What Has to Happen, Pessimists?

Bearly

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Um, no? I was VERY critical of Pace and Nagy. I've been a Bears fan since about 1990. The number of wins isn't really important, but it is SOME indication of success. If we go 0-17 something isn't working. But I expect a down year. I expect a losing record. They have A LOT to fix, that Pace and Nagy fucked up.
I actually think we'll be closer to 500 but a lot of that depends on Fields being able to keep safeties honest. My thought is that he will.
 

2Deep

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Record next year doesn't matter to me. just show me Fields getting better, and the draft picks showing flashes.
Joe, you and many others say record doesn't matter. I understand the premise BUT I'm not so easily ready to throw in the season. NFL seasons are precious, there are very few rebuilds in the NFL like you saw with the Cubs 8 years back and white sox about 4 years back, unless you are the Detroit Lions.

For me this team has to compete. Not as a superbowl contender but as a team trying to make playoffs. There is enough talent there on defense between....

Jaylon Johnson
Roquan Smith
Robert Quinn
Eddie Jackson (like him or not)

I understand there are holes but those can be filled to a point.

On offense you have a young QB who is ready to take a step forward, you have good running game with one very good RB and another emerging. The O line has building blocks and still not a complete puzzle yet (more moves to make), you have an emerging WR with more moves still pending, you have a young TE who may be the answer.

Again I understand the holes but there is still a entire off season and draft still left.

I'm not ready to make this season a develmental season because in football every season is precious and has a identity of its own. To me there are not tear downs and rebuilds in football.

Therefore, right or wrong, my expectation is this team fighting for playoffs. Anything less is a disappointing season, even if Fuelds takes a step forward with a bad team record. Whats the point of a step forward for your young QB if you can't win games??

NFL is year to year.....so you take your chances each year.
 

Visionman

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The Bears have neither earned nor deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Poles and Eberflus absolutely should be allowed to do their jobs to the best of their ability. But giving an honest assessment and raising legitimate concerns aren't the same as "ripping off your dicks".



I'm looking for development and growth of Justin Fields. That's first. That's priority.

I want to know by the end of this year whether Justin Fields is the Bears quarterback of the future or not.



Let me ask you a question, though: What makes you say that "these guys know what they are doing"?
How can it be an “honest assessment” when you automatically hold the franchise’s past against them ? They had nothing to do with all that…
 

Visionman

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Joe, you and many others say record doesn't matter. I understand the premise BUT I'm not so easily ready to throw in the season. NFL seasons are precious, there are very few rebuilds in the NFL like you saw with the Cubs 8 years back and white sox about 4 years back, unless you are the Detroit Lions.

For me this team has to compete. Not as a superbowl contender but as a team trying to make playoffs. There is enough talent there on defense between....

Jaylon Johnson
Roquan Smith
Robert Quinn
Eddie Jackson (like him or not)

I understand there are holes but those can be filled to a point.

On offense you have a young QB who is ready to take a step forward, you have good running game with one very good RB and another emerging. The O line has building blocks and still not a complete puzzle yet (more moves to make), you have an emerging WR with more moves still pending, you have a young TE who may be the answer.

Again I understand the holes but there is still a entire off season and draft still left.

I'm not ready to make this season a develmental season because in football every season is precious and has a identity of its own. To me there are not tear downs and rebuilds in football.

Therefore, right or wrong, my expectation is this team fighting for playoffs. Anything less is a disappointing season, even if Fuelds takes a step forward with a bad team record. Whats the point of a step forward for your young QB if you can't win games??

NFL is year to year.....so you take your chances each year.
I think a lot of people are hoping for that tanking this season to get a top draft pick. I don’t think it will happen. Poles isn’t completely gutting the team, but he is clearly looking to the future. I expect a middling team this year, 7-10 to 9-8, but competitive and playing disciplined. A fun team to watch.

Then in 2023…big things.
 

Zvbxrpl

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Ultimately? When the going gets tough offensively year 1 because the team is transitioning away from whatever the hell Nagy tried to do to Getsy’s plan—and it has inevitable roadblocks because the Oline probably isn’t going from dead last last year to a strength this year and Fields continues growing pains learning 2 systems in 2 years—do not do what the bears have done my whole life and shell up, give up on offense and just spend spend spend all resources on defense like all GMs have before we again—wonder why the offense can’t and won’t work.

Stop focusing on receivers because even competent quarterbacks can’t get it to them because they’re roadkill because multiple spots on the OL are about as effective as wet tissue paper.

Commit to both sides of the trenches, not 1 solid player on a 4 man front defensively/5 spots offensively when you need a whole functioning unit.

