The Bears already had the NFC North crown in hand going into their Week 18 matchup against the Lions. It ended up working out, as they still claimed the No. 2 seed in the NFC as a result of the Eagles’ loss on Sunday, but it was Detroit that ended up on top at Soldier Field.

In spite of a 16-point fourth quarter, the Bears’ lackluster start to the game dug them a hole that was too deep for them to overcome. They now have a Wild Card matchup against the Packers to look forward to on Saturday, but before that game takes place, I had to take to the All-22 from the Lions game before it was too late.

As I did all of last year, I will be publishing five scouting reports on the performance of Bears players that fans want to hear about the most. All five of these scouting reports will go up on my Patreon every week as soon as I have finished breaking down the All-22 tape. You can join as a subscriber and receive all of my exclusive Bears and NFL Draft content for as low as $1 a month, or you can buy individual scouting reports for $4 each as you see fit.

Like last year, I will post one of my five scouting reports for free here on Windy City Gridiron for every game the Bears play. This week, I broke down the tape of the following players:

• QB Caleb Williams
• DE Austin Booker
• WR Jahdae Walker
• TE Colston Loveland
• RT Darnell Wright

To give you a preview of what the scouting reports look like, here’s my one-page breakdown on Caleb Williams’ performance in the last regular season game of the year:

While there’s only one more college football game this season, you’ll be able to catch the NFL Playoffs starting this weekend.

Several former Tar Heels are postseason-bound, most notably MVP candidate Drake Maye, quarterback of the New England Patriots. Mack Hollins, a wide receiver who played at UNC from 2014-2016, will be catching passes from Maye.

On the coaching side, there’s a former North Carolina player leading the charge. Ben Johnson, a walk-on quarterback for the Tar Heels from 2004-2007, is now head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Johnson, in his first season leading Chicago (11-6), has his new team playoff-bound for the first time since 2020. The Bears, who will battle with their archrival Green Bay Packers at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, are searching for their first postseason win since 2010.

Entering 2025, Chicago suffered through four straight sub-.500 seasons. The Bears couldn’t find an answer at quarterback, while simultaneously having a bad head coach in Matt Eberflus.

A Saturday night square off 🥊 pic.twitter.com/GaYQMZCwr2

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 9, 2026

Johnson has a proven track record of success in the NFL. As an offensive coordinator in 2024, Johnson anchored the Detroit Lions‘ top-ranked offense, leading them to a 15-2 record and the NFC’s top overall seed. Detroit lost a 45-31 thumper to the Washington Commanders, but that doesn’t take away from Johnson’s accomplishments.

Now in the Windy City, Johnson has his group of guys ready to battle for each other. In just one season, Johnson took Chicago from the NFC’s laughingstock to a team that, with plenty of young talent, will be a contender for years to come.

Follow us@TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of North CarolinaTar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC football’s Ben Johnson leading Chicago Bears into NFL Postseason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to retain Todd Bowles as head coach reflects a commitment to continuity and long-term stability rather than reactionary change. Bowles has been a central figure in the organization’s recent success and remains a steady presence during a transitional period.

Before becoming head coach in 2022, Bowles served as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator from 2019 through 2021. That stretch included a Super Bowl championship and multiple deep playoff runs. While the team was led offensively by Tom Brady, Bowles’ defense has seen its share of highs and lows, but it has helped enough to win football games over his time in Tampa. His familiarity with the roster and organizational expectations carried smoothly into his head coaching role.

As head coach, Bowles guided the Buccaneers through the post-Brady transition without a collapse. Tampa Bay remained competitive in the NFC South, has won division titles, and stayed in the playoff conversation despite roster turnover and financial limitations. Though the Buccaneers didn’t win the NFC South title this season, the division seems like it will be up for grabs once again in the 2026 season, so why wouldn’t Tampa Bay

Injuries played a major role in how last season played out, particularly on offense, but noticeably on defense as the season progressed. Quarterback Baker Mayfield battled through an AC joint injury, while multiple key contributors on both sides of the ball missed time or played at less than full strength. Even so, the team remained semi-structurally sound and has now avoided a full rebuild this offseason. Bowles and whatever new coaching staff can begin to repair what remains of the 2025 ship and build on it to create a better, more consistent, and more stable one for the 2026 season.

