BearFan2000

One thing we don't or can't know is what was discussed at the negotiating table. If he was offered a longer term deal but wanted more money, perhaps of the two options in the original round tender or second round tender perhaps Meredith chose the original round tender knowing it would result in more opportunities for teams to present him offer sheets knowing that if the Bears didn't match they wouldn't have to cough up a 2nd round pick to the Bears if they chose not to match. The ravens bid on him but the saints offered a better deal and here we are. Pace has till tomorrow to match (which I think he will). Had we signed him to the 2nd round tender it would limit the number of teams interested and perhaps eliminate teams even offering. So he'd play here in 2018 for 2.9 mil. Which if he wanted more money than that, it's possible he opted to take the original round tender. If we match it works out for him and us, we get him for 2 years at a front loaded deal that wouldn't cost much to get out after next year if he proves to not bounce back well from the injury. While if he does play well we can always extend him. It's possible the Bears did him a solid and let him explore his options. Remember we're talking about an UDFA who had one stand out year before having a serious season ending injury last year. It's not like we're talking about an established star. All we can do is speculate. One way or another we'll find out by tomorrow how this plays out.

Like what I see in the video. He looks like he runs with good vision, has good body control, protects the ball, and I like that he doesn't go down easy. Has a little make ya miss in him. If we can pick him up as a UDFA or with a late pick he looks like someone who could develop in this offense.

Personally I don’t think his issues with pass catching are lack of ability, so much as they are lapses in focus or concentration. That can be corrected with good coaching and practice. I’m sure Howard knows it something he’s got to work on and I’m sure it’s something Nagy will want him to work on.

I agree here. Howard + #8 pick does not equal #2 pick so I don't see that happening. It'd have to be Howard, our #8, and something else. The Jets gave up three #2's to move up 3 spots. This would be moving up 6 spots. It'd be a hell of a move if Pace could pull it off, but it's also a hell of a risk to trade away a damn good RB who simply needs to work a little on his catching skills for extra picks that would have to involve a high enough pick to replace Howard as we'd then be standing with extra picks but no #1 back on the roster. I'd much rather keep Howard, stay at 8 and grab best available (which should be plenty of good to pick from), or trade down a bit and still get a good player plus extra picks. I think like the Landry rumor it's nothing more than speculation created by people connecting dots that may not actually connect. Since the hiring of Nagy people have speculated whether Howard is a fit, and thus look at scenarios where the Bears trade away Howard for either a RB that better fits or for a chance to pick one in the draft that better fits. The whole IG thing can always be misread. His taking pictures down may have reasons other than what's being speculated. Now if we're in year 2 of Nagy's system and it's clear Howard isn't a good fit that's a different thing. I'd say Jordan's production on the ground the last two years has earned him a chance to show he can fit in this new offense. Another way to look at it is it's not like we are the Cheifs and are looking at a trading for Howard and questioning if he'd fit that system as is. This offense is going to be tailored to the talent we have. I don't believe they will design an offense that doesn't play to Howard's strengths and minimize his weaknesses. It's possible we'll see him and Cohen in the backfield together.

In general I'm not a proponent of moving up this year, but this wouldn't be a bad option. More than likely 4 of the 7 picks ahead of us will be QB's. One of the remaining 3 will be a team taking Barkley, that leaves 2 picks before us at 8 that will be non QB/non Barkley. We are all but guaranteed to get a blue chipper at 8. Move up two spots and we could literally have our pick of Chub, Nelson, or anyone we want. Our 8th pick is almost like #4 pick. I love that in FA we've put ourselves in a position to have real options in this draft. Part of me still wants us to stand pat at 8, and take either Nelson or Edmunds or if by chance someone like Chub drops to us. Crazier things have happened.

I believe the only WR's that were RFA/UFA's that we "tendered" were Bellamy (why???) and Cam. Wright and Inman are still unsigned FA's at this time. Getting younger makes sense to let them go and bring back Meredith, and Bellamy (since I doubt anyone signs him). Wright would be a good vet to have with the group.

