chicagotribune--2020-04-17--Tracking the Bears’ moves in free agency: Former Packers OT Jason Spriggs, Nevada kicker Ramiz Ahmed

Tracking the Bears’ moves in free agency: Former Packers OT Jason Spriggs, Nevada kicker Ramiz Ahmed agree to a 1-year deals

What it means : The Bears get an upgrade at edge rusher with the swap .
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The Chicago Bears have been quite active as they build their 2020 roster.
On March 18, general manager Ryan Pace made his biggest move of the offseason, trading a fourth-round pick to the Jaguars to acquire veteran quarterback and former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles.
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The Tribune’s team is tracking all of the Bears’ moves — with players arriving and exiting — and providing insight into what each move means.
[ Bears draft tracker: 7-player class is complete, from a local tight end to a pair of cornerbacks and a speedy receiver ]
May 13
Former Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara is signing with the Raiders, according to NFL Network .
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What it means: Amukamara will begin his 10th NFL season in Las Vegas after the Bears released him earlier this offseason. The deal reportedly is for one year. Amukamara was a Giants first-round pick in 2011 and played five seasons with the Giants, one with the Jaguars and three with the Bears. He had three interceptions, including a pick-six, and 29 passes defended in his Bears career. The Bears cut Amukamara to clear $9 million in salary-cap space and drafted his expected replacement last month when they took Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson with the 50th pick.
May 5
Edge rusher Aaron Lynch signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars, the team announced .
What it means: Lynch played two seasons in a reserve role for the Bears, totaling five sacks, 22 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss and 17 quarterback hits. A 49ers fifth-round pick in 2014, Lynch will join the Jaguars for his seventh NFL season. He has 20 career sacks. The Bears already had secured reserve outside linebackers to play behind starters Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. They signed former Browns first-round pick Barkevious Mingo to a one-year deal and traded a future draft pick to grab Tulsa’s Trevis Gipson in the fifth round of the draft last month.
April 30
The Bears are adding veteran safety Tashaun Gipson on a one-year deal, according to Pro Football Talk.
What it means: The Bears appear to have a starting safety to play alongside Eddie Jackson. Gipson has started 104 games over eight NFL seasons, including 62 over the last four years with the Jaguars and Texans. He has 23 career interceptions, three of which came in 2019 in his lone season in Houston, and 47 career passes defended, including eight last year. He also had a pick-six in 2019.
Gipson, who will be 30 in August, signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming in 2012. He made the Pro Bowl in 2014, when he returned six interceptions for 158 yards and one touchdown.
The Texans signed Gipson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract last year, but he finished the season on injured reserve with a back injury. They cut him this week.
The Bears are signing veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year deal, an NFL source confirmed.
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What it means: Ginn, who turned 35 this month, will join the Bears for his 14th NFL season after three with the Saints. He had 30 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games last season. The 2007 Dolphins first-round pick also spent time with the 49ers, Cardinals and Panthers.
Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara knocks a ball down in the end zone as Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn is unable to make a catch in the second quarter at Soldier Field on Oct. 20, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
He had three straight seasons of at least 700 receiving yards from 2015-2017, including a career-high 10 touchdown catches in 2015 with the Panthers. He has played in 15 playoff games in his career. And he also was a punt and kick returner earlier in his career, with seven career return touchdowns.
Ginn provides the Bears with a speedy, experienced competitor to join a fairly young receivers room beyond veteran Allen Robinson.
April 29
The Bears signed wide receiver and returner Trevor Davis to a one-year deal, the team announced .
What it means: A fifth-round draft pick by the Packers in 2016, Davis joins the Bears for his fifth NFL season. Davis, 26, played in 31 games with the Packers, totaling nine catches for 122 yards. He bounced between the Packers, Dolphins and Raiders in 2019 and had seven catches for 83 yards in nine games (four starts) with the Raiders.
He also is an experienced return man. He had a career-high 24 punt returns for 289 yards (12.0 average) and 31 kickoff returns for 707 yards (22.8) in 2017. And among his three teams in 2019, he had 22 punt returns for 145 yards (6.6) and 23 kickoff returns for 506 yards (22.0).
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April 28
The Bears signed defensive tackle John Jenkins to a one-year deal, the team announced .
What it means: The Bears are bringing back the seven-year NFL veteran to serve as depth on the defensive line after Nick Williams left for a two-year contract with the Lions. Jenkins has played for five teams since he was drafted in the third round in 2013, including eight games for the Bears in 2017. He played in all 16 games for the Dolphins last year, making five starts, with 34 tackles, including two for a loss, and a sack.
April 22
Tight end Trey Burton signed a one-year contract with the Colts, the team announced .
What it means: It took Burton five days after the Bears cut him to latch on with a new team. He reunites with coach Frank Reich, who was the offensive coordinator with the Eagles for two seasons when Burton was there. Burton’s contract is for the veteran minimum, NFL Network reported, which will deduct from the $4 million the Bears owe him for this season.
The Bears cut Burton after an injury-plagued 2019 season in which he caught just 14 passes for 84 yards over eight games.
We have signed TE Trey Burton. — Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) April 23, 2020
April 17
The Bears are releasing tight end Trey Burton, the team announced.
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What it means: Burton’s tenure in Chicago comes to an end two years before his four-year, $32 million contract is up.
The Bears are cutting him after he totaled 14 catches for 84 yards and no touchdowns during an injury-plagued 2019 season. It’s the latest development for Burton in a dramatic 16-month span that started when he was a late scratch for the 2018 playoff loss to the Eagles because of a groin injury. He had sports hernia surgery last offseason, battled a groin injury over eight games in 2019 and then had hip surgery in December.
The Bears signed veteran tight end Jimmy Graham this offseason, and Burton’s departure could mean they’re eyeing another in next week’s draft.
The Bears are signing former Packers offensive lineman Jason Spriggs to a one-year deal, ESPN reported.
Packers' Jason Spriggs runs a drill at training camp on July 25, 2019. (Morry Gash/AP)
What it means: The 6-foot-6, 301-pound Spriggs adds depth to the Bears at tackle after free agent tackle Cornelius Lucas left for the Redskins. Spriggs, a 2016 second-round pick, has started just nine games for the Packers in his career. He’s dealt with back and elbow injuries leading up to the 2019 season and spent the year on injured reserve. An Elkhart, Ind., native, Spriggs, who will turn 26 next month, was an All-American at Indiana in his senior season in 2015.
The Bears signed free-agent kicker Ramiz Ahmed and exclusive-rights free agents J.P. Holtz and Rashaad Coward, the team announced.
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What it means: Ahmed joins the Bears on a one-year deal as apparent competition for kicker Eddy Pineiro. He last kicked in 2018 at Nevada, where he made 15 of 20 field-goal attempts and 40 of 44 extra-point attempts. He made Nevada’s team in 2017 in a walk-on tryout and did kickoffs that season. The Bears settled on Pineiro after a wild kicking competition last year, and he was 23-for-28 on field goals and 27-for-29 on extra points in his rookie year.
Holtz and Coward return as expected. Coward is expected to compete for the starting spot at right guard with newcomer Germain Ifedi after Coward started 10 games in 2019. Holtz, one of nine tight ends on the roster, played in 14 games for the Bears in 2019 and had seven catches for 91 yards.
April 16
Defensive back Sherrick McManis is expected to re-sign with a one-year contract.
What it means: Veteran defensive back Sherrick McManis is expected to re-sign with the Bears on a one-year contract. The longtime special teams standout will be entering his ninth season with the organization after arriving via a trade during the 2012 preseason. McManis missed the final four games last season with a groin injury that didn’t require surgery. He had 11 tackles in defense last season and a forced fumble in the Week 5 loss to the Raiders in London.
McManis, a Peoria native and Northwestern product, had eight stops on special teams last season. The 32-year-old has 88 special teams tackles in the last eight seasons. He’s the third free agent in the secondary to re-sign with the Bears following safeties Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson. All three are on one-year contracts.
April 15
Defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris signed his restricted free-agent tender.
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What it means: The move ensures Robertson-Harris will be back in the fold in 2020. The Bears tendered the former undrafted free agent at the second-round level, meaning he will earn $3.259 million this season. That higher tender ensured no other teams would attempt to lure him away with an offer sheet.
Had the Bears tendered Robertson-Harris at the original-round level, they would have had only right of first refusal on an offer sheet because he was undrafted coming out of UTEP. The 26-year-old had 30 tackles, 10 quarterback hits and 2½ sacks in 15 games last season. Provided he remains healthy, he figures to do well for himself in free agency next March.
By signing the tender, Robertson-Harris will be eligible to participate in the team’s virtual voluntary offseason workout program.
March 25
The Bears are bringing back third-string quarterback Tyler Bray, ESPN reported.
What it means: Bray returns for a third season as the Bears’ third-string quarterback. He spent the last two years on the practice squad behind Mitch Trubisky and Chase Daniel. Bray, 28, has a long history with coach Matt Nagy, dating back to their mutual arrival in Kansas City in 2013. Bray also spent the 2016 Chiefs season with new Bears quarterback Nick Foles.
