Baseball

It’s a Saturday scoop from ESPN’s Adam Schefter: Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is set to start in Sunday’s Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. And suddenly, all feels right in the Bears’ football world. Because QB1 was clearly irked by the reporting around his injury this past week, I want to share Schefty’s exact verbiage. “He’s back,” Schefter writes in his tweet breaking the news. “The Bears are planning to start Caleb Williams after he missed the past three games due to a torn hamstring but went through a full week of practice this week without any setbacks, per NFLN and ESPN.” The Bears went 2-1 while Caleb Williams was out of the lineup with his injured hamstring. Wins against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets at home were wonderful to watch. The loss against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field? Well, not so much. CHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube Case Keenum performed admirably in his start against the Eagles, turning back the clock with a stellar performance on Monday Night Football. Tyson Bagent’s two starts were a mixed bag. He did well in the game-manager role in the victory against the Jets, but struggled mightily when facing the Packers. There is a part of me that wonders how the depth chart will look behind Williams on Sunday. But all of me hopes we never have to find out. Oct 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) hugs New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) after the game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Caleb Williams isn’t the only one making a triumphant comeback in Week 6. The Bears announced earlier on Saturday that cornerback Kyler Gordon has been activated from injured reserve. Gordon’s return is one of several notable transactions from Saturday. While Gordon returns from the sideline, defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo is hitting IR and will miss at least the next four games. Running back Kyle Monangai remains out of action, but has not been placed on IR. Safety Xavier Woods has been let go. It’s been busy around here, to say the least. We’ll have plenty more on the Bears before Sunday’s kickoff. More Caleb Williams Coverage From Bleacher Nation: Go Ad-Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

In the wake of some recent NBA betting controversies, David Purdum and Shams Charania of ESPN report that the league has coordinated with its sportsbook partners (who account for 99 percent of stateside activity), including DraftKings and FanDuel, to restrict specific betting around the sport. The new stipulations include: Parlays that incorporate the unders on multiple stats for one single player (i.e. so a player would have to hit each under). Bets on what ESPN calls the “First-of” market. This includes bets that cover who wins a game’s opening tip and predicting which players will be the first to nail a certain look, rebound a basket, pass for a made shot, and more. Unders on players who are anticipated to suit up for fewer than 12 minutes per bout. Purdum and Charania observe that the NBA has previously banned bets on 10-day and two-way contract signings, fouls and missed foul shots, and turnover props. “The legalized sports betting industry is built on a foundation of dialogue and collaboration with our league partners and the states in which we operate,” a FanDuel spokesperson told ESPN. “We remain unwavering in our commitment to building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and damage the integrity of the games we love.” Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The NBA Tries to Right the Ship After Multiple Scandals Now-former NBA players Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter each have been embroiled in gambling scandals surrounding them seeming to throw stats to hit under parlays. Porter confessed in court that he deliberately left games early so that he would lock in various under prop bets. Rozier has been accused of similar behavior, but even after an indictment he continues to plead not guilty. Rozier’s court case is still pending. Sharpshooting swingman Malik Beasley was investigated last year for making prop bets on NBA games by the U.S. Attorneys Office, although his lawyers have claimed he was no longer a target. This past summer, however, Beasley and former journeymman center Ed Davis were indicted as part of a continuing federal investigation into illicit sports betting and insider information trading within the NBA. It behooves the league to quell this prop betting, especially among players who don’t command big paydays like Porter and Davis. Rozier made $160.5 million across an 11-year career; Beasley was likely to command a four-year deal in the $60 million range before his various investigations. Commissioner Adam Silver and co. also want to disincentivize figures around the game without NBA salaries, like assistant coaches and referees, in any way that could compromise the on-court product. With the betting world shifting to less-regulated peer-to-peer platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, are these moves enough to at least generally prevent players from deliberately underperforming? Betting on the game can be a blast for fans. But if steps must be taken to ensure the integrity of the actual product, that doesn’t feel like too steep a price to pay. Note of Transparency: Bleacher Nation has affiliate relationships with all major US Sportsbooks, as well as prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket.

