malagabears Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 (edited) Well fellas, I really had to cram and study real hard as an old man now for the "Creme de la Creme" Arm Chair GM Mock specialist. Here is the best sh** I have thrown at the outhouse wall in years!! Remember I really crammed for this title and degree, have mercy on me!! My 2020/21 off season mock (Front Office, Coaching, Free Agency & Draft): This complete organizational mock takes on the universally accepted assumption that both Pace & Nagy will be let go, & Foles will remain as QB1 with the caveat that we will draft the best available QB early to either challenge Foles or beat him out. The worst-case scenario is that he sits and learns for a year and get handed the job in 2022. With that said, these are some moves I see the Bears could make. I am also proposing as part of the new management overhaul they should conduct major roster construction changes, such as trading some vets on our D & O for draft capital. The D will take a couple of hits, but we become younger and can potentially get some really decent draft capital. Front Office/Coaching Staff: They move Sweaty Teddy to only deal with financial matters, CFO if you like. Or maybe he retires as there have been a couple of rumours as of this week. Fire Pace & Nagy after the season. Hire Kevin Colbert from the Steelers org (Top 5 NFL program for the past 20 years) for President of Football Ops and maybe CEO. He has led Super Bowl title teams in 2006 & 2009 and his team has been a deep playoff contender for the past decade with Big Ben. He has been an exceptionally good to great GM and the talent pipeline in Pittsburgh is always among the league´s best. It will take an exceptional offer to pry him away from his hometown, but the McCaskey’s have deep pockets. They must get this right. Hire Mike Borgonzi of KC for GM. Great Scouting and leadership abilities - Borgonzi is a talent evaluator at heart, an experienced scout, he has helped lead some impressive Chiefs’ draft classes. They have tremendous success with their first-round picks: Eric Berry 2010, Dontari Poe 2012, Eric Fisher 2013, Dee Ford 2014, Marcus Peters 2015, Patrick Mahomes 2017, Clyde Edwards Helaire 2020. There are no busts in that lists to be sure. Hire Eric Bieniemy as HC –The 51-year-old former Colorado and NFL running back has two decades of coaching experience. He's been Mahomes' OC for his NFL MVP winning season, then the Super Bowl-winning season, and he's about to oversee a second NFL MVP award for Mahomes. He should be the top candidate for the Bears. With both GM & HC approval we hire Kellen Moore as OC. He has really helped develop Dak Prescott and that gives me hope to select a good QB. Cooper, Lamb, & Gallup had great seasons under his watch the last 2 years. As QB coach I am willing to see what DeFlippo does for us in 2021/22. He has a good history with numerous play callers. Poach Adrian Patterson from the Vikings as DC – Asst HC. His Dline specialty will help reshape the line over the next 2-3 years. Maybe look for new blood & replace the OLB/ILB, & DB coaches. Offense 1. O Line – Both tackle positions need to be upgraded. If we get creative in trades where we can get at least 2 2nds as draft capital, then we can draft 2 OT´s this year. 2. O Line – 2 more depth lineman to add to the Bars/Mustipher pool in rounds 4-7 or UDFA. 3. TE – Need 1. Graham is gone after 2021. 4. RB – Need a large back to pound on 3rd & short and block. BPA on 6th round comp picks. 5. QB – Foles is only here for one more year and then the drafted QB will/should be given the reins after sitting or developing in year 1 (2021). 6. WR1 – We need 2 good playmakers to compliment Mooney after ARob is traded. ARob by all accounts wants to leave and every trade possibility should be looked at & considered (minimum 2nd rounder). Defense D Line – has been good but we need 2 new starters & depth with the cuts & trades. OLB & ILB – We will need to replace Mack, & Quinn/DT in 2022. Smith stays by virtual of age and draft position/upside. Quinn can be cut after next season. Need depth at both positions. Secondary – JJ has shown flashes and rookie learning curve but has tremendous upside. We need to replace Skrine & resign Gipson to a 1-year stopgap. Unfortunately, most of the draft capital will go to the offense. We also need depth at the Safety and CB positions. Special Teams Punter – We are set with Mega Punt Kicker – Resign Santos Returner – Cohen is ready for next year, and we can draft a returner with a supplemental 6th. CAP situation projected for 2021: 2021 total contracts are confusing, Spotrac says 32 players under contract at 180.5M and OTC says 35 players under contract at 181M. I will go with 181M as the over with 32 players under contract. If we agree on a middle ground between the rumoured 190M & 195M as the new CAP floor (TBD) then we will settle on 192.5M as the floor. That means without any offseason moves we have 11.5M in CAP space with 32 players signed. 