Baker is nearing a 3yr 100M deal with over 50M guaranteed to stay with Bucs. This is why I love getting Caleb. Fields is totally fine if he was willing to sign a below market deal - but paying mediocre qbs that sort of money is going to mire a franchise in mediocrity. 

2 hours ago, Pixote said:

Look no further than our DBs currently on our roster:

Blackwell - 24
Brisker - 24
Gordon - 24
Hicks - 24
J Johnson - 24
Q Johnson - 24
Jones - 26
Smith - 24
Stevenson - 23
Stroman - 28

That has to be the youngest group of DBs in the league

We needed a vet with experience to help this group reach its potential

Bringing in a 30-year-old former pro bowler was important

To he fair, JJ is a vet , he's just young. And yes Byard is a perfect fit. I'm also glad he has an easy name.

29 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

To he fair, JJ is a vet , he's just young. And yes Byard is a perfect fit. I'm also glad he has an easy name.

Yes, but I had no idea he was so young. Great that we signed him.

Not sure if this was posted. Justin Jones signs with Arizona.l, 3 years 30 million, 19.75 guaranteed.

17 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Not sure if this was posted. Justin Jones signs with Arizona.l, 3 years 30 million, 19.75 guaranteed.

Isn't that crazy and Blair Nichols signed there for 20 mil. Also

23 hours ago, Pixote said:

Yes, but I had no idea he was so young. Great that we signed him.

yeah, he'll be ready for another payday in 4 years, and I predict we keep him 3 and then trade him. That's what the good teams do, keep the young players coming through the pipeline and get trade value when they go because they still have value when you trade them. And I think you and I agree on that?

3 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

yeah, he'll be ready for another payday in 4 years, and I predict we keep him 3 and then trade him. That's what the good teams do, keep the young players coming through the pipeline and get trade value when they go because they still have value when you trade them. And I think you and I agree on that?

Don't take this wring but I totally agree with you.

Everyone here is talking about the same thing over and over again while there is other news to discuss.  Looks like Poles is going with Bates at C and maybe a rookie if one is there in the 4th.

Lloyd Cushenberry C sign w Ten 4 yr 50

Tyler Biadasz C signs w Was 3 yr 30

Andre James C - resigns with LV 3 yr 24

Aaron Brewer C signs with Mia 3 yr 21 

Mitch Morse C sign w Jax 2 yr 10.5

 

9 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

And I think you and I agree on that?

YES! That is how you play chess with your roster. Strategically plotting future moves to maximize the value of your players.

1 minute ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Everyone here is talking about the same thing over and over again while there is other news to discuss.  Looks like Poles is going with Bates at C and maybe a rookie if one is there in the 4th.

Lloyd Cushenberry C sign w Ten 4 yr 50

Tyler Biadasz C signs w Was 3 yr 30

Andre James C - resigns with LV 3 yr 24

Aaron Brewer C signs with Mia 3 yr 21 

Mitch Morse C sign w Jax 2 yr 10.5

 

I talk to Greg Gabriel on X and that's exactly what he said. Bates plus a draftee. I think that totally says Poles is going to get us a second round pick and draft a center. Mort likely Frazier.

1 hour ago, Pixote said:

YES! That is how you play chess with your roster. Strategically plotting future moves to maximize the value of your players.

^5 - i think once we get past this logjam, things will get easier on this board. I think poles brings in his guys that make sense and everything works. Right now were kind of at a trouble spot that has to do with high picks that didnt work out, or didnt work out as well as planned, or because they didnt have the right tools around them etc.

Whatever it is, we should be in the Poles' flow by this year or next.

10 hours ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Everyone here is talking about the same thing over and over again while there is other news to discuss.  Looks like Poles is going with Bates at C and maybe a rookie if one is there in the 4th.

Lloyd Cushenberry C sign w Ten 4 yr 50

Tyler Biadasz C signs w Was 3 yr 30

Andre James C - resigns with LV 3 yr 24

Aaron Brewer C signs with Mia 3 yr 21 

Mitch Morse C sign w Jax 2 yr 10.5

 

Yeah, put me down as disappointed.  My only complaint on Poles was that he didn't get us a center last year and it killed us.  If it kills us again, it will be unforgivable.

Minnesota signs QB Sam Darnold 1 yr 10 mil.  

Holy WR,  Mooney signs a 3 years 39 mil deal with Atlanta. 

11 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

Holy WR,  Mooney signs a 3 years 39 mil deal with Atlanta. 

League is saying - we have watched the film - Chiefs were all over him as well.  They are saying - Mooney was open a TON and the QB wasn't finding him.  Maybe the league is wrong - we will see, but Mooney was highly productive until he wasn't the #1 option and than production shrunk completely.  

