Early free agency thread

[Stinger226]

Ben Johnson talked about redoing the OL in one year and cited that the Panthers did that last year.

They Signed Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis as OGs. Austin Corbett was a FA they acquired in 2022 from Cleveland. Taylor Morton is their RT a 2017 second round pick and LT is a #1 pick from 2022.  Their OTs aren't highly rated and Robert Hunt is there best player at LG but as a unit they played well together . If we add 3 new starters to the IOL we can accomplish the same thing.

[BearFan PHX]

My guess is that Braxton Jones wont be the starter at LOT by mid season, and maybe not at all.

[AZ54]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

My guess is that Braxton Jones wont be the starter at LOT by mid season, and maybe not at all.

Hmm...  https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/2/26/24373563/mocking-the-mock-draft-nfl-mel-kiper-has-the-chicago-bears-taking-josh-simmons-ohio-state

[ASHKUM BEAR]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

My guess is that Braxton Jones wont be the starter at LOT by mid season, and maybe not at all.

I am surprised no one has brought up much about the interviews from the combine. Poles said the Bears will have competition for LT when he was asked.  Now we don't know if he means Kiran or a draft pick, but Braxtons job is not a lock.

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I am surprised no one has brought up much about the interviews from the combine. Poles said the Bears will have competition for LT when he was asked.  Now we don't know if he means Kiran or a draft pick, but Braxtons job is not a lock.

oh for SURE, far from a lock. I think he will be our swing tackle at best. If Kiran isnt our starter (and I dont see that from where he was last year, but who knows this year) then he will have to battle Kiran for the swing tackle spot.

This is nothing against Braxton Jones, we got a LOT of value out of him for a 5th round pick, but we need to start winning games, not giving ourselves pats on the back for how cheaply we lost.

The whole league knows that when you need a sack, you bull rush Braxton. So he has to be replaced one way or another.

[Stinger226]

9 hours ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I am surprised no one has brought up much about the interviews from the combine. Poles said the Bears will have competition for LT when he was asked.  Now we don't know if he means Kiran or a draft pick, but Braxtons job is not a lock.

He drafted Kiran with that intention but don't think he expected the competition for LT until this year due to his injury.

  It all comes down to their evaluation of Campbell - Banks - Simmons. I don't think he drafts an injured player after the Kiran pick last year. Campbell will be gone so it comes down to his opinion on Banks. 

I get Braxton is just an average LT but with need at IOL , Jones could slide by this year with Kiran as his competition. 

Darrnel Wright keeps getting praise but had more penalties 8, more sacks 6 and more pressures 30 than  Braxton did last year. 

I don't think Poles throws away his 5th round LT  starter and his 3 rd pick last year that easily. If he upgrades 3 IOL spots, I think that may upgrade the play of both OTs. Good play calling and more chip support on the outside may make both OTs perform better. 

Our play caller left our LT on an island when we played Jared Verse with no support. Bad idea.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

He drafted Kiran with that intention but don't think he expected the competition for LT until this year due to his injury.

  It all comes down to their evaluation of Campbell - Banks - Simmons. I don't think he drafts an injured player after the Kiran pick last year. Campbell will be gone so it comes down to his opinion on Banks. 

I get Braxton is just an average LT but with need at IOL , Jones could slide by this year with Kiran as his competition. 

Darrnel Wright keeps getting praise but had more penalties 8, more sacks 6 and more pressures 30 than  Braxton did last year. 

I don't think Poles throws away his 5th round LT  starter and his 3 rd pick last year that easily. If he upgrades 3 IOL spots, I think that may upgrade the play of both OTs. Good play calling and more chip support on the outside may make both OTs perform better. 

Our play caller left our LT on an island when we played Jared Verse with no support. Bad idea.

I think we all learned the Poles don't know much about the oline and he will listen to Johnson and Roshar for their input.  Poles has thrown 6 darts in the draft, signed a dozen or so free agents, and traded for 3 or so.  We are looking at Darnell Wright, Kiran, Braxton, and Bates as our roster today.  They will be active in fa and the draft and if the like a LT in the draft, they won't hesitate bc they have 2 guys already on the roster. 

I see Campbell gone myself, so imo it comes down to Banks, DE or trade down.  

[BearFan PHX]

Looks like the Chiefs are going to franchise tag Trey Smith.
 

