I would try to tag and trade. It could yield a 2nd or 3rd round pick.

Well in that case, hell yeah, if we can get anything without any financial liability, that is the way to go.

Well in that case, hell yeah, if we can get anything without any financial liability, that is the way to go.

 

It would also give the Bears a chance to keep him from going to the Vikings.

People have short memories. You must of missed the last two decades of qb play for the bears. But hey sure, qb's are a dime a dozen lets just say freak it and roll with back ups and draft picks because that should just work out.

People have short memories. You must of missed the last two decades of qb play for the bears. But hey sure, qb's are a dime a dozen lets just say freak it and roll with back ups and draft picks because that should just work out.

Yes, Cutler is the possibly the best QB the franchise has ever had, and the one with the most potential. However, should we be happy with 9-7 or 10-6 for the next 4-5 years if that is all he is going to give us? Backups should work? We are 4-4 when Cutler starts. What is working with the starting QB? This was the no excuse year, and to me he is not living up to the billing and potential.

Yes, Cutler is the possibly the best QB the franchise has ever had, and the one with the most potential. However, should we be happy with 9-7 or 10-6 for the next 4-5 years if that is all he is going to give us? Backups should work? We are 4-4 when Cutler starts. What is working with the starting QB? This was the no excuse year, and to me he is not living up to the billing and potential.

 

What do you expect him to be? He's just 1.3% away from being in the top 5 in completion% and less than 3% away from the top 3. His QB rating is 10th in the league, and he's no longer holding onto the ball forever.

 

 

What do you expect him to be? He's just 1.3% away from being in the top 5 in completion% and less than 3% away from the top 3. His QB rating is 10th in the league, and he's no longer holding onto the ball forever.

Obviously he has improved but is it enough to commit long term? Like others have said, he will more than likely get the franchise tag and get a 2nd year in this new system.

Obviously he has improved but is it enough to commit long term? Like others have said, he will more than likely get the franchise tag and get a 2nd year in this new system.

Isn't the franchise tag around 22 mil? If they are going to do that, offer him about 4 years/60 mil with the 1st 2 years guaranteed.

Obviously he has improved but is it enough to commit long term? Like others have said, he will more than likely get the franchise tag and get a 2nd year in this new system.

 

I can agree with this.

 

Give Jay 1 more year and then see what the team looks like with a better/healthy defense.

 

With a competent D they probably win that first Lions game and the Washington game. No way we should have lost those games after scoring 32/41.

Isn't the franchise tag around 22 mil? If they are going to do that, offer him about 4 years/60 mil with the 1st 2 years guaranteed.

 

I think it's ~16 if I remember correctly. The average of the top 5 QB contracts from last year.

I think it's ~16 if I remember correctly. The average of the top 5 QB contracts from last year.

Ahh, thanks. That makes the rest of my post irrelevant.

I can agree with this.

 

Give Jay 1 more year and then see what the team looks like with a better/healthy defense.

Let's say the cap will be 128 million. Going by overthecap.com, first site that showed up on google, the Bears have $78.5 million on the books next year. That leaves $50 million to sign players.

 

Now let'ts say you franchise Cutler for 16 million. That leaves you with $34 million dollars. We also need to sit aside around $8 million to sign draft picks. That leaves $26 million dollars.

 

These are the Bears Free Agents next year based off of sportrac.com.

 

Melton

Slauson

Tillman

Anderson

Anderson

Boggs

Bowman

Britton

Cain

Cohen

Collins

Costanzo

Fiammetta

Franklin

Garza

Gould

Grant

Hayden

Hester

Jennings

Laptad

Mannelly

McCown

McManis

Palmer

Ratliff

Rosario

Scott

Steltz

Walters

Williams

Wooton

Wright

 

How are you going to sign enough of these players to maintain depth and the special teams? You also need to replace or resign the starters like Melton, Slauson, Bowman, Tillman, Jennings, Garza, Gould, Wooton, and Wright?

 

It's almost impossible with $26 million to replace or resign everyone that is up for contract this year. I just don't see how they can maintain the level of talent, yet alone improve the talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Let's say the cap will be 128 million. Going by overthecap.com, first site that showed up on google, the Bears have $78.5 million on the books next year. That leaves $50 million to sign players.

 

Now let'ts say you franchise Cutler for 16 million. That leaves you with $34 million dollars. We also need to sit aside around $8 million to sign draft picks. That leaves $26 million dollars.

 

These are the Bears Free Agents next year based off of sportrac.com.

 

Melton

Slauson

Tillman

Anderson

Anderson

Boggs

Bowman

Britton

Cain

Cohen

Collins

Costanzo

Fiammetta

Franklin

Garza

Gould

Grant

Hayden

Hester

Jennings

Laptad

Mannelly

McCown

McManis

Palmer

Ratliff

Rosario

Scott

Steltz

Walters

Williams

Wooton

Wright

 

How are you going to sign enough of these players to maintain depth and the special teams? You also need to replace or resign the starters like Melton, Slauson, Bowman, Tillman, Jennings, Garza, Gould, Wooton, and Wright?

 

It's almost impossible with $26 million to replace or resign everyone that is up for contract this year. I just don't see how they can maintain the level of talent, yet alone improve the talent on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Cutting Peppers will save about $11 million. He is not worth $16 million a year.

 

Peace

Let's say the cap will be 128 million. Going by overthecap.com, first site that showed up on google, the Bears have $78.5 million on the books next year. That leaves $50 million to sign players.

 

Now let'ts say you franchise Cutler for 16 million. That leaves you with $34 million dollars. We also need to sit aside around $8 million to sign draft picks. That leaves $26 million dollars.

 

These are the Bears Free Agents next year based off of sportrac.com.

 

Melton

Slauson

Tillman

Anderson

Anderson

Boggs

Bowman

Britton

Cain

Cohen

Collins

Costanzo

Fiammetta

Franklin

Garza

Gould

Grant

Hayden

Hester

Jennings

Laptad

Mannelly

McCown

McManis

Palmer

Ratliff

Rosario

Scott

Steltz

Walters

Williams

Wooton

Wright

 

How are you going to sign enough of these players to maintain depth and the special teams? You also need to replace or resign the starters like Melton, Slauson, Bowman, Tillman, Jennings, Garza, Gould, Wooton, and Wright?

 

It's almost impossible with $26 million to replace or resign everyone that is up for contract this year. I just don't see how they can maintain the level of talent, yet alone improve the talent on the defensive side of the ball.

 

You don't think the Bears already had a plan financially? All of a sudden you think it's impossible to sign Jay at 16M when earlier in the year some were talking about 20M? I think it's all possible, and I'm sure they already have a plan in place. The way Phil was talking in his presser yesterday I'd be shocked if he's not at least tagged.

 

Like Connor said, I would dump Peppers and get that 26M number up to 37M

 

I can't imagine Melton making the 8M he made this year so lets call him 6M

 

Slausson 4M, move him inside with Brown taking over at OG

 

Not sure why you have Bowman listed, but I think he can be replaced in the draft.

 

Tillman and Jennings lets call them 12M combined, but there's a chance one might not return.

 

Garza is either not gonna make a lot of money or replaced by Slausson/Rookie.

 

Wright, if he's on the team next year, hasn't earned more than say 2M? and that's realllly pushing it.

 

The injuries at DT really help the bears out with Wooton, he wasn't able to show his worth out there. I think he gets 3M on a 1 year deal.

 

Gould probably gets 3M, and I wouldn't be against them letting him go try to make 4M elsewhere.

 

Collins can probably be brought back for a Mill as well.

 

McCown MIGHT get 2M. He's been good so far, but he is what he is.

 

If my calculations are correct, that's 3M left with the possibility that they don't resign Gould and one of Tillman/Jennings too add on another 9.

 

Then you have potential cuts in guys like Bush and Earl Bennett who can give you another 2M.

 

That gives you potentially some where between 4-15M to build depth.

 

 

I just think there is no way Emery doesn't already have something worked out with Jay in the budget....What happens if McCown never played like he did? Then what?

