Week 18: Bears vs Lions at 3:25 on FOX

[Wilson A2000]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

This line didn’t just start to suck when they hired a new DL. 
 

there’s very limited talent. Dayo stinks. Sweat is maybe a top 20 guy as your best and the talent falls precipitously from there. 

Booker probably has more talent than Sweat

[Banedon]

[Soul]

Bears will not be favored until they establish themselves as a regular playoff team.  All those others are playoff regulars.  It makes total sense.

[Wilson A2000]

5 minutes ago, Banedon said:

The Packers had a 99% chance late in the game to beat the Bears in Soldier Field. I don’t think anyone is picking the Bears to beat anyone in the playoffs with their defense. 

[Soul]

10 minutes ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Booker probably has more talent than Sweat

Sad.  Probably true.  DL is the issue.  We can’t pressure.  We can’t stuff.  All of us know what good defense looks like.  It starts with solid-as-F down 4.  It’s an untalented unit.

[Brian707]

Those point spreads sound about right 

[BigSlick]

16 hours ago, raw said:

I don't think it's a talent issue, TBH. Sweat is a talented player. Booker is talented. Dayo is talented and had a MUCH better year last year before he got hurt his year. They've spent enough money and fairly compensated the players who they paid (Jarrett was overpaid on paper, but historically had been good enough for the contract he got). They've drafted guys highly without overdrafting them. 

Some haven't panned out like they expected. But I think a big issue is how Allen plays his DL. IDK what it is but he doesn't seem to let his guys pin their ears back and go after the QB. Maybe they are "run first" upfront and that is slowing them down when rushing the passer. But Allen had a history of similar in NO. Chase Young had a career low in sacks with Allen (not counting the years with the ACL injury) and had more the years before and after (this year) DA. Cam Jordan had his big years under Allen, but just 6 sacks the last 2 years, before 8.5 this year again after Allen left. 

Allen is known as a coach that gets a lot out of his back 7 moreso than the front 4. He generates pressure with timely blitzes, but they will face QBs that they can't really blitz without getting destroyed (Love, Purdy, Stafford) in the playoffs. 

I honestly think this offseason, Poles and Ben need to take control of the situation on the DL and either go after guys that get to the passer much quicker. Or DA proof the DL by getting 1 game changer that also happens to fit Allen's mold for edge rushers (Garrett, Hendrickson, Crosby), don't come off the field and are good all around players.

I think I buy this to an extent but honestly... Sweat looks slow and not nearly as dynamic as he did in 2023. Maybe age and injuries have caught up to him, I dunno. A big part of D-Line play is simple physical talent - can you beat the guy in front of you, are your bigger, stronger and faster than the other guy. Aside from Booker at moments, its mostly been some craftiness from Sweat and not a whole lot else. 

On the other side, it looks like Maxx Crosby is for real for real available this coming off season. Which is very interesting. 

https://x.com/DMRussini/status/2007449541105082777?s=20

Edited January 3 by BigSlick

[Tryptamine]

I'm all for Crosby if 2026's 1st can get it done, but as i mentioned in a different thread, In no way in hell am i giving multiple 1sts for Crosby. 

[Soul]

47 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

 

On the other side, it looks like Maxx Crosby is for real for real available this coming off season. Which is very interesting. 

https://x.com/DMRussini/status/2007449541105082777?s=20

I know that my initial reaction was to go get him, but…
It would take 2 1st rounders and that’s a lot to put on one guy.  We did that with Mack and it really didn’t pay off.  I’d welcome him to Chicago without a doubt but I wince at the price.  Can Poles effectively stock the roster with quality without 1’s?  I’m doubtful.

[jersey cubs fan]

4 hours ago, Soul said:

I know that my initial reaction was to go get him, but…
It would take 2 1st rounders and that’s a lot to put on one guy.  We did that with Mack and it really didn’t pay off.  I’d welcome him to Chicago without a doubt but I wince at the price.  Can Poles effectively stock the roster with quality without 1’s?  I’m doubtful.

It’s not like they’ll be top ten picks or they’ll need to draft a QB. 
 

Mack didn’t work because Trubisky was not the guy. If you have the guy at QB then you find any way possible to put blue chip talent on his roster 

[Wilson A2000]

13 hours ago, Soul said:

I know that my initial reaction was to go get him, but…
It would take 2 1st rounders and that’s a lot to put on one guy.  We did that with Mack and it really didn’t pay off.  I’d welcome him to Chicago without a doubt but I wince at the price.  Can Poles effectively stock the roster with quality without 1’s?  I’m doubtful.

