This is 100% where I'm at as well. Love Fields. But this is a chance to completely change the course of this franchise. Maybe CW isn't that good. But you just have to take a chance that he is.
Cody Whitehair has been hot garbage, but he's paid like an average to above average starter. So not only would he struggle to hold onto a roster spot with real competition anyway, but for the amount he's getting paid, he's gotta go. Eddie Jackson got a huge contract off of two good seasons, and has since then been mediocre at best and a liability at worst. Just as importantly, his work ethic is pretty shitty and not exactly the standard you want to be setting for younger players. Again, this is a guy that you'd probably want to move on from / replace as a starter anyway, but for the money he's being paid you NEED to. And Ev is right - you would hope these things would've happened no matter what, but you can't take anything for granted.
Neither cut is surprising. Whitehair I'll always have a 'what if' attached--because like Kyle Long (and I'll even throw in pre-injured Chris Williams too), he played LT in college--quite effectively--but the bears didn't bother playing him once at the position he excelled at to the point he was as high a draft pick as he was. Won't complain that he had some solid years at guard, but I feel the bears went full historic 'bears' with him, putting a square peg in a round hole, except he worked out alright, maybe not great, definitely not as good as Urlacher. There are some days I think this franchise is so retarded they try to shoot themselves in the foot. I hope fans (before we die or become totally, apathetically disinterested) can have a healthy moment of sanity when the bears draft a guy who played a spot in college and played him at the same spot in the NFL and have it work instead of going full 'mad-scientist' about things, like turning a TE into an IOL (Lance Louis) or turning a DB/HOF KR/PR into a WR. Ejax in 2018 was special. Guy looked like Ed Reed at times. Then he got paid and took a shit and stopped tackling or giving effort. Within the past couple of years when he would run away from ball carriers and he was the last line of defense/his constant "business decisions?" Yeah, that easily erased his good will. Good riddens.
I'm not salty about it anymore but I still can't help wondering what history would have played out if we had drafted Mahomes. No, I don't think we win 3 Super Bowls in 5 years (maybe we come close in 2018), and no his numbers wouldn't be the same with the playcallers and o-line we've had. But he plays the position as intelligently as any QB I've seen and his football instincts are second to none. That's what I want from a QB more than arm strength or speed or any other physical attribute that Fields and Caleb and dozens of other QBs possess.
I think EJax was always a bad tackler. Remember the Miami game in 2018? But because the D was so good that year it masked his tackling deficiencies and allowed him to ballhawk at will. Both of these roster moves are good business decisions. Is there anyone from 2018 left?
Yup. How many times have we heard the same thoughts regarding the current Bears QB over several eras. “____ just needs a line, has no weapons, OC sucks, no running game, blah blah fucking blah.” Same excuses, different year, insert name. Time to take a shot on a potentially franchise changing quarterback.
That's the way I feel, if the Bears select Caleb, based on their history, I'm pretty confident he won't be the guy.
pat, if you're around, you have any thoughts on who to take at #9? Everything has been focused on #1, but during the underwear olympics it seems clear from all the reporting that it's Caleb unless Poles pulls a "smartest man in the room" kind of pick, or someone offers an actual King's ransom. The Bears have never had a chance to draft a QB this highly touted since I have been alive. Getting two 1st overall picks in a row is unheard of. Caleb was talked about LAST year as someone better than anyone in that draft. He might not pan out, it's the Bears after all. But this is the no brainer pick. This time of year is the worst, rumors, nonsense, invented storylines. OF COURSE Caleb would want to come to Bears, is there some alternate reality where he's rather play on the Panthers? We have our issues with the team, but compared to what a 1st overall normally comes into, it's not even close.