He has one career pass attempt in one career regular-season appearance, in 2017 with the Chiefs. Even with the signing, the Bears could still draft a quarterback to add to their mix.
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The Bears agreed to a one-year deal with former Seahawks offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, NFL Network reported.
What it means: The Bears are in need of competition at right guard with Rashaad Coward and depth at tackle behind Charles Leno and Bobbie Massie. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Ifedi played both guard and tackle during his four seasons with the Seahawks.
Seahawks offensive guard Germain Ifedi tries to stop Bears linebacker Khalil Mack during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on Sept. 17, 2018. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Ifedi, who will turn 26 in June, was a 2016 first-round draft pick and started 60 games in Seattle, including 100% of their offensive snaps in 2019. He has been called for 12 holding and 29 false start penalties in his career, according to Pro Football Reference.
March 23
The Bears are re-signing safety DeAndre Houston-Carson to a one-year contract, a source told the Tribune.
What it means: Houston-Carson, a sixth-round pick in 2016, is back in the mix as a core special teams player. Houston-Carson has been one of the team’s most dependable players in that area for the last two seasons. With the addition of fellow safety Jordan Lucas, the Bears have been making sure they add depth for special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.
The Bears are bringing back veteran defensive lineman Brent Urban, news that his wife, Kate, announced on Twitter.
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What it means: Urban, 28, appeared in nine games in a reserve role last season after injuries forced some depth moves on the line beginning in October. Urban made 16 tackles and added two pass breakups. A one-year deal for Urban isn’t surprising as the Bears are going to need to add depth to the line, especially after Nick Williams departed for the NFC North rival Lions on a two-year contract. Urban will be in position to compete for a roster spot.
@AdamSchefter DE Brent Urban is re-signing with the Chicago Bears on one year deal. Per source. I’m the source. — Kate Salerno Urban (@Kate_KanSkate) March 23, 2020
The Bears agreed to terms on a one-year deal with outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, NFL Network reported .
What it means: Mingo, 29, looks like a replacement for Aaron Lynch. He’s a veteran that can play a backup role on defense and a core special teams player.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano had Mingo in Indianapolis and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor was in Cleveland when the Browns used the No. 6 pick in 2013 on him. While he has never panned out as a pass rusher — five of his 10 career sacks came during his rookie season — he’s a reliable player that has missed only two games and he has developed as a versatile guy on special teams. The contract is worth $1.187 million. The Bears become Mingo’s sixth team in the last six years.
March 22
The Bears signed safety Jordan Lucas to a one-year deal, NFL Network reported .
What it means: Lucas, 26, joins the Bears after playing two seasons each with the Dolphins and Chiefs. He has played in 49 career games but started just four, in 2018 in Kansas City, when he totaled 32 tackles, a sack, his lone career interception and two passes defended.
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Chiefs safety Jordan Lucas gestures during the first half of a game against the Chargers on Dec. 29, 2019. (Ed Zurga/AP)
Lucas, a former Dolphins sixth-round pick, was a key special teams player for the Chiefs last season, playing 63% of those plays. He provides more depth for a group of safeties that includes Deon Bush, who re-signed with the Bears on Friday and might compete for the starting spot alongside Eddie Jackson. Lucas’ contract is for $1 million.
March 21
Cornerback Artie Burns is joining the Bears on a one-year contract.
What it means: Agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed Saturday’s move, a one-year “prove it” deal that puts Burns in position to compete for a starting cornerback job opposite Kyle Fuller.
Steelers cornerback Artie Burns tackles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams during a game on Oct. 13, 2019. (Kyusung Gong/AP)
Burns was a first-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2016, selected No. 25 overall by the Steelers. But he never became the impact playmaker the Steelers hoped. The organization did not pick up his fifth-year option last year and Burns fell deeper into a reserve role. Over four seasons in Pittsburgh, Burns started 32 of the 58 games he played in. He recorded three interceptions as a rookie but only one more over the following three seasons.
Burns has intriguing length and speed and offers a skillset that could allow him to replace Prince Amukamara as a reliable man-to-man cover corner. But he will certainly have to earn that role whenever the Bears are cleared to get back on the practice field. Kevin Tolliver is also in the mix for that job. And the Bears signed CFL star Tre Roberson earlier this winter to compete as well.
March 20
The Bears are signing safety Deon Bush to a one-year contract, ESPN reported.
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What it means: The $1.4 million deal means Bush will return for a fifth season in Chicago. The Bears are in need of a new starter at safety alongside Eddie Jackson after Ha Ha Clinton-Dix signed with the Cowboys. It remains to be seen whether Bush will get a chance to compete for the starting spot or if the Bears have someone else in mind to fill that role, either through free agency or the draft. Bush, a 2016 fourth-round pick, has started eight games over four seasons. He played in 15 games in 2019, playing 5% of the Bears’ snaps on defense and 63% on special teams. He had eight tackles and two passes defended.
Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is headed to Dallas to play for Cowboys.
What it means: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that Clinton-Dix’s one-year deal in Dallas is worth $4 million with $2.5 million guaranteed, a similar “prove it” deal to what he signed with the Bears last March. It’s no surprise the Bears allowed Clinton-Dix’s contract to expire or that the 27-year-old safety is moving on, now joining his fourth team since 2018.
Dix was signed to play free safety, per source. That would mean that Xavier Woods would move to strong safety https://t.co/2zyAabm4Oh — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) March 20, 2020
He will reunite in Dallas with his former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Clinton-Dix had two interceptions last season for the Bears, including a 59-yard touchdown return against the Redskins in Week 3. He was solid on the back end of the defense. But the Bears also awarded Eddie Jackson a record-setting extension in January, dishing out $33 million guaranteed and keeping Jackson under contract through the end of the 2024 season. There was little chance the Bears were going to spend big to fill that second safety spot.
While the Bears were happy with Clinton-Dix’s play last season, they would ideally like to find a second starting safety who has a more complementary skill set to Jackson, a defensive back who will allow the Bears to use Jackson’s biggest strengths as a free-ranging ball-hawk more easily. General manager Ryan Pace has had success identifying safeties in the draft. He chose Jackson with a fourth-round pick in 2017 and scooped up Adrian Amos in Round 5 two years earlier. The Bears may still browse the bargain bins of free agency for help and depth at the position. But keep a close eye on next month’s draft as well.
March 19
The Bears are bringing back long snapper Patrick Scales on a one-year deal.
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What it means: Scales, 32, will return for his sixth year in Chicago. One of those years, 2017, was spent on injured reserve, but he played in all 16 games each of the last two seasons. He’ll be back with a special teams unit that also includes returning punter Pat O’Donnell and kicker Eddy Pineiro.
The Redskins are signing former Bears offensive lineman Cornelius Lucas to a two-year deal .
What it means: The Bears will be in search of a new swing tackle after Lucas leaves for the $5.3 million deal. Lucas started a game in September and then the final five of the year filling in for injured Bobby Massie. The Redskins will be his fifth team in seven NFL seasons.
March 18
The Bears have acquired Nick Foles from the Jaguars in exchange for a fourth-round pick in next month’s draft.
What it means: No one is more invested in learning what this move means than Mitch Trubisky, the incumbent starting quarterback who has received multiple votes of public confidence from general manager Ryan Pace since last season ended.
Trubisky’s inconsistency and the unraveling of the Bears offense in 2019 was well-documented and created a new sense of urgency behind closed doors at Halas Hall. So while Pace has publicly said he expects Trubisky to be the starter when next season begins, the Bears’ desire to create real competition opens the door for Foles to slide into the starting role fairly easily and soon.
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Per @NFLNetwork reports, we have traded for QB @NickFoles.
(NFL policy currently prohibits teams from making any official announcements.)@SNICKERS | #DaBears — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 18, 2020
Foles’ chemistry with the offensive coaching staff — he spent time in previous stops with coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo — is a major plus. And his understanding of Nagy’s offensive system gives him a chance to hit the ground running when the the Bears get the all-clear to begin practicing this spring or summer. In giving up a fourth-round pick for Foles, the Bears have only two selections in the top 150. Foles’ contract with the Jaguars, which the Bears will inherit, runs through 2022 and has a base salary of more than $15 million for this season. Before long, Pace and Nagy will have to communicate their vision for their quarterback situation. It will be interesting to see when the team schedules those first public comments.
Leonard Floyd has agreed to a one-year deal with the Rams worth $10 million.
What it means: A day after the Bears released him, Floyd found a new home in Los Angeles, reuniting with first-year Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who was Floyd’s position coach with the Bears in 2017 and 2018. The Bears exercised the fifth-year option on Floyd’s rookie deal last year but wiggled out of it Tuesday, freeing themselves from a $13.2 million commitment. Now Floyd gets a one-season “prove-it deal” in Hollywood. The Bears, for what it’s worth, are scheduled to play the Rams in Los Angeles next season.
