These former & current Chicago Cubs would make great Chicago Bears

Chicago Cubs: This guy could have been a first round pick in the NFL

First on the list of guys the Cubs could send over to da Bears are the guys who actually played football at a high level: Mark DeRosa at Penn, Jeff Samardzija at Notre Dame and Matt Szczur at Villanova. Sure, they’re probably a little too old and past their football prime now, but back in the day, all of those guys sure could toss or catch the ol’ watermelon.

Amongst players who aren’t known for playing high level football, there are certain characteristics, physical attributes, and athletic skills that could have made some other Cubs an intriguing addition to the hallowed hall of Halas.

Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Fergie Jenkins, Jason Heyward, Kerry Wood, and Shawon Dunston all had a good enough baseball arm to make you think they could probably toss a football pretty darn well too. They also all had some pretty great moxie and would no doubt have been leaders in the huddle and tough in the pocket. Dunston and Heyward, along with the bazookas attached to their shoulders, would also represent a bit of a dual threat as well, as their athleticism would make them tough for defenses to contend with.

I suppose you could even throw Javy Baez into this group, but his height would work against him compared to the other tall guys on the list. Plus, Baez seems more like a slot guy who is crafty and just finds magical ways to get yards and touchdowns.

Chicago Cubs: Derek Lee would be a target across the middle

Along with the aforementioned “real” football players and the possible options at quarterback, there are certainly some others who would make interesting skill players on the gridiron. Anthony Rizzo would make a blocking-first tight end or fullback in the right scheme. He seems like a guy who would be willing to get dirty, give up his body, and would almost be big enough with some time in the weight room and at the Golden Corral to be NFL size.

As far as pass-catching tight ends go, Derek Lee and Kris Bryant would be interesting options with great hands who, at 6’5,” would pose a problem for shorter cornerbacks and safeties. Jorge Soler seems like another big body to catch passes and deliver some punishment to smaller defensive players as well.

There probably haven’t been all that many Cubs who could handle elite-type NFL running back or receiver duty, but Baez does seem to be a guy who would be able to run really good routes, use his instincts, and be just elusive and athletic enough to make a lot of guys miss in the open field. Nico Hoerner might be an interesting football option with his speed and added muscle this past year. Dexter Fowler might have made a pretty decent receiver with his length and the athleticism he exhibited in his prime, but he wouldn’t have been a burner in the NFL.

Chicago Cubs: If this Kyle Schwarber isn’t a footballer, who is?

Some current and former Cubs who would seemingly make defensive stalwarts in the world of football include former prep football linebacker Kyle Schwarber, a guy with speed and strength to patrol the middle as a safety or linebacker in Sammy Sosa, and short-lived Cub speedster Terrance Gore at cornerback.

At safety, there are a couple of former Cubs who might be interesting patrolling the field – Ryne Sandberg and Alfonso Soriano were both guys who had speed and just enough strength to stay with receivers and also deliver hits. Granted, both would probably have to pack on a few pounds to deal with modern day NFL players, but their combination of athleticism and grit would certainly make them interesting options at free safety. Ian Happ might fit right in with those two as a very underrated but stellar athlete.

I have no idea whether they can kick a fooball or not, but both Greg Maddux and his professorial namesake Kyle Hendricks are both cerebral and methodical enough to handle the pressure and repetition of punting and kicking in the NFL. They’re both also good enough athletes to stand as the last line of defense and make a touchdown-saving tackle if need be, so I’m recommending those two to figure out the kicking aspect of our Cubs to Bears squad.

Now that the Bears have some fantasy options and reinforcements from the Cubs past and present, perhaps they can go out and get a win against the Steelers on Monday night.