BearFan PHX

I think we will see individual players ascend, and flashes from them, but we will also have holes. By week 12 we will be screaming about one or two names - holes that the NFL has learned to exploit. But we will also know if Fields is the guy, and who around him will be part of our future. Then with that info, we go into next season with draft picks and more salary cap room than any team in the league. This is year 0. Now, if by some chance, all the players ascend, and the coaching is solid, and Fields is the guy, then we might surprise a bunch of people. But even if the first scenario is the outcome, we are on track to building an actual team. I'll be rooting for the team to win, but I'll be watching where the strong and weak parts are, and as long as the good stuff remains consistent, then we will know what we have, and what we need.

OK, googling more, I found this from 2015 - if the rule is still the same, Poles may have opened up some cap room with this move. https://landryfootball.com/understanding-nfl-minimum-salaries-veteran-cap-benefit-rule-free/ "For instance, a player who re-signs with a club on a 1 year $745,000 contract with more than two years of experience–let’s say (5)— would qualify for the cap hit benefit making his 2015 cap figure $585,000."

They would have known there were no other DTs that fit before they released him, so this definitely wasnt a mistake or a changed mind. There is some reason that doing this gave them some advantage. I think it has to do with the rules around minimum guaranteed vet salary. I THINK (but could be wrong) that if you sign a guy to the vet minimum deal in camp, and he makes the opening day roster, the money is guaranteed for the whole year, but if you sign him after camp, then you can cut him any time without having to pay the rest of the year. IF this is true, then Poles just converted Pennel into someone he can cut later. Youd only do that if you wanted to have the ability to bring someone else in, or elevate someone from the practice squad half way through the year, and not have to pay Pennel anymore? I guess Poles is going to play with the bottom of the roster for the next couple months, and that makes sense (if I understand the rule correctly). Also, seeing Eiselen is active just means he is the backup at C because Patrick cant snap with a cast on his hand.

the little Ive been able to figure out is that if they kept him without this cut and re-sign, his salary would be guaranteed for the whole year, but now, they can cut him any time, and not have to pay the rest. Im not sure why they bother though, hes not being paid a lot. Maybe to make him trade bait? Or to be free to pick up another player cut over the next few weeks?

can you say more, Im googling, but not finding the specifics of why this move made sense? Im sure it did, so please explain?

ah youre right. I wonder who #4 will be - Suh?

Is Tonga coming up to be #4?

I agree with all of this, especially #1. It just feels really different.

I know what i "know" about our roster this year - where the holes are, why it's a building year etc. I still believe all of that. But gosh darnit, Im excited for opening day, and Im gonna forget what I know and start dreaming. Lets go Bears!

and Emery, Angelo and Hatley... at some point you gotta blame ownership for the clown parade. Thankfully, we seem to have gotten it right this time. Only time will tell if they will be enough to put us over the top, but they sure seem to be professionals, which is more than i can say for the last 15+ years in Chicago

I think just avoiding the mistake of thinking if you add some free agency pieces you can win right away is already dodging a bullet that the previous several administrations didnt. And the irony is in not tying yourself down to 70%-ers with 4 year deals, we actually could surprise some people without that! I know the roster has holes, but I havent seen a Bears team ready to play on opening day like it seems this one is in a long time.

for sure, and you can say the same for coaching. you can have all the club dub all male dance parties in the world, but it is the teams that preach accountability who win. We still need to see Xs and Os and all that, but it sure looks like we finally got a good coach who will provide that accountability.

I think it was the process he had to go through to get Jenkins to accept playing OG. These days you gotta be a Psychologist to be a GM.

if Chicago ever got a second NFL team, it would be hard to predict what would happen over 5 or 10 years, especially if they started winning. I dont anticipate it any time soon, but it sure would be interesting to watch the dynamics. It's like how Chicago is a Cubs town. The Sox are cool, they have fans, and when they do well, the town gets excited, but when the Cubs do well, then you see where the heart of the city really lies.

I tend to agree, I was just saying wow at the idea, since its so unexpected, and the reason its so unexpected is... cuz youre right it's not gonna happen LOL

wow, thatd be something.

noooooooooooooo LOL

ahahaha Jauron, Trestman, Nagy!

right, but then they started fixing it AFTER the Bears left. too late. so, idiots

with the salary cap, every team has holes, and the difference in talent between the top rosters and the bottom isnt THAT much. Coaching and culture account for a lot. I still think we are a few players away, but if everyone executes, who knows?!

I agree. We are seeing a lot of positive changes and growth, but to get over that line for a W is another thing. Eberflus even said in an interview recenlty (and I was impressed he said it out loud) that the first thing you do is impose accountability, then you build a culture, and then over time, you fill that structure with talent. I dont think a lot of feel good coaches would have said that out loud, since it implies that he is admitting publicly that they dont have enough talent yet. But it is the truth, and the truth is the only way to grow. I think we will see a team we can be more proud of. We will make some mistakes, we will have holes that get exploited over and over throughout the season, but next year, we will be able to say "X, Y & Z were TERRIBLE and need rplacing, but there are a lot of positions filled on this team too. Drafting, free agency and the largest salary cap warchest in the league is going to make early September here next year seem a lot different. There will be a lot to root for next year - this year is the longest and most thorough offseason ever. I hope we see a lot of flashes, including Fields! And yes, to the die hards, like Mongo said, "Any Given Sunday" - nothing is impossible.

yes, and by week 3 at worst we should be rolling.

I read where the Chicago Park District (or whoever deals with Soldier Field) is going to seriously upgrade it and try to make it into something much better so they can use it to attract other teams, sports and events. Um. Why didnt you do that before when it mattered? I swear most people are idiots, all over. (everyone on this board excepted of course, including me LOL)

Whoever replaces Teddy will be an improvement, in other words "don't sweat it" LOL

phooey