Bowles has also overseen offensive coordinators who later earned head coaching opportunities in Jacksonville and Carolina, both of which are playoff teams this season. That development underscores his ability to lead, mentor, and maintain a professional coaching environment. If the man has done it once, he can do it again.

Ultimately, retaining Bowles preserves continuity, accountability, and organizational knowledge as the Buccaneers continue shaping their future through his spyglass.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs right to retain Todd Bowles as head coach

SUNRISE, Fla. – Luke Rockhold wants Bo Nickal to keep his mouth closed until he wins a championship outside of collegiate competition.

Former UFC middleweight champion Rockhold is just hours away from competing in a wrestling match against Colby Covington in the main event of RAF 5 at Amerant Bank Arena. Nickal (8-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is also on the card, and will hit the mats against former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero.

Rockhold gets along well with Covington, who is a polarizing figure in the combat sports space. However, when it comes to Nickal, Rockhold didn’t mince words.

“Colby’s been on top for a long time; he has a character, and he does what he does, but you know he’s not a bad guy – and he’s not a p*ssy,” Rockhold told MMA Junkie. “There’s guys like Bo Nickel out there talking too much sh*t. You quit. You don’t have that fight in you. You’re a competitor. You’re not a fighter. I respect fighters, not competitors.”

Rockhold believes Nickal didn’t make a good account of himself and his character when he fought against Reinier de Ridder at UFC on ESPN 67 in May. Nickal lost that fight by second-round TKO after a brutal knee to the body dropped him.

“He quit against RDR,” Rockhold said. ‘Before the knee even hit him, you can see the breaking in his mind. … I was asked a couple questions early on when he first entered the UFC, and I was like, ‘Who’s this guy?’ I remember him spouting off and saying sh*t, and he continued to talk when he hasn’t done anything, he hasn’t beat anybody.

“You’ve got to win against a jiu-jitsu guy that’s not going to fight him like a dog, you know? You’ve got to bless him, and you haven’t really fought anybody that’s going to bring it to you, except for RDR, and you broke like a bitch.”

Rockhold’s harsh words also originate from comments made by Nickal leading up to the RAF 5 event. Nickal, a three-time D1 national champion collegiate wrestler and 2019 U23 world champion, among other accolades, said he believed he should have been the main event over former UFC titleholders Rockhold and Covington.

“The whole reason this sport is here, is on this stage, is because of us, and you haven’t touched anything,” Rockhold said. “You’re talking about two guys that have gotten gold. I’ve gotten a lot of gold in my life. And you’ve done nothing.

“You’re out here asking me when I’ve won. What have you won? Anything other than college? It’s something to do with – it’s like it’s like comparing college and high school. It’s like what are we talking about? Nothing matters until you’re on a world stage. Just shut the f*ck up, bite the bullet and get to work, and become a f*cking man and grow some balls.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ex-UFC champ tears into Bo Nickal: ‘What have you won?’

While four of the top free-agent hitters remain unsigned, stuck in a high-stakes staring contest involving multiple parties and priorities, there’s also a second tier of position players still available on the open market as spring training approaches. Look farther down our Top 50 free-agent rankings, and you’ll find several hitters who have played meaningful roles for contending teams in recent seasons, including an accomplished field general in J.T. Realmuto (No. 23), a prolific power hitter in Eugenio Suárez (No. 24), a rare right-handed-hitting outfielder in Harrison Bader (No. 30) and a consummate superutilityman in Willi Castro (No. 35).

Within this tier of bats expected to land major-league deals without breaking the bank, by far the most fascinating case is Luis Arráez (No. 26). An ultra-brief elevator pitch for Arráez — “three-time batting champion who turns just 29 in April” — would certainly seem to be compelling. But Arráez’s severe lack of value added beyond his contact-hitting superpower and the fact that he is coming off his worst season in the majors have clearly left teams wary of investing in him as a free agent.