March 17
The Redskins are signing inside linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis to a one-year deal, NFL Network reported.
What it means: Pierre-Louis leaves the Bears after one season. He did a nice job filling in for most of four games after Roquan Smith was injured. He had 37 tackles, two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, three passes defended and an interception and also played on special teams. His play earned him a deal worth up to $3.45 million as he joins his fifth team for his seventh year in the league.
The Bears are signing edge rusher Robert Quinn to a five-year deal and releasing Leonard Floyd, NFL Network reported .
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What it means: The Bears get an upgrade at edge rusher with the swap. Quinn, who will turn 30 in May, joins the Bears and All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack for his 10th NFL season. He had 11 ½ sacks with the Cowboys in 2019, the second-most in his career behind the 19 he had in 2013 as an All-Pro. He also had 22 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and three passes defended. Quinn was a Rams first-round pick in 2011, and he spent his first seven seasons with the team before spending a year each with the Dolphins and Cowboys. He has 80 ½ sacks in his career. The deal, for $70 million with $30 million guaranteed, makes the Bears defensive front, with Mack and Akiem Hicks, even more formidable.
Floyd’s departure isn’t entirely surprising given he was owed $13.2 million in 2020. Floyd had a career-low three sacks in 2019. The Bears’ No. 9 overall draft pick in 2016 never quite lived up to the expectations for him. Bears general manager Ryan Pace has said multiple times he likes what Floyd provided in coverage and on run defense, but the Bears also noted his pass rushing production was not where they would like it to be. Floyd becomes Pace’s second first-round pick to leave, behind Kevin White.
Chase Daniel is headed to the Lions on a three-year deal, ESPN reported .
What it means: It was known the Bears likely weren’t going to bring Chase Daniel back for a third season as Mitch Trubisky’s backup, so he moves on to be the backup to Matthew Stafford.
Bears quarterback Chase Daniel sits on the bench before the first half against the Lions at Soldier Field on Nov. 10, 2019. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
The Lions will be his fifth team in 11 seasons, a remarkable career for someone who has made only five starts. For the Bears, Daniel was a veteran presence to help guide Trubisky through coach Matt Nagy’s offense, and he also served as a team leader and the Bears’ representative to the NFLPA. He also started three games, throwing six touchdown passes and four interceptions. His presence is valued enough that the Lions gave him a $13.05 million deal, which contains a voidable clause.
The Lions agreed to terms with defensive lineman Nick Williams on a two-year deal.
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Bears defensive tackle Nick Williams celebrates after sacking Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins at Soldier Field on Sept. 29, 2019. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
What it means: Nick Williams, 30, received his first significant pay day in the NFL after totaling six sacks last season when his playing time expanded because of injuries on the defensive line. Williams appeared in all 16 games with five starts and totaled 42 tackles. He’d made just 19 tackles with no sacks in 28 previous career games.
The Bears will hope to replace a chunk of Williams’ playing time (he was on the field for 49 percent of the snaps) with greater health. Akiem Hicks’ injury led to a lot of his playing time.
Can say thank you enough to the McCaskey family and the @ChicagoBears organization for giving me the opportunity. Thanks to my teammates and to the fans! Big Bear 97 Out ✌🏾 #OnePride 🦁 What’s good 😤 pic.twitter.com/9kVcmREelU — Nicholas Williams (@NickWilliams_98) March 17, 2020
The Lions are re-tooling their defensive front with coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn under pressure to break out of losing ways in Detroit and Williams is expected to be just one new piece along the defensive line, a familiar face the Bears will see twice a year. He reportedly will earn $10 million over the next two seasons. That’s not a bad deal for a guy that was on a minimum-salary benefit contract last year.
March 16
The Bears agreed to terms with veteran tight end Jimmy Graham on a two-year deal.
What it means: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bears will guarantee Jimmy Graham $9 million on a two-year deal that could be worth up to $16 million.
It’s a hefty price to pay for a 33-year-old veteran in the twilight of his career. But it also speaks to the Bears’ desperate need for production at tight end. Last season, six Bears tight ends combined for 46 catches, 416 yards and two touchdowns, woeful production for an offense that relies heavily on the tight end. Graham, in a 2019 season that could be characterized as ordinary at best, provided the Packers with 38 catches, 447 yards and three touchdowns.
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Bears GM Ryan Pace, of course, has familiarity with Graham from their days together with the Saints. From 2010 to 2014, Graham averaged 77 catches, 950 yards and 10 touchdowns and was selected to three Pro Bowls. That was a long time ago. And while it’s difficult to forecast how much Graham has left in his tank, he will be given every opportunity to be a major difference-maker in the Bears offense. His arrival also raises legitimate questions as to whether the Bears are ready to pull the plug on Trey Burton for 2020, even with $4 million of guaranteed money still owed.
The Raiders agreed to terms with former Bears linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski on a three-year deal.
What it means: The Bears say goodbye to their 2016 fourth-round pick, a player who served them well when they needed him during the 2019 season.
Kwiatkoski earned himself a solid new deal when he filled in for eight starts last year while veteran Danny Trevathan was injured, totaling 76 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, three sacks, four passes defended, a forced fumble and an interception. The Bears had to decide between trying to keep Kwiatkoski or Trevathan, and they went with the latter. Kwiatkoski’s deal is for $21 million with $13.5 million in guarantees, NFL Network reported.
March 13
The Bears tendered restricted free agent defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris .
Roy Robertson-Harris (95) goes after Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins for a sack in the second quarter t Soldier Field on Sept. 29, 2019. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
What it means: The tender is believed to be at the second-round level, making it unlikely another team will try to sign him. The Bears have the right of first refusal and would receive a second-round draft pick if they didn’t match another team’s contract offer. Robertson-Harris, who joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2016, had 30 tackles, 10 quarterback hits and 2 ½ sacks in his third season on the field.
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March 12
The Bears signed inside linebacker Danny Trevathan to a three-year contract extension, NFL Network reported.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fumbles the ball as Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan flips over in the third quarter at Soldier Field on Sept. 5, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
What it means: The Bears bring back a key piece of their defense on and off the field. The eight-year NFL veteran, who turns 30 later this month, had 70 tackles, two for a loss, four quarterback hits, a sack and a forced fumble over nine games in his fourth season with the Bears. He sat out the remainder of the year with an elbow injury. He will team up with Roquan Smith for a third season. His return, on a deal that could be worth $24 million, could signal the departure of inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski to another team in free agency.
Feb. 21
The Bears released cornerback Prince Amukamara and wide receiver Taylor Gabriel.
Bears wide receiver Taylor Gabriel signs autographs on Nov. 24, 2019 at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
What it means: The Bears cleared $13.5 million in salary cap space when they cut the veterans. But they now must find a starting cornerback to pair with Kyle Fuller and a speedy, deep-threat wide receiver to replace Taylor Gabriel.
Prince Amukamara, 30, started 44 games over three seasons with the Bears. He had three interceptions and a touchdown, all in 2018, along with 29 passes defended over three years. Gabriel, 29, had 96 catches for 1,041 yards over two seasons with the Bears. He was limited to nine games in 2019 as he dealt with two concussions. The Bears very likely will add to both rooms in the offseason. But cornerbacks Kevin Toliver and Tre Roberson and wide receivers Javon Wims and Riley Ridley are among the current players who could compete for playing time after the roster moves.
Feb. 20
The Bears signed veteran tight end Demetrius Harris to a one-year contract.
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Browns tight end Demetrius Harris tries for a catch in front of Steelers strong safety Terrell Edmunds (34) during the second half on Dec. 1, 2019. (Don Wright/AP)
What it means: Demetrius Harris, 28, joins the Bears to potentially fill a role as their “Y” blocking tight end. He spent his first five NFL seasons with the Chiefs in Kansas City when Bears coach Matt Nagy was a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator there. He had 57 catches for 605 yards and six touchdowns with the Chiefs. The Browns released him in February after one season in which he had 15 catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns. The addition of Harris is likely the first of several moves to rebuild the Bears tight ends room this offseason.
Jan. 29
The Bears signed CFL cornerback Tre Roberson to a two-year contract.
Calgary's Tre Roberson celebrates an interception against Ottawa during the second half of the Grey Cup at Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 25, 2018. (Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)
What it means: Tre Roberson, 27, picked the Bears from nine NFL contract offers after he had an All-Star season with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders in 2019. The former Indiana and Illinois State quarterback, who spent time with the Vikings on their practice squad in 2016 and in training camp in 2017, had seven interceptions and two touchdowns in his second season in the CFL. The 6-foot, 190-pound Roberson provides needed depth at cornerback in a room that includes Kyle Fuller, Buster Skrine and Kevin Toliver.


