The 2020 NFL Combine Thread

[AZBearsFan]

49 minutes ago, Bigbear72 said:

While I would agree that we do have a need at WR I feel the area that would have the greatest overall value for us (especially because we do not have an elite QB) is OL/TE.  With better OL and TE play this offense would look a WHOLE lot better.  You would get a possible safety valve for MT.  You would get better protection for him which in turn may lead to more time to make better decisions.  More importantly it would improve the running game significantly.  That too would ease the pressure on MT.  Being able to run the football what help cover up a lot of our shortcomings.  Also consider this...how many teams in the playoffs had bad offensive lines?

There is absolutely no reason we can’t make significant additions at all 3 of RG, TE and WR. The best way to set our QB up for success is to make him more comfortable and give him more options he trusts in the passing game. Doing anything less than adding at all of these spots would not be putting him in the best position to succeed, and after we’ve invested EVERYTHING in Mitch’s success I can’t foresee a scenario where we stop doing that now. 

[Bigbear72]

26 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

There is absolutely no reason we can’t make significant additions at all 3 of RG, TE and WR. The best way to set our QB up for success is to make him more comfortable and give him more options he trusts in the passing game. Doing anything less than adding at all of these spots would not be putting him in the best position to succeed, and after we’ve invested EVERYTHING in Mitch’s success I can’t foresee a scenario where we stop doing that now. 

I'm not saying that we shouldn't invest in a WR.  What I'm saying is that I would like a dominate offensive line over the WR.  Especially seeing how deep this draft is at WR.  Ideally we address all three spots somehow in free agency and then go bpa in the 2nd (preferably adding another piece to the OL or at Edge).  

[soulman]

1 hour ago, AZBearsFan said:

There is absolutely no reason we can’t make significant additions at all 3 of RG, TE and WR. The best way to set our QB up for success is to make him more comfortable and give him more options he trusts in the passing game. Doing anything less than adding at all of these spots would not be putting him in the best position to succeed, and after we’ve invested EVERYTHING in Mitch’s success I can’t foresee a scenario where we stop doing that now. 

I don't either.  I don't see us reaching for a pricey WR when our goal is to extend ARob and continue to develop Miller and Ridley.  I think both are capable of being more than JAGs.  It shouldn't be too difficult to bring in quite a few speed guys via FA and the draft/UDFA.  We've tended to do that every year anyway but until Mitch can actually improve his accuracy downfield I believe the guys who can run routes precisely and have the hands and ability to win contested catches will end up being more effective for us most of the time.

If we're gonna make a "splash" top FA signing I would think it's would be more likely at TE or RG.  I believe Pace has a choice there that will depend on the market value of whose available.  I also don't believe he's unable to pay due to cap constraints or unwilling to pay for top talent I just don't think he'll overpay.  He and Laine always seem to have a price brackets in mind and know how to place any given player within them.  They knew going in what it would take to sign Mack and they were prepared to do it. IMHO that hasn't changed.

If we listened to what Pace has said most recently about Mitch and the offense it's not only that Mitch needs to get better but also that as a team we need to get better at surrounding him with the necessary tools.  Making the changes in the offensive coaching staff was step one.  Now that group has had time to evaluate what and who they need to fill out their plans.  That should be the blueprint for what Pace will do in FA.  They'll find the money and cap space they need to do what they believe is needed so for me that's that.

[abstract_thought]

1 hour ago, AZBearsFan said:

There is absolutely no reason we can’t make significant additions at all 3 of RG, TE and WR. The best way to set our QB up for success is to make him more comfortable and give him more options he trusts in the passing game. Doing anything less than adding at all of these spots would not be putting him in the best position to succeed, and after we’ve invested EVERYTHING in Mitch’s success I can’t foresee a scenario where we stop doing that now. 

I really think you're underestimating the resource crunch the Bears are in right now.

You have $24M and you need starters at SS, CB2, ILB, RG, and TE along with a backup QB. And because of the uncertainty around the QB situation you no longer have the same pull with veterans like HHCD who signed here for below-market value.

[soulman]

1 minute ago, abstract_thought said:

I really think you're underestimating the resource crunch the Bears are in right now.

You have $24M and you need starters at SS, CB2, ILB, RG, and TE along with a backup QB. And because of the uncertainty around the QB situation you no longer have the same pull with veterans like HHCD who signed here for below-market value.

But is that crunch as bad as some would like to believe?  Let's take a look.

First of all if the CBA is approved as planned it's estimated that will add about $5-$6mil.  So then we'd be at $30 mil.

Pace has also said he and Laine have discussed their plans to add more if and when needed via some internal reworking of existing deals. And then we also have an extension for ARob which could significantly reduce his $15 mil cap hit and also what they plan to do about Floyd's $13 mil cap hit.  So conservatively we could be looking at another $10 mil increase from these two deals.  Then we'd be at $40 mil.

Nothing Pace has said so far indicates he feels they're being hamstrung by our cap situation and there are all kinds of ways to reduce our current cap number provided you're willing to kick that can down the road.  So I'm gonna go with that and see what happens.

[AZBearsFan]

17 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

I really think you're underestimating the resource crunch the Bears are in right now.

You have $24M and you need starters at SS, CB2, ILB, RG, and TE along with a backup QB. And because of the uncertainty around the QB situation you no longer have the same pull with veterans like HHCD who signed here for below-market value.

The salary cap can be manipulated so much that while that number looks small there’s plenty of room for pretty much anything we’d want to do short of signing a Brees, Ngakoue or Scherff level player. I outlined in my mock the other day that we could give Austin Hooper the biggest TE contract in history by 20% in terms of AAV and have his 2020 cap hit be just $6M. We could give Kwiat 4/40 with $20M guaranteed (not condoning, but as an example) and with a signing bonus of $10M his cap number could be > $4M in 2020 if we saw it necessary.

That we’re likely looking at a $30-40M jump in the cap in 2021 whether the current CBA proposal is accepted this week or not only expands that flexibility.