This is the bottom..

[mattb78]

We win one (or dare I say it, two) meaningless games and tank our draft position. UGH.

If you aren't drafting a QB it's not as critical. You will still have quality position players available.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

I personally don't think this season could have gone a whole lot better, honestly. There were only 2 important things that you wanted to see this season. The big one was the development of Fields, which we've seen and then some. Not only has he improved but it's led directly to points on the scoreboard, not just stats. The other was coming out with a high draft pick, which it looks like we've secured, now just a matter of how high, which is tough to do alongside an offense scoring 30 points a game with Fields. Thankfully, the defense is bad enough to keep us out of games, securing that pick, which has the potential to turn into a franchise changing trade-down or elite player.

On top of that, you had some other bright spots. Teven Jenkins at guard, Braxton Jones being a contributor, Khalil Herbert emerging as a guy who can carry the load, the trade for Claypool, Sanborn looking like man possessed, Brisker looking like a potential star and re-emergence of Eddie Jackson. We always knew that the roster was going to be majorly turned over this year and then next year, so look at the bright spots.

Most realistic fans knew coming into the season it was going to be bad but you’re correct that the main purpose of the season was figuring out if Fields was the guy. Mission accomplished. Securing a high draft pick is just the cherry on top. Now Poles can built around the QB without having to worry about that position, speeding up the rebuild

 

[46plank]

Love looked pretty good this week. Don’t be shocked to see him light the Bears up.

 

[Nelly]

Nelly I will add to your post and say #1 was Fields, #2 was seeing draft picks that can produce and #3 was good coaching. I think Eberflus and co are a solid staff.

I feel good about the coaching staff too, but that's probably a distant 3rd. We've got a severe lack of talent on the defensive front 7 and still have some holes on offense. Even a great chef can't make you chicken salad out of chicken shit.

I don't think you have a single starting caliber player on the front 7 right now. Jones maybe? Gipson alongside a dominant bookend, maybe? Otherwise, I think you're fine with any one of those guys being 3rd in a rotation, but that's it. We've got 3rd and 4th string level guys starting all across the line, which is no wonder why we're so bad defensively.

 

[Nelly]

Most realistic fans knew coming into the season it was going to be bad but you’re correct that the main purpose of the season was figuring out if Fields was the guy. Mission accomplished. Securing a high draft pick is just the cherry on top. Now Poles can built around the QB without having to worry about that position, speeding up the rebuild

Well everyone knew we were going to be below .500 at least, so it was always about the draft position. Going into the season, I was saying that if Fields turns out to be "the guy" then you're not going to be picking high because his play will directly lead to more wins. It hasn't, but only because the defense is worse than we all thought it would be, even though most of us didn't think it'd be great. That's why I say we've almost got the ideal outcome here: franchise QB + great pick coming.

I think you can also feel good about Brisker especially, and at least feel fine giving Gordon more time to settle in. Eddie Jackson had a resurgence, and Vildor looks like a contributor now after getting roasted last year. The only defensive player of consequence who's stock has gone down is Jaylon Johnson, but maybe that's in part to the D line being that damn bad?

Unless you feel pretty good with Sanborn at MLB, I think the entire front 7 needs to be replaced. Maybe Morrow can be solid with better guys around him. Otherwise, shit... it's bad.

 

[Bear_Assed]

huh? bears have 120 million. Of course they are gonna go free agency. Like they got to spend that money somewhere bruh

!!!!!!!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NFL 2023 Salary Cap Tracker

A real-time look at the 2023 salary cap totals for each NFL team, including estimated cap space.

www.spotrac.com

Says who? Rolling into the 2023-2024 offseason is not an option?

 

[wazzupi]

I feel good about the coaching staff too, but that's probably a distant 3rd. We've got a severe lack of talent on the defensive front 7 and still have some holes on offense. Even a great chef can't make you chicken salad out of chicken shit.

I don't think you have a single starting caliber player on the front 7 right now. Jones maybe? Gipson alongside a dominant bookend, maybe? Otherwise, I think you're fine with any one of those guys being 3rd in a rotation, but that's it. We've got 3rd and 4th string level guys starting all across the line, which is no wonder why we're so bad defensively.

Pretty sure morrow and Sanborn are starting caliber I'd like to see Weatherford at SLB this season. But bobby okereke needs to take his spot at wlb this season imo.

 

[Bear_Assed]

They kind of have to spend some money though. Only 2 players with 10+ million cap hits (Jackson/Whitehair) and 125m in cap space. Even if they extend and/or re-sign some guys they are still going to have to add to get over the cap minimum.

