Chicago Bears Free Agency: Addressing the guard positionon February 21, 2020 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears might have to get creative to address the offensive line.

Entering the 2020 season, the Chicago Bears offensive line must improve their level of play from the 2019 campaign, and Greg Van Roten could go a long way in making that happen.

According to Football Outsiders, in 2019 the group ranked 29th in run blocking (28th in 2018). As for pass blocking, they ranked 20th in 2019 versus 7th in 2018, though that’s a bit deceiving, as their numbers were not nearly as bad as some might think.

Regardless, the Bears are expected to address the position this offseason. However, there isn’t a whole lot of flexibility to do so. Cody Whitehair, Bobby Massie, Charles Leno, James Daniels are all locks for next year, for different reasons. The one position that can be addressed is offensive guard — particularly right guard — the position previously held by Kyle Long and currently filled by Rashaad Coward.

Additionally, the reality is, if they want to make a change that will impact things in 2020, then they will have to go the route of free agency. Hoping to draft an offensive lineman who will make an immediate impact is not a guaranteed strategy.

So if they do address in free agency, they may have to get creative as they’ll have other needs to fill and limited salary cap space. That would seem to take them out of the Brandon Scherff sweepstakes who is in line to get a contract in the neighborhood of 4 years and just under $50 million according to Spotrac.

However, a quality player that can make an impact but at a fraction of the cost is Van Roten. The Carolina Panther has been a solid contributor for the team that has helped Christian McCaffrey run wild.

Van Roten is only 29-years-old and earned a salary of only $805,000 last season. According to the Washington Post, he has only been called for one holding and two false start penalties in his career. He has also yielded only four sacks, all of which came in 2018.

Next: Nightmare scenario brewing for Bears

If the Bears want to upgrade their interior offensive line and don’t want to break the bank to do so, then Greg Van Roten must be at the top of their list of candidates.

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Chicago Bears: How good can they be next season?on February 21, 2020 at 4:00 pm

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears are coming off of an 8-8 season that was supposed to be something special. Is it realistic for them to come back in 2020, successfully?

Going into 2019, the Chicago Bears were a playoff team. They were preparing to play the Eagles during the NFC Wildcard Round. Everything was looking up for Bears. They looked smart for signing Matt Nagy to be their new head coach. At last, Mitch Trubisky was playing well.

Finally, the Bears were back in the playoffs. It took them eight years to get back to this exact moment.

Even though the Bears lost against the Eagles, due to a poor kicker, they were projected to be a top team during the upcoming season. The Bears were talked about as a favorite to win the Super Bowl. Experts said the worst record they would have is 11-5. What happened to that Bears’ team?

Little things changed. Jordan Howard was no longer on the team. They also lost a few role players, which included Adrian Amos. The last big change was their defensive coordinator. Vic Fangio took a job with the Broncos to be their new head coach.

Chicago still had a big problem with their tight ends, they just refused to even look at it. There should have been a sign when Trey Burton didn’t play in the playoffs that he wasn’t their guy. They still needed to add to an injured offensive line. Both of those issues weren’t addressed in the offseason.

The issues were shadowed by the glaring issue at kicker. Cody Parkey‘s miss helped hide all of the issues the team had. That set them back.

Ryan Pace instead decided to change things in the draft. Instead of bulking up an already stacked roster, they thinned it out with lesser talent.

Next: 2019 season key moments

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Chicago Blackhawks: Three trade packages for Brandon Saadon February 21, 2020 at 3:00 pm

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The Chicago Blackhawks are probably sellers now. If they wanted to move Brandon Saqad for a max haul, these three packages would be worth it.

The Chicago Blackhawks are in seller mode at this point, at least they should be. Their recent bad stretch of play has seemingly removed their name from the Western Conference playoff bubble. It has been a very up and down season, but this recent down has made it apparent that they should be sellers at the trade deadline. It is awful that this team wasted another very good season from their star players but it is what it is.

One player who might have to suffer because of it is Brandon Saad. He has been a really good player on a somewhat team-friendly deal since coming back, but he knows that he was re-acquired in one of the worst trades in Chicago Blackhawks history. Everyone knows that Artemi Panarin is one of the best players in the NHL but somehow Stan Bowman saw that as a fair trade. That doesn’t take away the fact that Saad is an impact player and would be great for a contending team.

There have been some other trades and trade rumors around the league that would be similar to a deal that would happen involving Saad. The best example happened over the last week. The New Jersey Devils traded Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Nolan Foote and a conditional first-round pick. That is a fantastic haul for a player like Coleman. The trade is similar to Saad because of the fact that it is more than just a rental. He will be there for the next season as well.

Trading Saad would be a similar situation. He has around the same goal-scoring production as Coleman and he also has one year left on his contract. His contract is way more than Coleman’s but it is still considered more of a team-friendly deal by most people. Some of these teams might need to make another move or ask Chicago to retain salary in order to make it work. These are the three trades that would make the most sense for both sides:

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Chicago Blackhawks: Three trade packages for Erik Gustafssonon February 21, 2020 at 2:00 pm

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The Chicago Blackhawks are likely going to be sellers at the trade deadline. They might be in the market to trade Erik Gustaffson for some assets.

The Chicago Blackhawks probably made a mistake when they didn’t trade Erik Gustaffson at the end of the 2018-19 season. He had 60 points in a season that saw everything go right for him offensively. He was never very good defensively which gave all the signs that the Hawks should take advantage of his trade value is high. They didn’t and he is now having a far inferior season.

