It probably won't happen, but if Malik Nabers fell to #9, he would take care of your X. I don't know if they will go offense after drafting QB #1, but if he's there, Poles should pounce.
I think there's probably interest in the #1 pick, but not at the high price it would require. It feels like everyone is just assuming the Bears are drafting Caleb and there's no point in offering something insane to the Bears, especially after last year where the Bears made out....pretty damn well. But as you say, when FA opens and the chips start to fall, that's where teams may be realizing "our plan at QB is now dire" and then moves will be made. I agree with pat and ev completely on Fields. If you don't get a decent offer, keep him. There is zero reason to CUT him. Hell next year a team might get desperate after an injury and trade. But I also agree with ev it seems more and more likely that the compensation isn't going to be great. If someone really wanted him, there'd be more smoke I think. Instead, he's going to be a domino to fall later, maybe even after the draft if a team can't get the FA or Draft choice they wanted.
Poles would be an idiot to take a QB #1 overall then not give him a top3 WR from this draft. So not out the realms of possibility then sadly. What do you know of this off field stuff with Nabers, is there anything to that? It feel unlikely he lasts to the Bears from what ive not(not that that is the be all). Odunze may be more realistic, and imo there is a ton to like about him. Not just his game either, but his character. Very possible, but if thats how it shakes out then i hope Poles plays it as he should, which is hardball like a motherfucker.
In my opinion the off field issue is a non-issue. Stupid kid mistake that didn't haunt him in the least. I don't think he's a thug, if that's what you're asking. I like Odunze, he's a great "consolation" prize. Truth is, all three could be gone before #9. Just depends on how the draft falls. If the Bears take Williams, I still believe there will be (3) QBs taken in the top ten, so you have 5 players go before the Bears get their turn, if they don't trade up. Chances are, one of the 3 are going to make it to 9... but you just never know. This is a good, not great draft for pass rushers and a good, not great draft for O-line... It's a GREAT draft for WRs. Your saving grace is that many GMs don't value WR as a high pick position, so I will be surprised if all 3 are gone when you guys go on the clock. If they are, there's a good bet that you can get a high quality pass rusher, which is also a need.
Given the way Poles has short changed the C position since the day he got here he's bound to be our new starting C. My question is WTF are you doing Poles?! This guy carries a $5.4mil cap hit the next 2 years, so he's coming here to be a starter not a backup. And despite suiting up 17 times he played just 35snaps all last season. Thats right, healthy all season, couldn't crack the starting line up. No way in hell the Bills were keeping a backup OL on their books next season at a $5.4mil cap hit, ESPECIALLY since right now they have the worst cap position in the league at $41mil over! This guy was nailed on to be cut, my guess is the only reason it didnt happen yet was these trade negotiations and the day after those broke down Bates was gone. This is classic Ryan Pace level bad.
The Bears now have no 5th, 6th or 7th round picks in this draft. Cant wait for Poles to flush a 4th on another RB too.
While all true, if we're being sold he's a RG after his 2022 season, mostly at RG--then I actually like the deal. Pass blocking specialist, and unlike loaf-ass Nate Davis, this guy doesn't seem likely to get thrown around as much pass blocking, 1 sack and about a dozen pressures surrendered in 600+ snaps played at RG in 2022. Lot to like for the pricetag. You'd upgrade and improve RG and kick Davis to the bench for a year to pay him the rest of his guaranteed $$ before his bum ass is gone this time next year. However, if we're being sold this is the new starting C, I completely agree with Ev, this is bad, and makes a situation where Poles has ass-fucked the C position even worse, because as mentioned--Poles is just throwing away draft picks, multiple late ones on Cs, and the last late round pick for a C--well, I'll need someone to point out to me how much Dan Feeney saw the field. ANd to those who would argue 'but its just late round picks, they're hard to hit on' I'd like to remind you that 'late round picks' are where the present GM loves to find the most important players on his OL, including his bum-ass starting LT. My biggest problem, would be that Buffalo--as mentioned by Ev, is way over the cap. Prognosticators all believe Mitch Morse, who just turned 32, has injury/concussion problems of his own, and can shed 11 mil off their books if cut--would be gone and you would think Bates was his de-facto in-house replacement and cheaper option who has experience before, and success--and on top of that also mentioned by Ev, Bates was a healthy scratch, so he's rested/theoretically nothing is wrong with him--even though my paraphrased stats are at RG. The fact that Buffalo is okay letting Bates go, after fighting hard as fuck to keep him when Poles (or did Pace try to do it?) tried to sign him a couple years ago to a 4 year deal with a poison pill--well just seems like a red flag. Well, fuck. I'm not getting Graham Barton.
I don't know if he plays hardball, but based on stuff like Claypool, etc, I feel like he will want something and not cut Justin outright. With Wilson now available and publicly stating he'll take league minimum and let Denver foot the bill, that's one more QB that will fill a hole Justin otherwise could have. Ryan Bates trade signals two things about Bears' 2024 offseason path - so at least one "analyst" doesn't think it's a done deal this is our starting center, but my first instinct is 100% yours Ev, because it is Poles MO thus far. The only thing that gives me a slight glimmer of hope is the pick of Wright last year, where we actually invested into a solid option on the line. Poles frustrates me. He has great moves like the trade down last year, and Sweat. He has the mid moves like getting something for Mack and Claypool. And he has the absolute turds like trading FOR Claypool in the first place. In general, he's not going crazy and spending all kinds of money for win now and instead trying to build for the future. That's a good philosophy. But he's also blind to Eberflus' faults and isn't prioritizing the line (specifically C and LT, kind of important positions). Just frustrating as hell. I am guessing this is our answer at center, which I don't love, at all. I'm also guessing that we take Caleb #1 overall, and trade down the 9th pick to recoup some of this spending, but it will depend on the offer, if one of the QBs falls....someone could get antsy ala Bears for Fields and trade up. Why can't someone fall in love with Justin like much of our fandom has and offer something legitimate?
I'm torn between getting a stud WR or OT at 9, or trading back to stockpile. Still too many o-line/d-line holes that need to be filled.
Welp. This makes the deal look a lot fucking worse. Buffalo cuts their starting C in a cap saving move, but trades the back up. Thats pretty damning.
So since it's not April Fool's Day yet, I'm just wondering which one of you clowns blocked me from getting on the site for the last 2 weeks? It doesn't look like any of you have had that problem, does it... I mean, did you even notice that I wasn't around? Sheesh...
I've had intermittent problems for the past couple of weeks @babyfan . @Campbell mentioned something about it, I believe.
Yes I saw that. Can you be absolutely sure that the issue was NOT created by the Bears fans? They are a pretty smart (ass) bunch...
I just figured you were brewing us some green beer and making corned beef sammiches for St Patrick's day
As a matter of fact, I have and I did! It was a great distraction but my dread and despair every time I saw the ERROR 404 was almost my undoing...
Hes 32, has concerning concussion issues, having them in 2018 (missed significant time), 2019, 2020, and 2022, and other assorted soft tissue injuries where he’d miss minor time like a week or two. Is he better than Bates? Buffalo already answered that question. By a mile. Would I want to sign him? If he’s the last guy left and the bears go full bears and do nothing to address the OL? Then yes. I prefer many other candidates with less mileage and brains not resembling moldy Swiss cheese, including Cushenberry, Brian Allen (who goes back with Waldron to the rams), Connor Williams, Tyler Biadasz, and even Scott Quessenberry.
