DABEARSDABOMB

I think there is a difference: Jay Cutler - Bears mortgaged the farm for him (multiple picks) and than never invested in oline. I guess Chris Williams was probably in that era - but in general never invested. Trubisky - Bears traded up - but didn't mortgage the future. Never developed legitimate weapons around him and never made large investments in oline. 2023 - BEARS decided NOT to take a QB and instead continued to invest in the future - despite having #1 pick. 2024 - Bears DO NOT need to mortgage any future. They are literally sitting at 1 and have another pick at 9. Last year instead of taking the QB and restarting than - they actually waited a year so THEY COULD invest more in the core. They added DJ Moore, they added a 1st round tackle (Wright), they signed a guard to a sizeable deal (Davis - that didn't work but it is there) and they have another guard who was a 2nd round draft pick. Center is a weak spot and they could have decided to upgrade from Braxton - but this is NOT a poruous line outside of the disaster at center. They have massive cap space and plenty of draft capital to address the position and if they wanted could even draft a LT at 9 (again - without mortgaging the future). So I actually think the Bears are doing what they haven't done in forever and actually were pragmatic and last year was the start of it and this year they are now positioned to actually have a solid building block. The only caveat is the HC - since he is clearly in middle of his deal and if next year is a disaster he's gone. But the OC is on a fresh deal and is experienced, so even that looks different.

Eddie underperformed on field during tail end of Nagy era and I know he was hurt this year - but overall - he was a very good leader in terms of how he helped younger players and I do think that leadership will be missed. So many stories of what he did to build the young culture around our current group of DB's (Brisker, JJ, Stevenson, Smith, Kyler). I was really hoping we'd be able to renegotiate and keep him around - even if it was in a more vet leadership role - knowing he wouldn't get as much playing time cause he can't stay on the field. He had a stellar first year under Eberflus though (where he really looked re-engaged). Once Fangio left the next regimes did not put Eddie in the spot to maximize his ability and skill set.

Hester, Peppers & Mongo.

Whoah - this is interesting. Is this from the real Schefty or is this a leak to kind of get teams to at least offer up so the Bears can at least gauge the value here. Or is this also designed to extract value for Fields.

I was listening to Matt Hasselbach on this morning. He brought up an interesting point - basically he thinks Maye is an absolute physical stud. So he puts Maye in the same light as Herbert / Allen from a pure physical gift perspective. Not saying his on field performance is necessarily all the way there - but that when you think of his age, what he can do, how he spins it, his character, etc - he really has everything. He might be a bit more raw - but he's also still super young and for those close to him - he's likely still growing. In Hasselbach's eyes, Maye is one of the most talented QB's to come out in the draft in the last 5-10 years (he didn't say Caleb wasn't either) - but basically he said - these 2 guys are going to grade out massively well. If that is the case - his view was, Bears SHOULD keep that view extremely close to the vest so the rest of the league (specifically Washington doesn't know) and essentialy force Washington's hand. In short - Hasselbach thinks Williams & Maye are elite QB prospects and doesn't differentiate much between the two. Pure tools he thinks Maye is BETTER. So if Washington really wants Williams - play tough - and get the #2, #40 (2nd rounder which was the Bears), and a #1 next year (this is probably realistic - if you really pushed - maybe you could get both 2nd rounders this year - but that might be a lot less likely). He had Bears than trading Fields (lets say for a 2nd and 3rd). Now you are looking at Bears having 6 picks in the 1st 3 rounds in '24. #2 - Drake Maye #9 - Weapon for Maye (OT/TE/WR) or you can take Top Dline 2nd Rounder (from Washington) - Center or Defense 2nd Rounder (for Fields) - Deep wideout draft - so could go that or you could go safety (Ejax replacement) 3rd Rounder (for Fields) - BPA 3rd Rounder (Bears) - BPA In 24 Bears have - 4 Picks in 1st 2 rounds Own 1st Rounder Washington 1st Rounder Own 2nd Rounder Carolina 2nd Rounder Note: They may even have 1 more higher end pick - depending on the value they could extract from Washington.

Aren't the Bears moving up 1 spot, getting a 2nd round pick, and getting a 3rd round pick. Or did I misread his proposal.

My dream is Steelers offer 1…I don’t think that happens so my hope is an early 2nd round pick and a 2nd rounder next year.

Well said and I agree with you. I prefer the take Caleb and go from there but I certainly get the other side of the coin. In either case - Bears are in a spot they haven’t been in in my lifetime and I hope whatever choice they make turns this team into a dynasty!!!

This is awesome.

Maybe one last rambling. Both are good choices for the Bears. If the Bears didn’t have the Panthers pick and just had our pick at 9 - I would be entirely focused on adding more weapons for Justin and continuing to see if we could unlock his potential. That is because everything I said about Justin - physically he has all the tools - mentally he is an incredible leader - it is purely as a pocket passer what limits him and if Bears weren’t holding #1 pick I would say let’s see what another year could do cause the upside is worth it. So in my mind - the above implies Fields is absolutely still a viable qb1 with upside. Hence if we trade him the market should be good, because everything I said above. Where everything gets wild is the Bears have a #1 pick with an elite qb prospect in the draft where the Bears don’t have to trade assets to get him, don’t have to mortgage future, and can reset the clock. It could be Williams is worse but pure passing wise he is a better prospect than Fields. Fields is an absolute stud from the pure tools side though (Allen and Herbert are the 2 on same hemisphere as Justin when it comes to physical tools. So if Poles wanted to get a haul and build a better team - while it isn’t what I do - I still think the Bears are a better team because of it. Really the only scenario I would hate is - Bears select MHJ at #1. I hate hate hate that scenario. If I’m not taking a qb at #1 than I advocate for a haul. Now maybe I get that haul and am at #3 and take MHJ which I am perfectly fine with.

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.