BearFan PHX

Yeah, I think if hes ready to go, Odunze should get some snaps this week. In the past, we have put recovering players on a limited snap count, and that makes sense here too. Football is in large part about momentum, so resting your starters isnt always the advantage it seems to be. My only point here is that there is a middle ground. You can play a guy some, but not all of the snaps. And if we get up more than 2 scores in the 4th qtr, then sure, Bagent can come in.

I agree entirely.

I think Poles and Johnson want this too - they are aiming at sustainable roster turnover. Eventually that will mostly come from the draft. But with Caleb on his rookie deal, now is the time to make a run, and acquiring a free agent pass rusher is a good idea. In fact, its a necessity. We've seen what it takes to win without a pass rush - last minute heroics that have been exciting to watch, but we need to be able to pressure opposing QBs. This offense is gonna cook with or without DJ Moore, but the defense is awful without a pass rush.

if we get a stud 3T, then maybe they will be the sack leader. But i cant imagine them not doing something in free agency first. And that doesnt mean they wont draft the very same position, but we arent gonna take a championship ready offense and make them wait for rookies to develop pass rush moves for 3 years. i think theyll make some moves.

The Bears 2026 sack leader is not currently on this roster.

i think this is another example of how stats don't always capture the full picture, and aren't (or shouldn't be) a goal in and of themselves. Good stats come with winning, and sometimes how you win makes the stats look lesser. Winning is the only stat that really matters.

Aikman wasnt a bad QB, but he doesnt make anyone's top 10 greatest either. Caleb has the possibility to be a top 10 QB. It's not guaranteed or anything, but he looks like he is on his way.

I understand why you're cautious or cynical, after all we've been through, i understand your reluctance to buy in. But this is different - Ben Johnson is clearly a different kind of coach, and the expectations for the offense are higher than we've seen here before. Caleb's already got some real highlight film throws that the others on the list dont have. And he only learned how to drop correctly from center since May or June. He's special avoiding pressure, and scrambling. He makes incredible off platform throws, and in the last couple weeks you can see his internal clock is calm. Hes operating within himself, and finding receivers on time, when they are open. I dont begrudge you your caution - I'm just saying, come on in - the water is warm - it's safe to risk your heart again! LOL If he keeps developing, there won't be much left to worry about. He's already right on the cusp of greatness.

He and Emmitt Smith both benefited from that Offensive Line. They were unusually stacked because of the Herschel Walker trade. Also, Aikman is going to regret getting into a tussle with Caleb.

for sure, just as Burden makes Moore expendable, for example. I just meant you're always trying to push assets into the future a year early to get the most return, and keep the pump primed.

Right, it's not my perfect example, but they had a great player and elected not to resign him to preserve cap space. Good teams do move on from good players for the purpose of cap management - I know you agree.

Nice!

Well said - doing it a year early is the key. If you can draft well consistently, even trading down for more assets, you keep that pipeline full. Trade good players a year before the last year of a deal, and get draft capital out of those moves as well as clear cap space, if they arent special core players like a QB or a dominant edge. hell the Patriots traded Akeim Hicks to us that way. We got and paid our guy, but they sure didnt suffer. They kept winning super bowls while we thought we got the prize. Free Agency is for priming the pump until you get this circle going, and for filling holes, but long term, when its rolling you can pretty much go BPA + trade downs, and smart trades of the guys you have peaking and amass lots of talent and then coach em up - that's the way to be sustainable. And every GM knows this in theory, Poles spoke about it at length when he first got the job. But saying it, and doing it are two different things. I think Ben Johnson is bringing accountability to all corners of the building.

I guess the competitive answer to that is to go with hard to defend, and draft and develop your own receivers so you don't need free agents. Easier said than done of course. But that's probably what Ben Johnson would think about it.

Bears have always been a "Winter Team". A history of great running backs and defenses. It makes sense. At one point someone (was it Muhsin Muhammad?) said "Chicago is the place where receivers go to die" and barring a couple exceptions, like the Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffries era, it's been mostly true. That's on WRs and QBs alike. So now we finally have a modern coach, who understands the pass game, thankfully combined with that throw back hard ass leader of men we've always needed, but been McCaskey-afraid of for so many years. As a result we're aiming at 50 points a game territory here, like the Lions are/were, and at the same time the passing records here really are low hanging fruit - having been that winter team for so long. The combination of those two things tells me that in short time Caleb will break all the records; 4,000 proper, and 4250 (17 game adjusted) both as well as a whole mess of other team bests pretty quickly. If the progress Caleb has shown continues, he's gonna be an elite franchise QB by the middle of next year. Does anyone here have a nephew who can play on the D line?

That's how I saw it too - the Browns game was the first one of this new level. And not just that crazy throw to Moore, but his footwork, how he was decisive, his timing, and his body language - you could see it slow down for him, and his accuracy has been a lot better from then on too. I couldnt agree with you more.

I think Caleb's Career TD to INTO ratio is actually number 2 all time. With Rodgers, Brady and Mahomes all on that list. But to qualify you need to have thrown at least 1500 passes and Caleb only has just over 1,000 right now. But his TD/INT ratio would be 2nd all time only behind Aaron Rodgers.

Thinking the same thing.

for sure - like the defensive line! I think between DJ, JJ and Edmunds there is $45M right there.

Well with the way we are unable to stop the run, a good 3T is necessary, to tackle runners AND to collapse the pocket. So i agree DT is definitely a need. And we need a real stud edge too. Hopefully we can fill both needs in the offseason. We could debate which is more important, and Im not even saying you arent right - but if we get both, then we are ready to rock.

I really like David Montgomery, but I really like Kyle Monangai too

BJ does a great job of getting everyone touches. Even 2nd stringers get playing time, even if he has to bring them in as a 6th OL or whatever. And this keeps players happy AND makes sure your depth players have some experience, which we have seen this year is a really good thing to do.

you could tell last week two - the game slowed down for him. he is becoming what he looked like he could become from the draft!

I hope Burden is OK

agree and amen to both these comments.