QB. What do we do now?

[Bill]

OK, this year is going the way it is going.  Down the tubes fast.  And with our current QB's on the roster I don't see any way they will help us in the future.  They will keep playing Mitch for the rest of the year but I don't see him as the answe going forward.  We have an above average defense and it seems like good offensive  with the running backs and wide receivers on the roster.  If Burton can get back to normal health he is serviceable for the next two+ years.  The offensive line is a problem but I think with a 2nd round pick or two it will work its way into above average.  Two me that leaves us a QB short with only a few years window open for a good playoff run.  

 

For me I only see one option and it's more than a long shot.  Somehow convince the jags to trade Foles.  We can't afford him at this time and they most likely won't be willing to trade him unless Minshu, Ginsu, what ever his name is just keepings playing beyond all expectations.  Foles has been there before.  He's a plug and play QB with all the upside we need. He knows the offense.  And yes he is a risk but who's not.  Now how do we get him.   And this is a tough one and way out from left field.  By giving up our best player.    Trade Mack and Mitch for Foles and some draft picks.  Hopefully a first maybe a 2nd and third.  Maybe all of that.   We get our QB, they get a generational player in Mack and a serviceable backup to Gardner.  Signing Mack was suppose to be the cherry on the top of the Sunday.  Well that Sunday fell over.  He is a luxury we can no longer afford.  I don't see any QB that will fix our problem for at least two or more years and by that time we will have lost most of our A-list players based on where we are in the salary cap and no draft picks.  Hicks, Amukamara, Trevatian, Whitehair, Jackson and a few more will be gone.  We are at or near the cap and will start losing them.   We than start drafting a QB every year and hope we don't pick like we have for the last 60 years.  Like that is going to happen. LOL.  But at least it gives us a fighting chance going forward.

 

Go ahead and trash me and tell me I'm an old fool.  I know that already.  But I don't see anyone out there  who is remotely available or serviceable that gives us a better chance in the next 2-3 years. But I would love to hear your ideas as to what do we do now.  

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Short answer for me is having an Alex Smith / serviceable like QB and balance that with a dominating defense (like we know ours can be) and you’ll get what you want.  Realistically speaking I even think that would be possible this year, if not definitely next year. 
 

I’ve never been one to give up on a season. In fact I absolutely hate the idea of throwing games to get a better draft pick - see where that got us?  There are too many variables that can happen in a season to totally rule your team out of contention.  But after today passing without us making a move in a trade makes me think our team has stacked its chips and they’re all in with the way things are.  Which I read as extremely unfortunate. 

[Connorbear]

Can't afford Foles and I would absolutely not trade Mack. Trubisky is going to be on the roster next year at $9 million. Like Alaska said, get a serviceable QB like Smith and roll the dice with the defense next year and the year after. 

Peace

[Mongo3451]

This team needs a couple of things before a new QB. (OL and another good pass rusher)  We also have nobody that can blow the lid off a defense. 

Trubisky is not the problem.  He is only part of the solution.  Nagy has to create an identity with his offense and he doesn't have the parts that Reid has.

[Bill]

We can afford Foles if we trade Mack.  No one knows if Smith is even going to able to play next year let alone do something Foles has proven he can do.  Hoping Smith can get better than he has been in the past is a very long shot.  And what makes Mack the holy grail.  We had Singletary and all of the complemtary players.  We had Urlocker and Briggs.  And they all fell short time and time again because we did not have a QB who showed he can get a team to where it needs to go.  Right now Mack is a great player just like Payton was in his prime and if you want to watch a player excel every Sunday that's he's the guy. If you want to win championships they need to think outside the box.

[Bill]

37 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

This team needs a couple of things before a new QB. (OL and another good pass rusher)  We also have nobody that can blow the lid off a defense. 

Trubisky is not the problem.  He is only part of the solution.  Nagy has to create an identity with his offense and he doesn't have the parts that Reid has.

I disagree.  I think everyone here thought we had everything in place to make a long run in they playoffs.  All that needed to happen was for Mitch to take the next step.  I don't see that.  I agree we are not the Chiefs.  But Nagy has shown that he does not believe in his offense.  And it all starts with Trubisky.  They have players who can take the top off a D.  But Mitch can't hit them with any consitancy . I don't see him as part of the solution anymore than I saw every QB we've had except McMahon and he could not stay healthy.

