The 2020 Free Agency Rumblings Thread

[topwop1]

29 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I think Sudfeld would be “competition”, not competition, but agree he might be a real part of the conversation. He doesn’t fit the “experienced starter” narrative we’ve been seeing come out of Indy though. 

That is true.

Though, those guys who have experience starting and that would entertain coming here to be the #2 behind Mitch are limited, and include Mariota, who has been mentioned several times as a non starter because he shares same agent as Mitch, then guys Keenum, Henne, Bortles, Moore, Gabbert, Stanton, Driskel, Siemian, McCown and Hundley...not exactly the most inspiring list.

Then there is Dalton, who will likely be released if a team does not trade for him before FA starts, because apparently Cincinnati wants to do right by him by letting him have an opportunity to choose his next team.

[topwop1]

1 hour ago, abstract_thought said:

I think that if Sudfeld were good enough to be a good starter, he'd have had an opportunity in Philadelphia. Last year he lost the backup job to Josh McCown.

That's simply not true at all.

First of all Sudfeld was the #2 going into TC for the Eagles last year and then suffered a broken wrist in preseason, and then another injury to 3rd stringer Cody Kessler forced the Eagles to sign McCown as the new backup to Wentz.  So it's safe to assume that the Eagles let Sudfeld fully heal from his wrist injury and at that point McCown was already entrenched and committed to under contract as the backup to Wentz.

[topwop1]

More on Sudfeld...the Eagles thought so highly of him before last season that they placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on him after Foles left for the Jags. 

[G08]

@topwop1 John DeFilippo LOVES Nate Sudfeld.

 

You can bet your *** he's going to be in Nagy and Pace's ear about him and it wouldn't shock me one bit to see him come in here as QB2.

[AZBearsFan]

16 minutes ago, G08 said:

@topwop1 John DeFilippo LOVES Nate Sudfeld.

 

You can bet your *** he's going to be in Nagy and Pace's ear about him and it wouldn't shock me one bit to see him come in here as QB2.

I wouldn’t dispute that. It’s just such a non-fit with what multiple people are reporting about the competition for Mitch to be sought by the Bears. Sudfeld may indeed be real competition for Mitch, but aesthetics matter here quite a bit for Pace. Sudfeld to most of the world is pretty much an unknown. With all the known names on the market if Pace brings the masses Nate Sudfeld and nothing else people are gonna riot. Fair or not, it is what it is. 

[G08]

Sounds like the Packers might be going after Hooper as well... curious how much money this dude is going to get on the open market.

Might be smarter to grab Ebron for cheaper and draft a kid.

[abstract_thought]

They can bring in Sudfeld as a 3rd QB but it's hard to see how he's a better insurance policy than Chase.

[topwop1]

1 minute ago, AZBearsFan said:

I wouldn’t dispute that. It’s just such a non-fit with what multiple people are reporting about the competition for Mitch to be sought by the Bears. Sudfeld may indeed be real competition for Mitch, but aesthetics matter here quite a bit for Pace. Sudfeld to most of the world is pretty much an unknown. With all the known names on the market if Pace brings the masses Nate Sudfeld and nothing else people are gonna riot. Fair or not, it is what it is. 

I don't think Pace really cares about optics at this point, he just wants to get it right with his QB situation. Let's remember that the backup QB is usually the more popular QB in Chicago regardless of who that player is anyway. Signing a more known guy like Keenum may appease the fanbase a little more, but it in all likelihood isn't the best solution if they are looking to actually push Mitch.  

Plus nothing official has come out from the Bears indicating that they will be bringing in an "experienced starter" to push Mitch.  It's all just hearsay at this point and the sense that some people are getting from what they are likely hearing the Bears are doing behind the scenes to vet certain players who may become available to them once FA officially opens.

Not saying it's going to happen, but I could easily see a signing like Sudfeld coupled with a mid to late round pick at QB being the route they take to spruce up the QB depth chart.

[topwop1]

9 minutes ago, G08 said:

Sounds like the Packers might be going after Hooper as well... curious how much money this dude is going to get on the open market.

