Our FA list is much bigger than I thought

[Lake Shore Drive]

See the link found on the Bears website and in a Larry Mayer Q&A segment:

Chalk Talk: Which Bears will become free agents?

I honestly was not aware of the size of our FA list. 19 total, of which 14 are UFAs. We're all aware of the usual suspects.....Callahan, Amos, Massie, and Lynch. But other notable UFAs include:

Patrick O'Donnell
Josh Bellamy
Benny Cunningham
Nick Williams

And altho we only have 5 total RFAs, two names are prominent:

Roy Robertson-Harris
Isaiah Irving

RFAs can sometimes be a tougher situation, especially when the team wants to retain their services. Other clubs can sign them, often including poison pills in the contracts, placing the original team in a bind.

 

[Nelly]

If we sign Hunt, we won't need Cunningham, although i don't see Hunt or Howard playing special teams.

Let's get a new, more consistent punter.

Would like to see Bellamy back. He improved as a receiver and is a stud special teamer.

Who's Nick Williams?

We need to bring RRH and Irving back too preferably, Irving especially if Lynch isn't going to be kept around. It wouldn't be surprising to see Lynch head over to Denver to backup Miller/Chubb.

 

[beardown07]

RRH and Irving are exclusive restricted free agents.


They cannot negotiate with other teams.

 

[richig07]

If we sign Hunt, we won't need Cunningham, although i don't see Hunt or Howard playing special teams.

Let's get a new, more consistent punter.

Would like to see Bellamy back. He improved as a receiver and is a stud special teamer.

Who's Nick Williams?

We need to bring RRH and Irving back too preferably, Irving especially if Lynch isn't going to be kept around. It wouldn't be surprising to see Lynch head over to Denver to backup Miller/Chubb.

There are better punters than O'Donnell. However, he was a top 10 guy this year, without a doubt. Odds are you'd just regress in that area. He's very solid and that's all you can ask for. He was damn good towards the end of the year as well.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Who's Nick Williams?

Not so much that Williams is anything special, but I mentioned him because he does bring some depth to the DL. I don't think it would take much to retain him either. But I'd like to keep that experienced depth. As we all know we're limited with our draft picks and salary cap room this year, so if we can use such capital in other areas of need, the better overall for us.

RRH and Irving are exclusive restricted free agents.

They cannot negotiate with other teams.

See? That's why I like hanging on this site. I did not know this. Shit, I didn't even know there was such a category, period.

 

[wood20ks]

If we sign Hunt, we won't need Cunningham, although i don't see Hunt or Howard playing special teams.

Let's get a new, more consistent punter.

Would like to see Bellamy back. He improved as a receiver and is a stud special teamer.

Who's Nick Williams?

We need to bring RRH and Irving back too preferably, Irving especially if Lynch isn't going to be kept around. It wouldn't be surprising to see Lynch head over to Denver to backup Miller/Chubb.

If we signed,btw I hope we do,I'd tend to think Howard would be expendable and we would keep Cunningham.....But hey,that's me tho....

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

I’d bring back O’Donnell definitely. RRH, Amos, and Callahan would be nice too, but I doubt we get Amos and Callahan back.

 

[Nelly]

If we signed,btw I hope we do,I'd tend to think Howard would be expendable and we would keep Cunningham.....But hey,that's me tho....

Howard still wouldn't cost much though, that's the thing. If we could sign Hunt and trade Howard for a 4th rounder (for example) then i'd be all over that, then yea, keep Cunningham.

 

[wood20ks]

Btw.....When is Hunt available to sign....?.....Anytime or when free agency begins.......?

 

[nebearsfan70]

Btw.....When is Hunt available to sign....?.....Anytime or when free agency begins.......?

The bigger question is when will be able to play? The NFL is sure to suspend him some games next season.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

The bigger question is when will be able to play? The NFL is sure to suspend him some games next season.

Think he's available as soon as the's removed from the commissioner's exemption list. My guess is if some teams are signalling that they are interested in signing Hunt, then the exemption will be lifted. However, the going thought is he would then be suspended a minimum of 6 games thereafter. So the best case scenario for any team acquiring Hunt would be to see him out on the field probably halfway thru the season.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Nothing crazy. Bears will be adding talent this offseason rather than losing it or treading water.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Btw.....When is Hunt available to sign....?.....Anytime or when free agency begins.......?

He was cut, so technically any time I think, actually. Maybe after the SB via technicality or something like that, but he'll be available before normal FA's are.

 

[wood20ks]

The bigger question is when will be able to play? The NFL is sure to suspend him some games next season.

He was cut, so technically any time I think, actually. Maybe after the SB via technicality or something like that, but he'll be available before normal FA's are.

If we could sign him asap,I tend to think that should be on the to do list.......I can handle the suspension....

Signing him would be close to having a no.1 pick by doing that.......

And to sign him,what does that do to our salary cap......?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

If we could sign him asap,I tend to think that should be on the to do list.......I can handle the suspension....

Signing him would be close to having a no.1 pick by doing that.......

And to sign him,what does that do to our salary cap......?

Basically like inheriting someone else's rookie contract for all intents and purposes IIRC; the cap hits would be very small.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

A half a season of Hunt would be better than no season of Hunt. Fuck the PC bullshit that will undoubtedly go along with the signing.

 

[averagejoe]

RE: Hunt
He's on the Commissioner's Exempt List indefinitely. His suspension hasn't even started yet (or been determined as to the length for that matter).

RE: Bears FA
2019 NFL Free Agents Tracker

 

[beardown07]

I don't really see a way to move on from Jordan Howard right now.

Hunt sounds great and all, but I just don't see us going with strictly Cohen for at least 6 games. Maybe if Howard's contract were up, but it's not.

Right now, the Bears have no real replacement for him.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I don't really see a way to move on from Jordan Howard right now.

Hunt sounds great and all, but I just don't see us going with strictly Cohen for at least 6 games. Maybe if Howard's contract were up, but it's not.

Right now, the Bears have no real replacement for him.

Agreed. The only other alternative is Pace plans to trade him, then either sign a FA or make a RB one of our top picks available, which at this point is no better than a late 3rd rounder. Not gonna say we can't find a gem in that spot, but at least we know what we have in Howard.

And back to Cohen, I love the kid, probably one of his biggest fans on this board. I actually would like to see MORE of him featured in the '19 gameplan. But no way is he a primary, 20+ carry RB.

 

[averagejoe]

Me personally, I hope Pace upgrades the O-line before he worries about Jordan Howard or Kareem Hunt.

According to Football Outsiders, the Bears O-line ranked 28th in run-blocking.
While they admit that the ranking includes the success (or lack thereof) of the RB, the Bears "Stuff" ranking (tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage) is 22nd. In fact, 20.5 percent of runs resulted in a defensive stuff.
Pin it on Howard if you must, but how often did Cohen try to reverse direction or bounce runs outside because holes just weren't there? Answer: Plenty.