He has six goals and 20 assists for 26 points so far this season. That isn’t terrible production from a third pair defenseman but it isn’t what it was last season. He would still make a fine addition to a blue line on a Stanley Cup contender. He would need a coach to put him in a position to succeed but there are plenty out there that are capable of doing that.

Trading Gustaffson is something the Blackhawks absolutely need to do. He is on an expiring contract right now and you can’t expect to fix any of our problems defensively by giving him a big contract. He would have been fine on the Blackhawks about five years ago but right now he is not a fit at all. This team is not good defensively at all and need to do things to improve that fact.

The Blackhawks could probably get a decent return for him at this point too. It is, as mentioned before, not going to be the return they could have gotten last summer but it is still going to be good. These are the three packages that would make a lot of sense:

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Get a Whole Meal for Under $10 at the Cheapest Restaurants in Chicagoon February 21, 2020 at 5:52 pm

With more and more upscale restaurants sprouting up around Chicago it doesn’t seem like cheap eats get much attention anymore even though if you go to the right spot, you can get some of the best food in Chicago. Take a look at some of the cheapest restaurants in Chicago serving up amazing food when you’re strapped for cash.

Ghareeb Nawaz | 2023 West Devon Avenue

Indian food can get pretty pricy, but not at Ghareeb Nawaz. You can get a full meal here for under $7 and the menu includes all the traditional dishes like biryani, kebab, and curry.

cheapest restaurants — Photo Credit: Yelp

Red Hot Ranch | 2072 North Western Avenue

The perfect late-night joint to come to after a night out when you need something to soak up that last drink you had. You can’t go wrong here with the Red Hot Ranch Burger with their special sauce.

5 Dollar Cheap Eats — Photo Credit: Serious Eats

Johnnie’s Beef | 7500 West North Avenue

We can’t create a cheap eats list in Chicago and not mention an Italian beef spot and Johnnie’s Beef is by far the most popular. Get yours with sweet peppers or hot peppers at one of the cheapest restaurants in Chicago.

Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken | Multiple Locations

In business for more than 50 years and Uncle Remus is still serving some of the best quality fried chicken. What makes their chicken even better is the sweet and tangy sauce that gets slathered on top.

Chi Cafe | 2160 South Archer Avenue

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this late-night Chinese spot offers all your favorites like egg rolls, fried rice, and lo mein.

La Chaparrita | 2500 South Whipple Street

This taqueria may not look like much from the outside but you can bet you’ll have one of the best tacos in Chicago at La Chaparrita, and the best part, each taco is only $2.25-$3.

Lem’s Bar-B-Q | 311 East 75th Street

For decades, Lem’s has been serving some of the best barbecue in the city. Known for their rib tips and hot links, there’s only one place to get cheap, delicious barbecue in Chicago.

The Budlong | Multiple Locations

Bringing Nashville hot chicken to Chicago, The Budlong is the place to go for southern-inspired food. Stretch your dollar here by getting the hot chicken plate, served with Texas toast and pickles.

Photo Credit: Gayle V’s Best Ever Grilled Cheese

Gayle V’s Best Ever Grilled Cheese | 108 North State Street, Level B1

Turning a staple into a gourmet meal, Gayle V’s is located in the pedway and makes delicious grilled cheese sandwiches like The Duke made with swiss cheese, ham, blueberry mustard, and peach slices.

Mister J’s Dawg ‘N Burger | 822 North State Street

A classic spot for late-night, cheap eats is Mister J’s. They have everything you could want in a burger joint and at prices between $5 and $10 you’ll definitely leave feeling satisfied.

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Best Bars With Free Live Music in Chicagoon February 21, 2020 at 5:25 pm

Sure, concerts are cool, but have you ever walked into a bar where live musicians casually cover your favorite song and you didn’t even have to pay for it? That’s the shit in Chicago, where bars with live music run rampant. Catch a free show, or just a small cover charge, almost any night of the week at these bars with live music near you.

bars live music — Photo Credit: Kingston Mines

Kingston Mines | 2548 N Halsted St

Chicago’s quintessential blues bar since 1968, Kingston Mines has rotating musicians that you can enjoy for free. When they do charge cover, it includes access to all shows for the night, so don’t shy away from a meager $10.

Hungry Brain | 2319 W Belmont Ave

Jazz music pours from the tiny stage at Hungry Brain, a bar that’s totally hit or miss on how busy it will be. You could come on a Saturday night and find a few stragglers, or happen upon a Sunday where every guest in the bar is dancing to George Benson.

The Whistler | 2421 N Milwaukee Ave

Nightly performances are always expected at The Whistler, including live music, but occasionally, you might find yourself there in the middle of a DJ set on ’90s night. Either way, this one of the best bars with free live music if you’re in the mood for dancing.

Bub City | 435 N Clark St

One of the only places in Chicago that really embraces live country music (gotta head to Nashville for more of that), Bub City offers reservations for their live music performances, starting around 9 pm every night. No cover needed.

Empty Bottle | 1035 N Western Ave

Empty Bottle almost never charges for their live shows, but if they do, it’s rarely ever more than $5. They have live performances nearly every single night, ranging from music to comedy to karaoke.

California Clipper | 1002 N California Ave

Everything awash in a crimson glow, California Clipper first appears divey, but is actually quite classy as far as cocktails, ambiance, and live shows go. Live performances range from singer-songwriter shows to jazz bands to cabaret.

Joe’s On Weed St | 940 W Weed St

Hosting Chicago-born bands, as well as rising stars, Joe’s on Weed is a staple in this city, so if you haven’t been, well, get to it. Tickets are required here, but they range from $10 – 20, and you can grab a drink before the show.

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