears would have to clear a little room.

In Todd Gurley’s five seasons with the Rams, he was second in the NFL in rushing yards (5,405), first in rushing TD (58), second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage (7,494) and scored an NFL-best 70 total TD. An incredible run in LA.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 19, 2020

You might squawk at the idea of Gurley in Chicago at first, but it’s not as crazy as it sounds. The Bears are clearly taking their shot at a Super Bowl this year, with their recent veteran additions in Robert Quinn, Jimmy Graham and Nick Foles.

Speaking of Foles, there’s the connection to Gurley. During Gurley’s rookie season back in 2015, he lined up in the back field while Foles started 11 games. That year, Gurley rushed for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He would go on to have two additional 1,000-yard seasons and, of course, earn two All Pro nods.

As far as fitting in, he and Montgomery would be a lethal one-two punch. The fact that Gurley’s usage should be toned down in comparison to his past touches is a good thing, because he’d have a chance to stay fresh next to Montgomery.

With the Bears wanting to get back to running the ball more in 2020, adding Gurley would only strengthen that commitment — not to mention, his familiarity with Foles is a positive.

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Chicago Bears Rumors: Could Brandin Cooks be an option?on March 19, 2020 at 8:02 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

After cutting Taylor Gabriel, the Chicago Bears have a hole at receiver they need to fill before the season kicks off & an elite speed-threat just became available…

According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Rams have made wide receiver, Brandin Cooks available via trade. Why does this concern fans of the Halas hopeful? Well, the Chicago Bears just recently cut veteran speed-threat, Taylor Gabriel. This has left a big hole opposite Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller.

As was evident during his time on the Kansas City Chiefs Coaching Staff, Matt Nagy loves to implement and utilize elite level speed within his offensive system. Last season the Chiefs trotted out the likes of Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman. That is a lethal aerial attack, equipped with players that could change the outlook of the game on just one play.

Now, Cooks has been the subject of a few blockbuster trades in the past… First with him being dealt from the New Orleans Saints to the New England Patriots for a first-round pick and then from Foxborough to the Los Angeles Rams for the same price.

Well, with the Chicago Bears missing a speed element to their offense, it is evident that the Bears could use a player of Cooks’ skillset. In just two seasons under the tutelage of Sean McVay, Cooks has accumulated 122 receptions, 1,787 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns.

In addition, Chicago Bears General Manager, Ryan Pace was the Director of Player Personnel for the Saints the year that Brandin Cooks was drafted 20th overall by New Orleans. So, Pace has to know first hand just how talented Cooks is, right? Couple that with the fact that Cooks has played six professional seasons and is still only 26-years old; the rationale of why the Bears should target him starts to make a bit more sense.

Bears Get

Brandin Cooks

4th Round Draft Pick (2020)

Rams Get

Charles Leno Jr.

2nd Round Draft Pick (2021)

So, what would it take for the Bears to land Cooks? As outlined above, I think Chicago could part ways with veteran left tackle, Charles Leno Jr. and a future second-round draft pick. In return, the Bears would receive Cooks and a fourth-round pick for this coming draft. Why is this important? The Bears would recoup the pick they just sent away to the Jacksonville Jaguars to obtain the services of veteran, Nick Foles.

Charles Leno Jr. is owed a total of roughly $10.3 million for the coming season, while Cooks is due $16.8 million. The Bears recently restructured Cody Whitehair‘s contract, so the remaining $6.5 million should be able to fit if Chicago can agreed with Allen Robinson on a contract extension.

The Rams recently retained offensive line stalwart, Andrew Whitworth, but would absolutely welcome the addition of Leno Jr. to help solidify a porous offensive front that left Jared Goff in shambles last season.

Next: Trubisky Is On The Trade Block!

