BearFan PHX

starting does not make someone starting caliber. And I call BS on the idea that Braxton is currently an average NFL LT. Is that a PFF rating?

I think we have three backups at LT and no starter. That's not depth, it's an issue.

Well I can have my hopes about Trapilo at LT, but the Bears released their depth chart yesterday, and Trapilo is RT2, with Benedet as LT2. Other noteables: Burden is third string after Moore and Zaccheus on one side, while Duvernay is second string on the Odunze Side, with Walker as third string. So Burden is no better than 5th above only Walker. Roschon Johnson is RB2 with Monangai as HB3 Jarrett and Dexter are the starting DTs, with Jarrett at 3T and Dexter at 1T. Williams and Turner are the second and thrid string DTs, with Billings backing up Dexter at Nose. Johnson is listed as CB1, with Nashon Wright behind him. If JJ doesnt play I guess Wright gets the nod? https://www.chicagobears.com/team/depth-chart

I hope this is right and it's just a narrative. I read his quote, but I didnt hear his tone of voice or body language, or even the context. So if that's what it was, then great!

I agree. Poles has been pretty disciplined on the cap. The story is out on Dayo, who is a significant dent in our cap, but in general Poles has been disciplined. I totally agree that the writing is on the wall with Jaylon Johnson. He's good, but he's not worth what he's going to want. A trade seems likely at some point.

exactly

FWIW Im not even saying here that we should have traded for Parsons. The trade price was steep, and he is injured. There are good points on both sides of that. All Im really saying is that *IF* the right player is available, you can find more cap room by doing things (like restructuring contracts) than it currently shows we have on spotrac or overthecap. Im saying you can't just look at those numbers and calculate how much cap is available. But trading for Parsons has a lot more detail that is debatable than simply whether the cap space could exist, which is the only point Im making.

The cap is more flexible than people think it is. And it goes up every year too, so signing a big ticket player is almost always possible. And while Id entertain that idea for a true stud, I dont think Zadarius Smith fits that definition. If it's a true top 5 impact edge rusher, then it is possible, but otherwise you dont stretch your cap like that for most players. Then again, I dont know what Smith is asking for. Im discussing the hyposthetical situation where someone wants $40M a year. That IS possible, but it might require some trades etc. SO Im not saying we should do this, just that it is financially possible if the right situation were to come up. For example, the trade value for Parsons was more likely the bigger impediment to us having him (or someone like him) here than the cap space.

you thin skinned moron. Im sorry you cry about possible 2026 trades, but thats life snowflake.

no we arent just talking about getting rid of people. we are talking about getting new awesome people too, at positions of need. Also we are talking about next year, not now. You get so "butthurt" about trading people - you want an old expensive team I guess. One that's stuck at around 7 wins a year - never bad enough to get a top pick, never good enough to contend. But lots of familiar faces, so you dont need to buy new jerseys. You DO understand that when you trade someone you get something in return right? More draft picks for younger cheaper players, or impact players at positions of need. Would I trade DJ Moore straight up for a young dominant pass rusher? You bet I would, and we'd win more games as a result. As soon as Burden is as good as DJ.

thank you, I had that backwards. Kind of makes more sense in terms of the vegas opening line then.

so true. we need to see it on the field before we really know anything. And youre right about the last 40 years - what a shit show. Love all of this. exactly.

Braxton Jones has been announced as the starter at LT for Monday night. Im not surprised. Apparently Ben Johnson said the competition will continue, and could continue until the bye week. That also makes a lot of sense, and says to me that Trapilo still has a chance to take the job. May the best man win.

For sure Moore is more expendable. If Burden balls out, then Moore and his cap hit are likely traded after this year. What I said before is that if Kmet doesnt play significantly better than he has, then he is trade bait at $11.6M a year. I also said if his play improves he can find a place on the team. The outcome of that remains to be seen, but Kmet has had some good plays this offseason, so let's see, Also I agree whether Kmet stays or goes, that 2 TEs is a big part of Johnson's offense. There are other cheaper TEs out there too who can beat a LB when Loveland takes the safety coverage. But if Kmet dominates, then of course he stays. And that goes for any player - if you dominate, you're probably gonna stick around, and if youre being paid a lot, and someone else can replace you, then youre tradeable. Im sure you agree.

amen, Ill buy the first round for everyone.

wow! so Vegas opened us as favorites on the road. Thats good news. All of this says this is anyone's game. Lets go!

ok well why does YOUR butt hurt? One wonders...

lol dude its Ok for us to agree.

Im saying 24-19 or 20 Bears, so we are in the same ballpark.

riiiight YOURE playing chess. you are completely delusional. Also, if you want to play victim, go read my original post - I didnt call you any names, it was you calling me butthurt that started that again. I think the best word for you is just to call you what you are: a fool.

wild, when I googled it said 5 days ago it was Vikings by 3.5, so that's why I said what I did. What you saw is, as you rightly say, the other way, and probably predates my 5 days ago. So then yes based on your report, not enough bettors were betting on the Bears. I think Vegas gets it right on the initial line, and then people get involved LOL Sometimes groups of people are extremely smart, better than experts, so hopefully not in this case. Sometimes narratives distort the group processing, which is what i hope is happening here. Do you have a link that shows the Bears were favored? Anyway, regardless of Vegas, I'm still saying Bears 24 Vikings 19 or 20. 17 wont be enough without a consistent pass rush from the front four. Hope Jarrett makes a big difference! The Vikings generally have a very good run defense, but Johnson seems to know exactly how to exploit it based on AZ's post in the podcasts thread. Assuming of course that Swift can find some of the same things that Gibbs does in that video.

totally agree, and I also agree that where they have him ending up seems fair. And there is nothing that says he cant do better than that too this year. Soon he should be a top 5 QB, thats what you expect from a consensus number one overall with his skill set.

right. Im just saying the bet is where Caleb will be at the end of the season, not right now. when DABEARS said "Makes no sense for him to be this high with what we have seen - doesn’t mean his future isn’t bright though - but he has a lot on his list of things to really develop and to start stacking together. " I was just saying - right based on what we've seen would be the MVP vote right now, but the bet is what the MVP vote will be at the end of this season, after we see more things than weve seen so far.

man you are such a jerk - you really are. Im not the only that told you that adding words like "I think" before a statement is good practice. Instead you just say "Ben Johnson is not going to" And when I say my opinions the right way, now youre saying that means Im making definitive statements somehow? How does that even make sense to even your tiny little pea-brained mind? You are like arguing with a woman. You take zero responsibility for waht you say, and you try (and fail) to twist things illogically to make it as if I was doing what you actually were doing. Grow up and take responsibility for what you say. Also, what is this fascination you have with people's contracts ending when Caleb's comes new? Thats not a thing. Youre confusing getting the GM and coach aligned. The idea is you space your contracts out so they dont all come due at once. Otherwise, you resign Caleb and have no one left? That makes sense to you? What this all really is - is it upsets you to think about trading anyone on the team. You have some need to protect the feelings of DJ Moore - trust me, he doesnt know who you are, he doesnt know who I am, he doesnt give a crap about what we think. But if you look at the good teams int his league, they trade the good players that they arent going to extend. When young players on rookie deals challenge highly paid and good starters, then the teams trade the starters. This isnt rocket science, although for your tiny angry reactive brain even rock science seems too much. Take responsibility for what you say and stop being such a bitch.

so the line originally was Vikings by 3.5, and now its vikings by 1.5 or 1 - that means they needed to adjust the line to get more $ on the Vikings side. It means bettors are enamored with Ben Johnson and probably over confident in him? The opening line is closer to what Vegas THINKS will happen, and then the activity of the bettors adjusts it from there. Obviously too many people took Chicago and 3.5 points, so they dropped the line. So I guess Vegas saw the Bears as 3 point dogs, and the people disagreed.