Smith to Ravens

[pablovi]

If we use our resources properly, we could have a good team in two years.

How? How many free agents are There, that are willing to play here, and that they can afford? And how many picks turn out to be decent in this franchise? Like 20%?

 

[dennehy]

After the way he acted this off-season and his yearly early season underperformances, it felt super risky to pay him. He reeks of a guy whos gonna take the foot off the gas once he gets paid. No more headaches with the agentless player. No more puffy nipples(CC: @ThatGuyRyan ). No more awful quotes like "Chin up, chest out, sunsets, no regrets, baby". No more fake crying at the podium because your friend got traded.

More picks to maneuver in the draft or if they want to trade for a WR. More money to pay positions that actually make a difference. Smith wanted out. He got it. Even if they use that 2nd round pick to replace him, they still save $20M. If Poles can draft, this is a great move. If he cant, it doesnt matter either way.

Yep, I've said that several times. And being perceptive about those things is a trait of good GMs. Hopefully Poles is right.

 

[DreamTheater]

How are thy gonna replace en entire defense, 11 players, an entire Oline, and the entire WR core? In two off seasons? With proven NFL talent?

Teams do it all the time.

 

[pablovi]

You really have to hope they hit on everything after a teardown like this.

This is becoming an expansion franchise level build.

Crafty move by poles- 1 year tear down and 3-4 years of buildup gives him job security for at least 5 years.

Yeah, but that‘s just wishful Thinking. It never has for this franchise. And there are too many pieces needed.

 

[CAP BOSO]

How are thy gonna replace en entire defense, 11 players, an entire Oline, and the entire WR core? In two off seasons? With proven NFL talent?

They have 125 million in cap space and 11 picks

 

[pablovi]

Teams do it all the time.

Which teams? And the Bears have never done it! They’llget a Fluke season or two every decade, that’s it.
How long it took to build this defense.

 

[shoez90]

Wow - knew this was a possibility but didn't think they would actually do it.

this regime ain't fukin around

 

[pablovi]

They have 125 million in cap space and 11 picks

So, 125 million between all those holes, it doesn’t add up to very good players. And picks, like 20% or less really turn out to be good for the Bears.

 

[Adipost]

RB is far and away the most replaceable position in football. The 49'ers got fleeced hard and made a bad investment for a guy who's going to be hurt in a couple of weeks anyways.

People get caught up too much in assigning value to LB'ers based on their ability to rush the passer, but totally ignore other aspects of the game that can make a LB'er valuable. Roquan is a tackling machine and he's probably the best pass coverage LB'er in the NFL, and has been for a while. He is elite. You don't trade elite talent for 2nd round picks unless they are over the hill and approaching 30, which Roquan is most definitely not. He's right smack dab in the midst of his prime.

This is such a ridiculous trade. Now the Bears are needlessly getting rid of really good players that they're going to have to replace with a worst draft pick than they used to acquire him in the first place. Good luck accomplishing that!

RB is far and away the most replaceable position in football. The 49'ers got fleeced hard and made a bad investment for a guy who's going to be hurt in a couple of weeks anyways.

People get caught up too much in assigning value to LB'ers based on their ability to rush the passer, but totally ignore other aspects of the game that can make a LB'er valuable. Roquan is a tackling machine and he's probably the best pass coverage LB'er in the NFL, and has been for a while. He is elite. You don't trade elite talent for 2nd round picks unless they are over the hill and approaching 30, which Roquan is most definitely not. He's right smack dab in the midst of his prime.

This is such a ridiculous trade. Now the Bears are needlessly getting rid of really good players that they're going to have to replace with a worst draft pick than they used to acquire him in the first place. Good luck accomplishing that!

It’s not ridiculous if the Bears just did not believe they could re-sign him. Maybe their relationship really went south.

 

[DreamTheater]

Which teams? And the Bears have never done it! They’llget a Fluke season or two every decade, that’s it.
How long it took to build this defense.

"The Bears" have only had the current GM for less than a season so the guy making all the football decisions is new. He hasn't done anything.

 

[Sicario]

How? How many free agents are There, that are willing to play here, and that they can afford? And how many picks turn out to be decent in this franchise? Like 20%?

Depends if we hit on drafts picks and undrafted players.

I have faith that Poles and Cunningham know talent and are sticking to their plan. They are not dumb and do not come from crappy teams FO's.

 

[SpinachTeeth]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1587175340673273862

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1587189847567081472

We’re probably more likely to get the Patriot’s fifth rounder which should be higher.

 

[airtime143]

Bears fans are pissed when the Bears don’t have draft picks because of acquiring talent. Now they have a bunch of picks and some are pissed. And usually they are pissed because, in true Bears tradition, the Bears will mange to screw that up, too. I don’t like the move but I understand it and that is what we have to deal with. With the money the Bears have to acquire veterans this could easily work out but it doesn’t come without a fair degree of risk.

I am by no means pissed about this, but I do wonder how many growing pains the team will suffer as the vets are sent packing.

This particular trade though... It felt inevitable.
Smith wanted a contract and didnt get it.
To try and sign him this coming offseason would be futile I would guess- knowing the team has been torn down and he would go in to 23 with zero proven support.
Poles read the writing on the wall and moved for a return. Of all the moves he has made, this one was the most clear cut and neccessary.

 

[pablovi]

Depends if we hit on drafts picks and undrafted players.

I have faith that Poles and Cunningham know talent and are sticking to their plan. They are not dumb and do not come from crappy teams FO's.

Faith is wishful thinking.

 

[cameronkrazie86]

Best of luck to Roquan in Baltimore, I'm sure he'll do well.

As for the trade itself, I'm very happy that they won't be paying any linebacker $20 million a season and that they got a 2nd and 5th round pick for him. I thought the Bears would be forced to try to trade him for pennies on the dollar but they got good value for half the season. I know nothing about the linebacker they got back. The real jewel are the picks so anything positive that Klein provides is just gravy.

Good job Poles. Thank you for ripping the bandaid off. If by some miracle he can get something good for Monty, even better.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

Monty and E. Jax.

Can't get rid of Whitehair due to his injury and nobody wants Reiff.

I highly doubt Jackson is going anywhere. The bears are set with their safety Tandem and don't need to pay either for awhile.

 

[DeerBrinker34]

Looks like LB A.J. Klein was also part of this trade in case no one else has mentioned it.

 

[DreamTheater]

Faith is wishful thinking.

Wishful thinking is part of being a sports fan. None of us have our livelihood dependent on the Bears winning.

 

[pablovi]

"The Bears" have only had the current GM for less than a season so the guy making all the football decisions is new. He hasn't done anything.

Yeah, he‘s new to this. And suddenly he will become an ace doing it? Because that‘s what it will take a turn out of above 80% to pull this thing in two years.

 

[maxhatter]

I think this came down to the Bears knowing that they and Roquan were far apart on a contract extension where signing him was unlikely, and they weren't willing to pay him $19M next year on the franchise tag. I think Roquan is a great player, but I don't know if he's enough of a difference maker where he deserves that kind of contract. I think Poles is of the ilk where he is willing to pay for a quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, and cornerback. Those are the premium positions, and they should receive the premium contracts.