Pixote

I spend a lot of time scouring the internet for anything related to the Bears. It isn't easy to separate hype from reality. With that said, I honestly believe Dexter will be a monster 3T for us this year and going forward. Toward the end of last year, he provided us with a glimpse of his amazing talent. He redefined his body through diet and exercise. His attitude and motivation are top-notch. I am also encouraged by our DC comments about Martin and Booker. This defense is on the verge of being a top 5. One more thing. I keep hearing positives about Williams and Scott's development of chemistry. Scott seems to be making an impact in every capsule I read about the practices. He might become the receiver many of us envisioned when drafted. Could he be Allen's replacement? (With the need to extend DJ's contract, I wonder if we can afford to resign Allen).

With all our roster additions and changes to our coaching staff, anything less than ten wins and a wildcard slot would be disappointing.

I've been reading some articles by some naysayers who question the positive outlook many of us have for the Bears offense in 2024. After all, we got a new OC to replace the dumbass we had last year. We added dynamic skill players to our offense. So why are they so negative? Do they dislike the Bears? So, I did some fact-checking. Last year, the Bears offense ranked #18 in points scored (360). Where did Seattle rank? They were #17 (364). I know we have a dynamic set of skill players, but we also have a rookie quarterback. Geno Smith, Metcalf, & Lockett are certainly a good set of players. So should we be concerned that they, with our new OC, were basically tied with us as middle-of-the-road offenses when viewed by points scored? After all, KC was #15 (371), and they won the SB AGAIN. So I checked the time of possession, another point of concern by some of the naysayers. I was surprised that the Bears were second in TOP (31.58 min p/g avg), only behind Cleveland (32.19). KC was 14th (30.28), and Seattle, with our OC in charge, was dead last (26.39). The naysayers point out that we may rack up more receiving years, but that will be offset by a drop in production from our running offense, which in turn will drop our time of possession, which was fueled last year by our rushing offense. (And Seattle's TOP was terrible the past two years because of a more aggressive passing game.) So, is this a reason for concern? Looking at KC's rankings, maybe points scored and TOP rankings are overrated? There are obviously other factors involved. Maybe it's a good thing we drafted a punter. LOL

I really think they should consider doubling the cap, expanding the roster to 80 players, and playing a 24-game schedule. ? This long off-season is killing me!

I laughed out loud at this quote from the article you linked. Caleb needs to realize that his reps, who are "the best business minds available," will not give him the necessary advice to negotiate contracts in the NFL. He really needs to get a "full-time" certified agent. This entire episode could have gotten ugly. If he had missed any significant time in training camp, he would not have even been ready to start when the season kicked off.

I'm not sure, if I were Poles, I'd give up the right to use the franchise tag on Williams if, after exercising the 5th-year option, Caleb, negotiating without an agent, was making demands well beyond market value set by other QB contracts five years from now. I think that I've heard of such exemptions on contract extensions, but I don't think this has ever been done on a rookie deal for a player drafted in the first round. Does Poles want to establish a precedent for such an (IMO) unreasonable request?

Being a bit starved for news, I searched for anything Bears-related to satisfy my hunger. I came across two "Meet the Rookies" videos—one for Rome Odunze and the other for Kiran Amegadjie. I must say, both were amazing. It will take time to discover the true extent of how their talent transitions from college to the NFL. However, one thing I am pretty sure of is that the players Poles has drafted are of exceptional character. They are intelligent, articulate, dedicated to their profession, and driven to be great. Poles has been an outstanding GM. That said, I do wish he would add another Edge Rusher ? As good as our DBs are, with no pressure on the opposing QB, eventually coverage will break down. If Sweat misses time, they are toast. Even with Sweat in the lineup, a complementary piece is needed.

First, I can't believe Lynch will allow Aiyuk to leave SF. However, if he did, I'm sure he'd enjoy sticking it to the Bears again, this time by trading Aiyuk to one of our division rivals.

What was the date for the first Hard Knocks Bears? I forgot and am too lazy to go searching. Found it, Tuesday, August 6

I am finding the NYG Hard Knocks interesting. In episode one, the GM mentioned, as reported later, that they were interested in Swift as a replacement for Barkley. Episode two showed their HC doing pre-draft interviews with Caleb & Rome and their GM at the Combine, watching Rome run his 40. Now, I can certainly understand their interest in Rome and bringing him in for an interview. However, why would they bring in Caleb, knowing that drafting #6 in Round One, he would never be there to select? Were they considering trading up? It never mentioned why they brought him in, but it made me wonder about their thought process for doing so. It also confirms my suspicion that the reason Poles was swift to sign Swift ? at what was considered by many above market value was to assure he was a Bear since other teams were considering making offers to his agent.

I'm sorry. I see I opened a can of worms. This thread was started to address your Fantasy Keeper league. I mistakenly posted a point of view meant for the lengthy "catch-all" thread pinned to the top of the forum. Again, sorry I screwed this up. As far as I'm concerned, you can delete all posts made after my mistake to return this thread to its intended purpose.

