WrigleyField 22

But apparently the Ravens get a 3rd back if they don’t re-sign him. They'll likely get a comp pick if they don't sign him and it'd likely be a third.

Man there ain't gonna be a lot in FA to use their money on either. I don't see a path where part of the offseason plan isn't a mega trade. Don't see Poles using all these picks.

Bears get the better of the Ravens two fifth rounders. Nice.

Where'd you see that? Friend texted it to me but I haven't been able to confirm that anywhere yet. It's someone that usually has good info and doesn't share any stupid rumor he hears. He's just referring to likely comp picks

Depends on what else they do, but there was zero chance Bears would be in same spot.

Yeah, the guys who would be available would be WRs who are due for new contracts either due to end of rookie deals or because they signed a few years ago and the market has reset itself. And the rookie deal guys would have to be on teams that either have other expensive WRs or a really big QB contract on the books. Guys that are nearing the end of their rookie deals: Tee Higgins (Burrow and Jamar going to get real expensive soon), Jerry Jeudy (Wilson, Sutton, Patrick), Brandon Aiyuk (Deebo, but Jimmy G will be gone), Calvin Ridley (cap is a mess from Ryan), Michael Pittman (would probably have to be a tear down), Chase Claypool (Johnson), Gabriel Davis (Allen, Diggs), and Donovan People-Jones (Cooper, Watson). There's not really any guys in the latter category. All the big WR deals were recently signed or the players who signed a couple years ago, aren't deserving of top money anymore (Golladay, Michael Thomas, Mike Evans-age). I've heard whispers that Keenan Allen could be made available this offseason, but yuck, I'll pass on that. He's not great and 30. None of those guys are at Hill, Brown, Diggs levels, but that's probably a good thing as they'd cost less to trade for. Oh the other guy is DJ Moore. But not certain they want to part that early on. Would probably be steep. 2023 and 2024 second?

Hasn't started regularly in a few years, but might now. Obviously they needed a body back lol

People are saying...

I want no part of a Monty trade. The next 9 games are about Fields development and Monty still plays a big role in this O, particularly in their ability to pass the ball. No thanks. I'd need two high value picks and no one is making that offer. I'm I happy Monty is what's between a below average passing attack and just having to run the Navy offense? No, but it is where they stand, basically.

Re : spending A Mooney and JJ extension could be quite large obviously. Quite often the year-early extensions don't pay out big year 1 signing bonuses though. Not that he can't structure like that. I guess the interesting idea would be if he can use big, up front guarantees and drive down AAV. But even with extension the default expectation should be a 2022 Jags type spending spree. Multiple 12M+ guys and several more above $5M players. Spend at least 80M AAV on your top 6 FA targets and assume that is the minimum to get them there. Of course a blockbuster trade with accompanying extension is a possibility too. I don't think a Tyreke type talent is gonna be available. Most likely I've seen bounced about is Higgins, but he's not quite at that level.

I noticed DVOA still horsefeathering hates Fields even while the arrow is pointing up elsewhere. I'm not too concerned about that at the moment, I think DVOA is not especially well suited towards evaluating individual players, but it is worth noting. DVOA has player grades?

I don't think he's proven that he's not a dependable receiver. He's had 20 targets this year in 8 games. Also, this is a Shanahan offensive scheme. This isn't a very TE friendly scheme, unless you have an elite talent at the position like Kittle. The Niners, Rams, Packers, Jets, post Gonzalez Falcons, old school Broncos, all run/ran the scheme and only one with big TE years are the Niners who happen to have a top 2 TE in the league. If you are spending any real money on a TE, you are playing that TE. Not OVER Kmet, but WITH Kmet. This isn't a 2 TE friendly scheme at all. Hell, the Bears have 5 TEs on the roster, the worst WR talent in the league, and STILL aren't throwing to the TEs very much. Get receivers. The player Fields is, is the kind that wants to throw the ball down the field and make big plays. TEs don't make big plays unless they are named Kittle or Kelce. Even the one in question (Gesicki) is only averaging 11.2 per catch, which is great for a TE. But pales in comparison to a non-possession WR. Yea I think Geisicki is the only real TE you can make the arguement for, at least on the higher end of the market. Maybe you could make an Engram case, but Gesicki's case is much stronger. I still wouldn't view Geisicki as a replacement for a big time WR. But again, if Poles wants to get a little extra frisky on O and just flood the weapons, I think he's a guy you can do multiple things with, without it needing to be strictly 12 personnel sets.

DVOA update. Offense and team DVOA ticked up just a hair. Both 29th ranked. Defense DVOA came catering down to 26th. ST DVOA is apparently elite at 3rd overall, but I think is heavily weighted toward the kicking game where Santos has been perfect. But it can't hurt that Velus actually let's a fair amount of kicks touch back from what I can recall.

If Fields has truly turned a corner, it's not unreasonable to expect good performances and big numbers. Believe he'll still face some pressure because the Bears OL is terrible at pass blocking however, it's not going to be of the variety he faced vs. Washington, New England and Dallas. Not the constant on him with the snap of the ball, he'll get some time. Yea OL still an issue, but the one dimensional nature of their passing game hopefully goes over better on worse Ds. May not even make for many more points, but it'd be fun to see a 30 point performance that doesn't require 200 yards rushing and 80 rushing yards from Fields. Not that those things aren't fun necessarily... But a passing game with rhythm is cool too.

As mentioned before Elgton Jenkins makes sense in OL and likely to hit market. McGlinchey also has a chance to hit market, but he's more an elite run blocker and more good pass blocker, when I'd rather be getting a elite pass blocker if I'm paying FA tackle money, which I'm sure he'd get on the open market. Jawaan Taylor is a guy I don't know a lot about but PFF grades him as a good pass blocker but below average run blocker. Every other tackle looks like more questionable as upgrades or on older end, but wouldn't put past Poles to get his guy to replace Borom (who would be a great swing T) Should be plenty of options at C. Hopefully they're not tied to Patrick, though he could stick around as a backup, as it'd be nice to have depth, he's not that expensive, and the Bears have tons of cash. Will then also be interesting to see if/when Whitehair comes back how he plays. I was pretty certain his days were numbered, but not as sure anymore. If they do move on, I think there will be some interesting names, but no really huge names. How does thr draft depth at OL look?

Romeo Doubs went 61 picks after Velus Jones Jr and I think he'd be the Bears second best WR.

Is Geisicki really a TE though? This year is his heaviest usage inline since 2018 at 97 / 269. Last year he was 99 / 827 in line with 252 of those other snaps as wide. You can run a mix of 11/12 personnel with him in the game.

Neither are under contract for next year though. So, you'd have to give either new money. And ideally, you'd only bring 1 of them back. You basically have to decide between Harry's upside and St. Brown's run blocking. St. Brown kinda is what he is at this point, but Harry is easily the more talented WR. Ideally, whichever one you bring back is battling Velus for the 4th WR. The Bears need a real X (doesn't have to be big) and a slot. I don't think St Brown will cost much. Probably another minimum contract. Thats assuming Harry doesn't make him totally irrelevant. Harry definitely more interesting. He has the pedigree where just looking capable over the back 9 here could drive up his price in what's likely a weak WR market. Especially a WR with maybe like one starting X.

Gesicki and one OL isn't enough for the O in FA. Gesicki is interesting. But I'd see him more as complementary to the O if they wanna get really freaky on O. Really the only question is if it's gonna be worth parting with a high value pick in order to get the best WR you can to support Fields. I lean towards no, and just use FA and draft, but not outrihht eliminating the idea. Believe Dallas TE Schultz is also a 2023 UFA, might be a better addition. Schultz looks like he's being passed on the pecking order by a 4th round Rookie TE. He's officially gonna be in "buy low one year prove it" territory.

I'm getting more impressed with Harry and I hope he can make that decision /idea moot. He definitely won't make adding another WR moot, IMO. I don't care if he goes off for 50/540 the rest of the way, I'd still want another WR. But being he can play a true X role, you can feel much more confident going agressive at say a Jakobi Meyers type who gets 70% of his snaps from the slot. And make you comfortable that you don't need 2 WR in FA.

I really don't want to see them only rely on the draft to give Fields weapons. They are basically gonna have to go sign 4 starters at absolute minimum, and that's if they're all really big deals. More likely theyre gonna be signing 6 starter type money deals. If at least 3 of them (WR, C, T) aren't offense Poles will have failed Fields and the O. If he does that he can go splurge on a couple DL too and then do whatever he wants in draft. I'd like to think Poles won't rely solely on the draft, he's got the resources to attack building around Fields with FA and the draft. Puts him in possibly, the best position of any team in the 2023 offseason, don't think there's another team that comes close to resources the Bears will have at their hand. Eh, there's plenty of teams with multiple 1sts including likely top 5/10 picks, and plenty of cap room too. Bears cap total, while gaudy, is way past diminishing returns. But they definitely will be like top 5 resource wise. But none of those teams (off top of my head) has a Fields level QB prospect in hand, so they'll most likely be looking for one with their resources. So maybe that evens it out. I just hate they have this much cap room. Give me one good WR and OL from the last FA class and I'd be happy to have "only" $60M in cap space.

Fields looked good against a great D and they helped draft position. I conceptually hate admitting these exist, but yes, good loss.

Sign the best OL to hit FA (hopefully the Colts are dumb enough to let Nelson go) Sign Mike Gesicki Use the rest of your cap space on defense Draft a WR with your 1st, add another WR and an OL on day 2 Profit Gesicki and one OL isn't enough for the O in FA. Gesicki is interesting. But I'd see him more as complementary to the O if they wanna get really freaky on O. Really the only question is if it's gonna be worth parting with a high value pick in order to get the best WR you can to support Fields. I lean towards no, and just use FA and draft, but not outrihht eliminating the idea.

There's a chance one of them will emerge, if so, that leaves the draft to address WR, there's a chance Smith-Njigba' going to fall out of the first round. How great could it be if the Bears are able to go OL with the first round and grab Smith-Njigba with a second? I really don't want to see them only rely on the draft to give Fields weapons. They are basically gonna have to go sign 4 starters at absolute minimum, and that's if they're all really big deals. More likely theyre gonna be signing 6 starter type money deals. If at least 3 of them (WR, C, T) aren't offense Poles will have failed Fields and the O. If he does that he can go splurge on a couple DL too and then do whatever he wants in draft.

Harry and St Brown might be just enough at X that you don't need to force yourself on a big body WR to complement Mooney and can just go get the best WR you can to help Fields, even if he's more a slot type. Just make sure you fix the OL enough so you can actually run 11 personnel and block with a 6 man protection.