Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Jason Lieser2024-03-22T15:00:23.314-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser/rss2024-03-22T15:00:23.314-05:002024-03-24T17:59:23.516-05:00Florida State DE Jared Verse could be what Bears need as he rises toward top of draft
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<img class="Image" alt="Jared Verse had nine sacks each of the last two seasons to complete his climb from FCS red-shirt to possible top-10 pick." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c1e63c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4887x2743+0+258/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fb7%2F96%2Fe2fc96ad4591b3495aa405385e32%2Fverse-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/52816bc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4887x2743+0+258/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fb7%2F96%2Fe2fc96ad4591b3495aa405385e32%2Fverse-1.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jared Verse had nine sacks each of the last two seasons to complete his climb from FCS redshirt to possible top-10 pick.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Michael Conroy/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — During the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a>’ first two seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus, they tried to win without a reliable passer and a strong pass rush.</p><p>It didn’t work.</p><p>The results were not surprising. Over the last two seasons, the Bears’ offense had the fewest passing yards in the NFL, and their defense had the fewest sacks. They went 10-24.</p><p>No matter how many other parts of the roster Poles squares away or how clever Eberflus is as a defensive play-caller, the Bears aren’t going anywhere until they fix those problems.</p><p>Nothing is guaranteed, but they can address both with the first and ninth overall draft picks. They appear to be zeroing in on top quarterback prospect Caleb Williams from USC with the first pick. At No. 9, they should take a long look at Florida State defensive end Jared Verse.</p><p>The Bears were among the many teams at FSU’s pro day, where Verse opted against working out but was eager to meet with scouts, coaches and executives Friday. Their NFC North rivals — the Packers, Vikings and Lions — were there, too.</p><p>Upstart Seminoles defensive tackle Braden Fiske put himself solidly on the Bears’ radar with his strong performance in the Senior Bowl in January, but his stock has soared to the point that he’s expected to be a second-round pick. The Bears’ next pick after No. 9 is in the third round at No. 75 overall. Fiske won’t be around then.</p><p>Poles hit a home run on his midseason trade for Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat. He led the Bears with six sacks despite playing only nine games for them last season. But Eberflus acknowledged last month, “We’ve got to make sure that we have somebody opposite of Sweat.”</p><p>Many consider Verse, 23, the top defensive end in his draft class, though Alabama’s Dallas Turner and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/1/31/24055834/laiatu-latu-ucla-pass-rusher-chicago-bears-draft-prospect-montez-sweat-senior-bowl-caleb-williams" >UCLA’s Laiatu Latu</a> would argue otherwise. ESPN’s Mel Kiper slotted Verse at No. 9 for the Bears this week, saying, “He has the complete set of tools to be a devastating pass rusher at the next level if he can put everything together.”</p><p>And pairing him with Sweat, a five-year veteran who made the Pro Bowl last season, would fit strategically and financially as Poles tries to finish off his rebuild and deliver a contender.</p><p>“You land with a veteran guy, he knows I’m a young guy, [and] I’m still going to need help,” Verse said at the NFL Scouting Combine when asked about playing with Sweat. “He’ll be able to direct me in the right path, fix a couple of things that I might need help with that I didn’t see in college.”</p><p>Few have had a journey quite like Verse, who went from redshirting his first season at Albany in the FCS to being projected as a top-10 pick.</p><p>He got rolling in 2021, though, with 9½ sacks and earned the chance to transfer to the Seminoles. Not only did he have nine sacks in each of his two seasons with them, but he helped lead the Seminoles to a 13-1 mark in 2023, when they just missed out on the College Football Playoff. Verse developed into an NFL-ready defensive end along the way.</p><p>“My first year here, my biggest issue was playing the run, and this past season, I made the biggest leap I could’ve made and became a great run defender,” Verse said recently. “This last season was about redefining things and fine-tuning things.”</p><p>For the Bears, it’s rare to have a chance at that caliber of pass rusher at No. 9, but as they know well, the top of the draft is stacked with quarterbacks and wide receivers. Their choice could come down to the third-best wide receiver, second-best offensive tackle or best edge player. That’s a great situation.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/22/florida-state-de-jared-verse-could-be-what-bears-need-as-he-rises-toward-top-of-draftJason Lieser2024-03-22T08:53:01.851-05:002024-03-24T18:09:05.851-05:00Chargers' GM on sending Keenan Allen to Bears: 'I knew who I was trading'
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<img class="Image" alt="Keenan Allen caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns last season." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/28afc75/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3251x1825+0+171/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F0d%2F30%2F428d6cd048898ee4e7ca065d902c%2Fallen-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/49c05ca/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3251x1825+0+171/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F0d%2F30%2F428d6cd048898ee4e7ca065d902c%2Fallen-1.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Keenan Allen caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns last season.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ryan Sun/AP </p></div></div>
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<p>As the Chargers headed toward the start of the league year last week, new general manager Joe Hortiz had a puzzle to solve with massive salary-cap hits on wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and pass rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa.</p><p>After restructuring Mack’s and Bosa’s contracts, he cut Williams and traded Allen to the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> for a fourth-round pick. The Chargers escaped his $23.1 million hit this season but lost a six-time Pro Bowl talent coming off a big season.</p><p>“Yeah, I knew who I was trading,” Hortiz told reporters this week. “He’s a very talented player, and I respect him as a player, as a person.”</p><p>He added that the team tried multiple times to work out a new deal with Allen, but none came together.</p><p>Allen’s agent, Joby Branion, posted on X that the Chargers made only one offer: “A pay cut for 2024 with a two-year extension [and both years had even deeper cuts to his current pay].” Branion said he made a counteroffer to keep Allen with the Chargers, but they rejected it, and “then we were informed of the Chargers’ intention to trade [Allen].”</p><p>Allen, 31, played 11 seasons for the Chargers. <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/new-bears-wr-keenan-allen-nothing-changes-but-the-jersey-as-he-looks-to-keep-producing" >He arrived in Chicago as the Bears’ most accomplished player at any position. </a>He reached 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his career last season, when he had 108 receptions, 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.</p><p>When asked about the Chargers' proposed pay cut in a reworked contract at his introductory news conference with the Bears, Allen shot it down quickly.</p><p>"It really was no emotion — it was, ‘I’m not doing it,’" he said. "I just came off my best season, so it’s not happening.”</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/22/chargers-gm-on-sending-keenan-allen-chicago-bears-i-knew-who-i-was-tradingJason Lieser2024-03-21T18:51:21.48-05:002024-03-22T10:37:26.515-05:00Notre Dame LT Joe Alt tempting for Bears in draft — if they can get him
