Can Will Anderson catch? Can Jalen Carter block?

[pdxbearsfan]

I'm in the trade down camp lately. You can get a ransom at the 2-3 slot, slide a little and get some blue chip line talent on the Oline (Skronski if they think he can play right tackle) and draft a JSN from Ohio State.

I like those 2.

 

[rawdawg]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Poles looks to trade one of Claypool/Mooney. He’ll evaluate them next year but is he really going to sign both of them to 15-20+ mil per year? I doubt it. Whoever looks worse next year could be traded. I think Poles drafts a WR in round 1 or 2 for sure

It doesn't make sense to trade either Claypool or Mooney. First, they are both FAs after 2023, so you'd be trading a rental. Second, you want to trade the WORSE of the two? Good luck getting any kind of value in that trade for both of those reasons.

I do agree that signing both to 15-20Mil AAVs isn't likely, especially with what is hopefully a big Fields pay day on the horizon, but the most likely scenario is they sign one and let the other walk in free agency and hope to get a 3rd round comp.

 

[pdxbearsfan]

I think the less talented position of the Bears is the front seven.
Linebackers is the new "runningbacks" - next guy in.
We have the worst sack rate in the NFL. We need to make pressure to the QB.
We need an healthy offensive line and i'm sure we can upgrade it with FA.
We can select a good WR in the second round.

Whitehair, Jenkins and B.Jones are good. We neeed a Center and a RT.

Cody stunk it up yesterday.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

Not saying ignore dline.

But saying oline is higher priority because of Fields.

If they take skronski and a g/c with their first two picks and add a fa t and g/c in fa you won’t see me complain one bit.

 

[legendxofxlink]

Cody stunk it up yesterday.

Eagles might end up with 4 guys getting at least 10 sacks. And that's not counting Fletcher Cox, Suh or Linval Joseph...

Reddick -12
Hargrave -10
Sweat -9.5
Graham -8.5

 

[mattb78]

Been on the fence about this one but I am for resigning Monty. Good in short yardage, he can catch the ball and is a solid all around back.

We can worry about upgrading positions when our roster is better. Right not lets not create holes.

Also Herbert sucks in short yardage and I don't want all the 3rd and shorts being Fields running the ball.

 

[mecha]

We have young guys on O already. We we are missing is good veteran players which we should find in free agency.

You build a whole team not just one side of the ball. The Niners are on their 3rd string QB and winning because their D and run game makes it easy on the QB. Poles and Flus have already said that is what they believe in ie making it easier on the QB by playing great D and using the run game to take pressure off.

I've been saying the defense needs attention. I think the game yesterday probably totaled their turnovers for the entire rest of the season. they had hustle but Hurts still put up 300 yards on them. Fields on the other hand I think was sacked 6 times. wouldn't it be nice to do that to other teams again? and turnovers remove the other team's ability to score. you can call me a meatball but I'm still on the side of defense wins championships (statistically, mostly, anyway). if you get the team in a position where they consistently take the ball away from opponents and the offense controls TOP (which I think the Bears have been doing a good job of this year already) then you'll see a championship caliber team.

build in the trenches, fortify both lines, it'll pay dividends in the end.

 

[iueyedoc]

My @BaBaBlacksheep **** it!!!

All in on Just In draft.

 

[TezMaKai]

Unless Poles can come up with a legit supporting cast in free agency the Bears need to draft offense.

Anderson and Carter may become franchise players…. but Fields is one RIGHT FUCKING NOW.

That guy we’ve wanted for decades…. HE IS HERE.

Stop it with the “we need pass rush”.

Nothing matters until Fields gets a real supporting cast.

Fields if we take care of him is the foundation for the next 10 years.

That means rebuild the ENTIRE OLINE.

Draft a LEGIT #1 WR. (I mean Hurts got two of them but I’ll be OK with one for now)

Anderson and Carter don’t help Fields. If we spend another year or two doing this he will die. And we will be left with Derrick Rose level regret wondering what might have been.

So sign the best Oline in Free Agency. (Even if it means missing out on Payne)

Draft a #1 WR. (Even if it means losing out on Carter or Anderson)

Push the chips all in Poles. Protect the franchise.


I

Trade back to pick 5-8 range. All those teams are desperate for quarterbacks. Could probably get a 1st next year and a 3rd this year in exchange. They could then pick Jordan Addison or Quinton Johnston.

 

[mattb78]

OCyrus Torrence is an absolute beast.

 

[mattb78]

Could probably get a 1st next year and a 3rd this year in exchange.

I think the price would be this year's 1 and 2 and next year's 1st. Getting into the top 3 selections is expensive and usually you can get a 2nd as well.

 

[remydat]

I think it would be foolish to assume that neither is a long term answer because of injuries, one of which isn't even out for the rest of this season.

I agree, don't sign either to a contract this offseason, but they already said they plan to discuss an extension w/ Mooney. And again, it would be foolish to completely dismiss the idea of signing Claypool after you gave up, what is right now, the 33rd pick for him. So, clearly both are at least in the long-term plans, if only in pencil.

And again, Lazard/Slayton/Meyers are all not as good as Claypool or Mooney (based on everyone's most productive seasons), so I don't see the point in paying them good money to potential hinder the ability to sign Claypool or Mooney if they do work out.

The Bears are basically between a rock and a hard place. It's Claypool and Mooney or bust at this point. They made the trade partly because of the lack of talent in this FA class. They can't afford to give up another early pick for a true #1 WR. They aren't in position to draft a #1 WR, if there even is one in this draft. And they have to at least keep the option of paying Claypool and Mooney long-term open, signing a FA to a multi-year deal at least partially closes that option.

