DABEARSDABOMB

I think that is pretty reasonable.

In college - on unpressured rushes - Caleb Williams ran <3% of the time - Justin Fields ran ~10% of the time. Caleb Williams can run - but he DOES NOT look to run. In fact one of the knocks on him holding the ball too long is that he continues to use his eyes to look downfield to make the pass when he could actually take off more and move on to the next play. Caleb Williams and Justin Fields ARE NOT anywhere on the same spectrum in terms of the type of play they have. Fields is huge and physically elite across all things - but reality is - everything he does is off script and outside the pocket. Caleb Williams excels in the pocket and off script. He can go off script more than you like - but his eyes are consistently downfield and he looks to make plays with his arm vs. legs. Both were incredibly good college QB's and Williams does have all the physical passing traits that Field(s) does - i.e., huge arm that can make all the throws and an accurate arm. Williams is mobile - but Fields is way way better in terms of his pure running athleticism. Fields pocket awareness is weak and his ability to play in the pocket is poor (if it was even decent no one would even be commenting on whether they should keep the #1 pick or trade for a haul) where as in college Williams pocket awareness was a strength. None of that may translate into the pro's - but they are not the same player / type of player.

You also have fact that against Top 25 competition - Caleb Williams actually performed better across his career than all of the other top QB's. I need to find the article - but there was a myth busting article done which highlighted all of the main QB's performance(s) vs. Top 25 and Top 10. Williams was consistently 1/2 and in all cases his stats were very strong. JJ McCarthy and Daniels were other benefactors - Bo Nix and Drake Maye's metrics were not good.

I would want a center but I think 20 is too early to take one - so you move down 10 spots or so - what I don’t know is what does that get you in picks? Is 10 spots like a 3rd rounder or a 2nd? If I could move down 10 spots and get a mid to late 2nd as well and than grab center and say a guard or safety or whomever is best available let’s do it.

I tend to think best case is you get a 2nd this year and a conditional 2nd next year. Which isn’t bad. But if somehow two teams competed that could make things interesting. Says Seahawks and Steelers were both interested or Falcons were pushing heavy with their 2nd and 3rd and say a future 3rd? Does that cause Steelers to make a bigger push? Let’s say you get Falcons 2nd and 3rd - puts Bears in spot to maybe grab the top center in round 2 and than go safety in round 3.

If Washington wants to offer up #2, their 2nd rounder, a 1st next year, a 2nd next year and another 1st (or Jonathan Allen)…that is the price is takes me to move from #1. I than would take Maye. If they don’t - I draft Caleb Draft Rome or Nabers Trade Fields for Steelers pick - trade down and eventually draft a center. If I stay at pick - take best oline available.

A first is not the #1 pick. I am still skeptical of Adam but qbs are valuable and he still has 2 years under control before he gets crazy expensive - so I absolutely could see a team who loves the tools and leadership who isn’t picking high enough taking a shot.

He said it on ESPN radio. Said he thinks for sure a 2 and a good chance a 1. With that said, I wonder who would offer a 1. Raiders were a possibility but I don’t see it happening. Falcons are the crazy odd ball scenario I suppose. Steelers is probably only team I can think of - but who would they be bidding against. Now I could see more teams offer a future 1st. Bucs if Mayfield left would be another possibility. Maybe Seattle?

Schefty commented today he thinks Fields gets a 2nd rounder for sure and decent shot a first rounder

1st rounder for Justin would be great. In my mind that is a huge win and its great for Fields too.

It comes down to me - what happens with Caleb and the person taken at 2. If Caleb becomes the dude - a top 5 QB - than the 40th pick, 102, and a 1st rounder next year is not at all worth giving up on a top 5 QB. Now if it turns out Caleb and the #2 pick are both Top 5 guys - or the 2nd pick ends up being event better - than yeah - why not do that. Unfortunately we don't have a delorean to see the future.

https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2024/2/2/24058163/fact-check-caleb-williams-solid-ranked-opponent-jj-mccarthy-jayden-daniels-drake-maye-nfl-draftbears

Biggs has said everyone he has talked to have said that is what Bears will/should do.

