Bears Reportedly Seeking Dalton

[GBHalas]

But if it is true I'll eat my words happily because I agree with you about Dalton.  I think he would be someone who would really push Trubisky possibly out of a job.

[abstract_thought]

If the Bears are committed to giving Mitch another year, then the team will live and die with his performance. Acquiring a QB like Dalton will eat into the Bears' limited salary cap room and is unlikely to save the team in the event that Mitch struggles badly enough to be benched.

The only way to safely guarantee that Mitch's poor play doesn't ruin another season is to outright replace him.

[soulman]

1 hour ago, GBHalas said:

But if it is true I'll eat my words happily because I agree with you about Dalton.  I think he would be someone who would really push Trubisky possibly out of a job.

In my world THAT would be the whole point of this exercise.

At this moment in time all Pace will admit to is looking to upgrade Daniels with someone who can also compete for the #1 spot.  No matter how protective of Mitch and his starting spot Pace may seem he also knows he can't afford to back him through another year like 2019 so IMHO whoever we bring should be good enough to be a legitimate threat to Mitch and his starting role.  Otherwise why bother?

[soulman]

1 hour ago, abstract_thought said:

If the Bears are committed to giving Mitch another year, then the team will live and die with his performance. Acquiring a QB like Dalton will eat into the Bears' limited salary cap room and is unlikely to save the team in the event that Mitch struggles badly enough to be benched.

The only way to safely guarantee that Mitch's poor play doesn't ruin another season is to outright replace him.

We really can't know that before we see what kind of a deal can be worked out.  Are we gonna be willing to trade for him AND absorb his $17.7 mil deal for one year?  Hell no, but no one else will either and Cincy knows that.

The key may be having Cincy convert a significant amount of that salary to a one time bonus they'll eat and then whoever signs him can extend him if they want and that could lower his initial cap cost even more.  Pace has already commented on this and said that he and Laine have worked out plans to allow them to do whatever is necessary in FA.  I don't believe we're quite as limited as it may seem.

[topwop1]

1 hour ago, abstract_thought said:

If the Bears are committed to giving Mitch another year, then the team will live and die with his performance. Acquiring a QB like Dalton will eat into the Bears' limited salary cap room and is unlikely to save the team in the event that Mitch struggles badly enough to be benched.

The only way to safely guarantee that Mitch's poor play doesn't ruin another season is to outright replace him.

Well they aren't outright replacing him this offseason so people need to get that out of their heads already.

It sounds like they will do everything to help Mitch succeed so with that said why not get someone to push him to be better? Even if Dalton is traded here and never sees the field  I'm pretty condident in saying his impact as the #2 will be a lot better than Chase Daniels ever was.

Just curious who do you want them to sign to push Mitch given that we know it is likely he will be the starter to begin the season?

[abstract_thought]

1 minute ago, topwop1 said:

Well they aren't outright replacing him this offseason so people need to get that out of their heads already.

It sounds like they will do everything to help Mitch succeed so with that said why not get someone to push him to be better? Even if Dalton is traded here and never sees the field  I'm pretty condident in saying his impact as the #2 will be a lot better than Chase Daniels ever was.

Just curious who do you want them to sign to push Mitch given that we know it is likely he will be the starter to begin the season?

Given the salary cap limitations and granting that Pace will not move on from Mitch this offseason, I'd advocate going all-in on improving his supporting cast and roll with the cheapest possible backup QB option. This season is lost if Mitch underperforms again. Bringing in a QB like Andy Dalton or Case Keenum won't change that.

If the Bears were willing to move on from Mitch, I'd advocate for finding the best possible starter at that position. There are several quality veterans available this offseason.

[soulman]

Man, there sure are some diverse opinions on this QB situation.

Based on what we know right now reality tells us; 1) Mitch will be back, 2) Pace will probably pick up his 5th year option pending clarification of terms in the new CBA, 3) Mitch is currently in the #1 spot and will be given every chance to keep it, and 4) Beyond this nothing is assured or guaranteed once we break camp and the games begin.

