July 22nd, 2021
Fresh air, warm breeze, blinding sun, and nothing but smiles surrounding the practice field at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in Chicago Bears history.
The fairytale of the 8-8 Bears never received their storybook ending, and it was glaringly obvious the slipper didn’t fit Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles. On GM Ryan Pace’s quest to find his Prince Charming to play the role of savior, not just for the franchise, but for Pace’s and Head Coach Matt Nagy’s jobs, he came upon the rightful heir to the throne: Russell Wilson.
July 22, 2021: the day quarterbacks report to training camp. Sporting the #3 jersey pried from retirement, Russell Wilson begins stretching in full view of an optimistic coaching staff, media onlookers and a fan base finally given significant hope and a real cause to throw their unwavering behind.
Something’s blossoming in the summer winds in Lake Forest, but this won’t fade at season’s change. No, this captivating buzz grows, culminating in a successful winter for one of the NFL’s most storied franchises.
March 8th, 2021
Everything feels quiet on the Offseason Front. Soft rumblings about the lacking level of comfort for Wilson in Seattle pulsate ever so quietly around league circles. Wilson’s discomfort with Pete Carroll and the Seahawks couldn’t possibly lead to Mr. Unlimited’s departure, right? Wrong.
For starters, if the situation possessed a potential remedial outcome, it never grows to the level where it currently stands. This isn’t a power play to stretch the pocketbooks. Wilson’s locked down with significant security and compensation, well deserved by an elite-level quarterback.
Instead, the situation is exactly what Wilson’s agent Mark Rodgers is telling us it is; pure frustration boiling over, spilling into eventual irreparable harm. An agent doesn’t publicly list four teams that their client would accept as their next home if it wasn’t a clear signal to the named parties to formulate their best offers.
Enter Ryan Pace. Desperate for the answer, Pace is likely willing to part with just about anything, not stopping from his firstborn child, in order to obtain a quarterback of Wilson’s caliber. I explained this last week briefly, but this is it. There are no more do-overs. You either find “the guy” or find a ride home.
The pressure continues to mount on the shoulders of Pace to secure the Super Bowl winning QB from the clutches of the Seahawks. Reports this past week pointed toward the Bears prioritizing their hunt for Wilson. Wayward Bears fans, myself included, read the headlines, skim the content and see what we want to see: The Bears are in the hunt for Russ.
It Makes TOO Much Sense
Pace is frantic. Without a deal and without a real QB to work with, it’s over. Back to a cushy job as Director of College Scouting somewhere. Anywhere but here. That’s the business. Every roster in the NFL has holes. But it’s the top of the line talent that makes those missing pieces seem smaller. Khalil Mack’s arrival in 2018 did just that until the double-doink blew up the entire operation.
Wilson’s potential arrival in Chicago provides that same effect but on a magnitude not reached in 2018, not perceived to actually exist.
Meanwhile, Seattle knows the situation at hand better than the four teams Rodgers listed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is out there, it’s not going away, and the best course of action if the relationship is irreconcilable is to receive the best possible haul for the 32-year-old QB.
It’s an impossible move to sell to a fan base, but not out of the realm for an ownership to swallow. Jumpstart a rebuild, fix the culture and springboard back to the top of the NFC West in due time. The Cardinals and the Rams continue their build, while the direction of the 49ers hangs in the balance after a crushing Super Bowl loss in January of 2020.
Swallow your pride, accept the need for change and start anew.
Eliminating The Competition
The Bears aren’t alone on Russell Wilson’s list of potential destinations. In addition to Chicago, tack on the New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.
New Orleans Saints
Cash-strapped in cap hell, New Orleans is longing to create salary space just to re-sign James Winston at this point. But more importantly, Drew Brees still hasn’t signed his retirement papers and remains under contract in NOLA. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported during their NFC Divisional Round loss that Brees would announce his retirement shortly after the conclusion of their eventual loss, but that never happened.
Instead, the city and franchise Brees has called home for almost fifteen years sits stuck in the mud awaiting word from #9. As of now, they’re out on Russ.
Oakland Raiders
Oakland’s the greatest threat to the Bears when it comes to the acquisition of Russell Wilson, mainly because the world has a sneaking suspicion that Jon Gruden is downright insane. Derek Carr and a plethora of draft picks could entice Seattle, especially with a competitive QB coming back their way. But is Oakland willing to sacrifice that capital? Gruden loves a stock pile of picks, but Gruden and GM Mike Mayock made their bones in the game as draft analyzers. They stock up on picks to make the picks, not necessarily to trade them away. Prying a sum of first rounders from a coach not feeling heat or desperation doesn’t stick out as the likeliest of outcomes. Next.