The new-era Bulls have completed their initiation process, playing their first preseason together as a group, and we got back a mixed bag of results. Three wins and two losses in games that don’t leave an impact on the team’s record should always be taken with a grain of salt. But that also doesn’t mean we’ll stop talking Bulls basketball here. Before the season kicks off, we should take a look at what we saw from the Bulls and rate their performances. Not to form any preconceived notions about these players, but to have something to keep in the back of your mind heading into the 2026-27 NBA season. I will say that these grades are relative to the expectations we have for those player, not an overall comparison of the roster. So, let’s rip the Band-Aid off and grade these Bulls preseason performances, shall we? Incomplete Bulls Grades Players: Zach Collins, Nic Claxton, Jalen Bridges, Brandon Boston, Drew Peterson, Jaylin Sellers Limited minutes and incomplete performances automatically eliminate you from contention here. There simply wasn’t enough on the court to fairly judge these guys. Jaylin Sellers’ one game was pretty good and definitely had its fair share of highlights, but one game isn’t enough to form a grade. Sorry, Jaylin. Jaylin Sellers locked in last night. pic.twitter.com/6041afGNTX— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2026 Buddy Hield. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Grade D – Hield, & Williams It’s only preseason basketball, but there isn’t a whole lot of good to say about Buddy Hield and Patrick Williams. Hield did have one good game against the Denver Nuggets, but it says a lot when the three-point specialist with a permanent roster spot made just one more three than two-way player Jordan Hawkins, despite Hawkins playing three fewer games. Patrick Williams hit a couple of threes in a few games, but outside of that, it was pretty much regular P-Will stuff. And with the Bulls’ very stacked forward depth, he could find himself buried pretty quickly. Josh Giddey. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Grade C – Giddey, Swain, Essengue, Robinson & Okoro Reiterating the relative-to-expectations part, Josh Giddey and Isaac Okoro were alright. Giddey showcased his elite passing chops, but I’ll be honest, it was a bit disappointing not to see him score the ball as much. I was high on Giddey last season, like really high, and when he was on the floor, his multifaceted offense was really eye-catching. Seeing him be limited to just the ball-handler and playmaker role irks me a bit, but it’s okay. Someone has to sacrifice their scoring for others. Where does Josh Giddey fit in Chicago’s new rebuild?🤔 pic.twitter.com/OljMWFGDTx— ENJ🏀Y (@EnjoyBBall) October 16, 2026 Okoro has impressed head coach Tiago Splitter, who has called him the team’s best perimeter defender. But in the two-and-a-half games he did play, he was a positive on the floor in just one. Sort of what you expect from Okoro. Dailyn Swain and Noa Essengue impressed me during preseason, but I wouldn’t say the box score necessarily defined that. It’s an eye-test measure, but also a reflection of how low the expectations were for both of them. Once Swain started playing off the ball, his cutting and rim running were impressive. Noa was setting good screens, rebounding the ball and looking like a player who wanted to at least carve out a role for himself. ball is MOVING 💨Dailyn Swain in transition pic.twitter.com/vOFt4tZBYK— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) October 17, 2026 I don’t know how much of the two of them we’ll see on the main roster this season, but it was a decent preseason from both of them, to say the least. Also, really liked what I saw from Orlando Robinson in his limited role, and hope that at least the Windy City Bulls pick him for the upcoming season. Grade B – Powell, Jones, Hawkins, & Awaka Closer to the top than the bottom, Norman Powell, Jordan Hawkins, Tobe Awaka and Tre Jones round out the B-Grade. For Powell and Jones, they’re established players and, as a result, played fewer games than the young guys. But what Chicago brought them in for, scoring and playmaking, respectively, they showcased on multiple occasions. And that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. They did what they were supposed to do despite the limited run. Tobe Awaka and Jordan Hawkins outplayed their expectations. The only reason they’re at a B is because we saw just one really good game from each of them. Awaka’s double-double against Phoenix and Hawkins’ 6-of-8 shooting from three across his two games deserve their flowers and definitely make an argument for Bryson Graham finding some of the best two-way players we’ve seen as Bulls fans. Caleb Wilson. Credits: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Grade A – Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, & Jalen Smith Down to the class toppers, Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Jalen Smith all deserve the A-grade. Jalen Smith, being the only real big in the lineup, definitely got a boost from the opportunity and took full advantage of it by playing some amazing basketball. His versatility to hit threes, defend, crash the offensive glass for second-chance points and help the scoreboard would be enough for me to start him over Nic Claxton this season. His best game came against the Suns, where he finished with a stat line of 13 points, 8 rebounds (5 offensive) and 2 steals on 62% shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc. Matas Buzelis spoke a lot in the offseason about feeling a bit restricted under the previous regime and not really showing all the best parts of his game. In the preseason, we saw that. Matas was super aggressive, slashing almost every time he had the ball. His three-point shooting was a bit inconsistent, but he didn’t rely on it, which was amazing to see. He’s also playing as the team’s point-of-attack defender, which will be fun to watch this season as well. And finally, Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson ended his preseason exactly as a top-rated, raw star would. Great performances and highlights, but far from being the perfect player. Everyone knew Caleb Wilson would be a project, and everything from his defense to his passing to his three-point shooting has room to improve. But he wanted to be the team’s leader on the floor, and he at least played like it. Caleb generated offense for himself when his shots weren’t falling, scored in double digits every night and finished the Summer League with the second-most points in the NBA. Caleb is special and had a great preseason, but the best part is that he has a lot of room to grow. Chicago Bulls forward Leonard Miller. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Grade A+ – Leonard Miller And finally, the cream of the crop, and the best preseason player for the Chicago Bulls, bar none, was Leonard Miller. Miller finished ahead of everyone in the NBA in total preseason points and had consistently big performances to get him there. Leonard Miller is leading the entire NBA in points in the preseason. pic.twitter.com/nvv8lTWYEW— Real App (@realapp) October 17, 2026 Against Phoenix, he had 14 points on 71% from the field. Against Memphis, he had 12 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Then came 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals on 64% shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Against his former team in Minnesota, he had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. And then his best game of 26 points and 7 rebounds on 79% shooting from the field and 67% from three was just as ludicrous as it sounds. By the way, all of this was off the bench. To add to that, Tiago Splitter played Miller in a small-ball five role, something we haven’t really seen from him before, and that didn’t deter him either. I saw someone make the Jimmy Butler comparison, and obviously, Jimmy was the much better defender. But the aggression with which they both play is hard to miss. .@LeonardMi11er was on fire tonight in Denver 🔥 https://t.co/Ca0gkrskZy pic.twitter.com/a4A13jha9P— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 12, 2026 Miller is efficient, a rim runner, a screen setter and a workhorse on the glass. Extension eligible this season, if Leonard Miller can keep this up, he could be in the race for both Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player of the Year. The best part about all of this is the confidence he has in the work he’s putting in, making these results seem not surprising at all to him. Year 4 Lenny is prepared for his opportunity 😤 pic.twitter.com/c6eZRIMWgZ— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) October 15, 2026 Man, I love Leonard Miller.

Fresh off blowing out the C-list scrubs of the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves this week to cap their preseason record at 3-2, our Chicago Bulls are ditching their four training camp signings prior to Tuesday’s start of the NBA regular season. Chicago has announced that the team has cut guard Brandon Boston Jr., forwards Jalen Bridges and Drew Peterson, and center Orlando Robinson. Roster Update: We have waived C Orlando Robinson, F Jalen Bridges and G Brandon Boston Jr. and G Drew Peterson.— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 17, 2026 Now, Chicago heads into 2026-27 with 14 of its 15 standard roster spots filled, plus all three of its two-way openings. Speaking as someone who has already floated the idea of two-way guard Jaylin Sellers becoming a bona fide standard roster player, this is a fascinating move. Miami Heat center Orlando Robinson warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Bulls. Should Bulls Have Held Onto Orlando Robinson? Among the training camp players, Robinson was the hyper-athletic standout. Chicago actually heads into the regular season down three players at that position, so theoretically shifting Sellers to a standard spot and opening up a two-way deal for Robinson could make some sense. Alternately, bringing him aboard on a 10-day agreement (teams are permitted two such deals before they have to commit to a player) could be a fit. K.C. Johnson of CHSN reports that the Bulls intend to leave that 15th standard spot open for the time being. Instead, it appears that new Bulls EVP of basketball operations Bryson Graham will lean on reserve power forward/center Jalen Smith — plus young bench forwards Leonard Miller and Noa Essengue as small-ball centers — to help play added minutes as Nicolas Claxton, Zach Collins, and even Tobe Awaka recover from their various early maladies. Milwaukee Bucks forward Johni Broome looks for a shot against Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Bridges. What’s Next for the 2026 Training Camp Bulls? As for the training camp pieces, it’s possible some or all will wind up on the team’s G League affiliate in Hoffman Estates, the Windy City Bulls. Still just 26, Robinson at least does have a little upside — and he’s shown that he can log real NBA minutes during his tenures with the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Sacramento Kings. He appeared in just four games with the Orlando Magic last year as a two-way player. In his three preseason appearances (albeit during mop-up minutes), Robinson averaged 6.3 points on .626/1.000/.667 shooting splits, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 11.5 minutes a night. It feels likely that Robinson could wind up on a two-way deal or a 10-day contract somewhere before too long. Jalen Bridges, still just 25, remains more of a mystery. He averaged a scant 2.3 points on a .300/.375/.500 slash line in his four appearances this preseason for Chicago. Brandon Boston’s shooting ability could give him a shot somewhere. At 27, Drew Peterson may be aging out of being an “upside” signing, and seems primed for an affiliate deal on an NBAGL club.

