4/27/23

[Lake Shore Drive]

First glance at this thread's title and immediately you come up with it being the start of this year's draft. And you'd be right. Except that's not the purpose of the title. While I'm sure most of us feel Poles will sign a bunch of FAs next month, it's also likely, in fact undoubtedly not everyone will be a starter. The Bears have a really nice budget to sign some quality players, but how many will command large AAV salaries? I'm gonna play it on the low side here by predicting he'll sign four who will command some good coinage and of course immediately fill in as starters for the team. Hence:

4 - key FAs to be signed
27 - all no older than 27 at the time they're inked
23 - That's of course this year, 2023

Da'Ron Payne, DT - age 25
Yannick Ngakoue, DE/Edge - age 27*
Ben Powers, LG - age 26
Jawaan Taylor, RT - age 25

Had to place an asterisk next to Ngakoue, being he turns 28 on March 31st, but technically he'd be signed prior to this date, so it would still fit my cheesy criteria. You'll also immediately notice that all four potential signees do their thang in the trenches. We all know the Bears need help at other positions as well, but if they can only ink 4 topnotch players for sizable paychecks, they should all be on the two lines. I also feel Poles would strongly prefer that the big bucks be handed out to players who could still be playing in or close to their prime thruout the respective contracts. Like I said, I think Poles will ink more than four total and possibly more than four who can also immediately start. But if this is all we could get, it would give the team a huge boost.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I’m excited for the draft too! Thanks for posting the date! Now I’ll always know when it is when I log in here.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I’m excited for the draft too! Thanks for posting the date! Now I’ll always know when it is when I log in here.

Like most Bears fans, I'm looking forward to the draft even more than the FA period. But since this comes first, it's better now to pay closer attention to it, being who we sign or fail to sign will have an impact on how we draft.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Like most Bears fans, I'm looking forward to the draft even more than the FA period. But since this comes first, it's better now to pay closer attention to it, being who we sign or fail to sign will have an impact on how we draft.

I was just making a joke. And I think the bears are going to sign more than 4 FA starters.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I was just making a joke. And I think the bears are going to sign more than 4 FA starters.

Hey bud, I hope you're right. Wouldn't bother me in the least if Poles added a CB and a WILL LB to his batch. But he's also stated on numerous occasions that he wants to build thru the draft, so I can see him cutting back a bit on the free agents, not to mention save some of that cap space for the '24 batch.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Hey bud, I hope you're right. Wouldn't bother me in the least if Poles added a CB and a WILL LB to his batch. But he's also stated on numerous occasions that he wants to build thru the draft, so I can see him cutting back a bit on the free agents, not to mention save some of that cap space for the '24 batch.

Yeah, you want to build through the draft, but you also have to set up future draft opportunities by signing FAs in waves. If a net positive of 3 good FAs walk, then we get 3 additional picks + Cap space relief. Then you have to consider that the team just needs bodies at this point. I see the bears signing a lot of 2 or 3 year deals.

 

[BsGenius]

Like most Bears fans, I'm looking forward to the draft even more than the FA period. But since this comes first, it's better now to pay closer attention to it, being who we sign or fail to sign will have an impact on how we draft.

Do you think Texans were dumb not to tank? Just a question

 

[Jiddy]

6-16-22
10-30-22

Those are my numbers.