Do the unsexy thing idiot, impatient fans won’t like.
 

Nelly

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I think a lot of people are hoping for that tanking this season to get a top draft pick. I don’t think it will happen. Poles isn’t completely gutting the team, but he is clearly looking to the future. I expect a middling team this year, 7-10 to 9-8, but competitive and playing disciplined. A fun team to watch.
Agreed on the team being less talented but playing the right way. That said, a lot of things would have to go right to get to 8 wins, even against our shitty schedule. It's hard to see this team being able to get any more than 7, IMO.

Also agreed on the approach. The Jags have had the 1st overall pick two years in a row and a boat load of cap space seemingly every year. How's that working out? Establishing a winning culture is the most important thing and a good GM will find good players at every level of the draft. Tanking for a pick is bad karma.
 

HearshotKDS

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If they can get Fields to take a big step in development this season then that would be enough for me. Poles has done a good job of resetting the team financially, but my concern is he’s done so by making so many sacrifices to team quality that it will negatively impact key players development. If those key players develop anyway this year then that’s a resounding success of a “get out of cap hell” season and then we see how well he can build a good team in ‘23 where it becomes all about wins.
 
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For me:

Poles--Show us you believe in Fields by adding more talent to this offense whether that be tier 1-2 or 3 players. I think a big part for Fields to take that next step is knowing that these guys believe in him and have given him enough help to move forward. You have to hit in the draft as well. We have a lot of needs and plenty at starter positions with WR, OL, CB, S, NB, LB, DL, so i'm good with him going BPA but gotta BPA by need at WR and OL with at least a couple of the picks.

Eberflus--Show us you can lead this team from the HC position. The team isn't gonna be good and i don't care about that as long as the players keep playing hard for you throughout the season.

Getsy--Fields Fields Fields. Show us you can be a smart play caller and get whatever WR's we have open. Get Fields to get the ball out quick and read a defense better. It's not all about Fields but it's all about Fields for Getsy.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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Joe, you and many others say record doesn't matter. I understand the premise BUT I'm not so easily ready to throw in the season. NFL seasons are precious, there are very few rebuilds in the NFL like you saw with the Cubs 8 years back and white sox about 4 years back, unless you are the Detroit Lions.

For me this team has to compete. Not as a superbowl contender but as a team trying to make playoffs. There is enough talent there on defense between....

Jaylon Johnson
Roquan Smith
Robert Quinn
Eddie Jackson (like him or not)

I understand there are holes but those can be filled to a point.

On offense you have a young QB who is ready to take a step forward, you have good running game with one very good RB and another emerging. The O line has building blocks and still not a complete puzzle yet (more moves to make), you have an emerging WR with more moves still pending, you have a young TE who may be the answer.

Again I understand the holes but there is still a entire off season and draft still left.

I'm not ready to make this season a develmental season because in football every season is precious and has a identity of its own. To me there are not tear downs and rebuilds in football.

Therefore, right or wrong, my expectation is this team fighting for playoffs. Anything less is a disappointing season, even if Fuelds takes a step forward with a bad team record. Whats the point of a step forward for your young QB if you can't win games??

NFL is year to year.....so you take your chances each year.

Let me contextualize it a different way.

If the Bears end up surprising everyone and being successful, I am not going to be mad that they played out of a top 10 pick.

However, I can honestly look at the current state of the Bears and see where they are at, and that will inform my emotional investment in the team and what areas I place it in.

Looking at the state of the team, which I do indeed blame on Ryan PACE (Not Poles), 2022 is going to be 2004 all over again in my book.

To refresh people's memory of that, it was Jerry Angelo deciding to gut and rebuild the team under Lovie Smith, and there were contant radio jokes about "Jerry Angelo's wood chipper" because he kept cutting players and gutting the roster, which was needed for the scheme transition and to properly build the team back up.

2004 sucked as a season. But - the defense gelled the last 4 games and gave a hint of things to come.


Now lets look at 2022. New GM, New Head coach, and scheme transitions. No need for a "woodchipper" because a third of the roster was free agents anyway. Perhaps more challenging, the Bears only have 6 picks and none in rd 1. And I've read that the Bears are acutely aware of the roster limitations and are commited to building this up right for the long haul, not the short term, which is why they aren't spending right now.

I also read that because they are aware of the roster limitations, a final evaluation on Fields will not happen until the end of 2023 - apparently they found what Nagy did so utterly worthless that they are going to treat 2022 as if it were Justin's rookie season, especially since this is a new scheme and it will take a couple years for him to get comfortable.

NONE of that is going to be music to the ears of the perennial impatient Bears fans. But that's how the team is going to be, whether fans like it or not.

So, in the face of this reality, "I choose life." I choose to accept that any enjoyment to be had out of the upcoming season likely won't be tethered to wins and losses. Therefore, like 2004, I choose to look for growth. Growth from Fields. Growth from whomever they drafted and see if Poles can actually draft. Growth from perhaps unexpected places that can now flourish under real, proper coaching vs the crap Nagy had.

And to see if I can see a future from all of that. I did at the end of 2004, saying the Bears would be in the Superbowl in 2 years (this board lit me up for that, and I was right ;p ). Too soon to tell right now obviously for this group.

But that is how I will be choosing to digest games this year. And I think I will be in a better place for it emotionally than most bitchy Bears fans; especially on Sundays.
 

2Deep

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Let me contextualize it a different way.

If the Bears end up surprising everyone and being successful, I am not going to be mad that they played out of a top 10 pick.

However, I can honestly look at the current state of the Bears and see where they are at, and that will inform my emotional investment in the team and what areas I place it in.

Looking at the state of the team, which I do indeed blame on Ryan PACE (Not Poles), 2022 is going to be 2004 all over again in my book.

To refresh people's memory of that, it was Jerry Angelo deciding to gut and rebuild the team under Lovie Smith, and there were contant radio jokes about "Jerry Angelo's wood chipper" because he kept cutting players and gutting the roster, which was needed for the scheme transition and to properly build the team back up.

2004 sucked as a season. But - the defense gelled the last 4 games and gave a hint of things to come.


Now lets look at 2022. New GM, New Head coach, and scheme transitions. No need for a "woodchipper" because a third of the roster was free agents anyway. Perhaps more challenging, the Bears only have 6 picks and none in rd 1. And I've read that the Bears are acutely aware of the roster limitations and are commited to building this up right for the long haul, not the short term, which is why they aren't spending right now.

I also read that because they are aware of the roster limitations, a final evaluation on Fields will not happen until the end of 2023 - apparently they found what Nagy did so utterly worthless that they are going to treat 2022 as if it were Justin's rookie season, especially since this is a new scheme and it will take a couple years for him to get comfortable.

NONE of that is going to be music to the ears of the perennial impatient Bears fans. But that's how the team is going to be, whether fans like it or not.

So, in the face of this reality, "I choose life." I choose to accept that any enjoyment to be had out of the upcoming season likely won't be tethered to wins and losses. Therefore, like 2004, I choose to look for growth. Growth from Fields. Growth from whomever they drafted and see if Poles can actually draft. Growth from perhaps unexpected places that can now flourish under real, proper coaching vs the crap Nagy had.

And to see if I can see a future from all of that. I did at the end of 2004, saying the Bears would be in the Superbowl in 2 years (this board lit me up for that, and I was right ;p ). Too soon to tell right now obviously for this group.

But that is how I will be choosing to digest games this year. And I think I will be in a better place for it emotionally than most bitchy Bears fans; especially on Sundays.
I can respect your outlook.
I'm not impatient as a fan but I also don't belive in developmental years in the NFL.

You are one hit/injury away to your QB to having more developmental years. While I can appreciate what Poles is doing in trying to build slowly.......my expectations and fun are in WINS. Maybe you will say that is impatience but to me its being practical in today's NFL.

Either way, I will be there cheering every Sunday. Hoping this will not be a lost season.
 

jive

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If we get 2 or more players that can make an immediate impact from this draft, 3 or more players that can develop to make an impact in the near future, and a couple of free agents that provide value commensurate to their salary, I'll be a little more optimistic with the front office. The team doesn't have to be successful in 2022, but they should have a foundation to build upon to be successful in 2023.

Regardless of talent or record, if the players play hard week in and week out, playing disciplined football without the stupid mistakes, I'll have better hope for the coaching staff. If depth players and rookies develop to become regular contributors, I'll have better hope in the assistants. But, until the games are played, I won't have much to go on for optimism other than off season hype.
 

Nelly

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I can respect your outlook.
I'm not impatient as a fan but I also don't belive in developmental years in the NFL.

You are one hit/injury away to your QB to having more developmental years. While I can appreciate what Poles is doing in trying to build slowly.......my expectations and fun are in WINS. Maybe you will say that is impatience but to me its being practical in today's NFL.
Wins are the ultimate goal of course and always will be, but in 2022, wins aren't important. Where we're at as a team, say 8 years from now, it'd be cool to say that we watched Fields grow as a rookie and sophomore into one of the best QBs in the league and thus a superbowl winner.

