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Yeah, I agree things went very differently than I expected them to, but the quality of the scouting department is really shining through - identifying players who were not in the top 5 of their position groups who could still be starters. That allowed Poles to stay true to his philosophy, and even get played a few times for HBs, and still come away with prospects who can push to start in Trapilo, Monongai, Burden and Turner while still making a splash with a first round pick in Loveland, I still think the Bears are going to lean heavily on the running game, and that we will wish we had a better HB1, no matter who eventually wins the job. I thinbk with the league having moved toward more 2 safety looks to counter the modern passing schemes over the last few years, that there is a chance for dominant HBs to affect the game more than they did 5 years ago lets say. I think we might wish we had Cam Skatebo on the roster this year. I know we are gonna need another DE too. This is our biggest weakness right now, with HB as #2. But as you have said, no roster is ever complete, so for almost every team across NFL history, there are strengths and there are "holes" - in the quest to keep updating the roster there is never a time where you dont have a concern about some player or position group. I am hopeful about a lot of these players, but we all agree, we've been let down so many times before, let's at least see it in pads at camp before any asses are crowned LOL

KC, LA Rams, and Buffalo have done just fine with run-of-the-mill RBs. Saquon was something of an anomaly because most Superbowl winning teams do not have an elite RB in the modern era. Speaks volumes about how rosters are being built these days. Swift's money will likely be needed elsewhere next year and he'll get replaced by a mid-round pick. If our QB and receiving groups become what we think they can we might get away with another day 3 RB to compliment Monangai and still be ok. This offseason has been one of our best but as you said, enough with the what-if scenarios it's time to start seeing this show up on the field.

I don't believe that 50% of top ten OL picks fail. I dont think Sweat and Dayo are enough at DE to challenge for a superbowl. It takes years to build a roster, and I assume DE will be a high priority next year unless we do something sooner. I do think we have some horses at DT now. I dont believe in Swift as a HB to take us where we want to go. Hes OK, but not a difference maker. Of course ALL rookies need to prove it on the field. Before the draft i hadnt heard of Trapilo or seen any tape. If I had, hed have been on my list of guys I wanted too. I am optimistic about him, but I need to see him and Amagadje in pads. Im not saying the roster is bad, Im saying its too early to be crowing about how all the pieces are in place. That's homer stuff.

As Luther Burden said on his twitter when he heard this... "Uh Oh"

I was thinking surely they planned for this but this doesn't seem like much of a plan... https://packerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2025/06/09/jaire-alexander-release-green-bay-packers-defense-2025-analysis/84112283007/ "In terms of true cornerbacks, the Packers’ depth chart now consists of a former fifth-round pick in Hobbs, a sixth-rounder in Hadden (by Kansas City), three seventh-rounders in Valentine, King and Hadden, and a former UDFA in Nixon."

https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/why-rome-odunze-has-become-one-of-fantasy-football-s-hottest-names

GB just released Alexander. He was their CB1, even if he missed some time with injuries, that is a huge hole to fill post June 1.

Of course there are questions, the biggest question is at QB. Caleb had some moments last year but held the ball to long, rarely threw to checkdown option and took sacks. Many times bailed on a pocket and run into a sack. 1/3 of his sacks was on him last year. Threw into a crowd instead of hitting open players. We have players to fill every position, yes it still has to be proven but just look at last year in comparison. Dalman or Shelton, Thuney or Jenkins, Jackson or Nate Davis. LT is still a question but at least we have 3 options to project, last year it was just Braxton. You liked Banks but had we drafted him, he would still be a question mark> 50% of all first round picks fail. So he would still be a question mark. We have Dayo, Sweat at DE starters, we have a draft pick last year that is promising (Booker) and BJ mentioned Dom Rob. We have 8 bodies that still need to prove itself but at least Its not the same group we rolled out last year. Pass rush can come from the DT also, Jarrett, Shemar Turner, Dexter has gotten better every year, Billings is healthy,Cris Williams had some flashes. RB does not have an all pro back there but Swift is better than people think, Kyle has some game, Roschon can play better. With a better OL, every position will be upgraded. Thuney will make who ever plays LT better. Better play calling, getting the ball out quicker all contributes to better play from our LT, RB. Had we drafted Banks, you would say that position is good, or drafted Trevon Henderson at RB but the truth is they are rookies that still would have to prove themselfves. From this point in time, this is the players we are going to war with, there is nobody coming to make a position look better. If we acquired Nick Chubb, he is a huge question mark. Why Im optimisic , better coaching, hope that Caleb takes a big step forward, an improved OL, new bodies on the DL, and a wealth of new weapons for Caleb.

