AZ54

I don't see Kmet going anywhere given how complimentary Ben Johnson was on his play against the Vikings. Then just to create a hole that has to be backfilled using a draft pick. Given all the needs we still have on the roster we need all the picks we can get. However, he could be dangled in a trade either for a pick or more likely a player at a need position. Trading to fill a need offsets the value proposition with the draft pick. I see the same situation with DJ Moore, he's a benefit to the team but with his replacement already on the roster we have to consider options. Trading Kmet nets $8.4mil in cap savings. Trading DJ $16.5mil. Swift is the other logical place to free up money either through cut or I'd say they could consider a 1yr extension to eek out a bit of space. I'm pretty sure we'll be drafting another RB likely on day 3 again, cut Swift and it likely needs to be a day 2 pick. While I know fans have concerns over Swift, I think Ben Johnson's concern with a rookie replacement will be pass pro. His running ability can be replaced. Cap space for 2026 projected cap of $300mil, Bears have just $1mil in space. I expected Edmunds to get cut but seeing how he's been playing under Allen I think he'll get an extension that will lower his cap hit. Hopefully with a rising team we can get a bit of a home team discount instead of having to be highest bidder.

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2025/11/bears-designate-kyler-gordon-to-return-from-ir

For sure draft boards at this time will change dramatically. I've learned this early in the process you really need to look into anyone in the first / second round grades to get an idea of who really will end up with a round 1 grade. Rarely does an early-in-the-process 3rd Rd grade move up into late 1st but sometimes especially with very young players it can happen.

It's that itme of year where I start digging into college prospects getting ready for the draft. I think we all know the top issues LT, DT, DE. I'd love to add a good 3-tech to this defensive front as I think that alone would be a game changer on our defense. Unfortunately what I've seen so far from draft prospects the DT class is underwhelming and we have no chance at the one elite DT in this draft who will go top 5, Peter Woods. That moves me to find Edge help and I'm working from top rankings off TDN's site. TDN lists Ruben Bain Jr. as top 10. I like his game but he does not seem to have any elite traits that would command a top 10 pick. Since we're definitely draft outside the top 15 I'm looking further down the list. I really like TJ Parker out of Clemson. He's listed as a 8 overall on TheDraftNetwork but he's not the fastest nor the longest edge player and those guys tend to drop in the draft. Would he drop enough to get into a window where we might trade up? I'm not advocating trading up at all - a check on draft history shows 4,4,5,5,5,4,2,4 DE drafted in Rd 1. There appears to be enough depth here to get one. Despite Parker's size concerns he is a 3 down player who defends the run well and would compliment Booker very well on the opposite edge. For the record I do look at Booker as a future starter for us. Just 3 games into his sophomore season he's already out-performing Sweat and Dayo. Matayo Uiagalelei fits in the same mold as Parker being more run defender but is less bendy as a pass rusher. Good length and power as a run defender will not win with speed. I'd say his game is similar to Shemar Turner's but maybe less violent. He's a good player but I prefer to add more speed to our defensive front. Third is Keldric Faulk who also seems to have to win from power but does have some initial first step quickness. Again he's good against the run but he'll be just 20 yr old at draft time so unlocking his pass rush potential will take coaching and time. Potential is there. I'll be keeping an eye on him throughout the draft process. Cashius Howell is more of a 3-4 LB/Edge so I don't think he fits the scheme. LT Overton is a good player but like Turner is more of a tweener between Edge/DT which I'm not interested in adding. R Mason Thomas is a name to watch. TDN lists him at 36 overall but that will absolutely change because he can run the hoop and has enough strength to hold up when he dips his shoulder underneath an OT. While he won't be a true 3-down DE for us, we have nobody like him as a pass rusher on the roster. 3rd and long, or late game when trying to protect a lead against a team that is forced to pass, you want someone like him on the field. https://thedraftnetwork.com/2025/09/05/tj-parker-scouting-report-nfl-draft

I knew what you meant. I’m just disappointed in myself for not coming up with that one.

I suspect Byard has more free reign in Allen's defense than he was allowed in Flus' "stand here" D. That plays to his strength in play recognition.

The thing that I see each week with Caleb are the incredibly difficult throws he can make dropping the ball over coverage and into a tight coverage space. Plus he's starting to lead his receivers away from big hits by safeties. Subtle things that aren't obvious at first but when I see the film study I'm very impressed. Especially the way he's reading coverages fast now. I never saw those throws from either Trubisky nor Fields. Never seen them from Bagent either, he doesn't have the arm strength but also a lot less reps. These are things he wasn't doing in college that I complained about during the draft process. Seeing that gives me more patience for him to get the fine tuning down on deep passes and even the shorter throws. Adding simple stuff to a player's porfolio when he already has the elite throws down is far better, and far more likely to happen, than hoping the (former) QBs who can make the simple throws can learn how to make the elite throws.

Gumby arm ?

Some people prefer a longer honeymoon to believe the marriage will work out long term. Others just prefer a longer honeymoon.

Caleb is not a finished product but neither is the rest of the offense. First don’t be swayed by narratives around time to throw. Caleb is not Jared Goff going down in the pocket when the play isn’t there. Extending plays like does is a gift but there should be two distributions for time to throw. One for in the pocket. One for outside. The number of times he uses that gift has gone down but there are no NFL defenders who want to cover for 6 seconds. Likewise the number of throws he makes in anticipation has gone up. There are many moving pieces to this offense with read options on plays. Each game gets a little bit better that’s what matters most. This was a drop by a receiver making $20m

T-Mobile and DuckDuckGo browser and no issues either with wifi or cell network. Brave browser on the computer, or Epic.

I never expected the wheels to fall off. They have too many vets and talent for that to happen. From an organizational standpoint it’s the fraying or cracks around the edges I watch for that slowly builds up. Our frayed bits and pieces are slowly being glued together. On the other hand they seem to have more cracks now than earlier this year. I expect they’ll rebound next week but what does next year look like?

https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/11/16/dan-campbell-will-call-lions-offensive-plays-for-rest-of-2025-season/87306830007/ Reading this it’s s hard not to think the Bears and the Lions are two ships about to pass each other in the night. https://lionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/11/17/lions-week-11-takeaways-fourth-downs-offense/87318398007/

Yes they are. Campbell took over play calling. I thought they hired an OC to replace Johnson? Detroit’s defense looked good.

We don’t hire the best coaches only to throw the baby out with the bath water.

It’s outside the thread topic but I checked out a couple Viking’s fan post game discussions on YouTube. That loss hit them like a hard kick to the Skol sack. The fan base is definitely out on McCarthy right now.

I don’t know what’s going on in Detroit but the further they get from Ben Johnson the more their offense looks like the Bears old offense. I didn’t see the whole game but in the fourth quarter the Eagles weren’t doing anything special but Detroit Oline didn’t always know who to block.

We just went into the Vikings stadium and beat them. I have to keep repeating that to myself because it seems surreal. Especially when Tyrique went out. I’m being captain obvious here but the difference between week one and this win is the coaching. As bad as it feels at times the floor for this team is just at a higher level. When they will put it all together I don’t know. It might be next year. I believe Caleb has a mental hurdle to get over with other QBs in his draft class. Against Daniel’s and Wash he was sailing passes high early on. Today again it’s the same thing. Pressure to prove he was deserving of the #1 overall pick seems to be real with him.

Bears are all alone in first place.

What matters most is that the Vikings got McCarthy

The table was definitely not set well in the first half. The second half had a much better menu.

Brave browser and I get the full Sgt Shultz treatment... I see nothing.

This is what is really holding the D from being decent.

I'm not usually one to brag but my decision to fire the special teams coach in the 3rd quarter paid off.

Correct, he must return within the 21 day window. A quick search found this on the designated to return rules: