DABEARSDABOMB

He literally didn't play at all in week 1 - he was so bad. It does sound like based upon beat reporters - that there is more to this story and it gets into how he practiced, how he acted in meetings, etc. The fact that he had to apologize to everyone in week 1 tells you a lot and maybe he played with more effort the following week, but sounds like it quickly dissipated.

The key is they have to see young guys develop and improve. That is really critical - cause this could get really really bad in which case you compound the negatives and we see a lot of bad habits created, toxicity, etc. All of that of course can change with a new HC with the right swagger and obviously right QB around them (whether Fields or someone else).

I had a theory that hit me last night - did Poles actually see this coming. I don't know if he did or didn't and I don't know what to think about him if he did (it may not be a good thing). But if I think about the Bears off-season moves, they clearly didn't committ to Fields - but focused on building better parts for him (or a new QB) while ensuring they had an eye on the future. Very clear that Poles didn't go all in on Fields - he also smartly didn't go all out. On the defensive side - Poles upgraded LB and ignored Defense, with exception to the 2 draft picks at tackle. With that in mind - Poles knows that for the Tampa 2 to work - you need to have a good dline - stop the run, etc. Bears can't do that and I almost wonder did Poles ignore that because if Flus didn't work out (and he saw the writing on the wall that this system didn't work) - he didn't want to be locked in and stuck in a bad spot in terms of dead assets/cap on players who aren't scheme fits (in the case that they wanted to flip to a 3-4). Reality is - TJ Edwards and Edmunds are both clear fits in either scheme, the DB's being invested are somewhat scheme agnostic (and more about zone vs. man coverage). Just something I was thinking about - probably nothing to do it.

Lets see how they do on Thursday. I don't think he has lost the lockeroom like Trestman has, but he is butchering the Claypool words. Claypool being inactive was the right decision - stick with it.

He's a keeper and really good player. Mooney also played well and benefited from more targets going his way (vs. Claypool). Moore is good though, Kmet is solid, Mooney is solid. They need some more young players around him - maybe Scott can develop into a nice 3/4 wideout and than find another playmaker early in the draft. Keep building the oline and obviously upgrade Dline....but if you do the above on offense - with Roschon and Herbert - I think whomever Bears have at QB next year is going to be in a decent spot.

And with lousy QB play. I don't think he is top 3, probably not top 5, but he is top 7 and he is a quality TE. What would be great is to pair him with another really good TE plus some good weapons on outside and quality line. If you do that - than I think this is a pretty good spot for any QB to develop.

I know they lost - but Fields played extremely well today. He was making confident throws, reading the d, and just looked good. Why the Bears got scared and stopped letting him pass late in game is beyond me. They got super conservative and paid for it.

On single coverage - is anyone really covered. I feel like that is where you throw ball downfield and put it where your receiver can make a play. That’s how you get chunk yards and than the db has to adjust for that and next time you put it over the top.

Look at Biggs sentiment in his piece in the Tribune. I know not everyone likes Biggs - but he is probably my personal favorite Bear writer. I feel like he is fair and balanced, but also plugged in and works hard to come up with new info and insights from scouts. It is pretty clear - reading between the lines - that he, who was really suggesting for a long time not to go to Bagent, is now starting to foreshadow that they need to make the switch, sooner vs. later. One thing about Biggs is - he is connected, but smart about what he says (to maintain those relationships). I think what he is saying is probably also based upon feeler(s) and thing(s) he is hearing from various coaches and personel men across the league (and within the Bears) who are all seeing what we are and that is that Fields an adjunct disaster at QB, so bad that you literally can't evaluate anyone around him. That is a different level of dsyfunctional. When I think of Andy Dalton - he was limited to mediocre to poor, but he could execute an NFL offense to a level where despite those limitations, you could evaluate talent, etc.

Why would the Jets acquire a QB who is just as bad as Zach Wilson, let alone give up a future first. If that was on the table - I will personally pack Fields bags.