At the outset of the offseason, industry projections for Arráez’s contract were almost universally conservative, with MLB Trade Rumors, FanGraphs, The Athletic and ESPN all forecasting two-year deals ranging from $17 million to $30 million in total, a modest commitment for a player with some of Arráez’s accolades. The fact that he has remained on the market with virtually zero buzz about potential suitors suggests that it’s unlikely these forecasts will end up missing the mark by much.

Timing is everything in free agency, and it’s impossible to deny that Arráez arrived on the open market at the nadir of his value league-wide. As a result, perhaps he will opt for a one-year pillow contract that enables him to reenter the market immediately after a chance to reestablish himself as the valuable contact savant he was a few years ago. 

In 2025, Arráez’s unparalleled ability to put the bat on the ball somehow leveled up further, as evidenced by his microscopic 3.1% strikeout rate, the lowest we’ve seen from a qualified hitter since Tony Gwynn in 1995. But he got worse by nearly every other offensive measure, resulting in a career-low wRC+ of 104, a sharp decline from the 131 mark that ranked top-20 in MLB across 2022 and 2023. That’s still technically an above-average offensive line, but in tandem with poor defense at mostly first base, it amounted to just 0.9 fWAR across 154 games, which ranked 125th out of 145 qualified position players.

Arráez didn’t even rank in the top 10 in the category he has dominated for years, with his .292 batting average also a career low.

Adding to the poor perception of Arráez’s performance was the role he was asked to play in San Diego as its primary No. 2 hitter. The 2-hole has increasingly become the spot in the batting order reserved for an offense’s best overall hitter, with teams prioritizing getting their best bats as many plate appearances as possible while maintaining the opportunity for those at-bats to come with runners on base. That means Arráez delivered his worst season while making the majority of his starts in this critical spot in the batting order: His .710 OPS when batting second ranked 18th among 18 hitters who received at least 300 plate appearances in that spot in 2025.

Of course, no matter where Arráez slots into the batting order, his output at the plate in 2025 was simply far below what most teams would deem a crucial cog in the lineup. At his best in Minnesota and Miami, Arráez demonstrated just enough power and patience to ensure that his overall slash line wasn’t strictly supported by a bloated batting average. In San Diego, Arráez’s approach has turned hyper-aggressive, with very few walks mixed in, and even his modest underlying slugging potential evaporated, with his already low barrel and hard-hit rates plummeting to depths that only he occupies. 

Troubling trends aside, Arráez’s relative youth suggests that it might be premature to think he has no chance of restoring his value. If he can return to the more nuanced approach that made his unique, high-contact profile more palatable earlier in his career, whichever team signs him could reap significant benefits on a contract that isn’t expected to be hefty.

Beyond his unique batting profile, projecting a fit for Arráez in free agency is dependent on clubs’ interpretation of him as a defender, which has evolved throughout his career. As a prospect coming up in the Twins’ system, Arráez bounced around the infield, primarily playing second base but also spending time at shortstop and third, with some cameos in left field. That distribution initially continued once he arrived in the majors in 2019, but eventually, he shed the shortstop and outfield responsibilities and added first base to his repertoire.

In his first All-Star campaign in 2022, Arráez spent the majority of his reps at first base, and his blossoming bat earned 34 starts at DH. Then he was traded to Miami, and he returned to his prior post as the every-day second baseman in 2023, hitting a whopping .354 — the highest mark in MLB since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010 — and finishing eighth in NL MVP voting. Traded again early in the 2024 season, this time to San Diego, Arráez’s time in the middle infield dwindled, as he made just 16 starts at the keystone over his two seasons as a Padre, instead logging 112 starts at first base and 74 as the designated hitter.

This trajectory — and the consistently poor metrics he has posted at first and second because of his poor range — makes Arráez’s defensive outlook cloudy at best. Viewed more generously, the fact that he has extensive experience in the majors at multiple positions makes it difficult to sentence him to full-time DH duty before he has even turned 30. To be fair, the best version of Arráez, the hitter, is arguably worth every-day at-bats at DH, even if the slugging output isn’t what’s usually associated with the role. But in all likelihood, because it has become ultra-rare for teams to commit the DH spot to one individual, the team that signs Arráez will have some level of comfort with him getting playing time in the field.

