Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is in the Top 10 for most merchandise sold among all NFL players in the latest report

The news around the Chicago Bears this season has been centered with quarterback Justin Fields as he enters his second season in the NFL. The goal for the Bears is to build their offense around the former Ohio State quarterback and help him take that next step.

While general manager Ryan Poles drafted just one wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft, the team still believes in the quarterback as the future of the franchise. And the fans apparently do too.

Fields is among the best-selling players in terms of merchandise in the NFL per the latest numbers put out by the NFLPA. The quarterback ranks 8th among all players and 7th among all quarterbacks in the league, even beating out rival quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the process:

Here is the list via Ari Meirov:

Tom Brady
Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Joe Burrow
Mac Jones
Dak Prescott
 George Kittle
 Justin Fields
Aaron Rodgers
Justin Herbert
Lamar Jackson
 TJ Watt
CeeDee Lamb
Aaron Donald
Nick Chubb

That’s pretty impressive for being in the year for one season and that season being one in which Fields sort of struggled, although it’s not all his fault. The big market of Chicago does help and it shows that fans haven’t given up on him either.

If Fields does that that next step and the Bears are better in 2022, he will almost certainly shoot up those rankings and should find himself in the Top 5.

The Bears will begin their OTA’s in May, which gives us our first look at the quarterback in the team’s new offense under Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy. Only time will tell if there’s an improvement or not in Fields’ game.

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

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Two betting services updating odds for postseason awards this week listed White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease sixth among Cy Young Award candidates behind Alek Manoah, Justin Verlander, Kevin Gausman, Gerrit Coleand Shane Bieber.

The respect for Cease comes after he pitched what he called the best game of his career when he struck out 11 Angels, walked none and gave up one hit in seven innings Monday afternoon. It started a three-game Sox winning streak they’ll take into a weekend series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park starting Friday night.

Citing “a combination of stuff, execution and results,”Cease raved about his pitching, which he never does. Usually the 26-year-old who was listed third in the starting rotation coming out of spring training evaluates his good performances as just OK.

He has high standards, as well he should.

“His stuff has always been elite, elite, elite,” Sox starter Lucas Giolito said this week.

Noting the life on his 97 mph four-seam fastball and the spin and bite on his curve and slider leaves no choice but to agree. Frank Thomas has raved about Cease’s changeup, which Cease calls his worst pitch. His changeup was outstanding Monday.

What Cease has shown then in five starts this season isn’t surprising. While Lance Lynn and 2021 Opening Day starter Giolito were manager Tony La Russa’s options to start the season opener — Lynn and Giolito finished third and 11th, respectively, in 2021 Cy voting — Cease was the fashionable pick by many to be the Sox’ top Cy candidate. Catcher Yasmani Grandal saw that ability when pitchers and catchers reported to spring training — in 2021.

“He could possibly be a Cy Young winner,” Grandal said. “He’s got the tools to do it, there’s no doubt on that.”

Thanks, Cubs!

That Jason Benetti dig heard after one of Jimenez’ many big hits against the organization that traded him and Cease for Jose Quintana in 2017. Cease has blossomed since.

Cease was 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 14 starts in 2019, his first season. He went 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 12 starts in the abbreviated 2020 season but faded with command problems late and wasn’t trusted to start in the postseason. With Ethan Katz as the new pitching coach in 2021, Cease was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA while striking out 12.3 batters per nine innings, the best in the AL.

And he’s 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season. He hasn’t missed a start in his career.

“First year was his first taste and getting used to everything,” Giolito said. “Having some struggles, learning from those. And then last year was the breakout year. And now, with his Cy Young caliber stuff and the work he has put in, physically and mentally preparing himself for starts, he has been fantastic.

“He’s a big time student of pitching. Through this entire process he’s recognized things he needs to improve to become more consistent.”

Commanding that elite stuff is all there’s to it, now.

“That’s definitely the last part of developing,” Cease said. “A lot of it is repetition and experience. Being able to relax and focus on what I want to do and when I’ve had that much repetition and experience the last couple years, it’s clicking a little bit.”

As for that list, having three starters on it and Lynn (top six in AL Cy Young voting in each of the last three seasons) bodes well for the Sox. Lynn is expected back in late May after having knee surgery. Cease, meanwhile, keeps trending upward.

“That was impressive to watch Monday,” Giolito said. “But I think we’re going to see a helluva lot more of that.”

NOTE: As expected, outfielder Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

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Two betting services updating odds for postseason awards this week listed White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease sixth among Cy Young Award candidates behind Alek Manoah, Justin Verlander, Kevin Gausman, Gerrit Coleand Shane Bieber.

The respect for Cease comes after he pitched what he called the best game of his career when he struck out 11 Angels, walked none and gave up one hit in seven innings Monday afternoon. It started a three-game Sox winning streak they’ll take into a weekend series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park starting Friday night.

Citing “a combination of stuff, execution and results,”Cease raved about his pitching, which he never does. Usually the 26-year-old who was listed third in the starting rotation coming out of spring training evaluates his good performances as just OK.

He has high standards, as well he should.

“His stuff has always been elite, elite, elite,” Sox starter Lucas Giolito said this week.

Noting the life on his 97 mph four-seam fastball and the spin and bite on his curve and slider leaves no choice but to agree. Frank Thomas has raved about Cease’s changeup, which Cease calls his worst pitch. His changeup was outstanding Monday.

What Cease has shown then in five starts this season isn’t surprising. While Lance Lynn and 2021 Opening Day starter Giolito were manager Tony La Russa’s options to start the season opener — Lynn and Giolito finished third and 11th, respectively, in 2021 Cy voting — Cease was the fashionable pick by many to be the Sox’ top Cy candidate. Catcher Yasmani Grandal saw that ability when pitchers and catchers reported to spring training — in 2021.

“He could possibly be a Cy Young winner,” Grandal said. “He’s got the tools to do it, there’s no doubt on that.”

Thanks, Cubs!

That Jason Benetti dig heard after one of Jimenez’ many big hits against the organization that traded him and Cease for Jose Quintana in 2017. Cease has blossomed since.

Cease was 4-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 14 starts in 2019, his first season. He went 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 12 starts in the abbreviated 2020 season but faded with command problems late and wasn’t trusted to start in the postseason. With Ethan Katz as the new pitching coach in 2021, Cease was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA while striking out 12.3 batters per nine innings, the best in the AL.

And he’s 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings this season. He hasn’t missed a start in his career.

“First year was his first taste and getting used to everything,” Giolito said. “Having some struggles, learning from those. And then last year was the breakout year. And now, with his Cy Young caliber stuff and the work he has put in, physically and mentally preparing himself for starts, he has been fantastic.

“He’s a big time student of pitching. Through this entire process he’s recognized things he needs to improve to become more consistent.”

Commanding that elite stuff is all there’s to it, now.

“That’s definitely the last part of developing,” Cease said. “A lot of it is repetition and experience. Being able to relax and focus on what I want to do and when I’ve had that much repetition and experience the last couple years, it’s clicking a little bit.”

As for that list, having three starters on it and Lynn (top six in AL Cy Young voting in each of the last three seasons) bodes well for the Sox. Lynn is expected back in late May after having knee surgery. Cease, meanwhile, keeps trending upward.

“That was impressive to watch Monday,” Giolito said. “But I think we’re going to see a helluva lot more of that.”

NOTE: As expected, outfielder Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

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White Sox outfielder Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing his fifth game in a row with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

“The bruise is deep and it’s in an area where it’s a tough spot to handle it,” manager La Russa said Wednesday before saying Vaughn would probably go to the IL

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

Vaughn was hit by a pitch Friday by the Angels’ Mike Mayers. X-rays were negative, but “tons of inflammation” remained five days later, Vaughn said Wednesday.

“It’s kind of progressed, but it’s still aching when I swing, real bad,” Vaughn said. “Like it’s kind of blocking me from swinging because of the pain. I feel it all the time.”

The Sox are off Thursday. They play a weekend series in Boston against the Red Sox before returning home Monday to play the Guardians and Yankees next week.

