The Chicago Bears are on the clock! OFFSEASON OPEN THREAD!

[Stinger226]

6 hours ago, adam said:

I'm back. Was out of the net for a business trip. Did I miss anything? 🤣

Been kind boring without your intellectual content.

[adam]

I thought the Fields news about him going overseas on vacation during the combine while unfollowing the Bears kind of interesting. First, if he didn't want to see or hear the noise, all he had to do was mute right? That was the first odd thing. Also, that doesn't stop him from being tagged in conversations, so that whole thing doesn't add up to me. We will see, but where there is smoke, there is usually fire. As he said, we all just want to get this over with so we can move on to other things. However, there are so many 2nd and 3rd order effects that we sort of need to know what is going on with QB so our mock drafts are more accurate! 🤣

 

[BearFan PHX]

33 minutes ago, adam said:

I thought the Fields news about him going overseas on vacation during the combine while unfollowing the Bears kind of interesting. First, if he didn't want to see or hear the noise, all he had to do was mute right? That was the first odd thing. Also, that doesn't stop him from being tagged in conversations, so that whole thing doesn't add up to me. We will see, but where there is smoke, there is usually fire. As he said, we all just want to get this over with so we can move on to other things. However, there are so many 2nd and 3rd order effects that we sort of need to know what is going on with QB so our mock drafts are more accurate! 🤣

 

I feel badly for Fields. He's had a rough road, and it must be very frustrating for him. Whatever he wants to do with Bears social media is fine with me. he's earned the right to at least say "I dont like this" thats fair.

[adam]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

I feel badly for Fields. He's had a rough road, and it must be very frustrating for him. Whatever he wants to do with Bears social media is fine with me. he's earned the right to at least say "I dont like this" thats fair.

Yeah, the organization has done him wrong, and multiple leadership groups too, which is really unfortunate. 

I agree he can do whatever he wants to do, but if his intent was blocking out the noise, there are a lot of ways to go about it that would bring less attention to the situation, not more, especially when he has his personal photographer still posting: 

 

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, adam said:

I thought the Fields news about him going overseas on vacation during the combine while unfollowing the Bears kind of interesting. First, if he didn't want to see or hear the noise, all he had to do was mute right? That was the first odd thing. Also, that doesn't stop him from being tagged in conversations, so that whole thing doesn't add up to me. We will see, but where there is smoke, there is usually fire. As he said, we all just want to get this over with so we can move on to other things. However, there are so many 2nd and 3rd order effects that we sort of need to know what is going on with QB so our mock drafts are more accurate! 🤣

 

I think when the media constantly hammers the subject , everyone he knows  keeps asking him , it gets old. I think he was confident he was coming back with the actions of Poles and Flus but the press creates doubts in his head. Caleb talent as a passer,  is elite but what will determine whether Poles drafts him is yet to show up. The interview, if shorter than expected, as things come out. Not having an agent is a red flag, the talk of not wanting to come here, wanting to have a piece of a team, super ego or confidence? The top pick in any draft has to be a no miss or people lose their jobs. Example, Carolina

[Pixote]

41 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

I think when the media constantly hammers the subject , everyone he knows  keeps asking him , it gets old. I think he was confident he was coming back with the actions of Poles and Flus but the press creates doubts in his head. Caleb talent as a passer,  is elite but what will determine whether Poles drafts him is yet to show up. The interview, if shorter than expected, as things come out. Not having an agent is a red flag, the talk of not wanting to come here, wanting to have a piece of a team, super ego or confidence? The top pick in any draft has to be a no miss or people lose their jobs. Example, Carolina

I am really curious about the 'height' question. I bet he is less than 73 inches.

I will go with 71.5" as my guess. LOL

 

[Stinger226]

Would you make this trade

Bears get : Bijan Robinson

                  Pick 8

                  3 rd round pick

                  2025 # 1 

                   2026 2 nd round pick

Atlanta gets pick 1 and Khalil  Herbert

                    

                    

[Alaskan Grizzly]

4 hours ago, adam said:

I agree he can do whatever he wants to do, but if his intent was blocking out the noise, there are a lot of ways to go about it that would bring less attention to the situation, not more, especially when he has his personal photographer still posting: 

Good for him to keep working his craft.  I saw a commenter on the post noted the brace on his thumb. Must still be a lingering issue. 