While many might not like the Bears giving up a second-round draft pick, I welcome the notion as it shows that both Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy are all in on this being a win-now season for the Bears. Do the Bears dare push all of their chips into the middle of the table? We shall see…

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Chicago Bears: Only one team can turn Mitchell Trubisky aroundon March 19, 2020 at 4:00 pm

CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 21: Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Chicago Bears is sacked by Adrian Clayborn #94 of the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on October 21, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots defeated the Bears 38-31. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears might be looking for a trade partner for Mitchell Trubisky. There is one team that might be able to turn his career around.

The Chicago Bears might seriously be considering trading Mitchell Trubisky. They acquired Nick Foles in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars so that makes things very interesting for Chicago. There are some people who still believe that Mitch will be QB1 on Opening Day but it is hard to see at this point. That would be a lot of money to be paying a guy who is just a lock to be the backup. Especially one they gave up something for besides money.

That could lead to them trading Trubisky and drafting someone else to be the backup. They should be doing everything they can to try and get a solid quarterback room so they can take advantage of this defense’s championship window. They are good enough to be helped along by a quarterback who is slightly above average. Foles has been that in clutch moments before.

So if the Bears are in fact going to trade Trubisky, where would be the best fit for him? There are some teams that might consider him for their backup role but one team, in particular, might be able to turn his career around. The New England Patriots were able to turn the 6th round, 199th overall, pick named Tom Brady into the greatest football player who ever lived. They might be able to get something out of a former second overall pick.

The Patriots, during the Tom Brady era, have been great at turning low stock players into stars that help them win Super Bowls. Well, now Tom Brady is gone. He is going to be a member of a team not called the New England Patriots for the first time in 20 years. It is certainly going to be strange but the Pats need a quarterback. They might be looking for a bandaid option until their permanent future piece comes along.

If the Bears traded Trubisky to New England, that should scare the rest of the league. That would mean that Bill Belichick sees something in the young quarterback. With that said, the Bears should try and get something for Mitch if another team is willing. It would be nice to see Mitch get a fresh start and there might not be a better place for that than Foxborough, Massachusetts.

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Chicago Bears Rumors: Mitchell Trubisky is on the trade blockon March 19, 2020 at 3:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears just landed Nick Foles, but the windy city is buzzing with rumors that another signal-caller could potentially be on the move…

The Chicago Bears just landed quarterback Nick Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a compensatory fourth-round draft pick. This news got the city of Chicago buzzing with excitement, both positive and negative. With the arrival of the former Super Bowl MVP, one does have to ask themselves, “What does this mean for Mitchell Trubisky?”

After an up-and-down 2018 season, Trubisky all but hit rock bottom during his 2019 campaign. Though Ryan Pace tried to downplay the growing negative narrative surrounding the former second-overall draft pick, all bets were off once word leaked out that the Bears were courting the likes of Teddy Bridgewater and Andy Dalton.

Fast forward to the present time, and some very connected media sources have come out stating that Mitchell Trubisky’s roster spot may not be as secure as the public tends to believe. What’s that? Yes, Mitchell Trubisky is on the trade block.

Adam Jahns of The Athletic recently released his article, “5 thoughts on Bears’ trade for Nick Foles, Mitch Trubisky’s future.” Within the piece, Jahns goes in-depth regarding Chicago’s recent transaction, and then drops this very interesting nugget regarding the Bears’ quarterback depth chart, “Foles is more than ‘competition,” he’s arguably the in-house leader.”

“Foles is more than ‘competition,’ he’s arguably the in-house leader.”

In addition, Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog upped the ante and brought a bit more of clarity to the situation in his most recent article, “The Bears have been trying to trade Mitch Trubisky for weeks. Nobody wants him. I don’t see a competition with Foles moving forward because I’m not convinced Trubisky will stick around.” Now, it’s important to remember that Hughes is very well connected within the Bears organization and has been out in front of many Bears organizational changes (i.e. Mark Helfrich hire/fire, Juan Castillo hire, Robert Quinn signing, etc.)

