Bears 2024 4.0

[molepharmer]

Read on Twitter

That could be a nice signing if the money is right. He has started a couple of years for Minny.

[patryk7754]

Read on Twitter

He's 26, 6'5, 260.

Started 14 games in 2021 and 2023. Had 8 sacks each season. Sounds like he's right up Poles' alley

[HoopsterJones]

Danielle Hunter looking for $30m per season AAV. A bit steep IMO.

[IliketheBullsNBearstoo]

Danielle Hunter looking for $30m per season AAV. A bit steep IMO.

Pass.

[fleet]

I disagree Poles was doing his due diligence in which he said before the start of free agency.

That’s only possible if you buy that the decision was about Caleb Williams. If the Bears have made their decision based on whether or not they want to stay with Fields or move on, due diligence doesn’t mean anything. Not with respect to whether or not they can call Fields their quarterback going forward. That’s independent. The Bears could announce that Fields is the quarterback, and we move on to the trade of the pick. The idea is, the Bears are taking a quarterback #1. Due diligence only matter with regard to which quarterback they will choose. It isn’t balanced against the Fields decision.

If I recall correctly, Poles has said that he loves Fields, but they are in a unique situation and he has to evaluate all options, and that for him to draft a QB they would have to blow him away. Which sounds like, "if we didn't have the Panthers' pick then we'd be confident rolling with Justin, but we have the #1 pick so i have to figure out if one of these prospects is a can't miss prospect or if i can trade the pick like I did last year."

So, if you want to believe the words that come out of the man's mouth, the decision is based completely on whether he thinks Williams truly is a can't-miss player. If you want to believe the 200 random conflicting reports that change on a daily basis, then you can believe whatever you prefer.

Never disputed that. A lot of different people have interpreted those statements to infer different things. If you want to talk about things to believe, What I know is that the Bears, like most teams, and especially bad teams in the mix have scouted Caleb and probably Maye for years, have done their background investigation, and at this point in the process, all that is done. Daniels might present issues along those lines, but not Caleb and Maye. The Bears are in the process of checking boxes, and it stretches incredulity to believe they haven't yet made their assessment whether or not the quarterbacks in this draft offer an upgrade to Fields or not enough to make the call on Fields. One thing they know through and through, is if they want Fields to be their quarterback, or an upgrade, and especially if they want to pay Fields on the option year, which we hear they do not want to do. That says enough for you and me to do math, if we are doing math.

[Michael Jackson]

Everyone wants a homerun with every at bat, but just not realistic (well maybe if I am pitching to juiced Barry Bonds that might happen if I don't hit him lol) Still... seems Poles is smartly plugging holes and upgrading. Do I love Swift? nope, but better value than Jacobs or Barkley was and I don't even like the money spent on Swift. Oddly that signing makes me think they are more on Caleb because of his ability to catch.

I don't think reading what is going on with JF1 means much of anything. I mean we love it. We ALL do. It is more interesting than the Bulls. The Bulls are so milquetoast to talk about so this is fun fun fun. I just don't think anyone has any read on it and if a person did, they would be inside circle and surely not posting on these boards and or twitter (X). We are all kinda pissing in the wind a bit but I doth love the fun of it.

[fleet]

Everyone wants a homerun with every at bat, but just not realistic (well maybe if I am pitching to juiced Barry Bonds that might happen if I don't hit him lol) Still... seems Poles is smartly plugging holes and upgrading. Do I love Swift? nope, but better value than Jacobs or Barkley was and I don't even like the money spent on Swift. Oddly that signing makes me think they are more on Caleb because of his ability to catch.

I don't think reading what is going on with JF1 means much of anything. I mean we love it. We ALL do. It is more interesting than the Bulls. The Bulls are so milquetoast to talk about so this is fun fun fun. I just don't think anyone has any read on it and if a person did, they would be inside circle and surely not posting on these boards and or twitter (X). We are all kinda pissing in the wind a bit but I doth love the fun of it.

One might wonder if the small signings set the next big salary add on offense. Was hoping it would be on the top center in free agency. I don't know who else is on the board. But I wouldn't mind a scenario of bringing Tee Higgins over here. Then they can just draft Dallas Turner or whoever else edge and a lot has happened to set things up well. They have spent a ton of money on defense already.