22 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

This season is lost if Mitch underperforms again. Bringing in a QB like Andy Dalton or Case Keenum won't change that.

This is the part I can't buy into.  Last year at this time who would have ever predicted that Ryan Tannehill would take Tenn to the AFCC game beating Brady and NE to get there?

I believe with the same supporting cast Mitch had in 2019 Andy Dalton would have won more games due to his experience but I would not be quite so sure about Case Keenum.  Like Ryan Tannehill, Andy Dalton has played on some pretty crappy Cincy teams especially over the past 3-4 years.  Surround him with a better supporting cast and he may surprise a whole lot of people.....or not.

But we'd all be a whole lot better off if we got the idea that there any real likelihood of Mitch being replaced during this offseason out of our collective heads and instead focused on other probabilities as they arise.  JMHO

Edited February 29, 2020 by soulman

[Heinz D.]

55 minutes ago, topwop1 said:

Well they aren't outright replacing him this offseason so people need to get that out of their heads already.

I think the bulk of us are resigned to (or happy about?) that. 

[soulman]

3 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

I think the bulk of us are resigned to (or happy about?) that. 

I guess you can put me in the line of those who are cautiously optimistic that between some coaching from Defilippo and some redesign of Nagy's schemes we may be able to reboot Mitch into becoming a competent NFL QB.  That said I still want a vet #2 whose good enough to push him up or out of his starting role should he not reboot.

Mitch's potential failure has to be well insured or we do risk another sub par season if he fails or if he's injured.  So far that has seldom come up in these debates yet he's missed two games in each of the last two seasons and is coming off of a surgery on his left arm.  I've never had an auto accident in over 50 years of driving but I still insure my car.

At this point I just don't see the sense of replacing Mitch until we know for certain he can't be "fixed" or at least not in this offense with this team.  We've seen what "Good Mitch" can do at times and what "Bad Mitch" can't do so why not take one more shot and seeing if we can reduce or even eliminate most of "Bad Mitch" and leave the good in place.

I have to wonder just how much of this negativity and impatience was set in motion by a very shocking 12-4 season in 2018 and the "all in" addition of Kahlil Mack.  Did our SB really open or did the media help us to force it open while their were still obvious issues that needed to be dealt with?  IMHO the PK thing last spring and summer distracted from other problems that also had not yet been resolved.

If the 2018 and 2019 were reversed would we be feeling as antsy and impatient?  Same Mitch in both years but 2018 Mitch made a Pro Bowl while 2019 Mitch didn't.  This is very similar to what happened in Denver with Jay Cutler before McDaniel shipped him out to us and yet had they stuck with him I don't believe the Broncos would ever have struggled as much finding his replacement.

I'm hoping for a year where we can stay healthier across the board than we did in 2019 and that Mitch will have all of the tools he needs to run this offense well but since his issues seem to be more mental than physical there is no way anyone can predict what may happen there if he can't regain his confidence in himself.  So we need a capable #2 to replace him just in case that happens.

Edited March 1, 2020 by soulman

[Heinz D.]

27 minutes ago, soulman said:

I guess you can put me in the line of those who are cautiously optimistic that between some coaching from Defilippo and some redesign of Nagy's schemes we may be able to reboot Mitch into becoming a competent NFL QB.  That said I still want a vet #2 whose good enough to push him up or out of his starting role should he not reboot.

You make a good point about the revamped staff. That all bodes well...if not for Mitch, for whomever. 

28 minutes ago, soulman said:

At this point I just don't see the sense of replacing Mitch until we know for certain he can't be "fixed" or at least not in this offense with this team.  We've seen what "Good Mitch" can do at times and what "Bad Mitch" can't do so why not take one more shot and seeing if we can reduce or even eliminate most of "Bad Mitch" and leave the good in place.

I was one of the few around here who actually defended Mitch. For a long time. When he turned it around last year, for a stretch of quite a few games, I pointed and shouted, "See! See!"

