Chicago Bears offseason

[Bobson Dugnutt]

14 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

I don’t like that you made me click through to read, but I do like the story 

Listen, every time I think I’ve learned how to embed tweets, I horsefeathers it up again.

[Brian707]

57 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Listen, every time I think I’ve learned how to embed tweets, I horsefeathers it up again.

[Bertz]

If I'm reading Spotrac correctly Bears are still 5th in cap space at $57M after Jaylon?  That's pretty fun

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Feels like bears blogosphere is starting to realize there's no market for fields as a starter 

[BigbadB]

14 hours ago, Bertz said:

If I'm reading Spotrac correctly Bears are still 5th in cap space at $57M after Jaylon?  That's pretty fun

They are estimating the rookie class projection at about 14m which puts them at about 43m, which doesn't include what they might gain by trading Fields. It's not a lot. 

I'm starting to feel like if Atlanta isn't bluffing about Fields and they will sign a free agent, the only market for him might be Denver. They are broke and can't afford to buy a QB. They don't have a good draft position. They do have draft picks, but they are still reeling from the original Wilson trade, so trading up doesn't make a lot of sense. They just cut a pro bowl Safety because of their cap problem. Fields would be cheaper for them as a one year rental than just about anyone they could sign. Do they really want to draft the 5th or 6th QB in the draft and then start him? 

[jersey cubs fan]

41 minutes ago, BigbadB said:

They are estimating the rookie class projection at about 14m which puts them at about 43m, which doesn't include what they might gain by trading Fields. It's not a lot. 

I'm starting to feel like if Atlanta isn't bluffing about Fields and they will sign a free agent, the only market for him might be Denver. They are broke and can't afford to buy a QB. They don't have a good draft position. They do have draft picks, but they are still reeling from the original Wilson trade, so trading up doesn't make a lot of sense. They just cut a pro bowl Safety because of their cap problem. Fields would be cheaper for them as a one year rental than just about anyone they could sign. Do they really want to draft the 5th or 6th QB in the draft and then start him? 

They can’t afford to give up draft picks for a rental. That would be terrible. 

[CubinNY]

If Poles intends to trade Fields before free agency he has today through Sunday. 

[Brian707]

Yeah people who said a 1st for Fields were smoking something. Im thinking it might be a 4th this year or something not until next year's draft. I guess its totally not out of the relm, that they keep him this season in case Willams gets hurt or a team has an injury and trade him in season before the trade deadline.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think we'll get a third.  That's probably fair for a good backup or the lesser guy in a training camp competition.

 

 

[Brian707]

42 minutes ago, Hairyducked Idiot said:

I think we'll get a third.  That's probably fair for a good backup or the lesser guy in a training camp competition.

 

 

Maybe trade him to the Jets in case that anti vaxxer blows out his achillies again

[BigSlick]

With Poles locking down Jaylon for the next 4 years, I have to say, I’m feeling more and more pleased with how he’s operated as a General Manager.

Obviously, he’s gonna be defined by this next draft and what he does at the QB position, but aside from a few slip ups (Velus Jones, the wide-receiver-who-must-not-be-named trade) he’s made a lot of prudent, sober moves, locked up the best talent from previous administrations, and maximized his assets. 2024 is a huge pivot point but he has my confidence at the moment.*

*I fully expect this post to be quoted in 5 years as the team is moribund and futureless

 

Edited March 8, 2024 by BigSlick

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

[Outshined_One]

I can't say I had "get into a lengthy discussion with a server regarding what the Bears should do with Fields during brunch" on my list of expectations for my Australia trip, yet here we are.

[CubsLeaf]

On 3/8/2024 at 9:42 AM, CubinNY said:

If Poles intends to trade Fields before free agency he has today through Sunday. 

Don't think it'll happen unless they call the Steelers bluff with Wilson meeting with them.  I'm ready for this to be over though.  The amount of crap on social media discrediting reporters is reminding me of politics

[jersey cubs fan]

3 hours ago, CubsLeaf said:

 The amount of crap on social media discrediting reporters is reminding me of politics

What?