You don't think the Bears already had a plan financially? All of a sudden you think it's impossible to sign Jay at 16M when earlier in the year some were talking about 20M?

 

I think the over all talent on the team will have to take a dip next year due to financial restrictions. Tha chance to see Cutler play with a significantly improved defense next year is not likely.

 

That gives you potentially some where between 4-15M to build depth.

 

That was 33 free agents listed, and you are cutting 3 players. You are bringing back 8 players plus 7 from the draft, so 15 players. That leaves 21 holes to fill at basically the league minimum.

 

That's with the Bears losing both Williams and Anderson that were brought in for the year to help at LB. Their starting center. Either Tillman or Jennings and one of their back ups Bowman will be gone. Peppers would be gone, their 3rd WR and back up running back too. I just see a drop off in talent next year, so your wanting to see Cutler with a improved/healthy D next year isn't that likely.

I think the over all talent on the team will have to take a dip next year due to financial restrictions. Tha chance to see Cutler play with a significantly improved defense next year is not likely. That was 33 free agents listed, and you are cutting 3 players. You are bringing back 8 players plus 7 from the draft, so 15 players. That leaves 21 holes to fill at basically the league minimum. That's with the Bears losing both Williams and Anderson that were brought in for the year to help at LB. Their starting center. Either Tillman or Jennings and one of their back ups Bowman will be gone. Peppers would be gone, their 3rd WR and back up running back too. I just see a drop off in talent next year, so your wanting to see Cutler with a improved/healthy D next year isn't that likely.

Remember also that Emery did a really good job of signing quality players to the vet minimum. Those contracts do not apply to the cap. I never knew of that loophole until it was pointed out by Emery this spring. I saw at least 12 players on the list that are expendable to the point we could offer that as an option.

I think the over all talent on the team will have to take a dip next year due to financial restrictions. Tha chance to see Cutler play with a significantly improved defense next year is not likely.

 

 

 

That was 33 free agents listed, and you are cutting 3 players. You are bringing back 8 players plus 7 from the draft, so 15 players. That leaves 21 holes to fill at basically the league minimum.

 

That's with the Bears losing both Williams and Anderson that were brought in for the year to help at LB. Their starting center. Either Tillman or Jennings and one of their back ups Bowman will be gone. Peppers would be gone, their 3rd WR and back up running back too. I just see a drop off in talent next year, so your wanting to see Cutler with a improved/healthy D next year isn't that likely.

 

I disagree. I think it all starts up front for the defense. Resigning Melton and Collins alone will pay HUGE dividends for the defense. Moving Wootton back outside where he was coming into his own will as well. Then you draft a Safety early and boom as long as they stay healthy they're going to be a competent enough group to win the Bears games with that high powered offense.

 

As far as Williams and Anderson go, the Bostic era is upon us, and Anderson, if they want him back, isn't going to be very expensive.

 

Starting center like I said I believe what they should do is move Slaus over and play Brown there. Hot Tub has looked good every step of the way and he's had a year under Kromer.

 

Tillman and Jennings I believe would both fit under the cap, but either way they need to draft a corner early as well. I believe Hayden can be brought back for the vet minimum coming off of injury so that puts you with Tillman/Jennings/Frey/Hayden/Draft pick....That's plenty deep, and I'm sure there are people I'm missing.

 

Peppers has offered us virtually nothing this season, I've watched him closely and he's not even getting doubled that often. I believe Wootton/SMC/Bass/Washington and maybe a vet at the minimum would put us in a better situation on the ends.

 

Earl Bennett and Micheal Bush have a grand total of 183 yards this year, that tells me they're both replaceable. Marquess Wilson looked good in preseason, and I think he could fill his role admirably. Bears can pick up a short yardage back of the scrap heaps that will produce just as much as Bush has.

 

I still wanna see what Josh does against a good D before calling him Rich Gannon 2.0. He'll get that chance against the Ravens this week...But lets also face it. He's gonna be 35 years old next season, how is his body gonna hold up for 16+ games? He still has rarely been hit, how does he respond to that?