[killakrzydav]

No I wouldn’t make that trade

[adam]

17 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Would you make this trade

Bears get : Bijan Robinson

                  Pick 8

                  3 rd round pick

                  2025 # 1 

                   2026 2 nd round pick

Atlanta gets pick 1 and Khalil  Herbert

                    

                    

No way, no 2024 2nd rounder, and Bijan is awesome, but swapping him for Herbert is the equivalent to a 3rd round pick. So only a 2025 1st, 2024 3rd, Bijan swap, and a 2026 2nd to move to 8?  I know they tried to mimic the Carolina trade, but I would rather do Pitts and a 2024 2nd instead of the 3rd. 

[adam]

15 hours ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

Good for him to keep working his craft.  I saw a commenter on the post noted the brace on his thumb. Must still be a lingering issue. 

Yeah, the thumb thing is sort of concerning. He should be 100% healed by now. Hopefully it's just on for extra protection against reinjury.

[Stinger226]

Just click on ( watch on YouTube)_ to see video. If you love Caleb Williams, best not to watch it.

[Stinger226]

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I like this trade down from 9 to 13. 
 

https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-trade-back-first-round-001109761.html

[Stinger226]

3 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

I like this trade down from 9 to 13. 
 

https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-trade-back-first-round-001109761.html

Seems realistic also. Lots of dreaming with mock drafts, be some are more real than others.

[adam]

Peter King retiring, this is his last article:

Of course, he has one more nugget to put out:

Quote

 

I suppose the Bears are going to trade the top pick. I know nothing, but that seems to be the way the wind is blowing. What I say: The Bears could keep Justin Fields (and should), and trade the first pick down once or twice, and build the kind of supporting cast a team needs to contend. Suppose GM Ryan Poles traded the top pick down one spot to Washington (which would take Caleb Williams), and got the second pick, a second-round pick and a 2025 first-round pick in return. Then suppose Poles traded the second pick to Atlanta at eight, and the Falcons picked one of the other quarterbacks. In return, Chicago gets the eighth pick, Atlanta’s second-round pick, and first- and second-round picks next year. Imagine moving from 1 to 8 and ending up with this draft haul:

The eighth and ninth (their own) overall picks in round one this year.

Second-round picks from Washington and Atlanta this year.

Three first-round picks and two second-round picks in 2025.

For moving down seven picks in the first round, the Bears could end up with nine picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts. Instant infrastructure.

 

I suppose? Then I know nothing, lol. He believes Poles should trade down and get a haul. 

[Mongo3451]

Just heard Williams and Daniels aren't throwing at the combine.  I really want to have the eye test, live...

[Alaskan Grizzly]

5 hours ago, adam said:

Three first-round picks and two second-round picks in 2025.

For moving down seven picks in the first round, the Bears could end up with nine picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts. Instant infrastructure.

That's an amazing amount of "chedder".  Didn't someone here mention with a strong team around them (assuming all these picks become "blue chip" quality) how much does it matter who the QB is?  Or was that the argument made of why Purdy is as good as he is?  

[Alaskan Grizzly]

3 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

Just heard Williams and Daniels aren't throwing at the combine.

Why not (I wonder aloud...but not really all that surprised)??  🤬

[Mongo3451]

1 minute ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

Why not (I wonder aloud...but not really all that surprised)??  🤬

They are pro doing pro day only

[DABEARSDABOMB]

4 hours ago, adam said:

Peter King retiring, this is his last article:

Of course, he has one more nugget to put out:

I suppose? Then I know nothing, lol. He believes Poles should trade down and get a haul. 

I'll be clear - I have been on the draft a QB bandwagon - however, I will state very clearly - I would have zero issue if the Bears made that move and I don't believe what King is proposing is unrealistic.  