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<img class="Image" alt="Joe Alt is the consensus top offensive lineman in the NFL Draft." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2bbd8fc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2F59%2Ffdb8d6cd49b6a52ef84bee445f3f%2Fimg-2137.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0656559/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2f%2F59%2Ffdb8d6cd49b6a52ef84bee445f3f%2Fimg-2137.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Joe Alt is the consensus top offensive lineman in the NFL Draft.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In any other year, there would be incredible intrigue as to what <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >the Bears</a> would do with the No. 9 pick in the draft. Instead, it’s become a bit of an afterthought as hype grows over them likely choosing <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/01/caleb-williams-bears-do-you-want-to-win-draft-trade-pick-usc-combine-medical-justin-fields-no-1" >USC’s Caleb Williams No. 1</a> and taking yet another swing at finding a franchise quarterback.</p><p>But any time a team has a top-10 pick, it’s thinking big. Those ultra-valuable selections are the best way to fill holes, of which the Bears have plenty, at premium positions, and general managers hope they’re landing a future All-Pro in those spots.</p><p>They might find exactly what they need in Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt.</p><p>Alt has established himself definitively as the top offensive lineman in this draft class and certainly is on the Bears’ radar, even with them needing to catch some breaks to be able to land him. They had at least four staffers at Notre Dame’s pro day Thursday, including offensive line coach Chris Morgan and co-director of player personnel Trey Koziol.</p><p>Most of the NFL was represented, including coaches Dan Quinn of the Commanders and Mike McCarthy of the Cowboys.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/22/chargers-gm-on-sending-keenan-allen-chicago-bears-i-knew-who-i-was-trading" >Chargers’ GM on sending Keenan Allen to Bears: ‘I knew who I was trading’</a>
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<p>Alt, who is from the Minneapolis suburbs, is very familiar with the Bears and liked the idea of getting drafted by them.</p><p>“Being here in South Bend, we’re obviously very close, and I grew up in Minnesota, in the NFC North, seen a lot of games,” he said. “Being close to home is awesome. And just their tradition of football is important to me.”</p><p>Alt could be the final piece of general manager Ryan Poles’ offensive line overhaul. He inherited a patchwork group from Ryan Pace in 2022 and, in his third offseason, is close to solidifying a starting lineup that can win now and in the long run.</p><p>Most mock drafts have Alt going<br>between fifth and seventh, so it would take some maneuvering and good fortune to get him.</p><p>The Chargers’ No. 5 pick and the Falcons’ No. 8 pick are known around the league to be up for sale, and that could help the Bears on two fronts.</p><p>With the Bears likely taking Williams first, it’s to their advantage to have as many quarterbacks picked between second and eighth as possible so players at other need positions — primarily offensive tackle, wide receiver and defensive end — slide and are available at No. 9.</p><p>Mock Draft Database, which compiles projections from around the country, has Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye as the only quarterbacks going in the top eight, but many have Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy slotted in there as well, and Oregon’s Bo Nix and Michael Penix are rated just outside the top 10. The more of them who go in the top eight, the better the Bears’ shot at Alt.</p><p>But there’s also an open door for them to move up to get him if they’re that convinced. While the Bears don’t have much draft capital after the first round this year, they have plenty in 2025, and historically it hasn’t been prohibitively expensive to move up a couple spots. The Eagles jumped from No. 10 to No. 9 for a fourth-rounder in a draft-day trade with the Bears last year.</p><p>Poles has said he tries to avoid locking in on a specific player in the draft, but Alt might be worth it. He seems close to a sure thing after three seasons at Notre Dame, including All-American honors the last two.</p><p>His father, John, was a first-round pick in 1984, and starred at left tackle for the Chiefs for 13 seasons and made the Pro Bowl twice. He helped Alt transform from a 220-pound tight end in high school to the 6-9, 321-pound pillar he is now.</p><p>“He comes from an NFL dad, so he’s already a professional in how he acts and how he works throughout the day and how he takes care of his body and how he goes about his film,” Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand said. “I could sell Joe Alt to you all day.”</p><p>Quarterback Sam Hartman joked, “If you can find something bad on him, let me know. I’d like to find some dirt on him. He’s almost too perfect.”</p><p>Theoretically, the Bears would be set for years with Darnell Wright, the No. 10 pick last year, at right tackle and Alt at left. Then they’d move Braxton Jones to swing tackle, which is an unusually strong contingency plan. Nate Davis, still just 27, is their right guard, and left guard Teven Jenkins is in line for a contract extension. Poles is hoping trade acquisition Ryan Bates can be an upgrade at center over Lucas Patrick.</p><p>The Bears have plenty of other needs, but picking Alt and building their offensive line into a fortress ahead of Williams’ rookie season is tempting.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/21/chicago-bears-nfl-draft-mock-caleb-williams-joe-alt-notre-dame-pro-day-ryan-poles-pickJason Lieser2024-03-16T19:41:30.302-05:002024-03-17T20:50:07.364-05:00Justin Fields trade: Bears saw potential in QB, but were unconvinced as attention shifts to Caleb Williams
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<img class="Image" alt="By trading Fields, Poles made clear he's taking a quarterback in the draft next month." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/aa5a15a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4530x2542+0+239/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff0%2F9c%2Fb2da12284f03893cead46f977a4c%2Ffields-poles.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e75da36/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4530x2542+0+239/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff0%2F9c%2Fb2da12284f03893cead46f977a4c%2Ffields-poles.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>By trading Fields, Poles made clear he’s taking a quarterback in the draft next month.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> traded quarterback Justin Fields, the No. 11 pick three years ago, to the Steelers on Saturday for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick. It escalates to a fourth-rounder if he plays at least 51% of their snaps this season, though he will begin as Russell Wilson’s backup.</p><p>The Bears saw potential in Fields, but not consistency — and not enough overall to sway them from <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/01/caleb-williams-bears-do-you-want-to-win-draft-trade-pick-usc-combine-medical-justin-fields-no-1" >planning their future around consensus No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams</a>. As the team prepares to send a delegation to USC for his Pro Day on Wednesday, a source said it is focused on him as its next quarterback.</p><p>Fields said goodbye on X as he prepared to relaunch his career at 25.</p><p>“Can’t say thank you enough to the City of Chicago for taking me in and embracing me,” he wrote. “Ready for this next chapter!”</p><p>It’s another failure at quarterback for the Bears, piling on their dreary history. Former general manager Ryan Pace gave up a future first-rounder to move up and get Fields, and now general manager Ryan Poles is left with merely a late-round pick to show for it.</p><p>Fields exits after three haphazard seasons in which he was an electric runner but one of the NFL’s least productive passers. While his highlight reel is thrilling, those dazzling plays were sporadic and mostly as a runner. The rest of the league’s minimal interest in him as a starter reflected that.