Bears 2024

[Bobref]

For me, it’s difficult to be objective about Caleb Williams since he’s from USC. But there are an awful lot of red flags popping up. Either way, it’s time for the Bears to fish or cut bait. Deals are getting done. Free agency starts in a week, and the Bears are losing leverage in the Fields trade market.

[Coach Nowlin]

They never really had leverage in first place because I think the entire NFL was willing to call POLES bluff on keeping FIELDS 

So there was really no leverage anyways.   The question remains if you can still get a 2nd round for him....its looking dicey 

 

[Bobref]

3 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

They never really had leverage in first place because I think the entire NFL was willing to call POLES bluff on keeping FIELDS 

So there was really no leverage anyways.   The question remains if you can still get a 2nd round for him....its looking dicey 

 

Their trade position deteriorates with every free agent QB signing. Mike Evans got an extension, so Baker Mayfield is probably going to re-sign with the Bucs. 

Edited March 4 by Bobref

[Coach Nowlin]

Russ WIlson on open market now too 

Now you want to talk about a complete mess......Denver 

$85 Million in Dead Money

 

 

 

[Bobref]

36 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Russ WIlson on open market now too 

Trying to figure out whether this improves the trade market for Fields, or not. I think not. One more veteran QB capable of starting on the market, and I don’t see Denver as a destination for Fields. Plus, Russ is dirt cheap.

Edited March 5 by Bobref

[Boilernation]

8 hours ago, Bobref said:

Their trade position deteriorates with every free agent QB signing. Mike Evans got an extension, so Baker Mayfield is probably going to re-sign with the Bucs. 

I think the key is Cousins. Once the decision on where Cousins goes or stays is determined it will open up the market. Also, the Bears could keep Fields and just wait about 5 months until a team suffers an inury and is desperate to get into the QB market.

[Boilernation]

14 hours ago, Bobref said:

For me, it’s difficult to be objective about Caleb Williams since he’s from USC. But there are an awful lot of red flags popping up. Either way, it’s time for the Bears to fish or cut bait. Deals are getting done. Free agency starts in a week, and the Bears are losing leverage in the Fields trade market.

What red flags? All I'm hearing is positive. Stories are leaking about the amount of digging the Bears have done on Fields. In candid interviews with former teammates at OU or USC that have talked to Bears scouts have had nothing but positive things to say. Bears execs themselves did a lot of fact finding as well when they went out to LA to visit Kingsbury. Speaking of Kingsbury, he told Albert Breer that he only saw Caleb's father ONCE at their USC facility and that he's not a distraction. He mainly sticks to handling Caleb's business side and stays out of the football side. 

Embrace it, Bob. Dont' be afraid to get sucked into the hype. We finally have our franchise QB! 😁

[Bobref]

7 hours ago, Boilernation said:

Embrace it, Bob. Dont' be afraid to get sucked into the hype. We finally have our franchise QB! 😁

That would be great … but I’ll believe it when I see it. Until then, I’m not pinning my hopes on a guy who paints messages to opponents on his fingernails, refused to provide medical information … or do anything at the combine, and has come up small in many big games. That is especially true when he comes from that place out of California. When you think about the haul in draft capital they could get for trading that pick … we’ll, he’s going to have to be awfully good awfully soon to justify passing that up.

[Boilernation]

36 minutes ago, Bobref said:

That would be great … but I’ll believe it when I see it. Until then, I’m not pinning my hopes on a guy who paints messages to opponents on his fingernails, refused to provide medical information … or do anything at the combine, and has come up small in many big games. That is especially true when he comes from that place out of California. When you think about the haul in draft capital they could get for trading that pick … we’ll, he’s going to have to be awfully good awfully soon to justify passing that up.

Harrison Jr. basically refused to do all of those as well. it's going to become a trend where the top tier guys avoid combine related activities. They know they're going Top 10 regardless. 

This is a QB driven league. You can't miss out on one of the next generational greats (if he is) over draft capital. 

[Muda69]

48 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

 a trend where the top tier guys avoid combine related activities.

I've yet to hear a convincing argument on why this is a good idea, if one wants to play in the NFL.

