🏈 Week 13 Official Black Friday Game Thread 🏈 CHI@PHI, Nov 28th, 2PM CST, AMZ, CHI +6.5

[Mongo3451]

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

Wright is a special player. He has given up some catches but is the big play guy along with Byard on this defense right now. Tearing that ball from Hurts was huge. I am sure Poles is already talking to his agent. When BJ gave him a game ball in the post game, he thanked Poles for bringing him here. Doubt if he leaves the building at the end of the season. 

I hope he stays too.  I keep forgetting about that rookie we have that is built just like him.

[adam]

1 hour ago, Mongo3451 said:

I hope he stays too.  I keep forgetting about that rookie we have that is built just like him.

Frazier? and don't forget about Terrell Smith.

I assume they let Stevenson walk, with Smith and Frazier on the roster. Hopefully they have the money to sign Wright.

[Mongo3451]

24 minutes ago, adam said:

Frazier? and don't forget about Terrell Smith.

I assume they let Stevenson walk, with Smith and Frazier on the roster. Hopefully they have the money to sign Wright.

Wow!  I think Smith would make a great FS.  I also think Stevenson would make a great SS.  Either way, our secondary is stacked.  Owens and McCloud should be easy cuts...

[adam]

28 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

Wow!  I think Smith would make a great FS.  I also think Stevenson would make a great SS.  Either way, our secondary is stacked.  Owens and McCloud should be easy cuts...

It is going to be weird for us but the Bears will probably lose some of the depth guys that are not draft picks in the offseason. 

With money already committed to Jaylon and Gordon, I don't know if you can really pay another DB top dollar. I assume that is why Brisker will be gone, and they will sign/extend Byard for another year or two on a lower deal. 

For CBs, Stevenson still has another year left on his rookie deal, so I don't know if they will have room for Wright. I hope they find a way.

[BearFan PHX]

45 minutes ago, adam said:

It is going to be weird for us but the Bears will probably lose some of the depth guys that are not draft picks in the offseason. 

With money already committed to Jaylon and Gordon, I don't know if you can really pay another DB top dollar. I assume that is why Brisker will be gone, and they will sign/extend Byard for another year or two on a lower deal. 

For CBs, Stevenson still has another year left on his rookie deal, so I don't know if they will have room for Wright. I hope they find a way.

I agree, I think Brisker is gone, and CJGJ takes his place at safety.

We can add a 3rd round (or later) pick at safety to develop and for depth too.

[AZ54]

2 hours ago, adam said:

Frazier? and don't forget about Terrell Smith.

I assume they let Stevenson walk, with Smith and Frazier on the roster. Hopefully they have the money to sign Wright.

First and foremost is figuring out what we do at safety.  Both Brisker and Byard are UFAs this offseason.   Byard is getting old but I feel good about getting one more year out of him, potentially two.  Brisker is having a good but not great season.  His health concerns are a problematic long term risk.    I think we sign Byard, let Brisker walk, then draft a safety high for Byard to help come up to speed. 

Stevenson and Smith are both under contract until 2027 so they stay since they are cheap.  Wright would be a good signing but he might cost far more than we can afford especially since I still think he's only backup material.  

[Stinger226]

6 hours ago, AZ54 said:

First and foremost is figuring out what we do at safety.  Both Brisker and Byard are UFAs this offseason.   Byard is getting old but I feel good about getting one more year out of him, potentially two.  Brisker is having a good but not great season.  His health concerns are a problematic long term risk.    I think we sign Byard, let Brisker walk, then draft a safety high for Byard to help come up to speed. 

Stevenson and Smith are both under contract until 2027 so they stay since they are cheap.  Wright would be a good signing but he might cost far more than we can afford especially since I still think he's only backup material.  

I think Wright could come back on a back loaded deal because we are better for cap space in 2027. Someone has to go and money will come into play. I suspect they play with the Cap to work contracts in for 2026 with resigning the most impactful players. I suspect Brisker, and Edmunds may be gone. We have gotten by with cheaper options. Certain contracts just cant be touched until 2027 and it was designed that way for better or for worse. The OL contracts, Jarrett and Dayo . I think as well as Gardner-Johnson has played unless he comes back probably playing SS as a team friendly deal, he wont be back. Byard is a leader and may be a priority so a short team friendly deal may get him to come back. 

If we have the success it looks like we will have finishing the season, I expect a bunch of complicated contracts will get redone to fit some of the players back in. Edmunds is valuable but we have backups that we can fit in cap space better. I dont pity the work Poles has to do for next year. Swift is another option to get us more cap space and Kmet. I think they redo those contracts to keep them and pay less for 2026. 

I dont see any big trades or high price FAs coming in because we are up against the Cap. Lots of positions we need to improve but we will draft and count on players getting better. Booker and Turner will be expected to step up next year. I think Dayo plays more inside than outside next year where he has more impact.  