192.5 – 181 = 11.5M. CUTS: Cut Bobbie Massie, save 6.7M. Cut Jimmy Graham, save 7M. Cut Buster Skrine, save 2.8M New CAP = 11.5M + 16.5M = 28M available. TRADES: Trade Akiem Hicks to the Tennessee Titans for a 4th round 2021 pick. He still has at least 2 good years if not 3 in the tank. Save 10.5M. FT & trade Allen Robinson to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2nd round pick (57 at this point) with a chance to lock him up for 4 or 5 years. No money saved. Trade Khalil Mack to Miami for their 1st round pick (18th) this year and a 4th next year that can become a 3rd with performance achievements by Mack. Save 5.2M (After Jun 1 the savings go up but it becomes a huge no trade risk). New CAP = 28M + 15.7M = 42.7M available. RESTRUCTURES: Restructure Eddie Jackson´s base salary from 8.9M to 2.9M by converting it into a 6M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 11.4M to 6.9M. Restructure Cody Whitehair´s base salary from 6.5M to 500K by converting it into a 6M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 9.6M to 5.1M Restructure Kyle Fuller´s base salary from 13M to 2.5M by converting it into a 10.5M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 20M to 12.5M New CAP = 42.7M + 16.5M = 59.2M available with 27 players signed. Free Agency (External Signings) – 4 signings RT – Sign Taylor Moton to a 4/56M with 30M guaranteed to include a 22M signing bonus & 2.5M guaranteed salary. Moton has been the model of consistency over the last three years, grading “in the green” every year as a starter. He performs well in the parts of offensive line play that translate well moving forward, including ranking among the league’s best in PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass set since 2018. As a run blocker, Moton is scheme diverse. He can move defenders at the point of attack as well as making the necessary backside cut-offs in a zone-heavy scheme. He ranks well above average at avoiding negatively graded plays in the run game, another one of the more stable measures of offensive tackle play. Dependability is the name of the game for Moton, who has quietly been one of the most valuable tackles in the league since 2018. 8M CAP hit. WR1 – Sign Nelson Agholor to a 3/18M with 12M guaranteed to include a 7M signing bonus. 1st year salary is 1M guaranteed. Agholor is a versatile outside WR with good speed and he has been consistent over the last 5 years. He has a projected stat line of 850 yards & 9 TD´s. 3.5M CAP hit. TE2 – Sign Jonnu Smith to a 4/40M with 23M guaranteed including a 18M signing bonus (1.5M guaranteed salary) and an opt out after year 2. He is one of the sleepers in this class, has decent size (6.3/250Lbs), can run block, and has 7 TD´s this year. His YAC is particularly good and he can complement Kmet perfectly in 2 TE alignments. 6M CAP hit. Edge – Sign Markus Golden to a 2/7M prove it deal with only the SB and 1st year salary guaranteed (4M SB & 1M salary). He will man the left side with Mack departing but with the gradual transition to an explosive offense the D on the edge will not be elite until at least 2022. Golden is a decent pass rusher and can defend the run on an average level. 3M CAP hit. New CAP = 59.2M – 20.5M = 38.7M available with 30 players signed. Free Agency (Internal Signings/Own FA´s) – 13 important signings Mario Edwards (DL) – 3/12M w/ 3M signing bonus. UFA 4M CAP hit. Pat O´Donnell (Punter) – 2/5M w/1M signing bonus. UFA 2.5M CAP hit. Tashaun Gipson (SS) – 1/2M. UFA 2M CAP hit. Cairos Santos (Kicker) – 1/2M (Prove it deal). UFA 2M CAP hit. Sherrick McManus (CB/ST) – 1/1.5M. UFA 1.5M CAP hit Deon Bush (S/ST) – 1/1.5M. UFA 1.5M CAP hit. Brent Urban (DL) – 1/1.5M. UFA 1.5M CAP hit. Jon Jenkins (NT) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit. Patrick Scales (LS) – 1/1.5M. UFA 1.5M CAP hit. James Vaughters (Edge) – 1/1M. ERFA 1M CAP hit. Alex Bars (IOL) – 1/1m: ERFA 1M CAP hit. Artie Burns (CB) – 1/1M. 1M CAP hit Deandre Houston-Carson (S – ST) 1/500K. .5M CAP HIT. New CAP = 38.7M – 21M = 17.7M available with 43 players signed. We will need 14-15M for rookie pool (bonuses) and contingencies. Draft picks (The Bears to end up with an 8-8 record and land the 20th pick). With a possible 5 picks in the top 73 we should be able to land them all as day 1 starters. I considered trading up to number 2 to try and get Fields but the cost in draft capital was not worth it. 1-18 (From Miami) 1-20 2-52 2-57 (From Balt) 3-73 3-97 (Comp Pick for Champ Kelly hire) 4-120 (From Tenn trade) 5-141 6-172 6 RD COMP Pick # 1 6 RD COMP Pick # 2 6 RD COMP Pick # 3 NFL Draft – 12 picks with 52 players signed Round 1 Pick # 18 – With this pick we select Christian Darrisaw (OT – Virginia: 6.5 315Lbs). Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw earned the opportunity to start for the Hokies as a true freshman and did nothing but improve for three seasons, developing into a dominant blocker in 2020. From a size, length, and mobility standpoint, Darrisaw firmly checks the boxes and should immediately become an asset to an NFL franchise in pass protection, outside zone runs, and utilizing his exceptional ability to pull and connect with moving targets in space. Like most young offensive linemen, Darrisaw has room to add functional strength to improve his overall power at the point of attack, but it is far from a deficiency that is of major concern. The amount of technical growth Darrisaw has demonstrated throughout the course of his career is exciting when considering his starting point for the next level and how he peaked at the perfect time. It should not take long for Darrisaw to earn a starting role in the NFL and he has the upside to become a standout, franchise left tackle. We can now move Leno to swing tackle and let Darrisaw learn in the trenches during his rookie year. Round 1 Pick # 20 – With this pick we select Mac Jones (QB – Alabama: 6.3 215 Lbs). After the injury to Tua Tagovailoa during the 10th game of the 2019 season, Jones was forced to enter the lineup as the starting QB moving forward. Showing positive signs during the team's final three games, he entered 2020 as the unquestioned starter even though the program signed a highly touted 5-star recruit to be the heir apparent. During his junior season, Jones displayed many of the traits that he demonstrated during the three-game backstretch of his sophomore campaign. A bit of a slender thrower, Jones does not possess a hint of definition or muscle in his body structure. A clear leader and very smart player at the position, he understands where all options are when going