Not your normal interview

I know! That's what I'm saying! Stinger was saying we had answers to all our questions, and I was saying it's way too early to count these chickens. And of course I want those chickens to hatch well. Just too early for me to call them all successes.

Nobody has a complete roster. Some teams have enough talent at positions to cover the gaps. We're still finding out who our blue chips are.

absolutely, and I like that Im hearing Trapilo is getting his assignments right and looks comfortable. in fact everything we've heard sounds really good, and the roster looks really good on paper. Im just not ready to say we have a complete roster, especially regarding DE, but while i HOPE beyond hope that we have a good LT on the roster, I just want to see it comfirmed in pads. I cant go in for sunshine and rainbows after all these years! But does everything we know look good so far? Absolutely!

I do like that Ben had praise for Dom Rob, Hyppolite and Monongai.

But even BJ says it's not anything until pads come on? We have the guys we have and the next thing is to see what they look like in pads, and then you look to make moves after that - that the rhythm of the draft / free agency cycles every year. I'm just saying, I cant do this narrative driven "everything amazing" stuff every year. I am hopeful and optimistic about the roster for sure, but i cant tell you who our starting LT is yet, so i cant judge it and say its good yet either?

I go by what the coaches say. BJ doesnt seem to be the type that blows smoke up your dress. I believe he is making honest statements. PLUS, they arent going out and adding people at those posistions. The pads will be the truth but I think things are looking up by the positive coaching statements.

Yeah I dont hold last season against Amagadje. For me, he and Trapilo are both basically rookies.

Reports were that Kiran was looking better at LT the last week of practices. He now has a a few weeks of practice to build off of this month before camp starts. When guys like Thuney say he's strong, don't rule him out once the pads come on.

I dunno how you can say that. until they get the pads on it's way too early to evaluate the LT, and we still need a dominant pass rusher. Also, while I am optimistic about Monongai, he is a 7th round pick, and I dont know that he is about to set the league on fire either. I think you can say we have players we hope will fill in at LT and HB, but that's about it at this point. And we absolutely need a top DE, maybe next year? I do think Trapilo COULD be the answer at LT, but I need to see it in pads first.

We do now with Loveland and Burton in the mix. I think our top two TEs and three WRs are a better combination than what Detroit had. Oline made some huge gains this offseason, still not where we want it to be but we'll see how it goes by the end of the season. As long as Ben can the details of the "why" for these plays into Caleb's head then he'll be fine.

So what did we learn from the preseason? BJ is a leader and hard ass, both good traits for a coach. I think that the worries at LT, RB, and DE appear to not be as needy as original thought to be. We have yet to see Burden and Loveland on the field, so there may be a slow start to their NFL stat line. I think the team is buying in to the new culture that BJ has instilled in this team. I think our depth is going to be solid. 3 players that could play LT will leave us in good shape for backups. I think players like Tyler Scott, Zach Pickens and Ryan Bates could be cut and add to our cap space. If Burden has nagging injuries to start the year, I think we are good hands with Zaccheaus and Duvernay.

I think we have the personal to do what this tape show us on BJs offensive scheme. What Caleb needs to do is stay in the pocket and dont hold the ball. Goff is good at getting rid of the ball quickly. Caleb is the key to making this work well. Cant hold the ball like last year.

I think Nagy thought he was the quarterback...

Yeah, like we said at the time, we didnt know who Johnson would be as a leader - not that we KNEW he would be bad, but we just werent sure, whereas Vrabel was a known quantity. Well, as weve learned more, Johnson is clearly the leader type we want AND he has the offensive genius stuff going on AND he can teach Caleb