The Hard Knocks episode 3 was something. Not bad, but almost doesn't feel like hard knocks, because 'motherfucker' isn't freely rolling off the tongue the way it normally does every year, because apparently the McKaskeys don't like swearing. How adorable. I hope the mic problem in Caleb's helmet was a one time thing only. The show tried to spin it as 'he couldn't hear/understand plays' but don't wait 2-3 fucking series to get the helmet changed, kid. At least he did this in preseason. The Matt Judon 'would be' trade for a 3rd, but he wasn't agreeing to a new contract as conditional--kind of stung. I didn't know Judon was 32, thought he was still in his late 20s, mix that with prognosticators saying "New England wants the bears 2nd rounder" yet Poles said he met their asking price of a 3rd, and that's what the price actually was--to the chagrin of loud mouths wanting more screen time--for the best. Good self restraint, Poles. Tyson Bagent's dad is a bro's bro. The Aussie Punter got wayyyy too much screen time. The whole Kevin Warren scene where he's talking with other execs gushing about fancy reclining seats in the new stadium and other great things they want to add to one wing of the new building--just found myself swearing and yelling at my TV (I'm still on the northside) that 'my tax dollars aren't paying for that, fuckface.' I'm not rooting for this. I'm not trying to wish this into existence, but 18 weeks is a long time, and not every QB stays healthy for said amount of time. Should there ever be a situation that Tyson has to step in--what happens when its time to throw a Hail Mary? Is Austin Reed going to sub in like Peter Pan did? I think too much gets made out of a guy whose best trait is 'getting rid of the ball quickly.' He still throws ducks, and Austin Pettis, for as bottom-of-the-depthchart talented as he is, was picking on guys who won't even make a PS, or even get a call come week 14 when everybody's hurt and teams need bodies. I'm unimpressed, but production is the name of the game and he threw TD passes and moved the ball, albeit against questionable talent. When Hard Knocks said he was making sharp throws, then cut to the TD pass where he threw a wobbler--but it was a TD, my gut was busted laughing. That probably isn't a TD when its CB1 or CB2 lining up on a WR instead of CB 6/7. He's likable on Hard Knocks, his dad adds to the spectacle. Like the kid, just not convinced he can play ball with the big boys.
I strongly disagree. Kid performed well last year in real games and has only shown improvement. And he is like practically free. Look what teams are spending for veteran backups with a fraction of the upside that Bagent shows.
Lol, seriously Pat? The epitome of nitpicking is pointing out that he might not be able to bomb a Hail Mary properly, which frankly I can live with given all of the other traits he's already shown last year. Dude is a great 2nd stringer, period, particularly nice that we don't pay him veteran money as we did for Dalton or Foles or the giraffe guy. I just returned from Europe and missed the last game. Given that I also missed Caleb's snaps in his first game I guess I'll have to wait till week 1 to watch him in action. As far as I'm concerned the best part of this preseason is that he's made it through injury free.
I don’t think we were watching the same games. Looked great against the 2nd half of Minny when Justin got hurt then the following week against Vegas; then teams started taking easy stuff away from him, and the mystique and “upside” around him vanished and he struggled and started turning the ball over and he was no longer completing 70+% of his passes, falling into the same basic defensive schematic traps that look like man but run zone/vice versa that confused Mitch, Justin, etc. But that’s okay because he’s cheap. Can you and Rob both do me a favor? Show me where I said the bears need to bring in a vet QB and pay him vet money instead of Bagent. I’m not understanding why that’s the immediate counterpoint because I think Bagent is severely limited against nfl caliber starters and 2nd stringers. We have game tape and a body of work to show it. You call him a ‘great’ second stringer but several teams in dire need of a QB due to injuries in camp or poor front office management aren’t picking up the phone for him because they need to have him in their QB room. Must be a real mystery as to why. I’ll own the Hail Mary point was low hanging fruit, but I’ve also seen enough of this team through the past couple of decades to know ‘cheap,’ ‘manages the game,’ and ‘gets rid of the ball quickly’ don’t equate to results and increases in the win column. And he’s the back up, not a starter, so I get why yall would consider my views on him unfair, but I’m long tired of archaic thinking that leads to ‘playing not to lose/make the defense or ST win the game.’ They're nice attributes, and I shan’t diminish them, but college kids today are bringing a hell of a lot more to the table today than that as opposed to 20 years ago, starter or back up. Hope Poles keeps bringing in young QBs every year, and I also hope I don’t have to see the mop under center for any reason this year.