</p><p>There were inquiries, but little action. The team had two offers for Fields after the first wave of free agency, and Poles declined a slightly better return in order to send Fields to the best possible situation, a source said. Poles said last month he wanted to “do right” by Fields while still maintaining the Bears’ best interests.</p><p>It would’ve been untenable for the team to have Fields looming as the backup behind Williams, and it likely would’ve had to cut Fields if it wasn’t able to trade him by May.</p><p>The Bears were encouraged by Fields’ modest improvement late last season, but weren’t convinced he’d arrive as a championship-level quarterback quickly enough for their timeline. This season would’ve been the last cheap one on his rookie deal before they would’ve had to pay him $25.7 million on his fifth-year option.</p><p>With Williams, though, the clock resets at quarterback, and the Bears will have him at a manageable salary-cap number through 2027.</p><p>There was reason to be dissatisfied with Fields even if the Bears didn’t have the No. 1 pick. There could be as many as six quarterbacks drafted in the first round, and the team has graded several of them highly enough to justify a change.</p><p>There’s no disputing that Fields faced hindrances with the Bears, who first saddled him with a dysfunctional coaching staff under Matt Nagy then surrounded him with a depleted roster, but he had an opportunity to show enough promise for the team to make him its franchise quarterback.</p><p>Other highly drafted quarterbacks encountered similar circumstances and made their case, like Texans rookie C.J. Stroud last season.</p><p>Fields ranked 27th in completion percentage (61.4), 22nd in yards passing (2,562), and 20th in touchdown passes (16) and passer rating (85.6) last season.</p><p>His cumulative 82.3 passer rating ranked 34th out of 37 players who threw at least 600 passes over the last three seasons and lower than Mitch Trubisky’s 87.2 in four seasons with the Bears. Fields failed to reach 200 yards passing in 25 out of 38 starts.</p><p>He finished his Bears career with 40 touchdown passes, 30 interceptions, a 60.3 completion percentage, an average of 166.9 yards passing and a 10-28 record as their starter. He also rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns and is one of three quarterbacks in league history to have a 1,000-yard rushing season.</p><p>Assuming Williams steps in right away, he will be the 26th player to start at quarterback for them in 20 seasons.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-0a0000" name="module-0a0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h4>The Justin Fields trade</h4><bsp-list-loadmore class="PageListN" data-module data-hide-categories="true" data-hide-dates="true"
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Bears failed Justin Fields, who in turn failed them" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/18/bears-justin-fields-failed-partnership-free-agency-steelers-ryan-poles-matt-eberflus-quarterback" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears quarterback Justin Fields. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/de3e341/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3728x2125+0+180/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24795799%2F1496730770.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/90c6c5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3728x2125+0+180/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24795799%2F1496730770.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/18/bears-justin-fields-failed-partnership-free-agency-steelers-ryan-poles-matt-eberflus-quarterback" >Bears failed Justin Fields, who in turn failed them</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="‘The League’ confirms Ryan Poles’ call on Justin Fields" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/03/16/the-league-confirms-ryan-poles-call-on-justin-fields" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Justin Fields" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b3a0f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4680x2668+0+0/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24040030%2F1425407905.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e22790/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4680x2668+0+0/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24040030%2F1425407905.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/03/16/the-league-confirms-ryan-poles-call-on-justin-fields" >‘The League’ confirms Ryan Poles’ call on Justin Fields</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/mark-potash" >Mark Potash</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/justin-fields-trade-bears-steelers-potential-in-qb-but-were-unconvinced-caleb-williams" >Justin Fields trade: Bears saw potential in QB, but were unconvinced as attention shifts to Caleb Williams</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
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<img class="Image" alt="USC quarterback Caleb Williams throwing a pass in a game." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/725411b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" >Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/justin-fields-trade-bears-steelers-potential-in-qb-but-were-unconvinced-caleb-williamsJason Lieser2024-03-16T17:44:47.829-05:002024-03-16T21:47:10.263-05:00Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Steelers for conditional 2025 6th-round pick: source
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears quarterback Justin Fields. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45713e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4474x2511+0+236/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24941677%2Fjustin_social.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/83f3774/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4474x2511+0+236/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24941677%2Fjustin_social.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45713e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4474x2511+0+236/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24941677%2Fjustin_social.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Fields went 10-28 as a starter over three seasons.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers, clearing the way to draft his replacement, a source said. The Steelers sent the Bears a 2025 sixth-round pick that would escalate to a fourth if he plays at least 51% of the snaps for them this season.</p><p>The Bears have long been expected to draft <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/02/caleb-williams-chicago-bears-nfl-draft-combine-measurements-height-dad-usc-justin-fields-trade" >USC’s Caleb Williams No. 1 overall</a>.</p><p>While Fields produced plenty of highlights for the Bears, they held him to a high standard because they had the No. 1 pick in the draft. He ultimately didn’t prove enough as a passer for them to bet their future on him.</p><p>General manager Ryan Poles spoke highly of Fields throughout their two years together, but he wasn’t tied to Fields as his own draft pick. His predecessor, Ryan Pace, traded up to draft Fields 11th overall the year before the Bears hired Poles.</p><p>Poles hoped to send Fields to as good of a situation as possible while maintaining the Bears’ best interests. In Pittsburgh, Fields will back up 35-year-old Russell Wilson.</p><p>After a rough rookie season under Pace and former coach Matt Nagy, Fields struggled to progress amid the Bears’ teardown in 2022. When they added pieces last season, he made modest improvement but still finished in the bottom half of the NFL in most categories.</p><p>Among the 37 quarterbacks who threw at least 600 passes over the last three seasons, Fields was 34th in passer rating (82.3), 36th in completion percentage (60.3), 24th in yards passing (6,674), 23rd in touchdown passes (40) and threw the 12th-most interceptions. He was second among all quarterbacks with 2,220 yards rushing.</p><p>Fields’ exit now puts the attention almost exclusively on Williams. He has been the projected top pick in this draft since his Heisman season at USC in 2022 and is consensus best quarterback prospect in his class.</p><p>The Bears’ only quarterbacks currently under contract for next season are Tyson Bagent, who was their backup as an undrafted rookie last season, and recent free-agent pickup Brett Rypien.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-3a0000" name="module-3a0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h4>The Justin Fields trade</h4><bsp-list-loadmore class="PageListN" data-module data-hide-categories="true" data-hide-dates="true"
