Bears talk 2.0; Fields era begins for real for real

[Susan]

Sad news - Jeff Dickerson passed away today. He was on the Bears beat for ESPN for as long as I can remember.

[Jcool0]

RIP

Read on Twitter

[Susan]

RIP

Read on Twitter

Been listening for 15+ years - really hard to hear Waddle like that right now.

[Jcool0]

damn

Read on Twitter

[MAQ]

Dickerson will surely be missed. Gone way too soon.

[dice]

damn

Read on Twitter

hope he saw the 1 hour special about him this weekend

[dice]

If Bears trade Foles the only cap hit that remains on their books is money that has already been paid - IE the $2.67M signing bonus.

The other $5M is garaunteed but hasnt been paid yet, and will hit the books of whoever pays that. Its counted as dead money because Bears would have to pay it if they cut the player, but if they trade Foles the team who acquires him takes the responsibility of paying the garaunteed salary.

If Bears trade Foles before March 21st, 2022 (when the roster bonus gets paid), they free up $8M of cap space for the 2022 season.

Edit: A team trading for him would pay him $8M for 2022, unless they wait until after March 21st when they would pay him $4M. Those would also be his exact cap hits for the team trading for him.

Yeah, it seems really unlikely that we can trade him before March 21st to free up 8M when a team knows they can wait until afterwards and pay him half as much money. The only way that happens is if they feel we would refuse to trade him after March 21st and if they really think he's that much better than other 8M options or if they feel some other team would swoop in and take him at 8M instead.

My guess is we won't be able to trade him prior to March 21st and will instead be on the hook for the 6.6-7.6(depending what that extra million in dead money spotrac says is there but I don't know hwo they account for it).

The "extra" million of dead money is just $1m of his base salary is garaunteed, but it gets paid on a game by game basis and the basic rule of NFL cap is the dollar must always hit the cap of the team that paid it. If they trade him after March 31 but before preseason games (when the base salary starts getting paid out) start they would be on the hook for $6.6m and save $3.4m. From a macro perspective that doesnt make a lot of sense because hes a high caliber backup and those all make more than $3.4m. That does cut both ways in that plenty of teams would love to have Foles as a backup for $3.4M cap hit, but im not sure any teams would be willing to send draft capital in a trade to make it worth our teams while. But then again JAX fans said the same thing and then Pace/Nagy happened so never say never.

illuminating. thanks

is there no middle ground in negotiation between the 2 teams w/ regard to cap hit? or is draft capital the only way to split the difference?

[Dresden]

damn

Read on Twitter

So long big John! What a legend. The Raiders were my favorite team growing up (because the Bears stunk during the 70s), so I watched a lot of their games. What a colorful personality and all around great guy. No one will replace him.

[HearshotKDS]

Yeah, it seems really unlikely that we can trade him before March 21st to free up 8M when a team knows they can wait until afterwards and pay him half as much money. The only way that happens is if they feel we would refuse to trade him after March 21st and if they really think he's that much better than other 8M options or if they feel some other team would swoop in and take him at 8M instead.

My guess is we won't be able to trade him prior to March 21st and will instead be on the hook for the 6.6-7.6(depending what that extra million in dead money spotrac says is there but I don't know hwo they account for it).

The "extra" million of dead money is just $1m of his base salary is garaunteed, but it gets paid on a game by game basis and the basic rule of NFL cap is the dollar must always hit the cap of the team that paid it. If they trade him after March 31 but before preseason games (when the base salary starts getting paid out) start they would be on the hook for $6.6m and save $3.4m. From a macro perspective that doesnt make a lot of sense because hes a high caliber backup and those all make more than $3.4m. That does cut both ways in that plenty of teams would love to have Foles as a backup for $3.4M cap hit, but im not sure any teams would be willing to send draft capital in a trade to make it worth our teams while. But then again JAX fans said the same thing and then Pace/Nagy happened so never say never.

illuminating. thanks

is there no middle ground in negotiation between the 2 teams w/ regard to cap hit? or is draft capital the only way to split the difference?

If the Bears were interested in a specific player that may be a sufficient return instead of a draft pick - I dont know who that would be but its a possible alternative to picks.

W/ regard to cap hit flexibility the Bears can restructure up to $3M of Foles base salary - which would just be paying it all at the start of the season instead of game by game. So if the Bears wanted to, they could eat up to $9M of his cap hit and send him to another team with a cap hit of just $1M for the year. Or going the other way, if the Bears decide they arent willing to eat the $4M roster bonus but the team they are trading him to isnt willing to take on all $8M he's owed for 2022, the Bears could restructure and eat $1-3M of his base and trade him in the 5 day window before March 21st. I dont think any team though is willing to do this as they could just wait out the roster bonus - it would likely require the Bears to spend assets to get them to eat the roster bonus. But they may be able to get better assets in a trade later on (perhaps a team up against the cap loses a QB or 2 in preseason/early in the season) if they throw in eating more of his cap to sweeten the deal.