[BigbadB]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

What?

LOL. It's the reporters doing most of the discrediting, mainly because Poles isn't showing his hand, therefore they don't have anything to report except their own opinions. Draft picks are a valuable asset to teams along with cap space money. It's not hard to figure out what's going on. It's what happens every offseason. Teams try to maximize their trade bait while interested teams try to seem disinterested to drive down the price.

Most journalists are trying to out-scoop or appear smarter than everyone else with their opinion pieces. The problem is that most of these opinions get passed off as some sort of fact, then social media runs with it.

[raw]

1 minute ago, BigbadB said:

LOL. It's the reporters doing most of the discrediting, mainly because Poles isn't showing his hand, therefore they don't have anything to report except their own opinions. Draft picks are a valuable asset to teams along with cap space money. It's not hard to figure out what's going on. It's what happens every offseason. Teams try to maximize their trade bait while interested teams try to seem disinterested to drive down the price.

Most journalists are trying to out-scoop or appear smarter than everyone else with their opinion pieces. The problem is that most of these opinions get passed off as some sort of fact, then social media runs with it.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are saying, but I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Almost across the board, the ones actually reporting are saying the Bears are taking Caleb. Obviously, Poles isn't showing his hand, but there's certain things you just don't do if you plan on keeping your QB and trading the #1 pick. There's also things that you do if you plan on deep diving on every single QB option in the draft.

You don't hypothetically talk about "doing right by your QB" if you are sticking with him. I mean, the Bears were in this exact same spot last year and Poles publicly just said, "I'd have to be blown away by any QB prospect" to take him at 1. And while he did say that at one point this year, that wasn't repeated at the combine when he was last interviewed. Not to mention, the #1 pick was already traded by this time last year. 

It's also been reported that the Bears wanted Caleb to come to Halas Hall like 2 days post combine, and has since been reported that when he does come, it will be an all day affair with workouts, dinner, etc. Justin said on a podcast essentially that he doesn't have a playbook from the Bears new OC (without flat out saying that). 

This is stuff that has been reported by Russini and Schefter among others, and the sentiment has been echoed by Brad Biggs. Granted, they could all be wrong or have bad info, as again this isn't Poles directly saying what they are doing. But there are plenty of signs that have been reported that can be assumed that the Bears are moving on from Fields and mainly interested in taking Caleb.

[BigbadB]

25 minutes ago, raw said:

This is stuff that has been reported by Russini and Schefter among others, and the sentiment has been echoed by Brad Biggs. Granted, they could all be wrong or have bad info, as again this isn't Poles directly saying what they are doing. But there are plenty of signs that have been reported that can be assumed that the Bears are moving on from Fields and mainly interested in taking Caleb.

I think you are misunderstanding what I'm saying. I'm not really referring to the most respected of reporters. Some reporters are saying no one wants Fields at all. Some are saying the Bears can get a haul for trading him. 

I'm saying that Poles isn't letting on to reporters what it will take to move Fields, and the real answer as to what it will take is two teams negotiating a deal to make it happen. Poles wants more than teams are willing to give up. Therefore, those interested parties are purposely looking elsewhere, or pretending to not be interested until the price comes down. 

Because nothing is happening, garbage journalists are making up their own stories and pushing them out to social media to be something more than they are, opinion pieces.

Since journalists have nothing to report, they throw stuff against the wall to appear relevant. The ridiculousness of social media is not just readers being ridiculous, it's also garbage reporters being ridiculous is my point.

I saw something stupid from Greg Gabriel yesterday. Who was the guy who had to retract a story not all that long ago? I don't keep track, but I see it constantly as someone is attaching these stories to a lot of the pages I follow.

Trying to disseminate what's real and what's BS is getting harder to do the crazier social media gets.