So which teams could fit Arráez on their rosters — and in their budgets — before Opening Day? Perhaps one of Arráez’s former teams will seek a reunion, with all three of Minnesota, San Diego and Miami a bat or two short as things stand. The Giants could use a regular DH in the event that top prospect Bryce Eldridge isn’t quite ready, and second base remains a glaring weakness in their infield. 

In Milwaukee, Arráez could be an interesting left-handed complement at first base to Andrew Vaughn, and he’d maybe snag some DH starts when Christian Yelich plays the outfield, but the Brewers likely value defense too much to target him. If Mike Trout can handle the outfield with any amount of frequency, the Angels — who badly need left-handed hitters — could offer Arráez regular at-bats at DH and perhaps second base. Or Arráez might want to restore his value on a rebuilding team with guaranteed at-bats available, in which case Washington and Colorado could be decent fits. Go hit .400 at Coors Field, Luis!

With so many unknowns, we could speculate on Arráez landing spots all day. And if the cost ends up being as moderate as projected, a wide swath of teams could be realistic suitors.  But no matter where Arráez lands, his fit on his new roster promises to be a fascinating spring training storyline to watch. And whether he can get back to being a legitimately productive player — not just a one-trick pony — will go a long way in determining how satisfied both sides will be with his contract.

While four of the top free-agent hitters remain unsigned, stuck in a high-stakes staring contest involving multiple parties and priorities, there’s also a second tier of position players still available on the open market as spring training approaches. Look farther down our Top 50 free-agent rankings, and you’ll find several hitters who have played meaningful roles for contending teams in recent seasons, including an accomplished field general in J.T. Realmuto (No. 23), a prolific power hitter in Eugenio Suárez (No. 24), a rare right-handed-hitting outfielder in Harrison Bader (No. 30) and a consummate superutilityman in Willi Castro (No. 35).

Within this tier of bats expected to land major-league deals without breaking the bank, by far the most fascinating case is Luis Arráez (No. 26). An ultra-brief elevator pitch for Arráez — “three-time batting champion who turns just 29 in April” — would certainly seem to be compelling. But Arráez’s severe lack of value added beyond his contact-hitting superpower and the fact that he is coming off his worst season in the majors have clearly left teams wary of investing in him as a free agent.

At the outset of the offseason, industry projections for Arráez’s contract were almost universally conservative, with MLB Trade Rumors, FanGraphs, The Athletic and ESPN all forecasting two-year deals ranging from $17 million to $30 million in total, a modest commitment for a player with some of Arráez’s accolades. The fact that he has remained on the market with virtually zero buzz about potential suitors suggests that it’s unlikely these forecasts will end up missing the mark by much.

Timing is everything in free agency, and it’s impossible to deny that Arráez arrived on the open market at the nadir of his value league-wide. As a result, perhaps he will opt for a one-year pillow contract that enables him to reenter the market immediately after a chance to reestablish himself as the valuable contact savant he was a few years ago. 

In 2025, Arráez’s unparalleled ability to put the bat on the ball somehow leveled up further, as evidenced by his microscopic 3.1% strikeout rate, the lowest we’ve seen from a qualified hitter since Tony Gwynn in 1995. But he got worse by nearly every other offensive measure, resulting in a career-low wRC+ of 104, a sharp decline from the 131 mark that ranked top-20 in MLB across 2022 and 2023. That’s still technically an above-average offensive line, but in tandem with poor defense at mostly first base, it amounted to just 0.9 fWAR across 154 games, which ranked 125th out of 145 qualified position players.

Arráez didn’t even rank in the top 10 in the category he has dominated for years, with his .292 batting average also a career low.