So true. First coach since Lovie that actually had a personality. Dr Doom and Fox were painful to listen too. Nagy definitely has personality and just really comes off as genuine, humble, and energetic. It's really cool seeing guys want to sign here because of the situation, what Nagy brings to the table offensively, and wanting to work with Trubisky. You feel they sense good things are going to happen and they want to be part of that. It is all on paper thus far but you see it in the guys at their introductory pressers about coming to the Bears, there is a real sense of excitement surrounding the future of the team. Everyone seems genuinely chomping at the bit to start building a winner here. Here's hoping that it comes to fruition soon.

I too and a little surprised looking at last year he was one of the more consistent targets for Trubisky, He along with Inman, and Meredith were the guys I'd have though we'd keep coming into this year. My gut tells me we'll see a similar situation to Kyle Fuller happen with Cam. I'd bet he gets an offer sheet and we match to keep him. Wright and Inman are still up in the air as far as we can tell. Pace might be waiting to see who else we could add that could be upgrades before he makes a final call to either let them walk or makes an offer. After last year there's no reason not to have as many good options at WR as we can going into offseason programs. The x factor could be White if he can stay healthy and earns a spot. Maybe with the additions of Robinson, Gabriel, and Burton they feel like Wright is less of a priority. I'd still keep him around.

Glad the site is back up, I felt lost without this forum to get my daily Bears fix. At first I thought it was my computer with the time zone error thinking maybe I need to update something. While this site was down I looked at other forums but non felt like this one both in quality and content. Some were hard to even follow as threads often devolved into flame wars of personal attacks. Its hard to find a forum that isn't overrun with snark. There are disagreements here but rarely reaches a level that goes too far. We're all passionate Bears fans, that's what makes this place great. It was one of those things that you take for granted till it's not there. Thank you all for the hard work in making this forum what it is. I too would be willing to kick in some money if needed.

He will always be a Bear in my mind. It was a privilege to watch him play for the Bears one of my favorite Bears of the last decade. Great player and a great person as well, a pro's pro.

This has definitely been an exciting offseason. From the hiring of Naggy, to the building of the staff including keeping Vic. Then Pace got to work adding weapons for Trubisky. Watching video of Robinson and Gabriel I absolutely love how both of them are excellent route runners and run their routes to create separation. They both seem to be students of the game. Gabriel is crazy fast but he isn't just a burner he knows how to set defenders up to get open. Burton is a such a versatile TE that he can line up almost anywhere. I feel like all three guys share versatility. Pace put us in a good position in the draft where we don't have to reach for players in areas of need we can take BPA at 8. I really feel like Pace is coming into his own this offseason and even last offseason with the gutsy call to move up one spot and ensure he got his guy. Pace has shown to stick to his gut when he has firm conviction on a decision. I like that he's not indecisive. He knows what he wants and will do what's needed to make it happen. He knew after his interview with Nagy that that was his guy, and he decided he wasn't going to leave KC without a deal done. Looking back it's pretty clear to me that The fox hire wasn't completely his call, and that his hands were slightly tied in the beginning but it really seems that now he's running things his way. I like the aggressive go get em attitude. He's not going to make all the right choices every time but there really is a sense that the tide is finally turning and this once proud franchise may be on the way back to relevancy. And not just a 1 or 2 season blip where we make a playoff push only to disappear again. We're building the team around a younger core that hopefully will create sustained success.

Good read, and there is much to like about Trubisky. I feel like he has a lot of the intangibles that are either hard to teach or can't be taught. He's shown great enthusiasm to learn and improve his craft and has the work ethic needed to develop into a franchise QB that has been sorely missing from the Bears. I'm excited to see what this coming season and beyond has in store for him. Getting an offensive minded coach while keeping Fangio on D was a great outcome. We're also surrounding him with weapons, and coaches from various different offensive backgrounds that should create a versatile offense that can be fit to his skills/abilities while minimizing his weaknesses. If this turns out the way we and Pace hope it will last years draft will be looked back on as a turning point.