Phins aren’t tagging Christian Wilkins. Baltimore hasn’t (but said they will) tagged/tag Madubuike. Drop big $$ on your 3T. Make sure you don’t Ogunjobi this one, Poles. Broncos say they aren’t using their tag on Cushenberry. There’s your C when FA negotiating window opens in another week. Dallas released Tyron Smith. Like the upside of an all-decade/all pro LT, just wished he could stay on the field. But a safety and a WR in FA. Dont break the bank on the latter, go get a guy like Josh Reynolds, who goes back to the LA rams with Waldron, and you steal a weapon from the Loins to be your WR3. I’ll be annoyed if the bears drop double digit millions on a guy the wrong side of 30. If I’m taking Caleb #1, and trading fields, it depends on how chips fall/who’s on the board. Hard to ignore WR with so many having great workouts, but then again there may be a QB somebody has to have. If I use 1, I’d prefer to trade down from 9, back to late teens/early 20s and pick up a 1st or many picks next this and next year. If I stay at 9, and get Wilkins for the DL, I take Latu. Mid-late 1st I really like Graham Barton, OL who’s played 4 OL spots at duke, including LT, LG, C, and RG. Fans will shit bricks over his 33 inch arms, but looking for reasons to not like someone instead of watching a guy for what he actually is—that’s the world we live in. All American team this year, and if you buy a C, I believe this kid solidifies a G spot so you now theoretically have 3 or 4/5 OL and the makings of something other than a bottom 10 unit in the league. You don’t have to hope for a loaf and an unreliable body who finished last year badly to man the OG spots. Wr late in the 1st, I like Brian Thomas out of LSU. He’s had a hell of an underwear Olympics so I’m not sure he’s there in the 20s. Ladd McConkey, Troy Franklin, Roman Wilson, or Jalen McMillian, all talented WRs I’d like if I picked up a 2nd and rolled with Barton. Then I want a RB, DB depth, DL depth to replace some bums like Jones who’s probably gone and Dom Robinson, who I can’t wait to see get cut because he’s just useless.
If the Bears do indeed keep the #1 pick then there may be no picks accumulation at all, therefore it becomes v important for them to target the right areas in FA to help their draft. F yes to Wilkins and Cushenberry! C in particular i'd like to see them hit in FA. There's not enough good options in the draft to put all your eggs in that basket. I have no interest in Poles fixing that position with some 3rd day bum or undrafted nobody. You've shat the bed for 2 straight offseasons re C, get serious! There are a load of FA Safeties about to hit the market. There should be no problem finding a very solid starter calibre player there and with it being a $ supressed position in recent years it won't cost big money. Doing this frees you to hit if nothing else(besides QB obvs) WR & DE. I am all about pairing a stud WR with the QB at #9. If Nabers or Odunze was there at #9 you take your card and run that fucker up there. Im quite concerned 3 WR's will be gone before #9 tho. Totally agree with pats draft approach and, from a lower knowledge base, a load of the names he's throwing out there. Barton is this year's Skoronski, some idiots teams are gonna pass on him cos of BS measurables and someone will get a really good player who also gives you massive positional flexibility. If the Bears are trading out of #9 he's a player i really like, another is Thomas Jr. Touched upon it during a main board chat but Thomas going to the Jags at #17 would not surprise me. In the next week or so we will probably know if Fields stays or goes. I don't quite know what to make of the QB trade chatter re the Bears. Concerned there isnt the market we'd like, for Fields particularly, or potentially even the #1. It blows my mind that Fields could legit go for less than Sam Darnold did(their first team production there's no comparison). And re the #1, during combine week Poles made a small but telling comment. He said to move the pick he'd need trade comp equal to last year. That is a subtle downgrade. Previously the talk was about needing "historic offers". I wonder if Poles isnt getting the offers he thought he would for the #1. Personally i've come around to pats idea he floated weeks ago of keeping both Fields and Williams. It is NOT the way i want to go, i want to accumulate picks. But i also don't want a trade at any price. If teams take the piss, particularly with offers for Fields, then fuckem. Let some of them start 4th & 5th rounders next year, good luck with that. There's nothing that says the Bears can't have 2 highly talented QBs on the roster next season and if trade negotiations have been going anything like i just outlined then if i was Poles i'd now be making clear publicly that option is not off the table.
What about Brock Bowers at 9? It just goes to show how the league perceives Fields, and tbh can't blame them. I think Poles is trying to be courteous to Fields by trading him as soon as possible. The issue is that there are other free agent QB scenarios that are still up in the air that could affect teams that might be interested in Fields. If Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins don't resign, then maybe the Vikings/Bucs become targets. And probably some teams would rather make a play for Russell Wilson. It may actually be best to sit back and wait. Still plan to draft Caleb, but wait for some QB dominos to fall first, then maybe you get a really desperate team willing to give up a 2nd.
I think this is the right call. I always figured that Fields would net a 2nd at best, and more than likely a 3rd. And a team doesn't need to offer up big capital to get him right now, with multiple QB scenarios existing. Similarly, if you're a team that might trade for Caleb Williams, you're also a team that might trade for Fields. So you don't need to offer much now, knowing that the Bears likely won't take / keep both. That's why I think Poles might be seeing suppressed offers for #1 overall.
