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Holes to Fill


adam

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Depending on how things are viewed, from the starters and key rotational guys from last year, I think this is where we are at right now, based on filling holes by snap counts (top 20):

  1. Daniels > Patrick
  2. Peters > Jenkins
  3. Ogletree > Morrow
  4. Nichols > Jones
  5. Gipson > NEED SS
  6. Byrd > Pringle
  7. Robinson > NEED WR1
  8. DHC > NEED S
  9. Ifedi > Borom
  10. Dalton > Foles
  11. Bush > NEED S/DB
  12. Goodwin > St. Brown
  13. Goldman > Tonga
  14. Mack > Gipson
  15. Hicks > Need DT
  16. Burns > NEED CB
  17. James > NEED TE3
  18. Graham > NEED TE2
  19. Grant > Evans?
  20. O'Donnell > Winslow?

The Bears also switched from a Base 3-4 to 4-3, so there is probably a need for another LB to fill out the core holes.

WR x1
S x3 (1x2)
CB x1
TE x2 (1x1)
LB x1 (due to base change)

Then we would probably want upgrades at OT, OC/G, and NT. 

So that gets us back to the need for 2x WR, S, CB, TE, and LB, with upgrades potentially at OT, OG (if Patrick is OC), and NT. 

We need at least 2x FA WRs (WR1/2 and WR2/3), 2x FA Ss (S2 and S3), and at least one CB2/3, TE2, LB2. 

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I am thinking Billy Turner (GB) at OT (he is an SFA), someone like Terrell Edmunds (S - PIT), JuJu or Pascal and Tate or Pringle at WR. Seals-Jones, Hurst or Firkser at TE. Moreau or Nelson at CB, Hitchens at LB. Not sexy but from what they would be replacing from last year, all would be upgrades. 

Then what about some retreads like Nick Williams at DT and Kwit back at LB? They should be some cheap options. Kwit as the Sam?

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It's only been few days, these coming days are when the 2nd wave signing start. I heard mention by several beat writers that we made a push for Brian Allen, but the SB champs won. I suspect Patrick became the next in line. We don't know who they made offers to. It could have been several that we got outbid for. New players coming soon.

Cruz mentioned and I saw it to that Morrow was a S , he may be used at a hybrid spot as a SS or NB, has the speed for it.

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3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

It's only been few days, these coming days are when the 2nd wave signing start. I heard mention by several beat writers that we made a push for Brian Allen, but the SB champs won. I suspect Patrick became the next in line. We don't know who they made offers to. It could have been several that we got outbid for. New players coming soon.

Cruz mentioned and I saw it to that Morrow was a S , he may be used at a hybrid spot as a SS or NB, has the speed for it.

Maybe big Nickel?

Yeah, I am still not worried, there are still a lot of guys left in FA and still more to be cut.

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The bottom line for me is how this staff schemes on Off. and DEF, the type of player they will be looking for going forward and how they will coach it.   I assume a lot of these new guys won't make the team, but they should have certain traits that the staff is looking for.  Other than seeing improvement from Fields, who is really on the field this year is 2nd, except for the big dogs.

But I will try to live in a dream world and most will exceed their past.  One can hope.

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There's so many factors at play, I have no doubt Poles is actively going after players, and we don't know who we've reached out to or offered to and who we haven't.  From a FA's perspective, especially wave 1 and high end wave 2 guys.  Given the choice to play for a team contending now vs a team that hopes become a contender in future years, odds are they will want to play for a team winning now.  We could even offer more money but the lure of playing for a playoff team is likely to outweigh the money.  Which is why teams in our situation often have to pay at or above value to land guys.  The ones that will sign here more than likely either need to prove it or they look at our team and feel that the future is bright and want to be part of something like that.  

That said it is hard as a fan to balance seeing big name guys getting deals and wanting us to sign impact players and trusting the process of a new GM and coaching staff constructing the roster to fit their vision for the team's future success.  We're more than a couple impact players away.  And each offseason will have it's own list of big name impact FA's to go after when we are in more of a win now situation.

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2 hours ago, BearFan2000 said:

There's so many factors at play, I have no doubt Poles is actively going after players, and we don't know who we've reached out to or offered to and who we haven't.  From a FA's perspective, especially wave 1 and high end wave 2 guys.  Given the choice to play for a team contending now vs a team that hopes become a contender in future years, odds are they will want to play for a team winning now.  We could even offer more money but the lure of playing for a playoff team is likely to outweigh the money.  Which is why teams in our situation often have to pay at or above value to land guys.  The ones that will sign here more than likely either need to prove it or they look at our team and feel that the future is bright and want to be part of something like that. 