[Stinger226]

What we will do is next year is bring another QB to compete with MT and also draft one. They are going to let this play out with MT and the prospects do not look promising. Nick Foles is making 22 million a year, we are not trading a future hall of famer for a expensive QB. They will find a cheaper option, who I cant say yet. They still think they can make the playoffs so they are going to fix what they can and go from there. Jax next year will only have 4.4 million in cap space and have to deal with the draft yet. They will be desperate to trade Foles and could be gotten cheaper that a Mack. For us to trade for Foles, we would have to do it by other means , not Mack. What good would weakening out defense to add a QB that may or may not be the answer. He has had 3 season ending injuries in 7 in the league. His risk factor is to high to weaken the team on over all success. You are not only losing Mack but what he does to boost the play of the other players on the team. Next year we have 13 mil in cap space and if we do not pick up the rookie option on Floyd, add another 13 mil. That will make it doable with losing Floyd and keeping Mack. You make that choice Bill. So I think the choice will be to trade for Foles with our first 2nd round pick or use it to draft a QB. I think we draft one and keep MT and have a player in place to go with if he continues to fail.

[Mongo3451]

Right now, Trubisky is barely average, depending on what stats you look at.  We can win with that.

What we can't win with is poor play calling, no pass rush, porous line, missed field goals and stupid penalties.  

If our defense finds its inner dog, the offense has to be just average to compete.

[BearFan PHX]

It's a lot of things, but it's the playcalling.

Nagy has a history of bad playcalling, and abandoning the run. Even in KC.

Buddy Ryan would have punched him by now for sure.

Maybe give the playcalling to Helfrich?
 

 

[madlithuanian]

The only people we trade Mack for is Mahomes or Watson.  Beyond that, hell no.  Not even Brady.  As Connor, and many have said, you bring in a legit vet (like a A. Smith or someone), have that person legitimately compete w/ Tru next season (as Tru will basically still be on a rookie deal w/ a snowball's chance in hell of becoming something or barring some miracle int he next few weeks that the light goes on) and you draft a QB somewhere in rounds 2-6.  To at least groom as a legit back up or better.  Then, the following season, you asses your draft capital and make another bold move to nab a franchise QB.  We've seen it.  Since the Chargers drafted Rivers, we've started something like 20 $hitty QB's w/ Cutler and Tru giving us some hope for a minute.  Additionally, we must draft a QB every single draft.  This is why NE is always loaded w draft capital.   

[BearFan PHX]

16 minutes ago, madlithuanian said:

The only people we trade Mack for is Mahomes or Watson.  Beyond that, hell no.  Not even Brady.  As Connor, and many have said, you bring in a legit vet (like a A. Smith or someone), have that person legitimately compete w/ Tru next season (as Tru will basically still be on a rookie deal w/ a snowball's chance in hell of becoming something or barring some miracle int he next few weeks that the light goes on) and you draft a QB somewhere in rounds 2-6.  To at least groom as a legit back up or better.  Then, the following season, you asses your draft capital and make another bold move to nab a franchise QB.  We've seen it.  Since the Chargers drafted Rivers, we've started something like 20 $hitty QB's w/ Cutler and Tru giving us some hope for a minute.  Additionally, we must draft a QB every single draft.  This is why NE is always loaded w draft capital.   

yup.

Except after next year you might draft a QB every other year.

[madlithuanian]

10 minutes ago, BearFan NYC said:

yup.

Except after next year you might draft a QB every other year.

I hear ya, but I think our luck at QB is so putrid, we can't afford to let up on the gas pedal!   But, I have no problem with every other year.  Or simply depending on the talent pool.  Maybe year 1,2,4,6... 

[eback]

I say ride it out and draft 2 qb’s. I like Shea Patterson as a 2nd or 3rd rounder. 

I also like Nick Mullen’s on the 49s but that ship sailed for this year. 

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, madlithuanian said:

I hear ya, but I think our luck at QB is so putrid, we can't afford to let up on the gas pedal!   But, I have no problem with every other year.  Or simply depending on the talent pool.  Maybe year 1,2,4,6... 

yes. 1,2,4,6

[ASHKUM BEAR]

You can draft nothing but QBs hoping to strike gold, but I think there are deeper issues other than who we have under center.  

*Kyle Long was not right from the beginning.  I wonder if when he ripped the helmet off in practice and swung it at a teammate, did that teammate injure him which caused that rage? He was supposed to be an above average starter this year, something happened like a ruptured back because his movement was stiff and slow.

*James Daniel's was moved to Center, basically the QB of the oline and calling protections.  With little preseason experience, the line had trouble picking up assignments and pressure increased on the QB. Timing and progressions were sped or eliminated.

*Trey Burton was not healthy and he has some issues with trust.  Remember, he is a human and the Bears are a job.  Saying this, I think he checked out after last year when he had an injury and the team possibly tried to push him into playing when he felt he shouldn't. You can read into his lower effort.

*Akeem Hicks - He is the center piece to the defense. He was before Mack and is making the entire unit less effective with his absence.

*Bilal Nichols - another starter who's impact was missed. RRH is also solid, but missing the talent and rotation took its toll. 

*Roquan Smith - something happened to him.  We may never find out, but it took a few games out if him. I doubt it was a jersey, but maybe something in the lines of Burton. 

