Chicago Bears vs Los Angeles Chargers Game Thread

Okay, I'm going to put my dislike of Poles' roster building moves up to this point, and try to look at this trade objectively:

First, I don't watch any Washington football. I can't say that I have a personal opinion on Montez Sweat - I've seen him wreck games, for sure, but I haven't watched him enough to say definitively how I feel about the trade based on just the merits of the player.

So, I'll look at the trade from a value perspective. Let's assume that the second round pick the Bears traded away is in the first five picks of the round. Let's also assume that Sweat signs a new contract with Chicago, and is here for the foreseeable future. If the Bears are going to have two draft picks in the top 5-10 spots (this feels like an easy bet), then they're likely taking a QB and (hopefully) an OT based on both positional needs and talent available. I could see the same argument made for DT and WR, as well. I know that Poles has a boner for DB's, but let's hope that's not one of those two top choices.

That puts the Bears draft a DE in the second at earliest. This is presuming they don't trade down from one of the top spots and pick up a late first, which I guess is possible, but you're relying on the Bears and Panthers continuing to lose enough to make that happen. So, if you're drafting a DE in the second round, do you believe that DE will be a better player than Sweat? Do you believe that he'll be ready to start week 1 and make the same impact? If you're answering "no" to either of those questions, then I can see how the draft pick is worth less than the player, and the trade makes sense on that basis alone. And we know how much the Bears need talent on the DL.

To the assertion that the Bears could've just been the highest bidders for him in free agency, that's assuming that another team doesn't trade for him and sign him to a long term deal instead. I have to hope that Poles was bidding against actual other teams' interest, and not pulling a Pace / Trubisky and trading against himself.

 

Probably not, but not so fast, because you'll be paying a rookie a lot less. If you really wanted him you could have waited until he hit the market unless there is a deal already in place which is highly unlikely because that would have been the second thing out of Poles mouth. It basically cost the Bears who BTW aren't going anywhere to rent a player for only 2023 a high second-round pick, and possibly force them to franchise him. If he has any impact on this team this season and changes outcomes our overall draft value will also diminish. I think it was a foolish move to cover his ass instead of doing the right thing to build this team.

 

There has to be a deal coming, otherwise this trade is 10x worse than the Claypool trade.

 

Well, if they don't get an extension done and the Bears literally paid an early second round pick for a rental, then that's two franchise-altering fuckups in consecutive years by Poles, and he needs to be fired immediately. That's as simple as it gets.

Regarding the money, I doubt they're paying a QB anything other than rookie money next year, whether it's Fields or otherwise. Unless they're signing a LT in free agency, you're paying your two starting tackles rookie money, and one of your two guards to boot. The team has money under the cap to spare, and they're sure as shit not doing anything with it - I'd rather it be spent on a player at a position that matters more than, say, another LB or S that still doesn't help us much.

 

I’ve seen the 3 worst trades in my lifetime. Mirer, Loaf Claypool, and Greg Olsen. Not to besmirch/insult the dead, but Gaines Adams was another bad one/honorable mention. And with Sweat I already hate what I’m reading.



Doesn’t sound like a whole lot of urgency regarding Sweat. “At least make an effort.”

Oh, sorry to interrupt you during your, whatever the fuck you do these days, Poles—but do you think you could find it in your busy schedule to get off your useless ass and lock up the pass rusher you just acquired?

A smart GM doesn’t make that trade without a deal in place. The bears don’t have a smart GM.

 

Aside from perhaps smartphones, the Bears don't have anything that's smart.

 

Appreciate the share, not aimed at you, but i just can't buy this tweet.

"will at least make an effort" to sign Montez Sweat to a long-term deal before the end of this season."

Nah, not having this, it has to be off base. No way in hell do you make this trade if that is your attitude or that is how close you are to a new contract. That quote just isnt serious.

I expected a deal to be done before their next game on sunday tbh, you just can't pull the trigger unless you're at least 95% there. Not much about this team shocks me anymore, but i will be genuinely shocked if he isn't signed in the near future. Poles will be in all kinds of hot water if he doesnt get that deal over the line.

 

“I want to consider everything around me before I make a decision.”

Montez Sweat said this in yesterdays shit-show press conference. We may differ on what’s implied here, but I don’t read this as 95% done he just wants to go over the fine print one last time before he signs. Dude knows he’s got the leverage and is basically going to force Poles to tag him or pay above market for a good/talented, just not game wrecking DE.

 

We were bidding against the Packers last year for Claypool, and that was objectively a bad move. I read there were others in the mix for Sweat as he was the most likely to get moved. BUT Washington also was restricting people from talking to the agents, which to me is kind of a red flag, and then we still pay a 2nd. Not just a second but a high second. And everyone agrees seemingly from what I hear that he's good, but not great. He's no Bosa, but we're going to pay him near Bosa money.

Right now, I don't think it's terrible, but I also felt that way about the Claypool trade. If this team sucks this bad, and Poles trusts his ability to draft, I don't understand why we aren't committed to drafting. Stockpile picks, lets the team do as good as it can. Why are we trying to improve the roster midseason in what is essentially a lost year? We did the same shit last year, but we had a fire sale getting picks before the whole Claypool fiasco.