chicagotribune--2020-04-16--Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu’s dad says his son is ‘98% or 99%’ committed to remaining in the NBA draft

“ From grade school to high school to college , he ’ s a winner , ” Quam Dosunmu said @ @ @ @ @ his work ethic .
It ’ s off the charts .
He ’ s worked @ @ @ @ @ that comes from repetitions .
If you can improve your body in two years , @ @ @ @ @ winning , that 3-point shot will come .
That ’ s not a concern .
@ @ @ @ @ had nine game-winning shots .
So that ’ s not the case .
He can @ @ @ @ @

Ayo Dosunmu did not only have to factor in his readiness to take the leap of declaring for the NBA draft. The Illinois sophomore also considered how the coronavirus pandemic could affect his athletic career.
“You never know,” Dosunmu’s dad, Quam, told the Tribune in a phone interview Thursday, a day after Dosunmu announced his decision to forgo his college eligibility. “You have to at least be prepared (when) the opportunity comes. We weren’t taking that away.”
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Dosunmu thinks he’s ready.
His dad said he is "98% or 99%” committed to remaining in the draft. That sliver of a chance of returning to Illinois would be left open, he said, if the family hears Dosunmu would go undrafted or if an unforeseen development forces the NBA to cancel everything through next season.
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“Worst-case scenarios,” Quam said.
Dosunmu, who graduated from Morgan Park, enters the draft during a time of uncertainty. He can receive feedback from NBA teams and return to Illinois if he withdraws before the NCAA’s June 3 deadline for maintaining eligibility.
But when will those feedback periods take place? Will there even be one before the draft?
The NBA suspended its season March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combine (May 21-24) and draft (June 25) are in question as many states have enacted shelter-in-place orders.
Currently teams are prohibited from conducting in-person workouts, interviews or medical examinations with prospective draftees. They’re limited to four hours of virtual interview time with each player.
NBA teams have encouraged the league to postpone the 2020 draft until at earliest Aug. 1, according to ESPN. Would the NCAA push back its date for players to return and retain their eligibility in that scenario?
Dosunmu’s stock varies in mock drafts, from a first-round pick (NBC Sports) to undrafted.
Most questions about his game surround his jump shot.
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His shooting percentage as a sophomore rose from 43.5% to 48.4%, but his 3-point shooting dropped from 35.2% to 29.6%. He led the Illini with 16.6 points and 3.3 assists this season, hitting multiple winning shots and leading Illinois to its best record (21-10 overall, 13-7 Big Ten) in a decade.
Coach Brad Underwood released a statement Thursday, praising Dosunmu for his achievements.
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“Ayo is part of the foundation of this program,” the statement read. “We’ll forever be grateful to him for sharing in our vision as a high school recruit and the contributions he’s made over the last two years to lead Illinois basketball back to national prominence. Ayo epitomizes our culture with his work ethic and the way he handles himself on and off the court. ... Ayo Dosunmu is forever a proud Fighting Illini.”
Dosunmu has said his decision to leave Illinois early was based on accomplishing team goals. Illinois was set to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 before the postseason was canceled.
“From grade school to high school to college, he’s a winner,” Quam Dosunmu said. “You look at his work ethic. It’s off the charts. He’s worked on body. Shooting, that comes from repetitions. If you can improve your body in two years, if he can improve on winning, that 3-point shot will come. That’s not a concern. Can he shoot? He had nine game-winning shots. So that’s not the case. He can get it done.”
Dosunmu won’t hire an agent until the families know more certainly about a draft date, Quam Dosunmu said.
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Dosunmu is working out at home, using the family hoop to get in shots. Quam Dosunmu jokes about his 20-year-old son eating so much food.
Ayo is prepared to move on — and might just surprise some people, he said.
“When the combine (takes place), people are going to be like, ‘Wow,’” Quam said. “He’s going to take things to another level.”


chicagotribune--2020-04-16--3 things we learned from James Wade as the Chicago Sky prepare for the WNBA draft, including Gabby W

3 things we learned from James Wade as the Chicago Sky prepare for the WNBA draft, including Gabby Williams’ shooting makeover and the real reason for the Katie Lou Samuelson trade

“ I think after November , she was shooting 40 % from the 3 on like five attempts per game @ @ @ @ @ “ That ’ s nothing that people would think that they would see .
But @ @ @ @ @ is now and that ’ s what we want her to do when she gets @ @ @ @ @ be comfortable and play in that type of role .
”

There are worse places to spend in quarantine than in the South of France.
Chicago Sky coach and general manager James Wade has spent the past three weeks with his family in in the Montpellier area, where his wife, Edwige Lawson-Wade, is director of basketball operations for the BLMA club, and where he’s prepping for Friday’s WNBA draft.
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“You can only be out for certain things like to go to the grocery store, to go to the pharmacy. You have an hour that you can go out of your house to exercise but it can’t be more than 1 kilometer from your house,” Wade said about the country’s coronavirus lockdown. “It’s OK because you’re actually participating in making the world better.”
Incidentally, Sky forward Gabby Williams, who also plays for BLMA, lives about 10 minutes away from Wade, but because of social distancing they’ve communicated only through text.
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Wade spoke to the Tribune about Williams’ development playing in Europe and several other aspects of the Sky’s offseason and draft preparation. Here are three observations.
1. Gabby Williams has been working with a shooting coach.
In overseas play, Gabby Williams had two 25-point games and averaged about 16 points and 34% shooting from 3-point range in the French league (14.6 points and about 23% in the Euroleague), according to Eurobasket.com.
She has averaged 6.5 points and about 21% from 3 in two seasons with the Sky.
“We had a plan for her when she came to play for my wife’s team, that we would get her a shooting coach, and somebody that would work her all year long and kind of work with her on different things as far as developing her guard skills,” James Wade said. “She was able to do that this year and she had a fantastic year.
“I think after November, she was shooting 40% from the 3 on like five attempts per game,” he said. “That’s nothing that people would think that they would see. But that’s who she is now and that’s what we want her to do when she gets back to Chicago, is be comfortable and play in that type of role.”
Last season, Williams filled in admirably as a backup to point guard Courtney Vandersloot, but that’s not her game.
Sky guard Katie Lou Samuelson attempts a shot during warmups at the Mohegan Sun Arena on July, 30, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Brad Horrigan/The Hartford Courant)
Reserve Jamierra Faulkner, who has a long history of knee problems, was limited to 13 games last season and announced in February that she had offseason knee surgery that would keep her out the rest of the year. Around the same time, the Sky signed former Aces guard Sydney Colson.
“We’re going to use (Williams) more on the wing this year and that’s why we brought in Sydney Colson,” said Wade, adding about Williams, “I just want her to be her.”
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2. James Wade has no regrets about trading Katie Lou Samuelson for Azura Stevens — and it’s not for the reasons you’re thinking.
Last season as a rookie, Katie Lou Samuelson played in 20 games and averaged 7.6 minutes and 2.4 points.
Samuelson’s mother, Karen, has criticized Wade’s handling of her daughter’s minutes and development, and made an unfavorable comparison to her legendary college coach, Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, via Twitter: “FYI Lou earned her time under the greatest toughest coach by understanding, adapting, learning from the best. Can’t learn if No communication just BS.”
FYI Lou earned her time under the greatest toughest coach by understanding, adapting, learning from the best. Can’t learn if No communication just BS — Mother Jones (@Motherjones38) August 5, 2019
In February, Wade traded Samuelson and a 2021 first-round draft pick to the Wings for Stevens.
“It really wasn’t a thing,” Wade said about any discord with the Samuelson family. “It wasn’t Katie Lou. If we didn’t change the CBA, our team stays the same.”
Astou Ndour was no guarantee to make the roster last season, but with Wade’s help she elevated her game to a career best 49.2% shooting and likely max-contract value. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, which includes a 30% salary cap increase, Ndour would’ve priced out of the Sky’s range, leaving Wade little choice but to ship her to the Wings for a 2021 first-round draft pick.
Giving Ndour a max contract would’ve strained the coffers when it came time to sign Diamond DeShields, Allie Quigley (who re-signed this year), Gabby Williams, Cheyenne Parker and others in the long-term plans, Wade said.
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“The fact that Astou left, we had a big hole that we couldn’t fill and we needed to fill it with an All-Star potential player, especially one that was on a rookie-scale contract,” said Wade, referring to Stevens’ entry-level status.
“Now, it’s evident that if we’re going to give (up) something, we’re not going to give our All-Stars — just not going to happen. … Katie Lou was in a situation where she wanted to play, she felt like she needed to play. We felt like she was going to play a little bit but it still was going to be a developing year for her.
“She didn’t ask to be traded. I actually turned down a lot of offers for her. But when this offer presented itself, it became more and more evident that Katie Lou was the one player that (Dallas) really wanted, that they really admired. … Once it went that way, I had to pull the trigger.”
ESPN basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli acknowledged that Samuelson’s limitations may have made her a poor fit for Wade’s fast-paced system.
“There’s no question she’s a great shooter (but) she needs somebody to help set her get up for shots in the WNBA,” Antonelli said. “Now, she could create some of them on her own at UConn, but it’s different at this level because athleticism is such a premium in this league.”
3. James Wade is putting high hopes on Azura Stevens.
Stevens made the 2018 rookie team but played in only nine games last year before sustaining a season-ending foot injury.
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However, Wade has seen enough of her game that he’s brimming with confidence.
This photo provided by Edwidge Lawson-Wade shows Chicago Sky WNBA basketball head coach James Wade at his home in Montpellier, France, Friday, April 10, 2020. (Edwidge Lawson-Wade / AP)
“I can talk about her a lot. You have a 6-foot-6 athletic unicorn that was so skilled as a Dallas player on the wing,” he said. “Her natural position is a four that can exploit fours with her quickness and her speed and her length.”
As much as Wade cherishes Ndour’s one-year transformation, he believes Stevens has more upside. “I think she has All-Star potential.”
“She can handle the ball for somebody 6-6, she can defend the post, she can defend guards on pick-and-rolls, she has long arms, she’s a good finisher, she has a good 3-ball,” Wade said. “She has the skill set of Astou but with a handle, and that’s something that’s rare in this league, especially somebody that’s standing 6-6. You just don’t get that.”
ESPN commentator Debbie Antonelli “100%” agrees with Wade.
“I don’t even know if he can get somebody in the draft better than Azura, because I don’t think she’s a project,” said Antonelli, who has watched Stevens since she played for Antonelli’s alma mater, Cary High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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“I think she would be another one that would follow along with what Candace Parker’s doing, with what (Elena) Delle Donne’s doing," Antonelli said.
Parker and Donne are both bigs with strong perimeter games. “Absolutely, that would be what I would see her game growing towards," Antonelli said. "I think that’s a great trade, a good move by their franchise. She can shoot the 3.
“I look at (the Sky’s) roster, I don’t see where they have a project. I see players ready to go.”


chicagotribune--2020-04-18--Suburban schools prepare for cancellation of spring sports: ‘I’m filled with sadness.’

Atwood said Loyola ’ s summer camps might depend on whether the school hosts in-person or online classes for summer @ @ @ @ @ fewer days to schedule camps , that might cause problems scheduling facilities for all programs @ @ @ @ @ she hopes the IHSA will allow contact days between coaches and athletes in August if @ @ @ @ @ because of the pandemic .

