Bears Free Agency 2021

[adam]

So here is where we stand:

GAINS:
Dalton, QB (replaces Trubisky)
Trufant, CB (replaces Fuller)
Blackson, DL (replaces Urban)
 
Based on lost snaps, the Bears still need a starting S, Slot Corner, KR, TE3, Rotational LB, Rotational DE, Rotational DT, and several STers.

LOSSES (with snap counts): 

Offense (Team High= 1066):
Trubisky, QB (570)
Massie, OT (470) + ST (26)
Coward, OL (333) + ST (73)
Harris, TE (215) + ST (169)
Patterson, KR (201) + ST (146)
Spriggs, OL (70) + ST (34)
Carter, WR (15) + ST (36)

Defense (Team High= 1060):
Fuller, CB (1060)  + ST (87) - Most snaps on defense, ouch! 
Gipson, S (1054) - 3rd most on defense, ouch!
Skrine, CB (557) + ST (81)
Mingo, LB (390) + ST (374)
Urban, DE (370) + ST (158)
Robertson-Harris, DE (245) + ST (80)
Jenkins, DT (223) + ST (48)
Houston-Carson, S (91) + ST (372)
McCullers, DT (86) + ST (13)
McManis, S (25) + ST (205)

ST
Piniero, K (0)

 

 

[adam]

So the secondary took a huge hit losing the 1st, 3rd, and 10th most snaps on defense. Mingo is 12th. So they are going to need S, CB, and LB help, and DL depth. 

[Stinger226]

11 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

It's crazy.  The reason they brought Golliday in was to put the heat on Robinson.  Robinson blinked and signed.  Next, the Fuller thing, I need to get a grasp on.  I just heard that we can still trade him.  I looked up his contract and he's only costing 9 mil this year.  You'd have to think there's a way to save him.

Actually Fuller had his contract restructured last year to get Quinn, he has a 20 mil cap hit. We save 11 mil if we cut him. They offered Golloday a one year 12 mil contract. He went to the Giants but came home w/o a contract. What they are doing is investing in the offense and cutting expenses in the defense. If we have Golloday, AROB and Mooney, that helps Dalton a lot. The big thing they need to do is getting OTs to help improve the line.

[Stinger226]

36 minutes ago, adam said:

So the secondary took a huge hit losing the 1st, 3rd, and 10th most snaps on defense. Mingo is 12th. So they are going to need S, CB, and LB help, and DL depth. 

With all the good Ss available , Gibson could still be coming back with a cheap contract.  There are players out there and after the first sweep of contracts we are now in play for some cheap acquisitions. 

[BearFan PHX]

12 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

Actually Fuller had his contract restructured last year to get Quinn, he has a 20 mil cap hit. We save 11 mil if we cut him. They offered Golloday a one year 12 mil contract. He went to the Giants but came home w/o a contract. What they are doing is investing in the offense and cutting expenses in the defense. If we have Golloday, AROB and Mooney, that helps Dalton a lot. The big thing they need to do is getting OTs to help improve the line.

It feels like Nagy is saying "look if Im going to get fired, Im going to go down swinging with a chance to be an offensive team. Im not gonna ride the D one more year and fail to ground it out." which goes along with "geez, I wasnt even part of taking Trubisky, Id like a chance to prove Im an offensive genius please"

And that makes sense, and it is "Be You" for days, but I think he is going to want a better QB, and I dunno how we would get that guy and still build the OL.

I'll bet we're going to trade up in the draft into the top ten for a QB tho.

[Bill]

And in good news A. Harris of the viking has signed with Eagles.

[Stinger226]

A few FA notes:     Daltons cap hit this year is 5.5 mil

                                 Edwards III cap hit this year is 1.7 mil

                                  Santos cap hit is 1.5 mil

                                  Blackson cap hit is 2.25 mil    He is a vet that has been getting better every year. He wont be a Hicks type of signing but may be coming into his own

                                 IFedi cap hit is 4.25  I think he will start at RT until the high draft pick is ready to take over.

the signing they have made is low cap hits so we may still be in play for Golloday.

    

[adam]

9 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

A few FA notes:     Daltons cap hit this year is 5.5 mil

                                 Edwards III cap hit this year is 1.7 mil

                                  Santos cap hit is 1.5 mil

                                  Blackson cap hit is 2.25 mil    He is a vet that has been getting better every year. He wont be a Hicks type of signing but may be coming into his own

                                 IFedi cap hit is 4.25  I think he will start at RT until the high draft pick is ready to take over.

the signing they have made is low cap hits so we may still be in play for Golloday.

    

Those are all decent but still a lot of holes to fill. The more I think about it, the more I think Hicks and Graham are gone. 