Bears at 8 & 9 can take 2 of (top 3 WR, Top 2 LT, Top Dline).  They would than have 2 2nd round picks - one could address center and in this draft, I would actually suggest the other addresses (wideout).  But you could also, if you wanted to - use one of those 2nd rounders on whatever QB prospect fell (whether Nix or Penix)...but one of them would be there.  

Cap wise - you actually should be able to make another big signing or two - in particular I would say on the dline where there is more talent in FA than some of the other positions.  I say this knowing yeah, if Fields works out you are paying him, but you also have 3 1st round picks and 3 2nd rounders in 25 which puts you in an incredible spot to built a really good team.  

[DABEARSDABOMB]

More I think of it - the more I would be good with either the double trade down scenario or the stick at 1 or single trade down scenario (if I can get a 2nd and a future first plus the 2 pick that is probably worth it), than move Fields. 
 

Basically put - Poles just has to pick the right guys - he does that and any of these scenarios work really well. I do think the lowest risk scenario is the double trade down…you just have so many options to hit blue chippers, with the main risk that you miss the big blue chip but you make up for that with more chances to take a swing. 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

1 hour ago, Mongo3451 said:

They are pro doing pro day only

So in a controlled environment with 'familiar' players?  

[BearFan PHX]

19 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

Basically put - Poles just has to pick the right guys

exactly. these generic discussions about trading down or not dont make sense unless you plug in the players youre targeting. The trick is to only spend value on players that will be great for you.

We used to sign free agents to try to compete each year, and in doing so, wed end up married to players for 4 years, when better options came along just a year later. Poles has been disciplined to avoid that. And drafting, at least int he top rounds, is the same thing. You dont draft holes, you draft talent.

If a #1 pick QB is a Mahomes, he's worth more than any trade package offered. If not, then you blew the chance to get players with all those picks in a trade. Neither answer is right or wrong, depending on how your picks turn out.

It's a good point you make about spreading the risk around. The more swings you get, the more chances you have to hit the ball - but you dont get multiple swings at a top QB. It all comes down to what your scouts and research tell you about the players.

If Williams or Maye is who some say they are, then you gotta take em, and if not, youd better not take em.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

exactly. these generic discussions about trading down or not dont make sense unless you plug in the players youre targeting. The trick is to only spend value on players that will be great for you.

We used to sign free agents to try to compete each year, and in doing so, wed end up married to players for 4 years, when better options came along just a year later. Poles has been disciplined to avoid that. And drafting, at least int he top rounds, is the same thing. You dont draft holes, you draft talent.

If a #1 pick QB is a Mahomes, he's worth more than any trade package offered. If not, then you blew the chance to get players with all those picks in a trade. Neither answer is right or wrong, depending on how your picks turn out.

It's a good point you make about spreading the risk around. The more swings you get, the more chances you have to hit the ball - but you dont get multiple swings at a top QB. It all comes down to what your scouts and research tell you about the players.

If Williams or Maye is who some say they are, then you gotta take em, and if not, youd better not take em.

And I do agree - in "Da Haul" scenario, where Bears end up with 2 top 10 picks this year, 2 2nd rounders, plus 2 extra FRP next year, and 2 extra 2nd rounders, the Bears financially are getting 6 extra 1st/2nd round picks over course of this year and next year). When you think about cap situations and locking in that many picks for the next 4-5 years, that is the equivalent to a "rookie year" QB contract, thus you really shouldn't have any concern with the impact a Justin Fields (or massive FA signing) would have on you.  You also still have every ability to use one of those picks on trying to find the next QB - while knowing they will walk into an organization that should look VERY stable with blue-chip talent all around it (even if some of the picks don't hit).  

So in reality - "Da Haul" gives you 6 extra 1st and 2nd round picks (2 extra FRP, 4 extra 2RP's) plus positions yourself you to have cap space like a team with a rookie QB (even if you paid a QB) because the value of having so many high round picks allows you to have more FA cap space as you otherwise would.  

The challenge will be 4-5 years down the road - Poles has to be smart and know how to play his hand and decide who to extent vs. who to trade early so they effectively manage their cap space (and quite frankly - consistently leverage the draft capital they leveraged to continue to multiply).  Kind of like a good investor can turn their first million into 100 million way faster cause they have enough starting capital.