 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

https://thesidelinecatch.com/2023/03/05/does-the-nfl-combine-matter/#google_vignette'

 

Quote

“It’s not even the working out portion. To me, you grade them off the tape, you don’t grade off somebody out here in pajamas, running the 40 with no defender around,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said about the Combine.

 

Quote

A 2016 University of California, Berkeley study found that a better Combine performance rarely correlates with receiving a higher draft pick, a statistic that would theoretically be enough to blow the entire idea of the Combine out of the water.

 

For the last decade its been a manufactured made for TV event.   I could care less about it, haven't paid attention to it and will continue to ignore it.   

It is great for the unknown to show some movment skills and go from Undrafted FA to maybe a 6th round pick.   It serves its purpose to be able to meet the prospects and get to know them as a person thats about it. 

I take zero away from anyone who chooses not to throw or Ghost the entire interviews like Marvin 

 

[Boilernation]

1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

I've yet to hear a convincing argument on why this is a good idea, if one wants to play in the NFL.

 

 

I think it depends. Someone like Harrison Jr., Williams, Maye, etc. They have no need for the combine. Someone like the kid from Avon who went to Wisconsin and then Louisville and ran a sub 4.40 (Guerrero??) at the combine likely increased his stock. 

Maybe it's fair to say there are guys who need the combine to get drafted and there are guys who will get drafted based on tape and/or pro days at their school.

[Boilernation]

21 hours ago, Bobref said:

Their trade position deteriorates with every free agent QB signing. Mike Evans got an extension, so Baker Mayfield is probably going to re-sign with the Bucs. 

As long as Minnesota resigns Cousins Fields should end up in Atlanta. The Bears did clearly make it obvious they're moving on from him, which hurts in leverage. But, maybe teams do just think he's a bust and aren't interested in the first place. 

 

[temptation]

Bring JJ home Chicago…you won’t regret it.

[Boilernation]

22 minutes ago, temptation said:

Bring JJ home Chicago…you won’t regret it.

I saw this on a CBS Mock: 

[temptation]

52 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

I saw this on a CBS Mock: 

I’m biased but whomever gets him is getting one hell of a player.

[Coach Nowlin]

4 hours ago, temptation said:

Bring JJ home Chicago…you won’t regret it.

not against it 

3 hours ago, temptation said:

I’m biased but whomever gets him is getting one hell of a player.

Winner, leader, great qualities to have in your QB 

 

[Boilernation]

On 3/4/2024 at 10:51 AM, Coach Nowlin said:

They never really had leverage in first place because I think the entire NFL was willing to call POLES bluff on keeping FIELDS 

So there was really no leverage anyways.   The question remains if you can still get a 2nd round for him....its looking dicey 

 

Agreed. I heard a Schefter interview on Waddle & Silvy yesterday. He said the entire league knew the Bears had to move on from Fields so they never had leverage in the first palce. 

[Muda69]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39704677/source-bears-planning-new-stadium-south-soldier-field

Quote

The Bears are shifting their focus to remain in the city of Chicago with plans to build a new stadium south of Soldier Field, a source familiar with the team's plan told ESPN.

The news comes nearly 13 months after the Bears closed on the 326-acre property that formerly housed Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The team signed an agreement in 2021 to purchase the property for $197.2 million but has not begun developing the site, which was expected to feature a multibillion-dollar stadium project and include restaurants, retail space and real estate.

The Bears are planning to invest more than $2 billion in private money into a publicly owned domed stadium and park space that would feature year-round community amenities, a source said. Although the team has not released renderings of its proposed lakefront stadium, a source confirmed the location would be immediately south of the current site of Soldier Field and would maintain parking in the south lot.

"The Chicago Bears are proud to contribute over $2 billion to build a stadium and improve open spaces for all families, fans and the general public to enjoy in the City of Chicago," Bears team president and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement to ESPN. "The future stadium of the Chicago Bears will bring a transformative opportunity to our region -- boosting the economy, creating jobs, facilitating mega events and generating millions in tax revenue. We look forward to sharing more information when our plans are finalized."

Soldier Field is currently the smallest stadium in the NFL, with a capacity of 61,500. The Bears' plan is to remain there until a new stadium is built, a source said, at which time the current site would be torn down aside from the building's colonnades. The plan, then, would be to construct parks and athletic fields for public use on the site.