[Stinger226]

2 hours ago, adam said:

Those are all decent but still a lot of holes to fill. The more I think about it, the more I think Hicks and Graham are gone. 

For sure unless they are still in play for Wilson, they will keep Graham.

[Uncle Buck]

So Brad Biggs is reporting in this morning’s Tribune that as of EOD Friday Fuller and Hicks are still on the roster. So is the chatter of Fuller being released coming from his agent, because he didn’t agree to a restructuring or salary cut? I’m assuming they can’t find a trade partner but if the value requested is a lower round I’d imagine they’d find a taker. Something for him is  better than nothing. It also seemed like Biggs was intimating that Trufant may not have been signed to be a starter or at least another signing is possible for a training camp battle. If I’m being honest I’m not heart broken about Fuller going, felt like we got one of exceptional year and some above average years probably not enough to justify the salary. Therein lies the rub for me about Pace, he’s either falling in love with the inexplainable, ie Shaheen and Trubisky or he’s bidding against himself. Either case leads to consequences that set the team back and we’re left with the fox trying to fix the henhouse. Sorry for spraying to all fields here.

[adam]

The Fuller situation is interesting. I would feel much better if they got anything for him compared to an outright release. I wouldn't even care if it was swapping picks and moving up a little with one of the 5th or 6th rounders. If the Bears get something for Fuller and get Golladay, then I will feel a lot better about the entire situation.

[Uncle Buck]

13 minutes ago, adam said:

The Fuller situation is interesting. I would feel much better if they got anything for him compared to an outright release. I wouldn't even care if it was swapping picks and moving up a little with one of the 5th or 6th rounders. If the Bears get something for Fuller and get Golladay, then I will feel a lot better about the entire situation.

Agreed. 

[jason]

14 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

I'll bet we're going to trade up in the draft into the top ten for a QB tho.

I’ve been a Bears fan for nearly 40 years, and I’m afraid my dwindling interest would finally break if they did that. I’m sick of seeing the same mistakes year after year after year, and that’s a franchise-breaking gamble on a single roll of the dice. 

[ChileBear]

1 hour ago, jason said:

I’ve been a Bears fan for nearly 40 years, and I’m afraid my dwindling interest would finally break if they did that. I’m sick of seeing the same mistakes year after year after year, and that’s a franchise-breaking gamble on a single roll of the dice. 

Jason, I share your pain. I've been a Bear fan for 58 years. 1963 was the year I started with football on CBS Sundays following Halas and his team. After that there were many tough years. Now that I'm an old man I realize it's a game. I love it and I love Da Bears, but it's like monopoly, not my $ and just entertainment. I'm always hoping for '85 to repeat, but not expecting it. Great to follow, but it's just a game. 

[Stinger226]

18 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

It feels like Nagy is saying "look if Im going to get fired, Im going to go down swinging with a chance to be an offensive team. Im not gonna ride the D one more year and fail to ground it out." which goes along with "geez, I wasnt even part of taking Trubisky, Id like a chance to prove Im an offensive genius please"

And that makes sense, and it is "Be You" for days, but I think he is going to want a better QB, and I dunno how we would get that guy and still build the OL.

I'll bet we're going to trade up in the draft into the top ten for a QB tho.

I hope they like a Trask-Mond or Mills as a QB prospect that could be got in the second or third round. Ist round-OT

[Stinger226]

I have been watching the Bears since the late 60s when Butkus and Sayers were there. Lots of bad years along the way. I cant change teams no matter what but it sure is nice when they are winning. I always like the Broncos as a AFC team, but its always a Bear fan.

[BearFan PHX]

27 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

I hope they like a Trask-Mond or Mills as a QB prospect that could be got in the second or third round. Ist round-OT

I wouldnt mind seeing them trade up for one of the top five QBs either. Of COURSE you know I agree with you about an OT too, but there is only one first round pick, and QB is so important.

Also, while I would be nervous having Pace and Nagy choose the QB they think is worthy for a trade up in the first round, I know that it is such a crap shoot, that the odds that they will swing and miss because they are wrong are probably similar to hitting a homerun by accident too. Top ten pick Qbs have a 50% success ratio, and no one knows i guess anyway.

If on the other hand, any of the QBs you mentioned turn out to be good, then that would be fantastic.

Also, if they don't, you have a pretty good team just needing a QB, and perhaps a new GM coming in with a high first round pick with which to get one next year.

But what a hole we are in to be considering these scenarios. Ugh.

[adam]

Looks like Hicks is safe, if all we lose is Fuller for $20M, I'm ok with it. Still sucks we got zero comp for him, now if he leaves DEN next year, they get the comp pick. 

