The first reason for optimism is that Yesavage throws quality pitches. His fastball sat at 94.7 mph during the regular season, and his devastating splitter came as advertised. His slider is another funky weapon, and he's apparently been tinkering with a curveball as well this offseason. His success wasn't a case of getting lucky with an underwhelming repertoire; Yesavage has the tools needed to get major league hitters out.
When Patrick wrote his quick look at the Chicago Bears salary cap situation, OverTheCap's projections had the 2026 NFL salary cap pegged at $295.5 million. That the projected range for the 2026 range starts at $301.2 million is significant news on its own. It would be helpful for the Bears if the league settles on a $301.2 million number for 2026. But if that number can stretch to $305.7 million, I think folks would be doing cartwheels at Halas Hall.
