Free Agent Rumors

[AZBearsFan]

34 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Bush/Draft Pick vs A veteran seems like our destiny at SS.

If I have time I may go back and watch Bush in the playoff game. People were really high on him, Fangio included, during camp last year.

This is reality with a stacked team. There are going to be a few positions where you have guys who may not yet be proven taking over for guys who are poached by teams trying to emulate what you have. That’s NFL football in a free agency/salary cap era. 

[WindyCity]

Dolphins are releasing Robert Quinn and Andre Branch.

Either would make a solid #3 OLB and would not effect comp picks.

[HuskieBear]

11 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Dolphins are releasing Robert Quinn and Andre Branch.

Either would make a solid #3 OLB and would not effect comp picks.

Not sure the exact money they made last year, but Quinn had a 12.9M cap hit, while Branch had a 7M cap hit. Leads me to think they might get priced out of our range. I think Suggs/Wake would be a cheaper pick up for similar production

[WindyCity]

28 minutes ago, HuskieBear said:

Not sure the exact money they made last year, but Quinn had a 12.9M cap hit, while Branch had a 7M cap hit. Leads me to think they might get priced out of our range. I think Suggs/Wake would be a cheaper pick up for similar production

Both had bad seasons, so I am not sure their previous pay check will factor into things as much as that.

[dll2000]

15 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Bush/Draft Pick vs A veteran seems like our destiny at SS.

If I have time I may go back and watch Bush in the playoff game. People were really high on him, Fangio included, during camp last year.

I think he kind of stunk prior to last year and last season took a big step.  Hard to tell as a fan without being at practices because he hasn't had much playing time.  You have to go by translated coach speak and what you see at training camp and pre season games.  Coaches never had good things to say about him and then they did.  

When he got in last year with Jackson injury he didn't look like he didn't belong out there athletically even though he was playing out of position.  He is much more of a box safety than a deep cover safety.  With Jackson out he was forced to be primarily a cover guy.   I think he is our most physical player in secondary.  That may actually add a little something as our secondary was not great tacklers.   Amos had a huge missed tackle in a game and for some reason I can't remember it right now.  Jackson had a lot of them too.

I think he can probably cover big receivers and TE's just fine.  

 

 

 

 

 

[dll2000]

56 minutes ago, HuskieBear said:

Not sure the exact money they made last year, but Quinn had a 12.9M cap hit, while Branch had a 7M cap hit. Leads me to think they might get priced out of our range. I think Suggs/Wake would be a cheaper pick up for similar production

Quinn was seen as pretty much a bust last year. Don't know about Branch.

I think the sheer volume of bodies the Bears need to fill out roster and limited cap space is going to necessitate cheap signings for rest of 2019.

This offseason is huge and difficult because you are forced to find diamonds in rough to contribute that other people miss in both FA and draft.  This is where scouts make their money, anyone can spot a stud dominating the game.  You have to find a guy who may have been hurt, late bloomer, maybe wasn't a scheme fit somewhere else, someone over looked for some reason or someone well liked by their team but being hidden on a practice squad for future use.  I'd really scout practice squad guys.  

Bears starters are fairly stacked relative to league, but depth is not great.  Someone is going to have to step up during season and play that isn't expected to due to injury.  

This is what Patriots routinely do.  Oddly enough they miss on a lot of their big signings/draft picks and hit on a lot of little ones.  Plus, guys seem to play above their heads when there.

 

 

 

 

[WindyCity]

Kyle Long just tweeted

"Bear for Life [praying hands]"

Possible extension to reduce cap hit. Would be a solid move.

[WindyCity]

Biggs confirms

Long re-did his deal.

[HuskieBear]

18 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Biggs confirms

Long re-did his deal.

Good move, might have added a year or two to his deal as well. I think people forgot how dominate he was in his early years with the team. The last few offseasons have been rough for him with surgeries. With nothing scheduled for him this offseason, I think he'll come out really strong next year. 

Keeping our 5 starters together for another year/offseason should not be seen as insignificant

[soulman]

2 hours ago, dll2000 said:

When he got in last year with Jackson injury he didn't look like he didn't belong out there athletically even though he was playing out of position.  He is much more of a box safety than a deep cover safety.  With Jackson out he was forced to be primarily a cover guy.   I think he is our most physical player in secondary.  That may actually add a little something as our secondary was not great tacklers.   Amos had a huge missed tackle in a game and for some reason I can't remember it right now.  Jackson had a lot of them too.

