Free agency begins

[McGowan]

5 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

Shenault is interesting (his production hasn't been that bad in 2 years). Mims though, his production is completely non-existent so don't even think a 6th rounder would work. Would need to be like a 7th and it should be conditional.  

Sure. 

[AZ54]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

agree. we'd love Poles to swoop in and make big wins, but in this case, either other teams would lose big (not likely to happen), or we'd overpay, and we have all agreed that poles is right to stay disciplined and build through the draft.

I cant speak for all Bears fans here, but at least among the thoughtful on this board (all of us) we have patience to do this the right way, and there is no pressure to try to win now with the current roster and overpaid free agents.

He surely has a year or two grace period, and as long as we see improvement, I think he will be supported by the fan base.

I think everyone here recognizes the fact we can't fix all these holes in one offseason.  The concern is are we getting enough of the right players around Fields so he can continue to improve.  That's not to say the offense has to be a finished product in 2022 but at least should be functional.  After years of Nagy do we even know what a functional offense looks like?  

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Interesting thread here about Poles.  Says an Ogunjobi deal may not be dead yet.  And with Bates out of the picture he may be looking at a CB now.  

 

[adam]

Missing out on Bates really sucks. I am surprised the Bears didn't make it more difficult on the Bills for this year.  First two years only $8.8M? Come on Poles, $17M total? If you are signing the guy to a 4-yr deal, you could've easily front loaded it making it harder for Buffalo to match. $4.4M AAV for the first two years was nothing for Buffalo to match.

So what is left? Not many guys with decent snap counts from last year.

SFAs:

Ereck Flowers, LG
Daryl Williams at RT

UFAs:

Trai Turner, RG
Michael Schofield, LG

For UFA Tackles:
Nate Solder, LT
Eric Fisher, LT
Duane Brown, LT
Riley Reiff, LT

At this point, the Bears need two of these guys, an OT and an OG. Let's go Poles. 

In WR news, Auden Tate signed a 1 year deal with the Falcons. So that market is drying up quickly too. Tre'Quan Smith also re-signed with NO.

Tajae Sharpe and Adam Humphries are two guys I would target. Sharpe had one of the best percentages against man cover and Humphries has been extremely dependable from the slot. Add those two to Mooney and Pringle and you have a very solid WR1-WR4. Newsome and Brown battle Coulter and others for final one or two slots and you draft at least one early.

 

 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

50 minutes ago, adam said:

Missing out on Bates really sucks. I am surprised the Bears didn't make it more difficult on the Bills for this year.  

This is a tough one to swallow.  Poles had to know he could Poison the deal and who knows his reasons not to. Feels like another strike out.  We need some hits or a home run.  Fisher could be that. 

In WR news, Auden Tate signed a 1 year deal with the Falcons. So that market is drying up quickly too. Tre'Quan Smith also re-signed with NO.

Feels like a fantasy football draft where you hold out late on QB and the rest of the league puts it to you by taking their 3rd string before you get your first. Some time patience is not good.  They seem a little lagging on having a strong offseason plan.  At this pace, they will be in line for handouts after the draft which can net a couple decent vets. 

 

 

 

 

[Mongo3451]

Let's not forget, there will be post draft cuts that are very good deals for teams that wait.  We are NOT in win now mode, so patience is very much a virtue.

[adam]

8 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

Let's not forget, there will be post draft cuts that are very good deals for teams that wait.  We are NOT in win now mode, so patience is very much a virtue.

A few trains of thought. You also don't want massive turnover year after year as it is hard to build any continuity. It is great that they have cap space next year, but they could've easily loaded Bates' contract in a way (either this year or next year) that would've made it a lot harder for the Bills to match and not hurt the Bears cap very much. They just elected not to do that. Which is fine as long as there is a Plan B and C. 

If Poles can get one OT and OG from above, plus add at least Sharpe or Humphries at WR, an upgrade at CB, a new SS, and Sam LB, I will feel a lot better. That is 6 more at a minimum to go.

[McGowan]

9 hours ago, adam said:

Shenault for Foles straight up?

There was actually an internet rumor about that. I have no idea if there is any legitimacy to it. 

[Mongo3451]

1 minute ago, adam said:

A few trains of thought. You also don't want massive turnover year after year as it is hard to build any continuity. It is great that they have cap space next year, but they could've easily loaded Bates' contract in a way (either this year or next year) that would've made it a lot harder for the Bills to match and not hurt the Bears cap very much. They just elected not to do that. Which is fine as long as there is a Plan B and C. 