Speaking of the Bulls, If Poles is keeping the cap flexible for a future splash, that's cool too. I imagine he was telling a lot of truth when he said he always wanted to stay cap healthy. The Bears don't have to max out the cap in 2024. And the top teams are most always built through the draft, not free agency. Folks talk about all the holes like it all has to be finished up this year.

[heir_jordan22]

That’s only possible if you buy that the decision was about Caleb Williams. If the Bears have made their decision based on whether or not they want to stay with Fields or move on, due diligence doesn’t mean anything. Not with respect to whether or not they can call Fields their quarterback going forward. That’s independent. The Bears could announce that Fields is the quarterback, and we move on to the trade of the pick. The idea is, the Bears are taking a quarterback #1. Due diligence only matter with regard to which quarterback they will choose. It isn’t balanced against the Fields decision.

If I recall correctly, Poles has said that he loves Fields, but they are in a unique situation and he has to evaluate all options, and that for him to draft a QB they would have to blow him away. Which sounds like, "if we didn't have the Panthers' pick then we'd be confident rolling with Justin, but we have the #1 pick so i have to figure out if one of these prospects is a can't miss prospect or if i can trade the pick like I did last year."

So, if you want to believe the words that come out of the man's mouth, the decision is based completely on whether he thinks Williams truly is a can't-miss player. If you want to believe the 200 random conflicting reports that change on a daily basis, then you can believe whatever you prefer.

Never disputed that. A lot of different people have interpreted those statements to infer different things. If you want to talk about things to believe, What I know is that the Bears, like most teams, and especially bad teams in the mix have scouted Caleb and probably Maye for years, have done their background investigation, and at this point in the process, all that is done. Daniels might present issues along those lines, but not Caleb and Maye. The Bears are in the process of checking boxes, and it stretches incredulity to believe they haven't yet made their assessment whether or not the quarterbacks in this draft offer an upgrade to Fields or not enough to make the call on Fields. One thing they know through and through, is if they want Fields to be their quarterback, or an upgrade, and especially if they want to pay Fields on the option year, which we hear they do not want to do. That says enough for you and me to do math, if we are doing math.

I am not sure how we know for certain that they dont want to pay the 5th hear option.

[patryk7754]

Danielle Hunter looking for $30m per season AAV. A bit steep IMO.

Pass.

Why I hated the Bruns deal

[Michael Jackson]

Everyone wants a homerun with every at bat, but just not realistic (well maybe if I am pitching to juiced Barry Bonds that might happen if I don't hit him lol) Still... seems Poles is smartly plugging holes and upgrading. Do I love Swift? nope, but better value than Jacobs or Barkley was and I don't even like the money spent on Swift. Oddly that signing makes me think they are more on Caleb because of his ability to catch.

I don't think reading what is going on with JF1 means much of anything. I mean we love it. We ALL do. It is more interesting than the Bulls. The Bulls are so milquetoast to talk about so this is fun fun fun. I just don't think anyone has any read on it and if a person did, they would be inside circle and surely not posting on these boards and or twitter (X). We are all kinda pissing in the wind a bit but I doth love the fun of it.

One might wonder if the small signings set the next big salary add on offense. Was hoping it would be on the top center in free agency. I don't know who else is on the board. But I wouldn't mind a scenario of bringing Tee Higgins over here. Then they can just draft Dallas Turner or whoever else edge and a lot has happened to set things up well. They have spent a ton of money on defense already.

Speaking of the Bulls, If Poles is keeping the cap flexible for a future splash, that's cool too. I imagine he was telling a lot of truth when he said he always wanted to stay cap healthy. The Bears don't have to max out the cap in 2024. And the top teams are most always built through the draft, not free agency. Folks talk about all the holes like it all has to be finished up this year.

