Claypool to PUP

[DABEARSDABOMB]

1 hour ago, adam said:

Absolutely, you can't hit a HR if you don't swing.

However, what is "right" at the top besides Wright?

Wright is the only player playing up to his draft slot, and Moore is the only vet acquisition doing anything besides Billings. So for guys Poles added, that's it. Brisker looks terrible (playing hurt?), Dexter and Stevenson are playing ok, Pickens has been bad, and Velus is still on the roster. Ngakoue, Walker, and Green are playing really bad, and Edmunds and Edwards just look out of place. 

Everyone can say it's all on the coaching, but the coaches don't miss the tackles (or sacks), miss assignment, blow coverages. I rewatched the game against Denver, and it really is hard to understand what Brisker is doing half the time. He looks best just blindly rushing a gap. When he has to work in space, he does not look good.

The Bears need more impact players and from the looks of it, Moore may be the only guy on the roster that is (besides when Fields runs). That is indicative of the 0-4 start. 

 

 

Poles is still being evaluated. Trading the #1 pick is probably one of the easier things he could decide as the GM.  It was the right move in my mind - but getting value for that isn't the hard part - its how you actually use those assets going forward and do you actually get value out of them.  Will he draft well, can he and his pro scouts help him find the right free agents, etc.  

The assessment on Poles is less W-L (don't get me wrong, those count) - but right now it is more about the individual W-L's.  Did he make the right draft picks, are they progressing and developing, how did he do on the free agent front, etc.  Those things are going on. Right now - the jury is clearly still out and if I said anything, my lean is a negative lean.

His free agents haven't hit (not saying Edmunds or Edwards are busts - but they haven't HIT).  Davis is a pass right now (that is an upgrade from where I had him throughout training camp, but he deserves that pass given what was going on).  Nadakoue isn't very good - but I think everyone knew that and its a 1 year deal, so I don't lose much sleep on that.  Walker has done absolutely nothing - so that seems like a miss (I don't see what he has done for 3yr 21M that Tevis Gibson couldn't have done). That may seem harsh - but Walker has literally done ZILCH.  Now all of the above grades can clearly change - but free agent wise - NOT a good start. 

His trades - the Roquan Smith move was fine on paper.  Respending that money on another off-ball linebacker, even though Edmunds is good, is probably a questionable allocation of resources (at best).  Trading for Claypool - clearly a mistake, but I respect fact that they seem to be admitting that mistake quickly.  Trading Mack was 100% the right thing to do - even did hurt the team in short run.  

On the draft - Wright, Braxton Jones, and Carter show promise.  The two young DT's have really done nothing during the game's at this point (it's early though - so still a pass - but you need to see some flash out of them now that we are through 1st quarter of the season - especially post the long break coming after Washington game.  In the secondary Brisker had a good rookie year, but has struggled in year 2.  Stevenson and Smith have had some good and some bad - but got to hit.  Gordon has been the same.  But thus far - no one has emerged as a building block - Wright looks like the closest thing to that.  Now its still early - especially for this most recent years draft - but that isn't exactly a good mark.  Scott is TBD - but could emerge - he definitely has speed.  Velus Jones also has speed, but clearly can't do much else.  Hopefully Scott has more in him than Jones.  

If we finish the season and the above list looks the same - no one has really flashed and you haven't identified clear difference makers 2 years into this (hard assessment because there was so little to work with in terms of capital in year 1) - but that WOULD not be a very good start for Poles and in my mind would warrant Warren and McCaskey to have to make some hard choices.  

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There are still 13 games left - I FULLY expect we should see growth in this year(s) draft class and there is LOTs of time for Brisker, Gordon, & Jones to get back to 100% and take strides forward you hope to see out of 2nd year players.  Carter may also get a chance to show us something - in which case, getting what they got with as "bare" of a cupboard as Poles had in year 1 (no high end draft picks to work with, etc) - and I am saying there is enough there to warrant a longer term commitment to Poles.  

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Fields basically let the cat out of the bag on Claypool.  It was definately his interview when he was asked by the media if he thought coaching was using him wrong.  Fields said Claypool would bite his tongue next time and he hopes he get back with the team soon.  

Claypool showed some playmaking in the preseason before he got hurt. Something happened that he soured, but maybe going to a contender will revive him.  He has the tools physically but his ego is ruining opportunity.

[BearFan PHX]

26 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

He has the tools physically but his ego is ruining opportunity.

It's a funny thing - the difference between the measurables, the football talent and the heart of a player.

I almost think instead of having the combine, they should just have everyone hold heavy jugs of water out in front of them until they break and time them to measure the want-to.

For some people ego drives them to be great - for others it drives them to feel entitled and throw in the towel at adversity and just collect a paycheck.

I wonder how much of this is apparent during college interviews, and people just pick the physical specimen anyway?
 

[Mongo3451]

9 hours ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

the Roquan Smith move was fine on paper.  Respending that money on another off-ball linebacker, even though Edmunds is good, is probably a questionable allocation of resources (at best).

He signed Edwards and Edmonds for the price of Roquan, plus got a second round pick.  That's a big win.

Looking back at Claypool, it was a desperation move to get some help for Justin.  Poles will remember Tomlin and company for that fleece job.

Walker and Ngakoue can't get to the QB because literally nobody is coming up the middle.  Those guys generally take a year or two to get their NFL strength.  Bummer we couldn't sign anyone to be an immediate 3T.

[BearFan PHX]

7 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

He signed Edwards and Edmonds for the price of Roquan, plus got a second round pick.  That's a big win.

Looking back at Claypool, it was a desperation move to get some help for Justin.  Poles will remember Tomlin and company for that fleece job.

Walker and Ngakoue can't get to the QB because literally nobody is coming up the middle.  Those guys generally take a year or two to get their NFL strength.  Bummer we couldn't sign anyone to be an immediate 3T.

I think all this analysis is correct. the LBers will be better in a better scheme with better playcalling.

Claypool WAS a reach, but we had to do something to try to give JF a shot at showing something last year. We didnt have options, so we overpaid. So be it.

And yeah, until we have a push from the middle, there will always be a pocket for a QB to step up into. And until that's fixed, we are not going to win many games no matter how the offense looks. But we all said all this before this season started.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

17 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

I think all this analysis is correct. the LBers will be better in a better scheme with better playcalling.

Claypool WAS a reach, but we had to do something to try to give JF a shot at showing something last year. We didnt have options, so we overpaid. So be it.

And yeah, until we have a push from the middle, there will always be a pocket for a QB to step up into. And until that's fixed, we are not going to win many games no matter how the offense looks. But we all said all this before this season started.

Dexter getting about 36% snaps and Pickens 25% per game.  Easing the big guys in, I expect there playing time to increase as the season progresses. They might get more push?

Compared to Billings 53% and Jones 66%

Edited October 4, 2023 by ASHKUM BEAR

[BearFan PHX]

6 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Dexter getting about 36% snaps and Pickens 25% per game.  Easing the big guys in, I expect there playing time to increase as the season progresses. They might get more push?

Compared to Billings 53% and Jones 66%

Billings is doing well at NT, but like we all have said, we need that 3T.

[Stinger226]

14 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

I think all this analysis is correct. the LBers will be better in a better scheme with better playcalling.

Claypool WAS a reach, but we had to do something to try to give JF a shot at showing something last year. We didnt have options, so we overpaid. So be it.

And yeah, until we have a push from the middle, there will always be a pocket for a QB to step up into. And until that's fixed, we are not going to win many games no matter how the offense looks. But we all said all this before this season started.

Agree with everything you said. He brought in 2 DTs rookies and unfortunately they need time to develop. He probably over estimated the value of Justin Jones, who is very average. 

I don't see the situation where a good 3 T would become available during the season for trade. He may bring up Travis Bell from the practice squad to see if he can play at the 3T. Otherwise it will take some patience and hope young guys get better.

If we get our DBs back that should improve the overall defensive play.