If Poles can get one OT and OG from above, plus add at least Sharpe or Humphries at WR, an upgrade at CB, a new SS, and Sam LB, I will feel a lot better. That is 6 more at a minimum to go.

I get it, but am more interested in being in fantastic cap and draft shape next year.  As long as we run the heck out of the ball and take a few shots, the offense can easily duplicate the crap from recent years.  A young QB's best friend is a running game and basic passing attack.  I'm really curious to see what points we can average per game vs hits Fields takes.

[BearFan PHX]

2 hours ago, AZ54 said:

I think everyone here recognizes the fact we can't fix all these holes in one offseason.  The concern is are we getting enough of the right players around Fields so he can continue to improve.  That's not to say the offense has to be a finished product in 2022 but at least should be functional.  After years of Nagy do we even know what a functional offense looks like?  

Yeah, it's true. A QB cant be their best without a great supporting cast. But at the same time, it is rare for a team to be stocked everywhere, so it's always an issue, and some quarterbacks seem to make the best of what they have.

That said, if you have a crap OL and no one to throw to, that's a big problem too.

I hope we can protect Fields, and give him something decent around him to work with, but if he has some time, makes the right reads and gets the ball to the right places, even if there are more drops and covered receivers than youd like, and we dont end up with as good a record, the QB can still develop. And as we add pieces, the whole offense hopefully will grow over the next few years with the addition of more talent around him.

It's a good concern, because it's a fine line to walk.

[scs787]

Don't forget, JC Trettor is still out there as well. Patrick is versatile enough to where he could move to OG. 

Bates woulda been a good get as far as his age is concerned,  but Trettor is probably still the best interior lineman out there. 

 

Trettor and Brown/Fisher would be phenomenal.  Brown-Whitehair-Trettor-Patrick-Jenkins can be super sexy. 

[Stinger226]

Poles original plan was a good one. 

Go after Brian Allen:  was offered more money , choose to stay with SB champs

Sign Ogunjobi for critical 3T ....injury problem

Sign RFA Ryan Bates....Bills meet offer.

He had a backup plan... Jones. and Patrick, still don't know who replaces Bates.

I think with things not working out , he still upgraded. I suspect a Trai Turner or Laurent Duvernay-Tardif could be next in line.

I still think he has an offer for a LT. , Fisher and Brown has not signed yet.   If we have nothing else happens,  Jenkins- Whitehair-Patrick- Dosier-Borom.

He would have to target a draftee and hope he can start at RG or possible OC. Last year when KC did a makeover of their OL , A 2nd and 6th round picks started for them. So we could still have a upgrade coming. Mustifer was asked to put on 30 lbs and played poorly last year. The yr before he played well for 5 games and there was hope. Maybe Mustifer gets his act together and beats out Patrick at OC and Patrick plays RG. Then a drafted comes in to compete at either LT or RT. Other names will be cut after the draft we could bring in. I remember Ruben Brown was a late signee. 

There is hope for an upgrade for OL.

 

[adam]

5 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Poles original plan was a good one. 

Go after Brian Allen:  was offered more money , choose to stay with SB champs

Sign Ogunjobi for critical 3T ....injury problem

Sign RFA Ryan Bates....Bills meet offer.

He had a backup plan... Jones. and Patrick, still don't know who replaces Bates.

I think with things not working out , he still upgraded. I suspect a Trai Turner or Laurent Duvernay-Tardif could be next in line.

I still think he has an offer for a LT. , Fisher and Brown has not signed yet.   If we have nothing else happens,  Jenkins- Whitehair-Patrick- Dosier-Borom.

He would have to target a draftee and hope he can start at RG or possible OC. Last year when KC did a makeover of their OL , A 2nd and 6th round picks started for them. So we could still have a upgrade coming. Mustifer was asked to put on 30 lbs and played poorly last year. The yr before he played well for 5 games and there was hope. Maybe Mustifer gets his act together and beats out Patrick at OC and Patrick plays RG. Then a drafted comes in to compete at either LT or RT. Other names will be cut after the draft we could bring in. I remember Ruben Brown was a late signee. 

There is hope for an upgrade for OL.

 

This is my list, grab a OG and and OT and we have a solid line:

Ereck Flowers, LG
Trai Turner, RG
Michael Schofield, LG

Daryl Williams at RT
Nate Solder, LT
Eric Fisher, LT
Duane Brown, LT
Riley Reiff, LT

[adam]

For WR, they should grab Tajae Sharpe and Adam Humphries. Other options: DeAndre Carter, Kenny Stills, Keelan Cole, or even Damiere Byrd. 

At LB, sign Kitchens and Kyzir White and consider Kwiatkoski as a rotational LB.

At S, Terrell Edmunds, Tartt, or Neal.

For IDL,  sign Jonathan Hankins and/or Danny Shelton.

At CB, look at Moreau, Nelson, or Xavier Rhodes. 

[BearFan2000]

11 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

I get it, but am more interested in being in fantastic cap and draft shape next year.  As long as we run the heck out of the ball and take a few shots, the offense can easily duplicate the crap from recent years.  A young QB's best friend is a running game and basic passing attack.  I'm really curious to see what points we can average per game vs hits Fields takes.

One thing to keep in mind is we don't have Nagy trying to force a fatally flawed offensive playcylling scheme.   The biggest key to the offense in 2022 and beyond is how well Getsy can craft an offensive playbook and execute smart play calling to put our guys in a position to succeed.  So often with Nagy our guys were behind the 8 ball and set up to fail, and fail they did.  Getsy is an unknown but he's highly thought of and respected by his former players and coaches in GB.  If he can put our players in a position to succeed by creating his offense to fit the players he has, then it's on them to execute.  Naggy put Fields in a bad position trying to make him something he was not, not properly utilizing his strengths.  An offense can be loaded with talent but with a flawed offensive scheme they would struggle to reach their collective potential.  

[scs787]

1 hour ago, adam said:

This is my list, grab a OG and and OT and we have a solid line:

Ereck Flowers, LG
Trai Turner, RG
Michael Schofield, LG

Daryl Williams at RT
Nate Solder, LT
Eric Fisher, LT
Duane Brown, LT
Riley Reiff, LT

Why no Trettor? Patrick can certainly play OG.

 

[adam]

17 minutes ago, scs787 said:

Why no Trettor? Patrick can certainly play OG.

 

The way they sounded in his press conference, it looks like they brought him in to play Center. I don't know if that was an agreement in the contract, but everything points to him playing center. However, if he is open playing Guard, then Tretter is a no-brainer.

[Stinger226]

4 hours ago, adam said:

This is my list, grab a OG and and OT and we have a solid line:

Ereck Flowers, LG
Trai Turner, RG
Michael Schofield, LG

Daryl Williams at RT
Nate Solder, LT
Eric Fisher, LT
Duane Brown, LT
Riley Reiff, LT

I swear I seen a post that Solder resigned with the Giants.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

If his Wikipedia page is any indication, Solder is still an FA (below).  Not much else out there other than to hint at him still being available.  Looking at his stats he opted out in 2020 for COVID and came back for 16 games in 2021. Seems to still be a regular contributor despite missing 2020.  
 

[AZ54]

Andy Dalton just signed with New Orleans.  Most importantly is there are no FA QBs so if there is going to be discussion on a Foles trade it will heat up now.  I still expect this might be a post-draft trade.  

https://www.nfl.com/news/saints-signing-qb-andy-dalton-to-back-up-jameis-winston

[adam]

1 hour ago, AZ54 said:

Andy Dalton just signed with New Orleans.  Most importantly is there are no FA QBs so if there is going to be discussion on a Foles trade it will heat up now.  I still expect this might be a post-draft trade.  

https://www.nfl.com/news/saints-signing-qb-andy-dalton-to-back-up-jameis-winston

I have seen some stuff about Cam Newton pop up, but Foles would be a solid backup in Indy (Ryan) or Jacksonville (Lawrence). Both teams have past connections with him.

[Mongo3451]

3 hours ago, adam said:

I have seen some stuff about Cam Newton pop up, but Foles would be a solid backup in Indy (Ryan) or Jacksonville (Lawrence). Both teams have past connections with him.

Cam Newton should call it a career.  He simply has no arm anymore.  Foles backing up Ryan sounds like a good match because Indy will be a contender and they play the same style.  Foles to Jax would be good as a mentor.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

1 hour ago, Mongo3451 said:

Cam Newton should call it a career.  He simply has no arm anymore.  Foles backing up Ryan sounds like a good match because Indy will be a contender and they play the same style.  Foles to Jax would be good as a mentor.

Get ot done for either a 2022 6th RD or a 2023 5th RD. That is fair value for a solid backup. 

[AZ54]

On 3/28/2022 at 6:28 PM, adam said:

A few trains of thought. You also don't want massive turnover year after year as it is hard to build any continuity. It is great that they have cap space next year, but they could've easily loaded Bates' contract in a way (either this year or next year) that would've made it a lot harder for the Bills to match and not hurt the Bears cap very much. They just elected not to do that. Which is fine as long as there is a Plan B and C. 

If Poles can get one OT and OG from above, plus add at least Sharpe or Humphries at WR, an upgrade at CB, a new SS, and Sam LB, I will feel a lot better. That is 6 more at a minimum to go.

Poles is still a novice at this game.  As Mike Tyson famously said "everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth".  Pace got punched on the Kevin White and then Trubisky deals and never recovered.  Early on as a GM he said he'd spend carefully in FA and build through the draft.  After those two seasons he spent the next few years getting increasingly desperate and tried to buy success.  Fortunately his desperation landed us Fields which, after all those years of Nagy, was a reasonable parting gift.  

I imagine Poles didn't value Bates as highly as some here might or he'd have offered more.  I'm ok if he sticks to his guns but it seems to me he should have been more creative on the contract and perhaps bend on his 2023 cap space plan to make that happen.   

What we know:  OC is a big time target for him.  That doesn't necessarily change with the addition of Patrick for 2 seasons.  Is that Poles just overpaying for a career backup, or is Poles saying here's a 2yr deal where you are likely to be the starter.  If you play well, you'll get another bigger deal here or somewhere else.  Go earn it.  Patrick seems to be the type of player we wanted to see from Mustipher so I'm not expecting great things.  I do believe his background with Getsy will help the Oline transition to the new scheme.   

Missing on Allen, letting Daniels walk, then settling for Patrick puts a little more pressure to put a good OG next to Patrick.  I don't think Whitehair nor Borom fit what he's looking for but that could be totally off-base since he's been going after backup players like Bates rather than starters.  Bates seemed more like a bid to bring in competition and depth vs. a sure starter while still leaving room for a talented rookie OG to start if he get lucky enough for them to drop to him. 

The rumors have still been quiet even after Poles got hit in the mouth a couple times on his Oline plan.  Surely there is more to come but I don't sense that he's panicked yet.    

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, AZ54 said:

Poles is still a novice at this game.  As Mike Tyson famously said "everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth".  Pace got punched on the Kevin White and then Trubisky deals and never recovered.  Early on as a GM he said he'd spend carefully in FA and build through the draft.  After those two seasons he spent the next few years getting increasingly desperate and tried to buy success.  Fortunately his desperation landed us Fields which, after all those years of Nagy, was a reasonable parting gift.  

I imagine Poles didn't value Bates as highly as some here might or he'd have offered more.  I'm ok if he sticks to his guns but it seems to me he should have been more creative on the contract and perhaps bend on his 2023 cap space plan to make that happen.   

What we know:  OC is a big time target for him.  That doesn't necessarily change with the addition of Patrick for 2 seasons.  Is that Poles just overpaying for a career backup, or is Poles saying here's a 2yr deal where you are likely to be the starter.  If you play well, you'll get another bigger deal here or somewhere else.  Go earn it.  Patrick seems to be the type of player we wanted to see from Mustipher so I'm not expecting great things.  I do believe his background with Getsy will help the Oline transition to the new scheme.   

Missing on Allen, letting Daniels walk, then settling for Patrick puts a little more pressure to put a good OG next to Patrick.  I don't think Whitehair nor Borom fit what he's looking for but that could be totally off-base since he's been going after backup players like Bates rather than starters.  Bates seemed more like a bid to bring in competition and depth vs. a sure starter while still leaving room for a talented rookie OG to start if he get lucky enough for them to drop to him. 

The rumors have still been quiet even after Poles got hit in the mouth a couple times on his Oline plan.  Surely there is more to come but I don't sense that he's panicked yet.    

I think this is spot on. Poles is still getting his feet, and getting punched a bit - I agree I think any young GM has to go thru that, like missing checking the box on Roosevelt Colvin that would have given us a compensatory pick etc.

The good news is he isnt compounding any of that with overpaying to fix it. Cool.