This is why Fields must show significant growth this year.  Next year we are in great cap shape and have picks.  That is where we will see the next step.  This year, we will take our lumps and see what the plan is.  Hopefully, next year we will contend for a playoff spot.  After that, the window should be open.  The key is developing the OL and if Justin is the real deal.  I still wish we could have done all of this last year, but I'm willing to wait now that it is happening.

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Starterwise, we still need a WR1 (for loafing ARob), RG1 (Patrick at C), S2 (for Gipson), CB2 (for Vildor plz), LB3 (Sam or Will) for true starters. 

O: Fields, Monty, Kmet, WR1, Mooney, Pringle, Jenkins, Whitehair, Patrick, RG1, Borom
D: Quinn, Jones, Tonga, Gipson, Smith, Morrow, LB3, Johnson, CB2, Graham, Jackson, S2
 

For upgrades, we don't look too bad, just need to look at RT1 (if they don't trust Borom) and NT (Tonga). Maybe LB2 if Morrow is more of a rotational guy.


So starter holes: WR1, RG1, S2, CB2, LB3
starter upgrades: RT1 and NT

That is not that bad. I think they can go cheaper vet at S2 like they have, same for LB3. That would leave WR1, RG1, and CB2 left for holes.

 

I know this team feels worse than last year because we lost Daniels, Nichols, Mack, ARob, Hicks, and Goldman. However, really only Daniels and Nichols were being replaced based on snap count. 

Patrick is a huge upgrade over Mustipher. Jones is at least as good as Nichols, if not better. So if we can fill the other holes without downgrades, and Fields takes a leap in a real offense and an improved O-Line, I think the Bears will be between 8-9 and 9-8. If the defense improves under Flus/Williams, especially in takeaways, there is a real chance to see more improvement.

Also, in the division, GB got worse. They basically have to plug all their holes with draft picks and lost arguably the best WR in the league. Minnesota is basically the same team and Detroit looks to be slightly improved but still has Goff as QB.

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That's fine, just shift the RT need to LT:

Starter holes: WR1, RG1, S2, CB2, LB3
Starter upgrades: LT1 and NT

My thought process is you at least want to go into the draft with all the holes filled, then upgrade with the draft. So fill WR1, RG1, S2, CB2, and LB3 before the draft. 

Obviously if you can get a LT or NT you do that as well.

The Bears still have around $25M to spend in FA. As you have seen from a lot of these deals, you can get work that $25M into 1-2 top end guys and 3-4 mid tier guys. 

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1 minute ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

Honestly think Graham is the solution.  In the few starts he had last season, he looked legit.  

Yep, then it slides to Slot Corner depending on where Graham plays. I just said CB2 because I don't know where Graham is going to play. 

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Still some decent OL help available. I feel like we need one more, either OT or OG with Patrick expected to be the C.

OL sorted by snap%

Tackles remaining:

  1. Daryl Williams, RT, BUF, 30, 97.8% snaps (SFA)
  2. Eric Fisher, LT, IND, 31, 78.5% snaps
  3. Brandon Parker, RT, LVR, 27, 77.4% snaps
  4. Billy Turner, RT, GB, 31, 72.6% snaps (SFA)
  5. Brandon Shell, RT, SEA, 30, 55.6% snaps


Guards remaining:

  1. Andrew Norwell, LG, JAX, 31, 99.4% snaps
  2. Will Hernandez, RG, NYG, 27, 95.2% snaps
  3. Ereck Flowers, LG, WAS, 28, 94.1% snaps (SFA)
  4. Trai Turner, RG, PIT, 29, 92.4% snaps
  5. Connor Williams, LG, DAL, 25, 77.3% snaps

 

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WRs available:

  1. Auden Tate, CIN, 25, 10.5% snaps
  2. Dante Pettis, NYG, 26, 7.4% snaps
  3. Tre'Quan Smith, NO, 26, 47.7% snaps
  4. Zach Pascal, IND, 27, 78.3% snaps
  5. Demarcus Robinson, KC, 27, 58.2% snaps
  6. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB, 27, 40.8% snaps
  7. Jamison Crowder, NYJ, 28, 50.2% snaps
  8. Keelan Cole, NYJ, 28, 51.3% snaps
  9. Adam Humphries, WAS, 28, 58.4% snaps
  10. Tajae Sharpe, ATL, 28, 48.5% snaps
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