The Bears' current lease at Soldier Field is set to expire in 2033.

A source said the stadium project will create 20% more space on the museum campus (which encompasses Soldier Field as well as three notable museums) for the public to use year-round, as opposed to solely during Bears home games.

A recent independent poll conducted by McGuire Research surveyed 500 registered voters living in the city of Chicago on several topics related to the construction of a new Bears stadium.

According to results obtained by ESPN, 80% of those polled supported a domed stadium that would host major events throughout the year on the museum campus, while 77% supported the proposed location due to the efforts to keep the Bears in the city of Chicago. The results concluded that more than 6 in 10 Chicagoans support using public money for a publicly owned stadium.

During a community meeting in September 2022 when the team revealed its plan for the Arlington Park site, chairman George McCaskey said the Bears would "seek no public funding for direct stadium structure construction" but would need assistance to complete the rest of the multibillion-dollar project.

The public component for the proposed lakefront stadium is not yet known.

The Bears began exploring options for a new stadium beyond Arlington Heights last summer when they announced that those plans were "at risk" as negotiations over property taxes reached a $100 million impasse.

"The property's original assessment at five times the 2021 tax value, and the recent settlement with Churchill Downs [the property's former owner] for 2022 being three times higher, fails to reflect the property is not operational and not commercially viable in its current state," the Bears said in a statement in June 2023.

The Bears met with mayors from Naperville and Chicago to explore alternative stadium sites, while Waukegan, a northern Illinois suburb, and Aurora, a suburb 40-plus miles west of Chicago, also pitched the team on building a stadium there.

"I have said all along that meaningful private investment and a strong emphasis on public benefit are my requirements for public-private partnerships in our city," Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement posted to social media Monday, "The Chicago Bears' plans are a welcome step in that direction and a testament to Chicago's economic vitality."

Should the Bears succeed in their plan to build a new lakefront stadium, a source indicated the team likely will put the Arlington Park property up for sale.

Hmm, who thinks this new stadium will actually be built, now that it appears the Arlington Heights plan is a bust?   

And just say NO to a dome.

 

[Boilernation]

8 hours ago, Muda69 said:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39704677/source-bears-planning-new-stadium-south-soldier-field

Hmm, who thinks this new stadium will actually be built, now that it appears the Arlington Heights plan is a bust?   

And just say NO to a dome.

 

I don't. Building a stadium South of the current spot just to stay close to Lake Michigan and the skyline is a mistake. The location sucks. Very limiited parking and not easy to walk to from the South Loop and/or the train stations near the stadium because of Lake Shore Drive and the train lines. More importantly, publically funding in the City means they likely won't own the stadium again and the Chicago Parks Department will continue to own where the Bears play. 

Feels to me that Warren is politicking and trying to get the 3 school districts in that area to drop their argument that the property is undervalued. My money is still on them building in Arlington Heights.

[Coach Nowlin]

Swift I think is a interesting signing for Bears, reasonable price, but not stupid price, essentially a 2 year contract.   

Love the Safety Byrad signing and especially the price also. 

Now with all the QB movements that have occurred:  What is logically known?   

Vikings (just signed Sam Darnold) 

Pats (Just signed Jacoby Brisett) 

Commanders. (Still has Sam Howell) 

11th, 3rd, 2nd picks 

How bout this scenario:  

Vikings send:  Justin Jefferson, 11th overall, 4th/5th in 2024:  1st and 3rd in 2025: 2nd in 2026

For 

1st overall Pick in 2024:  4th in 25:  3rd in 26.  

Extend JJ right away.  

Draft J.J. at 9 

Draft best EDGE/BOARD PLAYER at 11.   

Fields plays next 2 years with JJ and behind him.  Give Bears a chance to see if this Coach can unlock talent of Fields, if he does and he turns out to be that guy, then you have trade capitol of JJ 

LETS GO!!!

 

[Bobref]

5 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Fields plays next 2 years with JJ and behind him.  Give Bears a chance to see if this Coach can unlock talent of Fields, if he does and he turns out to be that guy, then you have trade capitol of JJ 

How ironic would it be if the Bears were “stuck” with Fields because they couldn’t unload him … and then he turned into the multi-threat franchise QB we saw flashes of this past season? You can bet everyone would be lined up to take credit for that, when the reality is they busted their butts to try and ship him out of town.