through progressions. Having a clear understanding of object reads that involve run-pass options as well as multiple level progressions, he is well seasoned with the verbiage and variety of concepts that will be required of him on the next level. Containing average arm strength, he is an underrated deep passer that can layer the ball into adequate spots for perimeter targets. As an anticipatory thrower, he is well above average with “about to be open” throws of where he releases the ball while estimating where targets are going to be. Balance and savvy within the pocket are top-tier traits, as he is an excellent mover within the pocket and knows how to create windows of opportunities to release throws with a cleaner view than previously offered. Jones is not a passer that will make a living creating off-script plays outside of structure, but he has enough mobility to take advantage of the grass offered to him. Jones is a passer that will need the three P’s surrounding him (playmakers, play-caller, protection) at high-tier levels to see his full potential on a consistent basis, as he is not a thrower that will be able to overcome those elements being at a lower-tier level. Despite the talent shortcomings and the need for the 3 P´s I think he has deceptive 4.8/4.9 40 speed that he can learn to use to escape out of the pocket or on bootleg shotgun and select RPO plays. Round 2 Pick # 52 – With this pick we select Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – USC: 6.2/205Lbs). Amon-Ra aligns primarily as an inside WR for the Trojan offense. He is an exceptionally good athlete with dynamic burst, agility, and body control. In the passing game, he is particularly good due to his ability to create separation against man coverage. He has excellent functional strength and does not easily go down. He does a good job attacking a defender`s leverage and creates separation at the top of the route with creativity and excellent separation quickness. He is an excellent hands catcher with good RAC ability while also showing good deep ball tracking ability (2019 Stanford). His suddenness off the line, toughness and physicality make him a major threat in the short to intermediate area, particularly on "six" routes and "two" routes from the slot. His route tree needs further development. Round 2 Pick # 57 – With this pick we select Marvin Wilson (DT – Florida St: 6.5/315 Lbs). Wilson has a thick, wide, and muscular frame that leaves no doubt he was built to play at the next level in the trenches. I really like his mobility at his size. While he does not have great get off, there is an easy way about the way he moves once he gets going. Hands are extremely powerful, and his blows can be devastating. Stuns pads with his strikes and plays with good extension. Dominates with a club/swim combo as a pass rusher. Wilson does a great job of working to the edges of blockers and powering through the gaps. Easily plays through contact. Incredible ability to split doubles. Flashes plenty of hand swipes and a nasty push-pull move that he deploys from time to time. Has the functional strength to consistently exchange power and remain stout. He will not get moved off his spot 1-v-1 when he is aware of his opponent. There are moments on tape where he simply overwhelms his opponents and easily disposes of them in pursuit. Plays with a consistent motor and he frequently chases plays down from distance. I think he can put on an extra 10-15 pounds and become our new Akiem Hicks. Round 3 Pick # 73 – With this pick we select Jabril Cox (ILB – LSU: 6.4/235 Lbs). Cox is a very toolsy linebacker that grad-transferred from North Dakota State to LSU for the 2020 season. Long, athletic, fluid, quick and explosive. Can run, chase and close distances rapidly. Frequently used by NDSU in an overhang role and he should develop more as an outside/inside backer for LSU in 2020. Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2017. Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. Two-time FCS All-American. Has plenty of experience playing in man coverage and NDSU regularly had him 1v1 against slot receivers. Flashes the ability to stack and shed blocks but growth is needed taking on and playing through contact. He has the size and upside to replace Trevathan and can cover both running backs & tight ends with his 4.5/4.6 40 time (Great size as well where he can put on an extra 5-8 pounds). Round 3 Pick # 97 – With this pick we select Carlos Basham Jr (Edge/OLB – Wake Forest: 6.5/275 Lbs). Balanced defender with sound ability as a pass rusher and run defender. ID’s blocking schemes quickly, particularly against the run with an understanding of how to counter. Gap-sound defender that understands run fits. Illustrates good rush variety but his best move is the inside rip move. Also features a good spin move, bull rush and club/swim combo. Takes good rush angles and never gets too far up the field. There are plenty of positive reps where he takes a wide-9 alignment, rushes with good tilt and applies pressure. Motor always runs hot. 29 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles across 2018 and 2019. Basham is a modest athlete that is not overly sudden, twitchy or flexible. Has plenty of initial rush moves but getting to his counters and fleshing out his secondary/ancillary moves is needed. Round 4 Pick # 120 – With this pick we select Sadarious Hutcherson (C/G/IOL – Wake Forest: 6.5/320 Lbs). Raw power is obvious. He absorbs and redirects extremely well and can exchange with anyone. Anchor is firm and there should not be any concerns about the width/depth of the pocket he is responsible for. Versatile - has played both guard and tackle for South Carolina, with experience playing on both sides of the line. He has some high-level reps in space where he is