Agreed, and possibly showing their cards on their perception of the top 3 draft prospects as well. The shine might not be that bright on any of the 3. Everyone wants to find the next franchise savior that makes them HOF worthy at doing their job, problem is, those players don't come around very often. Making the wrong move causes your career to go in the opposite direction. The Bears definitely hold a LOT of cards in this off season at the most important position. With power comes responsibility. At this point, no GM wants to commit one way or the other and when it comes to Fields, they technically cannot talk about it until next Monday. A trade can happen behind closed doors, but they technically are not supposed to be doing league business yet. Rumors usually let us know what is happening anyway and I think that is what is leading us all to believe there in fact is not much of a market for any of these players. Thing is, like @blang84 said above, there are some veterans who are on the open market as we speak. That rarely happens. I think the market for Cousins and Mayfield will be pretty strong, if they don't re-sign with their current clubs. The surprise in this off season to me is, what is going on with Russell Wilson? We are all assuming he is getting released by the Broncos, but what are they waiting on? I haven't heard they are openly shopping him to try to downgrade the historical loss they are going to have to absorb. He is a candidate for a post-June 1 cut though, which will split the dead money between 2024 and 2025. We will definitely know by March 17... The only issue I see with waiting, it could diminish the return. They are currently in the drivers seat to maximize all aspects of the market, once their decision is made, the market will react. Though, at the moment, the only thing that can be offered is for the #1 overall pick technically. If any team is asking for a player as part of the compensation, then that also will need to stay under the covers until next Monday noon. So, the dead silence, may be more of an indicator that the decision has been made to shop Fields than ever before. If it were for the #1 overall pick, some chatter would probably have come out this weekend. I think this is independent of one another. I would assume a team would have an overwhelming preference to either trade for Fields or trade for the pick. Having the ability to talk with the same team gives you the advantage of getting which one you covet more, imho. If there were anyone interested in the #1 overall pick, I believe we would have heard rumors of a deal. If the best offer is this year's first and next year's 2nd, it isn't much of an offer for the #1 overall pick. At that point, a second rounder for Fields seems more justified, if you feel Williams is a big upgrade over Fields. The compensation packages for both is what needs to be determined to make their decision. If they are leaning towards trading Fields, then silence is to be expected as neither team will want to be fined for discussing it prior to next Monday.
He'd be a boutique selection. A luxury and a half. Don't get me wrong, he's gifted. His athleticism, speed burst, range/catch radius, ability to break tackles/shed first contact, and be a complete and utter mismatch waiting to happen in the slot against a 5'10 db who probably gives up half a foot and 60 lbs, make him a top 10 pick for a reason. But assuming we're still being sold this is a Shanahan offense, is where his weaknesses will be more visible. Multiple scouting reports are consistent bringing up his trouble blocking in open spaces on run plays. He doesn't have the body frame to be effective blocking at the line for very long, and poor hips while blocking altogether is a problem he's had at UGA, mixed with his stocky frame may make him worthless as a blocker at the pro level when he's average at best in college. And after a huge 2022 going into this past year at UGA where it was called 'an anomaly he'll clean up,' he couldn't seem to shed his other bad habit of catching with his body, which will lead to drops. That, and I don't think you need this guy to help Cole Kmet out. You take this guy to replace him, and I'm not sure its the smart thing to do. You just paid Kmet, who is really valuable as long as you're not putting Kittle/Kelce expectations on him, but Kyle Rudolph, which he is more prone to be on the level of. You got your above average in the league starting TE. You absolutely need depth that can block and catch, but you don't need that in the top 10. Theo Johnson out of Penn State or Eric All from Iowa I'd target rounds 4-5. I've said from week 4/5 on that you gotta draft a QB. I've also said I'm not for trading Justin for nothing/just to trade him, because at 6 mil and then 25 mil in 2025, he's worth it, inconsistencies aside. For now, the preference is to deal Fields and draft Caleb--because like everybody else, we've seen the ceiling. If you get a Darnold return, take it. If Atlanta works out a deal where you get a 3rd and move from 9 up 1 spot to 8, along with a later pick like a 4/5/6 I'd take that.
Pretty surprised JJ hasnt been tagged yet. There's no way he plays for another team next season, we know he's getting tagged without a deal being announced. I wonder if the lack of a tag announcement yet means they're close to a deal? I'm almost setting myself up with this comment i feel, but while i think you might be right about the league, i'll still be surprised. He gets talked up like a great prospect, there just isnt a need for the Bears there. They paid Kmet and he put down a very good season in return. Also i dont like the predictability aspect of essentially forcing yourself to play a LOT of 2 TE sets. What the Bears need is a true X on the outside.
