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Strategy time. Seeing the Panthers give Jaelan Phillips $120mil after a 5 sack season certainly makes me feel better about Dayo's contract. They have a good DT in Derek Brown and they run a 3-4 front. They will be starting rookie Lee Hunter, one of the pundits draft targets for the Bears at DT. They have some good DBs but that LB group seems like the place to attack. Between Phillips and the other starting OLB Patrick Jones II they don't have much pass rush off the edge. Trevis Gipson (remember him) is a backup and his best year statistically was as a Bear in 2021. At ILB they signed Devin Lloyd and he's good but next to him starting is Bobby Okereke who just signed the last week of training camp. I'm thinking we're going to attack the edge of the defense on runs and kick those OLBs out with a TE or pulling OG. None of these OLBs seem like they are the athletic type to be any good in coverage either. If we run the DBs off by sending someone deep then who fills in that intermediate gap on the sidelines 10-20 yards downfield? Loveland destroyed the Packers in the playoffs in that exact location on numerous plays. I don't have a strategy for the defense other than hoping they can stop the run. Then Jordan VDB can get in Bryce Young's face on 3rd and long.

Cheap: Based on AAV this puts him 14th in the NFL among RBs this year. But he's a year early in signing so of course that doesn't include any inflation in RB salaries next offseason. Players like Rhamondre Stevenson of the Patriots, who has only exceeded 1000 yards once, makes $9mil/yr. Just below that tier sits players like Chubba Hubbard, who we get to see tomorrow, and Montgomery both making around $8mil/yr. Before next season starts and this contract extension kicks in he's likely going to have a top 15-20 RB salary. IMO that fits very well for a mid-tier starting RB. For reference Kenneth Walker III, who is pretty much in the same category statistically, just signed for $14mil/yr in FA. Except I think Swift is a better receiver. https://overthecap.com/position/running-back

RBs have been getting paid and like you said, this is very team friendly. I remember the talk about Swift when he first got here, but BJ stated , it wasnt his decision to get rid of Swift in Detroit. The GM didnt want to pay him a big contract. He performed well in Philly and here he is. He's not a first tier RB in the league but he will perform well in this offense and the Bear's brass agree.

Next year our starting DTs could very well be a 6th round pick and UDFA. As much as Poles misses on 3rd round picks but he does find players. Actually Thomas this year will not be one of his misses.

we got two rookies that will make plays this year. Loving will need more time to get ready but it’s not hard to see him taking snaps from Gallimore later this year.

I am wondering if this also has to do with Caleb's statement about taking less money? Could he have already tipped off Poles ahead of time?

This is CHEAP! With the recent contract explosion at RB I expected he'd get closer to $15mil/yr. Which is in the neighborhood of Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker. I'm good with the extension because I think he's a good versatile player for us and really fits what Ben wants out of the backfield. I expect Poles went heavy on the guarantees which is big for a RB and before the season even started. Swift eliminates the risk of an injury affecting his next deal. From a team building standpoint we can now head into next years draft with no need to use a Day 2 pick on a RB. Poles has basically locked up the entire offense and this offseason should be almost entirely defense. I can see one Olineman being drafted early if they really like someone to replace Thuney at LG in the future, or perhaps a LT falls to us for some odd reason.

Swift and Monangai will be a great tandem for years. Getting this done now makes sense since the RB FA class has recently blown up with more money going that way and the 2027 cupboard had Swift at the top of best available. He is a 3 down player, can run, catch, and block well. I think Poles told BJ no on drafting a first or second Rd RB and DA gets to go all in.

I think we will see more than a bit of Jordan Van Der Berg this weekend. He reminds me of Steve McMichael on some of these plays. https://x.com/HGrahamNFL/status/2094135603386253634

I really thought he was done here before last year began, but last year he definitely showed something on the field he hadnt before, and he deserves this extension.

While we collectively pine away for the game on Sunday, saw this while doomscrolling. He says he wore it his first year and was listed not as a QB but as an “athlete”.

Over the course of his six year career he's managed 6,872 scrimmage yards (4,775 of those rushing). 2/3 rushing and 1/3 receiving making him a true dual threat. What I like about him is his durability. He's missed a few games over the years but nothing that seems to keep him out for very long. Even with a "chronic groin/hip" injury from last year he only missed one game. I'm for one glad he's back and will be for the foreseeable future.

If they got a good deal, I knew they would resign him. Last year under BJ he was a beast and doesnt have a lot of mileage, Im glad. BJ loves him so this is on him. Tells me they expect going to the SB in the next two years.

https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2098495288893648933

for sure. I think Ben is great at motivating the team and keeping them from getting complacent. He a GREAT Xs and Os guy, but hes also a great leader. He may well eclipse Ditka as the second greatest Bears coach of all time, and that's only because Halas started the whole thing so he will always be #1, but if we had the chance to hire Ben Johnson or a young George Halas last year, Johnson is the correct answer!

Garrett had nagging injuries from last year and was ineffective. That game costs the Rams about 2 million in wasted salary.

There are always a lot of upsets in Week 1; let's make sure our game isn't one of them. I hope Ben uses these games as an example when addressing the need not to take this game lightly. They need to Bear Down!

https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2026/09/10/nfl-week-1-panthers-prediction-upset-bears/91673848007/

The Superbowl favorite LA Rams took a season opening loss even with the addition of Myles Garrett and McDuffie.

3,INT to close out the game. Last one with the team in position for a field goal to force overtime. He played this defense in the Superbowl and has had all offseason to get ready for this game. I’m not putting Caleb in the same category as Brady but the one trait that stood out early in Brady’s career was his ability to win games late. I believe you’ve either got it or you don’t.

I'm a man of mystery...🤪 You're timing couldn't be more perfect.

What the? Mongo’s quoting scripture now. If BJ can do as he intends and become the highest scoring offense (scoring an average over 38(?) pts a game) then it won’t matter if it all happens in the last quarter. I’d prefer they do it over the course of all four quarters.

This. ☝️

After one game?

Wait no Jayden Daniels is better. Wait no Drake Maye is better. Wait no Bo nix is better. Wait. No. Caleb Williams is an MVP type QB. Thank God he's ours.