Three months after losing in the AFC championship game, the Chiefs — for whom new Bears general manager Ryan Poles was the assistant player personnel director — didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2019 draft.

They weren’t set to draft until No. 61 overall, the third-to-last pick of the second round. But they sent the Rams a fifth-round pick to move up five spots and drafted Mecole Hardman, the raw Georgia receiver whose 40-yard dash had wowed scouts.

“There were still a lot of good wideouts left,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said at the time. “But none that ran 4.27.”

Three years later, Hardman has been to the Pro Bowl once as a special teamer. Last year, he caught a career-high 59 balls for 693 yards. That’s steady, not standout, production.

“I think we made the right calculated guess there,” Veach said after making the trade. “You kind of see how the board’s falling and how those wideouts are falling.”

In his first draft Friday, Poles will have to judge exactly where the wide receivers are falling. Regardless of his assertion Tuesday — or was it a bluff? — that he could support quarterback Justin Fields by picking players who don’t catch the ball, the Bears enter the second round of the draft in desperate need of a receiver.

The Bears are scheduled to have Picks 39 and 48 in Round 2 and No. 71 in Round 3. Poles said this week he’s willing to move down to get extra selections if the Bears deem that part of the draft particularly deep.

Receivers available when the second round begins Friday include North Dakota State’s Christian Watson, who stands 6-4, and Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore, who is 5-10.

Alabama’s John Metchie III and Georgia’s George Pickens are stars each returning off torn ACLs; Metchie hurt his knee in the SEC title game in December and Pickens was injured during spring practice, returning for the last four games of a national championship season. Memphis’ Calvin Austin III, Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce and South Alabama’s Jalen Tolbert will be on the board in Round 2, too.

Teams that needed receivers pounced Thursday.

The Eagles traded the No. 18 and No. 101 picks to the Titans for star receiver A.J. Brown, who had clamored for a contract extension. The Eagles reportedly signed him to a four-year, $100 million deal, and the Titans used their new first-round pick on Arkansas receiver Treylon Burks.

He was the last of six receivers picked in the top 18. Four were chosen during a five-pick run, starting with the Falcons’ choice of USC’s Drake London at No. 8. The Jets took Garrett Wilson, one of Fields’ former teammates at Ohio State, No. 10. The Saints traded up to select another one, Chris Olave, with the next pick. The Lions then moved all the way up to No. 12 from No. 32 via a trade with NFC North rival Minnesota to take Alabama receiver Jameson Williams. Later, the Commanders drafted Penn State’s Jahan Dotson at No. 16.

The Cardinals, having seen the run on receivers, traded their first-round pick, No. 23, for Ravens veteran “Hollywood” Brown, who had 1,008 receiving yards last year, and Pick No. 100. He played at Oklahoma with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

The pressure will be on Poles to find his guy Friday. The three free-agent receivers he signed to one-year deals have question marks. Byron Pringle had 42 catches for 568 yards with the Chiefs last year — fewer than Hardman — but was arrested Saturday on suspicion of reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.

Equanimeous St. Brown had two fewer catches with the Packers last year than he has letters in his first name — nine. Former Seahawks receiver David Moore, who signed after trying out in last week’s minicamp, didn’t have a catch last year.

That leaves the Bears, and Poles, looking for more.

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Cubs catcher Willson Contreras wiped away tears after hugging his younger brother William at home plate before first pitch Thursday. And his eyes filled with tears again after the game when he recounted that moment.

“It was the moment of my life, believe me,” Willson said. “… I always recall those moments when we were growing up together back home, just dreaming to get signed by somebody. And I’m crying because of the job that we put together to get to where we are.”

The Contreras brothers shared a special moment Thursday as they exchanged their respective teams’ lineup cards before the Cubs’ 5-1 loss to the Braves. It was the brothers’ first time in opposing dugouts in their professional careers.

“I remember watching him play Little league,” Willson said. “And we were always close. We were always good brothers. We never fought, and we support each other. And those are memories that I will never forget.”

For Willson, the emotions started flowing hours before the game, when William called him Thursday afternoon.

“I thought he was bothering me a little bit, he was bored,” Willson joked.

Instead, William was calling to break the news that the Braves were recalling him from Triple-A before the series finale with the Cubs. William, who at 24 is five years younger than Willson, made his major-league debut in 2020.

“I thought that the best way to make my parents proud was taking the [lineup] cards out together,” Willson said.

So, he broached the subject with Cubs senior media relations specialist and interpreter Will Nadal, who passed on the message to Cubs manager David Ross.

Said Ross, when asked about curating special moments for his players: “It’s nice calling the other managers as well and putting it on their radar and saying, ‘Hey, this is something that I’d like to do for this guy or that guy, are you on board?’ And they’re all for it.

“As much as we compete against each other and want to win every second, the moments that you get to enjoy family dynamics and appreciate what a special place it is to be in the major leagues, I think that’s awesome.”

So, with Ross and Braves manager Brian Snitker on board, the Contreras brothers carried the lineup cards out to home plate Thursday evening, their last name stretching across the backs of their opposite-colored jerseys as they held their embrace.