Signing them doesnt hinder signing Mooney or Claypool. That is the point. You can stagger the contracts. The only way it would be a problem is if both of them become 20m a year WRs which is unlikely IMO.

The first year cap for Kirk was 7.5m it was 12m for Adams. Deebo is 7 and 9 million next 2 years.

So again if you dont sign them until after 2023 then they will not cost a ton until 2026. So you can sign a WR to a 3-4 year deal and their contract will end or have 1 year left when the big money for Mooney and Claypool kick in.

2023 - Claypool and Mooney combined 2.5. So can easily front load a WR contract if you want.

2024 - First year salary for a new Mooney and Claypool contract is like 16m combined. So you still spending under 30m a year for those two and FA WR.

2025. Looking at say 20m a year for Chase and Mooney combined but still under 35m a year for all 3 of them.

2026 - Mooney and Claypool worth like 35m by themselves but FA WR signed in 2022 now a free agent or can be cut/traded with one year left. If you drafted a WR in 2023 then may be looking to extend as this would be their 4th year.

So there is no issue. The fact the decision on Mooney and Claypool likely delayed means you have morw time before big cap hits start to overlap.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I agree with your comments but if Poles does his job shouldn't we be able to fix Ol, DL, Edge and WR?
Get 1-2 of Hargrave and Payne as FA's, Conklin and at least 1 more OL as FA's, 1 Edge as FA, JuJu and 1 more WR, them more of each in draft leaning toward Offense.

It will be hard to do but yeah, I agree it can be done.

 

[Spitta Andretti]

fixing the defense helps fields stay in these games as well

 

[SugarWalls]

Fields, Herbert, Mooney, Claypool, Kmet, Jones, Jenkins. That is 7 starters 25 or younger. Resign Monty or go get a guy ljke Barkley. Sign an older vet WR to a short term deal. Sign 2-3 vet OL. Any rookies should be guys that start only if they earn it not guys forced to start because we have holes.

In addition to those guys who should be sure starters you have guys like ESB, VJJ and Harry that are fine as 4th, 5th and 6th WRs that will have 2 offseasons in the offense. You also have Borom that can be the swing tackle.

There arent any guys in top half of draft om O that are surefire starters IMO. Of course if we trade down then that changes the equation. By contrast there are legit Day 1 starters on D available early in draft.

1. The bears have continued to sign vets to shorter/cheaper deals since forever. It keeps the line a float but doesn’t build to anything. If you want a good offense you need a good OL, and in order to do that they need to spend money and draft capital. Continuing to get guys like Germaine ifedi, Reif, sitton, etc … it patches a hole but it’s not enough. Spend some money and draft picks. I like jones potential but by no means has he locked down the LT spot. With yet another injury to Jenkins they need to seriously invest by signing at least 2 players and drafting at least 1 with the expectation of starting.

2. There aren’t guys that are surefire starters in the NFL on offense in round 1? Are you joking? I agree defense looks better especially at the top of round 1 but there’s no way a guy like skoronski wouldn’t expect to be a day 1 starter. Even in this weaker WR class I’d expect a wr to start day 1. Let Mooney slide back to slot assuming he comes back ready to go.

 

[SugarWalls]

I’d rather have two or three starting Oline in this case.

Jenkins is the only one who’s play I was 100% about and he was carted off yesterday.

I LOVE Braxton but I need a plan B in place as well in case he doesn’t take the next step.

Both lines are awful. Oline is just more important to me because we have JF1 back there.

This is something I think most people miss on.

Yes we all agree the offense is bad and needs dl help.

However this is the first time I can remember the bears have a talent on offense they can build around and win with. If they build the offense to be elite they can do in through the offense, as long as they can sign a few guys and use future drafts to get the defense to mediocre.

 

[Spitta Andretti]

RT and C are the only immediate needs on the OL. I dont think Whitehair gets cut

I think Brax and Jenkins are fine where they are and just need experience

 

[ursamajor]

I don't understand the point of a WR for 10-12Mil though***. A WR at that cost doesn't move the needle very much. And you still have to operate under the assumption that Claypool and Mooney are guarantees, because you don't want to end up in a situation where you lose 1 of them because you have that 12Mil guy on your payroll or you have 50Mil in WRs toward the cap if Claypool and Mooney work out. They put a lot of eggs in the Claypool basket (not so much Mooney) by giving up a very high pick for him. They pretty much have to do everything in their power to force a decision after 2023 to either re-sign him or let him walk. I don't see any reason to throw a 3rd egg in that basket, unless it's a cheap egg on a rookie deal.

***if it is a 1-year deal, then 10-12Mil WR is fine.

Meyers is a reliable chain mover. Not a number 1, but a meaningful piece, in a WR corps.

 

[ursamajor]

Which impact WRs will be available in free agency? This is a bad free agency year when you need a WR.

Well, if the Bears do end up with the #2 overall, something like swapping 1st rounders with Carolina + Moore, or with Tampa + Chris Godwin…or a similar type trade is possible. There’s a lot of QB starved teams (I can’t see Brady playing another year, Tampa needs to find his replacement).

Though that isn’t Free Agency, I know. I should have said “veteran”.

 

[rawdawg]

Meyers is a reliable chain mover. Not a number 1, but a meaningful piece, in a WR corps.

Yeah, that's fine and all, but reliable chain mover isn't that valuable to me. And you know who else is a reliable chain mover? Byron Pringle. 42 catches last year, and 39 of them went for 1st downs. That's a reliable chain mover. Meyers has 29 first downs on 52 catches this year, for comparison. Pringle was much cheaper than Meyers will be and based on the single criterium of moving chains, he was better.

A #1 WR is valuable to me. And while the Bears aren't likely to get a #1 WR, they have a much better chance to get one thru the draft than to pay a guy 12M who is proven not to be a #1.