Pixote

If everyone agreed with one another on our views on the Bears and what they need to do to return to the super bowl, it would be very boring and needless to say, not nearly as enjoyable as having a lively debate with friends. We need to circle the wagons and keep this band of fans together!

Thanks for this insight. Although I had always been concerned about drafting a player, at any position but especially at an offensive skill position, with limited experience as a starter, I had never considered the number of passing attempts a QB had pre-draft. I guess they are a bit related but still, eye opening for me. Then combine that with pro reps to consider when a proper evaluation can be accomplished, nice! I am a huge Daniels fan. Would love to see him groomed behind Fields with a new Offensive Coordinator and an improved offensive line.

Carolina has Green Bay, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay left to play. Good chance they lose all 3.

And for the critics who criticized Poles for making the trade, eat crow!

There was nothing personal taken. It is just I think we are at an impasse that cannot be resolved by further debating. If we don't sign his fifth year option, and he balls out in 2024, yes, he will have leverage in negotiations with us. But if we cannot meet his expectations, we also have leverage with any team wishing to trade for him while we hold him on a tag. In the mean time, if we drafted a QB like Daniels to be tutored during 2024, he would be ready to take over after Fields was traded or be a valuable backup (or trade bait) if Fields remained a Bear.

I took the first option. I want a boat load of picks for the number one, and possibly a player thrown in. However, I still want the Bears to draft a top prospect QB later in the first to develop behind Fields. There are many interesting options at QB this year beyond Williams and Maye.

We disagree, so why don't we just leave it. We both walk away from this with no hard feelings. Just two Bear fans with very different opinions.

Almost every player says they won't play under a franchise tag contract. Then they realize the millions of dollars it will cost them to sit home on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn watching the games on TV. They wind up signing the contract and playing balls out trying to improve their negotiating position after the season is over. This is especially the case with a rookie who hasn't gotten that huge first "non rookie" deal.

You trade Fields now, you get??? Not a good position for the Bears to get value. You draft a top prospect this year in the draft. Lets say for argument sake Daniels with a high first round pick. Allow Fields to play as a starter to begin the season with Daniels on the bench learning the ropes. If he has a great year, we have better options than what we have now. 1) He was signed to his fifth year option and we can negotiate a long term deal with him. 2) He was signed to a fifth year option and we can now get good value for him, much much better than what we would now get in a trade. (But why trade him if he was having a great year?) 3) He wasn't signed to a fifth year option and we can use the franchisee tag on him to allow us to negotiate a trade with another team if he refuses to sign with us. It could even be a non-exclusive tag allowing him to check his value with other teams. Quite often they find the grass (money) isn't better on the other side of the fence.

?

I disagree. IMHO, it is a viable option. Been done successfully before. Can be done again. Yes, it may cost you in negotiations, but it also limits your risks going forward.

But then we can use the franchise tag to hold him to play with us or to get another team to trade for his rights. We would pay him less using the tag than what he would get on a new multiyear contract, without any guaranteed money going forward.

I do not think you can rule out Fields resigning with the Bears if the Bears do not use his fifth year option. Its a business. Fields knows that. There has been many players, some QBs, that did not get their 5th year option signed yet some had a great 4th year and finally came to terms, staying with their team.

The table is set. The Bears are hungry. If we wind up with the #1 pick in the first round, Poles will have a chance to make the 3rd best draft day trade in NFL history. (The Herschel Walker & Ricky Williams trades were totally insane.) IT WILL BE HUGE! I believe that the salary cap, although obviously important, cannot be the deciding factor in this decision. Every team has to deal with salary cap issues involving their blue chip players, especially their QBs. The good teams know how to manage the cap to keep their teams core together. With the draft picks we could have entering this draft, and the money we have to spend in free agency, we can be set for a deep playoff run in 2024.

Thanks, That was an outstanding article. I personally think that unless Fields' play in the last 4 games makes it clear which option for our future is best, that it will be a decision Poles will make once he gets offers for the #1 pick, as well as offers for a Fields' trade. He will carefully compare the options he has. At that point, I think he will pull the trigger on a move to give the Bears' the best chance to improve and become a force in the NFL instead of a running joke.

We have to give him a clean pocket to throw from if we want him to be a pocket passer. Simple enough. LOL. We are failing at doing just that. Way too much pressure on him today. If I remember correctly, and correct me if my memory sucks, but the last time we played Cleveland Fields got mauled and had a horrific game. Lets hope we can afford him better protection this time.

And it looks like we have both. ?

This is reminding me too much of the last game with Detroit.

Yep, I just saw an unqualified positive comment. That is all I wanted to see. I do not mind anyone commenting negatively about the play of any player, as long as they also acknowledge when that same player does good. That is my only beef. All is good. No Problem!

Every comment you make about Fields is negative, or occasionally a positive but with a qualifier. I get the point. You don't like Fields. ?

Our OL sucks! Fields has no chance to go through his progressions.

I agree 100%. I've watched him against several of the top ranked teams, including my Notre Dame team (who also has a habit of losing to top ranked teams, damn it). He seems to choke against high level competition. I will be curious what he does against #16 ranked Louisville on 12/27.

Yes, I think with our defense, if Fields can contribute that to the offense along with our running game, we win.

I was just watching a video on YouTube with a guy named Ryan Wilson showed his latest mock. He has New England trading the Bears for the #1 overall pick. The Bears would get their #1, #2, & #4 in 2004 along with a #3 in 2005. New England would draft Caleb Williams #1 overall. With the Bears' first pick (#2 overall) we would select Marvin Harrison Jr. Just curious what you guys would think about this mock. Would you make the deal?

I'm not that impressed with either of the two, Williams or Maye. Neither one, in the games I watched, showed they were solid against the top ranked teams. They both have IMO way too many question marks to risk a #1 pick on. There are some very good prospects at QB that will also be first round selections, but we could easily select one of them with the Bears' #1 in the top 10 and use the #1 from Carolina to harvest a monster deal that could set the Bears up for an awesome future.