If Fields turns out to be just another guy or even a bust, then well it's not like that'd be new for Bears fans.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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I can respect your outlook.
I'm not impatient as a fan but I also don't belive in developmental years in the NFL.

You are one hit/injury away to your QB to having more developmental years. While I can appreciate what Poles is doing in trying to build slowly.......my expectations and fun are in WINS. Maybe you will say that is impatience but to me its being practical in today's NFL.

Either way, I will be there cheering every Sunday. Hoping this will not be a lost season.

Fair - but I think you will only find disappointment.
 

JoJoBoxer

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They said what they were going to do, and so far, they are doing it. It's still in progress, so I want to see the full FA and draft before I get all worked up. They cut players that didn't fit the scheme or style, they traded assets, and have a lot of cap for next year.

Take a guy like Jenkins. I think he flashed last year. He may not be the LT of the future, but he could be the RT. They kept him and seem to like his energy and aggression.

They didn't spend big money on aging, hurt, veterans. They are building with youth. And I like that. Again, I want to see the draft. Ane more importantly how Fields LOOKS on the field. The scheme and support ALONE should be a HUGE improvement. I want to see that.
Who were some of the biggest names during this offseason who changed teams?

Allen Robinson, J. C. Jackson, Davante Adams, Terron Armstead and Tyreek Hill.

Bears fans would have loved to have gotten one, if not all of them, to play for the Bears.

What do they have in common?

Not one single 1st rounder in the bunch. There were two 2nd round WRs (Robinson and Adams), one 3rd round OT (Armstead), one 5th round WR (Hill) and one Undrafted CB (Jackson).

With the lack of cap space in 2022 and the lack of 1st round picks, the Bears can still improve their roster with the picks they have (or the picks they can get in a trade down or two) and even with UDFAs. There is still hope.

A good draft and UDFA signing period can provide some much needed depth to the roster. A year of gelling can make the roster better, if there is a strategy to develop players.

A year of competent play-calling and development can transform Fields into an asset instead of a question mark with potential.

A year of getting the defense to buy into the new Lovie defense (why call it anything else?) will make it a top 15 defense again.

Won / loss record needs to take a back seat to development. 2022 is all about filling holes.
 

JoJoBoxer

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Joe, you and many others say record doesn't matter. I understand the premise BUT I'm not so easily ready to throw in the season. NFL seasons are precious, there are very few rebuilds in the NFL like you saw with the Cubs 8 years back and white sox about 4 years back, unless you are the Detroit Lions.

For me this team has to compete. Not as a superbowl contender but as a team trying to make playoffs. There is enough talent there on defense between....

Jaylon Johnson
Roquan Smith
Robert Quinn
Eddie Jackson (like him or not)

I understand there are holes but those can be filled to a point.

On offense you have a young QB who is ready to take a step forward, you have good running game with one very good RB and another emerging. The O line has building blocks and still not a complete puzzle yet (more moves to make), you have an emerging WR with more moves still pending, you have a young TE who may be the answer.
The Bears made 2022 a development season the instant Mack was traded because Poles took one of the few strengths and made it a weakness.

I understand his reasoning. Now we have to live with it.

Can they still compete? Probably not, but sometimes miracles happen.
Again I understand the holes but there is still a entire off season and draft still left.

I'm not ready to make this season a develmental season because in football every season is precious and has a identity of its own. To me there are not tear downs and rebuilds in football.

Therefore, right or wrong, my expectation is this team fighting for playoffs. Anything less is a disappointing season, even if Fuelds takes a step forward with a bad team record. Whats the point of a step forward for your young QB if you can't win games??

NFL is year to year.....so you take your chances each year.
 

JoJoBoxer

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If we get 2 or more players that can make an immediate impact from this draft, 3 or more players that can develop to make an impact in the near future, and a couple of free agents that provide value commensurate to their salary, I'll be a little more optimistic with the front office. The team doesn't have to be successful in 2022, but they should have a foundation to build upon to be successful in 2023.

Regardless of talent or record, if the players play hard week in and week out, playing disciplined football without the stupid mistakes, I'll have better hope for the coaching staff. If depth players and rookies develop to become regular contributors, I'll have better hope in the assistants. But, until the games are played, I won't have much to go on for optimism other than off season hype.
The problem is that your wish is not realistic. You said 2-3 impact drafted players and 3+ drafted players that can develop. You want from 5(2+3) to at least 7(3+4) drafted players to be impact players within a year or two.

How are they going to do that with 6 draft picks? 1st round draft picks are a coin flip of being a bust, bust potential growing as the picks happen in later rounds.

You are basically expecting Poles to hit on 100% of his draft picks. That is a recipe for disappointment.
 

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