Dallas Cowboys
Assuming Jerry Jones applies the franchise tag to Dak Prescott in the coming hours, one can assume that likely takes Dallas out of the running for Wilson. Jerry Jones loves to make a splash, but depriving the defensive side of the ball of some star-studded talent seems like a crime against humanity – almost as bad of an idea as handing the keys of the offense to Mike McCarthy.
Let’s Talk Pieces
Draft picks certainly exist. And unlike in your Madden franchise, in real-life, you’re able to trade picks that exist further than two years down the road. Any haul going back from Chicago certainly contains multiple first round selections for a few years, maybe some conditional picks based on Wilson’s performance or the team’s overall success.
But where it gets interesting and we start to lose focus of reality is when discussing any starting-caliber players departing the Bears in this deal.
Khalil Mack
I get it. I really do. Our friends at Bleacher Nation Bears discussed the potential of Mack’s involvement in a deal at length, specifically offsetting the salary cap issues that pop up; but for a few reasons, I don’t think this is a direction a deal heads at this juncture.
Maybe Seattle wants a pass rusher on the wrong side of thirty when jumpstarting a rebuild effort, but without a QB, sacrificing potential draft capital on a veteran whose game could falter before the franchise’s next window of relevancy seems out of touch.
Trust me, if Mack is what it takes, then that’s what it takes, but placing myself in the shoes of a team that seems destined for a restart button, acquiring #52 seems like delaying the inevitable.
Other Vets
Using the same rationale, it’s reasonable enough to eliminate Akiem Hicks and (don’t shoot the messenger) Robert Quinn from likely trade discussions. If you’re Ryan Pace and get Seattle to bite on Hicks, enjoy the lifetime contract courtesy of me. But that’s not plausible.
Roquan Smith
Entering year four in the NFL, Smith’s value is likely at its highest in his early career. An All-Pro worthy season in 2020, rebounding smoothly from a somewhat disappointing 2019 sophomore year, Seattle can and should ask for a player of Smith’s caliber. Depending on the desperation of Ryan Pace, maybe that’s where discussions begin.
Personally, I only feel comfortable with his departure in the event of bringing a younger franchise altering QB into the city in Deshaun Watson, currently held captive by the Houston Texans.
Eddie Jackson
Possibly a tad too old to qualify at 27, but more importantly, the Seahawks already possess one of the league’s greatest show-stopping safeties in Jamal Adams, and Jackson’s at his best when given the opportunity to perform as a playmaker. Not quite an optimal fit for Seattle. But once again, if Ryan Pace convinces Seattle, you won’t hear any complaining from me.
Jaylon Johnson
The rookie corner impressed, displaying lockdown coverage on tough competition in his first season as a pro. The second round pick in 2020 out of Utah could’ve proved even better given the opportunity in a scheme better suited to the young stud’s strengths.
If Roquan is a non-starter, but there remains a deal on the horizon, Johnson’s a tremendously talented piece with the potential of a defensive cornerstone for years to come.
With Chicago’s lacking corner depth, losing Johnson would certainly sting. However, Ryan Pace’s drafting successes on defense should inspire at least some confidence in finding a true replacement.
James Daniels
Let’s get whacky just for a moment.
Daniels finished the year on injured reserve following a torn pectoral muscle early in the season. If Daniels makes a full recovery as expected, that situates the 23-year-old guard as a prime trade candidate.
Seattle’s issues stem from their inability to protect Russell Wilson. While the search begins for their next franchise star, what better way to begin the process than with an anchor for the offensive line for the future?
Daniels still holds plenty of value with the Bears. The offensive line in Chicago isn’t exactly perfect, but any scout or former player will tell you that steadfast linemen don’t grow on trees. An immediate overhaul is impossible for five key offensive positions, but we learned as the season progressed in 2020, that’s also no longer necessary.
Cody Whitehair’s move to guard, Sam Mustipher’s emergence as a tried and true center, followed by Alex Bars’ ability to play just about anywhere opens up vast opportunities moving forward. If Bars (or Whitehair) can operate as a right tackle, slot in Daniels as a guard and you’re cooking with fire. Replacing five linemen out of pent up anger becomes developing one tackle.
But if Daniels is the final piece to move a deal across the finish line, the responsibility falls on Pace to find a replacement. Difficult, not impossible, and much easier to accomplish with Russell Wilson leading the offense.
Aligning My Heart with My Brain
Obviously my heart wants to #LetRussCook in Chicago. A city starved for a 4,000+ yard single-season passer, the bar isn’t exactly high. Add Wilson to the mix and we’re dreaming of hoisting the Lombardi trophy with an ensuing parade route through the heart of the city.
Tossing and turning the last few days about the subject, my brain is of the belief that Russell Wilson is heading to Chicago, too. The dominoes are falling, and for the first time in a long time in favor of the Bears. Wilson’s unhappy, Chicago’s a possibility, and Ryan Pace is as desperate as ever.
