With just two days left until the NFL Draft kicks off in Las Vegas, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles met with the media and provided some insight into the team’s draft plans. While it’s more than apparent there are definite needs at a few positions, Poles appears ready to not give in to any panic. How’s he preparing to handle such situations once teams are on the clock? Full blown draft simulations.

Those online mock draft simulators are a great way to pass the day, but Poles’ setup has to be quite the simulator for him to be doing this multiple days. Just how many simulations they’ve gone through and how they concocted the trade offers are the real questions. Yet while this is all a much different approach than what we were accustomed to hearing about from previous Bears regimes, the different methods didn’t stop there.

When it came to building their draft board and ensuring they had the right players in the right spots, Poles and the scouting department incorporated anonymous polling of rankings to avoid “groupthink” scenarios.

With an exercise like this to shake up the room, scouts are obviously being a little more open with their favorites and criticisms that they may not say out loud. Poles went on to say “It allowed everyone to put their thoughts and ideas down and it takes that out of it. You see it. I put it on the screen and you could hear the oohs and ahhs. It was a really cool exercise.”

The biggest takeaway we may see from this approach is the Bears finding they are much higher on a player than the league’s consensus this weekend. Could they get completely roasted because of it? Absolutely. Is it the best approach to come to the right conclusion? We’ll find out just a short few days from now.

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

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Stressing the Chicago Bears are not in rebuild mode, new general manager Ryan Poles hinted at moving back in the 2022 NFL Draft in his press conference Tuesday.

Poles compared the process of reforming the Bears to rebuilding housing fixtures like countertops in a recently bought home; likening it to the HGTV show “Fixer Upper.” Chip and Joanna Gaines might be tidying up homes in the Baylor Bears hometown of Waco, TX, but Poles is tasked with fixing up the Chicago Bears at Halas hall this upcoming weekend.

“We’re constructing a very good football team, regardless of how you use whatever term that is,” he said. “We just continue to add talent, and young talent, older talent, whatever is takes to make the best team possible.”

Poles has been busy these past few months evaluating the current talent on the roster and making moves to plug in the many gaps in talent the team has going into the 2022 season. In order to fill as many gaps as possible with sparse draft picks, Poles suggested the Bears might have to trade back in the draft in order to acquire more draft capital. 

“We will be in the business, depending on where it is and what [the draft board] looks like in moving back and trying to create more. That’s just what we’ve been handed and were going to maximize that.”

Poles said he will make the determination based on if he could trade into a position on the draft board that would still have quality players at needed positions. Poles and his team have been watching film and reading reports to find the best players the Bears can draft at each spot on their draft board.

“It’s definitely a challenge but that’s why I was hired,” Poles said, referencing the unique situation former Bears general manager, Ryan Pace, left him and the team in.

Poles has had a pedestrian free agency so far, signing players who add more depth that elite talent, much to the annoyance to many Bears fans on social media. Bears fans might be wanting more sexy names in the draft to have hope for the 2022 team and beyond, but Poles seems to be biding his time and scoping out the long term solutions to the roster.

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

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You know what’s fun? Watching sports teams that aren’t cracked, splintered, hollowed-out shells of what they might have been or were supposed to be.

Then again, how would we know?

Welcome to Chicago, where the baseball is inferior, the hockey is revolting and the basketball is 48 minutes from merciful oblivion.

In the time you’ve taken to read this far, the White Sox have committed three more errors and lost another key player to a ruptured something-or-other. The Cubs — hey, how about that 21-0 romp against the Pirates! — still haven’t won a series since the first one of the season. The Blackhawks are rumored to be not quite finished with their lost season, but it would take a deeply deranged, twisted individual to tune in and find out.

And then there are the Bulls, who have found more ways to suffer than any pretty good team should. Unofficial season motto: “There’s no business like woe business.” For one more night — a Game 5 in Milwaukee on Wednesday that they almost certainly can’t win — the no-show must go on.