able to connect with moving targets and seal pursuit. Hutcherson gets top heavy, leading to over-extension, folding at the waste and inability to sustain blocks. Needs to play with better bend and weight distribution so he can stay square and maximize his functional strength. His foot speed appears adequate, but he is tight hipped and it shows up when trying to hinge and redirect his weight. He will be a great diamond in the rough polish for Castillo to train up and develop. Round 5 Pick # 148 – With this pick we select Shi Smith (WR - South Carolina: 5.10/190 Lbs). Smith shows nice flashes with his release package and ability to get off the line of scrimmage efficiently. He has become the focal point of the South Carolina passing offense this season (2020) and is performing at a high level from a production standpoint. He likely projects best into the slot, where his lack of size will be protected and his toughness over the middle can show. He has taken some big hits at the catch point but when he is secured the ball, he is fearless over the middle. South Carolina has run him through screen game and vertically up the field and his ball skills to attack the ball in both phases stand out, offering hope he will translate to any number of passing offenses as well. Some "wow" catches on his reel thanks to body control and sense of timing to high point the football as necessary despite his lack of ideal stature for above the rim targets. He runs a quick 4.4 40 and can replace Miller in 2022 if we decide to go with another option in the slot. Round 6 Pick # 172 – With this pick we select Jamie Newman (QB – Georgia: 6.4/235 Lbs). He is a graduate transfer from Wake Forest. Jamie is a good athlete with good mobility in and out of the pocket. In the run game Jamie is good and he is a threat to get first downs with his legs if the play breaks down. He also demonstrates physical toughness and determination as a runner with the football. In the passing game, he is sufficient as he will hang tough in the pocket when it collapses and has sufficient arm strength. He is much more consistent in the short to intermediate range in terms of accuracy and completions. He demonstrates leadership and earned critical first downs with the game on the line late in the 2019 Duke game. A perfect QB project because of his rawness that can be developed into a solid backup over 2021 to take over for Foles in 2022. But with some incredible luck he may become enough of a prospect to challenge Jones in the 2022 pre season camp. 6 RD COMP Picks # 1, 2, & 3: BPA Possible 2021 roster: https://www.flickr.com/photos/162253042@N05/50814083252/ Edited January 8, 2021 by malagabears 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I’m cool with the Pres/GM picks but Bieniemy to me is another Reid puppet. I was excited about the Reid coaching tree but I’m over it. Reid has had a lot of offensive success but his OCs often don’t when they leave. John Harbaugh, Ron Rivera, Sean McDermott, Pat Shurmur, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy were assistants at one point for Andy Reid, and former head coaches Brad Childress, Steve Spagnuolo, and Todd Bowles. Chilly had one year where they where 2nd in PPG with Favre/AP but otherwise was meh, John lets his OCs run their offense so the only thing to credit him is that he knows to stay out of the way and find good assistants, Shurmur had one great year in 2017 but outside of that and his time wth Reid has been bad, Pederson has been the best but quickly is seeing PHI lose control, etv. Rivera, Sean McDermott, Spags, and Bowles are all defensive so meh. They take the QBs and talent of Reid’s players and look like great OCs only to find out they’re duds. With Moore we couldn’t take him from DAL unless he was getting a promotion. I like him a lot though and would rather see him than Bieniemy honestly at HC. Andre is a decent pick up as DC but IDK if he would be able to be poached as he is a co-DC. I think the 2020 mess on defense is more of an abnormality but seeing the overall drop from Edwards’ defenses to his is a bad look. Moton is solid, I’d be excited with him. I remember liking him predraft but wasn’t sure if he could handle athletic passrushers, but thought he could jump back to guard and be a stud. Clearly his feet aren’t an issue lol Smith would be sweet to snag, but with that offense running through Henry I think he will be the priority over Davis. Smith is a good blocker and also a solid option in the pass game, they aren’t going to be running a lot of 4-wide with Henry in the backfield so I think he sticks. Has Golden dropped that much? I’d be damn happy with him at that deal but haven’t really thought about him for a minute. He had a big year last year but just looked at his stats and saw the drop off. Any idea what happened to him? I’m good with all the FA signings except Pat and Santos. Pat isn’t a top punter and shouldn’t be paid like a top 10 guy. Santos just completed 94% and isn’t taking that deal. He and Koo both completed over 90% and will be top 10 paid kickers next year IMO, but at worse 15th. Love Darrisaw if he’s available, same for Wilson and Cox. I’m not high on Jones at all but I completely get the move. To me his is a day 2 guy who is going to get overvalued because he is a QB. That wasn’t what allowed KC to be explosive. But with a run-first system having Smith, Mooney, Kmet, and Amon-Ra it fits pretty well. Newman is a toolsy guy that would be a solid developmental reserve. His game doesn’t reflect Jones’ really well but if he goes in late he adds a mobility factor to help end the game with the clock running. IDK anything about the others but sounds good. Good work man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz D. Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 11 hours ago, malagabears said: I considered trading up to number 2 to try and get Fields but the cost in draft capital was not worth it. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagabears Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 13 hours ago, Heinz D. said: Why? You are right. You could package picks 2021 picks 18 & 20, 2nd round pick # 52, 2022 2nd & 3rd for a total of approximately 2685 points (Using Draftek´s 2021 value chart) which comes out higher than the projected 2600 points for NYJ´s 2nd pick. Then you would be assured of getting Fields. I would rather roll the dice on Jones because he has decent 4.8/4.9 speed and has played at a high level in an extremely successful program (Probably the best in all of NCAAF in the past 15 years). He can be taught to roll with the pocket, out of it, or you can surround him with the kind of talent he has had at Alabama. This mock draft takes a stab at that. No true explosive number 1 WR you could say is a bonafide top 5 NFL receiver but either Mooney or St. Brown could turn into that. It is all good fun because none of those projections will pan out except maybe doing something with Hicks by either cutting him or renegotiating his contract. I do see a change in the FO structure as well, but by that I mean Phillips may voluntarily leave. We shall see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz D. Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 3 hours ago, malagabears said: It is all good fun because none of those projections will pan out except maybe doing something with Hicks by either cutting him or renegotiating his contract. I do see a change in the FO structure as well, but by that I mean Phillips may voluntarily leave. We shall see. Oh, for sure. Agreed. Something will happen with Hicks. At least with his contract. If there is a new coaching staff (or maybe it rests with the GM?), and a switch to a 4-3, then Hicks is likely traded. As far as trading Mack goes...I'm not sure if he'd fetch a first round pick, or not. The team you focus on, the Dolphins, does make a lot of sense as they have two first rounders and all, but I don't know. His subpar 2019, and severe decline in the second half of 2020, indicates that a second rounder (plus maybe a really low pick) would be more attractive to the other GMs out there. Whitehair and Fuller probably have the most trade value, but if you trade Whitehair you're just making the weakest part of the team even weaker. 3 hours ago, malagabears said: I would rather roll the dice on Jones because he has decent 4.8/4.9 speed and has played at a high level in an extremely successful program (Probably the best in all of NCAAF in the past 15 years). He can be taught to roll with the pocket, out of it, or you can surround him with the kind of talent he has had at Alabama. This mock draft takes a stab at that. No true explosive number 1 WR you could say is a bonafide top 5 NFL receiver but either Mooney or St. Brown could turn into that. Well, you'd be gambling that Jones fell past the likes of the Vikings, 49ers, etc., if you're looking at taking him at either 18 or 20. And as far as trading up, it'll be interesting to see which pick is open for business. It could well be as high as #2, depending on what the Jets are planning. I do think they'd be smart to trade out the pick, draft an insurance policy QB later, and see if Darnold could actually stay healthy, for once. If that doesn't happen, then Darnold's on the market. You'd think that the Dolphins would be all in on trading out of the third pick, as they've got the Tua/Fitzmagic thing going on, and it's likely WAY too early to give up on Tua. The Dolphins are also already pretty damn good as it is, and adding an extra first round pick (or two) in future drafts would be a very smart move. I happen to like Wilson as much as Fields anyway. And Wilson, the BYU guy, has the whole McMahon headband thing going on. The guy absolutely wants to be a Bear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagabears Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) 14 hours ago, Heinz D. said: Oh, for sure. Agreed. Something will happen with Hicks. At least with his contract. If there is a new coaching staff (or maybe it rests with the GM?), and a switch to a 4-3, then Hicks is likely traded. As far as trading Mack goes...I'm not sure if he'd fetch a first round pick, or not. The team you focus on, the Dolphins, does make a lot of sense as they have two first rounders and all, but I don't know. His subpar 2019, and severe decline in the second half of 2020, indicates that a second rounder (plus maybe a really low pick) would be more attractive to the other GMs out there. Whitehair and Fuller probably have the most trade value, but if you trade Whitehair you're just making the weakest part of the team even weaker. Well, you'd be gambling that Jones fell past the likes of the Vikings, 49ers, etc., if you're looking at taking him at either 18 or 20. And as far as trading up, it'll be interesting to see which pick is open for business. It could well be as high as #2, depending on what the Jets are planning. I do think they'd be smart to trade out the pick, draft an insurance policy QB later, and see if Darnold could actually stay healthy, for once. If that doesn't happen, then Darnold's on the market. You'd think that the Dolphins would be all in on trading out of the third pick, as they've got the Tua/Fitzmagic thing going on, and it's likely WAY too early to give up on Tua. The Dolphins are also already pretty damn good as it is, and adding an extra first round pick (or two) in future drafts would be a very smart move. I happen to like Wilson as much as Fields anyway. And Wilson, the BYU guy, has the whole McMahon headband thing going on. The guy absolutely wants