Ranking our top UFAs

[Lake Shore Drive]

Figured I might as well kill a little time with a new post while waiting for Sunday's game against the Niners. Not sure how many Bears on the current roster will be UFAs at season's end, but I think it's a fair guess as to who the Big Four are:

1. Bryce Callahan
2. Amos Otis
3. Robert Massie
4. Aaron Lynch

Feel free to insert any name I may have left out. I placed the above names in order of importance with respect to who would be our top priority for re-signing on down. With our slim cap space for '19, I find it hard to believe we can retain all four. Of course the Bears brass might be able to get creative enough to retain them all, but I suspect we'll lose at least one or two of them.

Unlike Otis and Massie, Callahan technically is not a starter. But in this day and age of pass-happy offenses, a nickel back is pretty much a de facto starter in most defensive gameplans. It's my take that Bryce is the best nickel back in the game today, therefore he's ranked above two of our starting FAs. Otis has had a great season and last year was pretty damn good as well, but I have him a notch below Callahan relative to their impact on the defense.

Massie has actually improved with each passing year in his tenure with the Bears. I use to think he borderline sucked, but he's really come on the past couple of seasons. Not sure of the OL's depth and the status of Kyle Long for next year. If he's deemed expendable, it makes our OL that much thinner and perhaps elevates Massie's importance. I like when Lynch is on the field, he makes plays. But he is at best a sub, so I think he's the most expendable. What sayeth my fellow Bear diehards?

 

[beardown07]

lulz...who the fuck is Amos Otis??

 

[beardown07]

Good fuck, I dunno who Otis is, or why you think he's a starter, but it's..

Callahan
Massie
Lynch


None of which are imperative to success, but have all been more than pleasant surprises.

I honestly would say Massie might be the most important based solely on the importance of continuity on the o-line. Callahan is the obvious choice, but his pricetage will determine his importance. Lynch should come pretty cheap, as should Massie.


Again, best I can Tell, Amos Otis was a shitty baseball player for the Royals in the late 60's.

 

[beardown07]

I assume you mean Adrian Amos??


lulz....ok, I need to revise my list.

 

[beardown07]

Amos Otis sounds like a kickass bluegrass song doe.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

lulz...who the fuck is Amos Otis??

ROFL - well there's my brain fart for the holidays! That's what I get for posting a football opinion while watching Baseball Tonite. It's called morphing of the brain!

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

4. Aaron Lynch

His price tag should be team friendly and we'll need a replacement / backup for Floyd. I'm not sure how we can keep Floyd with his big money next year.

 

[beardown07]

I thought I read Roy-Robertson Harris was a UFA too.


He is up there too IMO, if so. Kid is a stud.

 

[richig07]

Would like to see Callahan and Amos back.

However, both could be pricey and we may have to choose between them. Bush (who is starting in place of Jackson this week) may be the guy next to Jackson next season.

 

[richig07]

I thought I read Roy-Robertson Harris was a UFA too.


He is up there too IMO, if so. Kid is a stud.

He's a restricted free agent.

Roy Robertson-Harris

 

[BsGenius]

1. Bryce Callahan
2. Amos Otis
3. Robert Massie
4. Aaron Lynch

Callahan is far and away the one i want resigned.

Amos is our weakest link in the secondary and I haven't been too impressed with him all year. He misses a lot of tackles and is really is not a playmaker.

Massie and Lynch, only if they come cheap.

I think the positions represented by these 4 players will be targeted in the draft (CB, S, OL, DL)

 

[BsGenius]

Having said all that our biggest UFA will be Fangio. He will undoubtedly get HC offers. We have a great young core defense that can stay dominant for a long time. Man, i hope Fangio doesn't leave.

 

[richig07]

1. Bryce Callahan
2. Amos Otis
3. Robert Massie
4. Aaron Lynch

Callahan is far and away the one i want resigned.

Amos is our weakest link in the secondary and I haven't been too impressed with him all year. He misses a lot of tackles and is really is not a playmaker.

Massie and Lynch, only if they come cheap.

I think the positions represented by these 4 players will be targeted in the draft (CB, S, OL, DL)

He was utterly flawless last year and has still been pretty damn good this year.

2017: "Amos earned a career-high 92.0 overall grade in 2017 per PFF, ranking No. 1 among the league’s qualifying safeties. He ranked second in yards allowed per reception (7.1) and 15th in passer rating when targeted (81.8). He also flashed strong tackling ability on receptions, as he allowed just 3.50 yards after the catch per reception allowed, ranking fifth among safeties with at least 25 targets this past season."

2018: 3 Bears earn spot on Pro Football Focus' early Pro Bowl team

He still has fluctuated between a 75 and 85 overall grade this year and in the top 10 in a large chunk of the above statistics from 2017.

 

[richig07]

Having said all that our biggest UFA will be Fangio. He will undoubtedly get HC offers. We have a great young core defense that can stay dominant for a long time. Man, i hope Fangio doesn't leave.

GB wanted him badly as their DC in the off-season. That would be a big blow to the gut.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

GB wanted him badly as their DC in the off-season. That would be a big blow to the gut.

I don't see Fangio swapping DC jobs. He either takes a HC offer or stays put. The one thing we might have going in our favor is everyone these days wants that shiny new object. Young offensive coaches seem to be the rage, two things working against him. But wouldn't that be a kick in the head if he took the HC job at Green Bay?

 

[richig07]

I don't see Fangio swapping DC jobs. He either takes a HC offer or stays put. The one thing we might have going in our favor is everyone these days wants that shiny new object. Young offensive coaches seem to be the rage, two things working against him. But wouldn't that be a kick in the head if he took the HC job at Green Bay?

That's what I meant...

The hypothetical scenario that Fangio would take the GB HC job. He's clearly not taking another DC job.

Personally, he could have already been a HC if he wanted and I think he may not want to be.

 

[beardown07]

That's what I meant...

The hypothetical scenario that Fangio would take the GB HC job. He's clearly not taking another DC job.

Personally, he could have already been a HC if he wanted and I think he may not want to be.

I swear I remember him saying he didn't want that, this late in his career, or some shit, when the Bears hired him.


Not to change the subject, but Ryan Pace deserves a heap of praise. Imagine had Green Bay got Fangio, Fuller and Mack, all of whom they went after aggressively.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Not to change the subject, but Ryan Pace deserves a heap of praise. Imagine had Green Bay got Fangio, Fuller and Mack, all of whom they went after aggressively.

I think Pace is more of a clinch than Nagy when it comes to the year end awards. Personally, I think both are going to win their respective awards.

 

[Nelly]

1. Callahan. Dude is a stud.
2. Lynch. Should be a friendly price tag for what we'll need him for.
3. Massie. He'd be #2 but coward could be ready to take over after another training camp under his belt.
4. Amos. Price tag will probably be really high and Jackson is obviously the one to spend the big money on. Deion Bush or DeAndre Houston-Carson could hold the spot down if need be.