We’ll never know how the Bulls would have fared against the mighty Bucks had they been at full strength, Lonzo Ball and all. We do know they didn’t come close to measuring up with all other hands on deck, as losses by 30 and 24 points in Games 3 and 4 at the United Center made abundantly clear. As it was, a team that played sub-.500 basketball since the All-Star break, got manhandled by all the true contenders and withstood more injuries than most was already staggering to the finish line.

But then came Tuesday’s news that All-Star Zach LaVine had been placed in the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, unable to travel to Milwaukee with the team and in doubt for Game 5. With fellow starting guard Alex Caruso in concussion protocol and unlikely to be available, a series the Bulls weren’t going to win anyway has devolved into kind of a meaningless exercise.

Even setting aside the possibility that free-agent-to-be LaVine’s Bulls career is over — what’s a couple hundred mil between friends, anyway? — the postseason has been one big bummer. LaVine not getting to go down with a fight in his first time in the playoffs is the rotten cherry atop the whole mess.

“It sucks,” Nikola Vucevic said.

And not only that.

“It’s frustrating and it sucks,” DeMar DeRozan said.

Billy Donovan, as steady as they come and rarely one to complain, sounded after Tuesday’s practice like a coach who has had just about enough.

“This has been going on for us all year long,” he said. “I mean, this is not anything that’s new to us. Whether it’s been Patrick Williams breaking his wrist, whether it’s been Coby [White] being out with a shoulder, then out with Covid, Zach being out with Covid, ‘Vooch’ being out with Covid, DeMar being out with Covid, Alex having a hamstring issue, a foot issue, I mean, it’s gone on the whole, entire year.”

There’s plenty he left out, too. And now he has to break out the JV squad in a win-or-go-home game against the NBA’s defending champions? It can’t be much fun. No offense, of course, to White, Ayo Dosunmu or anyone else.

Where are Adam Mokoka, Shaquille Harrison and Walt Lemon Jr. when you really need them, right?

Hey, here’s a fun fact: Bulls end-of-the-bencher Matt Thomas scored a career-high 25 points on his Senior Day at Iowa State. He also hit the final 28 free throws of his college career. So what if it was way back in 2017? This guy clearly has the clutch gene. Could it be that the answer to all the Bulls’ problems is right under Donovan’s nose?

No, it wasn’t a serious question. Get ready, though, for a heavy dose of Javonte Green. Did you know Green is the first Radford alum to make it to the NBA? You probably did considering it gets mentioned whenever the Bulls are on national television and Green is in the game. Come to think of it, does anyone know a single other thing about the man?

It doesn’t matter. This will all be over soon enough.

For this Bulls team — tired, gasping, its best work far behind it — there are no solutions. It’s not the end of the world, but it is too bad it’s ending like this.

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White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez underwent surgery Tuesday morning to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee. Jimenez, who suffered the injury running out a ground ball in Minnesota Saturday, is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

The hamstring strain involved a tendon that connected the hamstring to the back of his right knee, general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday. It’s the same procedure catcher Yasmani Grandal had last season and Lance Lynn had this year.

“On the positive side of things we have some track record here and are still pretty confident in that six to eight week” return, Hahn said.

But “that can adjust as we go through his recovery and rehabilitation,” Hahn said.

The surgery was performed at Rush Oak Brook Surgery Center.

Hahn also said third baseman Yoan Moncada (oblique) could begin a minor league rehab stint at Triple A Charlotte this weekend and that Luis Robert (groin) will probably return to the lineup Wednesday.

Closer Liam Hendriks felt a back spasm during the Sox’ 6-4 loss to the Twins Sunday, and would seem to be doubtful Tuesday when the Sox open a three-game series against the Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field, although manager Tony La Russa wasn’t ruling out the possibility of Hendriks being available.

The Sox returned home from an 0-6 road trip through Cleveland and Minneapolis Sunday night, and Jimenez was further examined and evaluated Monday.

