Sugashane's HITS Squad - Eberflus' Pre-Combine Mock

[Sugashane]

H.I.T.S.

• H: Hustle

• I: Intensity

• T: Taking the ball away

• S: Situationally smart

 

So we have our coaches all signed, we have the rough idea of the scheme (I doubt Williams strays much from Eberflus’ 4-3) and now we have the new GM as well. Now we need to look at the roster and make cap space. We also have Getsy and we know he likes to do zone blocking. So offensively we know we need mobility and aggressiveness between the two, so I'm a fan.

 

Starting Cap – 26.584 mil (using Spotrac)

Re-structures (conversions)

Khalil Mack – convert part of salary into bonus – save 7.28 mil *** do not extend, 2023 will have cap saving of 17 mil   (33.870)

Restructure Quinn – save 7.786   (41.657)

Restructure EJax – save 6.64  (48.300)

Restructure Whitehair – save 4.64 (52.944)

 

All have restructures have 2 years remaining AFTER 2022 so their bonus (what we saved) prorates over the remained of their contracts. As long as the player meets the minimum contract for their salary we can prorate as much as we want, but remember that the prorate then is pushed further back and increases dead cap. We could have made significantly more cap but with a look forward past 2022 it seems unwise to go too far. This is why I just used the base restructure numbers from Spotrac rather than get too aggressive.

Extensions

Now we need to look at another route. Eberflus linebackers have three positions and key parts of them

WILL – the most athletic, dynamic LB. Needs to be a guy who routinely makes impact plays and often is the most talented player by far and lines up behind the 3T.

MIKE – general player, needs to make smart angles and be able to cover in midzones. Must be athletic enough if they are also going to play Tampa 2 coverage.

SAM – generally the heaviest or most stout. Does fight with TEs and sets the edge in the run game so the DE can use moves where they cut inside the OT rather than focusing on setting an edge.

Clearly Smith is our freakishly athletic guy for not only the LBs but for the entire back 7. After getting snubbed by the fans the pros acknowledge him with an All Pro nod- and deservedly so. With Eberflus knowing the WILL is key to his defense and getting to walk into a prototype level talent for that, he and Poles don’t let Smith even look at FA.

 

Roquan Smith – adds a 5 year, 100 mil ($45 mil guaranteed) deal on top of 2022 salary of 9.735 mil. This results in a 6 year, 109 mil contract. Structured as 6/16/16/19/22/30

(re-structure or cut year, he will get extended and more guaranteed cash)

This moves the cap space from 52.944 mil to 56.979 mil.

 

Now we need to look at cutting and trading players who no longer fit or are wanted.

 

Bears trade NT Eddie Goldman and the 5(5th)to the Jacksonville Jaguars for 4(1st), 5(7th), 6(9^th)

Jags have a ton of cap space already and have a 3-4 defense that gave up 27ppg, good for 28^th out of 32 defenses. Bears have to eat $5.150 of his 2022 cap but save $6.66 mil for this season too. Jags get a talented player who is cheap this year for them. Myles Jack and Damien Wilson likely send Poles and Eberflus handwritten thank you cards.  If they want out then they can save $9 mil in cutting him in 2023 so there is zero risk and a good chance at immediate returns.

Trading Goldman saves 6.66 (63.339)

 

Bears trade QB Nick Foles to anyone, swapping their higher 6^th round pick for a lower one. Lets say PIT since Big Ben retired.

Bears want out of his contract and want to get a more athletic guy there to be able to run some semblance of the same offense if Fields does go down. PIT gets a back up vet or another guy to help ensure they get a top pick in 2023 for a QB if they don’t like this class. They take his contract on a cheaper one year rental and move up a few picks in the 6^th.

Trading Foles saves the Bears $8mil (71.339)

 

Cut Cohen – save 1.75 (73.089)

I am assuming Cohen doesn’t possess the same explosiveness he had pre-injury. Since he hasn’t seemed right and hasn’t played since week 3 of the 2020 season I think that will be a safe bet. As a gadget player who is that small there isn’t much else to his game. Cut him and wish him well.

 

 

Cut Attachu – save 2.300 mil (75.389)

Guy is just a 29 year old body and is worthy of a vet min contract at most. Accounted for 2 tackles for the season, so I’d rather let a young athlete try to develop to be the ST player. We already have 3 EDGE ahead of him at least.