So, there you have it… Just three-years removed from trading up from third to second overall to select Mitchell Trubisky out of North Carolina, Ryan Pace seems set to trade away the draft bust. Unfortunately, it only seems to fit that Trubisky will join Jay Cutler and Rex Grossman on the list of Chicago Bears’ quarterbacks.

Does it hurt that the Bears traded up to draft Trubisky in front of the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson? Absolutely, but what hurts more is that Trubiksy busted so badly that the front office is now having to deal draft capital to land a journeyman quarterback just so that they can then carry out their plan to trade their former first-round selection — just three-year later.

Next: How’d The Bears Land Foles?

Well, it sure isn’t going to land a top-round pick, but I’m sure the Bears would love to land a late-round draft pick in return for shedding both the shadow of Mitchell Trubisky and his contract. However, until the moment the Bears can trade-off Trubisky it looks like Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy have their hands full trying to decipher through their quarterback conundrum.

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Chicago Bulls helping United Center staff amidst COVID-19 pandemicon March 19, 2020 at 2:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

Add the Chicago Bulls to the list of teams which are helping out their game-day staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is an unusual “new normal” we are all having to get used to. Between the social distancing or full-on self-quarantining, the world has become a very different place thanks to the spread of COVID-19. Fortunately, the Chicago Bulls organization is going to reach out a hand and help.

For game-day workers, the next few months were set to become a hellish nightmare after both the NBA and NHL suspended play. Those who make a living preparing fans’ nachos, scanning tickets and ensuring the United Center is a safe place are living in uncertain times.

Between both Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz, the 1,200 employees who make up the United Center staff are going to be taken care of. The owners have pledged approximately $3.3 million to pay these employees through what would have been the remainder of the regular season.

This comes at such a beautiful time for those folks who may have wondered whether they could even find a second or temporary job, as people in most major cities in the country are recommended to stay inside. Restaurants are closing dine-in service, of course, so maybe one of the only options out there is for someone to try and pick up work delivering food.

Still, that might be a little scary being in close proximity to so many people every day.

Currently, no one knows whether or not the NBA or NHL regular seasons will re-open play. Beyond that, even, the postseason has to be in question as well.

The Bulls and Blackhawks each had seven remaining home games left to play at the United Center before the suspensions were implemented. Only the Blackhawks had an outside shot at entering the playoffs, but chances were slim for both teams.

Besides these Chicago owners, plenty of other folks around the sports world have gone out of their way to help those in need. Whether it’s guys like Russell Wilson and Stephen Curry pledging millions of meals to kids who have to stay home from school, or players like Kevin Love and Zion Williamson donating their financial gifts to stadium workers, this has brought out the good in so many people.

Bulls: How COVID-19, league shutdown affects team

Read now >>

Stay safe, Chicago, and hopefully we have our teams, health and “normal” back sooner rather than later.

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Chicago Blackhawks: Players who ended in weird spots like Tom Bradyon March 19, 2020 at 1:00 pm

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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks have had some great players come through the organization. Some of them left at weird times or joined at weird times.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the NHL are on pause right now. With that, the biggest news in sports right now that doesn’t relate to a global pandemic is the fact that Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots. While playing for the Patriots, Tom developed into the greatest football player who ever lived. He is a legendary player that played for that team for 20 years. He won the Super Bowl six times in nine total appearances. He basically played in the Super Bowl every other year on average.

Tom’s record was a remarkable 219-64 as a starter, threw for 74,571 yards, and won the NFL’s MVP three times. He is going to walk into the Hall of Fame one day but he isn’t done playing yet. He is going to suit up for another team which is going to be incredibly weird. Football fans have to go back two decades to remember a time where Tom Brady wasn’t the New England Patriots QB1 going into the season.

Of course, that gets the brain thinking. Who are some Chicago Blackhawks players that either played for them late in their careers or left them late in their careers? There are some good names out there and a few legends. Of course, sports are a business first so this often happens but there are some players that just look strange in colors other than the ones they became legends in. These are the five times in Blackhawks history that they have been involved in a situation like this Tom Brady one:

Next: Chris Kunitz

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