*Mitch Trubisky-we can lay all the blame in him.   But now has the Nagy 202 offense, a line that wasn't prepared, healthy, and cannot give protection/time.  No run game to loosen the D and keep them confused and honest.  An offense that has caused 20+ penalties so far, that's about 4 each game that took away plays and made the situations harder.

Until I see the rest of the team and coaches playing flawless, I am not giving up on the QB.  He has had worse thrown at him to overcome this year and sure he and the team are struggling.  I know he has made mistakes and is not without blame. But if we a scrapping players, I can name off 3/4 of this team that might as well go with him.

[Bill]

So we get Smith.  Can he play anymore.  Name someone who has shown he can make it to the playoffs let alone win.  So we bring in that unknown vet to compete with Mitch.  Thirty of the current QB's would give him a run for his money based on his play over the past two years.   And then spend the next three years drafting a QB.  Even if we hit on one next year it will still take two to three years before they can be a viable, knowing the offense, and lead this team anywhere.  Most of our studs on D will be over 30 and many not even on this team.  We have three years most, to get to the Super Bowl with this team as it's now built.

So we keep Mitch and just add retreads hoping to find one that does something they have never done before.  We slug along with a good defense and watch as year after year goes by.  I'm not the only one here who watched in the 80's and 90's as we pissed away one of the alltime great D's because we could not find a QB.  How about Urlacker, Briggs, and Tillman.  Killing themselves game after game.  While they they, filled in the QB blank. Oh lets go get the next Grossmen. Cutler, Greise, name any of the 30+ QB's who never did anything, oh don't forget Glennon.  No Foles is not a lock, but he has been to the top and won.  Name one other who has that we can get..

So we watch Mack play every seek and say.  God he's a hall of famer and we are so lucky to have him.  I've done that for over 50 years.  Mack was suppose to take us over that hump.  Well he can't play QB and win games for us.  He can give s a shot at that ring by bringing us a QB that has done that and a few draft picks to fill in the holes.  Yea our D will fall back.  But we are not going to win anything when we can't score more than 16 points every week against playoffs teams.

I know I'm in the minority, if not the only one, who thinks this could work.  But I've seen the other option time and time again fail.  If they don't strike when the irons hot it will be another 20 years before we have a window like this and I'll be dead. 

[Connorbear]

54 minutes ago, Bill said:

So we get Smith.  Can he play anymore.  Name someone who has shown he can make it to the playoffs let alone win.  So we bring in that unknown vet to compete with Mitch.  Thirty of the current QB's would give him a run for his money based on his play over the past two years.   And then spend the next three years drafting a QB.  Even if we hit on one next year it will still take two to three years before they can be a viable, knowing the offense, and lead this team anywhere.  Most of our studs on D will be over 30 and many not even on this team.  We have three years most, to get to the Super Bowl with this team as it's now built.

So we keep Mitch and just add retreads hoping to find one that does something they have never done before.  We slug along with a good defense and watch as year after year goes by.  I'm not the only one here who watched in the 80's and 90's as we pissed away one of the alltime great D's because we could not find a QB.  How about Urlacker, Briggs, and Tillman.  Killing themselves game after game.  While they they, filled in the QB blank. Oh lets go get the next Grossmen. Cutler, Greise, name any of the 30+ QB's who never did anything, oh don't forget Glennon.  No Foles is not a lock, but he has been to the top and won.  Name one other who has that we can get..

So we watch Mack play every seek and say.  God he's a hall of famer and we are so lucky to have him.  I've done that for over 50 years.  Mack was suppose to take us over that hump.  Well he can't play QB and win games for us.  He can give s a shot at that ring by bringing us a QB that has done that and a few draft picks to fill in the holes.  Yea our D will fall back.  But we are not going to win anything when we can't score more than 16 points every week against playoffs teams.

I know I'm in the minority, if not the only one, who thinks this could work.  But I've seen the other option time and time again fail.  If they don't strike when the irons hot it will be another 20 years before we have a window like this and I'll be dead. 

I believe the idea was a game manager like Alex Smith. He is still under contract for at least next year (with a $32 million dead cap # if cut) and I don't think he will be available. Game managers could be Case Keenum or another Teddy Bridgewater. I just checked and Philip Rivers is going to be a FA next year. He would probably be a long shot but, with this defense, he would have a shot at a Super Bowl.  Another option would be signing Mariota to a short-term deal and seeing if he could be a reclamation project. 

Trubisky isn't going anywhere next year with a $9+ million cap # (all would be dead cap space if cut). 

Foles is in his first contract year with the Jags and would have a $33 million dead cap hit if cut/traded. He's not going anywhere at those #s.  