Jimenez joined eight players on the injured list: Right-handers Lynn (right knee), Ryan Burr (shoulder strain), Joe Kelly (biceps nerve) and Jonathan Stiever (right lat surgery), left-hander Garrett Crochet (Tommy John surgery), Moncada (oblique) and outfielder Yermin Mercedes (broken hamate bone).

Right-hander Lucas Giolito (abdominal strain) and outfielder AJ Pollock (hamstring) returned from the IL Sunday and Friday, respectively. Robert (groin) and Josh Harrison (shoulder) did not play in the weekend series against the Twins.

NOTE: Right-hander Matt Foster was reinstated from family medical leave list, and outfielder Adam Haseley was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte before the game Tuesday.

*Johnny Cueto is expected to make his second start for Charlotte Thursday.

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Bears defensive end Robert Quinn wasn’t dialed into the team’s busy offseason, but he caught the bullet points.

He knew that hiring general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus would bring change. He knew they offloaded his pass rush partner, Khalil Mack, in a trade to the Chargers.

And he knew he could be next.

“Hopefully my resume or my production from last year gives me a little weight to keep my foot in the building,” Quinn said. “[But] it’s a business. You see Khalil Mack getting traded.

“I didn’t expect to go anywhere, or want to go anywhere, but this is a crazy business.”

Quinn’s had enough craziness throughout his 11-year career and prefers the continuity even if it means riding out a transitional season amid the Bears’ rebuild.

He went through his own transition in 2020, when he struggled to acclimate to the Bears’ defense, battled injuries and became so miserable he didn’t want to go to Halas Hall. But that all cleared up for him last season, and he set the franchise record with 18.5 sacks.

That version of Quinn is worth every penny of his five-year, $70 million contract, and he’s in an advantageous position to keep it up.

While Quinn turns 32 next month, that’s not necessarily a problem at his position. Over the past decade, there were 18 double-digit sack seasons by players 32 and up. Former Bear Julius Peppers put up 11 as a 37-year-old for the Panthers in 2017.

Additionally, Eberflus is implementing a 4-3 defense that will shift Quinn back to his natural position. Quinn was so detached from the Bears’ coaching search that he wasn’t aware Eberflus was a 4-3 guy until someone mentioned it to him several days after his hiring. He made it work at outside linebacker last season, but he has been adamant that he belongs at defensive end.

The Bears are high on Quinn beyond his production, and he could be a vital influence as they lay the groundwork for their future. He bristled at a reporter using the word “rebuild,” presumably because it implies tanking or the team not having any real standards for the upcoming season. He wants to be a pillar of professionalism, and there’s value in that, too.

That attitude was a big reason why his teammates voted for him for the Brian Piccolo Award, which goes to a rookie and veteran who reflect Piccolo’s determination, courage and other qualities. Running back Khalil Herbert won the rookie honor.

The award was particularly meaningful to Quinn, who has long been familiar with Piccolo’s story. Piccolo was diagnosed with cancer in 1969 and died at age 26. Quinn, meanwhile, believed he was facing the end when doctors diagnosed him with a brain tumor at 17.

“When I truly found out who he was… and to hear what he had to overcome and how he approached things — I just try to make the most out of today because tomorrow ain’t promised,” Quinn said. “The way I kind of approach life after hearing from a doctor you’ve got a week to live: There ain’t too much that can bring you down after that.”

Quinn’s tumor eventually was determined to be benign, and he did not have it removed. He survived, but the effect of seeing how quickly he could lose his life shaped him permanently.

“I remember looking at my mom for I don’t know how long, kind of [in] disbelief,” he said. “But after a couple of days, I came to grips with it: I’m about to leave this world.

“So I was trying to go out as happy as possible, and I guess from there on out, I just tried to live that same way because we all go through bad things — it’s just how you approach it and make the most out of your situation. So I’ve been blessed to still be here.”

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Bears general manager Ryan Poles said he was disappointed in wide receiver Byron Pringle’s arrest on charges of reckless driving and driving with a suspended license Saturday in Florida, but maintained his faith in the Pringle’s character and said the Bears and Pringle “are in a good place.”