to be a Bear. The problem Heinz as we all well know in reality is that we don´t have a snowball´s chance in hell of trading into the top 3 with our current draft capital. You are really mortgaging the future if you wan to go after Fields or Wilson with the 3rd pick, but rest assured one of the 2 will be there. I think I would rather see how Jones does in the CFP champiosnhip game and then I think we will have a little better idea of where he might land. And to be fair, mocks are so often wrong and part of that is because FO´s will reach and pick a player higher than his actual draft value. With so many teams being QB needy it is now commonplace for FO´s to realize you start building the team with a QB who has upside (not generational talent like maybe a Luck, Burrows, or Lawrence but at least a mobile player who ticks a majority of the boxes you need to run an NFL offense). But with those types of QB´s coming off the board so quickly you are left with the "Game managers who are pocket passers that lack mobility" that necesitate that you have a strong Oline to withstand the constant pressure that will be thrown at them. You can lump Trask, Jones, and a couple of other sin this group. They were never intended to go in the 1st round but the effect of "supply and demand" often causes teams to reach. Edited January 10, 2021 by malagabears 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagabears Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 See, with my armchair GM training and degree I got us both Dak & ARob, how is that for collaboration and no controversy. I did it while nobody was looking!! My 2020/21 off season mock (Front Office, Coaching, Free Agency & Draft): Bear’s needs: As we know, absolutely nothing changed apart from Pagano retiring as DC. That´s it. With the band getting back together I am throwing sh** at the wall to reflect the unwanted but sober reality of our 2021 team. Front Office/Coaching Staff: As QB coach I am willing to see what DeFlippo does for us in 2021/22. He has a good history with numerous play callers. Promote Jay Rodgers to DC and let him tweak the scheme to get the best out of the front 7. Poach Eric Washington from the Bills as DL Coach – Asst DC. His Dline specialty will help reshape the line over the next 2-3 years. Maybe look for new blood & replace the OLB/ILB, & DB coaches. Offense 1. O Line – Both tackle positions need to be upgraded. If we get creative in trades where we can get at least 2 2nds as draft capital, then we can draft 2 OT´s this year. 2. O Line – 2 more depth lineman to add to the Bars/Mustipher pool in rounds 6/7 or UDFA. 3. TE – Need 1. Graham is gone after 2021. 4. RB – Need a large back to pound on 3rd & short and block. 5. QB – Pace has made it clear he needs a big splash either in FA, via trade, or the draft. I elect to go through FA. 6. WR2/3 – A Miller is as good as gone judging from comments Mr. George made yesterday. I attack this via FA & the draft. Defense D Line – has been good but we need 1 new future starter & depth. OLB & ILB – We will need to eventually replace DT & Quinn. Smith stays by virtual of age and draft position/upside. Quinn can be cut after next season. Need depth at both positions. Secondary – JJ has shown flashes and rookie learning curve but has tremendous upside. We need to replace Skrine & resign Gipson to a 1-year stopgap. Unfortunately, most of the draft capital will go to the offense. We also need depth at the Safety and CB positions. Special Teams Punter – We are set with Mega Punt Kicker – Resign Santos Returner – Cohen is ready for next year, and we can draft a returner with a supplemental 6th. CAP situation projected for 2021: 2021 total contracts are confusing, Spotrac says 32 players under contract at 180.5M and OTC says 35 players under contract at 181M. I will go with 181M as the over with 32 players under contract. If we agree on a middle ground between the rumoured 190M & 195M as the new CAP floor (TBD) then we will settle on 192.5M as the floor. That means without any offseason moves we have 11.5M in CAP space with 32 players signed. 192.5 – 181 = 11.5M. ** Note – I expect the salary CAP ceiling to hit 210-220M in 2022 which will give us a lot of room to pick up extensions and the restructures ** CUTS: Cut Bobbie Massie, save 6.7M. Cut Jimmy Graham, save 7M. Cut Buster Skrine, save 2.8M Cut Anthony Miller Jun 2, save 1.2M New CAP = 11.5M + 17.7M = 29.2M available. TRADES: Trade Akiem Hicks to the Tennessee Titans for a 4th round 2021 pick. He still has at least 2 good years if not 3 in the tank. Save 10.5M. New CAP = 28M + 10.5M = 39.7M available. RESTRUCTURES: Restructure Eddie Jackson´s base salary from 8.9M to 2.9M by converting it into a 6M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 11.4M to 6.9M. Restructure Cody Whitehair´s base salary from 6.5M to 500K by converting it into a 6M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 9.6M to 5.1M Restructure Kyle Fuller´s base salary from 13M to 2.5M by converting it into a 10.5M signing bonus over the last 4 years of his contract. This reduces his 2021 CAP from 20M to 12.5M New CAP = 39.7M + 16.5M = 55M available with 27 players signed. Free Agency (External Signings) – 3 splash signings QB – Sign Dak Prescott to a 4/150M with 95M guaranteed to include a 40M signing bonus and a 4M salary for 2021. Salary jumps to 28M in 2022. He has been a top 6-8 QB for the past 5 years and had bad luck with an injury in 2020. He is mobile, fast, and has one of the better arms in the NFL. He is TD/INT average was 25/9from 2016-2019 and his prime years are ahead of him. If we can somehow develop a scheme to utilize all the weapons, we should be able to easily put up 30-35 points per game. 14M CAP hit. WR1 – Re-sign ARob to a 5/95M with 55M guaranteed to include a 25M signing bonus and 3M guaranteed salary for 2021. 