Might be smarter to grab Ebron for cheaper and draft a kid.

If the Packers offer the same ballpark of money that the Bears might potentially, then I can't see why Hooper would sign with us over them, which means Bears will likely have to pay a huge premium to get this guy, if they really want him.  I wonder at what point Pace sets his limit before moving on.

This could also be the Packers or his agent trying to artificially drum up interest after hearing Bears will be targeting Hooper in order to increase his price tag if Bears do eventually sign him.

 

[topwop1]

9 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

They can bring in Sudfeld as a 3rd QB but it's hard to see how he's a better insurance policy than Chase.

He's more of an unknown than Chase is, is younger (26) and has more untapped potential, plus DeFillipo is really high on him.

By now we know Chase's limitations and that he will never be a full time starter in this league and he also probably wouldn't take less than the $6M they gave him last year in order to re-sign here.

If Mitch flames out, then who knows, maybe this Sudfeld guy can run with the gig for a bit while they find the long term starter at QB.

[G08]

5 minutes ago, topwop1 said:

If the Packers offer the same ballpark of money that the Bears might potentially, then I can't see why Hooper would sign with us over them, which means Bears will likely have to pay a huge premium to get this guy, if they really want him.  I wonder at what point Pace sets his limit before moving on.

This could also be the Packers or his agent trying to artificially drum up interest after hearing Bears will be targeting Hooper in order to increase his price tag if Bears do eventually sign him.

 

I think this might be like the bidding war we had with KC over Sammy Watkins.

It might boil down to which you like more... Hooper at $12M/year (over-exaggerating) or Ebron at $8M/year 

[Heinz D.]

1 hour ago, topwop1 said:

Plus nothing official has come out from the Bears indicating that they will be bringing in an "experienced starter" to push Mitch.  

Even if that is their plan (and I doubt it is) they'd NEVER say it publicly. They'd just make the move, and talk about how much Mitch can learn from the guy...

[WindyCity]

Ben Allbright and The Athletic reporting the Bears and Bengals have discussed an Andy Dalton Trade.

As long as it is a day 3 pick or pick swap and they eat a bunch of cash I am fine with it. Would keep him cheap and unguranteed.

[soulman]

I keep reading about how Mariota won't come to Chicago due to sharing an agent with Mitch.  When it comes down to it will that really be an issue or is it just a good story line for now?  It's not that I'm advocating for Mariota I'm only questioning the excuse.

What are the chances of Mariota being signed as a starter anywhere after having been benched for Tannehill?  Seems to me anywhere he signs it will be as a #2 with a shot at getting a starting gig back so why would that opportunity be any less in Chicago than anywhere else?

Mariota isn't exactly at the top of my list mostly because he'd be like have a second Mitch but I can also see the thinking of handing DeFilippo two guys both with talent and upside who need "fixing" hoping to get one who does get fixed and become what a #2 overall pick is typically expected to be.  He also has to know that Pace was interested in drafting him as a rookie so chances are he'd get a fair shake and real shot at unseating Mitch.

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by soulman

[dll2000]

15 hours ago, soulman said:

I keep reading about how Mariota won't come to Chicago due to sharing an agent with Mitch.  When it comes down to it will that really be an issue or is it just a good story line for now?  It's not that I'm advocating for Mariota I'm only questioning the excuse.

What are the chances of Mariota being signed as a starter anywhere after having been benched for Tannehill?  Seems to me anywhere he signs it will be as a #2 with a shot at getting a starting gig back so why would that opportunity be any less in Chicago than anywhere else?

Mariota isn't exactly at the top of my list mostly because he'd be like have a second Mitch but I can also see the thinking of handing DeFilippo two guys both with talent and upside who need "fixing" hoping to get one who does get fixed and become what a #2 overall pick is typically expected to be.  He also has to know that Pace was interested in drafting him as a rookie so chances are he'd get a fair shake and real shot at unseating Mitch.

 

We talked about this last year.  If that was really case Mariota should fire his agent.  There are a limited number of jobs and taking a suitor off table because you share an agent is asinine from a player perspective.