Two firsts and DJ Moore. Crosby is due $30 million each of the next two seasons and the Bears don’t have the cap space without shipping off a good player in return. The issue is that the Bears #1s are not very good #1s and that is what the Raiders want. Another team will easily outbid them. 

[BigbadB]

13 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

I'm all for Crosby if 2026's 1st can get it done, but as i mentioned in a different thread, In no way in hell am i giving multiple 1sts for Crosby. 

A late 20's 2026 first rounder isn't going to get it done. It's also going to take some serious cap ingenuity to figure out a way to add someone like Crosby to the roster when they are already going to be over the cap without Crosby and several free agents walking. I'd be even more concerned about how they manage the cap after 2026 with someone like Crosby on the roster. I'm more concerned with maintaining a high level offense than defense. This video below gives a nice explanation of how they can maneuver around the cap issues and build through the draft. Obviously, this is just one guy's take of how the offseason might unfold, but I'd be pretty happy if he nailed his proposal. 

 

[Banedon]

2 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Two firsts and DJ Moore. Crosby is due $30 million each of the next two seasons and the Bears don’t have the cap space without shipping off a good player in return. The issue is that the Bears #1s are not very good #1s and that is what the Raiders want. Another team will easily outbid them. 

Ok I'll take Myles Garrett as an alternative then.

[Geographyhater8888]

2 hours ago, BigbadB said:

A late 20's 2026 first rounder isn't going to get it done. It's also going to take some serious cap ingenuity to figure out a way to add someone like Crosby to the roster when they are already going to be over the cap without Crosby and several free agents walking. I'd be even more concerned about how they manage the cap after 2026 with someone like Crosby on the roster. I'm more concerned with maintaining a high level offense than defense. This video below gives a nice explanation of how they can maneuver around the cap issues and build through the draft. Obviously, this is just one guy's take of how the offseason might unfold, but I'd be pretty happy if he nailed his proposal. 

 

If you’re going to target anyone I’d go after Trey Hendrickson who’d cost no draft capital, just $ the Bears don’t have. Bears would save about $12 million trading DJ after June first. 

Edited January 4 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

3 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Two firsts and DJ Moore. Crosby is due $30 million each of the next two seasons and the Bears don’t have the cap space without shipping off a good player in return. The issue is that the Bears #1s are not very good #1s and that is what the Raiders want. Another team will easily outbid them. 

What non superbowl contenders with projected picks in the teens will trade for Crosby? Parsons, Ramsey, Stafford, Hill etc All netted picks in the 20’s. The order won’t be a problem unless of course the Browns or Jets offer first rounders.

Edited January 4 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

Bears would save $16 million by trading Jaylon Johnson after June 1st. Unfortunately it makes the defense worse. I trust the coaching staff to evaluate talent in the draft more than years past. 

Edited January 4 by Geographyhater8888

[Wilson A2000]

30 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

What non superbowl contenders with projected picks in the teens will trade for Crosby? Parsons, Ramsey, Stafford, Hill etc All netted picks in the 20’s. The order won’t be a problem unless of course the Browns or Jets offer first rounders.

I was thinking the Cowboys

[Wilson A2000]

28 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Bears would save $16 million by trading Jaylon Johnson after June 1st. Unfortunately it makes the defense worse. I trust the coaching staff to evaluate talent in the draft more than years past. 

Jaylon, Kmet, and Edmunds could all be cap casualties next year

[Geographyhater8888]

32 minutes ago, Wilson A2000 said:

I was thinking the Cowboys

It may or may not matter if the Raiders trade him after June first to avoid paying his dead cap, if they care enough as a rebuilding team. I’d prefer Hendrickson if you can get creative with the cap. He’d cost no draft capital. Bears need an influx of young cheap talent on defense and I’d rather keep the picks. 

Edited January 4 by Geographyhater8888

[Wilson A2000]

I thought Caleb lost a bet and had a Packers jersey on for a second

 

 

[Old Style]

30 minutes ago, Wilson A2000 said:

I thought Caleb lost a bet and had a Packers jersey on for a second

 

 

We thought the same. I’ve been trying to find out what jersey that was. Thank you. 

[Wilson A2000]

 

[Banedon]

 

 

[Tryptamine]

Looks like the defense took over where they left off last week.

[Wilson A2000]

3 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Looks like the defense took over where they left off last week.

At least they are consistent