He also was quoted a week or so ago saying he will play anywhere. Rapport reported something similar and Biggs, who in my mind is an excellent writer, said all the smoke from social media is a bunch of bs and that in real NFL circles the general view on Williams soft skills and character is positive. Biggs said it and he doesn’t just spew nonsense. You also have his teammates coming out and backing that up too. This is not a George Pickens or Jalen Carter - this is more like when whomever it was said Fields wasn’t a hard worker and spewed bullshit (which wasn’t true). If anything teams are trying to do anything to try and manufacture a reason for Bears not to take him. Biggs had a quote from one GM - who said I hope they stick with Fields and trade Williams for a hall but that was just wishful thinking on his part hoping Bears wouldn’t take him.

This time the league knows Bears are keeping the pick. Last year - I think league knew they probably weren't moving the pick so there was some early talk - even than - most of the national league chatter a year ago was on will they take Jalen Carter or someone else at 1 or move down. Not a ton of talk last year about Bears going QB path. I think after the interviews - enough people probably got a perception of where Bears lean and quite frankly I think they also just look at it and see a GM who didn't draft the guy and a coach who didn't either.

It is pretty clear and we are seeing it with more and more reports coming out of NY - the system Hackett and Getzy and them run is really really designed around Rodgers. It is super complicated and really not young QB friendly. With that said - it is working in Green Bay - so maybe that is a testament to Love or its a testament to LaFleur knowing how to teach the structure, etc. It might also be just the fact that Love sat for a few years in that system so he was to a point where he could play in structure and succeed. But yeah - the Bears have definitely upgraded the staff on paper. I also like that they all come from similar trees and Waldron has worked with them all or at least most of them.

This is a stellar hire. I love what they have been doing with offensive staff.

I very happy with this. He is a good coach and I expected Flus to call plays.

Haha - I’m now putting all my energy on the qb and mhj. But more than anything I want Bears to win the Super Bowl sometime before I’m wearing diapers again haha. Best thing is - I know we all want the same thing. I will say Fields is probably the easiest qb to root for in my lifetime as a Bears fan.

I’ve said it before - they are taking a qb.

No interest - as position(s) coach fine. But not as a DC. I will say the Bills AsstHC/Dline coach we interviewed looks really interesting. They have a very good defense and their pass rush has been excellent the past few years.

I'd put 1000 to 1 odds that the Bears are staying at 1 and taking a QB. Barring the top QB's all having massive off the field scandals or something else that makes them undraftable - the Bears are going to pick a QB at 1 and move on from Justin. Justin will go somewhere else and be a solid starter and he certainly might even become better than that. He could be the type of guy that if you are patient he'll continue to make strides and eventually have some seasons where he is a top 10 QB. But I also currently have him as a Bottom 10 QB, so that is probably where my view differs from the keep Justin crowd. I think he's 3 years in - he is bottom 10 - do I think he can improve - absolutely, he just has such strong leadership, physical traits, and work ethic, that he will 100% continue to improve. I Just think that puts him in the 10-20 category and you don't build around that type of guy, no matter how great the work ethic.

Beliceck the coach is outstanding. Beli the GM is horrendous. I Think I read that it had been 10 YEARS since they signed a draft pick to a 2nd contract. That isn't because they are trading people early - that is because they literally haven't drafted any blue chip players in, well, forever. The bright side is - if Flus blows up - the Bears could always hire a Beli or Vrabel next cycle if they wanted to (cause it seems like neither of them will get HC gigs).

This - to me the data showed one thing - that you need to find that stud at QB. Without that - you need to keep trying. You can scratch out a good year every now and than - but if you don't have a top 5-7 QB - you are not going to be a consistent power. If you have that guy - you may have ebs and flows - but you are going to consistently win and make the playoffs and thus have a shot at making a run in the post-season and getting to the big game.

On your Flus comment - one question would be cause vs. correlation. We saw Beli become human as soon as Brady left. Who knows what Payton is without Brees. But the reality is - GB had multiple coaches in that timeframe - why did they stay great - cause of Aaron Rodgers. Basically didn't matter who the HC was - GB's down seasons almost always correlated to Rodgers getting hurt.