They will have to spend some money but it wont be on a bunch of top tier players asking for long contracts. My prediction is it’s going to be similar to this past offseason. Except instead of one splash signing (which was supposed to be Ogunjobi), it’ll be two or three at most.

Btw- individual teams do NOT have a spend/cap minimum. The only minimum is that all 32 NFL teams must spend 95% of available cap COMBINED which is basically going to be met before anyone spends a dollar when free agency begins.

 

[mattb78]

I don't think you have a single starting caliber player on the front 7 right now. Jones maybe?

Agree 100%. I was just saying long term having a GM that can draft and put a good staff in place are things that could hold us back from eventual success.

If your GM can't draft talent, you will never be good. If he can select talent but not coaches, you will have some success. If he can do both you can really compete for long periods of time in between mini-rebuilds (aka Pittsburgh).

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Tough watch this weekend. Poles has been pretty aggressive in flipping the roster and shed most of the contracts in his first season. Sometimes year 2 of a rebuild is the bottom but Poles stripped this team down quickly. As soon as the season is over it will be talent acquisition over the next 2 offseasons.

Moving forward, probably at least 5 defensive starters are going to get replaced and this is going to take more than one offseason. Offensively it will be fun to watch how they build the team around Fields and how they want to handle the RB roster.

Sundays game looked pretty horrible but it is always darkest before dawn.

Yeah, this back half of the season is going to be ugly, but necessary.

The thing is, looking ahead to the offseason, I don't know how good a free agent class this upcoming class is going to be, and I don't know how good this upcoming draft is going to be.

For the FA - it always sucks this early because of the franchise tag, so I don't really want to project any potential big time free agents until the teams can tag in late February, and even then, I think it's smarter to wait until the second wave of free agency and just start stacking bodies that are average NFL starter material on short, 2-3 year deals to allow them to be easily moved on from as you replace them in the draft over the next 2-3 years (unless an absolute unicorn like Da'Ron Payne hits the market, which I am not expecting).

For the draft, I am pulling for the Bears to hold onto the 2nd overall pick (although based on games played, it looks like we not only need to lose out, but need 2 more teams to win 1 more to secure it), and my hope is, whatever they end up with, they can trade down multiple time in round 1, and stockpile 2nd round picks AND 1st round picks for NEXT year - because it seems like even the 'studs' in this draft supposedly have more questions than most years - Will Anderson Jr having a down year from last year, injury concerns for a few of the consensus top studs including a first rounder who is only being looked at as a slot receiver (Addison)?

Like, if we end up with the 4th overall pick, and the Texans offer something like this:




I'm trading down and jumping all over it. And then I'd trade down again.

I may end up being wrong, but it just feels like this draft is going to have a lot of quality starters, but few real stars, and so trading down twice to stock up on players who will be pretty good starters while also securing 1-3 more first round picks for next year which is going to be a stronger draft class, allegedly (because honestly, its all a crapshoot so who the fuck really knows, but its just what I've heard), seems like the best play to me.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

I hope people don’t flip flop and start bitching when they see poles stay true to his word and build thru the draft and not spend a bunch of $ on free agents this coming offseason.

Anyone thinking the bears will be competing for playoffs next year are going to be disappointed when they realize year two of rebuild isnt much better than year one, regardless of how much $ bears have. This is poles, not pace. Expect one or two splash signings at most this offseason. Most of the rest of the team will be similar to this year… low cost one year prove it deals for younger unproven players.

I think you underestimate the parity of the league.

We had what, 6 games decided by 8 points or less, with a completely abysmal roster?


We have the QB - if Poles spends smart and goes for volume in wave 2 of free agency to lock up average starting caliber players en masse to 2-3 year team-friendly deals, we probably are good enough to win those games and now we are looking at being 9-3 instead of 3-9.

Of course, with the lack of depth and just an average team, we'll get smoked in the playoffs, for sure.

But playoffs aren't that far off from where we are at now - as hard as it is to fathom.

Now being in actual contention for a SUPERBOWL?

There I agree - at LEAST 2 more drafts away.

And that's banking on Poles not messing it up with bad free agent decisions and bad drafts...

 

[HeHateMe]

Yeah, this back half of the season is going to be ugly, but necessary.

The thing is, looking ahead to the offseason, I don't know how good a free agent class this upcoming class is going to be, and I don't know how good this upcoming draft is going to be.

For the FA - it always sucks this early because of the franchise tag, so I don't really want to project any potential big time free agents until the teams can tag in late February, and even then, I think it's smarter to wait until the second wave of free agency and just start stacking bodies that are average NFL starter material on short, 2-3 year deals to allow them to be easily moved on from as you replace them in the draft over the next 2-3 years (unless an absolute unicorn like Da'Ron Payne hits the market, which I am not expecting).

