ASHKUM BEAR

I think Mahomes and Co will make #8 look great, but #1 gets me more. I can see detroit being a top 5-8 offense but first?

Looks like Stevenson was slipping himself from the sudden change of direction and Claypools hand was feeling him but it didn't look like he caused him to fall.

A few guys need to prove it, but by mid-season we have Jaylon, Mooney, and Claypool as candidates. Would love to see one of the WRs take hold and never let up. Claypool would be ideal since he is a athletic freak and it is hard to find those players.

Gregs take makes since. I've heard a few people state that this offense is difficult to learn as a QB/WR, then throw in WRs we had and the below average oline, it made Fields year two a disaster. He might not light it up right away, but he will be improved. I would say the same about Claypool too. He struggled knowing his job right away. He will get the grasp of it down in TC and be able to play a bigger role. 2024, the offense should be a good one while the D will be starting to spark.

How many times has Detroit taken RB early and they don't live up to their slot. I have fell into the Jason rule that RB and LB are so close talent wise that there is no need to spend high draft capital on. When Detroit made those picks, I called them out on it as mistakes. I am sure they will be good players for them, but they over reached. Years down the road, they will pay the price. I believe Poles knows this and we never see a first rd pick spent on these positions.

Sorry to see this and get well soon. Not much real news since the draft but you get beat writers trying to get clicks with either feel good stories or drama. Once TC and pre-season starts, the Bears talk will intensify.

That Superbowl return highlight still gives me chills. Those were some of the greatest days rooting for the Bears. We have been sitting dormant for so long that this new era could be the one that brings back that enthusiasm.

Pettis has been in the league for a while now and Velus just arrived. I do not think they give up on him this soon. The Bears do have a difficult offense for WRs to grasp and he was a big investment, so I would think they want to give him more time. With Claypool, Mooney, ESB, and Pettis playing on a contract year, they should hold onto Velus unless he just does not grasp it since he is locked for 3 more years.

I will also add ESB is a system guy and was brought in to help install the offense. I think he sticks and Pettis ends up being the odd man out.

His agent is Drew Rosenhaus and he is asking price is 10 plus million. So I agree the Bears want a one year rental so they can continue building through the draft. Clark (5.5 million) and Leonard Floyd 7 went much cheaper. If Justin Houston is up for it, I can see him being in that range. Maybe offer 2 years so he can be around for the following year to mentor

He has been more open this year with the media/fans. He will be playing for his next contract too, so he needs to put in a solid healthy season. I will be rooting for him to become one of the NFLs top 5 Guards.

I have mentioned Lewis a few times going back to the year he was drafted. This could be the year he shows up. If so, it would be a huge pickup by Poles. With the Rams, they had him in coverage more than rushing the passer. OTAs may be unpadded, but you can still standout.

My thoughts are all of these placeholders remain this year. The Bears should have a good balance to divy up touches to RB/WR that these records remain. I can see Moore around 1200 yds though and Fields around 3400 passing.

I do not remember much about CB DJ Moore. It made me dig because I remember sitting in the back room at a bar with the Bears back in Bourbonnais with Ricky Manning Jr. He was flirting with some of my friends and I was a little skeptical because he recently knocked someone out at a Dennys restaurant. The Bears signed him as a FA from Carolina. I have many memories from those days of sharing drinks and talks with many Bears. It was probably a good thing the smartphones were not very sophisticated back then.

Whitehair has played in 107 games. 60 at C, 43 at LG, and 3 RG. He made the probowl at C in 2018. He may be older, but he has to be wiser....let's hope. He knows the interior since he has played more snaps/games than most, 107 games is 28th most from a Bear, so I expect him to make the right reads and adjustments. The Bears should be able to run over teams and control the clock. If the Defense takes a few steps and create more turnovers, then the offense can take more risks and be exciting.

Jaylon Johnson also was in camp. Like the OL being upgraded, our D backfield will also be a strength with everyone healthy. Jaylon will be auditioning for a contract, so i expect him to be on another level this season. Seems like everyone is hungry to play, Kahil Herbert wants to be the guy, Trevis Gibson wants to be a sack artist, Claypool saying good things and wants to be a big part. It is the cheerleading part of the season when everything can be Rah-Rah! The oline with the revisions might be the most exciting though. Jenkins pairing with Braxton Jones and Davis with Wright and then captain Whitehair being the leader.

I would say the Bears are on the verge and talent wise the gap is closing. The key will start to come down to coaching but I think the Bears will be real competitors next year or 2024 season. They need a few more pieces to be in that seat but will show they are ready for it this year by having a winning record.

He is a regular guest on Parkins and Spiegel show and he seems like a good character guy. He has played well over the years and he usually has low targets, so the lack of INT happens with fewer opportunities. He will be there to do the mandatory workouts and be working hard for his payday. Most players shine on their contract years.

I think this says a lot about the progress. It takes chemistry to trust your receivers and Mooney and Kmet are really the only two that Fields has had time to build that with. Now he can build upon that with Moore and Claypool if he can stay healthy. The Bears need to be pass happy in the preseason to help establish this in different environments. We know the run game will be fine, so get them repetitions early.

Jaylon Johnson said he will be there for mandatory workouts. https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/jaylon-johnson-plans-be-bears-otas-next-week-after-early-absence

I think Billings alone will improve the DT position, Justin Jones and Armon Watts couldn't stop teams from running. The Bears were bottom in almost every run stopping category. Add Dexter/Pickens with Billings and the rotation should be worst case middle of the pack. They tinkered with the idea of moving Justin Jones to DE, so he might get some time outside this year too. When teams cannot run, it will give the DBs more opportunity to take the ball when they shift the game plan to pass more. Eberflus's D needs take aways to be potent and if we stop the run, opportunities for int will increase. They also have the money to bring in a pass rusher and Justin Houstin could be an addition to bring another vet to help bolster that until we can address it long term in the draft. On offense, Fields needs to process faster and if the additions the Bears made helps him there, they should take off. The Bears will not get national respect until they show up. Us diehards have the vision, but nationally there will be negative expectations and projections of being a bottom 5 team.

Other injured players are there but not participating, like Travis Homer and Sanborn. Chicago Media needs controversy to sell or get click and Johnson is due a big contract so he should be cautious. I am good with him doing what he needs to tale care of himself. If the Bears do not like him, someone else will.

It is not something a fan enjoys reading, but RG, Nate Davis was a no show too. Along with Eddie Jackson and Darnell Mooney. The media is only putting pressure on Jaylon, but I am just as concerned about the other guys. Some of these guys had injuries which might have a part in their decisions. They are all veterans and know in June mandatory ota's start. I will be more concerned if they do not show up for that.

The Defense has solid DBs/LBs. With longer and stronger DTs and creativity with blitz packages, I think we see vast improvement from the front 4 and a defense on the verge of being a feared unit. Flys made Shaq Pearson a great LB, think what he will do with Edmund's, Edward's, Sowell, and Sanborn.