High school stadiums almost certainly will remain empty for the rest of the 2019-20 school year after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that school campuses would remain closed on Friday, April 17, 2020. (Barrington District photo / HANDOUT)
Suburban athletic directors were planning to finish the school year without spring sports, and even summer camps were far from certain after Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday that school campuses would remain closed to students through the end of the academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The IHSA followed up with an official announcement Tuesday: spring sports are officially canceled. The organization left open the slim possibility for some semblance of organized sports later this summer, but those only would be for “closure,” and only if public health conditions permit. There will be no spring sports state tournaments.
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“We support the decision by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education, and given the logistics, we simply felt we could not conduct state tournaments that meet the expectations of our member schools this spring, ” IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a statement. “As disappointing as it may be for students, it is the right decision for their health and safety, as well as for the health and safety of the general public, as we cope with this unprecedented pandemic.”
Heading into the weekend, suburban athletic directors expressed their disappointment on behalf of their students, especially the seniors. Stevenson athletic director Trish Betthauser said some teams’ spring seasons had already begun before the governor closed schools on March 13.
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“It’s really tough for seniors and teams with hopes for a special year,” Betthauser said. “I feel for all of them. I’m filled with sadness.”
Betthauser said she scheduled a meeting with her coaches less than 30 minutes after the governor’s announcement to discuss how to continue mentoring athletes during an extended time of online learning.
“Our softball coach is holding clinics on Zoom,” Betthauser said. “It’s useful for returning players next year. It will be useful for the seniors if they have children of their own they’ll coach one day.”
Loyola athletic director Genevieve Atwood said she feels badly for the 900 spring athletes among the school’s more than 2,000 students, but the lessons they are learning now go beyond the athletic field.
“This is about what’s good for the entire community,” Atwood said. “The students are a part of this. We’re all in this together. This is a small part of controlling a larger problem.”
Barrington athletic director Mike Obsuszt said athletics and coaching are about dealing with adversity. The pandemic is an opportunity to show what the Broncos and Fillies have learned.
“This is all part of a learning experience,” Obsuszt said. “The students look to their coach as a leader, and the coach will help lead them through this process.”
The changes are not limited to the spring season: the IHSA also canceled summer contact days, unless the state clears the way for public gatherings by then.
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Heading into the weekend, Atwood and Hinsdale Central athletic director Dan Jones also questioned whether summer camps and fall sports would be affected.
“We’re going to hope for the best and plan for the worst,” Atwood and Jones said in separate interviews.
Several athletic directors said they cannot finalize plans for summer camps until they hear more from Pritzker and local government and public health officials. For now, they are developing contingency plans.
Atwood said Loyola’s summer camps might depend on whether the school hosts in-person or online classes for summer school. If there are fewer days to schedule camps, that might cause problems scheduling facilities for all programs to use. She said she hopes the IHSA will allow contact days between coaches and athletes in August if camps get a late start because of the pandemic.
Jones said social distancing measures could have athletic ramifications well past the summer.
“We’re looking at summer camps and getting ready for fall, if there is going to be a fall season,” Jones said.
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When asked about the possibility of playing games in empty stadiums, Jones said, “We’ll do what the state says is safe for us to do.”
Pritzker emphasized safety when announcing his decision Friday. He said if schools reopened too soon, about 2 million students could be at risk for contracting the disease and taking it home to others.
Atwood, Betthauser, Jones and Obsuszt said athletes will receive their varsity letters or other recognitions for participating in their spring sports, even though no contests will take place. Any award ceremony will likely have to wait at least until the summer.
After Pritzker’s announcement, many schools continued the tradition of turning on stadium lights Friday night to show support for medical workers. This time, the gesture was especially poignant for the senior athletes who will not have the chance to compete again in high school.
“I’m sure our athletes still had a somber feeling from the governor’s announcement earlier in the day,” Obsuszt said. “Like many other schools, we simply wanted to ‘Shine the Light’ and thank our healthcare workers and first responders. We wanted our students to know we miss them.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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Twitter @Pioneer_Press


chicagotribune--2020-04-18--Watch live: President Trump and members of the coronavirus task force hold a press briefing

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chicagotribune--2020-04-18--3 wounded in shootings Saturday morning in Gage Park and Humboldt Park neighborhoods

One of the victims , 30 , suffered a wound to the right thigh , and the other man , @ @ @ @ @ times in the chest and abdomen .
The younger man was in good condition , @ @ @ @ @ listed in serious condition at Stroger Hospital .

Three men were wounded Saturday morning in shootings in the Gage Park and Humboldt Park neighborhoods, Chicago police said.
The latest shootings happened shortly after 9 a.m. in the 800 block of Homan Avenue. Officers responding to ShotSpotter technology found two gunshot victims at the scene. The victims told police they were standing in an empty lot when two people exited a black vehicle in the alley fired shots in their direction.
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One of the victims, 30, suffered a wound to the right thigh, and the other man, 41, was shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen. The younger man was in good condition, and the other man was listed in serious condition at Stroger Hospital.
Shortly before 7 a.m., a 24-year-old man was shot in the 5400 block of South Rockwell Street. He was uncooperative with police, but was shot in the shoulder and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was listed in fair condition, police said.
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No one was in custody, and detectives were investigating.


chicagotribune--2020-04-18--Retracing John Paxson’s complicated 35 years with the Bulls as the organization charts a new course

Retracing John Paxson’s complicated 35 years with the Bulls as the organization charts a new course for the future

And then there were the embarrassing incidents for the franchise .
Forman , who was fired as general manager on @ @ @ @ @ reassigned , reportedly set up spies throughout the organization at one point .
Butler ’ @ @ @ @ @ , once said he had met drug dealers with better morals than Forman .
Thibodeau @ @ @ @ @ press release .
After the hiring of Fred Hoiberg , the locker room became dysfunctional @ @ @ @ @ in Butler and Wade as the target of an Instagram post from Rajon Rondo .
@ @ @ @ @ in his hand after punching Nikola Mirotic during practice .
A crowd at Navy Pier @ @ @ @ @ 2020 hijacked a segment on ESPN with chants to “ Fire GarPax . ''