8M CAP hit. RT – Sign Taylor Moton to a 3/36M with 25M guaranteed to include a 12M signing bonus & 1.5M guaranteed salary in 2021 & 8.5M in 2022. Moton has been the model of consistency over the last three years, grading “in the green” every year as a starter. He performs well in the parts of offensive line play including ranking among the league’s best in PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass set since 2018. As a run blocker, Moton is scheme diverse. He can move defenders at the point of attack as well as making the necessary backside cut-offs in a zone-heavy scheme. He ranks well above average at avoiding negatively graded plays in the run game, another one of the more stable measures of offensive tackle play. Dependability is the name of the game for Moton, who has quietly been one of the most valuable tackles in the league since 2018. 5.5M CAP hit. TE2 – Sign Jonnu Smith to a 4/32M with 23M guaranteed including a 12M signing bonus (1M guaranteed salary) and an opt out after year 2. He is one of the sleepers in this class, has decent size (6.3/250Lbs), can run block, and has 7 TD´s this year. His YAC is particularly good and he can complement Kmet perfectly in 2 TE alignments. 4M CAP hit. WR2 – Nelson Agholor to a 3/10M contract with 6M guaranteed and a 4.5m signing bonus. 2.5M CAP hit. New CAP = 56.2M – 34M = 22.2M available with 31 players signed. Free Agency (Internal Signings/Own FA´s) – 12 important signings Mario Edwards (DL) – 1YE/2.5M w/ 2M signing bonus. UFA 2.5M CAP hit. Cairos Santos (Kicker) – 1/2M (Prove it deal). UFA 2M CAP hit. Tashaun Gipson (SS) – 1/1.5M. UFA 1.5M CAP hit. Sherrick McManus (CB/ST) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit Deon Bush (S/ST) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit. Brent Urban (DL) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit. Jon Jenkins (NT) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit. Patrick Scales (LS) – 1/1M. UFA 1M CAP hit. James Vaughters (Edge) – 1/1M. ERFA 1M CAP hit. Alex Bars (IOL) – 1/1m: ERFA 1M CAP hit. Artie Burns (CB) – 1/1M. 1M CAP hit Deandre Houston-Carson (S – ST) 1/500K. .5M CAP HIT. New CAP = 22.2M – 14.5M = 7.5M available with 43 players signed. We will need 6-7M for rookie pool (bonuses) and contingencies. Draft picks (The Bears to end up with an 8-8 record and land the 20th pick). With a possible 5 picks in the top 73 we should be able to land them all as day 1 starters. I considered trading up to number 2 to try and get Fields but the cost in draft capital was not worth it. 1-20 2-52 3-73 3-97 (Comp Pick for Champ Kelly hire) 4-120 (From Tenn trade) 5-141 6-172 6 RD COMP Pick # 1 6 RD COMP Pick # 2 6 RD COMP Pick # 3 NFL Draft – 11 picks with 51 players signed Round 1 Pick # 20 – With this pick we select Christian Darrisaw (OT – Virginia: 6.5 315Lbs). Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw earned the opportunity to start for the Hokies as a true freshman and did nothing but improve for three seasons, developing into a dominant blocker in 2020. From a size, length, and mobility standpoint, Darrisaw firmly checks the boxes and should immediately become an asset to an NFL franchise in pass protection, outside zone runs, and utilizing his exceptional ability to pull and connect with moving targets in space. Like most young offensive linemen, Darrisaw has room to add functional strength to improve his overall power at the point of attack, but it is far from a deficiency that is of major concern. The amount of technical growth Darrisaw has demonstrated throughout the course of his career is exciting when considering his starting point for the next level and how he peaked at the perfect time. It should not take long for Darrisaw to earn a starting role in the NFL and he has the upside to become a standout, franchise left tackle. We can now move Leno to swing tackle and let Darrisaw learn in the trenches during his rookie year. Round 2 Pick # 52 – With this pick we select Marvin Wilson (DT – Florida St: 6.5/315 Lbs). Wilson has a thick, wide, and muscular frame that leaves no doubt he was built to play at the next level in the trenches. I really like his mobility at his size. While he does not have great get off, there is an easy way about the way he moves once he gets going. Hands are extremely powerful, and his blows can be devastating. Stuns pads with his strikes and plays with good extension. Dominates with a club/swim combo as a pass rusher. Wilson does a great job of working to the edges of blockers and powering through the gaps. Easily plays through contact. Incredible ability to split doubles. Flashes plenty of hand swipes and a nasty push-pull move that he deploys from time to time. Has the functional strength to consistently exchange power and remain stout. He will not get moved off his spot 1-v-1 when he is aware of his opponent. There are moments on tape where he simply overwhelms his opponents and easily disposes of them in pursuit. Plays with a consistent motor and he frequently chases plays down from distance. I think he can put on an extra 10-15 pounds and become our new Akiem Hicks. Round 3 Pick # 73 – With this pick we select Jabril Cox (ILB – LSU: 6.4/235 Lbs). Cox is a very toolsy linebacker that grad-transferred from North Dakota State to LSU for the 2020 season. Long, athletic, fluid, quick and explosive. Can run, chase and close distances rapidly. Frequently used by NDSU in an overhang role and he should develop more as an outside/inside backer for LSU in 2020. Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2017. Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. Two-time FCS All-American. Has plenty of experience playing in man coverage and NDSU regularly had him 1v1 against slot receivers. Flashes the ability to stack and shed blocks but growth is needed taking on and playing through contact. He has the size and upside to replace Trevathan and can cover both running backs & tight ends with his 4.5/4.6 40 time (Great size as well where he can put on an extra 5-8 pounds). Round 3 Pick # 97 – With this pick we select Carlos Basham Jr (Edge/OLB – Wake Forest: 6.5/275 Lbs). Balanced defender with sound ability as a pass rusher and run defender. ID’s blocking schemes quickly, particularly against the run with an understanding of how to counter. Gap-sound defender that understands run fits. Illustrates good rush variety but his best move is the inside rip move. Also features a good spin move, bull rush and club/swim combo. Takes good rush angles and never gets too far up the field. There are plenty of positive reps where he takes a wide-9 alignment, rushes with good tilt and applies pressure. Motor always runs hot. 29 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles across 2018 and 2019. Basham is a modest athlete that is not overly sudden, twitchy, or flexible. Has plenty of initial rush moves but getting to his counters and fleshing out his secondary/ancillary moves is needed. Round 4 Pick # 120 – With this pick we select Sadarious Hutcherson (C/G/IOL – Wake Forest: 6.5/320 Lbs). Raw power is obvious. He absorbs and redirects extremely well and can exchange with anyone. Anchor is firm and there should not be any concerns about the width/depth of the pocket he is responsible for. Versatile - has played both guard and tackle for South Carolina, with experience playing on both sides of the line. He has some high-level reps in space where he can connect with moving targets and seal pursuit. Hutcherson gets top heavy, leading to over-extension, folding at the waste and inability to sustain blocks. Needs to play with better bend and weight distribution so he can stay square and maximize his functional strength. His foot speed appears adequate, but he is tight hipped and it shows up when trying to hinge and redirect his weight. He will be a great diamond in the rough polish for Castillo to train up and develop. Round 5 Pick # 148 – With this pick we select Shi Smith (WR - South Carolina: 5.10/190 Lbs). Smith shows nice flashes with his release package and ability to get off the line of scrimmage efficiently. He has become the focal point of the South Carolina passing offense this season (2020) and is performing at a high level from a production standpoint. He likely projects best into the slot, where his lack of size will be protected and his toughness over the middle can show. He has taken some big hits at the catch point but when he is secured the ball, he is fearless over the middle. South Carolina has run him through screen game and vertically up the field and his ball skills to attack the ball in both phases stand out, offering hope he will translate to any number of passing offenses as well. Some "wow" catches on his reel thanks to body control and sense of timing to high point the football as necessary despite his lack of ideal stature for above the rim targets. He runs a quick 4.4 40 and can replace Miller in 2022 if we decide to go with another option in the slot. Round 6 Pick # 172 – With this pick we select Jamie Newman (QB – Georgia: 6.4/235 Lbs). He is a graduate transfer from Wake Forest. Jamie is a good athlete with good mobility in and out of the pocket. In the run game Jamie is good and he is a threat to get first downs with his legs if the play breaks down. He also demonstrates physical toughness and determination as a runner with the football. In the passing game, he is sufficient as he will hang tough in the pocket when it collapses and has sufficient arm strength. He is much more consistent in the short to intermediate range in terms of accuracy and completions. He demonstrates leadership and earned critical first downs with the game on the line late in the 2019 Duke game. A perfect QB project because of his rawness that can be developed into a solid backup over 2021 to take over for Foles in 2022. But with some incredible luck he may become enough of a prospect to challenge Jones in the 2022 pre-season camp. 6 RD COMP Picks # 1, 2, & 3: BPA (1 punter) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dll2000 Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Been reading these offseason plans for years now. None of them ever come close to what actually happens aside from a few draft picks here and there. Fun to read though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAF-N72EX Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 @malagabears I have a suggestion, if you don't mind. Could you please add a space between each paragraph haha? @dll2000 There's still fun to do just to kill time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 2 hours ago, dll2000 said: Been reading these offseason plans for years now. None of them ever come close to what actually happens aside from a few draft picks here and there. Fun to read though. Exactly why I add the disclaimer that this is what I'd do, not what Pace will do otherwise you get 4 or 5 "Pace would never" comments. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz D. Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 On 1/15/2021 at 4:33 PM, Sugashane said: Exactly why I add the disclaimer that this is what I'd do, not what Pace will do otherwise you get 4 or 5 "Pace would never" comments. Lol Those usually come anyway, don't they? 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugashane Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 9 minutes ago, Heinz D. said: Those usually come anyway, don't they? 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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