Reports are he is one of their primary focuses (vs. Saquon). I know the name is less sexy but this would be a really good get. He's still young and he's a really good football player.  With rookie QB, Bears can afford to splurge a bit at RB (and it saves them from having to use another draft pick on the position in a draft where they don't have a ton of picks).  

 

Signed at 3/$24m. Not sure why is your priority with Herbert and Johnson, but fine. 

I just read that we signed him to a 3year $24M deal - not bad at all!

EDIT - oops Dawhizz you beat me to it!

Just now, dawhizz said:

Signed at 3/$24m. Not sure why is your priority with Herbert and Johnson, but fine. 

I think they aren't as high on Herbert as we are?

3 minutes ago, dawhizz said:

Signed at 3/$24m. Not sure why is your priority with Herbert and Johnson, but fine. 

Herbert contract is up this year and always misses games. Johnson is not a true # 1 but valuable backup . Clearly they are making a push to win his year. Not sure ow a rookie QB figures into that plan. 

So the first 3 acquisitions point to keeping Fields.

Bates - 2 years left on contract
Byard = 2 year deal
Swift = 3 year deal with a 3rd year no guarantees

Those all align to Fields 5th year option, and they would all come off the books when Fields is due big money.

15 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

I think they aren't as high on Herbert as we are?

Herbert is gone at end of the year and depth is important. This is a guy with low mileage as a starter and who has been pretty darn good. 3 year deal is perfect and the money is very reasonable. I love this deal and think we are paying for his BEST years which is exactly what you want to do when you sign a RB. I think whomever gets Saquon or Jacobs are paying for past production vs. future production.  

16 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

I think they aren't as high on Herbert as we are?

I think they just view it as - Herbert is okay - but probably not a starter. Johnson is just entering year 2 and he was okay. He could end up being good, but he could also just be meh.  Swift has been low usage and is in his prime and definitely has some game.  

1 minute ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

Herbert is gone at end of the year and depth is important. This is a guy with low mileage as a starter and who has been pretty darn good. 3 year deal is perfect and the money is very reasonable. I love this deal and think we are paying for his BEST years which is exactly what you want to do when you sign a RB. I think whomever gets Saquon or Jacobs are paying for past production vs. future production.  

Spot on. Poles is in win mold.

It's hysterical that people think someone has inside information coming from the Bears regime.

No one seen this coming until they sign him.

No one called out the Byard signing before he took a Bear visit. 

Poles hides everything.

Swift averages 50 receptions per year. The Bears have not had a pass catching RB this good since Forte. 

4 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

I think they just view it as - Herbert is okay - but probably not a starter. Johnson is just entering year 2 and he was okay. He could end up being good, but he could also just be meh.  Swift has been low usage and is in his prime and definitely has some game.  

thats how I see it too

2 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

It's hysterical that people think someone has inside information coming from the Bears regime.

Reporters are asking GMs around the league what they think Fields trade value is.

You oscillate between telling us no one can know anything, and then other times you say things you are sure of that you couldnt possibly be.

Youre all over the road.

24 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

Reporters are asking GMs around the league what they think Fields trade value is.

You oscillate between telling us no one can know anything, and then other times you say things you are sure of that you couldnt possibly be.

Youre all over the road.

If you're a GM do you tell the World true statements before free agency and the draft? Any GM that does that has been fired before. Everyone says this time of  the year is the season for lying. But GMs are being honest.

Got it.

4 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

If you're a GM do you tell the World true statements before free agency and the draft? Any GM that does that has been fired before. Everyone says this time of  the year is the season for lying. But GMs are being honest.

Got it.

no you dont understand. GMs of teams NOT in the hunt for a QB give their opinions on Fields off the record. Multiple reporters said when they asked around that was the prevailing sentiment on Fields.

I wouldnt ask Washingtons Gm for example, but you could ask the Chiefs GM that question.

The thing is, you only care about facts that support your narrative. Thats why youre so confused about all of this - youre not thinking it through, youre just reaffirming your own bubble.

52 minutes ago, adam said:

Swift averages 50 receptions per year. The Bears have not had a pass catching RB this good since Forte. 

I've been doing a deep dive in Waldron's offensive scheme and when I saw Swift get picked up, I looked for the similarities of Swift to previous Waldron RBs.  Interestingly enough both Swift and Kenneth Walker's (Seattle's' lead RB last season) were very similar last year:

2023 stats

• Swift:    229 rushes for 1,049 yards (4.6 yards avg and 5 TDs)   39 receptions for 214 yards and 1 TD
• Walker:  228 rushes for 1,050 yards (4.6 yards avg and 9 TDs)   29 receptions for 259 yards and 1 TD

Swifts' offensive production, especially rushing, picked up considerably when he joined Philly last season.  And although his overall average of receptions for his career is 50, he had his lowest last year at 39. And his ypa for rushes (4.6) has been pretty consistent with his career average (also at 4.6)

So on paper, it makes sense Waldron wanted to get Swift as he mimics his previous RB in a lot of ways.