 

[Stinger226]

Still several options out there. Evan Brown, Becton, Kevin Zeitler, Will Fries. Brian Kelly, Dalman and Evan Brown are the choices at  center. 

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I think we all learned the Poles don't know much about the oline and he will listen to Johnson and Roshar for their input.  Poles has thrown 6 darts in the draft, signed a dozen or so free agents, and traded for 3 or so.  We are looking at Darnell Wright, Kiran, Braxton, and Bates as our roster today.  They will be active in fa and the draft and if the like a LT in the draft, they won't hesitate bc they have 2 guys already on the roster. 

I see Campbell gone myself, so imo it comes down to Banks, DE or trade down.  

Totally,  Poles plan at OL turned out crap. Braxton and the potential of Kiran will be judged by how they view the main 3 LTs in the draft . I'm saying the possibility of one of those 2 being our left tackle this year are likely. If they like Banks a lot, he is the most logical choice. The LT position in the draft is very limited. 

Being in Thailand, I spend a lot at time looking at free agency and the draft, only so much beach and partying that my body can do. A lot of people think Braxton gets one more year to prove himself before he's due a contract. That's some local press and national. The consensus that Braxton is terrible isn't everybody. 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

Still several options out there. Evan Brown, Becton, Kevin Zeitler, Will Fries. Brian Kelly, Dalman and Evan Brown are the choices at  center. 

I think they will draft a guard early (1st or 2nd round), sign someone like Zeitler or Becton and than sign one of the free agent centers.  I could even see them making a play at Staley on top of this...just to make sure they cover it.  In these scenarios - if they go oline in Rd 1 - I think if it is an interior olinemen, they need to move down in the draft and that gives them a bit more to swing for some dline, oline, rb, and TE which is where the strength's of this draft are.  

[BearFan PHX]

Im starting to get a sense of some stuff, but i havent really looked at the DL yet. I currently think

Unless Will Campbell is there AND they think he can play LT (and not guard)
OR
They like another LT (to stay at LT)
OR
Ashton Jeanty is there and they think he is a real difference maker

Then I agree we will look at OL and a trade down would be the best option. I don't imagine taking an IOL at #10, but with a trade down it could make all kinds of sense.

This draft is deep for IOL and DL, so more picks is a good thing this year. Ive heard some say that there is no difference in talent between pick #10 thru the end of the 2nd round. That's probably an overstatement if you take it literally, but it's a good year to trade back if you dont think a major impact player is available at #10.

[Stinger226]

Not knowing how much influence the new coaches have as far as roster construction, Poles has several options at 10. If BPA, it could be Jeanty but , if possible, a trade back would add more assets as a lot of so called experts claim about 15 Blue Chip players and then a large group ( 15-50) about the same quality. If we can get an extra top 50 pick, it would give us 4 options in the 50 and pick 72. Those all should be eventual starters in the first 2 years.

Poles is tight lipped when making decisions, so I am sure there are some surprises along the way.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

Im starting to get a sense of some stuff, but i havent really looked at the DL yet. I currently think

Unless Will Campbell is there AND they think he can play LT (and not guard)
OR
They like another LT (to stay at LT)
OR
Ashton Jeanty is there and they think he is a real difference maker

Then I agree we will look at OL and a trade down would be the best option. I don't imagine taking an IOL at #10, but with a trade down it could make all kinds of sense.

This draft is deep for IOL and DL, so more picks is a good thing this year. Ive heard some say that there is no difference in talent between pick #10 thru the end of the 2nd round. That's probably an overstatement if you take it literally, but it's a good year to trade back if you dont think a major impact player is available at #10.

If they stay at 10 - I think it will be a dlinemen or if they grade Simmons out as a true LT (and he passes his medical).  If they go guard or they take Jeanty, I think it would be following a trade down.  

[BearFan PHX]

32 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

If they stay at 10 - I think it will be a dlinemen or if they grade Simmons out as a true LT (and he passes his medical).  If they go guard or they take Jeanty, I think it would be following a trade down.  

that is logically sound. Ill say it even more vaguely (lol):

Unless they think a true blue chipper is available at an impact position, with the way the talent is allotted in this draft, a trade down makes the most sense to get a similar level of talent and pick up more picks at the same time.

And pick 10 is generically too rich to pick an interior offensive lineman.