“It is really special for me because of everything we went through to get to where we are right now as a family,” Willson said. “No one knows how hard the road is to get to the big leagues. And having my brother play against me, it’s just special. I’m trying to set an example for him to follow. And that’s what made me proud the most.”

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Too bad the Chicago Bulls couldn’t keep the ball rolling.

They still deserve a round of applause, though, for a spectacular season and a few nail-biting moments during postseason play.

With so many injuries sidelining key players, defeating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks was certainly more than a tall order.

That didn’t keep fans from gripping onto a sliver of hope when the Bulls came roaring back in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, narrowly beating the Bucks in Game 2.

Then came the let-down Chicago sports fans know too well.

Sports pundits and basketball aficionados who’ve been yelling at TV screens these past few days have already started discussions on how the Bulls roster must be shaken up if the team wants to really shine.

Even a taste of the two epic three-peats of the 1990s would be glorious.

We got revved up inside our homes during the height of the pandemic two years ago watching Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman in “The Last Dance” docuseries.

Then in October, the Chicago Sky gifted the city with its first WNBA championship.

Right after, this Bulls team emerged and set the basketball court on fire.

DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and born-and-raised Chicagoan Ayo Dosunmu, to name a few favorites, excited both old-school fans and the younger set who weren’t even born when “His Airness” retired.

Thanks to this current team, the city and Chicagoans scattered throughout the country are Bull-headed again.

Need proof?

Television ratings of the 42 Bulls games that aired live on NBC Sports Chicago through January ballooned 86% compared to the same time span during the previous season, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jeff Agrest reported.

The Bulls also drew huge crowds, with the largest attendance records in the NBA for both home and away games during the 2021-2022 season, according to ESPN. No bull.

Bulls fans didn’t get the slam dunk of a championship season they yearn for. Too early to expect that.

But they got back that enthusiastic spark and spirit that can nourish new dynasties.

Looking forward to next season and the start of something Bulliful.

Send letters to[email protected]

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The Cubs filled out their baseball operations department this past fall, hiring general manager Carter Hawkins and assistant GM Ehsan Bokhari in October.

Now, they’re down a position again, with the Blackhawks announcing on Thursday that they’d hired Cubs assistant GM Jeff Greenberg as their associate GM. Greenberg had been a finalist in the Blackhawks’ general manager search.

“Jeff is simply one of the best teammates I have worked with in baseball,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said in a statement. “He has done so much to make the Cubs a better organization over the last 10 seasons with his powerful combination of intelligence, work ethic, leadership and integrity. He was critically involved in forward-looking decisions as we built the core of a world champion.

“As the Blackhawks look to build their next championship team, Jeff is an ideal hire. While I am sad to lose such a terrific employee and friend, I am thrilled that his future success will continue to benefit the city of Chicago.”

Greenberg joined the Cubs organization in 2012 as a baseball operations intern and moved up the ranks into a prominent role. The Cubs are expected to fill his responsibilities internally in the short term and take time to evaluate their options moving forward.

The Cubs still have two assistant GMs, Bokhari and Craig Breslow. Bokhari has a strong background in research and development, and Breslow also serves as the vice president of pitching.

Contreras brothers reunion

The Braves recalled catcher William Contreras from Triple-A on Thursday, setting up a family reunion for him and his brother Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.

They exchanged their respective teams’ lineup cards before the game, sharing a long embrace as they did so.

Cubs U

The Cubs announced on Thursday a program that provides last-minute ticket offers to eligible college students. Called “Cubs U,” the program is available to college students who are at least 18 years old for select home games beginning May 3.

Students need a valid .edu email address to register online at www.cubs.com/cubsu. There is a four-ticket limit, and the Cubs will send the offers – which vary by game – via text message.

On deck

CUBS AT BREWERS

Friday: Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 3.98) vs. Adrian Houser (1-2, 3.52), 7:10 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM.

Saturday: Justin Steele (1-2, 5.40) vs. Eric Lauer (1-0, 2.20), 6:10 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM.

Sunday: Marcus Stroman (0-3, 6.98) vs. Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.75), 1:10 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM.

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A day after breaking an eight-game losing streak and lightening the mood around Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox reverted back to their most recent, struggling form in a 5-2 loss in 10 innings to the Royals Thursday.

The two-runs a day Sox (7-11) scrounged up just five hits, the biggest a solo homer by scuffling No. 9 hitter Leury Garcia against Brad Keller, and saw Aaron Bummer, their top late-inning left-handed reliever, struggle again with two walks in a three-run 10th inning.

The Sox played errorless ball for a second straight game, notable for a team leading the majors with 20 errors, but the tie was broken on catcher Reese McGuire’s passed ball on a Bummer fastball just above the strike zone. That set the stage for left-handed hitting Kyle Isbel’s two-run single.

April, which will be the Sox’ first losing month under manager Tony La Russa, can’t end soon enough.

“It is cruel,” La Russa said. “You have bases loaded, two outs, lefty against lefty and you think ‘Wow, we get this out and we can score a run and win.’ All of a sudden, there’s three on the board. This game will drive you nuts.”