Peace

 

 

[Bill]

12 hours ago, Connorbear said:

I believe the idea was a game manager like Alex Smith. He is still under contract for at least next year (with a $32 million dead cap # if cut) and I don't think he will be available. Game managers could be Case Keenum or another Teddy Bridgewater. I just checked and Philip Rivers is going to be a FA next year. He would probably be a long shot but, with this defense, he would have a shot at a Super Bowl.  Another option would be signing Mariota to a short-term deal and seeing if he could be a reclamation project. 

Trubisky isn't going anywhere next year with a $9+ million cap # (all would be dead cap space if cut). 

Foles is in his first contract year with the Jags and would have a $33 million dead cap hit if cut/traded. He's not going anywhere at those #s.  

Peace

 

 

I know I ramble on with things that aren't going to happen but I enjoy the talk.  And as a Bears fans we have had some great players, some of them all time greats.  But I think fans become complacent with what we demand.  The Cubs have won one World Series in 100 Years.  The Bears one Super Bowl in over fifty.  My Sac. Kings made a run to the Western finals, once.

I know trading Mack is never going to happen.  But I also believe getting another game manager, reclamation project, and drafting a QB every year, which I think we should do anyway.   Isn't going to do anything different than it has for the past sixty years.  One Super Bowl.  I don't  think you can Win a SB with just a great defense anymore.  It's a QB driven league because the rules are made that way.  And the teams that have one are always in the hunt at the end of the season.  In the last 20 years there has been maybe four game manager.  Dillfer, Johnson. Flacco, and Foles.  The rest are all ;Hall of Fame QB's.  It takes a good defense and a great QB.  And I'm not saying Foles is great but he's the only one out there who knows how to get to the mountain top.  He's been there once almost twice.

I look at the only organization today that has given a road map on how to win in the NFL.  Hire a genius coach.  OK that's a reach. LOL. But he has a road map.  Get your QB and plug him into a system and everything else can be changed every year.  Every year the Pats seem to change their roster with players no one wanted or just didn't fit where they were.  They got some great players, mostly near the end of their careers.  But most are good middle of the pack players who fit into what they needed.  And when they became to expensive or they could get more assets back they let them go.

If I were in charge of the Bears they would of fired me day two.  But I look at what we have, how the league is built, and how do I get to the top.  The Cowboys did it with the Walker trade and it changed their team for a decade.  The Bears got one of the all time greats because they thought they had their QB for the future.  I don't think he is.  They should try and flip that asset and get as much as they can.  The cap hits for both teams for Mitch and Mack for Foles are almost the same.  Throw in a couple draft pick to fill some of our holes.  It almost seems genius to me the make believe GM!    And I think they should do it now sooner that later.  They have a good enough team and coaches to win and that window is closing.  I love watching Mack play.  I know we should have loyalty to our players.  But I've been loyal to a team that has had the same problem for 60 years.  Finding a QB who can put the team on his back when needed and take them to the next level.

Anyone who read this thanks for taking to time to listen to an old man rant. And to those who didn't, you missed on some great ideas.  LOL    

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Right now...I would focus on just being the best game from here on out in the season. Start at 0-0 and build each and every week. Likely means it is less about this year and more about next year, but start fresh.  There is plenty of time for Mitch and Pace to change the narrative and through that this team can get the right fight to end the season on a nice run to ensure they are well positioned for next year.

Essentially...this is a moment that matters in the franchise...yes the season hasn't and won't go as expected, but from here on out, they still have time to right size the long-term trajectory of the ship this year (i.e., Mitch and the offense building on last week and taking the necessary steps to create real swagger vs. hype) so that the team is still pointed LT in the right direction.  This also means they need to measure development over now a bit more as the season goes and through all of this find a way to maintain the culture.  

There are plenty of scenarios where the exact opposite could happen and this team could turn into a hot mess and we could see a sinking ship fast.  I liked how they responded in general last week.  There were some mistakes that got in the way and they lost a game they should have won, but it was by far Mitch's best game of the season (pick and fumble be damn), the QB made quite a few really nice throws, good reads, and stepped up under pressure and converted quite a few 3rd downs.  It was a major step in the right direction and I hope he can use that as a building point and this entire offense can build from here on out (maybe in a few years we look at the New Orleans game as rock bottom, but also the point in where Mitch rose from the ashes like a Phoenix). Would I bet on it, no, but the best thing that could happen for the Bears is Mitch getting his confidence back....at that point, I still think he can be a top 10 QB in this league.  The way he was playing against the Saints, was hopeless...guy had zero mojo / swagger.  Emotionally and psychologically broken.  

And if Mitch doesn't play good enough, you obviously have this off-season to invest in a veteran QB and take a different route of drafting in mid round QB's and see if they can convert that way.  

[killakrzydav]

It feels like we have so many holes that I don’t think a caretaker can save us