Free Agency Talk & Rumors - Cincy will tag Higgins, KC not going to use any tag on Trey Smith

[--CyBear--]

The numbers being tossed around social media to sign Trey Smith are pretty silly. People are saying $23-$25M... Hell No.

And just because KC isn't tagging him doesn't mean they aren't going to try and retain him. Seems unlikely but...

I agree with you, I know the Bear are desperate inside but a G at $23m? That said, he is supposed to be a leader type with an aggressive tilt to his game so could theoretically improve the performance of the entire line. Still too rich for me. It's been a total fail here but I prefer to develop Gs from day 3 college T's. Poles has just struck out on every one but to be fair, that works a lot better once you have a competent line and time to do so.

All that said, if they sign him, there will be a feeling of contentment present.

 

[BPo001]

Zack Martin retired. I’m sure the Cowboys will be glad to move on from such a horrible pick.

They should have taken Johnny Football!

 

[Enasic]

The numbers being tossed around social media to sign Trey Smith are pretty silly. People are saying $23-$25M... Hell No.

Not sure he gets quite that, but people are likely projecting that because the cap is skyrocketing and will continue to do so. Every year these contracts get more and more disgusting and look like insane overpays, only to fall in line in a couple of years. Personally, I think he gets 20-23 mil per year and id pay him that. Dude hasn’t even hit his prime yet and the bears cannot **** around with the OL. It’s not like they’re paying anyone else on the OL

 

[bamainatlanta]

FYI @playthrough2001 he still hasn’t logged in since Jan 3rd to acknowledge the name change

 

[dabears70]

Trade down and get extra picks. Guards in this draft are all the same guy. Take an OT @ 10. Go for a guard later in the 1st

I don't know, i think if you don't add the 3 tackles that many think will play guard in the NFL in Campbell, Banks and Membou then Booker stands out as the top guard in this draft, but after him and again not counting the 3 tackles/guards then i think this is the perfect draft to trade down in and grab a guard in the middle of the 1st round. And not just guard but also a good draft to find DT/DE in in the middle of the 1st through the top of the 2nd.

 

[playthrough2001]

FYI @playthrough2001 he still hasn’t logged in since Jan 3rd to acknowledge the name change

He’s going to be loving Dick for a long time!

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

FYI @playthrough2001 he still hasn’t logged in since Jan 3rd to acknowledge the name change

What a puss

 

[playthrough2001]

@ILoveDick The combine is next week. Are you ready?

 

[dennehy]

The cap is going up 10% or so, and probably 85% of people on rosters next year are either already under contract, on rookie contracts, or minimum salary guys.

That leaves that the 10% (probably more like 8% really, as teams won't spend their whole cap) increase to go to free agents. I would bet that the top tier are going to get huge deals, and I'd expect $23m for Smith.

 

[DefNextYear]

Zack Martin retired. I’m sure the Cowboys will be glad to move on from such a horrible pick.

Hopefully they miss him so much that they’ll trade up to 10 to replace him.

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892960388414632446

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

The numbers being tossed around social media to sign Trey Smith are pretty silly. People are saying $23-$25M... Hell No.

I know right? For such a useless position too!

 

[PrimeTime]

Bengals released S Rankins. Another player to add to Poles scrap pile to pick from

 

[PrimeTime]

I know right? For such a useless position too!

It seems like a useless position until you see them constantly pushed back in your QBs face. There is going to be a lot of future cap money the Bears can use to build the OL this off-season. Easily replace the G's & C with high quality players through FA's and the 1st rd of the draft.

 

[DefNextYear]

So over the last 10 years, this is the % of first round picks by position. Two OL positions are actually debatably the bottom 2 options in the first. Wild... And considering centers only represent one spot on the field (vs. 2, for say... a guard), I'm tempted to double them. Anyway, I wonder what GMs aren't seeing that CCS is seeing? I generously added Fautanu though he played no guard snaps... we'll see.

QB	RB	WR	TE	T	G	C	EDGE	DT	LB	DB
35	14	45	9	42	13	8	38	26	32	54
11.08%	4.43%	14.24%	2.85%	13.29%	4.11%	2.53%	12.03%	8.23%	10.13%	17.09%

Oh, btw, of the guards who were eligible to extend, only 2 of 7 got extended and stayed with their team. Of those 5, two are bench players and 2 are free agents. In the recent years, two already lost their job on their rookie contract. No idea why the teams contending for Super Bowls don't try to go against this trend and draft guards high themselves. Just weird and I'm sure you're all just as shocked as I am.

Still, my hope for this upcoming draft is that one of the good ones makes it to 10. I'll keep my fingers crossed, but won't hold by breath! Such a premium position.

 

[SlickWilly]

He’s going to be loving Dick for a long time!

Which was going to happen regardless.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

@ILoveDick The combine is next week. Are you ready?

With a name like that and prison history you know he’s jumping in ass first at watching 20 year old men in the underwear Olympics

 

[RiDLer80]

My guess, and could be wrong, is that the Bear held Brisker out of the last 5 games to try and heal completely as opposed to just passing protocol. Concussions are brain bruises and these guys return when asymptomatic in testing but long before the bruise actually heals. It's why you often see them go down again in the same season and contributes to long term issues like CTE even if they don't have another official concussion. I'd wager that Brisker could have returned after the Thanksgiving game but the season was over, team in disarray and there was more to gain by sitting out. He now has a better chance of a concussion free season in 2025.

What troubles me and about last year's staff is that after the head to head hit that took out the larger opposing player and Brisker slow to get up, the staff didn't send him over to the tent for evaluation and he continued to play. Decisions like that are what takes a guy out for 1/2 a season.

There's also supposed to a neutral spotter provided by the NFL that's supposed to call down and have players removed if they're suspected of a head injury. They failed to get Brisker out too.

 

[RiDLer80]

And just because KC isn't tagging him doesn't mean they aren't going to try and retain him. Seems unlikely but...

I agree with you, I know the Bear are desperate inside but a G at $23m? That said, he is supposed to be a leader type with an aggressive tilt to his game so could theoretically improve the performance of the entire line. Still too rich for me. It's been a total fail here but I prefer to develop Gs from day 3 college T's. Poles has just struck out on every one but to be fair, that works a lot better once you have a competent line and time to do so.

All that said, if they sign him, there will be a feeling of contentment present.

Poles bargain bin shopping hasn't worked. I'd rather go for the sure thing in Smith.

Also, you have to think in terms of percentage of the cap; not just raw AAV. The highest paid guard (Landon Dicerkson) was 8.22% of the cap in 2024.

The 2025 salary cap is projected to be at $277.5M on the low end. Smith getting $23M AAV would be 8.29% of the cap. So not really taking up more cap space than the current highest paid guard; and that's if Smith gets $23m per.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

It seems like a useless position until you see them constantly pushed back in your QBs face. There is going to be a lot of future cap money the Bears can use to build the OL this off-season. Easily replace the G's & C with high quality players through FA's and the 1st rd of the draft.

Fix your sarcasm detector please