He also should have never taken the hit - cause Kmet was wide open for a touchdown on the play.

The bright side with Caleb is - presuming he stays healthy (obviously an IF), he will have 2 full seasons at USC plus a partial season at Oklahoma. That is a lot more experience than Trubisky and with a ton of good tape. He is also coming from a system where QB's have at least had milding NFL success (i.e., Baker Mayfield and/or Kyler Murray). We also have seen Jalen Hurts put some time in that system and emerge. So I do believe Williams will be better positioned than say Fields to succeed. Trubisky's issue was he was limited in experience and when you are that limited and asked to learn in the NFL, it just becomes too difficult to overcome. Fields limitations are, in college the talent he was around and his sheer athleticism allowed him to dominant and he had a ton of experience, however the game film would indicate that he NEVER improved as a passer. When he got to the NFL - this was actually a guy who HADN'T developed in a few years of combined experience at Georgia/OSU. He than got to the NFL and has continued to NOT develop as a passer. He is what he is - a really good dude, with strong characteristics and mammoth physical tools, but with significant deficiencies in critical areas around reading defenses and throwing guys open, etc. Those are things that never improved and which at this point - he basically has 5 years of being the exact same guy, with the big difference being, in the NFL, you have to not just make, but also read and deliver tight pocket throws. I actually think Fields can make them - the problem is, he won't take 7 out of the 10 he should, which really puts the offense behind the 8 ball.

The question is - if you are the Vikings, if the Jets offer you a 1st rounder plus, do you do it and just tank for Williams plus get more draft capital.

The real question to me is - is there a young development QB this team could acquire and give a chance to or a potential reclamation project (purely so you can actually assess your skill position talent, etc). Or at what point do you bench him and give Bagent a chance (not saying he will be any good - but if he does better, but if I were Flus/Getsy, at some point I'm clammoring for someone to at least make me look somewhat competent out there. I am not stating Getsy/Flus are good either - but I have zero doubt, Fields is clearly NOT it.

There are many experts who say the opposite. Well - maybe I won't say the opposite, but who literally say they don't know what you could call that Fields would execute well - other than building literally a unique once in 20 year offense around him. And I guess the question is - should you do that for Fields, I don't know, but what I do know - there isn't a modern NFL offense that Fields would look good in. He has 2 years and a few games of film on him - the dude just can't execute basic and intermediate looks in the passing game.

I don't think anyone would be arrogant enough to think that they could fix Fields. Maybe the Ravens would take him as a backup but at best you are getting a conditional late round pick. His production as a passer is historically bad.

This would be the time I was never more right… https://www.talkbears.com/forums/topic/8655-andy-reid-thread/page/2/#comment-112715

I just can’t make excuses anymore. Bottom line he doesn’t throw guys open and you can’t win in the nfl with a qb that limited - especially not running a system like they are running.

The oline is not the problem. The qb is 110 percent the problem. He sucks. He is awful. His only chance is running a non nfl offense that is not like any ran in the league beyond say Baltimore. Fields would suck anywhere. He is a bad quarterback. The dline and defense sucks too. The coaches probably stink as well - but Justin Fields is straight up bad.

Definitely something real bad/strange. Bears just denied Halas Hall raid, nothing about denying Williams stuff.

I think there is more to this story - but I also think highly unlikely the reports out there are true. I actually am thinking right now - what if Williams is going through a serious health and/or family situation that is real and now when he is stressed with that he has to deal with fake news swirling of the most disgusting type around him. My guess is this is like an addiction thing - but I will say it’s real odd how Bears press release didn’t wish him luck or anything.

Thirded - completely agree.

I wonder if he was gambling? Taking the over LOL.

This flew totally under the radar. I know he had his penalty issues - but this is a big blow.

I love and agree with everything he said and am excited to see these next few games and what happens. His quotes match what my eye test was saying too.