Realistically though with the cap going up so much next year, I dont think its likely Bears find anyone willing to spend what it would take to make moving Foles worth it - but who knows.

[Jcool0]

damn

Read on Twitter

hope he saw the 1 hour special about him this weekend

It was reported he was able to see it.

[Susan]

The "extra" million of dead money is just $1m of his base salary is garaunteed, but it gets paid on a game by game basis and the basic rule of NFL cap is the dollar must always hit the cap of the team that paid it. If they trade him after March 31 but before preseason games (when the base salary starts getting paid out) start they would be on the hook for $6.6m and save $3.4m. From a macro perspective that doesnt make a lot of sense because hes a high caliber backup and those all make more than $3.4m. That does cut both ways in that plenty of teams would love to have Foles as a backup for $3.4M cap hit, but im not sure any teams would be willing to send draft capital in a trade to make it worth our teams while. But then again JAX fans said the same thing and then Pace/Nagy happened so never say never.

illuminating. thanks

is there no middle ground in negotiation between the 2 teams w/ regard to cap hit? or is draft capital the only way to split the difference?

If the Bears were interested in a specific player that may be a sufficient return instead of a draft pick - I dont know who that would be but its a possible alternative to picks.

W/ regard to cap hit flexibility the Bears can restructure up to $3M of Foles base salary - which would just be paying it all at the start of the season instead of game by game. So if the Bears wanted to, they could eat up to $9M of his cap hit and send him to another team with a cap hit of just $1M for the year. Or going the other way, if the Bears decide they arent willing to eat the $4M roster bonus but the team they are trading him to isnt willing to take on all $8M he's owed for 2022, the Bears could restructure and eat $1-3M of his base and trade him in the 5 day window before March 21st. I dont think any team though is willing to do this as they could just wait out the roster bonus - it would likely require the Bears to spend assets to get them to eat the roster bonus. But they may be able to get better assets in a trade later on (perhaps a team up against the cap loses a QB or 2 in preseason/early in the season) if they throw in eating more of his cap to sweeten the deal.

Realistically though with the cap going up so much next year, I dont think its likely Bears find anyone willing to spend what it would take to make moving Foles worth it - but who knows.

If a team has a good defense, good o-line, weapons and no short of long term solution at QB, he's a good freaking option.

He led the Bears over Tampa last year, he's won road playoff games, won the freaking Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP - he needs everything to be right but he's about to show this next week that he's still got it. A comeback victory over Russell in Seattle is still impressive and they're +6 this week against the Giants. There's a decimated defense here, the offense has been sputtering and a coach on his way out and he's out here getting wins.

[HearshotKDS]

illuminating. thanks

is there no middle ground in negotiation between the 2 teams w/ regard to cap hit? or is draft capital the only way to split the difference?

If the Bears were interested in a specific player that may be a sufficient return instead of a draft pick - I dont know who that would be but its a possible alternative to picks.

W/ regard to cap hit flexibility the Bears can restructure up to $3M of Foles base salary - which would just be paying it all at the start of the season instead of game by game. So if the Bears wanted to, they could eat up to $9M of his cap hit and send him to another team with a cap hit of just $1M for the year. Or going the other way, if the Bears decide they arent willing to eat the $4M roster bonus but the team they are trading him to isnt willing to take on all $8M he's owed for 2022, the Bears could restructure and eat $1-3M of his base and trade him in the 5 day window before March 21st. I dont think any team though is willing to do this as they could just wait out the roster bonus - it would likely require the Bears to spend assets to get them to eat the roster bonus. But they may be able to get better assets in a trade later on (perhaps a team up against the cap loses a QB or 2 in preseason/early in the season) if they throw in eating more of his cap to sweeten the deal.

Realistically though with the cap going up so much next year, I dont think its likely Bears find anyone willing to spend what it would take to make moving Foles worth it - but who knows.

If a team has a good defense, good o-line, weapons and no short of long term solution at QB, he's a good freaking option.

And if that team exists in 2022 im sure the Bears GM will reach out and at least discuss what they would pay for Foles.

[Susan]

If the Bears were interested in a specific player that may be a sufficient return instead of a draft pick - I dont know who that would be but its a possible alternative to picks.