I think you're hitting on what I was trying to say. Even IF Caleb doesn't pan out, say he's the next Justin, we still got Moore, Wright AND Rome because we GOT capital rather than giving a bunch away to trade up. I couldn't agree more on Poles and the lines. That 4 chances for someone to succeed or bust, vs. Justin where it was all eggs in one basket. Hell if Bryce does turn it around and become decent, was it worth it for the Panthers? Still no IMO. It's weird to read NFCN fans who say the Bears are offseason champs every year. No, we were not? Who the hell was saying that? I'm pretty sure Pat still believes Forte was a bum. I like the strong opinions so I too don't want to ever see you change. I am full on cheering for him because I want a 4th instead of the 6th. But from what we've seen in preseason, he isn't magically better because Tomlin. Unless Wilson gets hurt (which is sadly pretty non-zero at his age), he's not going to beat him in the competition. Agree with a lot of this. The no swearing because it was "respectful to the McCaskeys", the interview clip: x.com I liked the Judon details, but I'm also wondering what's different with Allen? We traded a 4th and did not have a contract guarantee, and he's also had injury concerns. Was it just the 3rd over a 4th that necessitated that extension? One thing Poles does that I like is that he has a clear idea on what he feels that value is, and then sticks to it. Many of our former GMs would get super high on guys, or desperate and blow picks left and right. It clearly doesn't work out (*cough* Claypool) but it very much seems like there is a method to the madness. I love Travis Bagent. Getting rid of the ball quickly, playing with in the system and minimizing mistakes. That's what you want in a backup. I agree completely if we're talking about our #1, like some last year clamoring for him to start. If his ceiling is Kyle Orton, there's nothing wrong with that. Rypien showed a big arm during the HOF game, but he's also not a starter. The Rypien / Bagent competition is one of the few things worth watching tonight, I'd guess. I'll watch the beginning of the game but have to leave midway probably.
Going to echo Vvarder. Those very cliches "manages the game", "gets rid of the ball quickly" are exactly what you want in a backup. No one is saying that's what we want for the starter and no one expects Bagent to win games for us if he were the starter. But if Caleb goes down you want someone with a basic command of the offense who can manage things properly and not fuck it up. We both know most of our starters in the last couple decades have even struggled to do that, let alone the backups. So yeah I'm pleased that we have a backup capable of what Bagent has shown. I don't think Fields is the Steelers week 1 starter but I can see Wilson ending up in the doghouse mid-season and then Fields getting his shot. He'll suck, with a spectacular run mixed in now and then, but yeah hopefully we get lucky he hits the snap quota to give us the 4th.
I didn't see this post when I posted mine but I 100% agree that Poles keeps bringing in young QBs to challenge Bagent for the #2. But I'm also not going to expect a ton from that position, and I also think he's won the position based on results in preseason this year, I thought he would lose it to Rypien. Your point is no one is calling up Poles to trade for him, but he's a number 2. Teams take stupid flier risks on a potential starter, like Justin Fields, to back up, and pay for it. But you know that saying, "if you have 2 QB 1s, you really have none", or something like that.
I can 100% see this happening, but hopefully he has one of his up games, and doesn't shit the bed like Mitch did when he got his chance when he was the backup there.
After the last PS game last night, some thoughts (none of the starters played.) In the 1st quarter, I found myself going 'who the fuck calls a shotgun run on 4th and inches/less than a fucking foot?' Flus sent the house and blew up the play in the backfield and the Chefs got stuffed on 4th down. Then, of course, I forgot the bears were playing KC. And then the camera panned right to ol' shitheaded visor, Matt Nagy, and a fit of giggles ensued, followed by relief that he cant hurt us anymore. KC's playcalling for the rest of the night was painful like we were watching his last years as HC here, along with every last stupid penalty they were committing (every other play the KC defense was getting defensive holding penalties), or maybe Clete Blakeman was in-season form. LB depth is probably getting plucked. #47, Baskerville, has played himself into the conversation of making the 53 man--I think he's outplayed Sanborn this preseason. Amen, #45, who I hated in the HOF game, got better, but apparently is only limited to ROLB in Flus' scheme, whereas Sanborn and Baskerville can/have played all 3 LB spots. Is Sewell also odd man out? I hope like hell Austin Booker is as good against starters/#2s as he is against competition he's beaten up on this preseason. I was skeptical of him, and I said even after drafted I want better at DE2, but his play has checked every box you can ask for thus far. His anticipation/adaption of pass rush moves when the QB steps up/moves in the pocket looked like a seasoned vet. Hope he doesn't fizzle out. Whoever #30 is at RB, think his name is DeAndre Carter--has some nice soft hands out of the backfield. Adjusted on several balls thrown behind them, good technique to get YAC. Swift, Roschon, Herbert, and one of Carter, Wheeler, or Velus Jones for the scatback/shifty slot guy. It feels like eternity, but after he left the field with an injury, I think Larry Borom is done in a bears uniform. #60 (Bill fucking Murray) looks like he'll get a back up spot. Took snaps at G and C. And this is what I wanted. Competition. Bagent won this year, I'm not that blind, I just don't know if Rypien or Reed is QB3. My guess is Rypien and Reed goes to the PS. And I'll own I'm trying to have everybody's cake and to eat it too with what I'd like to see in a back up, but I want more in a back up. I want Caleb to be so good teams call the bears for the back up. Now I'm aware situations like Brett Favre and Matt Hasselback/Mark Brunell, or Tom Brady and Matt Cassel/Jimmy Garrappollo, don't happen often, but I'd love to be in a position that the back up has shown enough that teams (especially the Raiders right now, because nobody knows what the fuck they're doing at QB) have to have the back up. My desired scenario depends on Caleb being 'it' which needs to be established. If he is, I don't think Bagent is a guy teams have to line up for. I'm happy to be wrong, should that happen.
