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Alshon turned down a multi-year deal from the Vikings. I believe others had offered him multi-year deals as well. I think it told me two things, he wanted out of Chicago, and two, that he believes he can have a big season and make more next year. Bennett played a big part in the Patriots superbowl run and I had read where he had offers from a half dozen teams. I never complained when we dumped Marshall and I understand moving Bennett, but there is no denying that BEnnett, Marshall, and Jeffrey were playmakers when they were on the field (at their respective position) and we have done nothing to replace any of those three guys with players even close to as good as any of them at their respective position.

My view is, we had very few playmakers and now we lost Alshon. We have basically the worse WR corps in the leg and our #1 TE has one healthy season in like 8 years. Cutler is a better QB then Glennon (that said I was never advocating to keep Glennon). Demps move is a good move, but Simms does nothing to make this team better (he is not a difference maker and giving that much money for a "blocking" TE just seems foolish. And I thought we were planning on drafting a young QB, so the fact that we have actually reduced our offensive playmakers is a scary thing. Everyone talks about Alshon's injuries, but he's played in every game he was eligible to play in for 3 of the last 4 years and the other season he played in 9 games. Guy flat out could play. Even if we just gave him a $1yr 16M deal I'd have been fine with it cause at least it would give any young QB we bring in (i.e., whomever we draft), a good target to develop. When I look at our offense, we have a great RB and a solid oline (with some upside, albeit, Kyle Long's injury situation is concerning). That is basically it (Kevin White is crap until proven otherwise). When I look at our defense, Floyd is the only guy who looks like he even has a chance to be special. That is freaking alarming. Pace's future won't be decided by this free agency though...it will be decided by how we do in the draft and whether we can land a franchise QB. Right now, with what we've done, I think it is more likely we win 5 games.

Meh....this is a strong TE draft and this is just another guy who is a backup. Seems similar to a lot of the other crappy TE's we have. I expect us to draft one, if not two TE's. That said, I now see that we gave him $10M guaranteed, which is just dumb. THis is a loaded TE draft...we suck...this guy isn't dynamic...freaking draft a TE or two. I hope I'm missing out on something, but I'm quite alarmed at how we have gotten worse a day into free agency (not better). I didn't expect us to blow the doors down either, but we literally have had an awful couple weeks (really going back to us losing Alshon for nothing).

I thought Wheaton was going to break out last year, but it didn't happen. Injuries got in the way. I don't think this is a bad signing, but he isn't a #1 and White certainly isn't. We have decimated our receiving weapons the past couple of years (losing Bennett / Marshall / Jeffrey is losing three extremely dynamic playmakers). I could support the rationale behind some of the moves, but we haven't exactly replaced them with playmakers and that is concerning.

No surprise. So many mix emotions with this. Jay/Bears never took advantage of what could have been. I presume the Rams will sign him.

I think Glennon has more downside, but upside exists. Hoyer isn't leading us to a superbowl or anything all that great. Glennon probably isn't either, but maybe there is a chance he ends up being a Kirk Cousin's type (not a top 5 QB, but a very good QB). Odds are not likley and he could just come in and suck, but if we think there is a chance, why not pay him what it takes to get him here to give him that chance (while we also draft a QB and see if we can hit there). Hoyer does nothing, unless you think you have a surefire guy you want to take at #3 and leverage Hoyer to be the bridge guy. If we aren't certain that any QB is great, we are going to instead use a 2nd round pick (or move back into the latter half of 1st round) to give it a go while also giving Glennon a go. And if those guys don't work...keep trying.

I think Glennon has more downside, but upside exists. Hoyer isn't leading us to a superbowl or anything all that great. Glennon probably isn't either, but maybe there is a chance he ends up being a Kirk Cousin's type (not a top 5 QB, but a very good QB). Odds are not likley and he could just come in and suck, but if we think there is a chance, why not pay him what it takes to get him here to give him that chance (while we also draft a QB and see if we can hit there). Hoyer does nothing, unless you think you have a surefire guy you want to take at #3 and leverage Hoyer to be the bridge guy. If we aren't certain that any QB is great, we are going to instead use a 2nd round pick (or move back into the latter half of 1st round) to give it a go while also giving Glennon a go. And if those guys don't work...keep trying.

Now I will point out, that it seems suspect that we bid $5M above any other team, that said, we don't know what incentives other teams offered. It certainly appears that to an extent, we bid against ourselves and therefor overpaid. So from that perspective, I think we could have gotten him for less money (of course none of us know the real story).

If Glennon sucks, we cut him anyway with no implications long-term. We are drafting a QB early and that is good. We have enough cap space that we could sign Gilmore/Jeffrey plus Glennon no problem. Whether they want to do that or not, that is up to them, but signing Glennon didn't prevent us from making other moves and it doesn't hinder us long-term. We know Hoyer isn't going to be above average, Glennon has flashed some ability to other scouts. He may be worse then Hoyer, but there is a chance he's actually good, in which case, nice signing. If he isn't, doesn't matter, we cut him at the end of the year, and hope that the guy we drafted this year looks better. If the guy we drafted isn't that good and we stink, then we hope that we are picking near the top of the board and have a shot at a "franchise" QB. We need to stop kicking the can on QB. The Jags won free agency for like 2 years in a row (and maybe a 3rd this year) and the last two years they had very little to show for it. This team was never a couple signings away from being great...we need the right QB and we need to hit on young players and develop those players to get better. Then, we'll be in a position where free agency can help fill final pieces. We need to be smart and the Bears need to be patient so they don't make moves today that prevent them from making the right move that maybe could put them over the top in the future.

