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The DET game really skews the Bears per game average stats. Removing that game puts the defense near league average for scoring and yards.

The Congonkulator says: Using the entire season's stats, GB has the edge 25-23. Only using the last 5 weeks (recent and relevant): the Bears have the edge 23-22. So it seems that the team that scores 24 will probably win.

Turner is definitely a 3T. I like the fact that he's athletic enough to play outside. Alabama has a big DE that really looks suited to also be an impact interior player. It would be awesome to get him in the second round. It's also time to give up on Dexter being a penetrator. He should hit the weight room and buffet table to gain thirty and become our new 1T.

I'm so happy that this is finally at the front of our identity. It all starts up front!

My order of likelihood of resigning: S - Byard - Most likely, team captain, still playing at a high level, both Safeties are FAs, need to keep at least one, Byard will be cheaper. DB - CJ Gardner-Johnson - Knows DA's system, already an impact player, brings an edge to the defense. CB - Wright - Would love for them to find a way, but unless Wright takes a mid-level deal, someone else will pay him to be their CB1. S - Brisker - Injuries and inconsistent play. Unless he takes a team friendly deal, or they don't resign Byard, I doubt he is back. WR3 - Zaccheaus - He gone unless he takes near a vet min deal that doesn't impact cap. With Odunze, Moore, and Burden, and the TEs, he is now the 6th or 7th passing option. DT - Billings - He gone

I would be fine with that. I think Billings, Brisker, and Wright won't be back. Billings has underwhelmed. Brisker has too much injury risk for a big contract. Wright is a tough loss but there are too many guys waiting in the wings to pay 3 CBs top dollar after Jaylon and Kyler. So Byard and CJGJ would be their only two big name free agents resigning.

Before Dayo got hurt he was taking more inside snaps. I dont disagree on his strength but his contract dictates he stays one more year . So probably him and Jarrett playing the 3T spot with Dexter and new guy manning the NT spot. I havent watch a lot of tape on Dayo but seen some podcasts that said he was more effective on the inside while at Indy. Sweat was taking a lot of heat because of his injury laden performance last year but this year looks a lot better. I think we will have to be patient with Dayo before we can label him a bust.

Before Dayo got hurt he was taking more inside snaps. I dont disagree on his strength but his contract dictates he stays one more year . So probably him and Jarrett playing the 3T spot with Dexter and new guy manning the NT spot. I havent watch a lot of tape on Dayo but seen some podcasts that said he was more effective on the inside while at Indy. Sweat was taking a lot of heat because of his injury laden performance last year but this year looks a lot better. I think we will have to be patient with Dayo before we can label him a bust.

Orange is the type that Poles likes being so athletic but like he did this year he will let the draft dictate his choices. I think we address DE, S, and DT in the top of the draft. I think this draft will focus on defense. OL is set, RB is solid, TE and WRs are set because of the 25 draft. We have 7 picks with 3 top 100 . I think Poles will again do some trade backs to get another top 100 player. With 4 in the top 100 we can fill our biggest needs. I think he may add a LB to that group or another DL. Edmunds and Edwards contracts are Cap friendly after the 26 season as far being able to move on and LB may be a focus this year and next. I still think this team is on draft mode to improve the team and because of the Cap wont be trading anyone to bring in a big contract vet. If Caleb improves our offense is only getting better and will allow the drafted players to work their way into the improving the D. Looking at Draft Buzz's top 100 lots of choices at S, LB, and in the DL that will push us to rely on the draft to improve. If we keep winning our draft position is going to be 25 to 30 and falling in that draft area is Caleb Banks/DE 6-6 330 that would be a perfect fit for DAs defense. Could play both inside and outside. Draft positions will change a lot by January so probably will move up. He will probably be drafted as a 5T before he gets to our spot.

That's a good tape. You have to watch it several times to get to see every Lineman play. Ozzy definitely has improved over the beginning of the season. I think one year of him getting stronger will help him a lot. Some people judge a player by a few of their worst plays but I think you have to look at the over all game of that Player. This is probably the most talented DL we face all year. Nolan Smith, Davis, Carter and Phillips . No OL will ever look good all the time against them but its the results that matter. 281 rushing the ball. Philly hasnt given up that yardage since the 1970s. Theo is healthy now and to give the start to Ozzy does say something to back up your statement. Expectations and patience is important in watching a team grow. Lots of fans wanted another RB with Swift and not drafting a RB until the 7th round. In comparison Swift is not as good as Gibbs and I think Monangai has more sting than Montgomery. This has turned out to be excellent choices for BJs offense. I think they get Swift to redo his contract next year for cap relief because players are going to want to stay here because of BJ and our success. Poles rebuilt the OL in one year with the addition of Ozzy, Thuney, Dalman, Jackson and the improvement of Wright. This happened w/o having to draft a LT with our first two picks of which a lot of pundits wanted.

