WrigleyField 22

I don't think there's any chance of a restructure before a trade. The trade is gonna be tricky enough for GB without adding new restructures which could only make it harder for them. Jets can do whatever restructure they need after the fact. I mean unless GB is trying to eat more to improve the draft comp, but it's a pretty narrow margin of what they could even eat and still make the financials work.

I think in time a lot of the running/RB assumptions are gonna age like early baseball analytics. Not that NFL will ever be a 80/90s league because there have been so may rule changes to protect QBs ans promote passing, but it will be okay to run the ball again one day, lol

Outshot 42-29, win 6-3 The hockey gods are punishing this pathetic franchise Its deserved.

Outdated thinking. Wirfs, Lane Johnson, Sewell, and Ramczyk are top 10 overall OTs and play right side. Guys like Watt, Nick Bosa, Reddick rush exclusively from the left side of the D. This is a fair point, you want your best on their best, regardless of sides. I also disagree with Kyle's idea of muscle memory, not because it doesn't exist, but because it's not something an athlete can't overcome. For years RT was thought of being maulers not fleet-footed ballerinas. So, for decades RT was a position that was thought to be more of a power blocker. But if teams are storming the right side, a mauler won't do: you need the ballerina. It used to be the opposite because left tackle protected the QBs blind side as most QBs are right handed- hence h the QB won't see it coming. The thinking now is pressure is pressure and the weaker side has been the RT side, so put your best pass rusher on that side. Every guy has some natural tendencies vis a vie "sides", but it definitely exists on a spectrum and I do think most guys are ultimately adaptable with reps. Ideally if you're changing a guy you do it early in an offseason. But obviously backups have to intentionally practice both, so guys do it all the time. In the case of a Nate Davis who hasn't played the left since I don't know when, I'd definitely defer to a not broke / don't fix attitude. But specific to Bears if I didn't think the staff was already low on Jenkins I probably wouldnt think much on it about one of the two making a change of sides.

Next big cut wave will be post draft / post June 1. You can get some okay stuff then, but it's not likely deep enough where like every position is gonna have strong options.

Yea seems Homer is really just a ST. So kind of a expensive ST ace, but who's counting with Bears cap space.

Not looking forward to playing him 2x a year. The current DL is gonna struggle to tackle him, lol

Based on...? When he was with Baltimore, his 1st 2 seasons he was a pro bowler at RT which could mask his lack of agility better than at LT. He was one of the best at RT which suits his strengths better than LT. Those were also massively different schemes. What specifically says its a side issue verse a scheme issue. Legitimately want to know because I've seen it talked about a lot that Reid assigns pretty similar L/R schemes and expects them both to be on islands. Obviously the scheme issue with Outside zone has been mentioned plenty as well. So that factors in. But more and more it seems like the L/R distinction is dying and I'm jot sure it shouldnt be fully brought out backn and killed once and for all.

He's a good LT but he's an elite/best in NFL RT. Based on...?

Grain of salt (DBB is good on some things but I think still kinda iffy on player stuff)

On the latter part, I think to the extent he's just following market value, it's a good thing, but also really hard to prove/conceptualize and there's naturally lots.of different of opinion in values. But there is definitely time for a more solid holistic approach to form as to where he assigns value. (best analogy I can make, though imperfect, is people taking the Moneyball lesson as "OBP is inherently good" when the actual lesson was "OBP is inherently undervalued". You don't wanna be stuck thinking some new norm is established just to find the thing becoming the norm inherently makes it tougher to compete on that thing because a prices get pushed up.)

Yeah, I mean outside of Phillips he’s the closest thing to a lifer in this upper ranks of this organization and has to be viewed with a tremendous amount of skepticism. Greg Gabriel love also a red flag.

Don't trust that account one bit. Anyways I've been pretty reserved about the unrepented Stein love from Chicago media and fans. Banner's ringing endorsement doesn't give me tons of comfort either. Little I've seen from him, he suffers from dumb person cap math for sure.

I think that guy may get some legit rumors. Not sure he's super plugged in and I can't remember any specific calls he had before, but I don't *think* he's just straight making it up.

Do you mean eye teets? Cuz those would be extraordinary Think he means eye testes

If Fields isn't ever a bottom 5 sack rate guy I'll actually be pleasantly surprised. But that still leaves room for the OL to improve by several ticks even if Fields is "typical high sack QB". Is Fields like a full standard deviation worse from other high sack QBs? Because that's basically where you have to be to be ESPN trying like hell to support PRWR to ends of earth.

ESPN writers can't rock the boat about the PBWR that calls the Bears a top 3 OL! It's just incredible how some have actually taken "Sacks are a QB stat" to such a logical extreme too. Go touch grass if you ever feel sack blame isn't still incredibly nuanced.

The SI article posted earlier mentioned this article in their praise of the signings: Not gonna read through the whole article, but yea in a contract basis ILB are as valued as they have been since late 90s. Most of the biggest contracts in cap terms are either late 90s or current deals. So defintiely a bit of a Renaissance there. Clearly Smith didn't fit Poles mold though, whether it was just the size or attitude.

I think it's crazy, but this FO never has seemed super enthused on him. Even when he was already clearly their best OL he was splitting snaps. And he has an injury history. Even if I thought they were fully over any other issue, that's maintained a question. He was getting nearly 100% of the snaps for a huge chunk of the season (92% or more in every game played between Week 5 and Week 13). I think the FO became sold on him as the season progressed. The injuries though are a concern, missing 4 of the last 8 games, and in 2 of the games he played he only played a few snaps. And he was easily the best lineman in weeks 1-4 and they said, "yea well take him out to keep Patrick in there half the time". And Patrick stunk.

I don’t want them to get rid of him either. But they’ve had a target on him from day one and tried to get rid of him all last summer. I’m not saying he can’t switch sides, but it is a position change and not as meaningless as you suggest. It just strikes me that with four other positions less settled than RG, the one lineman they sign is a RG, and the incumbent RG just so happens to be a guy they tried to run out of town already. As raw pointed out maybe that’s just because he was the best available interior linemen that meets their criteria. Quoting this because a like wasn't enough.

I think it's crazy, but this FO never has seemed super enthused on him. Even when he was already clearly their best OL he was splitting snaps. And he has an injury history. Even if I thought they were fully over any other issue, that's maintained a question.

presumably you aren’t signing a guy to that money and then asking him to change positions. So it looks like Jenkins has to move again after they spent last offseason jerking him around. It seems to me that Poles doesn’t like Jenkins’ attitude. There were vague comments about toughness around him. Maybe they’ve worked through it and see him as moving to the outside. Maybe he’ll go to LG or maybe he’s a prime candidate for being let go. Either way, I don’t think Jenkins is a long term piece in Poles’ mind, yet. If I had to guess Jenkins will slide over to RT I'm very skeptical that's the plan. I'd put money on him cut/traded over being starting day RT.

I'm not an Orlando Brown fan. He wants to be paid top LT money, and he's not a top 5 LT. He's also not a good fit to move around in the outside zone run game. That being said, the Bears are desperate to A) improve the pass blocking and B) spend a bunch of money. And Brown checks both those boxes. I'm thinking. Orlando Brown- LT/RT A'Shawn Robinson- 1-tech Samson Ebukam- Edge And if Ekeler is available, go get him. Trade one of the 2nds for him + a future pick no higher than a 3rd/4th. The Bears still could use an additional weapon and he caught 107 passes last year, and they can afford to pay him with the top RBs in the league. Maybe add a CB. Maybe add a TE2. Draft Jalen Carter at 9. Draft a DE in the 2nd. That gives you a DL of: Ebukam, Carter, A'Shawn, Walker on run downs Ebukam, Walker, Carter, Draft pick (Ojulari?, I'd like a smaller pass rush specialist type) on passing downs. Mix in Justin Jones, Dominique Robinson and Gipson. OL is: Brown, Davis, C (Patrick or 2nd rounder), Jenkins, Jones Ekeler and Herbert in the backfield. Yea, Brown is an overpay but worthwhile one especially at this stage. Unless you really like a guy in the draft and even are prepared to jump a few spots if need be. I assume he'd stay left and Jones to RT. Have had Ebukam on my list all. Off season. And Robinson would be fine too. Think you could add a solid backup there still - they really have no one and I don't think Robinson is a high snap count guy - so create a platoon.

Well there are two guards on every OL so unless you think Davis and Jenkins can only play RG and not LG I don't really see the issue here. I think fans often overrated the importance of sides. But it's not something without consideration. Especially if a guy has spent a very long time me on one side, like Davis. If I was certain they loved Jenkins I'd think nothing of it. But based on the totality of the facts we know I think Jenkins is the odd man out. Maybe they'll get flipped for a 2024 7th.

Whelmed is pretty fair. I can't point to any obvious bad deal (though I'm quite surprised at Edmunds). But collectively and roster construct wise.. Just feels a bit flat. Within next few days needs to hit a few more areas hard (the trenches basically). Then FA becomes a depth and flyer period. You could conceivably leave one position as an obvious hole at 9 if it's a deep position, but I'd much rather they go in with little to no obvious holes and can just go crazy with premium value picks with those first 4 picks in top 64.