Bulls GM Gar Forman, vice president John Paxson and head coach Jim Boylen are seen at Bulls media day at the Advocate Center on Sept. 30, 2019. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
John Paxson’s tenure as the Bulls top basketball executive — a 17-year stretch that included the post-Jordan era, Derrick Rose renaissance and this recent stagnant stage — came to an end this week.
The Bulls gave Arturas Karnisovas Paxson’s old title of vice president of basketball operations. And although Paxson will remain in the organization, he will move into a new role as senior adviser. Consider him a resource for Karnisovas when needed but someone who ultimately will fade to the background.
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“When I came here in 1985, I never imagined what the Chicago Bulls would mean to me more than 35 years later,” Paxson said in a statement. “While I’m in a new role and a new phase in my life, what won’t ever change is my commitment to the Bulls and appreciation to Jerry and Michael (Reinsdorf) for the incredible opportunities I’ve been afforded.
“I’ve had the rare opportunity to see this team as a player, broadcaster and executive, and at every turn I’ve been fortunate to experience what makes this organization so special.”
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Paxson will not be involved in the Bulls’ day-to-day decision making for the first time since 2003, which made him the third-longest-tenured top executive in the NBA, behind only Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley. Paxson also started a month before Danny Ainge. The trio of Popovich, Riley and Ainge all have championships on their resumes as executives.
Paxson’s Bulls tenure had a few highs despite the sour taste it left in the mouths of Bulls fans. In Paxson’s 17 seasons, the Bulls missed the playoffs six times, were eliminated in the first round seven times and made one trip to the conference finals. They finished 684-677 (.502) during his tenure, including the first 65 games this season before play was suspended.
As the Bulls embark on a new era and Paxson takes on a new title, here’s a look back at his career with the team.
1. ‘John Paxson is my kind of people.’
After the Spurs drafted Paxson and he spend the first two seasons of his career in San Antonio, the Bulls signed him as a free agent in 1985. Then-Bulls general manager Jerry Krause descried Paxson as a good defender, shooter and passer. The Bulls looked at Paxson as a backup and perimeter shooter to help a team led by a young Michael Jordan. Krause did his homework with Paxson, however, inquiring with people who knew him at Notre Dame.
Jerry Krause watches as John Paxson announces his retirement as a Bulls player. (MICHAEL MEINHARDT, Chicago Tribune)
''It required a lot of patience,” Krause said. “But I know John Paxson is my kind of people.”
It wound up being a telling statement from the man Paxson would eventually replace as Bulls general manager and started a Bulls marriage still alive three decades later. Paxson would spend the next nine seasons playing for the Bulls, appearing in 645 games as a part of the first three-peat. He knocked down all eight of his 3-pointers in the clinching Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals and hit the game-winning 3 with 3.9 seconds remaining in the clinching Game 6 of the 1993 Finals. Those moments would endear him to Bulls fans for years.
2. He climbs the ranks in the Bulls organization.
Paxson battled injuries during his final season and retired in 1994 but remained in the organization, joining Phil Jackson as an assistant coach. He helped guide the Bulls during a memorable 72-10 season that culminated in the 1996 championship. But Paxson wanted to spend more time with his family and retired from coaching after that season. He spent the next seven years in the broadcast booth as a commentator for the Bulls on TV and radio. Paxson turned down the opportunity to coach the Wizards under part-owner/President Michael Jordan.
But when Krause began signaling that he wanted to retire because of health reasons, Paxson was on the Bulls’ short list to take over, even though he did not have management experience.
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“Just having talked to him over the years and also listening to him when he was doing the radio, I knew that he really understood the game and how it should be played,” Jerry Reinsdorf told the Tribune in 2014. “He had great insight into the game. I knew he’d be a very good talent evaluator. And I knew he had the personality to get along with people.”
It further underscores why the Bulls’ hiring of Karnisovas was significant as the first time the Reinsdorf family has gone with an outside hire.
3. His general manager takeover and roster flip.
Paxson arrived as Bulls general manager and almost immediately began turning over the roster. He handed out T-shirts on the first day of training camp that read “No excuses.” He began the turnover when he fired his former teammate Bill Cartwright as coach in November 2003 and hired Scott Skiles.
Paxson built a roster centered around Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich along with players he inherited, such as Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. “The Baby Bulls” became yearly playoff contenders, advancing to the postseason the next three years in a row. While that team was fun and helped revive the franchise, it won only one playoff series during that span.
Overall No. 1 pick Derrick Rose meets with reporters along with Bulls general manager John Paxson in 2008. (Charles Cherney, Chicago Tribune)
At this point, fans started to criticize Paxson for his reluctance to trade for a star player, a criticism that would define his tenure as general manager. Paxson has maintained that it was difficult to attract free agents and convince stars to play with the Bulls because of the pressure of following in Michael Jordan’s footsteps.
The Bulls missed the playoffs after the 2007-08 season, but a fortunate bounce of lottery luck turned a 1.7% chance into No.1 pick Derrick Rose.
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4. John Paxson nearly quits as Bulls GM.
In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline in 2009, it seemed as if Paxson’s time running the Bulls was coming to an end. Speculation swirled for weeks that Paxson’s step-down from his position as general manager was imminent.
It was Derrick Rose’s first season, and the Bulls were stumbling yet again. Fan criticism reached such a fever pitch that Paxson was booed during a halftime ceremony honoring former coach Johnny “Red” Kerr. Instead, Paxson had an active trade deadline with three moves, albeit all minor, before announcing that he would not resign.
Through it all, he still had the confidence of Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.
“If there's one person that is not responsible for what's going on right now, it's John Paxson," Reinsdorf said in an interview with Comcast SportsNet. "I have tremendous confidence in John Paxson."
That confidence never wavered. The Bulls were so confident in Paxson that he had to convince ownership it needed a change. In December, with the Bulls scuffling and falling short of their preseason expectation, Paxson came to COO Michael Reinsdorf and his father.
“It was kind of at this point that John indicated to my dad and me that he was no longer the right person to lead the Chicago Bulls,” Michael Reinsdorf said during a conference call with reporters Monday. “And that’s really the kind of person John is. I’ve always said that, I said when the time came to make a change, John would be the one to let us know, and that is indeed what ended up happening.”
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If that is truly how it played out, it’s worth wondering whether the Bulls would have arrived at this decision on their own.
5. GarPax becomes infamous.
John Paxson was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 2009 and Gar Forman was named general manager.
Paxson wanted a better work-life balance and apparently did not enjoy parts of the general manager job, especially working with the media and agents. In 2010 he infamously got into an altercation with Vinny Del Negro, grabbing his coach by the tie in an argument over a minutes limit for Joakim Noah. Paxson also grew more combative with the media as the years went on and the criticism grew.
Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman sit together before the Bulls play the Bobcats in 2013. (Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune)
The so-called “GarPax” era was born officially in 2009, and together they built the Bulls’ most successful team since Jordan’s retirement. Rose was the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011 and Thibodeau was one of the most respected coaches in the league. The Bulls were set up to challenge Lebron James for control of the Eastern Conference for years before it was all derailed by Rose’s injuries. Paxson would refer to that fact almost ad nauseam in the years after Rose’s decline.
Still, Paxson and Forman had their share of draft hits — Rose, Noah, Jimmy Butler, Deng, Taj Gibson — to outweigh the misses — Tyrus Thomas, Doug McDermott, Marquis Teague — even when combined with some puzzling free-agent moves — signing Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo — and other free-agent swings that did not work out as expected — signing Ben Wallace and Carlos Boozer.
And then there were the embarrassing incidents for the franchise. Forman, who was fired as general manager on the same day Paxson was reassigned, reportedly set up spies throughout the organization at one point. Butler’s then-trainer, Travelle Gaines, once said he had met drug dealers with better morals than Forman. Thibodeau was fired with a petulant press release. After the hiring of Fred Hoiberg, the locker room became dysfunctional — with incidents that resulted in Butler and Wade as the target of an Instagram post from Rajon Rondo. Bobby Portis also broke bones in his hand after punching Nikola Mirotic during practice. A crowd at Navy Pier during All-Star Weekend in February 2020 hijacked a segment on ESPN with chants to “Fire GarPax."
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Rose’s injuries were a franchise-altering setback, but the Bulls still found themselves with a superstar on the roster ready to replace him in Butler. Yet they never committed to building a team around him. Butler ended up bouncing from Chicago to Minnesota to Philadelphia before landing in Miami, but the Heat built their roster around Butler’s strengths and embraced his mentality and were the No.4 seed in the Eastern Conference when play this season was suspended.
The Bulls, meanwhile, have not made the playoffs since trading Butler during the 2017 draft, shipping him to the Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the right to move up in the draft to pick Lauri Markkanen.
6. The Bulls rebuild and Paxson’s transition to a new role.
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That’s where the Bulls find themselves currently, mired in a rebuild that has become stagnant.
They were on track to miss the playoffs for the third straight year. With back-to-back No. 7 selections, they drafted Wendell Carter Jr. and Coby White the last two seasons and have managed to build a collection of young talent that seems promising but has struggled to win.
The Bulls started the season hoping for a return to the playoffs but were one of the most disappointing teams in the league, ending the season 21 games below .500 when play was halted because of the coronavirus. This injury-wrecked season finally led the Bulls to deciding to change their infrastructure.
Although it is unclear just how much influence Paxson will have as senior adviser, and a portion of the fan base remains skeptical, Paxson never has been known for meddling. If he truly is the one who set the Bulls in motion toward hiring Karnisovas, then he likely will be happy to fade into the background. Karnisovas made it clear during his introductory conference call that he viewed Paxson as a potential asset.
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“John has a great reputation around the league and has been with the organization for a number of years and can be an asset of information,” Karnisovas said. “He’s been gracious in welcoming me. I’ve appreciated his candor, and he has great love for the Bulls and the city of Chicago. So I see him now as an asset and could be a huge help while I’m making this transition.’’
Added Paxson in his statement Monday: “I’ve always tried to do what was best for our organization and put our team in position to succeed and ultimately compete. I know Arturas will do the same. He brings the kind of talent, experience and commitment to collaboration that will allow him to succeed in his new role.
"I truly believe this is a great opportunity for the Bulls organization and that there are bright days ahead.”


chicagotribune--2020-04-17--NBA face masks with team logos on sale for charity

The NBA will donate all proceeds from the sales of the face coverings to Feeding America in the United States @ @ @ @ @ .

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 31 The NBA will donate all proceeds from the sales of the face coverings to Feeding America in the United States and Second Harvest in Canada. Masks are available for purchase here. Tribune Publishing may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. (NBA/Photo Illustration)
The NBA will donate all proceeds from the sales of the face coverings to Feeding America in the United States and Second Harvest in Canada. Masks are available for purchase here. Tribune Publishing may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.


chicagotribune--2020-04-15--Storied Chicago defense lawyer Edward Genson combined street smarts with a brilliant legal mind

There ’ s the one where Genson loudly cracked his cane over the defense table to startle a sleepy courtroom @ @ @ @ @ a government mole ; that time he tapped a prosecutor on the back and whispered @ @ @ @ @ to object to a question he was about to ask ; even a tale of @ @ @ @ @ box in the middle of a trial just for dramatic effect .

