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Bears hoping to benefit from early run on QBs
As little mystery as there is surrounding the Bears' plan for the first overall pick, the direction they take at No. 9 is likely to be determined by how many other quarterbacks go off the board in the seven spots that follow their expected selection of USC QB Caleb Williams at No. 1.
Ryan Poles' dilemma at No. 9 is whether to use the pick to further bolster his young roster or trade back and recoup some of the draft capital he's already spent, which has left the Bears with only four total selections in this weekend's draft.
Five non-quarterback prospects meet the Bears' needs and are talented enough to forgo the chance to trade back with their ninth overall pick: three WRs, Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU's Malik Nabers and Washington's Rome Odunze; one OT, Notre Dame's Joe Alt; and one EDGE, Alabama's Dallas Turner.
While the Bears boast one of the top wide receiver duos in the league in Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore, Allen has only one year left on his contract and will be 33 before the 2025 season, which makes WR a long-term need.
The Bears are similarly set in the short term at tackle with LT Braxton Jones and last year's first-round pick, RT Darnell Wright. But as dependable as Jones has been, his play has consistently been competent while never excellent, and the chance to find a decade-long Pro Bowl-caliber LT in Alt would be hard to pass up.
Chicago's more dire need is at edge-rusher, where the cupboard is mostly bare behind Montez Sweat and Demarcus Walker. The chance to draft Turner, ESPN's top overall defensive player at No. 9, would be a coup.
Combine Harrison Jr., Nabers, Odunze, Alt and Turner with the three quarterbacks expected to go in the first three picks — Williams to the Bears, and LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye in some order to the Commanders and Patriots — and eight draft prospects stand above the rest.
This means that in order for the Bears to draft one of the top non-QB prospects with the ninth pick, they'll need one of the teams drafting in spots four through eight — the Cardinals, Chargers, Giants, Titans or Falcons — to either select a quarterback or trade their pick to a team planning to do so.
Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy's odds of being taken in the top five are skyrocketing. Buzz about the Vikings trading up for a quarterback continues to swirl. Even Washington's Michael Penix Jr. is starting to get a little top-10 buzz, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting, "There now is speculation Penix could go as high as No. 8 to the Falcons."
This is one situation where the Bears will be hoping that the rumors are true.
More must-reads:
- NFL QB coach questions whether Bears are the right landing spot for Caleb Williams
- Could Bears trade offensive lineman with starting experience?
- The '1985 Chicago Bears' quiz
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Complete Recap Raiders vs. Seahawks: Good, Bad, Ugly
SEATTLE, Wash.—The Las Vegas Raiders returned Pete Carroll to the Pacific Northwest at beautiful Lumen Field tonight, but it wasn’t the outcome the future Hall of Fame head coach desired. The Raiders completed their first preseason game of the year with a 23-23 tie. It was a typical first preseason game for both teams in which they looked sloppy, made plenty of mistakes, but also gave their respective fan bases some things to cheer about. Pete Carroll was encouraged by his team competing to the very end. The Good Rookie quarterback Cam Miller had an impressive performance as he transitions from FCS to the NFL. Although it's worth noting that he wasn't facing the Seattle Seahawks' starting lineup, or even most of their second team, Miller completed six of seven passes for 76 yards and threw one touchdown, achieving an outstanding rating of 151.5. How big is the transition from FCS to the NFL? He mentioned in the locker room that he had never needed to use a silent snap count in college. Isaiah Pola-Mao (IPM), the emerging star, made a terrific interception early in the game against a strong group of Seahawks players. I believed that when he arrived as an undrafted free agent, he would need some time to develop, but that he had the potential to play at this level. So far, he has done nothing to change that opinion. I think he is a year away from reaching his full potential, but I expect him to become a Pro Bowl-caliber starter by 2026. Thomas Booker, a third-year defensive tackle from Stanford, delivered his best performance of the preseason tonight. He showcased impressive motor and mobility, making a strong statement on the field. He ended the game with four tackles but played a significant role in several other plays as well. The phrase "Can’t keep a good man down" perfectly describes sophomore running back Dylan Laube's journey. At the start of camp, there was speculation that if rookie Tommy Mellott could successfully transition to the role, Laube might be left behind. However, Laube has stepped up impressively, excelling on special teams and delivering a remarkable performance on offense. He recorded four rushes for 31 yards, one catch for six yards, and scored one touchdown. The Bad Wide receiver Alex Bachman has had one of the best preseasons of anyone on the team, earning a spot on the 53-man roster. However, a non-contact injury late in the first half raised concerns. During the game, he recorded two catches for 36 yards, but another impressive catch that gained significant yardage was nullified by a penalty committed by rookie offensive tackle Charles Grant. Carroll said afterward, when I asked about Bachman, that he had been hurt earlier in camp, but did return. The Ugly Aidan O’Connell, in the first half, had a challenging performance. He underthrew a deep ball intended for an open Dont’e Thornton, leading to an interception. Later, he was baited into making another poor throw, resulting in his second turnover of the game. Describing O'Connell's performance in the first half as disappointing would be an understatement; it was nothing short of ugly. He was 9/18, for 114 yards and had an abysmal rating of 30.6 to end the first half. Credit the Raiders and AOC. I didn't think they would keep AOC in to start the 2nd half. They did, and he immediately rewarded them with a TD drive, culminating in a TD pass to Dylan Laube—an enormous confidence builder for AOC. He finished the night 18/30, for 205 yards. His rating rose to 63.9. Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and talk to us in 2025 about the Raiders and more. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss all Raiders content in 2025.