Finally, Kyler Gordon is set to join his Bears teammates on the playing field. What better time and place than a pivotal Week 6 showdown against the Atlanta Falcons? Well, I suppose that Gordon’s return would have been greatly appreciated last week when Green Bay Packers receivers ran wild against Chicago’s secondary. But there is no crying over spilled milk. What’s done is done. Looking ahead, I’m happy to have Gordon back in the mix. The Bears’ defensive backfield can use all the help it can get. Gordon has been practicing for the last three weeks, which has been nice. Even better, he has received a full participation designation on the injury report in each of the team’s last nine practices. After each of the last two Friday practices, Gordon was designated as questionable on the week’s final injury report. Now, Gordon is taking the final step toward a return. This is huge. Don’t get me wrong. I understand Bears fans who will roll their eyes at the latest Kyler Gordon news. Gordon’s injury issues are well documented. And the frustration that fans feel about a talented player whose availability issues have kept him out of action for most of the team’s games since the start of the 2025 season is relatable. After all, the general manager and head coach have expressed those feelings, too. But the past will be nothing more than water under the bridge if Gordon is back, healthy, and plays like we’ve seen in the past. Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon. © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports Kyler Gordon Is Off IR; Other Bears Moves Before Week 6 Activating Kyler Gordon from injured reserve is just one of the moves the Bears announced on Saturday. Here are the rest: To make room on the 53-man roster for Gordon’s return, the team placed defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo on injured reserve. Odeyingbo was playing well and appeared to be having a resurgent season, with 3 sacks, 3 tackles-for-loss, and 3 quarterback hits in five games. Unfortunately, a quad injury was serious enough to land him on IR. He will miss at least the next four games. Two players — running back Zavier Scott and linebacker Buddy Johnson — have been elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Chicago is playing shorthanded at both positions, with running back Kyle Monangai missing his second straight game and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott remaining out with injury. CHICAGO BEARS WEEK 6 INJURY REPORT UPDATE Cornerback Nick McCloud has been signed to the active roster. McCloud played 15 games (and made four starts) last season and is in his second stint with the team. McCloud’s move to the active roster suggests that fellow cornerback Tyrique Stevenson might not be available for Sunday’s showdown in Atlanta. In a corresponding move that opens the door for McCloud’s move onto the 53-man roster, the Bears have released safety Xavier Woods. Chicago signed Woods after Coby Bryant suffered a training camp injury that was expected to knock him out for 4-6 months. This likely slides Cam Lewis into the starting safety spot with Kyler Gordon and/or rookie Malik Muhammad playing the slot cornerback role. CHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube

It is OK if you haven’t noticed how well Grady Jarrett has been playing this season. Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson has, and he made it known how much he appreciates the veteran defensive lineman’s bounce-back year. “He’s really flashed some of those old tendencies that he had in Atlanta,” Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson said last week, via The Athletic. “We saw a little bit of it in training camp a year ago, and then when things kind of spiraled with the knee, it never quite got back to where it was early on. So we feel more of that now this year. … I think he’s playing at a higher level than what he showed last year.” Ben Johnson Notices How Well Grady Jarrett Is Playing — Have You? Grady Jarrett hasn’t recorded a sack this year. He has just one tackle-for-loss and two quarterback hits. Still, I’d contend that I’ve seen Grady Jarrett pop more in the first five weeks of the 2026 season than in all of 2025. For what it’s worth, the numbers back up what my eyes have seen: 58% Run Stop Win Rate ranks second among defensive tackles 22% Pass Rush Win Rate ranks sixth among defensive tackles 72.1 PFF Pass Rush Grade ranks 18th of 133 qualified interior defensive linemen 66.3 PFF Overall Grade ranks 37th of 133 qualified players at the position Jarrett was a non-factor for most of the 2025 season. So seeing him return to form in 2026 has been a bright spot on a defense that hasn’t had many. Grady Jarrett celebrates after a sack against the Lions at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images On the one hand, I want to toot my own horn here. I felt good about Grady Jarrett going into this season, and his head coach has highlighted his early-season contributions. That makes me feel good about what I observed last year with Jarrett playing his best ball down the stretch. But the stat line hasn’t matched what advanced metrics say about Jarrett’s production. So I can’t bring myself to do any horn-tooting. That may change if Jarrett makes splash plays that show up in the box score in his homecoming game against the Falcons. Grady Jarrett is an all-time great for the Atlanta Falcons. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman is the son of five-time Falcons Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Tuggle. A fifth-round pick (137th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft, Jarrett played 152 games over 10 seasons with the Falcons. He recorded 36.5 sacks, 77 tackles-for-loss, and 126 quarterback hits in those games. Off the field, Jarrett earned multiple Walter Payton Man of the Year awards. I imagine fans will give him a warm welcome as he returns to a place he called home for most of his life. This is some good perspective from Jarrett, who knows he has a big game coming up but also understands he needs to keep his emotions in check so he can properly perform as a leader: Grady Jarrett goes back to Atlanta Sunday 🏈 10 years a Falcon 🏈 2x Pro Bowl 🏈 3 sacks on Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI 🏈 36.5 sacks, 6th in #Falcons history. Time to remind his hometown what they let walk. 🐻⬇️ #DaBears #Bears https://t.co/anoGhwHGYk— Aldo Gandia (@BearsBarroomHQ) October 14, 2026 During the offseason, Grady Jarrett said he wanted to make it up to Bears fans after a disappointing 2025. Even without eye-popping numbers, Jarrett has found ways to make an impact for this team by winning at the point of attack. That said, a big performance against the Falcons would go a long way toward proving that his early-season push is more than just a statistical anomaly fueled by advanced metrics. CHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube

At the risk of sounding overly hyperbolic, Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons might be the most important of Austin Booker’s career. Before you come with your pitchforks, hear me out. This tweet hit my timeline earlier in the week in a way that made my eyebrows jump: Two days before the #Jets game, #Bears DE Austin Booker expressed to Me that he wasn’t happy with his role on the team. He wanted more playing time. In the two games since then Booker has 3 sacks and 4TFLs. Today, I asked him if he’d changed his approach in the past couple weeks. He said, “No. When the snap count goes up, the production goes up.”— Herb Howard (@HerbHoward411) October 12, 2026 When I first saw it, my initial reaction was, “Wow. This feels like the first time we’ve seen pushback on this regime’s coaching methods.” Not long after, news broke that Montez Sweat got dinged with a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. My mindset immediately shifted because I realized the Chicago Bears’ upcoming game in Atlanta could be a potential showcase game for Booker. Week 6 Is Setting Up to Be an Austin Booker Showcase Game In addition to Sweat missing the next two games, a resurgent Dayo Odeyingbo will also miss time because of an injury. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett remains a solid veteran, whose uptick in play has been wonderful to see. But he’s not the high-impact interior defensive lineman he was while with the Falcons. This leaves Booker as The Man among Chicago’s defensive linemen. With Sweat and Odeyingbo out, Booker’s name shoots to the top of the scouting report. The Falcons’ top priority will be to slow him down. How Booker responds to the spotlight and heightened expectations could be informative going forward. Austin Booker sacks Jordan Love at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers USAToday Network via IMAGN images Austin Booker is in the third year of his rookie contract. His play was uneven in his first two seasons. Booker has made his share of splash plays (8.5 sacks, 10 TFLs, 18 QB hits in 15 regular-season games) over the last two seasons, but injuries have limited his time on the field. Even when he’s been healthy, Booker has struggled to find consistency. But given the depth chart changes this week, he should have plenty of opportunities to do so. CHICAGO BEARS WEEK 6 INJURY REPORT — FINAL UPDATE If Booker can make the most of the projected increase in snaps coming his way, it would do wonders for his future stock. That might be a conversation for another day, but I’m keeping it in mind right now because of what’s on deck. But if he can’t, then it will only make the calls for Chicago to trade for defensive line help even louder. Austin Booker tackles Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Austin Booker is off to a solid start in 2026, and I’m excited about the newfound opportunity that is coming this way starting this week. He has 4 sacks, 5 tackles-for-loss, and 6 quarterback hits in five games. It is a small sample, to be sure. But it isn’t inconsequential. This start puts him on pace for roughly 13 sacks, 17 TFLs, and 20 QB hits. Those would all be career bests for Booker. If I could pull a lever and lock in those numbers, I’d do so without hesitation. MONTEZ SWEAT’S SUSPENSION HAS POTENTIAL FUTURE CAP IMPLICATIONS For what it’s worth, we could have seen this production coming if we were looking for it. After all, Booker finished the 2025 season on a high note. Over his last 17 games, Booker has 9.5 sacks, 11 TFLs, and 20 quarterback hits. Those numbers include his playoff performances against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams. Booker has set himself up for big things ahead, starting Sunday in Atlanta. CHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube