Which Rookie QB should we draft to replace Fields?

[ASHKUM BEAR]

14 minutes ago, Pixote said:

There are so many mock drafts out there; it seems endless. This one, I think, would please many, although I personally have doubts about the trade they propose taking place. It shows how the Bears could draft both Caleb Williams and MHJ.

 Three-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Patriots deal for Justin Fields in one of five first-round trades

I would be happy with it, except that 3rd round pick.  No way they take TE over other needs at C, S, DE, or G.  If they take a QB, they need to make sure the line is stronger than it was last year.  Too many times the pocket collapsed and Caleb has a lot of the same traits as JF and he will need the protection to get established and confident.

[Pixote]

6 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I would be happy with it, except that 3rd round pick.  No way they take TE over other needs at C, S, DE, or G.  If they take a QB, they need to make sure the line is stronger than it was last year.  Too many times the pocket collapsed and Caleb has a lot of the same traits as JF and he will need the protection to get established and confident.

I agree. With this mock, for the Bears to fill their needs with limited draft capital after round 1, they would need to load up in free agency, which is not Poles' M.O.

[BearFan PHX]

4 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I would be happy with it, except that 3rd round pick.  No way they take TE over other needs at C, S, DE, or G.  If they take a QB, they need to make sure the line is stronger than it was last year.  Too many times the pocket collapsed and Caleb has a lot of the same traits as JF and he will need the protection to get established and confident.

Poles has shown an understanding and willingness to upgrade position groups that needed it, and the OL rebuild began last year with Wright and Davis. Davis hasn't played up to his potential in Chicago, but he has played very well before. Im sure Poles attention on that group is going to increase this offseason.

Poles is a former offensive lineman too, so I think he'll be active in upgrading that group - especially so if he is taking a rookie QB, and I guess especially so if he is keeping Fields too. It's a clear need now.

Wright is solid at RT.

We will absolutely be picking up a new starting center too - that's a no brainer.

Jenkins is good, but has been injured, and Davis is talented, but has been inconsistent, so I expect we will bring in an OG too, and between the three of them, we should manage to get two good ones on the field. That OG should probably be looked at as a future starter if not sooner.

So only question is really Braxton Jones - do people think he is good enough, or does he need a replacement?

that #9 pick is almost certainly going WR, DE or OT. Maybe a trade down to get two of those positions?

And we have a lot of free agency cash to spend too.

I bet we will have at least 3 new players on OL this year who can compete for starting roles:

1) a new starting center, most likely from free agency

2) a rookie OG to compete with Jenkins and Davis

3) a free agent OG

4) a possible LOT from pick #9 or free agency.

[BearFan PHX]

so far Poles has been very disciplined and hasnt been over active in free agency for sure, but I think that narrative a little bit deceptive too, since he has acquired the two most important players on our team in trades as well as spent quite a bit on free agents.

Our top 10 paid players (by contract AAV) are:

Montez Sweat            $25M      (trade)
DJ Moore                    $21M      (trade)
Tremaine Edmunds    $18M      (free agent)
Cole Kmet                   $13M      (re-signed draft pick)
Nate Davis                  $10M      (free agent)
DeMarcus Walker       $7M       (free agent)
TJ Edwards                 $7M       (free agent)
Darnell Wright             $5M       (1st round draft pick)
Justin Fields                $5M       (1st round draft pick)
Andrew Billings           $4M       (free agent)

I think it's more that Poles doesnt throw money at people, and waits for excellent players to become available by whatever method possible. I dont think he avoids free agents, but I DO think he avoids big money free agents that he doesnt want to be married to. He's been willing to wait an extra year to complete the rebuild rather than reach too far too fast.

We had a string of GMs that got the best free agents available that they could afford every year. And they often underperform. Davis is a good example of that right now. Poles has not done too much of that, and thats good.

It's much more cap healthy to make great picks in the draft. And Poles has done a LOT of that for sure.

But we have a lot of free agent money this year to spend, and we have holes at FS, OC, WR, OG and DE.

We will sign at least one impact free agent at one of those positions, and likely at least two before the draft.

Poles will also sign inexpensive free agents to fill out all of those positions headed into the draft, so we arent stuck picking for need, and can take something like best player available at pick #9 of WR, DE or OT.

We might even see a free agent RB if we dont keep Foreman.



 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

30 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

Poles has shown an understanding and willingness to upgrade position groups that needed it, and the OL rebuild began last year with Wright and Davis. Davis hasn't played up to his potential in Chicago, but he has played very well before. Im sure Poles attention on that group is going to increase this offseason.

Poles is a former offensive lineman too, so I think he'll be active in upgrading that group - especially so if he is taking a rookie QB, and I guess especially so if he is keeping Fields too. It's a clear need now.

Wright is solid at RT.

We will absolutely be picking up a new starting center too - that's a no brainer.

Jenkins is good, but has been injured, and Davis is talented, but has been inconsistent, so I expect we will bring in an OG too, and between the three of them, we should manage to get two good ones on the field. That OG should probably be looked at as a future starter if not sooner.

So only question is really Braxton Jones - do people think he is good enough, or does he need a replacement?

that #9 pick is almost certainly going WR, DE or OT. Maybe a trade down to get two of those positions?

And we have a lot of free agency cash to spend too.

I bet we will have at least 3 new players on OL this year who can compete for starting roles:

1) a new starting center, most likely from free agency

2) a rookie OG to compete with Jenkins and Davis

3) a free agent OG

4) a possible LOT from pick #9 or free agency.

I think he will ride out Braxton Jones for at least one more year before addressing the position high in the draft.  If there is one at 9, I wouldn't rule it out though.  If he trades down, it will more than likely be at 9 to try to get into rd 2 so they can fill two holes with better talent.

[killakrzydav]

I hate the third round pick. Absolutely hate it

[BearFan PHX]

30 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I think he will ride out Braxton Jones for at least one more year before addressing the position high in the draft.  If there is one at 9, I wouldn't rule it out though.  If he trades down, it will more than likely be at 9 to try to get into rd 2 so they can fill two holes with better talent.

I can see them trading #9 down, but there will definitely be a legit quality WR, OT or DE there.

If we get a top notch DE in free agency, I can see them taking the best WR or OT at that spot too.

I think the roster is getting near the point that we arent looking to add a lot of functional players, but more looking for fewer excellent ones now?

Free agency should fill a lot of holes to allow for that kind of thinking too.

[killakrzydav]

Left tackle isn't a need. Center, DE, S, IOL, 3T, WR, Bowers or trade is the only options at nine if we take CW #1

[BearFan PHX]

39 minutes ago, killakrzydav said:

Left tackle isn't a need. Center, DE, S, IOL, 3T, WR, Bowers or trade is the only options at nine if we take CW #1

I was including LOT not as a position of need per se, but just as a premiere position, especially for those that question Braxton's skills.

If we get a top notch DE in free agency, and dont trade the #9 pick, Id expect it to go to WR or LOT, or Bowers.

Center, OG and safety are unlikely positions to take so high, and Ill bet our center issue is addressed in free agency too.

If there's a stud 3T, thats a possibility too.

But a great LOT is a great thing to have, and if it falls that way, i could see us doing that.

[killakrzydav]

There are 2 stud 3Ts. A pass rusher and a run plugger. Both very elite

[killakrzydav]

Braxton is on a rookie scale cheap fifth round scraps. No chance he replaces that just yet. He is average and that's good enough until we fix the middle of the line.

[BearFan PHX]

35 minutes ago, killakrzydav said:

Braxton is on a rookie scale cheap fifth round scraps. No chance he replaces that just yet. He is average and that's good enough until we fix the middle of the line.

sure, but hes going to fix the middle of the line now. A free agent center, a lesser free agent OG...

[BearFan PHX]

37 minutes ago, killakrzydav said:

There are 2 stud 3Ts. A pass rusher and a run plugger. Both very elite

Im not saying a LOT is a more important need than those other positions right now, but it's on the upgrade list, and if the draft aligns a certain way, I could see it.

I could also see a WR, Bowers, 3T, DE, etc for sure as well

[Stinger226]

4 hours ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I would be happy with it, except that 3rd round pick.  No way they take TE over other needs at C, S, DE, or G.  If they take a QB, they need to make sure the line is stronger than it was last year.  Too many times the pocket collapsed and Caleb has a lot of the same traits as JF and he will need the protection to get established and confident.

Agree with that, there's 2 edges taken after that pick, centers still available, higher rated TEs.

[Stinger226]

20 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

Franchising Justin does not save you money. It gives him a salary equal to the average of the top 5 salaries.

That means it would be more (because new players get signed to higher contracts) than $51.8M a year for Justin.

It basically makes him the third highest paid player in the league.

That's a very foolish idea to pay Justin that no matter how much someone loves him.

If Fields plays well in 24 and 25, he will sign him to a new contract before they get there. If we make a SB run in 2025, he could use it as a one year and out with a QB prospect already on the team. Just a option but projecting that far in the future is so unrealistic at this stage when we don't even know if he's still here. 

[killakrzydav]

What sucks is I really really like JF. I want to see him succeed here or his next destination.  If Carolina didn't absolutely blow us for lunch and gift wrap the number one pick, I don't think we select a QB at 9. 

Its Carolinas fault.

[Stinger226]

3 hours ago, killakrzydav said:

Left tackle isn't a need. Center, DE, S, IOL, 3T, WR, Bowers or trade is the only options at nine if we take CW #1

If we address our needs , OC and another guard will be addressed before we get to another OT prospect. I think Davis plays better this year, moms dying will screw with anyone's head but we need another for depth and WHEN Jenkins is hurt again. Then a swing tackle that could take Braxtons spot if he regress. This is a reason as well as other needs that he may load up on draft picks instead of keeping the # 1 pick.

If Poles could trade 3 times with his first two picks, he would have enough capital to fill all our needs and have a huge 2025 draft in the future. I think he would have enough draft capital next year to address a QB if he chooses to do that. Potential for next year of 3 first round picks and 3 or 4 second round picks if he does those trades. I think in his rebuild process, next year makes more sense to get a QB with 2 reasonable years of Fields money left right now.