The Lakers could have another undrafted gem on their hands
In a summer dominated by LeBron James and Luka Doncic headlines, the Los Angeles Lakers may have quietly struck gold once again in the UDFA market, this time with former Villanova standout Eric Dixon. After initially agreeing to a two-way contract following the 2024–25 NBA Draft, Dixon’s path to the professional ranks was temporarily delayed due to injury, forcing him to miss Summer League. The Lakers, however, remained invested in the 24-year-old forward, eventually signing him to an Exhibit 10 deal, a move that keeps him in the pipeline and positions him as a potential breakout candidate through the G League. Dixon brings one of the most decorated resumes in college basketball. The 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward led all Division I scorers last season, averaging 23.3 points per game while shooting an impressive 40.7% from beyond the arc on 7.2 attempts per contest, a remarkable transformation for a player once seen as a traditional low-post presence. He concluded his five-year career at Villanova as the school’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with 2,314 points and etching his name into Big East history. While concerns around his age and lateral quickness may have contributed to him being passed over in the draft, Dixon’s refined skill set and ability to stretch the floor make him a strong fit in today’s NBA. He delivered in big moments throughout the season, including a 38-point outburst against Maryland on Nov. 11, and consistently carried the offensive load for the Wildcats. With his Exhibit 10 deal, Dixon is expected to begin the season with the South Bay Lakers, where he’ll aim to prove he’s healthy and ready to make an immediate impact. If he performs as expected, a return to a two-way contract, and possibly NBA minutes, could be on the horizon. The Lakers have developed a reputation for identifying and nurturing overlooked talent, with Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso emerging as prime examples. Dixon, with his offensive versatility and physical readiness, could be next in line. In a loaded Western Conference, unearthing low-cost contributors is more important than ever. Dixon might just be the next hidden gem to emerge from the Lakers’ development pipeline.
Carlos Alcaraz Sends Huge Warning to the Rest of the Tour Regarding his Rivalry with Jannik Sinner
'Clearly separated himself': Why one QB is winning Browns' competition
Recent reports have indicated that veteran Joe Flacco holds a significant lead in the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition over Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel and 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders. For an article published on Wednesday, Lance Reisland of the Cleveland Plain Dealer explained why Flacco "has clearly separated himself from the quarterback competition" heading into the Browns' preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday. "His performance is rooted in elite mechanical consistency in his footwork, balance and ability to transfer weight efficiently through his throws," Reisland said about Flacco. "These traits have allowed him to remain composed under pressure, stay on time through full field progression reads, and consistently deliver accurate passes at all three levels of the field." During the 2023 season, Flacco won four of five starts while playing under head coach Kevin Stefanski to guide the Browns to a playoff berth. None of Cleveland's other active quarterbacks has ever taken a meaningful in-game snap in Stefanski's offense. Gabriel seemingly won't be ready for regular-season action anytime soon, and Pickett missed a handful of practice days while dealing with a hamstring injury. Sanders reportedly will start against Carolina, but he's Cleveland's fourth option at the position. Even if he looks like a revelation on Friday night, all signs point to Stefanski going with Flacco for Cleveland's Week 1 game against the division rival Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. As of Wednesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a -265 betting favorite to get the nod for the Cincinnati matchup. "Flacco’s blend of polish, poise and veteran field-command paired with his ability to operate from under center or in shotgun, against pressure or in structure, makes him the clear best option to start Week 1," Reisland continued. "He’s executing with rhythm and timing, manipulating coverages and elevating the offense every time he’s under center. He looks fully prepared to lead this team on day one." While that doesn't necessarily mean Flacco will start when Cleveland faces the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 on Sept. 14, it appears the Browns' QB1 gig is his to lose.
'Cost of doing business': Seahawks' culture under Mike Macdonald is palpable
Following each of the Seattle Seahawks' first-half interceptions in their 23-23 tie with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, the entire defense — even those not in uniform — stampeded with the playmaker down the end zone in celebration. Cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Nehemiah Pritchett were the playmakers, but if you weren't watching, you'd have lost the player who actually intercepted the pass in the horde of veteran defenders there to hype up their fellow teammate. That type of excitement, not only for a turnover but for the success of their peers, is a strong indicator of the culture leap the Seahawks are making under Mike Macdonald in 2025. Macdonald was notably unbothered on the sidelines by the pair of ensuing unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that followed the plays. After all, it's the preseason. "I thought the effort was tremendous; I thought our vets, especially the guys that didn’t play, were awesome in support," Macdonald said. "We said those two [unsportsmanlike conduct] penalties were the cost of doing business, and we’ll be better moving forward. It’s just great to see the enthusiasm." What doesn't show in the written version of that quote was the smirk on Macdonald's face included with that statement. In his second season leading the team, Macdonald is well aware of the growing connection among his defense, especially. But it wasn't just on the turnovers. Any big play made by the younger players on the field was met by plenty of helmet slaps, hand taps and smiles on the sidelines. There was a distinct energy level that felt different from 2024 — one that can potentially take this team to the next level. To be that over-the-top excited in the preseason is only scratching the surface ahead of the regular season. Even in a tie, Macdonald is happy with what he saw as a starting point for his new team. Continuity is always important, and his second season is a huge opportunity to capitalize on that. "You never want to tie a football game — it kind of stinks," Macdonald said. "But a lot of great stuff on both sides of the ball. Special teams as well. Guys got our attention, you know, we can go through all the guys, but we’re going to watch the tape and evaluate everybody."
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