Jonathan Allen isn't going top 3, he probably isn't going top 10. I think it is trade down, one of the DB's, or the Stanford DE. My presumption is the preferred route is a trade down where we then grab Hooker.

I think if you give Glennon the money, you are doing it in the sense that you think he has potential to be the guy, but a high probability that he probably isn't. You are okay giving him a big chunk guaranteed today to take that chance (and it doesn't have long-term impacts if it doesn't work out) while drafting a QB relatively early who you think has similar odds (thus doubling down). In a perfect world, both pan out and you have a major luxury on your hand, realistically, you hope you got it right on one of them and found your guy. If after a year you aren't happy, you can always go right back to the well again (and my view is we should continue to invest in QB until we are happy and after that, we shouldn't be afriad to pull the trigger on a developmental guy every few years (cause you never know).

Speed upgrade and special teams upgrade. I think there is upside in him as a wideout, but we better not be paying for that. Bears clearly lack game changing speed though and Patterson has that in spades.

Agreed...the key will be the "guaranteed" money in the deal. If he gets an average of $15M per year but we guarantee / front load a portion, I'm okay with it, as it gives the team flexibility in the latter years. What we can't have is that the deal is more backloaded and 3 years from now or even 2 years from now we are saying, we can't cut him because the cap hit is some absurd number (and if he ends up being great, well ensure the deal is structured for the right incentives / be prepared to rip up the deal and give him more at that point in time). We need to be very careful. It isn't like Pace or anyone knows what QB they will get. For all we know they have someone @ 3 they want, but have no idea whether he is there and they can't plan around that and just ignore the QB position (they'd have more flexibility if the Cutler relationship didn't completely vanish because reality says the best strategy might actually be to draft a guy and stick with Jay...I just don't think the fan base can handle it and I think reality is, everyone knows it is time for Jay's era to end in Chicago). On a pure football basis, I'd probably say the cheapest move is keep Jay around cause he's easy to move on from if you find the right QB.

As long as we still draft a QB in the 2nd round, I'm okay with it. Double down on QB. We obviously can't give Glennon stupid money though.

Didn't really know where to put it, but Schefty was on ESPN 1000 this morning and says from everything he has heard, no QB will go in the top 3. I don't buy it, but interesting coming from Shefty.

I agree, I think it is Gilmore. I wonder if we are going to go after Calais Cambell.

I like Jake Butt, but I think he's going to go before the 4th round. A lot of the TE's looked really good and to be honest, I'd be fine drafting two (as long as it is later on, because I think a lot of these guys can play). Daniels from Washington is pretty darn good too (didn't see you mention him).

Little...Tight End from Iowa. I'd be all over him later in the draft. He has all the physical tools, but was banged up a bit at Iowa this past season (still played). I also look at recent Iowa TE's and they have had a number who have performed at the next level. Good blocker with passing game talent, who I think would be a great fit for our system (without having to use a pick so early). Such a deep draft so I presume we'll pick up at least one TE late (and I presume we'll pick two DB's in this deep DB draft).

He isn't going top 3, not with those shoulders. I don't even know if he goes top 10.

Reports last year were that the Bengals turned down picks in the 3rd/4th round range for him. If you think he can start, a 3rd round pick is nothing to give up for a QB, imo.

I tend to think the Bears are going to give Pace / Fox more time then maybe the fans think. Heck, letting Jeffrey walk isn't a move you make if you are right on the cusp of contention. It goes more into the long-term vision of what they are trying to build. I still think it is laughable to lose an asset like that for nothing, but the devil really is in who do we use that cap space on and if we believe in Meredith, that could help fill some of that void. If they think their jobs are in heat, then I think it is much more likely you see them make a move for a vet (or at least a Jimmy G / AJ McCarron) as you'd expect they would be more ready to potentially help you win. None of these QB's at the top of the draft are going to lead us into the playoffs next year (or probably even the following year). Maybe 3 years from now. It flat out takes time.

Personally, I don't think this is a bad view. If you can get him for a 3rd round pick, you get a guy who you think can play now and who has some upside, but if he doens't work out, you aren't tied to him (and realistically, could and should still draft a QB sometime, relatively early in this years draft). The question is, what would Cinncy want to trade AJ. I know Bill Polian had said that AJ was a QB he would target. Polian has also been on record as saying that Cutler is the best available QB right now (not counting Kirk Cousins).

David Kaplan on ESPN Chicago said that he has heard that the Bears are scared that the Garoppolo price is going to be so insane and that the Browns will pay it that the Bears are seriously looking at A.J McCarron.

If we are going to trade Jay, combine would be the likely time that something could go down (also could be when we acquire a QB...lots of wheeling and dealing expected to at the very least be discussed).

I didn't see it posted, but there was a report that indicated Jay Cutler will not accept a trade anywhere and he will just retire if the team trades him. Basically, he wants to pick where he wants to go (and if not, he'll retire). No idea if the report was true as I didn't see it get much play (was a bleacherreport...Jason Cole I think).