BearFan PHX

Id rather have Crosby too, but I think that while the cap cost will be similar, the trade cost will be too much for us. But thats just a guess.

ha - good point!

I posted a TTNL video with "Cars" (who is damned smart about the cap) and he showed where with simple restructruing we could create $64M in cap room, and obviously, your source says even more. So we know it's possible. I think the entire defense is getting overhauled. And I wont be shocked to see Trey Hendrickson in blue and orange next year.

ty for that - I havent even looked at all at the draft class yet. Its good that it's rich in DTs. right when we need em.

I agree with all of this, and in the "dead zone" at #25 a trade back does make a lot of sense. But if you think Warren Sapp is there at 15, you might trade up if you really believed. Thats all Im saying, that its possible.

Heres the Sun Times saying definitively that we wont get the picks. https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/05/22/bears-joint-practices-bills-dolphins-preseason-opener-date-time-set

Yes. This sounds like a likely plan. Im not sold on Dayo, but the rest of it sounds right. Hendrickson, Sweat and Booker is a good rotation. A disruptive 3T is a real need, and that could be our #1 pick. Also, the 25th pick is kind of nowhere land. I could see us trading up to take a DT in the teens, or down for extra picks to the bottom of the first, or the early second.

yeah i do think its almost impossible to getting a plus starting OL later than the first round (or maybe a few picks into the 2nd) but Im not sure they wont sing a free agent for that. Or ride with Thuney at LT and McFadden or whomever at LG until Trapilo is back. I hope thats not what they do, its better if Thuney plays his natural position all year, but the Bears have options other than a first round pick is all Im saying.

totally agree. the whole thing is nonsense. but Ill take any picks i can get!

But in any case Cunningham is gone to be GM in Atlanta

And NBC reported it too, based on Finley above. Im not saying that makes it true. Im saying its something thats being discussed, and to keep our eyes on. Also, if that is the ruling, expect the Bears to appeal. And *IF* it is true, then the Bears could have blocked the "lateral" move too. But I wouldnt expect they would do that. That how you lose other people wanting to come to your franchise. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/falcons-hire-ian-cunningham-as-new-g-m

Whatever the need at LT is, maybe great - it doesnt change that we desperately also need a pass rush.

Look at Burden perfectly fitting and exceeding DJs role and he is just slightly below Aman-Ra, same for man, and slightly less vs zone. And theres Odunze looking VERY good. Gotta spend time with the jugs machine this offseason Rome.

if two teams want him, they can bid for a trade like a 5th rounder or something. I think teams will be interested, but I also think they will wait until we cut him and not worry about trading unless someone wants to be sure they get him I guess

I think a lot of that might rely on trades too. ANd since we cant know that yet, they probably are running with multiple scenarios for each of those outcomes.

I agree with all of these thoughts, but i suspect it wont be a metter of DT or DE, but we will be more active than that and put new faces all over the DL. Some may be big names, and some not, but i think this defense is in for a major overhaul.

I feel like the idea of Dexter playing 3T has run its course. I expect he will show up a little bigger and play Nose. And if we draft a rookie nose with more talent anyway, we only get better. A lot will depend on free agency of course first.

Right. He needs to work on a bunch of things, and fixing those will naturally mean a higher completion percentage. He doens need to concentrate ont he percentage, just on everything hes doing already. I agree.

yes, there are a lot of conversations going on that if Ryan makes the final call on draft picks, that Cunningham would be considered a lateral move. Im not saying I know what Ryans role is, I sure dont, but apparently if that is true, then we dont get the picks. Thats the story anyway, Im not saying it will or wont happen. But it's out there being discussed. Like does the GM in Dallas have final say over football decisions? Absolutely not. You know Jerry Jones. And does ownership have some input on players Poles drafts? Sure, but not as much, and he is a GM. And somewhere between those two is a question about Ryan. What if we sent Poles to the Falcons and promoted Cunningham? Id do that! Gimme two 3rds and we will call the whole thing even LOL

I agree, but all because he played better this year than I had expected based on his film. Hes a pretty good TE2. Hes being overpaid, but not by too much. Durham Smythe quietly had a good year too.

fascinating, and more indications that the Caleb Williams we are projecting isnt just hope.

I agree with all of this. Id only add that if Kmet somehow quit football, we would have decent options at decent prices to replace him. Not perfect replacements, but decent ones. Durham Smythe has proved a lot this year too, for example. But Kmet already knows the playbook and has proven certain things to Johnson, so I can see us choosing him from our options, but if a really good trade offer came up, its not as if we couldnt fill the hole?

yes but apparently, as team president, Ryan will make football decisions which makes their GM job not a step up for Cunningham in the sense that it would not garner the comp picks.

great idea!