I’ll say this about Taylor Swift: Surprise dropping a double album (with the second installment dropping at 1 a.m. CT) prepared me for how to best piece together Bears content at an unholy hour next week while simultaneously trying to get a grasp of the ridiculousness that just went down.
With that being said, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to take in all the NFL Draft stuff that comes our way at this time next week. Are you ready for it?
“With everything after the first pick in flux” is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here:
With everything after the first pick in flux, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport anticipates that this year’s NFL Draft may come with its fair share of drama.@RapSheet joins us on today's show to talk all things football and the 2024 Draft ⤵️— Front Office Sports Today (@FOS_Today) April 19, 2024
We’ve known Caleb Williams is going to be the Bears pick at the No. 1 spot for at least a Fortnight. And that isn’t just me doing a Taylor-coded bit (OK, some of it is). But seriously … 14 days ago, we shared this nugget from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport that caught my attention:
“It does seem that the Bears are honing in on Caleb Williams. Obviously, nothing firm, no announcement, nothing official. But that seems to be the direction they are heading now. And it seems like Caleb Williams would also like that.”
Given where we are with just six days until the 2024 NFL Draft, I want you to please stop and take a moment to allow me to talk through this for a moment. At this time next week, we’ll be waking up and discussing who the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick were and begin conversations about where they will fit moving forward. That fills my mind space with positive vibes.
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Who Are The Bears Pairing With Caleb Williams?
Speaking of vibes, I’m digging Tremaine Edmunds’ energy as he checks out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — which is where the Bears will play one of their “home” games in 2024:
The Bears’ last game in London didn’t go all too well with the Raiders picking up a win. So, hopefully, this trip ends with Chicago’s football team saying So Long, London after a dub.
Do you think the Bears sent Edmunds with a notebook and asked him to take notes on what he’d like out of a future stadium in Chicago? I can speak for only myself, but every new stadium trip I go on always leaves me with a notes app page full of things I wish were at the stadiums I regularly go to when I’m home.
The Detroit Lions launched their new uniform look:
I’ll say this about these new threads: At least the Lions will look fashionable when Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Cole Kmet, and friends are dropping a 30-burger on them later this year.
I’m glad the Bears were able to land Keenan Allen when they did because teams looking for wideouts are Down Bad searching through the scrap pile. For instance, the Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly kicked the tires on Brandon Aiyuk. Good luck prying Aiyuk from the San Francisco 49ers. Because even though the Niners haven’t inked Aiyuk to an extension just yet, his situation reminds me of what happened with Deebo Samuel a few years ago. And because we know that ended up with Deebo getting a new deal, I imagine the blueprint will also be used for Aiyuk.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes has love for the Bears, listing them as one of the most-desirable quarterback landing spots:
Let me be clear. The job isn’t done. But the Bears are heading in the right direction. Buy stock now before the price of the brick goes up!
Green Bay adding Andre Dillard (h/t Tom Pelissero) to its offensive line mix is such a Packers move. A player with a unique prospect pedigree as a former first-round pick who has starting experience but has bounced around is right in the Packers wheelhouse. It’s giving I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) energy.
If there is any fan base that can say I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, it is the Cleveland Browns. Their favorite team will be rocking a classic look this season:
Meanwhile, all I’m asking for the Bears to do is bring back the white-on-white Butkus era road jerseys.
I really wanted to weave in the track title of every song from Taylor’s new album into Bullets but dropping a 31-track anthology in the middle of the night has messed with my brainwaves. This is the best I can do … for now.
Jimmy Butler won’t play for the Miami Heat in their play-in game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. But even with Butler out, the Bulls will have their hands full against the Heat. (BN Bulls)
The Chicago Cubs open a four-game set against the Miami Marlins later today. It would’ve started yesterday had it not been for the rain. I figure to visit the old ball park this weekend since it will be my last gasps of freedom before I hunker down for the NFL Draft. Here’s a preview of what’s on deck:
Four home games against the Marlins ahead of a schedule off-day is just what the doctor ordered.
Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.
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NEWSLETTER