Quite possible on that. Tough to agree with Dice sometimes but the value signings especially in the NFL with so many spots to fill and so many injuries. Upgrading smartly and getting a few blue chips is pretty important. Clearly Poles knew the asking prices on RB's this year and he actually seemed to get value. Some can argue that Montgomery was a misstep.. but this is this years market. Me personally I am not spending on a RB at the same way I am never spending on a center in the NBA. That being said there are exceptions, McCaffery really did help out this year. Not sure Bijan did last year but maybe but I am ok with his backup. That being said plugging all the holes you can make a move on what you need for your gamebreakers. Is it Tee? Maybe so (not game breaker but key position)

Everyone goes into a fantasy draft thinking they won. I haven't played for years btw but I got Ladanian and Manning when they both had career years. Alexander went first but he had the Madden curse that year and LT was the man and we knew it. Sometimes it is just luck.

[othawhitemeat]

Everyone wants a homerun with every at bat, but just not realistic (well maybe if I am pitching to juiced Barry Bonds that might happen if I don't hit him lol) Still... seems Poles is smartly plugging holes and upgrading. Do I love Swift? nope, but better value than Jacobs or Barkley was and I don't even like the money spent on Swift. Oddly that signing makes me think they are more on Caleb because of his ability to catch.

I don't think reading what is going on with JF1 means much of anything. I mean we love it. We ALL do. It is more interesting than the Bulls. The Bulls are so milquetoast to talk about so this is fun fun fun. I just don't think anyone has any read on it and if a person did, they would be inside circle and surely not posting on these boards and or twitter (X). We are all kinda pissing in the wind a bit but I doth love the fun of it.

I agree, but sometimes you got to swing a for like a triple. I mean last year he swung with Edmunds, swung with Sweat, etc... I think you can have both - say go for a double with if say Samuel wants 10 mill a year and get something like the MN lb/end for like 9 mill a year, that leaves you with 10ish mill in savings still. Maybe they are waiting for more cuts because I have to think the Falcons are over after signing Cousins/Mooney, Chargers are over, Giants have to be over now with the Burns signing, etc....

[biggestbullsfan]

Read on Twitter

Off topic but the market is clearly going up right now. This is such a wild conversation

[biggestbullsfan]

Danielle Hunter looking for $30m per season AAV. A bit steep IMO.

Pass.

Why I hated the Bruns deal

We didn’t want to give 25 million a year to a much younger Wilkins. So yea, we not getting Hunter

But I’m not mad at him, get your money while you can lol

[fleet]

If I recall correctly, Poles has said that he loves Fields, but they are in a unique situation and he has to evaluate all options, and that for him to draft a QB they would have to blow him away. Which sounds like, "if we didn't have the Panthers' pick then we'd be confident rolling with Justin, but we have the #1 pick so i have to figure out if one of these prospects is a can't miss prospect or if i can trade the pick like I did last year."

So, if you want to believe the words that come out of the man's mouth, the decision is based completely on whether he thinks Williams truly is a can't-miss player. If you want to believe the 200 random conflicting reports that change on a daily basis, then you can believe whatever you prefer.

Never disputed that. A lot of different people have interpreted those statements to infer different things. If you want to talk about things to believe, What I know is that the Bears, like most teams, and especially bad teams in the mix have scouted Caleb and probably Maye for years, have done their background investigation, and at this point in the process, all that is done. Daniels might present issues along those lines, but not Caleb and Maye. The Bears are in the process of checking boxes, and it stretches incredulity to believe they haven't yet made their assessment whether or not the quarterbacks in this draft offer an upgrade to Fields or not enough to make the call on Fields. One thing they know through and through, is if they want Fields to be their quarterback, or an upgrade, and especially if they want to pay Fields on the option year, which we hear they do not want to do. That says enough for you and me to do math, if we are doing math.

I am not sure how we know for certain that they dont want to pay the 5th hear option.

Nothing is for sure other than death, and Jerry Reinsdorf's tone deafness. A key obstacle to teams adding Fields this week has been said to be his contract status, the May 2 deadline for picking up that expensive option. If that's true. the Bears are not an exception to that emotion. An unnamed AFC GM in a December Charles Robinson article seemed like he knew. But as you have previously stated, one can believe what one chooses.

