Bears off-season thread 2022

[mias_tisg]

I'm fine with calling Roquan's bluff. I wouldn't trade him because you're not going to get much, let him sit out. Worst case scenario is he leaves and you're getting a high draft pick by being bad this year. Draft the top WR and build around Fields. I like Roquan but I'm not blowing all the cap on him, they just got out of Mack's large contract that hampered them and Mack is a better player.

[WrigleyField 22]

Good. Never extend anyone but quarterbacks and offensive linemen

I understand the sentiment, but the Bears are so far removed from concerns over roster cap efficiency and showed little signs of life of actually utilizing the boatload of available cash they have, and cash they have to spend before 2024. Guarantee they'll throw worse contracts to meet the cash floor, rather than just making Ro the top paid ILB. And the real guarantees would be done before any Fields second contact money hits too. Even with an extended Ro they'll have boatloads of cash to spend next year.

 

Basically you'll have to believe that Poles can have a 2022 Jaguars like offseason and use it all more efficiently than on an extended Ro.

[UMFan83]

Fluffity fluff fluff

 

[Bertz]

This is the first thing I've liked from Poles since early in the offseason.

 

 

There's no way to tell if this is a real blow-up or a negotiating tactic until something real comes out of it.

 

It's absolutely just negotiating. I understand the consternation given the offseason to this point, but every contract hold out/hold in/whatever looks exactly like this.

[WrigleyField 22]

This is the first thing I've liked from Poles since early in the offseason.

 

 

There's no way to tell if this is a real blow-up or a negotiating tactic until something real comes out of it.

 

It's absolutely just negotiating. I understand the consternation given the offseason to this point, but every contract hold out/hold in/whatever looks exactly like this.

Eh, I think it's safe to assume that Smith being self represented does make a difference here and adds to the variability. That fact makes it a way different starting point.

Edited August 9, 2022 by WrigleyField 22

[raw]

I'm fine with calling Roquan's bluff. I wouldn't trade him because you're not going to get much, let him sit out. Worst case scenario is he leaves and you're getting a high draft pick by being bad this year. Draft the top WR and build around Fields. I like Roquan but I'm not blowing all the cap on him, they just got out of Mack's large contract that hampered them and Mack is a better player.

 

Eh. "Blowing all the cap" isn't even a thought. The Bears will have like 100Mil in cap next year. And based on the spending for this year, they are going to be hard pressed to even reach that number, unless they spend stupidly.

 

Mack is a terrible comparison because of age, his already high salary, and the fact that trading him was partly in response to a lack of draft picks in the current year. Smith doesn't have an age argument, the high salary would be in the future which right now has no other high salary players (once Jackson, Quinn and Whitehair are gone likely after this year and before Mooney can potentially be signed).

 

I get that off ball LB isn't a high impact position. And ideally, you'd only spend on QB, LT and truly the elites of the elite, but you can't make a habit of allowing 25 year old players, on a team devoid of young talent, to walk because he doesn't play your ideal position. And honestly, WLB is one of the positions (along with nickel and 3T) that Eberflus says are most important in his defense.

 

Keep good, young players....when you don't have good, young players. I didn't love letting Daniels walk because you are almost certain to get older at the position and lose upside as well (Schofield much older, not as good run blocking). I definitely don't like letting Roquan go just to get worse at the position and also probably not getting much younger than 25, unless you spend an early draft pick on a position you in the same breath said isn't high impact, by allowing Roquan to walk.

[Derwood]

David Moore is now hurt, which makes five dead WR’s already

[UMFan83]

Of course, now that Roquan wants out from the Bears all the sudden I'm hearing him called a top 5 player at his position, the best player on the Bears, reached elite status, etc.

[jersey cubs fan]

Of course, now that Roquan wants out from the Bears all the sudden I'm hearing him called a top 5 player at his position, the best player on the Bears, reached elite status, etc.

All the sudden?

 

Those have been the storylines and common held beliefs for a year.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I feel like a top-5 linebacker should make big plays more often.

[UMFan83]

Of course, now that Roquan wants out from the Bears all the sudden I'm hearing him called a top 5 player at his position, the best player on the Bears, reached elite status, etc.

All the sudden?

 

Those have been the storylines and common held beliefs for a year.

