WrigleyField 22

I don't think I can be talked out of a top two pick at QB at this point. More interesting questions would be: 1. Could Fields play well enough to be a bridge to those QBs for a year (maybe like a Rivers/Brees scenario?) Or 2. If they land outside of the top 2, how agressive should they be in getting into the top two and/or accepting the 3rd/4th QB off board, or exploring other options altogether (like say a Kyler Murray if Cardinals finish top 2?). If picking 3rd or 4th QB insert Fields as bridge or punting long term decision scenario.

I don't know if I can get behind the idea that certain decisions are defensible if that brain making the decision is attached to an arm incapable of making it.

Cardinals really come down to Kyler Murray. Hopefully he balls out.

Holy horsefeathers

Has there been reports about whether Stroud was their QB anyways? Maybe Houston still takes Stroud and Bears take a slightly worse trade down offer for Young on draft day, OR they end up with the other Houston trade (I guess technically that was the Stroud trade)

It might be begging the question, but if Bears lose to Carolina, do they have a few likely wins left on the schedule? 🤣

Even a Carolina W isn't looking as bad for SoS tie breaking as it did earlier. And later in the year it is, the more stable SoS should start to be. 10 teams have hit the 5 L mark. This is the SoS ranking from worst (highest pick) to best, with their current game behind rank Green Bay +2.5 Chicago +1.0 Tampa +2.5 Carolina +0.5 Denver +2.5 Los Angeles (Rams) +2.0 New York (Giants) +1.0 Arizona +0 Tennessee +2.0 New England +1.0 So their worst tie break scenarios for either pick have already picked up a couple games. When it comes to a team like NYG, NE, or ARI, they basically have that extra half game edge with the likely tie breaker. Anyways I said I wouldnt tank track again, so I officially hate myself.

Eh, I don't know if a Bears L gets them much further, if at all, away from #1 pick than a W: Carolina loss: still just a half game "back" from Arizona Bears loss: one game back from Arizona The difference between each scenario is the bye week imbalance, and the fact Bears play Arizona, whereas Carolina doesn't. Either way, both teams are one L back from Arizona right now, but both positioned to win the tie breaker. So in any case you're hoping for Arizona to outplay one of them by a game the rest of the way.

If you're gonna jump into tank rooting the rest of the way, might as well tack on this. Almost certain to control their #1 pick destiny if they lose out (since I don't think either Carolina or Arizona can realistically catch them in SoS)

Sicko game alert

Plays his way to Green Bays slot / becomes next hall of fame / my nightmare

That doesnt look right. Also Watt's are all fully guarantees, whereas looks like Sweat's aren't. If I have my math's right he has 4th highest % of full guarantee and 3rd highest % total guarantees. Effective value wise should slot in 5th richest amongst current top 10.

So the guarantees are a lot but upon closer inspection, I don't hate the structure against Gary's. It should be noted Packers tend to operate as a "signing bonus are the only guarantees " standpoint, with really only Bengals as the other team in that camp. His contract reflects thst, but that can be good or bad. I tend to think it's limiting over time. The cashflows are very similar from years 2-4. Really the biggest difference is Sweat's 2025 salary vests in 2024 whereas Gary's doesnt until 2025.

Yea, that AAV is fine, but those are big guarantees. I'll have to compare to other contracts, but that might be near tops of guarantee % for Edges. I'm not gonna dog him too much on the deal though. With the pick it's all together agressive, but on the contract front the Bears likely have a bad team premium they will pay until they are a good team

At this point, the only real standard of Poles is "isn't Pace" Yeesh

Assets left behind for Poles Mack - traded for a 2nd and 6th Quinn - traded for a day 3 pick Smith - traded away for a 2nd and 5th None of those bad individually, and Quinn was obviously spent, but not Mack and Smith, so you have to have plan to replace talent. Daniels - didn't even try to sign Jenkins - obviously has had injury issues, but even when healthy this regime seems intent to treat him as afterthought even though he is their best lineman until Wright maybe takes that claim Johnson - looks dangerously close to losing next offseason Collectively can call Nichols, Dalton, and Allen Robinson an asset in the form of a possible comp pick, which I'm usually not in favor of pining over, but nonetheless gave up so they could sign a horrid FA class in their place. Turned around and has traded a high second and likely another high second for Claypool and Sweat. When you do the pick arbitrage, all of those collective moves are basically Mack, Quinn, Smith, Daniels, et al for Sweat, and a handful of late picks. Then you have the pick 1 haul obviously. Which Moore is still the main asset to hang hat on. And yea, the two additional picks havent had opportunity to hit, but at this point, that trade and related Wright pick are the only truely good thing he's done. A tank haul isn't enough for a GM to hang hat on nearly 2 years in. Nearly everything else has been a combination of inaction and bad/meh when he has acted.

Holy strawman.. Building a super bowl team? How about competent team and coaching staff? Poles was left with more than it feels like you're giving credit for. The only possibly justification for the Bears right now is that Poles hasn't really tried yet which is pretty damming. And if the Jaylon negotiations are any indication it's that tanking away a season has bigger consequences than the mere 14 losses. Bears look like a mess right now and honestly most of that is what Poles has built (and not built)

He's afraid of the salary cap. Can't be helped. Hope the next GM understands the cap.

Poles, trying to find out where players like Mack are from the current roster (I generally thought the Mack move was fine in isolation, but hard tanking after, nah)

Yea for better or worse they really would need the franchise tag for Jaylon Johnson (even just for negotiations). They can't hold it over both. Needs to lock up at least one.

Hey he got a RG who's hardly played too

Bears extend recently acquired defensive lineman!

Tepidly invested /heavily invested. Tamatoe / tamahtoe

He also attended my High School (didn't graduate as he ended up at IMG his senior year). So I'd have some big rooting interests too.

Get ready for the JJ McCarthy hype baby. Local kid!