[raw]

I mean it is getting tougher to know what's real and what's not, that's what social media is. It basically makes the media part of our everyday social lives. But some of the people reporting things are real and some are not. I'm talking about the trusted, well known names that are reporting things (Russini, Schefter, Biggs). Greg Gabriel is certainly NOT a reporter. He's a former front office guy (as he will tell anyone who listens) who says things based on what he would do. I don't look at what he does as reporting. 

I think you have to look at the source and look at the information both on a case-by-case basis. Sure every once in a while, a wetbutt23 on Reddit has some legit scoop, but typically info comes from the same finite group of reporters. And certain information is going to always be more speculative than fact. Things like, "what the Bears can get for Fields" is speculative information. It takes a bunch of different channels to figure out what that is. You gotta talk to multiple teams about what they would give up and probably the Bears about what they would accept, in this situation. But things like, "Bears are trading Fields and taking Caleb" is easier to prove as it only involves 1 team and you can determine the answer to a binary question like that by reading tea leaves. 

[jersey cubs fan]

3 hours ago, BigbadB said:

I think you are misunderstanding what I'm saying. I'm not really referring to the most respected of reporters. Some reporters are saying no one wants Fields at all. Some are saying the Bears can get a haul for trading him. 

I'm saying that Poles isn't letting on to reporters what it will take to move Fields, and the real answer as to what it will take is two teams negotiating a deal to make it happen. Poles wants more than teams are willing to give up. Therefore, those interested parties are purposely looking elsewhere, or pretending to not be interested until the price comes down. 

Because nothing is happening, garbage journalists are making up their own stories and pushing them out to social media to be something more than they are, opinion pieces.

Since journalists have nothing to report, they throw stuff against the wall to appear relevant. The ridiculousness of social media is not just readers being ridiculous, it's also garbage reporters being ridiculous is my point.

I saw something stupid from Greg Gabriel yesterday. Who was the guy who had to retract a story not all that long ago? I don't keep track, but I see it constantly as someone is attaching these stories to a lot of the pages I follow.

Trying to disseminate what's real and what's BS is getting harder to do the crazier social media gets.

I completely disagree with you description of what is taking place. The reporters are reporting sensible stuff, dipshit fans are interpreting their own way and twisting words.

 

 

its easy and simplistic to constantly harp on the media’s role, but it’s wrong here. 

[jersey cubs fan]

Mac Jones going to Jacksonville for a 6th. He’s a good healthy step below Fields, but when it’s obvious you are moving on from a disappointing qb, it’s tough to get much in the way of value. 
 

Bears might need an offseason injury to a returning qb to juice demand. 

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I don't think it's that hard to see what's happening. 90% of the time, these reports don't contradict each other.  Fans have poor media literacy and don't really follow the nuance of what's being reported.

Schefter goes on the radio and says "I could see Pittsburgh being interested in Fields. Tomlin liked him in the past."   Not long after, we get reports from local Pittsburgh beat reporters that the Steelers aren't interested in Fields. Those reports do not contradict each other, but I've seen a lot of people say they did.

There's some degree of smokescreening, but this stuff isn't as cloak and dagger as everyone acts.  Most of the stuff that happens is pretty telegraphed.  

What's going on right now is that there's not a single team that sees Fields as a first-choice starting QB and thus there's no incentive for them to trade for him until the rest of it shakes out. The Bears were hoping to trade him before the deadline but they overestimated the market's appetite for him.  They will trade him eventually when the starting QB musical chairs is over and teams start looking for backups and competition.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

FWIW, Mac Jones has a higher career passer rating and ANY/A than Justin Fields. Fields was better in 2023, but Jones was better their other two years.

[UMFan83]

17 hours ago, Outshined_One said:

I can't say I had "get into a lengthy discussion with a server regarding what the Bears should do with Fields during brunch" on my list of expectations for my Australia trip, yet here we are.

Not the same as getting asked about it in Australia but I've been asked that question so many times my answer is almost rehearsed at this point. Basically: "If the Bears didnt have number 1 pick I'd be fine with continuing with Fields/Fields seems like a good guy/We'd be stupid to not draft Caleb"

[raw]

With free agency legal tampering period starting tomorrow, I put together a "primer" of sorts for the Bears. Lot of words, so you can be happy for me or sorry it happened, if you want.