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Bears failed Justin Fields, who in turn failed them" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/18/bears-justin-fields-failed-partnership-free-agency-steelers-ryan-poles-matt-eberflus-quarterback" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears quarterback Justin Fields. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/de3e341/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3728x2125+0+180/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24795799%2F1496730770.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/90c6c5b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3728x2125+0+180/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24795799%2F1496730770.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/18/bears-justin-fields-failed-partnership-free-agency-steelers-ryan-poles-matt-eberflus-quarterback" >Bears failed Justin Fields, who in turn failed them</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="‘The League’ confirms Ryan Poles’ call on Justin Fields" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/03/16/the-league-confirms-ryan-poles-call-on-justin-fields" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Justin Fields" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b3a0f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4680x2668+0+0/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24040030%2F1425407905.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e22790/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4680x2668+0+0/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24040030%2F1425407905.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/03/16/the-league-confirms-ryan-poles-call-on-justin-fields" >‘The League’ confirms Ryan Poles’ call on Justin Fields</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/mark-potash" >Mark Potash</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
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<img class="Image" alt="USC quarterback Caleb Williams throwing a pass in a game." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/725411b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" >Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/justin-fields-trade-chicago-bears-ryan-poles-draft-pick-caleb-williams-pittsburgh-steelers-statsJason LieserPatrick Finley2024-03-16T16:17:37.284-05:002024-03-17T23:04:02.837-05:00Bears free-agent tracker: Who's coming and going at Halas Hall
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears general manager Ryan Poles" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b67f7c7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5677x3186+0+299/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24350418%2Fmerlin_109310031.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e854594/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5677x3186+0+299/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24350418%2Fmerlin_109310031.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bears general manager Ryan Poles is entering his third season with the team.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Nam Y. Huh/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>Tracking the Bears’ comings and goings in free agency, which started with the opening of the legal tampering period and extends through the start of the league year Wednesday:</p><h3>March 16</h3><p>The Bears agreed to sign free agent defensive end Jake Martin to a one-year deal.</p><h3>March 15</h3><p>Wide receiver Dante Pettis is returning to the Bears. He agreed to a one-year deal Friday. Pettis was hurt during training camp and was later released with an injury designation.</p><h3>March 14</h3><p>The Bears traded a fourth-round pick to the Chargers for <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nfl" target="_blank" >wide receiver Keenan Allen</a>.</p><p>The Bears agreed to terms with offensive lineman Jake Curhan, who will reunite with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after three years together in Seattle. Curhan, 26, started nine games at tackle, four last season. The 6-foot-6, 316-pounder is an undrafted free agent from Cal.</p><p>The Bears signed <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-free-agency-2024-center-coleman-shelton-one-year-contract-shane-waldron-thomas-brown" target="_blank" >Coleman Shelton</a>, who spent the last two years as the Rams’ starting center, to a one-year deal. He'll compete with Ryan Bates, whom the Bears traded for earlier this offseason, for the starting job.</p><p></p><p>Shelton is an undrafted free agent from Washington who’s spent his first five years with the Rams, the first three as a backup. He’s expected to compete with Ryan Bates for the starting center job. The Bears traded for Bates, a former Bills player whom they'd chased for years, last month.</p><p></p><h3>March 13</h3><p>Quarterback <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/13/bears-free-agency-2024-sign-quarterback-brett-rypien-ryan-poles-justin-fields" target="_blank" >Brett Rypien</a> agreed to sign with the Bears.</p><p>The Bears added to their offensive line depth Wednesday by agreeing to sign Matt Pryor, a source confirmed. Pryor has played tackle and guard for three teams, starting 24 games in five seasons. He was with the Colts in 2021 when Matt Eberflus was the head coach and with the Eagles from 2019-20 while Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was there.</p><p></p><p>The former sixth-round pick played 42 snaps for the 49ers last season across right tackle, left tackle and left guard.</p><p></p><h3>March 12</h3><p>The Bears agreed to sign former Packers safety <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/bears-free-agency-2024-jonathan-owens-packers-texans-safety-sign-simone-biles-nfl-ryan-poles" target="_blank" >Jonathan Owens </a>to a two-year deal, a source confirmed.</p><h3></h3><p>The Bears are signing former Chargers tight end <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/bears-free-agency-2024-sign-gerald-everett-tight-end-chargers-rams-shane-waldron-nfl" target="_blank" >Gerald Everett</a> to a two-year, $12 million deal with $6.1 million guaranteed.</p><p>Ex-Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney, one of the team's best recent success stories, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/wr-darnell-mooneys-storybook-rise-with-bears-ends-as-he-heads-to-falcons" >agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with the Falcons</a>.</p><h3>March 11</h3><p>Defensive tackle Justin Jones is<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/11/bears-free-agency-justin-jones-to-sign-with-cardinals-defensive-tackle-nfl-ryan-poles" target="_blank" > signing with the Cardinals</a>. </p><p>The Bears agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with Pro Bowl running back <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/11/bears-to-sign-former-eagles-lions-rb-dandre-swift-for-24-million-over-3-years-source" target="_blank" >D’Andre Swift</a>, formerly of the Eagles. He'll get $15.3 million guaranteed.</p><h3>March 10</h3><p>The Bears agreed to a two-year deal with veteran safety <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/10/bears-agree-to-deal-with-veteran-safety-kevin-byard-source" >Kevin Byard</a>, a source confirmed. He'll take the place of Eddie Jackson, who was released last month.</p><h3><b>March 8</b></h3><p>The Bears agreed to re-sign snapper <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/08/bears-free-agency-2024-re-sign-patrick-scales-long-snapper-one-year-contract" target="_blank" >Patrick Scales</a> to a one-year contact, his agent wrote on social media.</p><p>The Bears <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/08/bears-free-agent-signing-safety-tarvarius-moore-collin-johnson-special-teams-stalwart-san-francisco-49ers-richard-hightower" target="_blank" >signed safety Tarvarius Moore</a> and re-signed receiver Collin Johnson. Moore played special teams for Bears coordinator Richard Hightower in San Francisco.