For the draft, I am pulling for the Bears to hold onto the 2nd overall pick (although based on games played, it looks like we not only need to lose out, but need 2 more teams to win 1 more to secure it), and my hope is, whatever they end up with, they can trade down multiple time in round 1, and stockpile 2nd round picks AND 1st round picks for NEXT year - because it seems like even the 'studs' in this draft supposedly have more questions than most years - Will Anderson Jr having a down year from last year, injury concerns for a few of the consensus top studs including a first rounder who is only being looked at as a slot receiver (Addison)?

Like, if we end up with the 4th overall pick, and the Texans offer something like this:

View attachment 24450


I'm trading down and jumping all over it. And then I'd trade down again.

I may end up being wrong, but it just feels like this draft is going to have a lot of quality starters, but few real stars, and so trading down twice to stock up on players who will be pretty good starters while also securing 1-3 more first round picks for next year which is going to be a stronger draft class, allegedly (because honestly, its all a crapshoot so who the fuck really knows, but its just what I've heard), seems like the best play to me.

lol why would the Texans need the Bears pick? They're currently standing to get the #1 pick.

Also how do you not know the strength of the upcoming draft class but somehow know the 2024 class is stronger?

wut the heck dude?

 

[dabears70]

Love looked pretty good this week. Don’t be shocked to see him light the Bears up.

A.Rodgers is going to play.

 

[HeHateMe]

lol why would the Texans need the Bears pick? They're currently standing to get the #1 pick.

Also how do you not know the strength of the upcoming draft class but somehow know the 2024 class is stronger?

wut the heck dude?

furthermore @Mighty Joe Young if you watch the games and use google, it can go far in assessing the FA market, instead of just saying it isn't that great and choosing what "wave" you want to shoot for. Also, if you watch the games, you'll see what positions the Bears will likely need, and determine based upon positional value, what FA player would make good targets, and then you'll have a better grasp of what "wave" Poles should be involved with. FWIW, he's involved with every "wave" because he is an NFL GM.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Pretty sure morrow and Sanborn are starting caliber I'd like to see Weatherford at SLB this season. But bobby okereke needs to take his spot at wlb this season imo.

Guys - don't get carried away on Sandborn. He's too slow and has to swipe at ankles to tackle faster guys. He's not bad, and belongs on the roster, but come on guys, he isn't Urlacher or Briggs out there. He's not a starter on a good team.

Know what comp I think fits him best?


Brendon Ayanbadejo. Also a linebacker with a high motor like Sandborn, another guy who was a tackling machine, but you really didn't want getting over-exposed playing long parts of the season at linebacker, but can still do an adequate job in a pinch due to injury, and in the mean time, can be an absolute special teams ace.

There's a place for Sandborn on this team when they are good enough again to contend in the playoffs, but its' not as a starting linebacker...

 

[MDB111™]

I hope people don’t flip flop and start bitching when they see poles stay true to his word and build thru the draft and not spend a bunch of $ on free agents this coming offseason.

Anyone thinking the bears will be competing for playoffs next year are going to be disappointed when they realize year two of rebuild isnt much better than year one, regardless of how much $ bears have. This is poles, not pace. Expect one or two splash signings at most this offseason. Most of the rest of the team will be similar to this year… low cost one year prove it deals for younger unproven players.

What is year 3 of the rebuild like?

 

[Bear_Assed]

What is year 3 of the rebuild like?

That mostly depends on how poles draft picks pan out.

 

[Bust]

That mostly depends on how poles draft picks pan out.

Yeppers! Poles needs to hit bank on least 2 impact starters on each side of the ball. He has the resources to make it happen.

On the topic of free agent whiffs. The Seahawks will get a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft . . .

who woulda thunk week 12 and Russell Wilson has 8td and 5ints . . . WOW! This dude pocketed 100 million up front to sign with denver.

Russell Wilson 2023 Stats per Game - NFL - ESPN

The 2023 NFL season stats per game for Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

 

[cameronkrazie86]

Yeppers! Poles needs to hit bank on least 2 impact starters on each side of the ball. He has the resources to make it happen.

On the topic of free agent whiffs. The Seahawks will get a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft . . .

who woulda thunk week 12 and Russell Wilson has 8td and 5ints . . . WOW! This dude pocketed 100 million up front to sign with denver.

Russell Wilson 2023 Stats per Game - NFL - ESPN

The 2023 NFL season stats per game for Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

Dude still has more bathrooms in his house than touchdown passes this year. I find that incredible.

 

[Monster]

Love looked pretty good this week. Don’t be shocked to see him light the Bears up.

Just saw NFL Now and appears Aaron is starting.
At least for now…