Defense attorney Edward Genson arrives at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building in Chicago for the third day of R. Kelly's child pornography trial on May 13, 2008. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune)
Ask anyone in Chicago’s legal community about longtime criminal defense attorney Eddie Genson and they invariably have a story — or three — to tell.
There’s the one where Genson loudly cracked his cane over the defense table to startle a sleepy courtroom during his six-day cross-examination of a government mole; that time he tapped a prosecutor on the back and whispered to “get ready” to object to a question he was about to ask; even a tale of Genson hopping into the jury box in the middle of a trial just for dramatic effect.
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Over the years, Genson was said to have narrowly escaped a mob hit on his own client, disarmed a man he represented who’d taken a hostage in a store, and planted a woman and children unrelated to a defendant in the front row of the courtroom, imploring the jury during his closing argument to “Send this man home to his family!”
Genson, whose five-decade legal career ended in 2017 after he was diagnosed with bile duct cancer, died Tuesday. He was 78.
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A lifelong resident of the Chicago area, Genson lived in Deerfield with his wife, Susan. They have three children and five grandchildren. His law partner, Vadim Glozman, told the Tribune that Genson’s family was mourning his loss and did not wish to comment.
Known as one of Chicago’s old guard of criminal defense attorneys, Genson for decades played a pivotal role in just about every big investigation in town, serving as the go-to lawyer for an array of judges, politicians, wiseguys and celebrities who found themselves at the wrong end of an indictment and needed a bulldog to fight their case in court.
“Eddie was really one of a kind,” said Marc Martin, a Cook County judge who spent the first 28 years of his legal career working with Genson. “He helped people from all walks of life. He had a tremendous ability to empathize with individuals. It didn’t matter if they were an English lord or someone of lesser means. He became their advocate.”
Raised in the Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, Genson’s inherent street smarts combined with a brilliant legal mind made for a formidable combination in court.
He often used a motorized scooter to get around due to a neurological condition that made it painful for him to walk. But those who knew him — which was almost everybody — knew not to underestimate him.
Jeffrey Cramer, a former federal prosecutor who sparred with Genson on several big cases, said Genson would drop the jaws of even seasoned litigators with his cross-examinations, which often drilled down to the most minute detail.
In the 2005 trial of Bruno Mancari on a gun possession charge, Cramer said, Genson cross-examined a Chicago police officer for more than an hour and a half over a one-page arrest report.
“That’s all Eddie had with him, that one page,” said Cramer, now a consultant with Berkeley Research Group. “No notebooks, nothing else. Just one piece of paper. In a normal attorney’s hands, this is a 15-minute cross. Eddie did an hour and a half. It was like time stopped.”
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Among Genson’s earthy roster of clients was Pat Marcy, the legendary political boss and reputed “made” member of the Chicago Outfit who helped run the old mobbed-up First Ward. Genson said in a 2005 profile in Chicago magazine that he found Marcy “fascinating as hell.”
Genson represented a string of clients — including Marcy — swept up in a pair of massive investigations beginning in the 1980s known as Operation Greylord and Operation Gambat, which targeted judicial corruption as well as the once-ironclad nexus between business, politics and the Chicago mob.
He also represented media mogul Conrad Black, whose first appearance to face charges at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse caused such a media frenzy that Genson had to beat back reporters with his cane to keep from being knocked off his scooter.
In 2008, Genson was briefly hired by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich and represented him during impeachment hearings in the General Assembly. Genson soon quit the case, however, later declaring that Blagojevich wouldn’t listen to his legal advice.
“A big part of Chicago history walked through his office,” Glozman said.
Glozman, who began working with Genson in 2012, said Genson was a gifted litigator with a theatrical courtroom style that could swing from charming to intimidating.
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“Eddie was part of an old era of defense attorneys in Chicago that has all but disappeared,” Glozman said. “He could look at a set of facts that everyone else just took as the truth and see something totally different about it.”
Genson also lived for the action of a trial and rarely took on clients who were looking to cut a deal. Prosecutors knew that when Genson signed on to a case, it was most likely going to a jury.
“You’re not gong to intimidate Eddie Genson by saying, ‘I got your guy cold so you better not go to trial,’" Cramer said.
Raised on Chicago’s West Side, Genson was the son of a bail bondsman and spent his early childhood hanging around the city’s dingy police station courthouses, selling pastries, reading court transcripts and soaking up knowledge.
He earned his law degree from Northwestern University in 1965 and opened a law office at the famed Monadnock Building across the street from federal plaza. Over the years, he teamed up with a vanguard of powerhouse attorneys, including Sam Adam Sr., R. Eugene Pincham and Terence Gillespie, trying one big case after another.
Though he could be a bear in court, Genson was affable and approachable otherwise, often stopping to chat or exchange wisecracks with anyone who sought his counsel, his friends and colleagues say.
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“It was impossible to go to a courthouse with Eddie and get out in less than two hours,” Glozman said. “Everybody wanted to stop to talk to him — lawyers, judges, deputies, court clerks, you name it.”
Like any defense lawyer, Genson lost his share of cases. But his victories stood out as well, particularly those in federal court, where the conviction rate typically stands at more than 90%.
“It’s hard to win acquittals in that building, but Eddie won more than his share,” said veteran defense attorney Ted Poulos.
In 2008, Genson and a team of defense attorneys won perhaps his highest-profile acquittal — albeit in Cook County Criminal Court — convincing a jury to find R&B superstar R. Kelly not guilty on all counts alleging he had sex with an underage girl, even though the alleged encounter was captured on videotape.
With Kelly at the height of his fame, the trial brought worldwide attention to Chicago, and Genson basked in it. During one particularly contentious cross-examination, Genson suggested that a prosecution witness, Stephanie “Sparkle” Edwards, was out for Kelly’s money. After Edwards called Genson “Sweetie,” he whirled around dramatically and yelled, “I am not your sweetie!”
Martin said that while moments like that garnered headlines for Genson, it was the meticulous work he put into each trial that won the day. In the Kelly case, for example, Genson spent months preparing for the cross-examination of the prosecution’s video expert — a crucial element of the case. And when he got the expert on the stand, Genson picked him apart.
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Years earlier, Genson took on a client in a complex case involving commodity trading, a business Genson knew nothing about. Martin said Genson set about learning the ropes and by the time the case went to trial, “he knew more about how it worked than the traders did.”
“Nobody knew a file like Eddie did," Martin said. “It was just tremendous preparation. He would spend hours and days and weeks preparing a cross-examination ... and then he had an ability to improvise in the courtroom based on what kind of answers he was getting.”
Genson also saw things in a case that no one else could — which sometimes led to some novel defenses.
In the 1999 ghost-payrolling trial of former state Rep. and Chicago Ald. Miguel Santiago, Genson decided to attack the case by claiming thousands of dollars in payments Santiago allegedly received as a do-nothing consultant to the treasurer’s office was actually legal lobbying activity.
Martin said he and some of the other lawyers on the case were skeptical of the tactic. But there was a kernel of truth to it that Genson was able to convey to the jury, Martin said. And the result?
“Eddie won,” he said.
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jmeisner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-04-19--Core aeration is a key way to keep lawns looking healthy

The best time to aerate cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass , which makes up most Chicago-area lawns , is in @ @ @ @ @ the grasses are actively growing .
Weather conditions are different from year to year , @ @ @ @ @ September and October are generally good months to schedule aeration .
I prefer the spring @ @ @ @ @ although aerating twice a year can be beneficial for lawns that are heavily used .

Power raking can be beneficial for lawns that have excess thatch buildup, but combining core aeration with proper watering, mowing and fertilizing practices will help keep your lawn growing strong and better able to withstand stress and reduce weed problems. (Chicago Botanic Garden)
My neighbor had his lawn power raked this spring. Should I have my lawn power raked?
– Bob Jefferson, Barrington
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I prefer using core aeration as an annual cultural practice for lawns. Power raking can be beneficial for lawns that have excess thatch buildup (more than ¾-inch thick). Combining core aeration with proper watering, mowing and fertilizing practices will help keep your lawn growing strong and better able to withstand stress and reduce weed problems.
The best time to aerate cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, which makes up most Chicago-area lawns, is in spring and fall, when the grasses are actively growing. Weather conditions are different from year to year, but April and May or September and October are generally good months to schedule aeration. I prefer the spring window for core aeration, although aerating twice a year can be beneficial for lawns that are heavily used.
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Core aeration improves the lawn’s health and vigor by breaking up soil compaction, which improves water drainage, nutrient absorption and air circulation to the roots. A stronger root system promotes a better-looking and healthier lawn.
Lawn aeration also helps to decrease the buildup of thatch, which is a layer of organic matter that has not decomposed at the top of the soil. This can occur when there is excess grass growth caused by over-fertilization and light, frequent irrigation.
If this layer gets too thick, it will absorb moisture and encourage shallow rooting of the grass, making it more prone to drought stress and less able to absorb nutrients. Grub control is less effective when there is excessive thatch in a lawn. Lawn aeration also provides an opportunity to overseed if any areas of your yard are thin.
Core aeration is done with a machine that removes small plugs of grass and soil from the ground. You will get the best results if the soil is moist but not wet — the machine is not able to pull good cores if the ground is very dry and hard.
Combining core aeration with proper watering, mowing and fertilizing practices will help keep your lawn growing strong and better able to withstand stress and reduce weed problems. (Chicago Botanic Garden)
You can rent a core aerator or hire a company to do the work for you. The machines are heavy and easiest to transport in the back of a truck. Flag any sprinkler heads, light fixtures, valve boxes and other hidden items before aerating so that you can avoid damaging them — or the machine — while aerating.
If your lawn has been recently sodded, make sure it is well rooted in before aerating, or the machine will pull up the sod. A general rule is to wait a year after sodding before beginning a core aeration program.
It is best to leave the cores on top of the lawn and let them naturally break down over a couple of weeks.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.


chicagotribune--2020-04-19--1 killed, 1 injured in Englewood shooting, police say

The younger man was shot in the side of his body , and he was able to run to a @ @ @ @ @ .
He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center , where he was @ @ @

A 22-year-old man was killed and a 39-year-old man was injured in a shooting Saturday night on the South Side, according to Chicago police.
The two men were sitting in a parked car about 11:50 p.m. in the 5700 block of South May Street in the Englewood neighborhood when a man approached them and fired shots, police said.
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The younger man was shot in the side of his body, and he was able to run to a nearby alley, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The 39-year-old man had gunshot wounds on his right and left shoulders, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
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The shooting “appears to be drug-related,” police said. No arrests have been made.
pfry@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-04-18--Ask Amy: Husband won't adopt safer hygiene against virus

Do n't fuss at him .
Tell him you love him , say that you do n't want either of @ @ @ @ @ and ask him to be more careful ... `` As a favor '' to you @ @ @ @ @ stoop '' to doing the right thing if can feel superior and thinks he is @ @ @