If we’re going to carry a pure NT type on the roster I’d replace Billings with the Big Citrus out of Iowa State in rd 3. Bigger faster maybe not stronger because Billings is a beast. Both have a love for the buffet. Better length helps Orange as a space eater whereas Billings gets moved around a lot. Iowa State’s defensive scheme is pure garbage. I think better coaching can get more out of Orange but I’m not going to say there is huge upside. Then again I’m talking about round 3 but he can become a good piece in your DT rotation which is a lot more than we get from Billings. https://www.profootballnetwork.com/domonique-orange-nfl-draft-week-10-2025/

Dayo doesn’t have enough strength to hold up outside much less do anything inside. Any winning he does inside is coming off a stunt but you can’t live by that. Booker and the new DE are both playing the edge better. We have to hope Dayo responds to the competition because cutting him is painful next year with at best a $17mil cap hit. If we draft an edge high it seems more likely Turner moves inside which is where they had him earlier this season before needing help at DE, then IR. We really need an interior pass rusher anyway.

Ozzy is already better than Theo and peak Braxton. He’s not perfect but there won’t be any looking back now because any team can win with how well he is playing right now. It only gets better from here. I’m watching this film a second time because it is fun watching Darnell against Jalen Carter. It’s fun watching Dalman against Jordan Davis so might need to have a 3rd view. This Dline is very talented so our guys did not win on every snap but they won the vast majority of them.

If he continues to progress of course you're right but I though even as a rookie, he would start at LT after the Jones injury but Theo forced his way in there. I am not going to count him out although I just looked and he isnt signed for next year. There may be a few teams to give him a few bucks considering how tough the LT spot is hard to fill. I think with our success a lot of players will want to come back here even on a minimum deal.

And they are all signed beyond this year

The national press is starting to get it.

The LT competition is over.

Olin called it the best OL in the league, Im running with that evaluation. After some failed seasons, Poles (in his 4th year of his 5 yr plan ) has this roster cooking. We still have a few weaknesses but overall has us a playoff team. Hiring Johnson and drafting Caleb will be his legacy. Sure Caleb has a ways to go but he makes big plays at the end of the game that keeps us winning. That throw to Kmet was his best throw this year .(IMO) Running to the left throwing against your body and floated it to Cole when the original play was a Swift pass for a first down was huge for the win. His ability to escape, runs well, manages the game late in the 4th are huge traits. His down side of poor efficiency and bad decisions some times are fixable traits. To be at this point in time with our QB only playing mediocre is huge. Once he gets his act together this offense will be averaging in the mid thirties in points.

As we look at roster construction Poles finds bargains along the way Gardener- Johnson, NaShoun Wright-DeMarco Jackson. I think this is a spot he excels at . Plenty to criticize him for but the overall picture has us 9-3 and more victories to come this year. I had him graded a C- going into the year but his draft is turning out to be great and some of the cheap FA additions have added a lot. Jarrett hasnt play well because of injuries but I have notice him the last few games as he has gotten healthier. Dayo appears a bust type but not playing now leaves that in limbo. The OL additions was a home run. Dead money for next year is only 542 thousand which is playing the game well.

This is our OL for the next two years and we have the backups on the team already. Kiran, Theo, Newman . I think they bring McFadden and Stromberg back for the other OL backup spots. I didnt see the investment of Johan Jackson as a good idea at the start of the season but he is cooking now. LT was the weak spot and Ozzy and Theo will compete there next yr. Kiran may be back in the race , injuries has slowed his progress. I dont expect a high pick for the OL in the next draft.

Good catch on Dexter. They might as well let him play out his rookie deal.

As much as I would love to say we run over GB, playing there its going to come down to late game heroics is more likely. We could lose this game and two weeks later beat them here and put us back in the division lead. Blowing teams out will come when Caleb comes more consistent in his play. Running the ball and TOs will give us a chance to win the rest of the games on the schedule and would love if we run the table, just not likely quite yet.

I agree with your comments but Dexter is under contract for next year according to OTC and will be cheap so I dont see him leaving.

I think Wright could come back on a back loaded deal because we are better for cap space in 2027. Someone has to go and money will come into play. I suspect they play with the Cap to work contracts in for 2026 with resigning the most impactful players. I suspect Brisker, and Edmunds may be gone. We have gotten by with cheaper options. Certain contracts just cant be touched until 2027 and it was designed that way for better or for worse. The OL contracts, Jarrett and Dayo . I think as well as Gardner-Johnson has played unless he comes back probably playing SS as a team friendly deal, he wont be back. Byard is a leader and may be a priority so a short team friendly deal may get him to come back. If we have the success it looks like we will have finishing the season, I expect a bunch of complicated contracts will get redone to fit some of the players back in. Edmunds is valuable but we have backups that we can fit in cap space better. I dont pity the work Poles has to do for next year. Swift is another option to get us more cap space and Kmet. I think they redo those contracts to keep them and pay less for 2026. I dont see any big trades or high price FAs coming in because we are up against the Cap. Lots of positions we need to improve but we will draft and count on players getting better. Booker and Turner will be expected to step up next year. I think Dayo plays more inside than outside next year where he has more impact.