What to expect from the Bears at the NFL’s Annual Meeting

PHOENIX — The Bears followed their most promising season in a generation with an offseason that’s produced more questions than answers. The Bears haven’t replaced some of their most prominent players and still don’t know what city — or state — will become the home of their new football stadium.

The Bears’ decision-makers have gathered at the NFL Annual Meetings, where they’ll try to make progess on those issues — and more — through Wednesday.
Here’s a look at what to watch for:

Sweet home, Hammond?

At the annual meetings a year ago, the Bears pivoted their public stadium strategy. President/CEO Kevin Warren said then that the Bears were no longer limited themselves to building on the Lakefront and instead would consider — for a second time — building on the Arlington Heights site they own.

A year later, the Bears still don‘t know where they’ll build their next stadium. Wednesday, Warren and chairman George McCaskey will be forced to, for the first time, answer questions about the stadium deal offered them by the state of Indiana earlier this month. If the Bears take it, they’ll build in Hammond.

The Bears haven’t given Indiana a commitment, though, and continue to push for legislation to shrink their property taxes in Arlington Heights. The Bears consider the next two months to be critical to their Illinois stadium push — the Illinois General Assembly has until May to pass a so-called mega-projects bill.

Feeling a draft

General manager Ryan Poles landed in the Valley of the Sun early, attending Arizona State’s pro day Friday. The Sun Devils boast Max Iheanachor, a tackle with otherworldly athleticism who, amazingly, didn’t play football until junior college. ASU receiver Jordyn Tyson is another potential first-round pick.

With less than a month to go before the draft, Poles will have to answer Tuesday how much pressure he feels to fill the gaps the Bears now have at edge rusher, defensive tackle, safety offensive tackle and cornerback — likely, in that order. The Bears have three picks in the top 60 and four in the top 89, though Poles is notorious for trading down in the draft.

Ben explains

The Bears’ flurry of cuts, trades and free agent additions earlier this month were justified earlier this month by Poles — but not coach Ben Johnson. Monday, Johnson will meet the media for the first time since days after the Bears’ season-ending loss.

Johnson, one of the most respected offensive minds in the league who has increasingly gained power in the Bears’ decision-making process, will have to answer for his role in the team’s decision to trade receiver DJ Moore, cut Tremaine Edmunds and let safety Kevin Byard leave via free agency. Looking ahead, Johnson will have to answer whether he believes the Bears have done enough to help Caleb Williams take the next step — they replaced Moore and retired center Drew Dalman with modest additions.

Goodell, too

Commissioner Roger Goodell will address pressing league issues Tuesday, including the state of Florida’s claim that the Rooney Rule might violate state law. Adjacent to the league’s requirement to interview minority candidates for upper-tier jobs is the rule that miffed the Bears, who believed they were due two supplemental third-round picks when they lost assistant general manager Ian Cunningham to the Falcons’ GM job. The league ruled, however, that Falcons president of football Matt Ryan was the team’s chief-decision maker, costing the Bears the picks.

Goodell will also address the league’s international push, of which the Bears could be a part — the Falcons still haven’t announced their Madrid opponent — and the ongoing negotiations with the NFL’s referee union.

Rule changes up for consideration this week would allow the NFL to use replay to fix a call made by replacement officials in case of a strike. Another proposal would allow teams to boot an onside kick at any point during the game. The legality of the “Tush Push,” for once, is not up for debate.