What's kind of fun is that we have no idea what kind of guy Ben Johnson is when it comes to draft philosophy. Some may say that Poles is the one picking, but you can bet this coaching staff is going to have a lot to say about it.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

5 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Totally,  Poles plan at OL turned out crap. Braxton and the potential of Kiran will be judged by how they view the main 3 LTs in the draft . I'm saying the possibility of one of those 2 being our left tackle this year are likely. If they like Banks a lot, he is the most logical choice. The LT position in the draft is very limited. 

Being in Thailand, I spend a lot at time looking at free agency and the draft, only so much beach and partying that my body can do. A lot of people think Braxton gets one more year to prove himself before he's due a contract. That's some local press and national. The consensus that Braxton is terrible isn't everybody. 

Braxton is not bad, he is serviceable as we have seen.  The goal is to have greatness and if you can find it at LT, you covered one of the toughest positions to draft.  This draft is not looking good to get that so far unless some arms measure longer or a guy like Simmons shows clean health.   The Bears have to deeply analyze this class because the blueprint says this is their last draft in the top half or even top 10 for many years.  

Banks might be a great LG that can play LT year 2.  Your guy Zabel, who might sneak into round 1 can possibly play every position.  If he is there with our 2nd, he'd be a nice addition.  Donovan Jackson, they say doesn't move well so he might not fit what the Bears want to do. 

[Mongo3451]

4 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

Ive heard some say that there is no difference in talent between pick #10 thru the end of the 2nd round.

That was Daniel Jeremiah.  He is as good as it gets from the media perspective.  I watched the entire combine drills today while doing my own research.  It matches up.  If IOL is the same, we don't have to use a first rounder on that or DT.  That leaves EDGE, trade back or Jeanty with our #10.

[BearFan PHX]

5 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

That was Daniel Jeremiah.  He is as good as it gets from the media perspective.  I watched the entire combine drills today while doing my own research.  It matches up.  If IOL is the same, we don't have to use a first rounder on that or DT.  That leaves EDGE, trade back or Jeanty with our #10.

seems like it yes. if we want a first round IOL, a trade down is probably the best way to do it.

[Stinger226]

Others I pay attention to are Dane Brugler, Matt Miller and like the Draft Buzz website. Great Blue North Draft Report and Ourlads 

[AZ54]

I'm surprised so many people put all their Oline marbles on Trey Smith signing here.  Especially after the salary cap went up by so much it seemed clear there was no way KC was going to let him go.  I figured they'd likely try to match any offer he got but they've now landed here: 

  https://overthecap.com/chiefs-to-franchise-tag-guard-trey-smith

"Smith’s asking price at this point should be somewhere around $25 million a year at a minimum."

[DABEARSDABOMB]

6 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

I'm surprised so many people put all their Oline marbles on Trey Smith signing here.  Especially after the salary cap went up by so much it seemed clear there was no way KC was going to let him go.  I figured they'd likely try to match any offer he got but they've now landed here: 

  https://overthecap.com/chiefs-to-franchise-tag-guard-trey-smith

"Smith’s asking price at this point should be somewhere around $25 million a year at a minimum."

I still think free agent center and guard are likely - Smith would have been a lot but he was a high end player. Now we will see where they pivot. 
 

But I think Dalman, a free agent guard and someone like Mack are going to be key. 

[Stinger226]

There are better options than Mack. Poles has a tendency to add younger players if he's handing out high salaries. Several options at DL.

[AZ54]

Spread the wealth build the depth.  

[BearFan PHX]

5 hours ago, AZ54 said:

I'm surprised so many people put all their Oline marbles on Trey Smith signing here.  Especially after the salary cap went up by so much it seemed clear there was no way KC was going to let him go.  I figured they'd likely try to match any offer he got but they've now landed here: 

  https://overthecap.com/chiefs-to-franchise-tag-guard-trey-smith

"Smith’s asking price at this point should be somewhere around $25 million a year at a minimum."

we absolutely need to build the line, but we dont need to spend insane amounts of money on one player. Trey Smith isnt a god. He'd be nice to have, but we do have other options for sure.

 

[Stinger226]

37 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

we absolutely need to build the line, but we dont need to spend insane amounts of money on one player. Trey Smith isnt a god. He'd be nice to have, but we do have other options for sure.

 

If you look at Poles history, he doesn't throw around a lot of big contracts every year. 2 on the OL and one on DL would be my guess. This has to be the year to push the envelope because Caleb should be vastly improved.