 

[Uncle Buck]

3 hours ago, BearFan NYC said:

I wouldnt mind seeing them trade up for one of the top five QBs either. Of COURSE you know I agree with you about an OT too, but there is only one first round pick, and QB is so important.

Also, while I would be nervous having Pace and Nagy choose the QB they think is worthy for a trade up in the first round, I know that it is such a crap shoot, that the odds that they will swing and miss because they are wrong are probably similar to hitting a homerun by accident too. Top ten pick Qbs have a 50% success ratio, and no one knows i guess anyway.

If on the other hand, any of the QBs you mentioned turn out to be good, then that would be fantastic.

Also, if they don't, you have a pretty good team just needing a QB, and perhaps a new GM coming in with a high first round pick with which to get one next year.

But what a hole we are in to be considering these scenarios. Ugh.

We need o-line help to keep Dalton upright so if they are thinking about moving up for a QB in the draft, what about kicking the tires on the releases KC tackles?

[Bill]

35 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

We need o-line help to keep Dalton upright so if they are thinking about moving up for a QB in the draft, what about kicking the tires on the releases KC tackles?

No

[BearFan PHX]

54 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

We need o-line help to keep Dalton upright so if they are thinking about moving up for a QB in the draft, what about kicking the tires on the releases KC tackles?

I think they have to look at every possibility. Nagy will know the KC OTs so he may have some insight. Then again, Nagy LOL

[Uncle Buck]

41 minutes ago, BearFan NYC said:

I think they have to look at every possibility. Nagy will know the KC OTs so he may have some insight. Then again, Nagy LOL

Thought I heard that Schwartz’s back surgery was for an injury that wasn’t too serious.

[Stinger226]

The only thing happening now are going to be cheap one or two year deals. They can still build a decent team if they can get some good players on the cheap. Dalton is just a guy but if you can build a better offense around him, he could be doable. There trying to add an upgrade WR and still have some decent WRs out there. The key for me is to get a couple more OTs to address the OL. I think in the first few rounds they draft one, with Ifedi and Bars as backups, they have some depth now. I would like 2 high draft picks at OT but because of Fuller gone, I suspect that could be with a high pick. I think they have 4 picks at adding players to help in the draft. 1-3 and they use the 5th and 4= 6s to move up and grab a 4th. So with those 4 picks they will draft a OT-QB-CB and WR. If they hit on them, we can still have a good season.

[Stinger226]

IF Trufant stays healthy he can be a good replacement for Fuller. Other than one year, 2018, he is not a big TO machine. If we can add another decent CB and draft one, we will barely notice Fuller being gone. I think the NB spot will be replaced by Shelly or Vidor. If Hicks does stay, we have Goldman back so the defense will roll. I think the covid crap last year changed everything for the new players coming in. I think Quinn actually contributes this year and lives up to his contract. If Smith, Nichols, Johnson takes another step forward, we will have a top 5 defense again. Were panicking because of Fuller but everything will turn out ok on D. Its the offense we still have to worry about. 

[adam]

Updated as of 21MAR:

GAINS:
Dalton, QB (replaces Trubisky)
Trufant, CB (replaces Fuller)
Blackson, DL (replaces Urban)
Attaochu, OLB (replaces Mingo)

LOSSES (with snap counts): 

Offense (Team High= 1066):
Trubisky, QB (570)
Massie, OT (470) + ST (26)
Coward, OL (333) + ST (73)
Harris, TE (215) + ST (169)
Patterson, KR (201) + ST (146)
Spriggs, OL (70) + ST (34)
Carter, WR (15) + ST (36)

Defense (Team High= 1060):
Fuller, CB (1060)  + ST (87) - Most snaps on defense, ouch!
Gipson, S (1054) - 3rd most on defense, ouch!
Skrine, CB (557) + ST (81)
Mingo, LB (390) + ST (374)
Urban, DE (370) + ST (158)
Robertson-Harris, DE (245) + ST (80)
Jenkins, DT (223) + ST (48)
Houston-Carson, S (91) + ST (372)
McCullers, DT (86) + ST (13)
McManis, S (25) + ST (205)

Still need help at S (-3), DL (-3), OL (-3), CB (-1), KR (-1). 11 spots, so if they can get 3-4 more vet minimum signings, they could fill the rest in the draft and UDFA.

So as of right now, the major difference between last year and this year looks like:

2020 - Trubisky, Fuller, Patterson, Gipson, Skrine, Mingo, Urban

vs.

2021 - Dalton, Trufant, new KR, new Safety, new Slot CB, Blackson, Attaochu + Cohen and Goldman.

Obviously without knowing who the Safety and Slot CB are is important, but if they can get Gipson back or someone comparable to him, the team is very similiar constructed. QB play is going to be key.