Adding to the poor perception of Arráez’s performance was the role he was asked to play in San Diego as its primary No. 2 hitter. The 2-hole has increasingly become the spot in the batting order reserved for an offense’s best overall hitter, with teams prioritizing getting their best bats as many plate appearances as possible while maintaining the opportunity for those at-bats to come with runners on base. That means Arráez delivered his worst season while making the majority of his starts in this critical spot in the batting order: His .710 OPS when batting second ranked 18th among 18 hitters who received at least 300 plate appearances in that spot in 2025.

Of course, no matter where Arráez slots into the batting order, his output at the plate in 2025 was simply far below what most teams would deem a crucial cog in the lineup. At his best in Minnesota and Miami, Arráez demonstrated just enough power and patience to ensure that his overall slash line wasn’t strictly supported by a bloated batting average. In San Diego, Arráez’s approach has turned hyper-aggressive, with very few walks mixed in, and even his modest underlying slugging potential evaporated, with his already low barrel and hard-hit rates plummeting to depths that only he occupies. 

Troubling trends aside, Arráez’s relative youth suggests that it might be premature to think he has no chance of restoring his value. If he can return to the more nuanced approach that made his unique, high-contact profile more palatable earlier in his career, whichever team signs him could reap significant benefits on a contract that isn’t expected to be hefty.

Beyond his unique batting profile, projecting a fit for Arráez in free agency is dependent on clubs’ interpretation of him as a defender, which has evolved throughout his career. As a prospect coming up in the Twins’ system, Arráez bounced around the infield, primarily playing second base but also spending time at shortstop and third, with some cameos in left field. That distribution initially continued once he arrived in the majors in 2019, but eventually, he shed the shortstop and outfield responsibilities and added first base to his repertoire.

In his first All-Star campaign in 2022, Arráez spent the majority of his reps at first base, and his blossoming bat earned 34 starts at DH. Then he was traded to Miami, and he returned to his prior post as the every-day second baseman in 2023, hitting a whopping .354 — the highest mark in MLB since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010 — and finishing eighth in NL MVP voting. Traded again early in the 2024 season, this time to San Diego, Arráez’s time in the middle infield dwindled, as he made just 16 starts at the keystone over his two seasons as a Padre, instead logging 112 starts at first base and 74 as the designated hitter.

This trajectory — and the consistently poor metrics he has posted at first and second because of his poor range — makes Arráez’s defensive outlook cloudy at best. Viewed more generously, the fact that he has extensive experience in the majors at multiple positions makes it difficult to sentence him to full-time DH duty before he has even turned 30. To be fair, the best version of Arráez, the hitter, is arguably worth every-day at-bats at DH, even if the slugging output isn’t what’s usually associated with the role. But in all likelihood, because it has become ultra-rare for teams to commit the DH spot to one individual, the team that signs Arráez will have some level of comfort with him getting playing time in the field.

So which teams could fit Arráez on their rosters — and in their budgets — before Opening Day? Perhaps one of Arráez’s former teams will seek a reunion, with all three of Minnesota, San Diego and Miami a bat or two short as things stand. The Giants could use a regular DH in the event that top prospect Bryce Eldridge isn’t quite ready, and second base remains a glaring weakness in their infield. 

In Milwaukee, Arráez could be an interesting left-handed complement at first base to Andrew Vaughn, and he’d maybe snag some DH starts when Christian Yelich plays the outfield, but the Brewers likely value defense too much to target him. If Mike Trout can handle the outfield with any amount of frequency, the Angels — who badly need left-handed hitters — could offer Arráez regular at-bats at DH and perhaps second base. Or Arráez might want to restore his value on a rebuilding team with guaranteed at-bats available, in which case Washington and Colorado could be decent fits. Go hit .400 at Coors Field, Luis!

With so many unknowns, we could speculate on Arráez landing spots all day. And if the cost ends up being as moderate as projected, a wide swath of teams could be realistic suitors.  But no matter where Arráez lands, his fit on his new roster promises to be a fascinating spring training storyline to watch. And whether he can get back to being a legitimately productive player — not just a one-trick pony — will go a long way in determining how satisfied both sides will be with his contract.