Then he was beyond dismal against the Chiefs, and struggled mightily to defeat the Vikings' backups. And I resigned myself to the fact that he'll never be consistent enough to be a true NFL starting caliber quarterback. It's simply been too long now, with a similar pattern, and similar results. He's mentally weak. If you're a real NFL quarterback, you don't demand the TVs in your facility be turned off because of the bad things people are saying about you. He doesn't have "it". He's a backup. 

I'd love it if I turn out to be wrong about all that. I will happily eat crow, adopt an utterly defeated signature, or whatever. If Mitch does turn out to be the real deal, it will be the best thing to ever happen to the organization I love and root for. 

I'd be shocked if that happens, though. 

[Sugashane]

5 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I couldn’t decide whether to say ‘a stupid’ or ‘stupid head.’   It was tough.  

You chose correct, sir. 

 

 

[chisoxguy7]

If we trade for Dalton, there’s no guarantee Mitch is even still a member of this team. 
 

Cincy could trade Dalton and a 3rd or 4th and take Mitch. Then turn around and take Chase Young at 1 or trade the pick for a haul and go QB in round 2. 
 

I would think long and hard about it if I am Ryan Pace. With all of Cincy’s needs, it wouldn’t be their worst move, either.

 

Of course, this is all Madden talk.

[soulman]

2 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

You make a good point about the revamped staff. That all bodes well...if not for Mitch, for whomever. 

I was one of the few around here who actually defended Mitch. For a long time. When he turned it around last year, for a stretch of quite a few games, I pointed and shouted, "See! See!"

Then he was beyond dismal against the Chiefs, and struggled mightily to defeat the Vikings' backups. And I resigned myself to the fact that he'll never be consistent enough to be a true NFL starting caliber quarterback. It's simply been too long now, with a similar pattern, and similar results. He's mentally weak. If you're a real NFL quarterback, you don't demand the TVs in your facility be turned off because of the bad things people are saying about you. He doesn't have "it". He's a backup. 

I'd love it if I turn out to be wrong about all that. I will happily eat crow, adopt an utterly defeated signature, or whatever. If Mitch does turn out to be the real deal, it will be the best thing to ever happen to the organization I love and root for. 

I'd be shocked if that happens, though. 

If his career does end up submerging him to a #2 role at least he'll be one of the better ones and that could happen even with the Bears.

He seems to be fine whenever he's been well enough prepared for what a defense is gonna throw at him but once they play him in ways he doesn't expect he can't seem to adapt or pick up on whatever adjustments Nagy may prescribe.  Nagy has made his offseason mission very clear.  Film study and lots of it.  Know the offense and how to use it to respond to various defensive looks better than I know it.  Be obsessed.  IMHO those are the kind of things you tell a guy about to be given his last chance so we'll see how he does.

I think the fact that it's 50/50 whether he finally "get it" or not is all the more reason for having a starting caliber #2  waiting in the wings ready to step in. If we have a guy the caliber of a Dalton or his equivalent it's gonna be tough to use that worn out excuse that Mitch gives us the best chance to win.  At a point that may no longer be true.

Edited March 1, 2020 by soulman

[topwop1]

4 hours ago, abstract_thought said:

Given the salary cap limitations and granting that Pace will not move on from Mitch this offseason, I'd advocate going all-in on improving his supporting cast and roll with the cheapest possible backup QB option. This season is lost if Mitch underperforms again. Bringing in a QB like Andy Dalton or Case Keenum won't change that.

If the Bears were willing to move on from Mitch, I'd advocate for finding the best possible starter at that position. There are several quality veterans available this offseason.

Which is why I said that a guy like Nate Sudfeld might not be a bad option as the #2 in this scenario. He is a guy you can potentially develop and start if Mitch struggles or gets hurt.

Though I will say that if they were moving on from Mitch completely I'm not sure how anyone can say that Derek Carr is  a much better option than Andy Dalton. They are very similar caliber 

[soulman]

Could it be?????  LOL

Desperately Seeking Susan Dalton????