“I know him very well. And it’s not a reflection of who he is at all,” said Poles, who was with the Chiefs personnel department for Pringle’s four seasons with the Chiefs in 2018-21. “You don’t want your guys in the news at all … [so] it’s a disappointment. But we had a good conversation about it. We’re in a good place. We’ll keep [the details] internal.”

Pringle was stopped by a Florida Highway Patrol officer near Pringle’s home in Wesley Chapel, Fla. on Saturday after he was observed squealing his tires, burning rubber and “doing a donut” in his 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat sports car. He was arrested after a check on his driver’s license revealed it had been suspended in February.

Pringle, 28, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Bears in free agency that includes $2 million in incentives. He had 42 receptions for 568 yards (13.5 avg.) and five touchdowns with the Chiefs, and is expected to play a bigger role with the Bears in 2022.

Piccolo Award winners

Defensive end Robert Quinn and running back Khalil Herbert were honored as the veteran and rookie winners of the prestigious Brian Piccolo Award for 2021 at a ceremony at Halas Hall on Tuesday.

The award, which is voted on by teammates, honors players who best exemplify the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of Brian Piccolo, a Bears running back who died from embryonal cell carcinoma at 26 in 1970.

Quinn set a Bears record with 18.5 sacks with 17 tackles-for-loss as an outside linebacker in 2021. Herbert, a sixth-round draft pick from Virginia Tech, rushed for 433 yards on 103 carries (4.2 avg.) and two touchdowns last season.

Like Piccolo, Herbert was a star running back from Broward County, Fla. “I had a little knowledge [about the Piccolo story], being from South Florida,” Herbert said. “He went to St. Thomas Aquinas [in Fort Lauderdale], which is not too far down the street from me. I gotta go watch this move [Brian’s Song]. I haven’t seen it yet, so I’m excited to go watch it.”

Off the bus running

Though quarterback Justin Fields will be the obvious focus as coordinator Luke Getsy installs the new offense, a more efficient running game is getting some underlying buzz.

“I’m excited,” Herbert said. “I definitely think we’re going to use our run game this year, and it’s gonna allow us to open up the rest of the offense.”

Getsy came from the Packers, who — with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback — effectively used two running backs. David Montgomery and Herbert look like a good fit in that model.

“Definitely,” Herbert said. “Up there they use both those backs really well and balance them out. lot. It’s definitely exciting that they know how to do it and in this offense, I think we’ll be able to do that.”

Unsung hero

Poles gave a shout-out to Bears director of football systems Mike Santarelli for diligent behind-the-scenes work in preparing the personnel department for the draft.

“He does our system, our database,” Poles said. “I’ve been really demanding on him just in terms of making last-minute changes with our technology so our tools and visuals we’re using to make decisions and make them fast are up-and-running. He’s one an unbelievable job.”

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White Sox TV voice Jason Benetti will be the play-by-play voice for Peacock’s MLB package of Sunday games, according to sources. An official announcement is expected Wednesday.

Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, will debut its 18-game “MLB Sunday Leadoff” on May 8 with the White Sox-Red Sox game, which is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Central. Peacock has exclusivity until 12:30 p.m. Central, when the rest of the Sunday slate can begin.

Benetti’s national profile has increased in the last few years. He has become a popular announcer on ESPN’s college football and basketball broadcasts, and he called baseball on his first Olympic broadcasts at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games, which aired on NBC. He also has filled in on Bulls games for NBC Sports Chicago.

Benetti will continue to work in the fall and winter for ESPN, but the network’s MLB Statcast, which Benetti has hosted opposite “Sunday Night Baseball,” is being shelved in favor of the new KayRod cast with Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez.

Earlier on Tuesday, Peacock announced that Ahmed Fareedwill host “MLB Sunday Leadoff.” Fareed was a host and reporter for NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California from 2013-18, covering the Giants and A’s. Since 2019, Fareed has served as a host and reporter on a variety of NBC Sports properties.

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