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Just saw Ian Wheeler was activated. That’s good news for some RB depth competition.

Kpassa is in the house. We’ve reached the point where other teams former backups are not even likely to make our roster. It wasn’t too long ago we were looking at them as starters.

Instead of starting a new thread on roster moves we might as well just list them here. Today we signed DB Tre Flowers and DL Tanoh Kpassagnon. Tanoh was a reliable backup for KC for 8 yrs. We added WR Jahdae Walker and Ian Wheeler (RB) fron the non performance list We waivered DB Alex Cook and DL Jereme Robinson. Also Poles talked to today (did not hear the speech) but said Braxton Jones was ready to go. Can anyone verify that?

You are also correct with Kmet, it would cost 1.6 mil and we would save 10 mil. Again , with this being BJs first year to develop his offense there is no logical reason to get rid of talented players. Our cap is set this year and next year is a whole different set of circumstances.

You are correct I just found the trade information on OTC, it will cost 4 mil to trade him this yr. Its still not going to happen even thou its an option. We could win the SB this year but that's not going to happen either. Not sure while we just get to a loaded roster why you start wanting to get rid of talented players. Current Contract (Extension, signed 2024) (📝: indicates contract trigger occuring during that year) Year Age Base Salary Prorated Signing Bonus Per Game Roster Bonus Workout Bonus Guaranteed Salary Cap Number Cap % Dead Money & Cap Savings Cut (pre-June 1)Cut (post-June 1)Trade (pre-June 1)Trade (post-June 1)RestructureExtension 2024 27 $3,000,000 $4,000,000 $0 $200,000 $3,000,000 $7,200,000 2.8% 2025 📝 28 $20,650,000 $4,000,000 $0 $250,000 $20,650,000 $24,900,000 8.8% $48,135,000 ($23,235,000) 2026 📝 29 $23,485,000 $4,000,000 $765,000 $250,000 $23,485,000 $28,500,000 9.6% $27,485,000 $1,015,000 2027 30 $23,485,000 $4,000,000 $765,000 $250,000 $0 $28,500,000 9.2% $4,000,000 $24,500,000 2028 31 $23,485,000 $4,000,000 $765,000 $250,000 $0 $28,500,000 -- $4,000,000 $24,500,000 2029 32 $23,485,000 $0 $765,000 $250,000 $0 $24,500,000 -- $0 $24,500,000 Total $117,590,000 $20,000,000 $3,060,000 $1,450,000 $47,135,000 $142,100,000

just cap-wise, we can trade Dj Moore anytime if it is a post june 1st trade, and save at least $20M on the cap, that goes up to $25M next year year. Kmet will get us $10M any time. So you dont need to wait in terms of the cap. Roster-wise is a different story.

oh he definitely has a quick release, and he reads defenses really well

JJ has a really good arm. (Not elite) I've seen it in person. Quick release and very accurate in tight windows with good zip. My comparison is an athletic Curt Cousins and/or Matt Ryan.

Poles set all of the contracts to align with when we have to pay Caleb which would be 2028. The core of our team have contracts thru 2027 and each one has an out their last year of their contracts. People can condemn Poles all they want but he has been great with the cap space. As we bring in rookies their contracts end in 2028. If they did well drafting it is a natural progression to let players leave and the young take over. What is interesting is Kmet and DJ Moore have contracts thru 2028 and that is their out year. 2027 is a little more money to release them , so 2027 is workable but they wouldnt be leaving before 2027 IMO. Edmunds is signed thru 2026 and he will be the big money contract that can be outed next year. Grady Jarret can be outed next yr with little dead money. You are right to look ahead about freeing up money but are looking at the wrong names that could leave. Jones was a 5th round pick that Poles lived with until he found a replacement. We have that now with 2 bites at the apple. Now if Jones had kept progressing, he would be paying him next year but he hasnt. He has one more yr but the injury has derailed his chance to prove that. Braxton Jones was a win for Poles not a mistake. We are at the beginning of what Poles set up for us to be a winning team going forward. When hired he said 5 yrs so he is one year ahead on his projection. Right now he has many mistakes to be critized for but his overall plan is right on schedule. His two biggest wins was drafting Caleb and hiring BJ , that is what he will be remember for . Not drafting Zach Pickens in the third or not getting a stud RB in 2025.

I thought Chark was older. Interesting. Anyway, in a couple of years they will be over 30. If Burden develops like he is expected to, then he plays the same position and style as Moore. So when I talk about trading DJ Moore, I mean, next year or the year after, Moore will still have a lot in the tank, which is why someone would trade for him. But it doesnt make sense to leave $30M in cap space on your roster if you have a young stud who can be used the same way. This is forward thinking. Ultimately everyone on the team will be replaced, and then everyone on of those people will be replaced etc etc - its the nature of the NFL. You cant afford a team full of second and third contract guys, you always have to be replacing them with younger guys on rookie deals. Especially when your QB gets past their rookie deal. So its interesting to see Burden, Loveland and young CBs right now. Braxton Jones wont get to his second deal here for instance. None of this is happening right away, but you can see Poles settling in to a longer term plan, and making moves a year away now. Our biggest needs right now are: LT someone has to really step up and TAKE the job. Hope Trapilo is that guy, if Amagadje beats him, then so much the better. HB we still dont have a real stud, but i expect Roschon Johnson to be better this year in the Powerback role of HB2 like Montgomery was. EDGE we need more in pass rush, this may be our biggest weakness. And Poles is already fixing coming needs at WR and CB so players will be in rhythm when they step up to start. All this assuming Odunze takes a step forward this year, which I expect he will.

I found this hard to believe but DJ Moore is 5 months younger than DJ Chark. Another thing to think about, both entered the NFL in the 2018 draft. Moore was pick 24 and Chark pick 51. Hard to imagine both these players are still fairly young.

totally agree

I feel like the most likelihood here is that when we looked at trading out of #1, JJ would have been the pick. I dont think they ever would have taken JJ over Caleb with the first pick. But its not hard to imagine that the Bears liked JJ better than Jayden Daniels or Bo Nix. I would have agreed with that, if Caleb didnt exist for example. But Caleb has a MUCH MUCH higher ceiling than JJ of course.

I think Chark would be WR5 on this team. But he knows the system, and can help tutor Burden - i think that's his main role. Burden is a lot like DJ Moore, who is getting older. From a 2 year perspective, Burden is likely Moore's replacement. If at some point a killer trade comes along that makes it hard to say no, and it involves trading Moore away, and Burden isnt quite ready, then Chark is an option for WR2. Obviously Chark wont be an option in 2 years, so his value, if we even sign him, would be to teach Burden, and to be a short term replacement if someone goes down with an injury, or if a trade comes along. I think DJ Moore will not get another contract on this team, and that means he is trade bait in the final year of his deal. In fact, his deal is structured so that we can trade him ANY year, and while it costs us $4M against the cap that year, it clears up $20M this year, or $25M next year. I think the writing is on the wall for Moore for next year. As soon as Burden is ready, Moore is trade bait. And if the right offer comes along, Chark lets you take it with less risk. One really good thing you can say about Poles is that he has us in a position now where we are mostly drafting for future need, rather than to fill immediate holes. pass rushing DE notwithstanding. That's next years #1 pick or free agent acquisition.

To be honest. they did not base their draft on question marks about successful players already on the team. DJ had some bumps in the road but was still the leading weapon on the team. The JJ situation is just now happening, wasnt before the draft. Kmet had an off year because of a dysfuncial offense and just didnt get snaps. I think they brought DJ in because he is a big WR ,. Rome and Miles Boykin are the only large WRs on the team. DJ is 6'3' 200 lbs and has 4.34 speed at 28 years old. I would say Boykin has been disappointing and could take his roster spot.

Yeah, I dont think its a done deal, or anything like that. but it might be creating depth and in case they run their mouths again? Like insurance? Or it might just be insurance against players who will want big contracts next year. Moore is 28, and you can see Burden taking over his role in the next year or two. Chark would help teach Burden Johnson's system. JJ is going to want big money the year after this one. It's smart.

Run your mouth when you've done something is kind of an unwritten rule when it comes to respect. This team has done nothing to talk about. If it is about culture change, I'm in. Hopefully, it's just depth.

I got the timeframe wrong, this was not predraft it was much later. It was well after the draft, but it is a non story saying we were close to taking JJ instead of Caleb. We took Caleb, and did show a lovefest before the draft.

of course, and there were no other names - it was Caleb 100% the whole time. But this isnt the first time Ive heard that JJ was #2 on our list last year. And it makes sense. He is a lot like Tyson Bagent - a REALLY good QB without the monster arm. Sort of the opposite of Justin Fields. Int he end you need all those things to succeed, but its an interesting experiment to see which incomplete skill set fits in the NFL better.

So I guess DJ Chark visited the Bears, and there is some interest in signing him. Chark is over 30, and he has had great seasons and not so great ones. One big advantage is that he has played in Ben Johnson's system before. I dont expect anything fast or soon, but it makes me wonder if DJ Moore might be in trouble int he next couple of years. It's interesting that the three players who mouthed off this year have all been addressed with depth. Cole Kmet and then Coltson Loveland DJ Moore and then Luther Burden, and possible Chark as a stop gap measure while Burden (who is a lot like Moore) comes up to speed Jaylon Johnson sitting out right now while our depth at CB gets snaps Im not saying all these guys are going to be gone in two years, but we are smart to be ready for that. At the very least we are buidling depth behind these guys in case we need to move them for contract reasons etc.

Agree with all that. Forget about QB names, no GM is going to give away franchise secrets to strangers at a casual event.

we were always taking Caleb, but I wouldnt be surprised at all if we had JJ as our #2 ranked QB. I did. Nix is really good too, but his age had him at #3 for me.

This is laughable. He states a casual talk at a event that Poles said they really liked JJ McCarthy and thought about taking him. This timeframe is predraft, let me see, do GMs say things to mislead people or tell franchise secrets with the #1 pick with virtually a stranger? Who even has balls to pretend this is a serious story? Once they met with Caleb they totally created a lovefest with him and didnt even meet with other top 5 QBs that went in the first round that year. Go by what people do , not what people say.

This is an interesting conversation about BJs offense with Kyle Long. These comments are solely the opinion of the creators and some I share and some I do not.

You are correct about targets attempted but Detriot was second in the league in rushing attempts because of their high level RBs and I dont see us being that good. I think we end up leaning on the passing game more. Last year we had (rushing) 431 attempts and Lions 534. Passing attempts Bears 566, Lions 551. Then success rate comes into play as far as padding individual stats per team.