[Boilernation]

11 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Swift I think is a interesting signing for Bears, reasonable price, but not stupid price, essentially a 2 year contract.   

Love the Safety Byrad signing and especially the price also. 

Now with all the QB movements that have occurred:  What is logically known?   

Vikings (just signed Sam Darnold) 

Pats (Just signed Jacoby Brisett) 

Commanders. (Still has Sam Howell) 

11th, 3rd, 2nd picks 

How bout this scenario:  

Vikings send:  Justin Jefferson, 11th overall, 4th/5th in 2024:  1st and 3rd in 2025: 2nd in 2026

For 

1st overall Pick in 2024:  4th in 25:  3rd in 26.  

Extend JJ right away.  

Draft J.J. at 9 

Draft best EDGE/BOARD PLAYER at 11.   

Fields plays next 2 years with JJ and behind him.  Give Bears a chance to see if this Coach can unlock talent of Fields, if he does and he turns out to be that guy, then you have trade capitol of JJ 

LETS GO!!!

 

At this point there is zero interest Fields from anyone in need of a QB. I think that's pretty telling of who the Bears have at QB and putting him out there for 2 more years would be a disaster.

[Bobref]

So, Ryan Poles got pretty good grades for his first 2 seasons as Bears’ GM. But clearly, the honeymoon is over.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/03/justin-fields-trade-bears-excuse-caleb-williams-failure-video#

The Bears’ excuse for failing to trade Justin Fields lacks all common sense

All offseason, the Bears have been presumably preparing to move on from Justin Fields and select a new young quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft. If only this bumbling excuse for a pro football organization could get out of its own way.

With the early salvos of 2024 free agency taking away various potential Fields’ trade suitors off the board — Kirk Cousins with the rising Atlanta Falcons, Russell Wilson with the usually competent Pittsburgh Steelers — the Bears have more or less been left high and dry. It turns out most other NFL teams don’t want to trade a Day 2 draft pick for a flawed quarterback and extend him his fifth-year option. Huh, who knew?

Now armed with little recourse but to reevaluate how the rest of the league views their incumbent quarterback, it sure seems like the Bears are trying to play the stupidest public damage control imaginable for their trade failure:

Why haven't the #Bears traded Justin Fields? Well: This isn't a Justin Fields situation, it's a Caleb Williams situation. Let me explain… 

Do you mean to tell me that they didn’t deal away Fields because they’re still evaluating Caleb Williams? Really? That’s the best possible explanation that Chicago general manager Ryan Poles and his cronies could come up with. Come on now.

At this time of year, in mid-March, you’re confident in your potential quarterback of the future (that everyone else seems to love) and deal away the guy (Fields) you don’t want when his market is the healthiest. There is nothing much else to learn about Williams (or Drake Maye) at this stage in the evaluative process. And even if you’re unsure who to take, it seems pretty clear Fields isn’t in the long-term plans, and you should be committed to maximizing his trade value as much as possible before taking more appropriate time in deciding on a rookie signal-caller.

You do all that, or you simply stand pat and stick with Fields and deal away with the top pick.

But that’s not really what happened here. Oh, no, no.

The Bears asked for too much in a Fields trade, everyone balked at the price — including two of the primary suitors who opted for two quarterbacks in their mid-30s instead — and now they’re trying to pretend that the reason nothing happened is because they’re only 99 percent sure Williams is their man. Again, that is literally the best they could do to save face for playing themselves. It’s embarrassing, I know.

I’d say I’m surprised this failure happened with Poles — who has 10 wins in two years as a GM — but this is par for the course for the Bears, a franchise that can’t even get its own fanbase properly excited for a generational quarterback prospect because it doesn’t know how to rip the Band-Aid off.

Bravo, Bears. Next, you’ll tell us that, actually, you believed in Fields the whole time, and pigs will start flying in the sky.

[Boilernation]

He could have stopped writing the article after penning "it turns out most NFL teams don't want to trade a day 2 pick for a flawed QB and extend him his fifth year option." Is he expecting Poles to just come out and say that nobody in the market for a QB1 was interested in him so we'll hold him until the market opens backup again?