AZ54

Gotta stay away from that.

Ian Williams gone. Goldman can certainly stay at NT but if the team in intent on moving him to DE this could change what we're looking for in the draft at DT. Especially if we sign Hicks. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000064...ing-with-niners

I also think pairing Ragland with Trevathan would give us a very solid ILB group. Ragland would also be the blitz LB, something Trevathan reportedly isn't that good at. I watched more video of Darron Lee tonight and he's just not stout at the point of attack. He might grow into that but I like the idea of having one physical ILB on the field. When Timu was out there late in the season he stood out for that reason. Drafting Ragland is no sure thing and after him options gets a little murkier. I think SMC could be lured back with a 1 year deal, probably for much higher than anyone here would pay him. That would give him time to get more comfortable in the role and then seek his big deal. Gives us two chances (this year and next) to find a rookie in the early rounds to develop. Last year SMC had nobody with 3-4 ILB experience to help him on the field. With Trevathan out there it could help him to steady his performance. If SMC turns into what we want then we have plenty of cap space to sign him to a long term deal next year.

This is more likely posturing on the part of Trevathan to get a little more out of Chicago before he signs. I wouldn't expect anything less from his agent because that's what he's paid to do for Trevathan.

I'm sure Atlanta would be thrilled with that deal. I don't think Pace would be, at least I hope he gets much more than a 6th Rd pick. There are few alternatives in FA and as of right now we haven't signed any of them, nor do we reportedly even have a deal in place.

There is too much going on in FA so I doubt the Bears would complete a deal for Bennett tomorrow afternoon. After things settle down a bit and teams know what they have in FA and what their likely draft needs are then I could see a trade happening. If we don't get good value just keep him around. He still has to play for his next contract so he can't be too much of a malcontent.

I still like Amos and I think he out-produced a guy like Bruton. Adding Bruton, and likely giving him every chance to earn a starting role next to Amos would be a good move. We will still add a rookie to the mix but Bruton should feel confident he can win a job over a rookie. It will be telling if we sign Bruton and then cut Rolle but I don't see that happening until after the draft, unless we need his cap space.

I wanted Osemele but not at $11mil/yr.

Complete agreement.

Wow. I wanted to stay away when the Broncos offered him $10mil/yr.

I still don't see this widely reported but if true I'm glad to see this deal was done and for a little less than I thought. i'll assume the guaranteed money is better than expected.

We are well into the negotiating period for FA and I haven't found any rumors about Trevathan. I scanned all the usual suspects nfl.com, si.com, cbssports, and Walterfootball and there is nothing out there. That is odd for a player who figures to be the top ILB available in FA, especially considering the media circus surrounding the Superbowl winner's free agents. I did find this: http://beargoggleson.com/2016/03/07/signs-...-chicago-bears/ The silence doesn't add up for such a high profile FA and the quick change of direction by other potential suitors indicates something was said behind the scenes. Tomorrow the media circus, distracted by Manning's retirement on Monday, will wake up and realize there has to be something going on. Certainly Trevathan's agent isn't going to sit by quietly while all the big money deals are negotiated in the first few days of FA. Many teams like to be in the news about their pursuits but at least one, Chicago, doesn't. Agents usually want the rumors out there as well to show there is real interest in their clients. Have we already come to a deal with Trevathan? Did we make him an offer he can't refuse such that he isn't even interested in visiting other teams? He said he liked playing for John Fox so if the money is right it could make sense that he's content to call it a day and go play for Fox and Fangio without talking to any other teams.

Bears are basically in touch with all the 2nd tier FA OG.

I hope the Bears are in the Jackson market solely to add to the frenzy and drive up the price while behind the bright lights they quietly close the deal with their main target, Trevathan. ILB is the one spot I don't mind over-paying because our need is very high and options are few.

I agree. Murray would have been the RB I kept around. The Eagles have also overpaid quite a few of their players this offseason.

This likely means the Colts are moving on from Fleener. I just can't see them paying both players a huge contract but we'll see. If the TE market gets this crazy and we can get a 3rd Rd pick for Bennett then I'm all in.

I think you have the list of primary options down. I'm very curious to see who Pace's first targets are.

I'd prefer to keep Jeffrey but if this went down, at 1-20 give me Josh Doctson to replace Jeffrey. Kid's going to be a stud WR and i'm not sure why there aren't more people talking about him. He just catches the ball no matter where it is. At the Combine he answer all the questions about his athleticism. There's better value with Doctson IMO than either Hunter Henry or Nkemdiche. Yes this would be very Matt Millenesque. There's probably a half dozen other DTs I'd prefer over Henry or Nkemdiche at 1-20 too. I"m just not a fan of great athletes that can't convert it to production on the field, at least not in the 1st round. I don't get to interview these players and their coaches but something isn't right. Whatever it is, it usually doesn't get better with $15-20 million in the bank.

Reports are Andre Ellington is close to being shown the door in AZ. He has been injured every year. That's no surprise because that's what happens when you run a little guy 20-25 times a game. AZ knew they had to invest somewhat early to get a RB last season. Chris Johnson was a desperatation move after they had RBs go down with injury (including Ellington again). If Ellington does get cut I'd consider adding him to the Bears. He's done some KR but I don't see any PR history. It wouldn't hurt to bring him in for a tryout to see if he can catch punts. As a part time RB he's very good but I don't think he can handle more than 10 carries a game and make it through the season.

I would say he's being brought back to compete for a roster spot. Cam Meredith will be back as well. I don't his name on the roster but the KR we had at the end of the season, Deonte Thompson, I'd also expect to be back. He's got some open field speed and considering how late he was added to the roster he did some good things at WR. I'm in favor of drafting Tyler Ervin on day 3. Not sure if he rates as a 4th or 5th Rd pick. I've seen mostly 5th Rd for him but that was before he ran a 4.4 forty. I love his versatility at some many positions from RB, slot WR, KR, and PR. It's valuable to have a guy like that on game day. I wouldn't be upset at all if we used a 4th Rd pick on him. Saw him on NFL Network he seems like a class act, and knows he'll have to work to make it at the next level but he's willing to do it all. A "Darren Sproles" role fits him well.

..and in other news Jerry Jones will not be selecting a QB at #4 so nobody who wants a QB needs to trade up ahead of his pick.

This is also a way to prove to him his market value isn't what he thinks it is. If they can't find a reasonable trade partner, meaning if all we can get for him is a 6th Rd pick, then his agent will know that and Marty will come to realize he might be getting that huge payday.

I agree with your thinking for the most part. We hear it all the time about finding playmakers and on the surface it makes sense to hear that. Of course Pace wants guys that can play and fit the scheme but I really think Pace's goal in FA is finding depth on the roster. It's a different perspective and puts the team on the hook for less money per player and gives him more darts to throw at the board. Then when he misses big on a guy like Alan Ball ($3mil last year for nothing) it doesn't hurt so much because Tracy Porter was there to pick up the slack. How well did that work? Nobody talks about Alan Ball, not now and not much last year. When Antrel Rolle went down we put in some rookies. They did ok but most importantly, now nobody is worried about cutting Rolle because there is nothing but cap savings off what looked at the time to be a way overpaid contract. Pace guaranteed the $3mil all up front because he wanted the flexibility to get out of the deal this year. In FA you will always overpay in the first wave, and somewhat in the 2nd wave. In the 3rd wave you can find value but, like showing up late to the Black Friday sales, you get what's left on the shelf. Just accept the overpayment portion of the first wave if that's what you must do to fill a critical need. Last year I think Pace identified finding a true 3-4 OLB to fit Fangio's scheme as the most critical need for the defense coming out of that transition from a 4-3. That worked out well. This year, I think across the entire team our most critical need is ILB. We have 2 openings for starters, and anyone currently on the roster is nothing more than a backup, if that. We can't really sit back and see what's left over so over-pay we must, and that likely means we go hard after Trevathan. I think he's an average good player but I can't deny the desperate need at the position. Behind Trevathan we don't really have a lot of 2nd wave FAs? Unfortunately I think the need makes this like the QB position where a team has to pay a Sam Bradford more than he's worth because if they don't have him you won't win anything. So I think, despite our misgivings about it, Trevathan gets the big payday. On Malik Jackson I'd take him for a decent 2nd wave type salary but when a DT is getting $10mil plus he better be capable of commanding and beating (at least sometimes) double teams. I don't see that from Jackson. There is less of a need at this spot than ILB and there's great depth here in the draft as well so we have options. I just don't see a reason to throw silly money at this position. CB is more challenging because we have Fuller, who struggled at times last year, Porter, who has had durability issues in most of his career, and Callahan. Add in that it will be one of the highest paid FA positions for what is 2nd wave talent. It's hard for me to guess which way Pace will go here: Big contract for a guy like Jenkins or Sean Smith? Or stay the course, sign a mid-level CB or two (Porter being one), and build through the draft? I think he stays the course. I think OG falls in the find depth category along with a good prospect via the draft. Same with Safety.

There is no need to make that decision until after the draft, unless or until there is a free agent player out there we really want to sign and we need more cap space.

I prefer to trade back in the 1st Rd but not out of the 1st Rd. Values might be relatively the same with players but I prefer to be in a spot where we get the player who fits our scheme and needs best.