 

0 Pro Bowls, 0 All-Pros. Have seen plenty of articles where he is omitted from list of top 10 linebackers or whatever. It's not completely widespread but I've seen enough rankings where he is underrated that its stuck in my head.

 

Edit: I see now that he was named 2nd team All-Pro last year so maybe the perception finally changed. Took a quick look at 3 top LB lists and see him at 7, 9 and 14.

[David]

 

A better shot of that catch. Dude is legit.

[WrigleyField 22]

Former Bear news. He has to be the worst player to ever actually be traded for twice in a career. How does he have any value?

[minnesotacubsfan]

 

A better shot of that catch. Dude is legit.

 

thats awesome, cant wait for Poles to run him out of town

[Tryptamine]

If Mooney gets hurt, this could legitimately be a historically awful WR squad. Exactly what you'd want when you're seeing if you have a franchise quarterback or not.

[Old Style]

If Mooney gets hurt, this could legitimately be a historically awful WR squad. Exactly what you'd want when you're seeing if you have a franchise quarterback or not.

Even with him that could be the case.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Various Bears bloggers/journalists/reporters/etc. on Twitter suggested that Roquan reportedly is looking to be the highest-paid ILB in the league and for a contract at or above $20 million per year.

 

I love Roquan and all, but a team in full tear-down/rebuild cannot spend 10% of its cap on an ILB. It just...can't. Heavily investing on the defensive side of the ball while the QB and O-line was bottom 5 is exactly the same mistake the last regime made.

 

With all that said, I think a deal eventually gets done.

[David]

A lot of positive talk about Braxton Jones in camp. If they really found a legit solid LT in the 5th round this year, that's just so massive for the outlook of the team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously, take the talent evaluations from rando bloggers on Twitter with a grain of salt, but yeah.

[David]

 

[UMFan83]

It must suck for Fields to be throwing to fringe NFL wide receivers for the 2nd camp in a row.

[WrigleyField 22]

Various Bears bloggers/journalists/reporters/etc. on Twitter suggested that Roquan reportedly is looking to be the highest-paid ILB in the league and for a contract at or above $20 million per year.

 

I love Roquan and all, but a team in full tear-down/rebuild cannot spend 10% of its cap on an ILB. It just...can't. Heavily investing on the defensive side of the ball while the QB and O-line was bottom 5 is exactly the same mistake the last regime made.

 

With all that said, I think a deal eventually gets done.

They're gonna be able to do dick all with that money anyways. Even if I allocate the rookie pool for a number 1 pick, they'll still have like $65M in new cash they have to spend by 2023. But that number could grow if they trade/cut any high priced players under unguaranteed deals for 2023 (i.e. Whitehair, Quinn). Then if they finish better that worst in league it quickly adds up to another 5,10,15 M.

 

Now Poles could obviously spend big in FA to that tune, exclusive of Smith, but if you're looking at roster construct and his behavior in 2022, it's maybe a coin flip that he'd be spending that money on premium positions verse other lower value positions.. like, I don't know ILB.

 

They'll probably be not much over 90% of the minimum cap spend anyways. Maybe 95%. There's diminishing returns of holding back so much spending. Any real money they give Roquan would be paid out before they are even close to having serious cap decisions to make (with an extended Fields, hopefully).

[UMFan83]

Drew Magary tells us why our beloved Chicago Bears suck

 

Defector is paywall but you can usually get around it by opening in Incognito

[Brian707]

Drew Magary tells us why our beloved Chicago Bears suck

 

Defector is paywall but you can usually get around it by opening in Incognito

 

 

Damn, that article was spot on

 

Also in the comments:

 

I would prefer that Aaron Rodgers was the actual owner

[UMFan83]

 

Assuming this is Poles' response to Roquan going public with a trade demand yesterday. I believe Poles put him on the PUP list as a solid so he got paid while they negotiated. Now he's just a hold out not getting paid.

[raw]

 

So this is fun. Playing a little hardball it seems. The only reasons to take him off of PUP, since he's not actually injured (in order of least likely):

 

1. They are close to a long-term extension

2. Imminent trade, though IDK if a player has to be off PUP before traded. I think the new team would take him off PUP.

3. They are putting the pressure on him to start practicing or he will get fined for every day he misses.

 

This probably can't possibly end well could it?