Landry Tagged That pretty much takes him off the table, not that he couldn't wind up somewhere besides Miami it's more complicated. Perhaps they tagged him to buy time to work out a long term deal, and if someone wants to pony up they get compensated. With him and Robinson likely getting tagged the list of FA targets (no pun intended) is starting to shrink.

And Nagy and his staff will no doubt have their own plan for how they want to handle Trubisky's preseason reps. I'm sure there will be some caution as he is the starter.

Perfect example of why I DID NOT WANT him here with the Bears. He's now effectively screwed two different franchises Denver and Indy. Who's to say he didn't use Indy as leverage for a better deal in NE. Perhaps he knew all along he might end up staying there. If I were the Colts or their fan base I'd be livid. The Patriots organization from top to bottom is full of slimy, cheating, win at all costs people. Pats and their fans wonder why people hate the Patriots so much it's because of crap like this. They literally have no conscience or concern about anyone else. McDaniels fits that mold to a T. I hope he does get the HC Gig in NE and once Brady retires (probably simultaneous to Bilicheat retiring), and when he's the head man I hope they go 0-16 every year he's in charge. I feel awful for the Colts, yeah it's risky to go ahead and hire assistants before your coach is "officially" installed. But they had an agreement to where they felt confident in hiring guys for his staff even without McDaniels having a contract in hand. I believe he lead them on, even chose who he'd want as his assistants, and made them believe he would sign a contract at the end of his season with NE. Because of this the Colts are up you know what creek without a paddle. It sucks that there's no rules in place to protect teams from a-holes like McDaniels doing what he did. Now they are completely behind the 8-ball and both HC and assistants pool is pretty shallow now. One caveat, too bad it didn't happen to the Packers, that I could live with.

looking forward to seeing how the offense develops next year and beyond. There is much to like in the diversity of offensive influences. Would be great to have an offense that is versatile in design and can beat teams in different ways. The more flexible you can be on offense to match the current game situation the better. Perhaps some of our issues about in game adjustments/halftime adjustments came down to lack of creativity, and versatility in both scheme, and personal. Perhaps it has been more of a lack of ability to think outside the box or do anything different. The offenses that can adapt on the fly to what's needed as needed are the ones who are more often successful. With the coaches we've brought in starting with Nagy to revamp our offense we may finally have the creativity built into the offense, we could become one of those versatile offenses. Can't wait for the draft, FA, and next season to start.

I agree with many here I just don't see any WR worthy of #8. There will be players worthy of that pick at other positions of need. If we trade back into the middle or early second half of the 1st round then I could see it. As always it depends on who's there when our pick comes up and what the offers will be for a trade down.

I like how he useless good leverage and plays under control. He uses good tackling technique in wrapping up rather than just trying to hit the ball carrier to the ground. He does remind me of Urlacher in how he plays the position, his range and speed would fit well in Fangio's D.

Propper conditioning has a lot to do with finding the proper balance between strength and flexibility. They work hand in hand. You need flexibility and good range of motion to help your body give and not be as prone to soft tissue injury, but you need the strength to not only take the hits/punishment but to counter the force put on your body. Seems like a lot of our injuries in recent years have been of the soft tissue variety where if the focus is mainly on strength but lack of focus on flexibility means our players joints aren't as forgiving when put under stress. Hopefully we can get someone in who will improve the overall durability of our players we can't continue to lose key players at the rate we've seen.

Memory lane! That team was a thing of beauty. I can't wait till we no longer have to look backward to see our Bears glory days. Our Bears and us fans are starved for a champion. The Cubbies finally got that monkey off their back hopefully the Bears get that chance soon. One thing our Bears have in common with the 85 team is in both cases the winning drought had been long. The 85 team talked about growing tired of hearing about the '63 team being the last Bears Championship team. After the '63 championship Chicago had to wait 22 years for their next title. It's been 33 years since '85 Bears. Hopefully next time we win it won't be a one year thing followed by a long drought.