Dear Amy: My husband and I are both in our 70s. We live a fairly tame retired life.
So far, our state has not had many COVID-19 cases.
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We are in generally good health, although my husband has a chronic autoimmune disease.
When we have to go into the community to get meds or groceries, I wear gloves and a mask; however, he pooh-poohs my precautions.
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He will not even wash his hands immediately when we return home. This places me (who is adhering to recommendations) at risk. It places both of us at risk.
I am tired of being chastised for being "bitchy" when I remind him about precautions.
We have a generally solid relationship, but this is confounding me. I have to continue to share living space with him, but I am frustrated that he is taking my concerns lightly.
Is there another way for me to approach him that might be more fruitful (and safe)?
— Healthy for Now
Dear Healthy for Now: I'm glad that you and your husband are co-existing more or less peacefully. His behavior and unkind reaction to you puts your relationship - and your health - at risk.
I don't know if you both have read accounts of the reality of suffering through a severe case of COVID-19, but - if you haven't, perhaps you should. This is NOT an ordinary flu. Severe cases are horrific. And because your husband has an underlying health problem, he is already at a higher risk for serious complications if he contracts the virus.
Your precautions might protect you somewhat from infection - even if he contracts this virus, but one commonsense precaution you could take as a couple would be to eliminate - or at least severely limit your time out. If you have to pick up supplies, only one of you should go.
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Don't fuss at him. Tell him you love him, say that you don't want either of you to get sick, and ask him to be more careful ... "As a favor" to you. Maybe he will "stoop" to doing the right thing if can feel superior and thinks he is humoring you.
I hope you will continue to be very careful, even inside your home.
Make sure you each have your medical histories and medications written down - if one of you enters the hospital for any reason, the other will likely not be able to go in to assist in communicating with medical staff.
Readers may want to weigh in with their own successful techniques for convincing others to adopt safer best practices.
Dear Amy: When you reach a certain age, many of us struggle to find good homes for items we have collected over the years.
I wanted to share my solution with your readers.
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I created a page for my family on Facebook, which they named "Do you want Grandma's stuff?"
As I go through items, I take a picture of it, share the picture on that page, with a description of who or where it came from.
Family members have a chance to look at the item, decide if they are interested, and let me know.
If more than one person is interested, then they can decide who gets it. If no one wants it then I will donate it to a local museum, check out local antique stores, or donate the items.
My husband's family is very well-known in our area; the historical society was happy to receive the items I donated, and made a special area to display them.
As a side note, I was very surprised (and very pleased) at some of the items my children and grandchildren wanted.
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This has worked very well for me and the family. I hope this will be helpful to others.
— Grandma in Oregon
Dear Grandma: My mother-in-law put little Post-It notes on the undersides of items that family members had called "dibs" on.
I like your technique, and I think this sounds like a fun and useful project.
Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >
Dear Amy: Thank you so much for your beautiful response to "Heart Two Sizes Too Small." This was a woman who was raised in an abusive and neglectful environment who worried that she could not feel love toward others.
I survived a similar childhood. And you are right - it was only when I had emotionally come to terms with it that I was able to finally love myself. Once I saw that I was deserving, I was able to open up to others.
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— Grateful
Dear Grateful: Loving well means that you win.
Get the latest no-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning with our Ask Amy newsletter. Sign up here.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
Copyright 2019 by Amy Dickinson
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency


chicagotribune--2020-04-18--1 in custody, 3 injured after vehicle hit Brown Line train on Northwest Side

The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ been released .

Three people were taken to hospitals after a vehicle hit a Brown Line train Saturday night in Albany Park, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
Chicago police officers tried to stop a vehicle at 8:22 p.m. in the 4600 block of North Albany Avenue, police said. That vehicle continued to drive until it hit a Brown Line gate and a train.
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The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, police said. His identification has not yet been released.
The crash occurred at 8:33 p.m. at 3058 W. Eastwood Ave., the Fire Department said. The crossing was shut down and power was turned off in both directions until about 9:30 p.m.
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A 38-year-old man and another man were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious-to-critical condition, the Fire Department said. It did not identify the driver in the incident.
A 42-year-old man was also taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital in good condition, the department said.
Brown Line service was temporarily suspended between the Kimball and Southport stations due to the collision, according to the CTA.
[Service Disruption] Brown Line service has been temporarily suspended between Kimball and Southport due to a collision with a vehicle. Shuttle bus Kimball to Southport. More: https://t.co/dz8AC8PPPN — cta (@cta) April 19, 2020
pfry@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @paigexfry


chicagotribune--2020-04-13--Tracking Chicago homicide victims

Tracking Chicago homicide victims

Though there are homicides recorded throughout the city they are most concentrated in the South and West sides .


chicagotribune--2020-04-11--2 dead, 5 others wounded in shootings overnight Friday

Shortly after 6 p.m. , a 25-year-old man was fatally wounded on the West Side in the Austin neighborhood in @ @ @ @ @ Potomac Avenue .
The victim suffered gunshot wounds to the right hip and right arm @ @ @ @ @ at Stroger Hospital , where he was listed in critical condition but later died from @ @ @ @ @ .

Two men are dead, and at least five others were wounded in separate shootings since 6 p.m. Friday on the West, Northwest and South sides, Chicago police said.
The latest fatal shooting happened in the West Englewood neighborhood in the 5500 block of South Ashland Avenue. Officers responding to ShotSpotter found a 22-year-old man unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the neck. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
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He was identified as Ezekiel Moores of the 1300 block of South Ashland Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Shortly after 6 p.m., a 25-year-old man was fatally wounded on the West Side in the Austin neighborhood in the 5900 block of West Potomac Avenue. The victim suffered gunshot wounds to the right hip and right arm, and was dropped off at Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition but later died from his injuries, police said.
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He was identified as Demario Wyatt of the 1200 block of North Mason Avenue, according to the medical examiner’s office.
In other shootings:
About 3:30 a.m. Saturday, a 26-year-old man was shot in the 5600 block of North Spaulding Avenue in the Hollywood Park neighborhood. The victim was walking back to his car from a gas station when someone shot him in the head and arm. He was driven by a friend to Swedish Covenant Hospital but was later transferred to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was listed in fair condition. Police said he was being uncooperative.
About 2:20 a.m., a 43-year-old man was walking in the 3200 block of West Maypole Avenue in the East Garfield Park neighborhood when he heard shots and felt pain. He was grazed in the shoulder and suffered wounds to the hip, leg and lower backside. He was taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
About 12:55 a.m., officers saw and exchange of gunfire between two vehicles in the 11000 block of South Halsted Street in the Morgan Park neighborhood. One of the vehicles got away, but officers followed one from 111th Street and Vincennes Avenue to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where a 22-year-old man was treated for a leg wound. He was taken into police custody for questioning. A weapon was recovered.
About 11:40 p.m. Friday, an 18-year-old man was inside of a gas station in the 7900 block of South State Street, when he got into an argument with someone who pulled out a weapon and shot him in the hand, hip and leg. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in fair condition, police said.
About 9:30 p.m., a 39-year-old man was arguing with someone in the 5000 block of West Huron Street in the Austin neighborhood, when the person he was arguing with pulled out a gun and shot him in the pelvis and left arm. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
Police were investigating.


chicagotribune--2020-04-09--Day after spike in violence, Chicago hit by another burst of gunfire: 8 shot in an hour, including 1

Day after spike in violence, Chicago hit by another burst of gunfire: 8 shot in an hour, including 15-year-old who was killed

Showers stayed inside until his grandson looked out the window and saw police cars , so he came outside .
@ @ @ @ @ in the home for about 60 years and said the last time he heard of @ @ @ @ @ years ago .
Most shootings are on the other side of the expressway , he @ @

A police officer keeps a young boy back from the scene where a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed in the 700 block of South Kilbourn Avenue on April 8, 2020, in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
After experiencing its deadliest day from gunfire in nearly two years, Chicago was hit by another burst of violence Wednesday: eight people shot within just one hour, including a 15-year-old boy killed outside his home on the West Side.
Demetrius Hardy was shot twice in the 700 block of South Kilbourn Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood around 3:35 p.m. It was the end of a bloody 50 minutes that began in West Englewood with the shooting of a 20-year-old woman, apparently accidentally by a friend, Chicago police said.
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About five minutes later, two men in their early 20s were shot in a car in North Austin. At 3:20 p.m., a 16-year-old boy was shot in East Garfield Park. A few minutes later, a man was killed and a woman wounded in Back of the Yards. Around the same time, a man in his late teens was shot in Englewood.
Police reported no charges in any of the shootings.
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Just the day before, at least 21 people were shot, including a 5-year-old girl who was sitting on a porch on the South Side. A man with her was killed. Six other people were shot to death across the city. On Monday, 13 people were shot and three of them died.
An evidence marker sits next to daffodils at the scene. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
The violent start of the month is a sharp contrast to last month, when Chicago recorded its fewest fatal shootings for March in at least five years, according to data kept by the Tribune.
As police investigated Wednesday’s shooting of the boy in Lawndale, a young man ran up toward the police tape and was stopped by an officer. A neighbor leaned over and yelled, “Let him in! That’s his younger brother!”
As neighbors stood on their steps and watched, a woman asked a sergeant if she could inspect her car to count the bullet holes. He said she would have to wait a bit but assured her they wouldn’t need to take her car as evidence.
A neighbor said the block is usually quiet because a lot of older people live there, pointing out some of the people who had come outside. He had heard the shots but didn’t hear sirens because a cruiser was already driving down the block.
Robert Showers, 71, said he was inside watching television when he heard three shots. He was used to hearing loud bangs from semis that drop their trailers across the street, but to hear three in a row was unusual.
Showers stayed inside until his grandson looked out the window and saw police cars, so he came outside. He’s been living in the home for about 60 years and said the last time he heard of a shooting there was several years ago. Most shootings are on the other side of the expressway, he said.
“There don’t never be no trouble around here,” he said. “It’s surprising. I just hate to see it happen.”
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In an alley near the scene, “GDAWG” and the Four Corner Hustlers gang tag was sprayed on a brick wall in black paint. Police said they found a gun in a yard nearby and took someone in for questioning.
Chicago Police process a crime scene at 47th and Aberdeen streets where shots were fired and a vehicle crashed on April 8, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Other shootings Wednesday: