Bears offseason

[Guest]

I love the callers into talk radio that think they're being realistic when they say "5-year rebuild", dude, 5 years is so long in the NFL. If you haven't got it started back up at the beginning of year 3, you aren't the solution. Player careers aren't even, on the average, that long.

 

it's going to be three years and then scrap everything and try something else.

[Guest]

although I think Pace stays if it doesn't work next season, because it ain't his fault unless you consider his willingness to give Fox a third year a deal-breaker.

 

Pace seems like a good talent-evaluator and it would be dumb to let him go.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I get the Miracle Turnarounds, but I just have a hard time believing it. It would take Berry + Allen + a GREAT CB drafted in round two. I'm nowhere convinced that that's a needle Pace can thread

[minnesotacubsfan]

Oh, then you also have to sign Romo

[Tim]

So, the assumption is that getting a new qb is just going to fix everything that was wrong with the dreadful offense?

[minnesotacubsfan]

So, the assumption is that getting a new qb is just going to fix everything that was wrong with the dreadful offense?

 

15th in total yards. + a full year of Howard, + White, plus hopefully improved line play coupled with an elite defense could mean the playoffs

 

 

But again, I'd rather hope for winning the lottery

[davell]

6 games of Romo and 10 of Barkley or Hoyer. That's how you should look at a Romo trade.

[WrigleyField 22]

So, the assumption is that getting a new qb is just going to fix everything that was wrong with the dreadful offense?

I would not boil it down to anything so simple. They need to add a few good players and probably at least one elite one. Where those players gets added has flexibility.

[Splendid Splinter]

I mean, besides all those times I pretended that there was something very wrong with you?

 

I never disagreed. But honestly, what's funny is the idea that the Bears could make it to the playoffs this next year. IF Pace hits on his picks like he did last year, 2 years from now they make a push. But you still have Fox at the helm, and will Romo make it 2 years?

 

Teams with 6+ games turnaround since 2010

 

Panthers '14-'15: 8 games

Cowboys 15-16: 9 games

Texans 13-14: 7 games

Colts 11-12: 9 games

Chiefs 12-13: 9 games

Vikings 11-12: 7 games

Jets 14-15: 6 games

Eagles 12-13: 6 games

49ers 10-11: 7 games

Titans 15-16: 6 games

 

Then there was a bunch with 5 games, but that would put Bears at 8-8 next season which most likely wouldn't put them in the playoffs.

 

The list would also grow quite a bit if you kept the 6+ games turnaround, but within 2 years instead of 1 like I have above. While I agree with you that they can make a push for playoffs in 2 year, but IF Pace does hit on his picks this coming draft like last year + FAs this year, they got a legit change to do a 6+ game turnaround like the teams I mentioned above. The idea of Bears making the playoffs next year isn't so far fetched.

[Thrilho]

The Bears were a lot better than people are admitting. They had a horrible turnover ratio but they did a lot of stuff pretty well. Get some ball hawking secondary guys and a QB who isn't a turnover machine and it could turn around.

 

This post by a guy named Starion on the Chi City Sports forum says it pretty well:

 

 

Stats from NFL: http://bit.ly/2i1qMpG

 

OFFENSE

 

yards/game: 15th @ 356 yards/game

yards/play: 5th best (tied with NE) at 5.9 yards/play Damn!

rush yards/carry: 4th best (tied w/ ATL) @ 4.6 /carry

pass yards/attempt 14th @ 7.4/pass

 

Still bitching about the Tackles being crap? Leno & pals not as bad as you think...

sacks given up: 7th best @ 28 sacks total (tied with TEN & friggin DALLAS!?)

QB hits: 9th least with 73 (CLE worst with 138. Ironically OAK was best with only 41 QB hits. Terrible luck for them w/ Carr, & Bears losing 3 Qbs).

 

Yet,

Points scored/game: 4th WORST @ 17.4/game

Also giving up a LEAGUE WORST -20 turnovers was the real killer.

 

Going through 4 QBs hurt big time, but not in yardage. Indicates poor redzone scoring, but INTs indicate more an issue with QB (& WR) talent (which we all know but that's a different thread topic).

 

DEFENSE (what they allowed)

 

yards/game: 18th @ 347/game

yards/play: 13th best @ 5.5 yards/play (again tied with DALLAS. Best was OAK @ 4.7)

# of plays defended: 13th fewest, so not on the field a ton is good. I thought this would be much worse.

 

rush yards/play: 20th @ 4.4 yards/play

rush yards/game: 27th or 6th worst @ 121.9 yards/game (missing LBs and front 4 talent to INJ & susp. hurt big time) also saw 7th most rush attempts at 445.

 

pass yards/play: 7.2 yards/play (~#16 middle of pack - ranking silly since stats so close w/ many ties = 7th best = same as 8th worst)

pass yards/game: 7th best @ 224.9

sacks: 8th best @ 37 sacks (good & trending up w/ Floyd & others missing quite a few snaps to injury)

 

points allowed: 9th best @ 24.9/game

 

Yet,

 

and no surprise here (DB talent needed)

passes defended: 6th worst @ 76 total

INTs: 2nd worst with only 8 (tied w/ NYJ & IND)

Fumbles: 2nd fewest with only 13, worse yet, recovered just 3!? (tied with GB who got 8 of their 13)

[minnesotacubsfan]

Ok, I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.

[Thrilho]

My main point is Pace can easily look at the 3rd pick as a chance to add an impact p!ayer from Day 1. With an average to below average QB class(I may even be high on that assessment), its easy to see him taking a guy that falls to the 2nd or 3rd. Maybe even later than that, if you have Taylor. Either way, it still can allow for a 1st round QB at a later time, when his job security may be a bit safer.

I just think for this year it doesn't matter whether QB class overall is average or below, as a whole. I personally think Trubisky could be an impact player. I think Josh Allen could be an impact player, although not right away. If Pace evaluates Trubisky to be a Romo or Mariota type QB and he's available then it doesn't matter that whether Watson et al stack up to next year's class.

 

I'm not sold yet on Kizer or Watson there. I think I would be with Josh Allen. But I'm not pushing any of these guys with the thought that they're going to be anything less than an upper tier QB in their primes.

 

Now if you go Taylor or McCarron or JG then I think that's your guy and you don't even worry about drafting a QB in the top 4 rounds.

[WrigleyField 22]

Ok, I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

[Splendid Splinter]

:good:

Ok, I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

I don't even think Berry is a must as long as you get 1 of Gilmore or Johnson in FA. Then you go Hooker or Adams with the 3rd pick to pair with Amos. You still need to get a 2nd CB, but you don't have to spend big or use the 2nd pick for that.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Ok, I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

 

Well, according to sulley we just need Allen and some bodies in the secondary.

 

But not spitballing: what's realistic (and who) for this offseason? I don't see a formula that gets Fox and Co the wild card. And how do you address the offense besides dreaming of a 2009 Tony Romo?

[davell]

My main point is Pace can easily look at the 3rd pick as a chance to add an impact p!ayer from Day 1. With an average to below average QB class(I may even be high on that assessment), its easy to see him taking a guy that falls to the 2nd or 3rd. Maybe even later than that, if you have Taylor. Either way, it still can allow for a 1st round QB at a later time, when his job security may be a bit safer.

I just think for this year it doesn't matter whether QB class overall is average or below, as a whole. I personally think Trubisky could be an impact player. I think Josh Allen could be an impact player, although not right away. If Pace evaluates Trubisky to be a Romo or Mariota type QB and he's available then it doesn't matter that whether Watson et al stack up to next year's class.

 

I'm not sold yet on Kizer or Watson there. I think I would be with Josh Allen. But I'm not pushing any of these guys with the thought that they're going to be anything less than an upper tier QB in their primes.

 

Now if you go Taylor or McCarron or JG then I think that's your guy and you don't even worry about drafting a QB in the top 4 rounds.

 

Personally, I'm a UNC graduate and still not a true fan of Trubisky. I don't see any realistic chance he's close to ready as a starter from Day 1. I don't think he's a starter at all during the 2017 season.

 

And my prediction is a few QB's wind up going in the 1st, but Trubisky is there for us in the 2nd round. I think Mahomes is going to bypass Trubisky on most boards.

 

Edit- I'm a big fan of grabbing Taylor. But I'd still take a QB in the 2nd or 3rd. Enough decent options that one falls to us.

[minnesotacubsfan]

:good:

Ok' date=' I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.[/quote']

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

I don't even think Berry is a must as long as you get 1 of Gilmore or Johnson in FA. Then you go Hooker or Adams with the 3rd pick to pair with Amos. You still need to get a 2nd CB, but you don't have to spend big or use the 2nd pick for that.

 

 

Does that get us to the Wild Card?

