From the Jalen Carter saga to the Aaron Rodgers fallout, even a slower day in free agency proved significant for the Chicago Bears
The NFL’ s new league year rang it at 3 p.m. Wednesday, allowing the Chicago Bears to announce the trade of the No. 1 pick, the acquisition of receiver D.J. Moore and the free-agency signings of Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Nate Davis, DeMarcus Walker and Travis Homer. Still, even on a day where the Bears’ only notable addition was the late signing of back-up quarterback...
The NFL’s new league year rang it at 3 p.m. Wednesday, allowing the Chicago Bears to announce the trade of the No. 1 pick, the acquisition of receiver D.J. Moore and the free-agency signings of Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Nate Davis, DeMarcus Walker and Travis Homer. The Bears still have a lot of work ahead to continue fortifying a roster that, as of Wednesday night, had 32 vacancies and an eye-popping number of notable holes. So where will general manager Ryaa Poles turn his attention next?
Poles will meet with reporters Thursday at Halas Hall to recap the flurry of activity from the past week while also keeping an eye on what’s still to come. Still, even on a day where the Bears’ only notable addition was the late signing of back-up quarterback P.J. Walker, Wednesday was still a day full of significant developments. Here’s a glimpse into the most notable happenings and what they mean for the Bears going forward.
Jalen Carter stumbled through his pro-day workout at Georgia.
Poles and coach Matt Eberflus were part of the Bears contingent attending that on-campus event. And while the Bulldogs have a dozen prospects in line to be drafted next month, Carter remains the center of attention as he continues trying to gather himself during a turbulent month.
Carter was arrested March 1 and released on $4,000 bond in Athens County, Ga., for misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving in connection with a fatal accident that took the lives of Bulldogs teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy in January.
Carter’s involvement in that crash and his cooperation with authorities afterward remain under heavy scrutiny both in the legal system and from NFL teams considering making him a first-round selection in seven weeks. You can bet Poles has a full team diving deeper into that matter and evaluating Carter’s character to help inform the Bears’ decision on whether the All-American would be the right fit for the organization.
Questions about Carter’s maturity and football investment level already were circulating before his connection to that fatal January accident became public knowledge at the combine.
Carter did not take part in any athletic testing or on-field drills at the combine. Then on Wednesday, he weighed in 9 pounds heavier than he was during his combine measurements, according to Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl.
Carter didn’t participate in athletic testing at Wednesday’s pro day, then failed to complete on-field drills due to cramping.
It was another dizzying development for one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft class.
At his best, Carter is a disruptive force on the interior of the defensive line, blessed with an elite combination of power and quickness. But he will also have to prove to at least one team that he can be trusted across many different levels to merit a grand investment of money and draft capital.
How will the Bears process all this? It’s difficult to say right now.
When the college season ended in January with Carter helping Georgia win the national title, he was considered a shoo-in top-5 pick and a serious candidate to be drafted No. 1. Now there are questions about whether he could slip out of the top 10. With the Bears owning the No. 9 pick, their ongoing homework will be critical to solidifying his final evaluation before the draft’s first night on April 28.
Aaron Rodgers went scorched-earth on the Green Bay Packers front office
During what was essentially a reflective and theatrical 56-minute soliloquy on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers confirmed what everyone in the NFL had long suspected. His time playing quarterback for the Packers is over.
Next stop: Florham Park, N.J., for a new job with the New York Jets.
No, a trade hasn’t been finalized. And there’s still no telling what the timeline or the terms of that deal might be. But Rodgers left no doubt that he has both feet out the door and is ready to move on from Green Bay.
If you missed Rodgers’ lengthy version of the breakup, we’ll offer a quick synopsis.
The four-time MVP told McAfee that he was leaning 90% toward retirement when he checked into his four-night darkness retreat in Oregon earlier this month to seek deeper reflection on his life and football career. Rodgers said he was under the impression that he had as much time as he wanted to make a decision and that the Packers wanted him to retire as a member of their organization. But …
“When I came out of the darkness, something changed,” Rodgers said Wednesday.
When Rodgers emerged from the retreat and was blown up with texts, he said he realized the Packers were working through trade possibilities. That, Rodgers asserted, altered his life plans, led to a meeting with key Jets leaders and affirmed his desire to continue playing.
Rodgers spent almost 10 minutes detailing how he felt slighted or betrayed by certain figures in the Packers power structure. But then, while expressing heartfelt “love and gratitude” to the city of Green Bay and Packers fans, he also emphasized that he had no hard feelings. “I’m not sitting here as a victim,” he said. “No malice, no bitterness toward the Packers.”
Got all that?
In a nutshell, everyone who knows Rodgers well understands he is preparing to go on a grudge binge for the foreseeable future and hoping to convert his feelings into motivational fuel as he pushes to put proper punctuation on his Hall of Fame career.
“I still have that fire,” Rodgers said.
The Jets will have to quickly create an environment in which Rodgers feels welcomed and valued and surrounded by teammates and coaches he trusts. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, “Good luck with alllll that!”
As for the Bears and their fans, Wednesday was a landmark day worthy of celebration. After 15 seasons of being tormented — Rodgers went 25-5 in the rivalry and swept the season series nine times, including each of the last four — the Bears can breathe a sigh of relief.
The law of averages can’t possibly allow new Packers starter Jordan Love to become a Hall of Fame-level star for the next decade-and-a-half, could it?
For as much activity as there has been for the Bears over the past month, Rodgers’ news Wednesday might register as a top-three development in the 2023 offseason for the residents at 1920 Football Drive in Lake Forest. The NFC North landscape is changing. Rodgers is departing.
The Bears announced a Halas Hall meet-and-greet for Thursday with several of their new players.
Moore and Edmunds are the headliners among the current crop of Bears newcomers. It will be interesting to hear their thoughts on joining the organization when they speak Thursday.
Edwards — a Lake Villa native and alumnus of Lakes High School — also will share his enthusiasm for joining the team he grew up rooting for.
But Poles, too, will field questions in the morning. And there are a lot of questions to ask the busy GM.
Most notably:
- What is his overview of the return he got for the No. 1 pick in last week’s big trade with the Carolina Panthers?
- Did the Bears engage in negotiations with standout free agent offensive tackle Orlando Brown and what’s next in their efforts to address that position?
- What made Edmunds a top free/-agent target, and what is the Bears’ vision for him within Eberflus’ defense?
- After stressing in January that his top offseason priority was to fortify the roster with difference makers at premium positions such as pass rusher, cornerback and offensive line, how will the Bears use the next few waves of free agency plus the draft to make the necessary improvements to those position groups?
- With Davis’ arrival to the interior of the offensive line, what does that mean for Cody Whitehair, Teven Jenkins and Lucas Patrick?
In an important offseason, even the slower days seem busy.
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