The Sox went down in order against Taylor Clarke (second career save) in the bottom of the inning, and a ninth loss in 10 games was in the books. It was also the Sox’ third straight series loss to an AL Central team.

“It’s a game of wins and losses, it’s a game of doing your job or not doing your job,” Bummer said. “It’s just one of those things where, whether or not I was one pitch away, I didn’t do my job.”

Bummer’s ERA is 7.04.

“In the first two, three weeks of the season I’ve put my team in some pretty crappy situations,” he said. “Simply just have to be better.”

Michael Kopech (1.42 ERA) threw a career high 94 pitches and wasn’t super sharp but allowed two runs over five innings. Tanner Banks pitched two innings, extending his scoreless streak to 12 1/3 innings and tying Cisco Carlos (1967) for the third-longest scoreless streak by a Sox pitcher to begin a career.

Bummer took on two innings with Kendall Graveman having thrown two the day before while La Russa played it safe by not using Liam Hendriks (stiff back), although he didn’t rule out using the closer if a save situation came up.

In the ninth, Tim Anderson was given a chance to get on base leading off the inning when shortstop Nicky Lopez’ throw pulled Carlos Santana off first but Anderson was out on a close play. In an effort to keep his legs fresh — and in a season in which Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert were already hurt running down the line — Anderson looked to be playing it safe going less than all-out when a full burst might have resulted in a safe call.

“He’s running as hard as he knows he could,” La Russa said. “I didn’t see anything wrong with how hard he ran. Guy made a crazy throw.”

The Sox are trying to stay above water while waiting for key injured players to get back. Jimenez, Yoan Moncada and Robert were out of the lineup again. Pitchers Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Ryan Burr are working their way back from injuries as well.

“It’s no secret we’re going through a stretch that hasn’t been easy,” said veteran Josh Harrison, who scored the tying run, as a pinch runner, on AJ Pollock’s short sacrifice fly to left field. “We win together and lose together and we have to keep fighting. Everything is so magnified because we live in the moment of now.

“We might not be playing to our standards but when things don’t go your way you have to put your feet in the dirt even more. Don’t back down. Don’t lose that confidence.”

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ATLANTA – Cubs president of baseball operation Jed Hoyer served as a middleman for the meeting.

After batting practice at Truist Park on Tuesday, a man in red track pants and a matching red t-shirt that read, “Mascot Security,” – Hoyer had complimented the shirt – asked if Seiya Suzuki had already gone in.

“He might not recognize me,” he added.

Because so many of the times they’d interacted before, the man’s face was covered by a furry blue mascot head piece.

Jacob Mosella served as the mascot for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Suzuki’s club in Japan, in 2018, he said. Suzuki was a veteran at the time, having debuted in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2013 at 18 years old.

Now, Suzuki is in his rookie Major League Baseball season, having signed a five-year deal worth nearly $100 million, including the posting fee the Cubs owe to the Carp. And Mosella is the Braves’ mascot coordinator.

“I’m really happy because we’re both here at the same stage in the Major Leagues,” Suzuki told the Sun-Times through interpreter Toy Matsushita “… Seeing him here made me really happy. And surprised.”

Hoyer told Suzuki that Mosella was looking for him. On Tuesday, Mosella picked up a selection of Japanese snacks – matcha mochi, Pocky, wasabi peas – before the game, and Braves mascot Blooper delivered them to Suzuki on the field pregame. They got to catch up a bit more Wednesday during warmups.

“When I was there [in Japan],” Mosella said, “I was like, this guy will definitely go to MLB at some point.”

For Mosella, Japan presented an opportunity to get into pro sports, bridging his experience at the University of Alabama and his later work in the Braves organization. He was one of two people who served as Slyly, the Carp mascot, in 2018. Picture a blue version of the Philly Phanatic with a colorful mane.

Mascots stayed in the player dorms, so they all became friends, Suzuki said. He was out of the dorms by 2018, but the building had its own chef. So, according to Mosella, Suzuki would stop by for a meal now and again, sometimes pulling up a chair at the mascots’ table. Mosella spoke limited Japanese, but luckily his teammate was better versed in the language.

The Carp was the top team in the Central League that season. And when they clinched, Suzuki spotted Mosella and his mascot partner during the beer shower celebration. Peering through swim goggles, Suzuki pointed at them, strode across the room and doused them in beer.

“It was a cool moment to share,” Mosella said, “… It was like, these are guys who we hang out with every single day and now we’re getting to revel in the glory with them.”

Suzuki spent his whole NPB career with the Carp, becoming a five-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, before making the move to MLB.

“When I’m playing over here and I hear all the fans cheering for me, I have that flashback to playing in Japan,” Suzuki said. “And I notice how great the fans were in Japan as well.”

Playing stateside was also the fulfillment of a longtime dream. Suzuki has made the transition look easy, winning NL Player of the Week 10 games into his MLB career. He’s cooled off a bit from a 12-game on-base streak and was still slashing .333/.458/.632 entering the series finale against the Braves on Thursday.

Mosella had this series circled. He’d get to see Suzuki again, and Blooper could lay the groundwork for a relationship and recurring bits with the emerging star.

“Maybe [next time],” Mosella said, “I can teach Blooper some Japanese.”

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