Big Picture Defensive Discussion

[WindyCity]

I think some things are pretty clear

-The Bears need to get cheaper and younger on defense.
-Resources need to move to offense to maximize Fields.

My question is moving forward how many "big" contracts [like 10+ million average] do you see the Bears carrying moving forward?

Who do you think those players will be?

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Eddie Jackson and Quinn’s contracts are boat anchors. I don’t think they can do much of anything except get cheaper on defense.

 

[Montucky]

I would cut them all next off-season. Even Khalil Mack. Just get it over with and start freeing up financial flexibility for after Justin Fields' sophomore season. The 2018 Bears are well and truly dead. It could've really been a special run had Cody Parkey not clanked it off the upright, but its now very clearly time to move on. Not only are none of those guys getting better, they're all getting worse (exception: Roquan Smith).

The idea right now is that the Bears are going to have three years where Justin Fields could potentially be a bargain steal. Maximize their ability to spend in that window and maybe they put together a run like the Chiefs have. I promise if they are still devoting thirty percent of their cap to washed up defenders we'll all be wondering why the Bears can't spend the way every other team with a promising quarterback on a rookie contract gets to spend.

 

[Pegger]

As long as the teams ownership structure is the same I think the money will always flow to the D. A lot of nostalgia associated 'Bears football'.

IMHO if they purge some contracts they will replace with some younger defensive players.

 

[WindyCity]

I think 5 big contracts maybe 6 is max.

Last year they had 8 major contracts on defense which is a ton.

5 seems to be the max for most teams right now.

 

[WindyCity]

Chiefs

Jones
Clark
Hitchens
Mathieu

Bucs

Suh
Barrett
JPP
David

Bills

Hughes
Star
Milano
White
Poyer
Hyde

Packers

Smith
Smith
Clark
Amos

 

[rawdawg]

To answer your question about big contracts:

2021- Mack, Hicks, Quinn, (Jackson under 10M cap hit, but will be there going forward)
2022- Mack, Jackson. Right now Goldman is scheduled to be over 10M but who knows his status for this year let alone going forward, Smith will be a 9.7M 5th year option so close. Nichols will be close, but should be under 10M at least for next year.
2023- Mack (could be cut), Jackson (could be cut), Smith (re-signed), Nichols (close)
2024- Smith, Nichols?, if Johnson proves to be a CB1 he'll need to get re-signed for 10M+

As for balancing the money spent on offense/defense, I actually don't think you need to make a concerted effort to make sure you're spending 90M on both sides of the ball or whatever. Right now, the only big money on O is Robinson, Graham, and the backup QBs. Dalton's cap hit technically isn't 10M and Foles will never see his 10M next year. Graham will be gone next year, and so may Robinson. Whitehair joins the 10M club next year and if Robinson isn't back, the Bears will likely spend 10M+ on a WR. Other than that, you only really look to spend 10M+ on QBs, LTs, and stud interior guys or an elite RT. Between Fields, Jenkins and hopefully between Mustipher, Borom and possibly a re-signed Daniels you don't need to spend big to have a solid OL (though I wouldn't complain if they did).

Basically, I think the O/D spending will balance out if Fields and Jenkins are as good as we expect them to be. By 2025, the defense will be completely different outside of maybe Roquan and Johnson. Offensively, you hopefully have to pay Jenkins, Kmet, Mooney, and of course Fields. So, I'd rather focus on continuing to add young talent on offense to grow with Fields rather than spending just to spend on non-premier positions.

 

[nc0gnet0]

I would cut them all next off-season. Even Khalil Mack. Just get it over with and start freeing up financial flexibility for after Justin Fields' sophomore season. The 2018 Bears are well and truly dead. It could've really been a special run had Cody Parkey not clanked it off the upright, but its now very clearly time to move on. Not only are none of those guys getting better, they're all getting worse (exception: Roquan Smith).

The idea right now is that the Bears are going to have three years where Justin Fields could potentially be a bargain steal. Maximize their ability to spend in that window and maybe they put together a run like the Chiefs have. I promise if they are still devoting thirty percent of their cap to washed up defenders we'll all be wondering why the Bears can't spend the way every other team with a promising quarterback on a rookie contract gets to spend.

Don't really have a lot of draft capital to do what you suggest though. If AR walks after next season, then WR is a huge concern. No first round pick, no 4th round pick, now missing AR, Mack, and Quinn, which direction do go?

 

[WindyCity]

Right now we have a 110/40 2022 cap room split Defense to Offense.

Robinson would add a bunch to that.

 

[nc0gnet0]

Right now we have a 110/40 2022 cap room split Defense to Offense.

Robinson would add a bunch to that.

2022 NFL Team Salary Cap Tracker

A real-time look at the 2022 salary cap totals for each NFL team, including estimated cap space.

www.spotrac.com

37 mil with 42 players signed. Add about one mil each to fill out the roster, now your at 26 mil. Sign AR now your at about 16 mil, give or take depending on how the contract is spread out. Things aren't desperate, but Bears aren't making any "big moves" in FA. Not without kicking a few more cans down the road, or cutting someone that then would need to be replaced as well.

I mean yes, you could cut or trade Mack/Quinn/Jackson, but then your creating a hole that needs to be filled, which would gobble up much of the Cap savings you benefitted.

 

[WindyCity]

2022 NFL Team Salary Cap Tracker

A real-time look at the 2022 salary cap totals for each NFL team, including estimated cap space.

www.spotrac.com

37 mil with 42 players signed. Add about one mil each to fill out the roster, now your at 26 mil. Sign AR now your at about 16 mil, give or take depending on how the contract is spread out. Things aren't desperate, but Bears aren't making any "big moves" in FA. Not without kicking a few more cans down the road, or cutting someone that then would need to be replaced as well.

Quinn, Foles, Goldman is he retires, would be the big cap saving moves.

They won’t be huge spenders but should be able to keep Robinson and Nichols and make some tier 2 moves at areas of need.

 

[nc0gnet0]

Quinn, Foles, Goldman is he retires, would be the big cap saving moves.

They won’t be huge spenders but should be able to keep Robinson and Nichols and make some tier 2 moves at areas of need.

Foles is the only real non loss. If Goldman retires, Hicks is no longer under contract, it becomes an immediate area of need. Quinn, for as bad a contract as he has, would still need to be replaced. Mack is almost unmovable.

 

[DaaBears]

I feel exactly the opposite. The defense is under decline over the last couple of years and is aging, and was totally ignored this past offseason. The next off season, especially the draft needs to be dedicated to rebuilding the defense.

 

[WindyCity]

I feel exactly the opposite. The defense is under decline over the last couple of years and is aging, and was totally ignored this past offseason. The next off season, especially the draft needs to be dedicated to rebuilding the defense.

Agreed. The only way to get cheaper is to draft guys.

Which is why we need to generate more picks. We need to spam the defense with picks.

I might go OL with a 2nd or 3rd and just defense the rest of the way.

 

[WindyCity]

Foles is the only real non loss. If Goldman retires, Hicks is no longer under contract, it becomes an immediate area of need. Quinn, for as bad a contract as he has, would still need to be replaced. Mack is almost unmovable.

We will have to internally fill some spots. That is the only way.

 

[DaaBears]

Agreed. The only way to get cheaper is to draft guys.

Which is why we need to generate more picks. We need to spam the defense with picks.

I might go OL with a 2nd or 3rd and just defense the rest of the way.

Wow. I was thinking the same exact thing.

 

[WindyCity]

Wow. I was thinking the same exact thing.

It’s the only way.

Unless guys like Vildor, Gipson can grab jobs long terms. Or, guys like Edwards, Bush can grab expanded roles.

We need to draft a SS and stop paying average veterans 4 million a year to rotate at that spot.

We need an ILB that allows us to get out of Trevathan’s deal ASAP.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Agreed. The only way to get cheaper is to draft guys.

Which is why we need to generate more picks. We need to spam the defense with picks.

I might go OL with a 2nd or 3rd and just defense the rest of the way.

Same page. If Fields is the guy we think he is, the draft opens up a ton. And say what you will about Pace, but he has a pretty good track record in later rounds with defense.

 

[The Big Grabowski]

Our money should be focused on extending guys like Roquan Smith and Bilal Nichols.

If we can avoid splashy free agent signings and cut bait with bad contracts like Quinn, it’s a quick path back to cap health.

Invest picks on defense in 2022 and hope we get a jump from 2nd year guys like Kindle Vildor and Travis Gipson this year to make restocking on defense more feasible.

 

[bearsfan1977]

It’s the only way.

Unless guys like Vildor, Gipson can grab jobs long terms. Or, guys like Edwards, Bush can grab expanded roles.

We need to draft a SS and stop paying average veterans 4 million a year to rotate at that spot.

We need an ILB that allows us to get out of Trevathan’s deal ASAP.

Mario Edwards is the guy to keep an eye on. He was very good last year, and very good with the Raiders. He produces again this year, I would extend him 2-3 years. He isn’t Hicks, but he is a solid DE.