 

 

17 minutes ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

I've been doing a deep dive in Waldron's offensive scheme and when I saw Swift get picked up, I looked for the similarities of Swift to previous Waldron RBs.  Interestingly enough both Swift and Kenneth Walker's (Seattle's' lead RB last season) were very similar last year:

2023 stats

• Swift:    229 rushes for 1,049 yards (4.6 yards avg and 5 TDs)   39 receptions for 214 yards and 1 TD
• Walker:  228 rushes for 1,050 yards (4.6 yards avg and 9 TDs)   29 receptions for 259 yards and 1 TD

Swifts' offensive production, especially rushing, picked up considerably when he joined Philly last season.  And although his overall average of receptions for his career is 50, he had his lowest last year at 39. And his ypa for rushes (4.6) has been pretty consistent with his career average (also at 4.6)

So on paper, it makes sense Waldron wanted to get Swift as he mimics his previous RB in a lot of ways.

 

 

Wow that is the same guy.

1 hour ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

I think they just view it as - Herbert is okay - but probably not a starter. Johnson is just entering year 2 and he was okay. He could end up being good, but he could also just be meh.  Swift has been low usage and is in his prime and definitely has some game.  

Yep, I get it. Just worried that this is Miles Sanders 2.0 (Eagles RB looks great behind their O-line, then signs elsewhere for big $ and does nothing). 

1 minute ago, dawhizz said:

Yep, I get it. Just worried that this is Miles Sanders 2.0 (Eagles RB looks great behind their O-line, then signs elsewhere for big $ and does nothing). 

He had very good YPC in Detroit as well.  

Fun fact:  Fields and Swift played together while at Georgia. (Or so say ‘my sources’ on social media).  ?

1 hour ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

Fun fact:  Fields and Swift played together while at Georgia. (Or so say ‘my sources’ on social media).  ?

Cool. Someone should ask Swift if he would like Justin to be the QB. 

22 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

no you dont understand. GMs of teams NOT in the hunt for a QB give their opinions on Fields off the record. Multiple reporters said when they asked around that was the prevailing sentiment on Fields.

I wouldnt ask Washingtons Gm for example, but you could ask the Chiefs GM that question.

The thing is, you only care about facts that support your narrative. Thats why youre so confused about all of this - youre not thinking it through, youre just reaffirming your own bubble.

Just like you are doing, two sides of a coin.

20 hours ago, dawhizz said:

Yep, I get it. Just worried that this is Miles Sanders 2.0 (Eagles RB looks great behind their O-line, then signs elsewhere for big $ and does nothing). 

Carolina had a terrible OL, no plus weapons, they just put 8 in the box all the time. Our run blocking isn't a problem plus DJ, Kmet and another blue chip WR. They can't load the box.

I did not realize Swift finished 5th in the NFL in rushing last year, only behind McCaffrey, Henry, Williams, and Cook. I honestly had no clue he finished that high. He had more rushing yards than Herbert and Foreman combined, lol. I think he is an under-rated signing. 

Listening to the Locked on Bears Podcast today, Lorin Cox reviewed the Swift deal, and in his opinion, he doesn't think the Bears got a good deal because of what guys like Saquon, Jacobs, and Pollard got.

First off, in free agency, it takes two to tango. Secondly, those two sides have to come to an agreement on the terms, which is not easy. 

He then compares the Swift deal to the Pollard deal as a supporting fact. I disagree there. Look at Pollard's stats on the same exact team pre-injury and post-injury. He is down over a yard per carry and 3-4 yards per reception, a huge drop off in the same offense. That is a huge red flag for me. Saquon is also a red flag. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry last year and his long was 36 yards. Again look at his two seasons pre-injury, when he was truly elite, 4.8 yards per carry, 8.2 yards per reception, long of 78 for rush, and long of 65 for reception. Post injury, averaging barely 4.0 yards per carry and 6.3 per reception. Philly is getting the latter numbers. 27 RBs had a better YPC with over 100 rushes last year. Guess who else was below Saquon? Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler. 

So Pollard was tied for 25th, Saquon was 28th, Jacobs was T-38th, and Ekeler was T-38th. =

Swift? T-8th. Herbert? T-8th. 

Foreman? The guy Swift is replacing, was also 28th.