Top Coaching / Draft / Free Agent Targets

dennehy said:

Yeah I think Malcolm Butler is going to be the only true #1 CB available in FA. He'll cost more than Gilmore last year.

There are a few others, Bashaud Breeland and EJ Gaines come to mind, but I'm not sure they're much better than Fuller and Prince.

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alexbear1 said:

Some interesting options thank you.

FA: - The focus should be on WR as you've indicated. I don't think the Bears will go after Landry. I believe they will be content with Meredith and Wright working the slot and costing far less. However I do believe that we need better outside options.

If I am Pace I go after one of Watkins, Robinson or Gordon and also Paul Richardson. Normally I wouldn't advocate 2 WRs but that position is the strength of FA and Bears need to fill OLB and OT needs in the draft.

WR: Josh Gordon, Paul Richardson, Cameron Meredith, Kendall Wright, Dontrelle Inman, Kevin White

The above is a WR core that would be pretty exciting to watch and would give Trubisky all the weapons he needs to succeed especially with the slow (due to the coaches imo) but emerging threat of Shaheen at TE in the passing game and two headed monster that is Howard (how fcuking good is he) and Cohen.

Draft:

For me the Bears almost have to go OLB in the first round though Minkah Fitzpatrick is a definite consideration given his range of skills. Orlando Brown in the 2nd would be a dream but unlikely. 4th round I am looking for another CB on account of the fact I'd cut Marcus Cooper and perhaps a WR if the value was there. OG could be useful as well.

Coach:

Whoever the next Sean McVay is (combined with an aggressive DC like Pagano or Pettine) though if the Bears actually play like they did today going forward we'll probably find ourselves with Fox again!

I'd love to know if Fox finally let Loggains 'off the leash' today. It was the most well balanced play calling we've seen all season for the duration of an entire game. If they'd done this all season Fox would still have a job next season. I doubt he has now.

I'd love to know

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xer0h0ur said:

For the love of fucking god can people wake the fuck up and realize we also need an inside linebacker. FFS even after seeing Tre eat shit to injury and Freeman get suspended a 2nd time for 10 games you fuckers can't even admit its a need.

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didshereallysaythat said:

Defilippo has to be the number 1 choice for a lot of teams. Even when Wentz went out, Foles looked comfortable in that system. This guy puts his players in position to succeed.

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dennehy said:

I don't think they need a major upgrade at ILB, just a vet who can do a serviceable job and is oriented toward pass coverage. Jones and Kwat are both good in run, not so good in pass coverage.

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xer0h0ur said:

That is kinda the point being made. They get shredded over the middle of the field when Freeman and Tre aren't playing. That kinda is the definition of needing a better inside linebacker. Unless either of them suddenly develop more into coverage linebackers. At which point we still will need another ILB anyways because I don't see a chance in hell of the Bears retaining a 10 game suspended player and its suicide to go into the season lacking depth.

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xer0h0ur said:

That is kinda the point being made. They get shredded over the middle of the field when Freeman and Tre aren't playing. That kinda is the definition of needing a better inside linebacker. Unless either of them suddenly develop more into coverage linebackers. At which point we still will need another ILB anyways because I don't see a chance in hell of the Bears retaining a 10 game suspended player and its suicide to go into the season lacking depth.

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dabears70 said:

I also think we have a big need at ILBer. If Trevathon wasn't so injury prone i could deal with either Kwiatkowski or C.Jones playing opposite him but he just gets injured too much. There's a pretty decent list of free agent ILBers in 2018 with N.Bowmann leading the way for me and D.Davis and Z,Brown just under him.

Does any of the games in this season count for any of the 10 games Freeman is suspended for or does it start next season so he's gonna miss the first 10 games??

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dabears70 said:

Is J.Gordon a free agent in 2018? I've said a few times on here that that dude is a star WR and a top 5-7 in the NFL when on the field, but the kind of money it would take to get him and with him only needing on fuck up and he's gone for life, i'd be very careful with the contract i'd give him.

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xer0h0ur said:

As far as I understand it, games don't begin to tick off from the suspension while a player is on IR. They have to be on the active roster and game-day eligible for the suspended game count to start counting down. In other words Freeman remains suspended for 10 games when he returns to active play.

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satchice said:

You might be right but if this is true then why the hell was he not brought back to the active roster? I don't think players have to pass a physical to be brought back from IR, do they??

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satchice said:

I put him right after Brown, Julio, and then Gordon. He has been a baller on a shit team w/o a QB imagine if he was brought into the NFL in a good organization with good surrounding talent and leadership, might of been an all time great. I would be very surprised if he is every allowed to leave Cleveland. With their cap situation and his talent I would think he is worth the FT.

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xer0h0ur said:

As far as I understand it, games don't begin to tick off from the suspension while a player is on IR. They have to be on the active roster and game-day eligible for the suspended game count to start counting down. In other words Freeman remains suspended for 10 games when he returns to active play.

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Chicago4Life said:

The Ravens were informed of Smith's suspension last week and Smith appealed. He will now reportedly withdraw that appeal since he’ll be put on injured reserve and can serve the suspension while sidelined.

Not sure if there is any difference between smith's situation and freeman's

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How Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie pulled rank and blocked QB coach John DeFilippo from leaving for Jets
Updated: JANUARY 28, 2017 — 3:01 AM EST

by Jeff McLane, STAFF WRITER @Jeff_McLane | jmclane@phillynews.com

MOBILE, Ala. - When Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman hired John DeFilippo to be the Eagles' quarterbacks coach a year ago they told him that if he had an offer to become an offensive coordinator they wouldn't stand in his way.

Earlier this month, the New York Jets asked to interview DeFilippo for that very job. Pederson and Roseman, true to their word, signed off on the request. NFL teams can't block assistants from auditioning for head coaching vacancies, but they can prevent them from interviewing for coordinator positions.

It's unclear whether DeFilippo would have gotten the Jets job or even wanted it, but he never got an opportunity to toss his hat in the ring. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie stepped in and rescinded the original consent, according to four independent NFL sources.

Lurie's obstruction was first reported by ESPN, but Inquirer sources provided more detail of how the Eagles owner stepped in, and more important, why he pulled rank, as he had never done before.

While the why is obvious (Carson Wentz, duh), Lurie's blocking of DeFilippo represents his passion - some called it his "obsession" - with making sure the young quarterback has all the tools necessary to thrive. That meant retaining the assistant who played a significant role in Wentz's rookie season, and that means acquiring skill position talent this offseason.

When asked Wednesday who blocked DeFilippo, Roseman said that Pederson "decides who's on the [coaching] staff." Pederson declined to comment when approached Thursday at the Senior Bowl.

Because the Jets were the first to approach DeFilippo, the former Browns offensive coordinator never had the chance to be considered for more attractive teams that would eventually hire defensive-minded coaches (Broncos, Chargers, Bills) who would have allowed him to call plays. The Super Bowl-bound Falcons may also need a replacement if Kyle Shanahan gets the 49ers job.

When reached by phone, DeFilippo declined to comment, other than to say, "I'm thrilled to be with the Eagles for another year."

Whether the Eagles offered him an extension or a raise as compensation remains unknown, but DeFilippo has only one year left on his deal. A lot could happen in a year, but if Wentz continues to progress, the coach should once again be a candidate for coordinator posts next offseason.

The Eagles may have to promote DeFilippo to keep him, although they still have Frank Reich as offensive coordinator and Pederson calls plays. When the three were hired last January, Lurie and Roseman stressed their individual experiences as play-callers and their vast history developing quarterbacks.

But DeFilippo was the only one of three to have worked extensively with rookie quarterbacks. He has virtually seen it all. From car wrecks such as JaMarcus Russell and Johnny Manziel to success stories such as Derek Carr and Mark Sanchez - and now Wentz.

In blocking DeFilippo, Lurie understood the importance of keeping the quarterback room intact and avoiding anything that could potentially disrupt Wentz's development. It should be noted, however, that the Raiders didn't stop DeFilippo from taking the Browns job after just one season with Carr.

And Carr did just fine after DeFilippo left.

But Lurie's block was not only extremely rare for an owner, but it potentially undermined Pederson. The only other coaching move the Eagles made this offseason was to fire wide receivers coach Greg Lewis and replace him with Mike Groh.

Roseman reiterated, when asked about Lewis, that Pederson has final say over his staff. But in light of the DeFilippo situation, could Lurie have forced the dismissal of the receivers coach? Again, everything is seemingly in play, especially as it relates to Wentz.

Lurie had sharp coaches in place during Donovan McNabb's early years - Andy Reid, of course, and Brad Childress. And Reid and team president Joe Banner surrounded him with a strong offensive line and running game. But there was the perception that the Eagles failed to win a Super Bowl, particularly from 2000 to 2003, because they lacked top-flight receivers.

Lurie, per sources familiar with his thinking, is prepared to give Wentz the skill-position players he lacks. It's little surprise that the Eagles know they need to upgrade at receiver and running back. Roseman and vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas said as much here. The question is to what lengths will they go?

"This is a unique situation," Douglas said Wednesday, "an opportunity to find guys that love football as much as Carson, and have them come in here and grow with Carson and develop as a team."

Could Alshon Jeffery, who is expected to command top dollar, be in play if the Bears decide not to put the franchise tag on the receiver? The Eagles would have to clear a fair amount of cap space. Connor Barwin and Jason Kelce had better not make plans for next season if that were the case - probably even if it weren't.

Having a quarterback still on his rookie contract also affords the Eagles the opportunity to spend some money - at least until they're able to extend him following the 2018 season.

Lurie, who attended Senior Bowl practices for the second straight year, wasn't made available to reporters. He hasn't spoken since March. Asked if his boss was here providing input on players, Roseman said, "No, he's asking questions."

Last January, Lurie caught his first in-person glimpse of Wentz. It should be a reminder to the Eagles that Wentz is still only a year removed from playing Division I-AA football.

Lurie seems to grasp that, otherwise why would he have denied DeFilippo a chance to advance?

If you go back to after Wentz's hot three-game start, it was DeFilippo who cautioned that the rookie would hit valleys, along with peaks, while Pederson and Reich were already comparing the quarterback to Peyton Manning and Jim Kelly.

Wentz ran into the typical hurdles quarterbacks face in their first seasons. But Lane Johnson's suspension and injuries on the offensive line, along with the season-long ineffectiveness of his outside receivers, created trust problems for the rookie.

Lurie is committed to creating an environment in which Wentz doesn't have as many concerns. But has he and will he take the right steps, or should he be careful not to overstep his bounds?

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