QB
On Roster- Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent
FAs- Nathan Peterman
Futures contracts- NONE

FA outlook- This is actually an interesting situation in free agency at QB. There's a rare big name on the market in Cousins along with a solid starter in Baker Mayfield. But I think there is a 95%+ chance that the starting QB for the Bears in 2024 is either Justin Fields or Caleb Williams. If it's Williams, there's probably some interest in bringing in a veteran. A mentor type or a guy that knows and can teach the Waldron/McVay offense. The mentor thing didn't really work with Fields (if you believe former Bears' scout, Josh Lucas). And the guys that know the offense may either not be willing to mentor or not really hold much weight in his mentorship. Then there's the whole Tyson Bagent factor. Bagent proved to be a capable QB2 last year and is young enough where if he has to play, and plays well, he can have some trade value around the league or at the very least play into the comp pick formula in a couple years.

Potential FA targets- 
Drew Lock- Last 2 years under Waldron in Seattle. Only 27, so not quite at mentor age and may want to go to a situation where he at least has a shot at competing for the starting job at some point. 
Carson Wentz- spent 2023 in LA with Waldron's mentor McVay
I think every other potential QB add is either going to be too expensive or has the combination of not being good enough to beat out Bagent and no experience in this offense, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Draft Outlook- Outlook is obviously Caleb Williams at #1, with an outside chance of a trade down to #2 to take Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. If they keep Fields, they likely won't draft a QB, though I guess they could take one late in the draft, where they don't current have picks, so I won't get into those options.

RB
On roster- Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Khari Blasingame
FAs- D'Onta Foreman
Futures contracts- NONE

FA Outlook- This is a pretty loaded FA class of RBs. And I know it's not popular, but I'd take full advantage of this FA class. Frankly, I think Herbert was borderline unplayable on pass downs. He's a terrible pass blocker and he doesn't provide anything as a receiver outside of the screen and true checkdown game. Herbert is a FA after the season, so adding a guy could allow you to trade him and get something from him before he walks for nothing after 2024. And whereas other positions you're going to pay well over 20Mil for a superstar, the top RBs on the market on only projected to get 10-12M/year depending on where you get your projections. Homer is interesting. Played for Waldron in Seattle, so may have value as RB3

Potential FA targets- Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs- top tier 10M AAV. Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift- 2nd tier 6-8M AAV. Devin Singletary, Zach Moss, Alexander Mattison- 3rd tier. I'd aim 2nd tier here, but wouldn't dismiss the top tier. 

Draft Outlook- This is not a great RB class, but a lot of guys I really like with nice combinations of size and big play ability.
Jaylen Wright, Tenn; Johnathan Brooks, Texas (has torn ACL); Marshawn Lloyd, USC; Isaac Guerendo, Louisville; are my top fits.

WR
On Roster- DJ Moore, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones, Collin Johnson
FAs- Equanimeous St Brown, Darnell Mooney, Trent Taylor
Futures Contracts- Joe Reed, Nsimba Webster

FA Outlook- As usual, not a great FA WR class. Calvin Ridley, Gabriel Davis, and our very own Mooney are the top guys on the market. Ridley and Davis will be over the desired price tag for a WR2/3 and it feels like bridges have been burned with Mooney, who actually would be a great fit with Waldron. The 2nd and 3rd tiers are very interesting and I think the Bears adding a guy from these tiers largely depends on price. Think 2022 when they settled on Byron Pringle after the top guys proved to be overpriced. Thankfully, that's not as bad of an idea this year for a WR corps featuring DJ Moore and a top 10 pick in a loaded draft class.

Potential FA targets- 
Slot WRs- Curtis Samuel, Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley
Big play WRs- Noah Brown, Hollywood Brown, Gabriel Davis
There's always a ton of WR5/6's out there as well, but I won't list those guys as they would be competing with Velus and the practice squad guys from 2023.