</p><h3>March 7</h3><p>The Bears <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/07/bears-cb-jaylon-johnson-agree-to-contract-extension" target="_blank" >signed cornerback Jaylon Johnson</a> to a four-year contract extension worth $76 million. They’d inked him to the franchise tag just two days earlier.</p><h3><b>March 4</b></h3><p>The Bears <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/04/bears-trade-2024-5th-round-draft-pick-for-bills-ol-ryan-bates" target="_blank" >traded a fifth-round pick</a> in this year’s draft for Bills center/guard Ryan Bates. Bears general manager Ryan Pace had chased Bates before, signing him to a contract as a restricted free agent two years ago before the Bills matched the deal.</p><h3><b>February 15</b></h3><p>The Bears cut <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/02/15/bears-eddie-jackson-cody-whitehair-cut-veterans-ryan-poles-pace-safety-center-guard-contract" target="_blank" >two of their longest-tenured players</a>, guard Cody Whitehair and safety Eddie Jackson. They’d combined to reach the Pro Bowl three times but had 2024 salary cap hits that the Bears felt outstripped their worth.<br> </p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-eb0000" name="module-eb0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Get ready for the NFL Draft</div>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
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<img class="Image" alt="USC quarterback Caleb Williams throwing a pass in a game." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/725411b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" >Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710632851000>
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<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="What does trading for Keenan Allen mean for the Bears’ draft?" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-what-trade-means-for-draft-ryan-poles-wide-receiver-edge-rusher-offensive-tackle-nfl" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Pro Bowl Football" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/067c0f1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7272x4145+0+0/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F48%2Fe1%2Fb238652a4db893091d2f47c3b244%2Fap24036125583423.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e4cef49/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7272x4145+0+0/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F48%2Fe1%2Fb238652a4db893091d2f47c3b244%2Fap24036125583423.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-what-trade-means-for-draft-ryan-poles-wide-receiver-edge-rusher-offensive-tackle-nfl" >What does trading for Keenan Allen mean for the Bears’ draft?</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710474337000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
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</div>
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<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Drafting a tackle would protect Bears’ biggest investment" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/02/bears-nfl-scouting-combine-drafting-a-tackle-would-protect-bears-biggest-investment-joe-alt-notre-dame-caleb-williams-usc" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Alt" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6e6e7f8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x4925+0+418/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F38%2F48%2Feadb694b4f9ab99f85a7844055e2%2Falt.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/af80e16/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x4925+0+418/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F38%2F48%2Feadb694b4f9ab99f85a7844055e2%2Falt.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6e6e7f8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x4925+0+418/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F38%2F48%2Feadb694b4f9ab99f85a7844055e2%2Falt.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/02/bears-nfl-scouting-combine-drafting-a-tackle-would-protect-bears-biggest-investment-joe-alt-notre-dame-caleb-williams-usc" >Drafting a tackle would protect Bears’ biggest investment</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1709409865000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
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<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="With QB in spotlight, Bears’ defense can’t be ignored " href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/13/with-qb-in-spotlight-bears-defense-cant-be-ignored" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears defensive back Jaylon Johnson celebrates after an interception and touchdown during the fourth quarter." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f8942e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5059x2884+0+245/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25023561%2Fbears_johnson.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e2d583e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5059x2884+0+245/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25023561%2Fbears_johnson.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/13/with-qb-in-spotlight-bears-defense-cant-be-ignored" >With QB in spotlight, Bears’ defense can’t be ignored </a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/mark-potash" >Mark Potash</a>
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<div class="PageListN-items-item">
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="What picks do the Bears have in the 2024 NFL Draft after Keenan Allen trade?" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/15/chicago-bears-draft-picks-2024-nfl-after-trades-keenan-allen-ryan-bates-caleb-williams" ><picture data-crop="small">
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/>
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears general manager Ryan Poles. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/26da641/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4535+0+385/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24468628%2Fpoles__16_.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9c1bb89/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4535+0+385/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24468628%2Fpoles__16_.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/15/chicago-bears-draft-picks-2024-nfl-after-trades-keenan-allen-ryan-bates-caleb-williams" >What picks do the Bears have in the 2024 NFL Draft after Keenan Allen trade?</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710516343000>
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</div><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/10/bears-free-agent-tracker-sign-ryan-poles-general-manager-jaylon-johnson-legal-tamper-cody-whitehair-eddie-jackson-nfl-justin-fieldsPatrick FinleyJason Lieser2024-03-16T12:14:42.897-05:002024-03-16T16:15:12.057-05:00New Bears WR Keenan Allen: 'Nothing changes but the jersey' as he looks to keep producing
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<img class="Image" alt="Keenan Allen" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8d18dd7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5502x3088+0+290/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2Fd4%2F4553b9004dea8e1d03ff9d6fa2e5%2Fallen.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e66659f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5502x3088+0+290/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2Fd4%2F4553b9004dea8e1d03ff9d6fa2e5%2Fallen.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Allen is in the final year of his contract with a $23.1 million salary-cap hit.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Nam Y. Huh/AP </p></div></div>
