Jump to content

The 2020 Free Agency Rumblings Thread


WindyCity

Recommended Posts

8 hours ago, beardown3231 said:

He also quit on Indianapolis and has a problem with drops. They could do better. Is he an upgrade? Yes. We would all be an upgrade, too.

Was just going to post this, dude put himself on IR to save himself for FA and has had a career filled with drops.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, abstract_thought said:

OJ Howard just isn’t a dynamic receiver. The Bucs were targeting Cameron Brate heavily even when Howard was healthy.

He and Brate don’t play the same role at all in TB. Brate averaged 8.6 ypc this past year on 55 targets. Howard averaged 13.5 ypc on 53 targets, and 15.5 ypc across 94 catches in 3 years. Without researching it I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that if that isn’t the highest ypc number in the NFL amongst TEs it’s just about the highest number. Howard is a legitimate field stretcher from the TE position.  Evans and Godwin also fill that role incredibly well though, and there are only so many targets to go around. He’s also not a liability as a blocker. 

I’m not saying sell the farm for him, but due diligence deserves at least an inquiry. If he can be had for a 4 or 5 then IMO you’ve got a better chance to turn that into an actual immediate asset than just using the pick. Remember round 4 under Pace has yielded EJax and Cohen but also Iggy, Jeremy Langford and Deiondre’ Hall. With a trade vs. a drafted prospect we don’t have to suffer the rookie adaptation year(s) at a position where we need a real player right away. Pace doesn’t seem to have the luxury of time any more, or at least he shouldn’t. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, WindyCity said:

I am not sure that is totally fair. 

For me, without Ebron is comes down to cost. The health concerns would keep me from going to high and too many years.

But in terms of adding a dynamic receiving talent on a budget we could do worse.

Problem is Burton will be on the roster next year one way or another and that eats a large part of an cap space...two guys like them on a decent chunk of change does not do anything for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Madmike90 said:

Problem is Burton will be on the roster next year one way or another and that eats a large part of an cap space...two guys like them on a decent chunk of change does not do anything for me.

The health stuff with Ebron is way overblown IMO. It’s far less significant than that of Hunter Henry. Before last year he played 16 games each of the prior 2 seasons, and has missed just 13 total games in 6 years. To me that makes him not an iron man but also not injury prone. Looking at his statistical history he should be good for ~60/600/5 with slight fluctuation either way. So basically what we got from Burton in 2018 (54/569/6). If Burton is healthy for even part of the season then we have 2 of those guys for 2020 which is anything but a problem, and if he’s not then we have one plus another developing rookie (who I’m drafting regardless of what we do in FA). 2 deep with legitimate players plus a developmental draft pick is as deep as we could ever hope to be at the position. 

I’m not worried about the high spend ratio at TE because Burton can be cut after 2020 for almost no cap hit and we’re way underspending in 2020 at RB and probably QB. IMO TE is our biggest need position and after how incredibly underwhelmed we were by last year’s contingency plan guys I’m expecting a pretty big investment. Pace has been up and down on his FA hits, but for the most part he addresses the right positions. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ebron was considered a bust for doing what was a career year for Burton

15: 14 games, 537 yards, 11.4 ypc, Long 55, 5 TDs

16: 13 games, 711, 11.7, 61, 1 TD

17: 16 games, 574 yards, 10.8, 44, 4 TDs

18: 16 games, 750, 11.4, 53 [2], 13 TDs

19: 11 games, 375 yards, 12.1, 48 [2], 3 TDs

 

He has not been injured or as unproductive as the narrative would suggest.

In 2019 he played 11 games and when the Colts were out of it, he got ankle surgery, not sure I have an issue with that.

Edited by WindyCity
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Ebron was considered a bust for doing what was a career year for Burton

15: 14 games, 537 yards, 11.4 ypc, Long 55, 5 TDs

16: 13 games, 711, 11.7, 61, 1 TD

17: 16 games, 574 yards, 10.8, 44, 4 TDs

18: 16 games, 750, 11.4, 53 [2], 13 TDs

19: 11 games, 375 yards, 12.1, 48 [2], 3 TDs

 

He has not been injured or as unproductive as the narrative would suggest.

In 2019 he played 11 games and when the Colts were out of it, he got ankle surgery, not sure I have an issue with that.

Ebron is only considered a bust because he was the 10th pick in the draft so the expectations are Ertzish. He’s a good football player who’d be an upgrade for 2/3 of NFL teams if not more, and that shouldn’t get lost in the narrative that stems from where he was drafted 6 years ago. His addition would undoubtedly make the Bears offense significantly more viable. 

This offense features the TE more than most too and as such I would expect his production here would be at the high end of his career to this point, and again he’s only 26. 

I’m not sure I understand the apprehension toward Ebron. We’re talking about potentially adding a guy in his mid-20s with a 13 TD season under his belt when what we have right now is NOOOOOOOTHING beyond our guy who may not be ready for TC. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, AZBearsFan said:

Ebron is only considered a bust because he was the 10th pick in the draft so the expectations are Ertzish. He’s a good football player who’d be an upgrade for 2/3 of NFL teams if not more, and that shouldn’t get lost in the narrative that stems from where he was drafted 6 years ago. His addition would undoubtedly make the Bears offense significantly more viable. 

This offense features the TE more than most too and as such I would expect his production here would be at the high end of his career to this point, and again he’s only 26. 

I’m not sure I understand the apprehension toward Ebron. We’re talking about potentially adding a guy in his mid-20s with a 13 TD season under his belt when what we have right now is NOOOOOOOTHING beyond our guy who may not be ready for TC. 

But he's apparently a bad teammate who quits on his teams (eyeroll).

Well if that's the case the Bears should offer him an incentive laden performance based contract.  If he wants to be here I say why not?

Edited by topwop1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, topwop1 said:

But he's apparently a bad teammate who quits on his teams (eyeroll).

Well if that's the case the Bears should offer him an incentive laden performance based contract.  If he wants to be here I say why not?

I don't get why you're being smug about this. How often do you see a HC calling out a player for this? Last time I remember a circumstance like this was the Tomlin/AB stuff and it turns out that Tomlin was 110% correct.

I don't know why you're in denial. It's not like Ebron is an All Pro. He's a decent TE who we're overrating because of the serious TE need of this team.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

I don't get why you're being smug about this. How often do you see a HC calling out a player for this? Last time I remember a circumstance like this was the Tomlin/AB stuff and it turns out that Tomlin was 110% correct.

I don't know why you're in denial. It's not like Ebron is an All Pro. He's a decent TE who we're overrating because of the serious TE need of this team.

Overrate him all you want, if we bring him on the thing to worry about is overpaying. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

I don't get why you're being smug about this. How often do you see a HC calling out a player for this? Last time I remember a circumstance like this was the Tomlin/AB stuff and it turns out that Tomlin was 110% correct.

I don't know why you're in denial. It's not like Ebron is an All Pro. He's a decent TE who we're overrating because of the serious TE need of this team.

Denial about what?  What player would choose to have surgery if it wasn't necessary?

I don't get it.  I mean it's just not something I would look forward to or choose to do in order to avoid playing. Does that make sense?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, topwop1 said:

Denial about what?  What player would choose to have surgery if it wasn't necessary?

I don't get it.  I mean it's just not something I would look forward to or choose to do in order to avoid playing. Does that make sense?

He was 100% throughout every practice and game, never complained, never had anything worked on and all of a sudden packed it in for the year in a contract year? None of that seems supicious?

I get it completely. I don't think anyone looks forward to surgery, but maybe he figured forget the season and the QB was hurting his chances of helping his FA financials.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...