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Bears Intend to Pursue TE Hooper


AZ54

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https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2020/2/27/21156762/bears-free-agent-austin-hooper-tight-end

Very interesting.   If this is true, and it's a bit surprising since Pace never likes to tip his hand, then my take is that Pace fully expects to have a lot more cap space than the $26mil we have right now before FA rolls around.   The two most logical extensions (or cut) AR12 and Floyd.   Remember we also have to resolve ILB which won't be that cheap.    

Why would Pace let this leak out when that's not his usual MO?  Or is he just pushing the Packers, who may also be interested in Hooper, to spend more money.  Is this a new strategy to let other teams know we're in it to win it so you best look elsewhere if you want one of the top 3 TEs.  Pure smoke screen so he goes and gets Hunter Henry locked up quickly?   

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A lot of things are being thrown out there right now, possible trade for Dalton comes up today.  I think there is many players we would trade for or get as free agents is it were team friendly for the Bears.  

EXAMPLE  , if Cincinnati would take a 7th rounder and eat 10 mil of his contract, I think we would make that trade.  It's not going to happen. 

EXAMPLE, if Hooper would sign for a 3 year contract for 24 mil , we would pursue him but it's not going to happen. 

Pace will make I surprise move but it has to fit our cap, all of these other suggestions are more fantasy GM. 

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2 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

A lot of things are being thrown out there right now, possible trade for Dalton comes up today.  I think there is many players we would trade for or get as free agents is it were team friendly for the Bears.  

EXAMPLE  , if Cincinnati would take a 7th rounder and eat 10 mil of his contract, I think we would make that trade.  It's not going to happen. 

EXAMPLE, if Hooper would sign for a 3 year contract for 24 mil , we would pursue him but it's not going to happen. 

Pace will make I surprise move but it has to fit our cap, all of these other suggestions are more fantasy GM. 

It just feels like a smoke screen while he goes after his real target hard on day 1 of FA.  

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I believe he has a plan for OG , QB , S , and OLB. With one being an expensive get, the others will be reasonable and may not come in the first round of FAgency. I think he grabs a OG with his higher payday. Glasgow or a Austin Bryth. In a 8 mil range. I think he wants to fix the oline with a vet instead of relying on a rookie to start.  If they think Bars is capable, my projections won't work .( I hope Bars ends up being good).

At QB it will probably be Case Keenum or a Nate Sudfeld unless he can get a trade happening. 

OLB will be a Jason Pierre-Paul type or maybe try to get a Barrett type that explodes on a prove it deal.  Jeremiah Attaochu or a Jordan Jenkins come to mind. 

S has some players worth looking at. 

Andrew Phillips, Jeff Heath and Vonn Bell are names to remember. 

He will bring in players at other positions but won't be spending any money on them.

I think in the draft he could grab a plum WR  or 2 OTs with the first 2 picks. Those 2 positions are rated the deepest and best value in the first 2 rounds of the draft. Could be a OLB if someone drops they like. 

He is going  to have one surprise move, just don't know at what position. 

 

 

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3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I believe he has a plan for OG , QB , S , and OLB. With one being an expensive get, the others will be reasonable and may not come in the first round of FAgency. I think he grabs a OG with his higher payday. Glasgow or a Austin Bryth. In a 8 mil range. I think he wants to fix the oline with a vet instead of relying on a rookie to start.  If they think Bars is capable, my projections won't work .( I hope Bars ends up being good).

At QB it will probably be Case Keenum or a Nate Sudfeld unless he can get a trade happening. 

OLB will be a Jason Pierre-Paul type or maybe try to get a Barrett type that explodes on a prove it deal.  Jeremiah Attaochu or a Jordan Jenkins come to mind. 

S has some players worth looking at. 

Andrew Phillips, Jeff Heath and Vonn Bell are names to remember. 

He will bring in players at other positions but won't be spending any money on them.

I think in the draft he could grab a plum WR  or 2 OTs with the first 2 picks. Those 2 positions are rated the deepest and best value in the first 2 rounds of the draft. Could be a OLB if someone drops they like. 

He is going  to have one surprise move, just don't know at what position. 

 

 

I agree there will be a surprise somewhere in FA.  As far as QB I believe Pace waits out the market.  It's a decent draft for QBs so the teams in big need will likely go after one in Rd 1.  Or they grab a stop gap like Philip Rivers.  From there you get the teams with secondary needs like the Bears.  I think this is a good list of team needs for the draft:   https://thedraftnetwork.com/team-needs

QB Primary Need:  Bengals, Bucs, Chargers, Colts, Dolphins, and maybe Panthers.   That's six teams with 4 First Rd QB talents on the board.  

QB Secondary Need:  Bears, Eagles, Jaguars, Raiders, Saints, Steelers, Titans.  The Steelers and Saints already have their backups in place.  Raiders and Eagles have their starter locked up and I expect the Titans as well.  That really leaves just two teams on this list competing for top backups who could end up as starters are Bears and Jaguars. 

Assume 4 primary need teams draft a QB in Rd 1 leaves us with two primary needs plus the Bears and Jags looking at the following list of decent QB options:  

Available QBs:  Mariota, Dalton, Bridgewater, Rivers followed by Winston, Keenum.

There isn't enough demand for the 6 names above so someone will end up on the outside looking in.  Bengals are rumored to believe they can get a 3rd Rd pick for Dalton but given the market I don't see that happening at all especially with the new team absorbing his $16-17mil/yr  contract.  Teams will wait for him to be cut.  We certainly cannot afford to pay that to a backup QB.  

 

    

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