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This is one more reason the Bears ought to have fired GM Ryan Tempo: not solely has he tried to enhance an 8-8 crew by letting star cornerback Kyle Fuller go and paying Andy Dalton triple his Dallas wage to be Chicago’s new retread quarterback however he has additionally constructed the second-oldest roster within the NFL. Football Outsiders ranks teams not simply by including the ages of their gamers however by factoring in what number of snaps they performed. The Bears had the fewest snaps of gamers 25-and-under within the NFL final 12 months. The protection — their power at the least till they let Fuller go — was the second-oldest within the NFL. Total, solely the Saints have been older than Chicago’s common age of 27.1 years per snap performed. If the Bears are going to be previous, why cannot they be Tom Brady previous as an alternative of Jimmy Graham previous? As a result of they’re the Bears.
Chicago’s two largest rivals, Inexperienced Bay and Minnesota, ranked sixteenth and twentieth in age per snap. Inexperienced Bay had the oldest offense within the league (28.1 years) however ranked thirty first on protection at 25.3. That could possibly be a hopeful signal. Perhaps the Packers’ leaky cross protection simply wants extra expertise.
Watch out for buying and selling up for a QB
Justin Fields seems like a boom-or-bust man to me — perhaps as a result of each time I watched him he was both nice or fairly unhealthy. I might prefer to see the Bears draft Alabama’s Mac Jones at No. 20. Jones shouldn’t be a contemporary quarterback, however since when have the Bears been trendy? Jones is extraordinarily correct and makes good selections. That is what the Bears want. However Jones, who wasn’t even thought to be a first-round decide a number of months in the past, immediately appears prone to go to the 49ers at No. 3 general. If that’s the case, Fields may flip right into a discount — however not at No. 4.
Some websites have recommended the Bears may commerce three No. 1 picks, plus Roquan Smith (and perhaps extra) to move up to No. 4 to pick Fields. No, no, no. What number of groups want a quarterback? The best way to method that is like Invoice Belichick, who signed former MVP Cam Newton for $1.1 million final 12 months after many of the different QB dominoes fell, or just like the Titans, who acquired Ryan Tannehill for a fourth-round draft pick. Commerce as much as perhaps No. 15 if Fields falls that far, however do not panic and overpay. Keep in mind, there may be all the time subsequent 12 months. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have been picked the 12 months after Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Bears’ mistake Mitch Trubisky.
An overdue no-hitter
How did the Padres go 53 years with out throwing a no-hitter? And the way cool is it that San Diego native Joe Musgrove is the one who lastly broke via?
White Sox love lefties
ESPN joked that the White Sox will never lose to a lefty or beat a right-handed pitcher this season after beginning out 3-0 vs. lefties and 0-4 vs. righties. Final 12 months, the White Sox have been 14-0 in opposition to lefties however 21-25 vs. righties. It is nice to have the ability to hit lefties, however that kind of imbalance is harmful. First off, there are extra right-handed throwers than left-handed. And if that retains up, opposing groups might skip a lefty’s begin and insert a right-handed spot starter in opposition to Chicago.
One other fear for the White Sox: three of ESPN’s eight scorching takes after the primary week of the season concerned the rival Twins having the best hitter or pitcher in the AL, predicting Byron Buxton and Nelson Cruz as MVPs and Jose Berrios because the Cy Younger winner.
Matt Trowbridge: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com; @matttrowbridge
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