W/ regard to cap hit flexibility the Bears can restructure up to $3M of Foles base salary - which would just be paying it all at the start of the season instead of game by game. So if the Bears wanted to, they could eat up to $9M of his cap hit and send him to another team with a cap hit of just $1M for the year. Or going the other way, if the Bears decide they arent willing to eat the $4M roster bonus but the team they are trading him to isnt willing to take on all $8M he's owed for 2022, the Bears could restructure and eat $1-3M of his base and trade him in the 5 day window before March 21st. I dont think any team though is willing to do this as they could just wait out the roster bonus - it would likely require the Bears to spend assets to get them to eat the roster bonus. But they may be able to get better assets in a trade later on (perhaps a team up against the cap loses a QB or 2 in preseason/early in the season) if they throw in eating more of his cap to sweeten the deal.

Realistically though with the cap going up so much next year, I dont think its likely Bears find anyone willing to spend what it would take to make moving Foles worth it - but who knows.

If a team has a good defense, good o-line, weapons and no short of long term solution at QB, he's a good freaking option.

And if that team exists in 2022 im sure the Bears GM will reach out and at least discuss what they would pay for Foles.

Who's your ideal coach/GM combo if you have one?

[Kurt Heimlich]

RIP

Read on Twitter

Been listening for 15+ years - really hard to hear Waddle like that right now.

Legitimately shed tears listening to espn 1000 this evening. Impossible not to feel the pain in Waddle and Silvy and the many others voices tonight. But even more impossible for me to is to understand the inequity that is 11 year old Parker losing both parents to cancer by the age of 11. I can't.

RIP JD and thank god (or whatever beyond our understanding forces have brought us all to this point in time) that I hope/believe young Parker has a community (signaled tonight) to help him through this unimaginable difficulty as he continues through his childhood without both of his parents now.

[dougthonus]

If a team has a good defense, good o-line, weapons and no short of long term solution at QB, he's a good freaking option.

He led the Bears over Tampa last year, he's won road playoff games, won the freaking Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP - he needs everything to be right but he's about to show this next week that he's still got it. A comeback victory over Russell in Seattle is still impressive and they're +6 this week against the Giants. There's a decimated defense here, the offense has been sputtering and a coach on his way out and he's out here getting wins.

Sounds like a guy the Bears should keep as their backup QB then.

I'm not much of an expert on the backup QB market, but if our savings is really only 3M, I'm not sure you find a much better option than Foles for that amount. Maybe if it's right about what he's worth and there are equivalent options you move him just to try and bring in a different attitude because you don't think he's happy or a good locker room guy, but it certainly isn't enough money you're saving here that you can upgrade any other position after figure out away to have a different backup QB on the team.

[dougthonus]

If the Bears were interested in a specific player that may be a sufficient return instead of a draft pick - I dont know who that would be but its a possible alternative to picks.

It's sort of interesting that you don't see more player for player trades in the NFL. Given that both team needs to eat a cap hit to move their guy, but get a guy on low base salary, a swapping of those two types of guys seems like something you'd see more often, but player for player deals are mostly unheard of.

[jmajew]

If a team has a good defense, good o-line, weapons and no short of long term solution at QB, he's a good freaking option.

He led the Bears over Tampa last year, he's won road playoff games, won the freaking Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP - he needs everything to be right but he's about to show this next week that he's still got it. A comeback victory over Russell in Seattle is still impressive and they're +6 this week against the Giants. There's a decimated defense here, the offense has been sputtering and a coach on his way out and he's out here getting wins.

Sounds like a guy the Bears should keep as their backup QB then.

I'm not much of an expert on the backup QB market, but if our savings is really only 3M, I'm not sure you find a much better option than Foles for that amount. Maybe if it's right about what he's worth and there are equivalent options you move him just to try and bring in a different attitude because you don't think he's happy or a good locker room guy, but it certainly isn't enough money you're saving here that you can upgrade any other position after figure out away to have a different backup QB on the team.

I'm with you. If the cap saving is only 3 mil a quality NFL backup costs more than that. You are better off keeping Foles for one more year.

[Almost Retired]

damn

Read on Twitter

So long big John! What a legend. The Raiders were my favorite team growing up (because the Bears stunk during the 70s), so I watched a lot of their games. What a colorful personality and all around great guy. No one will replace him.

Amen. Daryle Lamonica to Fred Biletnikoff for a 50 yard touchdown on a 3rd and One. That's when Football began to be fun to watch.

[Dresden]

damn

Read on Twitter

So long big John! What a legend. The Raiders were my favorite team growing up (because the Bears stunk during the 70s), so I watched a lot of their games. What a colorful personality and all around great guy. No one will replace him.

Amen. Daryle Lamonica to Fred Biletnikoff for a 50 yard touchdown on a 3rd and One. That's when Football began to be fun to watch.

Or a 45 year old George Blanda being brought in off the bench for the final drive, or to kick a game winning 50 yard field goal...they had an amazing string of improbable, come from behind victories that one year- maybe 1970 or so....

[Jcool0]

Read on Twitter