Wild Card Week: Bears vs Packers Saturday 7pm on Prime

[gflore34]

1 hour ago, BigSlick said:

We’ve never, not ever, had a QB that can do the things he can. Cutler maybe had something approaching his physical talent, but not even close mentally. 
 

for 35 years Green Bay had That Guy and we had to suffer the consequences. Last night was a passing of the baton. 

That's the best part, year after year watching Rodgers do this to Bears and now it Caleb doing those same things to them.

[gflore34]

With the injury to Trapilo they'll have to spend an earlier pick on a OL.  Maybe go defense, defense, OL with the first three picks.

[Banedon]

[Banedon]

7 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

With the injury to Trapilo they'll have to spend an earlier pick on a OL.  Maybe go defense, defense, OL with the first three picks.

I mean...he didn't die.

[gflore34]

9 minutes ago, Banedon said:

I mean...he didn't die.

I know, but, the recovery window for his injury is a good chunk of the year.  Fairly certain they're going to spend a pick on the OL, just have to do it earlier.

[Old Style]

The dude that owns Obvious Shirts is going to be able to buy a new yacht after last night’s game. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

In honor of last night game Green Bay, the Brewers would like to remind you of the outcome:

Edited January 11 by NorthsideAvenger

[Old Style]

1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

I know, but, the recovery window for his injury is a good chunk of the year.  Fairly certain they're going to spend a pick on the OL, just have to do it earlier.

Someone said 6-9 months earlier on this thread.
 

As someone who was still dead set on taking a LT in this first round of this upcoming draft as late as a few months ago, Poles needs to be fired if that pick isn’t on the defensive side of the ball. Hell, the first 3-4 picks at minimum need to be on that side of the ball. 

Edited January 11 by Old Style

[gflore34]

2 minutes ago, Old Style said:

Someone said 6-9 months earlier on this thread.
 

As someone who was still dead set on taking a LT in this first round of this upcoming draft as late as a few months ago, Poles needs to be fired if that pick isn’t on the defensive side of the ball. Hell, the first 3-4 picks at minimum need to be on that side of the ball. 

I've little doubt the first two picks will be defense, probably DL and DB/LB, the third, I'd go OL followed by defense.

[gflore34]

5 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

In honor of last night game Green Bay, the Brewers would like to remind you of the outcome:

An excellent foreshadowing on their part. 

[Banedon]

13 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

I know, but, the recovery window for his injury is a good chunk of the year.  Fairly certain they're going to spend a pick on the OL, just have to do it earlier.

I mean, maybe they will.  But they do still have Benedet and Braxton Jones. 

[Wilson A2000]

35 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

With the injury to Trapilo they'll have to spend an earlier pick on a OL.  Maybe go defense, defense, OL with the first three picks.

I think Trapilo will be back for the regular season and Benedet has played well enough to hold the fort down should he miss a few weeks

[UMFan83]

2 minutes ago, Wilson A2000 said:

I think Trapilo will be back for the regular season and Benedet has played well enough to hold the fort down should he miss a few weeks

 

IF he fully comes back it sounds like it's a 1 year recovery time.  We absolutely have to address LT in the offseason.  You don't have to necessarily get a guy to replace Ozzy forever but needs to be someone who can play all year and hold his own with the rest of the line.

Not for next year, but for the playoffs...if Braxton Jones is healthy is he just completely buried on the depth chart now?  He wasn't great but he was our starting LT for multiple seasons.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

16 minutes ago, Banedon said:

I mean, maybe they will.  But they do still have Benedet and Braxton Jones. 

Jones is a FA.

[Wilson A2000]

12 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

 

IF he fully comes back it sounds like it's a 1 year recovery time.  We absolutely have to address LT in the offseason.  You don't have to necessarily get a guy to replace Ozzy forever but needs to be someone who can play all year and hold his own with the rest of the line.

Not for next year, but for the playoffs...if Braxton Jones is healthy is he just completely buried on the depth chart now?  He wasn't great but he was our starting LT for multiple seasons.

If that’s true, that’s really unfortunate

[BigSlick]

I really hope Trapilo’s injury isn’t career-endangering. It sounds really gnarly. I know there’s only a ~50% recovery rate for players who sustain a patellar injury… I wonder how many of those players who never came back were later in their career and had a poorer outlook for coming back? He’s a young guy, medical science keeps progressing… it just freaks me out to hear this could be it for him.

[raw]

Some thoughts.

1. Caleb Williams is really good. There are several factors in his comp % (3 drops last night, multiple bad/wrong routes run). But he has thrown for 4400 yards this season and obviously has the hero ball plays down. If Caleb can get up to 64% completions, he's one of the best QBs in the league. He's going to be one of the best players in the league.

2. Colston Loveland man. I'm gushing over this dude. Last 3 games, 24 catches, 322 yards, 2 TDs, 2pt conversion. 8 catches, 107 per game. 136 catch, 1,825, 11 TD full season pace. Oh, and he's the best blocking TE on this team (See Swift TD run). He's 21 years old. Sky's the limit for him.

3. Really sucks on Ozzy. My hope is his age really helps him recover better than most. If he can't come back next season, you have Theo and Amegadjie, so you hope one of them can be passable until Ozzy comes back. I'd still give it a year to see how things go with his recovery and potentially with his replacement(s) before going all in on a LT early in the 2027 draft. Doesn't mean ignore OT, as the Bears need to take linemen every year.

4. If this is the last season for guys like DJ and Brisker, I'm going to miss them. Brisker was the most energetic and looked like the most athletic player on defense. DJ had the drop, but another game winner. Just because the Bears have other players, doesn't mean DJ isn't valuable or good. Don't just get rid of either for the sake of getting rid of them. It's all about better use of the money these 2 make or will demand on the open market (Brisker). If you have to replace either, replace them with speed. Get faster, more athletic on both sides.

5. Ben Johnson. Had a couple issues with some playcalls (couple of misdirections that came off as "too cute", 4th down pass when they needed a 1/2 yard). But make no mistake, every 4th down decision to go for it (which was all of them) was the correct call. Horrible execution from the Bears. Packers spammed the A gap with LB pressure between Dalman and Jackson and they had no clue how to handle it. But Ben correctly "read the room" all night, his team wasn't always on the same page executing. 

[BigSlick]

I agree whole-heartedly on the 4th down calls. They were ballsy, but the way the defense was playing in the first half, each one was justifiable. 
 

Johnson was set to get eaten alive for being so aggressive on 4th down if they didn’t win the game but… each one was right. Now the play calls he made on them was questionable but so it goes.

 

im also for keeping Brisker if his price is reasonable. I just like the guy, and he may not be the Best Best in coverage but he makes plays.

[BigSlick]

Bears D-line is never gonna get a huge pass rush, but this shows that they don’t have to be total pushovers and have some fight in them 

 

[raw]

1 minute ago, BigSlick said:

I agree whole-heartedly on the 4th down calls. They were ballsy, but the way the defense was playing in the first half, each one was justifiable. 
 

Johnson was set to get eaten alive for being so aggressive on 4th down if they didn’t win the game but… each one was right. Now the play calls he made on them was questionable but so it goes.

 

im also for keeping Brisker if his price is reasonable. I just like the guy, and he may not be the Best Best in coverage but he makes plays.

His price won't be reasonable. It'll come down to him OR Byard. Byard takes the ball away and will be cheaper, but that's because he's older. Brisker is younger, faster, but will be more expensive and doesn't take the ball away or take away any 1 thing from offenses like Byard does on the deep middle. 

[Wilson A2000]

10 minutes ago, raw said:

Some thoughts.

1. Caleb Williams is really good. There are several factors in his comp % (3 drops last night, multiple bad/wrong routes run). But he has thrown for 4400 yards this season and obviously has the hero ball plays down. If Caleb can get up to 64% completions, he's one of the best QBs in the league. He's going to be one of the best players in the league.

2. Colston Loveland man. I'm gushing over this dude. Last 3 games, 24 catches, 322 yards, 2 TDs, 2pt conversion. 8 catches, 107 per game. 136 catch, 1,825, 11 TD full season pace. Oh, and he's the best blocking TE on this team (See Swift TD run). He's 21 years old. Sky's the limit for him.

3. Really sucks on Ozzy. My hope is his age really helps him recover better than most. If he can't come back next season, you have Theo and Amegadjie, so you hope one of them can be passable until Ozzy comes back. I'd still give it a year to see how things go with his recovery and potentially with his replacement(s) before going all in on a LT early in the 2027 draft. Doesn't mean ignore OT, as the Bears need to take linemen every year.

4. If this is the last season for guys like DJ and Brisker, I'm going to miss them. Brisker was the most energetic and looked like the most athletic player on defense. DJ had the drop, but another game winner. Just because the Bears have other players, doesn't mean DJ isn't valuable or good. Don't just get rid of either for the sake of getting rid of them. It's all about better use of the money these 2 make or will demand on the open market (Brisker). If you have to replace either, replace them with speed. Get faster, more athletic on both sides.

5. Ben Johnson. Had a couple issues with some playcalls (couple of misdirections that came off as "too cute", 4th down pass when they needed a 1/2 yard). But make no mistake, every 4th down decision to go for it (which was all of them) was the correct call. Horrible execution from the Bears. Packers spammed the A gap with LB pressure between Dalman and Jackson and they had no clue how to handle it. But Ben correctly "read the room" all night, his team wasn't always on the same page executing. 

DJ’s dead cap number is bad next year at $35 million. They aren’t going to cut him, but they’d have to trade for another big dead cap player and I’d be surprised if that player is as good as DJ. I think that number goes down after June or July, but I still don’t see the Bears dumping him or moving him. 

[BigSlick]

Every time I feel like I’m out on DJ he has an amazing game. When he’s on, he’s such a baller. Fights for extra yards, just dynamic with the ball in his hands.

i really suspect he’s been dealing with nagging injuries the last two years and hasn’t been fully healthy since 2023. Maybe that’s just the reality for a 28 year old receiver who’s had a lot of tread on his tires. That probably won’t get any better at age 29. But damn it would be nice to have him at that ‘23 level with this team. Maybe we’d be overpaying for him at his cap number next year but I don’t think he’s necessarily a drag on the team. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Yeah I don’t think this offseason is the time to move on from DJ. I have my eye on Edwards and Edmunds as potential cap casualties. Reasonable dead cap on each and we’ve seen the defense can survive without them. Reallocate those dollars to the d line, and then bide time for another year when it becomes more palatable to cut Jarrett and Dayo.

[Irrelevant Dude]

40 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

I really hope Trapilo’s injury isn’t career-endangering. It sounds really gnarly. I know there’s only a ~50% recovery rate for players who sustain a patellar injury… I wonder how many of those players who never came back were later in their career and had a poorer outlook for coming back? He’s a young guy, medical science keeps progressing… it just freaks me out to hear this could be it for him.

Also, the prognosis may be different for an offensive lineman compared to a receiver/running back/defensive back that requires more speed and change of direction.  But any time you're dealing with a knee injury for a guy Trapilo's size, it is scary.

[Wilson A2000]

Who is our third LB now?