How Falcons can make it all work I don't know.  I was quietly hoping we would get Mooney back for like 10M per year cause I always respect how he went about his work, but good for him and I wish him the best.  Falcons have some weapons for Cousin(s) - they are actually going to be pretty good.  

A report out there that Bears were the runner up for Gabe Davis - who signed with Jags.  He is from Florida so wanted to head back home - which is understandable.  Also - this is a good time to remember the dangers and pitfalls of FA. When you look back 2 or 3 years at the top FA targets - the majority DID NOT live up to expectations. 

So while we all want all the big moves - its important to know the failure rate here is high - hence why hitting on draft picks and than using cap space to retain your own draft picks for a 2nd contract is so key.  

22 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

A report out there that Bears were the runner up for Gabe Davis - who signed with Jags.  He is from Florida so wanted to head back home - which is understandable.  Also - this is a good time to remember the dangers and pitfalls of FA. When you look back 2 or 3 years at the top FA targets - the majority DID NOT live up to expectations. 

So while we all want all the big moves - its important to know the failure rate here is high - hence why hitting on draft picks and than using cap space to retain your own draft picks for a 2nd contract is so key.  

right - develop players, sign some, trade the others a year before the big deal.

Effectively, it becomes almost like a college program, and thats when your position coaches become so important.

I am guessing Samuel or Ridley are next shoe to drop and Bears name will be next to one of those two.  Probably for more money than any of us would have preferred.  

4 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

A report out there that Bears were the runner up for Gabe Davis - who signed with Jags.  He is from Florida so wanted to head back home - which is understandable.  Also - this is a good time to remember the dangers and pitfalls of FA. When you look back 2 or 3 years at the top FA targets - the majority DID NOT live up to expectations. 

So while we all want all the big moves - its important to know the failure rate here is high - hence why hitting on draft picks and than using cap space to retain your own draft picks for a 2nd contract is so key.  

That is more the norm. Poles isn't giving big deals, except to a selected few. He is building thru the draft. Big contract failure will doom a GM quicker than drafting the wrong first pick!

5 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

Big contract failure will doom a GM quicker than drafting the wrong first pick!

Unless you’re John Lynch and you make up for it by going to the SB with ‘Mr Irrelevant.’  

How the rest of the spots may get filled. I am hoping for at least a 25% accuracy with this lol:

1. G/C - Patrick (50.5/953) > Evan Brown 
2. C/G - Whitehair (45.0/787) > Brian Allen
3. WR - Mooney (55.2/764) > Curtis Samuel
4. DT - Jones (49.3/740) > Poona Ford
5. DE - Ngakoue (39.9/592)> DJ Wonnum
6. DE - Green (50.6/385) > Shaw Lawson
7. TE - Lewis (77.1/330) >  Adam Trautman
8. WR - St. Brown (55.1/211) > Tyler Boyd
9. WR/PR - Taylor (51.8/121) > Braxton Berrios
10. LB - Cole (50.1/3)> Matt Eberflus's Goatee

It seems Poles is staying true to form. He has said in the past that many players in the first wave of free agency are quite often overpaid because of teams' frantic efforts to outbid each other for specific players. With his emphasis on improving the Bears' roster with player upgrades, he is doing so with players from the second and sometimes the third (after draft) FA periods.

Sitting here today, I see so many players I would have loved for Poles to sign. However, if he had signed all of them, the Bears would have been back in Salary Cap Hell. LOL

 

21 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

A report out there that Bears were the runner up for Gabe Davis - who signed with Jags

Saw the numbers on his deal, (allegedly) he was offered 3 years $39 million from both Chicago and Jax.  For perspective, recently departed Darnell Mooney was offered 3 years $30 million from Chicago.  But instead took 3 years $39 million to join Atlanta. 

If Joey Bosa gets cut - he could be a very interesting signing, if the Bears think they know how to solve his injury issues (or if it was more fluke the last 2 seasons)? When he's healthy he is a difference maker.

Chase Young is also interesting. He hasn't been the player everyone thought he should be - but he still had 7.5 sacks this past year and is still very young (24 years old).  Sweat knows him well - he clearly has some "Claypool" in him, but if he had an awakening this year and went into a good off-season he could be a very good buy-low candidate (not cheap - cause pass rusher(s) cost money).  

1 minute ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

If Joey Bosa gets cut - he could be a very interesting signing, if the Bears think they know how to solve his injury issues (or if it was more fluke the last 2 seasons)? When he's healthy he is a difference maker.

Chase Young is also interesting. He hasn't been the player everyone thought he should be - but he still had 7.5 sacks this past year and is still very young (24 years old).  Sweat knows him well - he clearly has some "Claypool" in him, but if he had an awakening this year and went into a good off-season he could be a very good buy-low candidate (not cheap - cause pass rusher(s) cost money).  

Big no on Young, not worth the chance of him waking up. Poles wants a mentality and culture of team players that buy into HITS