Yep, exactly the way I see him and I think it pays to look back a bit at his college career as well.

Coming into his Sr. year he was ranked much higher than when he finished his Sr year.  He had the size, the speed, and the aggressiveness you'd want but his instincts sucked and he was often out of position pre-snap or ran himself out of plays due to being overly aggressive.  He played as a FS in college but few if any saw him other than as a backup SS and ST guy until he developed better habits and instincts and learned to play under control.

Has he?  That's my concern.  He's got the physical skills to be a big hitter and a force at SS but has he matured as a football player?

I believe Donatell probably worked hard with him and that he's improved and Pagano made his bones as a secondary coach before becoming a HC and now a DC so I'm gonna trust his call on Bush.  He's in his contract year and we need to know whether he's starting material or not.  If so he'll be much cheaper this year and to extend than signing Amos.  IMHO with Pagano's help and playing with Jackson I think Bush is probably good enough to take Amos' place.

[Ty21]

1 hour ago, HuskieBear said:

Good move, might have added a year or two to his deal as well. I think people forgot how dominate he was in his early years with the team. The last few offseasons have been rough for him with surgeries. With nothing scheduled for him this offseason, I think he'll come out really strong next year. 

Keeping our 5 starters together for another year/offseason should not be seen as insignificant

dominant 

[dll2000]

3 hours ago, soulman said:

Yep, exactly the way I see him and I think it pays to look back a bit at his college career as well.

Coming into his Sr. year he was ranked much higher than when he finished his Sr year.  He had the size, the speed, and the aggressiveness you'd want but his instincts sucked and he was often out of position pre-snap or ran himself out of plays due to being overly aggressive.  He played as a FS in college but few if any saw him other than as a backup SS and ST guy until he developed better habits and instincts and learned to play under control.

Has he?  That's my concern.  He's got the physical skills to be a big hitter and a force at SS but has he matured as a football player?

I believe Donatell probably worked hard with him and that he's improved and Pagano made his bones as a secondary coach before becoming a HC and now a DC so I'm gonna trust his call on Bush.  He's in his contract year and we need to know whether he's starting material or not.  If so he'll be much cheaper this year and to extend than signing Amos.  IMHO with Pagano's help and playing with Jackson I think Bush is probably good enough to take Amos' place.

I scouted him heavily in college as I was playing GM that year for Chicago in a GM game for former site.  I put a lot of time into a lot of college guys.  I drafted him in 7th and he was still there.  Obviously IRL we later drafted him in 4th.  

He was a big hitter and play maker in college, but like you said had terrible instincts. . I wanted him based on athletic potential and thought he could be a one day starter.  

[AZBearsFan]

56 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

I scouted him heavily in college as I was playing GM that year for Chicago in a GM game for former site.  I put a lot of time into a lot of college guys.  I drafted him in 7th and he was still there.  Obviously IRL we later drafted him in 4th.  

He was a big hitter and play maker in college, but like you said had terrible instincts. . I wanted him based on athletic potential and thought he could be a one day starter.  

I saw Bush looking like he was an average player the few games he was playing on behalf of Jackson, and as has been said I think he was playing out of position at free safety as well. Let’s also not forget that for the most part Adrian Amos was pretty average too in terms of making the plays he should but not a whole lot of special ones beyond that. 

[AZBearsFan]

Adrian Amos was not even a distant pro bowl alternate this year in what was unquestionably his best statistical season playing in a high profile defense with a ton of exposure. I think that should give us some indication as to what the league thinks of his ability, and as much the uniqueness (or lackthereof) to his skill set.

[dll2000]

14 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I saw Bush looking like he was an average player the few games he was playing on behalf of Jackson, and as has been said I think he was playing out of position at free safety as well. Let’s also not forget that for the most part Adrian Amos was pretty average too in terms of making the plays he should but not a whole lot of special ones beyond that. 

If you have athletic ability and are surrounded by great play making athletes like any player playing SS for Bears in 2019 will be you can look a lot better than you are.  

Why I am not that worried about SS no matter who ends up playing it.  A chance taker like Bush may end up shining in 2019, where on another team or in another year he might be a donkey.

Once you have enough top athletes on one side of ball, especially defense, scheme kind of goes out the window and you just get after it.  Everything works.  It's rare that you get that accumulation in NFL, but it happens.   Bears could have that next year.   On paper they do.  This is best Bears defense since '85.  

We'll see if it pans out on grass or if they can stay healthy.  You never know until you see it or it actually happens.  Exciting.