First look at the Bears offseason (mock free agents and full draft)

[wood20ks]

I like this article by the Trib's Brad Biggs (courtesy of Yahoo, need a subscription otherwise to read Tribune bylines):

Chicago Bears have locked up a top-4 draft pick — and there’s still a chance for No. 1. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on a brutal Week 17 loss.

A week earlier, the Chicago Bears kept it close for a half against the Buffalo Bills. Previously they’ve waited until the fourth quarter to melt down. On Sunday at Ford Field, the Bears had two decent offensive possessions to begin, and then it turned into a good, old-fashioned butt-kicking. 10...

sports.yahoo.com

His first couple of "thoughts" are about Sunday's debacle, then starting with #3, it goes on with ramblings about the draft, the so-far bad decision over the Claypool trade, and Fields shot at the QB rushing record. Where it gets particularly interesting is on #6, which includes how teams who have finished with the #1 or #2 draft picks fared the following season since 2000. In one sense, not very encouraging with an average of 6.5 & 6 wins, respectively. However, the one X factor in this equation is has there ever been a team finishing dead last or next to dead last that went into the following offseason with practically double the available cap space than the club with the next highest cap? I don't have such history at my fingertips, but my guess is a firm no way Jose. It's precisely why I feel the Bears could possibly end up in a playoff chase next year if it mostly goes well with the FA signings as well as the draft. Yes, a lot has to go right, but the ingredients are there for such a scenario.

Right now my guess is we very well could be above the 6-6 1/2 win team.....you all know I got to watch only a couple games this year,but I read a lot of your posts,and talked about mistakes that happened late in game,so my question is " how many games were we actually in that we could have won,but didnt"......??
And the mistakes I recall were madeby the offeense.....??

Did we actually win any games in 4th??
Were there any two minute offense that we had for a win.....??

I have a very good feeling Poles will take care of that.....

 

[wood20ks]

Colts are favored by 2 1/2 over the Texans.......

If Houston pulls out the win,and we lose as expected,would we have top pick???

Damn the possibilities would be endless......

 

[BsGenius]

The stupidity of the Claypool trade gets amplified every week

 

[BsGenius]

" how many games were we actually in that we could have won,but didnt"......??

This is a dumb question. Every team has games like this.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

The stupidity of the Claypool trade gets amplified every week

I’m going to give him a year before I make that call. He could easily suck though. This off-season SHOULD be the most exciting in quite a while, but something tells me the bears are going to be cheap and/or strike out on FAs and the draft isn’t going to make the team great overnight.

 

[wood20ks]

This is a dumb question. Every team has games like this.

Kind of,but not really.....the point was if we had some qb protection,reliable wrs,could we of actually had an offense that can come from behind in the 4th and a have an offense you could count on to run a two minute offense......?

So talk some football to make a point,rather than to troll.....

 

[wood20ks]

I’m going to give him a year before I make that call. He could easily suck though. This off-season SHOULD be the most exciting in quite a while, but something tells me the bears are going to be cheap and/or strike out on FAs and the draft isn’t going to make the team great overnight.

I dont they will go cheao,but I believe tthey will spend smart and not drop a 100 mill i an offseason......
But it is gonna be a fun offseason for sure.....

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I dont they will go cheao,but I believe tthey will spend smart and not drop a 100 mill i an offseason......
But it is gonna be a fun offseason for sure.....

If you’re trying to be good, you want to splash spend and draft well. Then you’ll get a ton of comp picks every other year if the FAs pan out.

 

[wood20ks]

If you’re trying to be good, you want to splash spend and draft well. Then you’ll get a ton of comp picks every other year if the FAs pan out.

Well you do have to have extra money to spend......what happens if Fields iis the qb we all been waiting for and hus contract is up,hes gonna get a very huge lump sum.....money needs to be spent well,not at once.....not saying they cant a vouple of bignaames,but not to every player .........

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I dont they will go cheao,but I believe tthey will spend smart and not drop a 100 mill i an offseason......
But it is gonna be a fun offseason for sure.....

Agreed, no way is Poles going to blow his cap space wad on just this coming offseason. I read somewhere where he could spend more than half his cap space and when the following year's cap is calculated, the Bears will still be in the top 5.

 

[BsGenius]

Kind of,but not really.....the point was if we had some qb protection,reliable wrs,could we of actually had an offense that can come from behind in the 4th and a have an offense you could count on to run a two minute offense......?

So talk some football to make a point,rather than to troll.....

I’m not big on finding silver linings in losses. Coulda shoulda woulda is lame. Loss is a loss. move on.

if you really want to discuss if this team would have won more had we had “better protection or reliable wrs” well the answer maybe/probably. Thrilling conversation...

 

[wood20ks]

I’m not big on finding silver linings in losses. Coulda shoulda woulda is lame. Loss is a loss. move on.

if you really want to discuss if this team would have won more had we had “better protection or reliable wrs” well the answer maybe/probably. Thrilling conversation...

Lol,you do have a sense of humor........use it more often.

 

[wood20ks]

Agreed, no way is Poles going to blow his cap space wad on just this coming offseason. I read somewhere where he could spend more than half his cap space and when the following year's cap is calculated, the Bears will still be in the top 5.

It would be nice to have something available at all times......I just hope we never have to deal with Kyler or Dak contract.....

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

It would be nice to have something available at all times......I just hope we never have to deal with Kyler or Dak contract.....

Well unfortunately good always comes with bad. If we want a truly franchise QB, and what Bears fan doesn't, then at some point he has to be paid and paid royally. I'm much more in agreement about Murray's bloated contract. Not sure for how much guaranteed money the Cards are on the hook, but they do seem to be getting screwed in some form or fashion. Prescott's contract is shorter and he's at least in good physical condition. His big issue right now is needing to cut back on the INTs.

 

[wood20ks]

Did I just hear that we have to spend 95 mill of the 120 mill this season to hit the minimum.....??
I dont really know,but hell,if a team didnt want to spend a dime you didnt have to.....

Not sure thats right,but same guy asked me about what I thought about signinng OBJ.......
Thats kinda interesting......if he was not such a headcase,I would be all for it.......

So is we HAVE to spend that type of amount,Im all for Payne and Odell myself....

Anyone elses thoughts.......??

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Did I just hear that we have to spend 95 mill of the 120 mill this season to hit the minimum.....??
I dont really know,but hell,if a team didnt want to spend a dime you didnt have to.....

Not sure thats right,but same guy asked me about what I thought about signinng OBJ.......
Thats kinda interesting......if he was not such a headcase,I would be all for it.......

So is we HAVE to spend that type of amount,Im all for Payne and Odell myself....

Anyone elses thoughts.......??

I think the requirement is 95% of the total cap space must be spent across the league and also spread over a rolling 4 year span per the CBA. The total for the entire league in '23 is supposed to be around $220-$225 mil, so it would be 95% of that, but again it's spread across the all teams over those 4 years. I believe it also counts against any salaries due to players coming up for extensions. renegotiations, etc.

Bottom line: I'd need a doctorate in professional sports contract finance to figure all this shit out, but I'll go on a very thick limb in saying there's no way the Bears will have to spend 95% of their '23 cap space, not even close. I do however expect them to spend at least half, if not more. This will include those extensions as well tho.

 

[wood20ks]

I think the requirement is 95% of the total cap space must be spent across the league and also spread over a rolling 4 year span per the CBA. The total for the entire league in '23 is supposed to be around $220-$225 mil, so it would be 95% of that, but again it's spread across the all teams over those 4 years. I believe it also counts against any salaries due to players coming up for extensions. renegotiations, etc.

Bottom line: I'd need a doctorate in professional sports contract finance to figure all this shit out, but I'll go on a very thick limb in saying there's no way the Bears will have to spend 95% of their '23 cap space, not even close. I do however expect them to spend at least half, if not more. This will include those extensions as well tho.

Ya,I dont understand a damn sentence of it.......

So 95% is all 32 teams together and not 95% per individual team.....??
And where does the 4 yrs come into play......??

 

[Jiddy]

I think the requirement is 95% of the total cap space must be spent across the league and also spread over a rolling 4 year span per the CBA. The total for the entire league in '23 is supposed to be around $220-$225 mil, so it would be 95% of that, but again it's spread across the all teams over those 4 years. I believe it also counts against any salaries due to players coming up for extensions. renegotiations, etc.

Bottom line: I'd need a doctorate in professional sports contract finance to figure all this shit out, but I'll go on a very thick limb in saying there's no way the Bears will have to spend 95% of their '23 cap space, not even close. I do however expect them to spend at least half, if not more. This will include those extensions as well tho.

I presume a lot of this can be resolved by frontloading upcoming fa and extension contracts against next year, leaving excees for those following. But I’m no cap guru.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I presume a lot of this can be resolved by frontloading upcoming fa and extension contracts against next year, leaving excees for those following. But I’m no cap guru.

Shit, you know more than me.

 

[nebearsfan70]

Holy shit... the Bears have the #1 pick.