[AZ54]

4 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I think Wright could come back on a back loaded deal because we are better for cap space in 2027. Someone has to go and money will come into play. I suspect they play with the Cap to work contracts in for 2026 with resigning the most impactful players. I suspect Brisker, and Edmunds may be gone. We have gotten by with cheaper options. Certain contracts just cant be touched until 2027 and it was designed that way for better or for worse. The OL contracts, Jarrett and Dayo . I think as well as Gardner-Johnson has played unless he comes back probably playing SS as a team friendly deal, he wont be back. Byard is a leader and may be a priority so a short team friendly deal may get him to come back. 

If we have the success it looks like we will have finishing the season, I expect a bunch of complicated contracts will get redone to fit some of the players back in. Edmunds is valuable but we have backups that we can fit in cap space better. I dont pity the work Poles has to do for next year. Swift is another option to get us more cap space and Kmet. I think they redo those contracts to keep them and pay less for 2026. 

I dont see any big trades or high price FAs coming in because we are up against the Cap. Lots of positions we need to improve but we will draft and count on players getting better. Booker and Turner will be expected to step up next year. I think Dayo plays more inside than outside next year where he has more impact.  

Dayo doesn’t have enough strength to hold up outside much less do anything inside.  Any winning he does inside is coming off a stunt but you can’t live by that.  Booker and the new DE are both playing the edge better.  We have to hope Dayo responds to the competition because cutting him is painful next year with at best a $17mil cap hit.

 If we draft an edge high it seems more likely Turner moves inside which is where they had him earlier this season before needing help at DE, then IR.  We really need an interior pass rusher anyway.  

[Stinger226]

5 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Dayo doesn’t have enough strength to hold up outside much less do anything inside.  Any winning he does inside is coming off a stunt but you can’t live by that.  Booker and the new DE are both playing the edge better.  We have to hope Dayo responds to the competition because cutting him is painful next year with at best a $17mil cap hit.

 If we draft an edge high it seems more likely Turner moves inside which is where they had him earlier this season before needing help at DE, then IR.  We really need an interior pass rusher anyway.  

Before Dayo got hurt he was taking more inside snaps. I dont disagree on his strength but his contract dictates he stays one more year . So probably him and Jarrett playing the 3T spot with Dexter and new guy manning the NT spot. I havent watch a lot of tape on Dayo but seen some podcasts that said he was more effective on the inside while at Indy. 

Sweat was taking a lot of heat because of his injury laden performance last year but this year looks a lot better. I think we will have to be patient with Dayo before we can label him a bust. 

[Stinger226]

5 hours ago, AZ54 said:

Dayo doesn’t have enough strength to hold up outside much less do anything inside.  Any winning he does inside is coming off a stunt but you can’t live by that.  Booker and the new DE are both playing the edge better.  We have to hope Dayo responds to the competition because cutting him is painful next year with at best a $17mil cap hit.

 If we draft an edge high it seems more likely Turner moves inside which is where they had him earlier this season before needing help at DE, then IR.  We really need an interior pass rusher anyway.  

Before Dayo got hurt he was taking more inside snaps. I dont disagree on his strength but his contract dictates he stays one more year . So probably him and Jarrett playing the 3T spot with Dexter and new guy manning the NT spot. I havent watch a lot of tape on Dayo but seen some podcasts that said he was more effective on the inside while at Indy. 

Sweat was taking a lot of heat because of his injury laden performance last year but this year looks a lot better. I think we will have to be patient with Dayo before we can label him a bust. 

[Stinger226]

 

[adam]

19 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

I agree, I think Brisker is gone, and CJGJ takes his place at safety.

We can add a 3rd round (or later) pick at safety to develop and for depth too.

I would be fine with that. I think Billings, Brisker, and Wright won't be back. Billings has underwhelmed. Brisker has too much injury risk for a big contract. Wright is a tough loss but there are too many guys waiting in the wings to pay 3 CBs top dollar after Jaylon and Kyler. 

So Byard and CJGJ would be their only two big name free agents resigning. 

[Mongo3451]

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

If we draft an edge high it seems more likely Turner moves inside which is where they had him earlier this season before needing help at DE, then IR.  We really need an interior pass rusher anyway.  

Turner is definitely a 3T.  I like the fact that he's athletic enough to play outside.  Alabama has a big DE that really looks suited to also be an impact interior player.  It would be awesome to get him in the second round.  It's also time to give up on Dexter being a penetrator.  He should hit the weight room and buffet table to gain thirty and become our new 1T.

[Stinger226]

Dexter is not a star but I don't think they are giving up on him anytime soon. 

[adam]

28 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

Dexter is not a star but I don't think they are giving up on him anytime soon. 

Yeah for sure. It will be interesting to see if he gets a 2nd contract though. You can only give out so many of those on each side of the ball.

[Pixote]

14 minutes ago, adam said:

Yeah for sure. It will be interesting to see if he gets a 2nd contract though. You can only give out so many of those on each side of the ball.

I could see the Bears bringing him back on a cap-friendly contract. My guess is they will allow him to test the FA market. If he fails to get a better offer from a different team than what the Bears are willing to offer, he will return.

The way FA has gone lately, some team will probably offer him some insane money. If they do, we should get a good comp pick. If they don't, he will be back.