Bears trade a 6th for Seattle edge rusher Darell Taylor. Tremendous 2022 with 9.5 sacks. Regressed last year. Is 27 years old. Plenty of Upside.
LMAO, I missed visor on screen after that, because I was too busy laughing and texting my buddies on shotgun run on 4th and inches. I forgot he was calling plays in the preseason, that makes SO MUCH sense. He wasn't brough to KC to run the I formation on 4th and short, shotgun run baby. No one will see it coming. I hear you, the Kevin Kolb / Jimmy Garrapolo type of trade, where they give us a decent return because *maybe* our backup is just stuck behind Williams. A guy like that has to be a rookie that "flashes" in preseason on in limited game snaps to tease some other GM. We're not there yet, I just want someone who will do the job.
Re the Judon trade, totally agree with Poles handling of that. Im actually kinda glad we didn't part with a 3rd either cos when you factor in the age, the season ending injury last year and the fact that you either overypay him longer term or you've dropped a 3rd round pick on a 1year rental, you'd probably struggle to justify that trade 1 or 2 years down the line. Assuming the reports are true that the Pats tried to squeeze Poles for a 2nd rounder then F that. No way in hell should you be giving up a 2nd rounder in this circumstance, that would be terrible business and have Claypool written all over it. As for trading a 6th for Darrel Taylor, no problem with it. Whatever the odds of him turning into something and being a meaningful contributor, they're higher than the odds of getting that from a standard 6th round selection, so do it. These are the kinds of trades that good orgs often make. Low cost, high upside. Worth a try.
I'm actually in favour of this cos it means i can watch it with my son. Seeing this behind the scenes stuff is blowing his mind. He couldn't believe they have TWO full size fields for practise lol(not counting indoor HH), when the mic was on DJ after that gnarly run and catch against Buffalo and DJ is shouting I LIKE FOOTBALL the kid was laughing his ass off. Good stuff. He also likes the Dolphins but i didn't watch that in-season HK with him cos Mike McDaniels was dropping F bombs every sentence.
I'm thinking they might use him to supplement the blitz packages and drop him into coverage when they bring pressure from the other side. Maybe they perceive a weakness with coverage on the current roster with the hand-in-the-dirt guys. I just don't know much about the guy, or his coverage abilities.
10000%. My older kiddo watched the first episode last night and loved it. He doesn't really know anything about football, and just knows what the headlines and pictures tell him (so, he loves Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, for example, because they're maybe the only two players he can name). Not a lot that I just tell him sticks. So this was a really great way for him to get more involved with the team and the sport, and he's eager to watch the next one. I know we all want a more realistic depiction of the team, but also, I don't mind that it's a depiction of the team that I can share with (hopefully) future Bears fans from a young age.
Poles trades another 6th for 26 year old Browns DT Chris Williams and a 7th, who goes back with Flus from the Indy days but hasn’t seen the field much in 3 years. Seemed like a roster cut waiting to happen. Not sure I like the deal.
You both might think I'm a bad parent, but I've never understood this. I swear an absolute blue streak and my kids have known since they were able to speak what words ARE swears, and we've never had any issues. I don't care that they know the swears, they're going to learn them at some point, I'd much rather they learn self control to not use them. I never had to worry about this kind of thing, like a TV show where there are swears, or somebody dropping f bombs at a public place, etc, because they heard it from dad and know full well it doesn't come out of their mouths. I can't control the world, but I can prepare them for it.. Different strokes for different folks, I'd rather have the genuine experience myself. I didn't even know Justin Johnson had said the top 100 list was bullshit, I love him more for the real quote. Honestly my kids if anything went too far with self-censorship, "dad, that was some real c-word" - and it took me a while to realize he meant "crap", heh. I don't see crap as a swear, but we did have a discussion on how you probably don't use it in professional settings or church, etc, once I figured it out. The worst part is when I'm the asshole in public being myself, and some other parent gets upset. Don't get me wrong, I''ll self-censor at the children's museum, but if I'm at a bar & restaurant or something, I'm not looking around to see if there are kiddos when I speak.
Alex Wheeler and Nsimba Webster to IR. Also Coleman, the poor kid who had to be carted off to the hospital this past Thursday. Slew of cuts so far from the bears, so far nobody notable unless Keith Randolph or Khalid Kareem were anybody’s particular favorites. More cuts expected today. Tomorrow by 3 pm the 53 man has to be set and I think after the practice squads can be formed. Browns are a team to watch. They just put Nick Chubb on the PUP and he can’t be activated until week 5 earliest, and have been linked to Khalil Herbert by prognosticators. The cowboys have been too.