Draft Outlook- Loaded draft class, there's some clear tiers here. Bears are likely hoping for one of the top 3 WRs to be there at 9 (Harrison Jr, Odunze, Nabers). Then there's about 2-3 guys that may be there with a trade down. Then another tier of guys who the Bears could pick from if they can get a 2nd round pick via trade at some point. And then some Day 3 guys that may get lost in the shuffle which would hopefully be the 2nd WR the Bears draft.

TE
On Roster- Cole Kmet
FAs- Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan
Futures Contracts- Stephen Carlson

FA Outlook- Interestingly, all 3 of the Seahawks TEs from this past year are free agents. I don't think Fant will be an option, his targets and production were lower last 2 years under Waldron than they were in Denver before the Russ trade. I don't see him signing up for more of that in Chicago, while now playing 2nd fiddle to Kmet when he was TE1A in Seattle. Dissly was clear TE3 based on snap count, I don't see any reason to move him up to TE2 in Chicago. But Parkinson is a guy I'd really be interested in as TE2. Same role he played in Seattle, big dude (6'7) who's just 25. I'd take back Lewis as TE3 if he wants to play his age 40 season. Tonyan is as good as gone. If the Bears want a younger version of Marcedes Lewis, there's former Chicago Bear, MyCole Pruitt, who's a FA.

Potential FA targets- Colby Parkinson, Harrison Bryant, Brycen Hopkins, old friend Jesper Horstead, best player in the league MyCole Pruitt

Draft Outlook- Brock Bowers is the elephant in the room here and seems likely to be on the board at 9. I'd love Bowers in lieu of a WR in the 1st round, but I just don't think the Bears are going to take a TE top 10 after paying Kmet big money. I know Waldron likes to play 2 TEs, but even he doesn't play 2 TEs 90% of the time, which would be needed to make it worth a top 10 pick. I do think a Day 3 pick could come into play here, but the Bears are now short on picks at this point. May be Carlson's job to lose or very cheap or UDFA market as competition.

OT
On Roster- Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Larry Borom, Aviante Collins
FAs- NONE
Futures Contracts- Roy Mbaketa

FA Outlook- So with 2 capable starters on the bookends, the Bears probably are looking at guys to potentially push Borom out or guys like Collins, who if you're like me, you vaguely remember signing last year before he missed the season with injury. But I guess he's still under contract just like Mbaketa from the international program. 

Potential FA targets- Yosh Njiman, GB- has played both sides decently in a pinch. Cam Fleming, Den; Billy Turner, NYJ; 

Draft Outlook- Another loaded draft position, IMO. The Bears probably aren't looking to draft a guy with the 9th pick, but if a guy like Joe Alt is there, there has to be a lot of temptation. There's a bunch of guys that could go around the 7-15 range, but Alt is the only one I think the Bears would take as he's clearing the field a bit as OT1. Poles mentioned the OT position as having a ton of depth, so this may be a lowkey spot they add a guy late. 

IOL
On Roster- Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Ja'Tyre Carter
FAs- Cody Whitehair, Lucas Patrick, Dan Feeney
Futures Contracts- Jerome Carvin, Doug Kramer, not that Bill Murray

FA Outlook- The million dollar question: Is Bates here to be the starting C or interior depth? Ideally, he'd be a depth piece as both Jenkins and Davis are injury risks. My guess is the Bears price out the C market and if they can get a clear C1, they'll have Bates as depth, but if the top guys get too much, they'll bring in a guy to compete with Bates. Not really looking at FA guards here as starting OGs appear set between 2 of the top 3 guys. 

Potential FA targets- Lloyd Cushenberry, Connor Williams (ACL tear), Andre James, Evan Brown (Seattle), Tyler Biadasz, Aaron Brewer

Draft Outlook- I do think guards come into play in the draft, and the Bears ought to use a decently high pick here. Nobody really worthy of 9 here, but there's a ton of guys that I'd be interested in anywhere from a trade down to 15 to their 3rd round pick at 75.