The thing is that would be a luxury pick and we're not in a position roster wise to make luxury picks. When Green Bay took Rodgers The Packers were a perennial playoff team. With Favre at the top of his game. Many questioned the pick it worked out for them, they could afford to let Rodgers sit behind Favre and develop. Not saying we can't reach that point with Trubisky. If we get to the point where we're a regular playoff team and Trubisky is playing well we might then have the luxury of drafting a QB high to develop. Rodgers wasn't the first QB GB drafted while Favre was going strong. Same thing with NE and Brady.

White for sure will at least be in camp but this is a prove it season/last shot. I see Meredith, Inman, and Write coming back. Meredith should be fairly cheep to retain and he was very productive in 2016, if healthy he should be back Inman may not have had as much time here but he produced when he got here I think he's earned a shot to stay Wright seems to have been the most consistent throughout the season so I think he's earned a shot to stay as well I'd like us to go after Landry and possibly someone else. I suspect we will as Pace likes to take multiple swings at filling holes. I'd like to see us draft 1-2 WR's this year with one being a fairly high pick (rounds 1-3) What I think we enter camp with is White, Wright, Inman, Meredith, FA, FA, Rookie, Rookie. That'd be 8 WR's in camp and say we keep the best 5-6 for the 53 man.

Would love to have Landry he'd be a good slot/possession receiver and a good Red Zone target. I doubt we'd add both Landry and Robinson that'd be a big money on two players but at the same time it would be very beneficial to Trubisky. If I had to chose between Landry and Robinson I'd go with Landry. Crabtree would be a great add too, and between him and Cooper, Crabtree's been the more consistent/reliable WR. I don't see the Raiders letting Crabtree go though. Don't really want Martavis Bryant, or John Brown. Bryant is a head case, and Brown can't stay healthy and we already have enough of that on the roster. Some other WR names that could be interesting. Donte Moncrief - Colts (feel he's a little underrated) DeAndre Hopkins - Texans (if they don't resign him) Taylor Gabriel - Falcons (a bit underrated like Moncreif) I have a feeling we will be active in FA particularly on the offensive side. Especially now that we have an offensive minded head coach who will be looking to improve that side of the ball. The good thing about Vic being back is he knows our defensive roster better than a new DC coming in so he may be able to pair down what he needs to augment our roster to continue to improve our D. A new DC who hasn't worked with our roster only has tape and limited interaction to evaluate need on that side of the ball. Fortunately we are in great shape cap wise that we can make some splashes for players we think can take us to the next level. I can't wait for FA and the Draft it will be interesting to say the least.

This process has been refreshingly different. For those of us long time Bears fans you hit the nail on the head. I like how aggressive Pace was here. This and last years draft move to trade up to get his guy. I think we're starting to see Pace's style developing these past years into what kind of GM he is and will be. Contrast this to 3 years ago when Fox is brought in. That search involved a drawn out process including bringing in a consultant to help hire a head coach. It feels more like us getting Fox here was a situational coincidence that Fox became available as we were looking to fill a HC vacancy. It was the "safe" hire to pair a vet coach with a first time GM. Pace's style is starting to become clearer, he is a guy who sees what he wants and goes after it. He had conviction about Trubisky and he did what he felt he needed to do to to ensure he got his guy. After a trimmed down targeted list of guys to interview Pace needed just one round of interviews to have conviction about Nagy, and he didn't waste Nagy's time or anyone else's and made the move to get him. The more I read and hear about Nagy, the more I'm on board with this hire. Nagy comes across as a well spoken, humble, enthusiastic up and coming coach. He and Pace seem to be cut out of the same cloth. Could be the start of long term stability that has been such a foreign concept to us Bears fans. Add Trubisky into that situation and if he reaches his potential we could be looking at the start of the future of the Bears. We've waited a long time to see this franchise returned to it's rightful place among the best in the NFL. Time will tell but I'm certainly optimistic.

Exactly and this process has only increased my respect for Reid. He goes out of his way to help his guys move up and succeed. That in itself makes coaches want to work for and with him. I'm glad Nagy has had that as his example early in his career. These things mean a lot to coaches especially new ones learning the ropes to know that your boss is for you and wants you to excel even if that means the fruit of that labor is harvested elsewhere. Seems that that is part of how Reid measures personal success passing on what he's learned.