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<p>The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> were so ecstatic to get six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen to Halas Hall that they sent a private jet to pick him up. Even after 11 seasons in the NFL and over $100 million in career earnings, he’d never been on one and thought that was pretty cool.</p><p>It was a small gesture, but important for a franchise that’s trying to finally do something new. Allen is the biggest name they’ve acquired since trading for future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack six years ago, and the Bears want him to see they aren’t the same team that prompted former All-Pro Muhsin Muhammad to say Chicago is “where receivers go to die.”</p><p>“I don’t know anything about that,” Allen said with a laugh when asked Saturday about their history of frustrated wide receivers.</p><p>Instead, he’s thinking big. He didn’t plan on being a Bear, saying he had hoped to play his entire career with the Chargers. When they inquired about restructuring his contract, though, it was a non-starter for him. He believes he’s worth every cent of his $23.1 million salary-cap hit.</p><p>They gave him and his agent permission to talk to two teams that showed interest, the Jets and Texans, but Bears general manager Ryan Poles surprisingly swooped in Thursday to land him <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/15/chicago-bears-draft-picks-2024-nfl-after-trades-keenan-allen-ryan-bates-caleb-williams" target="_blank" >in exchange for a fourth-round pick</a>.</p><p>Allen reacted nonchalantly with, “Alright, cool,” when he got the news, but quickly imagined what the Bears’ offense could be with him, wide receiver DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet in the passing game, freshly arrived Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift and, likely, USC star Caleb Williams stepping in at quarterback if the Bears take him with the No. 1 pick next month.</p><p>He was especially hyped about teaming up with Moore, who had 96 receptions, 1,364 yards and eight touchdown catches last season — all career highs. Allen, at 31, delivered one of his best seasons, too, with 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns, giving the Bears their most accomplished 1-2 punch at wide receiver since Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey a decade ago.</p><p>“Any time you’ve got two guys that can make plays and beat man coverage, it’s going to be tough,” Allen said. “If you put both of us together, it’s going to be pretty good.”</p><p>Theoretically.</p><p>Allen’s past performance is remarkable. After missing most of 2016 with a torn ACL, he has played 101 of a possible 115 games since — four of those absences were because of a heel injury at the end of last season, and he said he could’ve played through it if the Chargers were vying for a playoff spot — and topped 1,100 yards in five out of seven seasons. Over those seven seasons, he averaged 98 catches, 1,130 yards and six touchdowns.</p><p>However, he turns 32 next month and is in the final year of his contract. It’s hard to predict whether he’ll be one-and-done with the Bears or a longer-term piece; Poles hasn’t spoken publicly about the trade.</p><p>Allen, of course, expects to do what he’s always done: produce.</p><p>“Nothing changes but the jersey, for me,” he said.</p><p>Nonetheless, the move has no downside for the Bears. The pick Poles gave up was No. 110 overall, so there wasn’t much chance of landing a starter there anyway. The contract is weighty, sure, but the Bears have tons of salary-cap space to absorb it. And after Moore, all of the wide receivers are fledgling.</p><p>And while there’s no certainty of how long Allen can play at this level, he’s precise, smart and hungry. His lone lament from his Chargers years was that they made the playoffs only three times. The Bears have an arduous climb ahead from 7-10 to actually contending, but he shares their ambition.</p><p>“Absolutely,” Allen said. “When you start to see the roster shaping up the way it is, we’re going to have a good shot.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/new-bears-wr-keenan-allen-nothing-changes-but-the-jersey-as-he-looks-to-keep-producingJason Lieser2024-03-16T09:14:17.53-05:002024-03-16T10:10:46.408-05:00New Bears WR Keenan Allen says he's 'friendly' for quarterbacks
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<img class="Image" alt="Keenan Allen had 108 catches, 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns last season." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f7b6024/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F64%2Fcf%2F9eb447e4433d81b3076e227de973%2Fimg-2071.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5629cbd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F64%2Fcf%2F9eb447e4433d81b3076e227de973%2Fimg-2071.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Keenan Allen had 108 catches, 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns last season.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>New <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> wide receiver Keenan Allen, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, said Saturday he'll be ready to help whoever is his quarterback this season. The Bears currently have Justin Fields, but are expected to draft USC's Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.</p><p>"I'm a friendly guy on and off the field," Allen said with a laugh Saturday when asked what makes him quarterback-friendly. "I know the ins and outs. I know how to play the game. I'm friendly for the quarterback because I'll be in the right spots and I know how to communicate with him."</p><p>Allen, 31, played his first 11 seasons for the Chargers before their salary-cap jam squeezed him out this week. <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/new-bears-wr-keenan-allen-says-hes-friendly-for-quarterbacks" target="_blank" >The Bears traded a fourth-round pick for him Thursday</a>.</p><p>The Chargers drafted him in the third round out of California in 2013, and he was an instant hit with a 1,000-yard season as a rookie.</p><p>Allen tore his ACL in 2016 and missed most of that season, but stormed back to win Comeback Player of the year with 102 catches for 1,393 yards and six touchdowns.</p><p>It started a seven-year run in which he averaged 98 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns per season.</p><p>"Nothing changes but the jersey," Allen said of coming to the Bears.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-ff0000" name="module-ff0000"></a>
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<img class="Image" alt="Justin Fields talking to Jonathan Owens." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c30b7e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/37fe83b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c30b7e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/bears-free-agency-2024-jonathan-owens-packers-texans-safety-sign-simone-biles-nfl-ryan-poles" >Bears to sign safety — and Simone Biles’ husband — Jonathan Owens</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710281069000>
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</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" ><picture data-crop="small">
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/>
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<img class="Image" alt="USC quarterback Caleb Williams throwing a pass in a game." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/725411b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" >Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710632851000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
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</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Stockpiling playmakers such as RB D’Andre Swift only will help Bears — no matter who plays QB" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/new-bears-rb-dandre-swift-on-board-with-dividing-workload-with-khalil-herbert-roschon-johnson" ><picture data-crop="small">
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/new-bears-rb-dandre-swift-on-board-with-dividing-workload-with-khalil-herbert-roschon-johnson" >Stockpiling playmakers such as RB D’Andre Swift only will help Bears — no matter who plays QB</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710443982000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Bears trade for Chargers 6-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, giving up 4th-round pick" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nfl" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Lions Chargers Football" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8450840/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3275+0+0/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4a%2F5b%2Ff4478b064737aba7c7aa062c21f0%2Fap23317013351008.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8b12c02/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3275+0+0/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4a%2F5b%2Ff4478b064737aba7c7aa062c21f0%2Fap23317013351008.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nfl" >Bears trade for Chargers 6-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, giving up 4th-round pick</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710470090000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
</bsp-timestamp>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="WR Darnell Mooney’s storybook rise with Bears ends as he heads to Falcons" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/wr-darnell-mooneys-storybook-rise-with-bears-ends-as-he-heads-to-falcons" ><picture data-crop="small">
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/>
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<img class="Image" alt="*** BESTPIX *** Chicago Bears v Atlanta Falcons" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f953369/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3193x1820+0+154/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe9%2F3d%2F9ae03bad4985af71200c18b778b4%2Fmooney-falcons.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d553053/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3193x1820+0+154/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe9%2F3d%2F9ae03bad4985af71200c18b778b4%2Fmooney-falcons.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/wr-darnell-mooneys-storybook-rise-with-bears-ends-as-he-heads-to-falcons" >WR Darnell Mooney’s storybook rise with Bears ends as he heads to Falcons</a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="With QB in spotlight, Bears’ defense can’t be ignored " href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/13/with-qb-in-spotlight-bears-defense-cant-be-ignored" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears defensive back Jaylon Johnson celebrates after an interception and touchdown during the fourth quarter." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f8942e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5059x2884+0+245/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25023561%2Fbears_johnson.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e2d583e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5059x2884+0+245/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25023561%2Fbears_johnson.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/13/with-qb-in-spotlight-bears-defense-cant-be-ignored" >With QB in spotlight, Bears’ defense can’t be ignored </a>
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<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/mark-potash" >Mark Potash</a>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/new-bears-wr-keenan-allen-says-hes-friendly-for-quarterbacksJason Lieser2024-03-15T10:25:43.927-05:002024-03-15T10:59:18.924-05:00What picks do the Bears have in the 2024 NFL Draft after Keenan Allen trade?
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<img class="Image" alt="Bears general manager Ryan Poles. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4b9ea97/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4466+0+420/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24468628%2Fpoles__16_.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/91b815b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4466+0+420/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24468628%2Fpoles__16_.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bears general manager has two picks at the top of the draft, but little capital otherwise.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Quinn Harris/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>The <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> are down to four picks in the upcoming NFL Draft after sending a fourth-rounder to the Chargers on Thursday <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nfl" >for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen</a>.</p><p>Here are their selections:</p><p><b>Round 1:</b> No. 1 overall (via Panthers)<br><b>Round 1:</b> No. 9 overall<br><b>Round 3:</b> No. 75 overall<br><b>Round 4:</b> No. 122 overall (via Eagles)</p><p>General manager Ryan Poles dealt his own fourth-rounder (No. 110 overall) to the Chargers, but still holds the one he got from the Eagles from the draft day trade last year in which the Bears moved down from No. 9 to 10. He also traded a fifth-rounder (No. 144) to the Bills for interior lineman Ryan Bates.</p><p>The Bears traded their second-round pick for Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat at the deadline last year.</p><p>They sent their sixth-rounder to the Dolphins for offensive lineman Dan Feeney last year and their seventh-rounder went to the Patriots two years ago in the deal for wide receiver N’Keal Harry.</p><p>They have an extra second-rounder in 2025 from the Panthers and an extra sixth-rounder that year from the Dolphins.</p><p>The Bears hold the No. 1 pick because they traded down from No. 1 with the Panthers last year.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/15/chicago-bears-draft-picks-2024-nfl-after-trades-keenan-allen-ryan-bates-caleb-williamsJason Lieser2024-03-14T21:34:50.539-05:002024-03-15T10:06:49.776-05:00Bears trade for Chargers 6-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, giving up 4th-round pick
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<img class="Image" alt="Chargers receiver Keenan Allen caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/364d3ba/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3225+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4a%2F5b%2Ff4478b064737aba7c7aa062c21f0%2Fap23317013351008.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d676307/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3225+0+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4a%2F5b%2Ff4478b064737aba7c7aa062c21f0%2Fap23317013351008.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chargers receiver Keenan Allen caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashley Landis/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>Everyone has been waiting for <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >Bears</a> general manager Ryan Poles to make a big move in this pivotal offseason. He came through late Thursday with a surprise trade.</p><p>The Bears dealt a fourth-round draft pick to the Chargers for six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen. Finally, a sign they’re truly in win-now mode.</p><p>Allen, 31, was as good or better than any receiver available in free agency and is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Even with the Chargers in disarray and quarterback Justin Herbert missing time with an injury, he caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.</p><p>As good as DJ Moore is, Allen has even stronger credentials and gives the Bears a chance to turn one of their biggest weaknesses into a strength. They’re still sitting on the Nos. 1 and 9 picks in the draft and could target an elite prospect at receiver in LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze at No. 9.</p><p>That would be a huge help to whoever plays quarterback next season, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/01/caleb-williams-bears-do-you-want-to-win-draft-trade-pick-usc-combine-medical-justin-fields-no-1" >which is expected to be USC star Caleb Williams</a>, whom the Bears are likely to take No. 1 overall. Before the Allen acquisition, the Bears had no wide receiver other than Moore with more than 30 career catches.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-what-trade-means-for-draft-ryan-poles-wide-receiver-edge-rusher-offensive-tackle-nfl" >What does trading for Keenan Allen mean for the Bears’ draft?</a>
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<p>If the Bears do draft Williams, adding Allen significantly improves the situation he’ll be stepping into as a rookie. The defense was one of the best in the NFL after adding pass rusher Montez Sweat last season, the offensive line has been improved and there’s a solid crew of skill players with Allen, Moore, tight end Cole Kmet and Pro Bowl running back D’Andre Swift — the team’s biggest free-agent pickup — on board.</p><p>Allen became available after 11 seasons with the Chargers — he was around so long that he played his first four in San Diego — because they were in a salary-cap crunch. They already had to cut veteran receiver Mike Williams and restructure the contracts of defensive stars Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa to get below the cap and needed to offload Allen to have any flexibility going forward.</p><p>Incidentally, it was the Chargers who bailed the Bears out of a cap mess when Poles took the job and sent them Mack for a second-round pick.</p><p>Allen was going into the final season of his contract and was set to count $23.1 million against the cap. It was unclear immediately what his number would be for the Bears, but Over The Cap had them at $56.3 million in space before the trade, so that shouldn’t be a problem.</p><p>The fourth-round pick going to the Chargers is the Bears’ own choice (No. 110), not the one they got from the Eagles (No. 122) in a draft-day trade last year.</p><p>Regardless, Allen is right there with Brandon Marshall as one of the most accomplished receivers the Bears have had in the last several decades and has had more success at his position than any player on their roster.</p><p>He missed nearly all of the 2016 season with a torn ACL but since then has played 101 of a possible 115 games. In his last seven seasons, he has averaged 98 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns.</p><p>It was a necessary swing by Poles. Other than Moore, very little has worked out for the Bears lately at a crucial position. He thought he had it solved with the Moore trade, which stacked him on top of Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney, but Claypool fizzled and Mooney had the worst season of his career before leaving for the Falcons as a free agent this week.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-c40000" name="module-c40000"></a>
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="How new Bears WR Keenan Allen can help likely draft target Caleb Williams" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-keenan-allen-caleb-williams-how-receiver-can-help-draft-usc-trojans-chargers-trade-ryan-poles" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Keenan Allen" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d0a9079/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3275+0+52/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2F4c%2F4fa568638149d0fc4da905b874fa%2F354c-x120-16d8-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/27311c4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3275+0+52/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2F4c%2F4fa568638149d0fc4da905b874fa%2F354c-x120-16d8-7.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d0a9079/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5746x3275+0+52/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2F4c%2F4fa568638149d0fc4da905b874fa%2F354c-x120-16d8-7.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-keenan-allen-caleb-williams-how-receiver-can-help-draft-usc-trojans-chargers-trade-ryan-poles" >How new Bears WR Keenan Allen can help likely draft target Caleb Williams</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710605995000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
<span data-date> </span>
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</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Bears to sign safety — and Simone Biles’ husband — Jonathan Owens" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/bears-free-agency-2024-jonathan-owens-packers-texans-safety-sign-simone-biles-nfl-ryan-poles" ><picture data-crop="small">
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<img class="Image" alt="Justin Fields talking to Jonathan Owens." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c30b7e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/37fe83b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c30b7e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3420+0+290/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F25210604%2Fowens.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/12/bears-free-agency-2024-jonathan-owens-packers-texans-safety-sign-simone-biles-nfl-ryan-poles" >Bears to sign safety — and Simone Biles’ husband — Jonathan Owens</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710281069000>
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<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" ><picture data-crop="small">
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height="57"
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/>
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<img class="Image" alt="USC quarterback Caleb Williams throwing a pass in a game." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/725411b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a918ad2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3983x2270+0+192/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5b%2Fe1%2Fa6b92ad3096675bb359a5eb1e470%2Fwilliams-caleb-1.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSI1N3B4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAwcHgiPjwvc3ZnPg=="
>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/16/bears-justin-fields-trade-caleb-williams-opens-door-quarter-future-steelers-usc-trojans" >Caleb Williams in line to be Bears’ next QB of the future with Justin Fields gone</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley" >Patrick Finley</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710632851000>
<template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template>
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<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Stockpiling playmakers such as RB D’Andre Swift only will help Bears — no matter who plays QB" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/new-bears-rb-dandre-swift-on-board-with-dividing-workload-with-khalil-herbert-roschon-johnson" ><picture data-crop="small">
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/>
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<img class="Image" alt="IMG_2047.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9b075e6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2298+0+363/resize/100x57!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2b%2Fc4%2F5c19cb0446988cce6c9e07a42099%2Fimg-2047.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/962d70a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2298+0+363/resize/200x114!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2b%2Fc4%2F5c19cb0446988cce6c9e07a42099%2Fimg-2047.jpg 2x" width="100" height="57"
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>
</picture>
</a></div>
<div class="PagePromoA-content">
<div class="PagePromo-category">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-title">
<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/new-bears-rb-dandre-swift-on-board-with-dividing-workload-with-khalil-herbert-roschon-johnson" >Stockpiling playmakers such as RB D’Andre Swift only will help Bears — no matter who plays QB</a>
</div>
<div class="PagePromo-byline">
<div class="PagePromo-author">
<span>By </span><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser" >Jason Lieser</a>
<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710443982000>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="PageListN-items-item">
<div class="PagePromoA">
<div class="PagePromo-media"><a class="Link" aria-label="Bears trade for Chargers 6-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, giving up 4th-round pick" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nfl" ><picture data-crop="small">
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/>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710470090000>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" >Bears</a>
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<div class="PagePromo-date"><span class="line"></span><bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1710370371000>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024/03/14/bears-keenan-allen-trade-chargers-wide-receiver-fourth-round-pick-ryan-poles-nfl-dj-moore-nflJason Lieser