The Bears' Training Camp is quickly approaching. Caleb & Rome are still unsigned. If they are unsigned going into camp, it will become a major distraction, amplified by the Hard Knocks coverage.

I read an interesting article on sportsmockery.com. We no longer have strong safety and free safety. Instead, we will have a right and left safety, with Byard and Brisker randomly lining up left or right. They will essentially perform both strong and free safety duties. This has been done before, with the Giants and New England, among other teams, and was very successful. It is designed to further disguise our coverage and confuse the opposing quarterback.

You are right, but I'm always the eternal optimist. LOL I hope we can make the playoffs and progress as far as the NFC Championship game this year. That is a lofty goal, considering we have such a young team with budding stars without playoff experience.

The DL, specifically our ability to pressure/hit/sack the QB, worries me. I hope we patch things up before the season starts. Who knows? We may already have the answers on our roster. I don't want to gamble on that as a solution.

I just read an article on NFL.com. It explains why the new kickoff rules will have a major impact far beyond what many realize. To support this, they gave the following historical data: So kickoff returns decreased from 2033 KO returns to 587, with KO TDs down from 23 to 4. There are so many reasons I am looking forward to this year's games. This is one of many, in addition to watching the new vastly improved Bears kick GB's smelly ass.

? I know. Like I said, hype season has begun. Last year I was pumped up for R Johnson and thought he would be our starter by week 9. My track record for prognostication is not good. Let's hope Booker is the real deal and can contribute to our D this year.

Getting to see Auston Booker's progress in preseason is high on my list of priorities. I know it's preseason hype fest in the NFL. However, I truly believe this kid can contribute this year. Yes, it will take a while before he can be an every-down player. But, in pass-rush situations, he will contribute while playing opposite M Sweat. He could easily give us 8 sacks in his rookie season. Nice short article with an equally short highlight video: College Coach Says Austin Booker is a Way Bigger Steal Than You Think

I am reading many articles raving about Dexter's potential in 2024. In the off-season, the man transformed his body with a new diet and training regiment. At 6'6" and 310 pounds, he is quicker, stronger, and totally focused on every snap. Picture this: in one play, he sprinted down the field, relentlessly pursuing Rome, who had clocked a 4.4 40 pre-draft. The sheer combination of his imposing size, strength, and lightning speed hints at the potential for a formidable 3T. When the season starts, there are so many great storylines to follow. Now, I just need to stay healthy so I can sit back and enjoy watching the Bears return to greatness.

There is an article I highly recommend on NFL.com Bent but not Broken: The History of the Rules It is a fascinating article that explains the game's evolution. The article begins with this paragraph:

Yeah, both are wild cards, unknowns, when it comes to the new KO rules. Who knows, both may find success they have yet to experience. I have also read elsewhere that players like R Johnson and Herbert might actually be ideal for the new system, and on a personal note, I thought Pettis looked good on returns. If nothing else, it will be fun to watch games this year to see what different teams come up with for this new wrinkle. And no, IMO, this does not muddy the waters when it comes to its contribution to game results. No more than when the forward pass rules for the NFL changed in the 1930s, or Ditka revolutionizing the role of the TE, or George changing defenses by becoming the first true MLB. I sure didn't find it cheap to watch Hester win a few games for us with his crazy-good return ability, although some fans from other teams may have complained. So yeah, I'm pumped up to see this in action.

Unrelated, but I found it interesting. KC just released images of their SB rings from 2023. Sweet. I can't wait to see what our next SB ring looks like. I need to win the lottery so I can buy one off a player. LOL It stated that these rings usually cost 30K to 50K each. I'm guessing this one was high-end. Then I discovered that teams not only give their players (52 roster + PS), coaches, and front office staff but also often include support staff. Strength coaches, Equipment Staff, Cheerleaders, and even janitors are sometimes rewarded with rings. We are probably talking close to 100 rings. You don't even need a calculator. We are talking anywhere from 3 to 5 Million for the rings. WOW!

The dude was with the Bears in 2020, easily forgotten, as he was nothing special. On the Bears in ‘20, he returned four punts for 30 yards and lost a fumble. I looked up his stats. In his career he has a total of exactly 250 PR + KR Out of 250 KO + PRs, he scored 1 TD. Maybe they need extra legs to work out the new KO return schemes in training camp. Beyond that, I am not excited with this signing. I think V Jones shines, and we have several good options to pair up with him. Herbert, Johnson, Pettis. Camp fodder would be his ceiling. ?

I respectfully disagree; I do not perceive Flus as a mediocre coach. This is just my personal viewpoint, and I value your differing opinions.

IMO, Leno didn't "earn" a big payday when his rookie contract expired, so they let him go. IMO, Braxton has yet to earn a big payday when his rookie contract expires. Unless he shows a vast improvement, I wouldn't pay him the big $$$ LOTs are getting in today's NFL.