Vaughn, 24, was leading the Sox with four homers and was one of their top hitters with a .283/.367/.566 hitting line and .933 OPS when he went down.

Moncada, Kelly close; Cueto, too?

Third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed reliever Joe Kelly should wrap up rehabilitation assignments with Triple-A Charlotte this weekend and could arrive for the homestand, which starts Monday against Cleveland.

Right-hander Johnny Cueto made what was likely his last start for Charlotte and could also join the team next week. Cueto needed 74 pitches to get through 3 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs and six hits, including a homer, and a walk while striking out three. Cueto has a 6.10 ERA over three starts.

Ouch

Third baseman Jake Burger, who has played a lot of third base in Moncada’s absence, felt sore one day after crashing into the side wall tracking a foul ball that was well out of his reach. He was not in the lineup Wednesday.

o Eloy Jimenez (hamstring) played catch and fielded soft fungoes from coach Daryl Boston. Jimenez is expected to be out another five to seven weeks.

Pitching hurts

Managers constantly juggle bullpen usage not only according to matchups and game situations but also how their relievers feel on a given day. Working more than two days in a row is usually off limits.

At times, pitchers are available only in a pinch even if they were off the previous day, which explains why La Russa handed righty Matt Foster the eighth inning of a 3-1 game Tuesday against the Cubs. It was the highest leveraged appearance for Foster, who has allowed one earned run in seven appearances over 11 innings.

Kendall Graveman wasn’t available, La Russa said.

“It’s common sense,” La Russa said. “It’s early. We have been pushing him, and it’s a long season. And we’ve got a deep bullpen.”

Closer Liam Hendriks said pitchers are always sore to some degree or another.

“We usually have this conversation in the bullpen, especially with the young guys,” Hendriks said. “When is the last time you’ve pitched without pain? Last year, I was talking to Craig [Kimbrel] and his was 2014, mine was right around 2014 as well. Can’t remember the last time we’ve thrown without something going on.”

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Andrew Vaughn landed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after missing five games with a bruised right hand. Infielder Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

“The bruise is deep and it’s in an area where it’s a tough spot to handle it,” manager La Russa said Wednesday before saying Vaughn would probably go to the IL before the Sox upcoming series in Boston.

The move is retroactive to Monday. Vaughn could come off next Thursday, in seven days.

Vaughn was hit by a pitch Friday by the Angels’ Mike Mayers. X-rays were negative, but “tons of inflammation” remained five days later, Vaughn said Wednesday.

“It’s kind of progressed, but it’s still aching when I swing, real bad,” Vaughn said. “Like it’s kind of blocking me from swinging because of the pain. I feel it all the time.”

The Sox are off Thursday. They play the Red Sox at Fenway Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday before returning home Monday for a home stand against the Guardians and Yankees next week.

Vaughn, 24, was leading the Sox with four homers and was one of their top hitters with a .283/.367/.566 hitting line and .933 OPS when he went down.

“I want to be out there playing,” Vaughn said Wednesday. “I want to be helping my team. It stinks I can’t be out there.”

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Bears quarterback Justin Fields is eighth on the NFL Players Association’s Top 50 ranking of officially licensed merchandise, according to NFLPA.com. The list is for sales from March 1, 2021-Feb. 28, 2022.

Fields, who had a 73.2 passer rating in 12 games (10 starts) as a rookie last season, is in good company. He ranks behind only much more established stars on the list –quarterbacks Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Mac Jones and Dak Prescott and 49ers tight end George Kittle. Aaron Rodgers and Justin Herbert round out the top 10.

Fields was the only Bears player on the Top 50 list.

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The Bears will sell single-game tickets and suite availability for 2022 preseason and regular-season games on May 12 at 8:30 p.m., after the NFL announces the regular-season schedule, the team announced.

Tickets will be available to the general public via the team’s website at ChicagoBears.com/Tickets. Demand-based pricing will be used again this season. The Bears, under new head coach Matt Eberflus, have nine home games this season: against the Packers, Lions, Vikings, Commanders, Eagles, Dolphins, Bills, Texans and 49ers.

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