“The fact that we’re in Year 3 and [they] don’t want to exercise the fifth-year option tells me what I need to know.”


https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2023/12/14/24002147/unnamed-afc-gm-the-chicago-bears-arent-planning-to-pick-up-justin-fields-5th-year-option

[Mindcrime]

Imagine a world in which Bears trade out of the 1st for a "Poles haul" outside of the top 10 and Maye is there at 9 and he pans out, now that would be a chess move.

[Michael Jackson]

Everyone wants a homerun with every at bat, but just not realistic (well maybe if I am pitching to juiced Barry Bonds that might happen if I don't hit him lol) Still... seems Poles is smartly plugging holes and upgrading. Do I love Swift? nope, but better value than Jacobs or Barkley was and I don't even like the money spent on Swift. Oddly that signing makes me think they are more on Caleb because of his ability to catch.

I don't think reading what is going on with JF1 means much of anything. I mean we love it. We ALL do. It is more interesting than the Bulls. The Bulls are so milquetoast to talk about so this is fun fun fun. I just don't think anyone has any read on it and if a person did, they would be inside circle and surely not posting on these boards and or twitter (X). We are all kinda pissing in the wind a bit but I doth love the fun of it.

I agree, but sometimes you got to swing a for like a triple. I mean last year he swung with Edmunds, swung with Sweat, etc... I think you can have both - say go for a double with if say Samuel wants 10 mill a year and get something like the MN lb/end for like 9 mill a year, that leaves you with 10ish mill in savings still. Maybe they are waiting for more cuts because I have to think the Falcons are over after signing Cousins/Mooney, Chargers are over, Giants have to be over now with the Burns signing, etc....

Swinging for a triple is pretty tough. Ideally it would be easy... but triples are hard not as hard as triple plays but still. They end up more on luck imho.

[Mindcrime]

Read on Twitter

[nomorezorro]

Read on Twitter

Off topic but the market is clearly going up right now. This is such a wild conversation

it's wild because it's made up. this is a fake account. this is not a real nfl reporter. it takes 5 seconds to research these things.

[IliketheBullsNBearstoo]

Read on Twitter

If this is true this is interesting.

[panthermark]

Never disputed that. A lot of different people have interpreted those statements to infer different things. If you want to talk about things to believe, What I know is that the Bears, like most teams, and especially bad teams in the mix have scouted Caleb and probably Maye for years, have done their background investigation, and at this point in the process, all that is done. Daniels might present issues along those lines, but not Caleb and Maye. The Bears are in the process of checking boxes, and it stretches incredulity to believe they haven't yet made their assessment whether or not the quarterbacks in this draft offer an upgrade to Fields or not enough to make the call on Fields. One thing they know through and through, is if they want Fields to be their quarterback, or an upgrade, and especially if they want to pay Fields on the option year, which we hear they do not want to do. That says enough for you and me to do math, if we are doing math.

I think there is more to it than that.

From an "arm talent" perspective, I think Caleb is an upgrade of Fields. I'm pretty sure everyone and their mom knows the "on the field" positives and negatives of Caleb (negatives being the fumbles, big play hunting, and limited on schedule play).

I think the evaluation needed includes the off the field part and intangibles (and they still need his medical). To quote you...declining that early meeting is "not not a big deal" (or something like that).

I'm not sure (and would not know) if they consider Maye or JD "upgrades" over Fields, but either way....they still would want their top 30 visit and pro days first for everyone.

The other item I will throw in their is the contract situation. I've been keeping an eye on what these QB's are getting, and everyone not named Cousins are getting value deals (although one could say Baker made out pretty well). One reason to move on from Fields is the concern of a $40M-$45M a year contract. He is not worth that. But if he is on a $25M-$30M a year deal, that somewhat changes the evaluation when thrown in what what the 1st pick could return. (Or how the other QB's shake out compared to Williams).

I would assume they are leaning one way, but there are a lot of variables still out there.
When one of the nebulous knocks on CW is the "diva" image, and having him decline his combine medical, then decline an early meeting with that team that holds the #1 pick so does not have to shuttle back and forth and an prepare for his pro day...after saying he does not need to throw at the combine because there is film out there on him......is a bad look. That is the type of behavior that makes you "re-evaluate" your evaluation....just to make triple sure this is the person you want leading your franchise. (Who knows, maybe it is a play to get to Washington?)