[WrigleyField 22]

:good:

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

I don't even think Berry is a must as long as you get 1 of Gilmore or Johnson in FA. Then you go Hooker or Adams with the 3rd pick to pair with Amos. You still need to get a 2nd CB' date=' but you don't have to spend big or use the 2nd pick for that.[/quote']

 

 

Does that get us to the Wild Card?

Our division kind of sucks and we have the tough divisions on our schedule next year I think. I think a division champ is actually the more likely road to the playoffs. Although this year was supposed to help us with a weak schedule, so what do I know.

[minnesotacubsfan]

:good:

 

I don't even think Berry is a must as long as you get 1 of Gilmore or Johnson in FA. Then you go Hooker or Adams with the 3rd pick to pair with Amos. You still need to get a 2nd CB, but you don't have to spend big or use the 2nd pick for that.

 

 

Does that get us to the Wild Card?

Our division kind of sucks and we have the tough divisions on our schedule next year I think. I think a division champ is actually the more likely road to the playoffs. Although this year was supposed to help us with a weak schedule, so what do I know.

 

That makes sense. Do those moves help us unseat GB or a healthy Vikings team?

[minnesotacubsfan]

FWIW, I don't think it does

[David]

Ok, I'll give you Berry as a must, but go find me two stud CBs. FA or draft. You don't need to get Allen in RD 1, I'll concede a strong secondary coupled with our front 7 can be playoff caliber.

 

Go.

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

 

Well, according to sulley we just need Allen and some bodies in the secondary.

 

But not spitballing: what's realistic (and who) for this offseason? I don't see a formula that gets Fox and Co the wild card. And how do you address the offense besides dreaming of a 2009 Tony Romo?

 

I'll take a 2014 Tony Romo instead.

[Splendid Splinter]

:good:

You do not need two stud CBs. Thats a pretty unrealistic expectation. If we have two stud CBs and also get any decent depth on the front 7 we better have a top 3 D.

 

I don't even think Berry is a must as long as you get 1 of Gilmore or Johnson in FA. Then you go Hooker or Adams with the 3rd pick to pair with Amos. You still need to get a 2nd CB' date=' but you don't have to spend big or use the 2nd pick for that.[/quote']

 

 

Does that get us to the Wild Card?

 

Who knows? It's a good start. If we don't get killed with injuries/suspensions. If we have good luck in close games. If we don't go through 3 QBs. If none of the young players take a step back. There's so many ifs in football that you can't just say "well does that gets us in/to the playoffs or wild card?"

 

The only thing you can do is try to make the best 53 man roster you can before the season starts and hope for the best. There's been teams that had mediocre roster and made it to playoffs and on the flip side, teams that look great on paper just completely suck.

 

You can't be like "Berry is a must, but go find me two stud CBs as well." First, you got to be able to sign Berry and a stud CB or 2 in FA (if any of them are available by that time) while competing with the rest of NFL that also have $$$ to spend for them. Second, draft is a crap shoot (especially CBs) so it's hard to get just 1 elite impact player. Third, you can't just get studs everywhere or even half of the positions unless you got amazing luck (Seattle a few years ago with their drafts come to mind where they hit on everyone). Because of those 3 things, that's why it's an unrealistic expectation in a single offseason.

 

A better expectation would be umm... Gilmore or Johnson + Tony Jefferson + either trade down with the 3rd pick or 2nd round on a CB. Even that might be a tad too much to ask for considering the other needs and depth Bears need to make to the team better overall.

 

Gilmore or Johnson/Jefferson/Amos/rookie CB

 

Granted... that might not be a playmaking secondary that gets a lot of turnovers (that we all want), but that's a very solid one that should give the front 7 time to get after the QB.

 

Another option is you go Berry in FA, then sign a CB like Kirkpatrick (not sure which FA CB would be on the 2nd or 3rd tier) plus getting a CB early in the draft.

 

Kirkpatrick/Berry/Amos/rookie CB

[David]

I want Hall to emerge as the second corner. Really like him.

[jersey cubs fan]

Who knows? It's a good start. If we don't get killed with injuries/suspensions. If we have good luck in close games. If we don't go through 3 QBs. If none of the young players take a step back. There's so many ifs in football that you can't just say "well does that gets us in/to the playoffs or wild card?"

yes, you aren't adding WAR and finding ways to 92 regular season wins.

 

that is just not how the NFL works.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I agree we have to improve the 53 man, but I don't see us unseating the other teams in our division next year. Improve our secondary, find a serviceable QB (Cutty, broken Rome, whoever) and get ready for the future QB in 2018. That's the year we start a likely run.