Yep, Poles made this bed because he had to have this guy enough to overlook Washington telling them they couldn't speak to the agents and have the deal done. And now you have to overpay him, like you would with any FA, but even more so because you blew a probable top 40 pick just to have exclusive rights to negotiate. I believe he gets paid but it will take a while, it's not going to be by this weekend, maybe not this month.

People like to point to the Ravens not signing Roquan until January, that certainly could happen here.

What I'm beginning to not like is Poles approach here, it feels much like Pace and the draft. Absolutely falling in love with some ok/good prospect and then treating them like they are great and giving up too much.

And what has me MOST concerned about Poles, was his ridiculous ringing endorsement of Eberflus. We are NOT close in any way shape or form and I believe Poles believes what he's spouting. And that shows quite a bit of being divorced from reality. Sure the players are still playing for him, but that alone is not a ringing endorsement, it is the bare minimum to expect from a head coach. And Poles negotiating leaves a lot to be desired, we overpaid Kmet, and we're about to overpay Sweat, we might transition or franchise tag JJ. I'm really just doubting everything about him at this point.

 

Quite likely and I would bet those other teams are in the hunt so at least they have something to gain by having him on the roster. The only thing we have to gain is moving down in the draft order.

 

Well shut me up, Sweat signed for 4 years for 98? An overpay for sure like I said, Bosa money, but I was wrong they wouldn't have it done before the next game.

 

Sweat is paid like a game breaker now.

Unless someone gets a new contract, the 24.5 AAV will be 5th highest paid edge/DE in football behind the Bosas, Watt, and Myles Garrett (numbers per spotrac).

I like him. I want him to be a game breaker, but he’s never been a game breaker. When you think about what a top 5 edge brings to the table, you likely think ‘double digit sacks’ as one of the top requirements. He’s never done that.

I’m not in a rush to give Poles credit for this trade the way his defenders are. I’ll give him credit for urgency. I’ll be thrilled if Sweat earns it, and’ll gladly admit I’m wrong. I like being wrong when good things happen and I’m expecting the worst.

 

Same pat, I WANT to be wrong, but it's a lot of money and the draft capital, even if DE was a massive need. He was also on a *stacked* WA line vs the Bears that are much less so.

I will give him credit for getting the deal done anyway.

 

I'll stop being appalled at new contract values when they stop going up every year, and guys like Kmet stop getting paid stupid money. We've got to come to grips with new guys getting gangbusters contracts every year, even when they're not necessarily that kind of player.

I'll wait to comment until Sweat shows it on the field. If he balls out, and this team is better, I'll give Poles credit. If not, I'll call again for his firing. Poles has been aggressive in a lot of ways that I don't agree with up until this point, but at least he's been aggressive. And fucking finally did something about the DL, even if it was way later than it should've been. On its face, this seems like Poles fixing a major need despite high draft and cap costs. Much like the Mack deal a few years ago, it won't matter one bit if they don't also have a QB / offense in place.

 

Yay at least Poles isn’t a complete dodo. Now add someone who plays center as well as Sweat plays edge and maybe we will be onto something.

 

So in the end it did turn out as i expected. Deal done before next game, massive overpay.

The second part was never gonna be any different. You pay premium draft capital for a guy who's under contract for 9 games and you're gonna get the shaft. In this case Sweat marched straight onto Poles office, spun him round and bent him over his own desk. I figured they would pay him around 18-20 per, but when you consider the similarities to Rashan Gary and the deal he signed recently, we prob should've predicted this. Actually this deal is far worse than Gary's, he only got $34mil gtd, which is usually the crucial number. Sweat just got $72mil gtd!!! That is not just an absolutely eye watering number, its damn near 75% of the way towards a fully guaranteed contract! Without major production this deal will look truly horrific.

I hope JJ doesnt own a cat, cos if he does its getting kicked up and down his apartment right now. How do you pay JJ $16mil per after this? You really gonna tie up 40 a year in two guys who've never even been replacements at a single pro bowl between them??

Sweat is gonna have to seriously ball out to justify this. The odds are against. Lets just call it what it is, its a major reach. Like i said earlier in the week, its the move of a GM who is starting to get desperate. I'll be stood over there with pat hoping to be proved wrong.

 

Massive overpay for a guy without a double digit sack season.

Only reason I’m somewhat okay with it is you still have the franchise tag free for JJ.

 

Literally spit out my baileys infused coffee at this one.

 

With all the cap space and draft capital Poles will have had in his first two years, I think it's fair to ask has a GM done less with more in that time frame?

 

Everyone is butt hurt over the size of the contract. Who cares. It will in no way affect how this team can operate financially going forward. I would rather have Sweat than the second round pick because we need talent in defense now more than the financial flexibility a hit on that 2nd round pick could give us.

As for Poles he has a lot to do to prove he is worthy of being one of 32 nfl GM’s. The best player he has added he did so by trading away the first pick in the draft.