 

Cut Trevathan post-June 1^st – no saving for FA but will allow $3.288 mil for potential rollover

His contract was crap when it was signed. I said it sucked then, I say it sucks now, it was a terrible deal. Cut him and eat the loss toward the cap because his play will cost you more than those finances when he hobbles around. Cut him post-June 1^st and then you have a security blanket of $3.288 mil that can be counted on for injury, or rolled over for the 2023 season (that’s the best move IMO).

Cutting Trevathan saves no money now but saves yards and points for your defense. Plus as a post-June 1^st cut he saves some money after that time and THAT can potentially be rolled into 2023.

Alright, now that trimming the fat is done we now have 75.389 million dollars to spend. A significant increase from the starting point. But there is still a lot to add to a pretty bare-bones roster.

 

 

Re-signings –

DT Akiem Hicks – 3 years $20 mil, $14 mil guaranteed (5/7/8) - 70.389 remaining

Yes sir! I brought the mammoth back! Eberflus preaches hustle, intensity, intelligence, and takeaways. Hicks doesn’t have many of takeaways but most NTs don’t, and he is . Hicks being injured for the last several seasons and being older means he isn’t getting a big deal elsewhere IMO. Here he gets to stick next to Mack and Quinn and have Smith behind him, Hicks has said he wants to stay in Chicago and with Pace and Nagy gone he has a fresh start with this regime.

Also I know Eberflus runs a 3-4 and not a 4-3, but talent and physicality transcends scheme. Saying he can’t play the NT in this is like people saying Aaron Donald couldn’t play on the line in a 3-4. There are always wrinkles and personnel groups to take care of. Now is he going to be playing 85-90 snaps again? Of course not. But a 50% snap rate is reasonable, especially because Eberflus has preached getting more athletic guys in at nickel and dime. He is the fan of the “pair and a spare” depth. Hicks can help keep your LBs behind him clean and offer a passrush for the first down or two. You don’t look down your nose at that.

 

 

LB Ogletree 3 years, $7 mil   (2/2/3) – 68.389 remaining

Ogletree was a pleasant surprise for us. With the corpse of Trevathan powerwalking around we needed someone to come in for pass defense and Ogletree was a solid pick up from the start. At 30 his market isn’t going to be great though and while he was solid he was just that. He made tacklesbut not many impact plays. This allows him to stay in a place where he has seemed to fit in and will get a legitimate shot to battle for a starting spot.

 

RET/WR Jakeem Grant – 3 years, $10 mil, $9 mil guaranteed 3/3/4 – 65.389 remaining

Grant is a guy who can rotate in at WR but where he is at his best is in space – and that is why he is a damn good returner. As the primary returner he gets to make plays and try to get another award for his returning. But also he offers speed and serious COD skills. Maybe Getsy gets him involved with the screen game and scheduled throws that allow him to make a move with blockers like Cobb was.

                       

LB Christian Jones – 2 years, 2.5 mil (1.25 mil guaranteed) – 64.164 mil remaining

Cheese is a solid player to have as low depth and a willing special teamer. I have no issues letting him fight for a spot to get on the field or just putting him out there as ST only. Dude seems well liked and respected by his teammates. As a guy who is regularly a roster after thought and is 31 he likely gets to hang it up where he started – Chicago.

 

S DeAndre Houston-Carson – 2 years, $2.5 million (fully guaranteed) – 62.914 mil remaining

DHC is one of the best ST players we have had in the last few years and was able to step up when we needed him last year. He over doubled his tackles for his career but at 29 before TC there isn’t going to be a big market for a guy who has under 100 tackles in 6 years. That being said he is pretty damn physical for a safety and if Williams does use dime like Eberflus did then he might get a role in the defense from the start. At worst you secure a ST ace for the next two years.

 

S Tashuan Gipson – 1 year, $2 mil – 60.914 mil remaining

Gipson will be 32 by the start of the season and is a smart safety, but is athletically limited. He will get to compete for the spot but what might be best is if he becomes the swing safety. This is a small deal that offers a patch for the year so Poles has another year of FA and draft capital to keep getting younger and fitting the scheme better. And while he isn’t stellar he has been able to generate some turnovers.

 

LS Patrick Scales – 3 years, $3 mil - 58.914 mil remaining

I hate you Barry Badrinath!! Err… I mean Beau Brinkley!! Guess what movie I put on this morning when I woke up at 5am for no damn reason. Scale has been flawless with his time here and Santos and him are in sync. No reason for messing it up. Bonus tip, if you can’t afford a Z.J., you can still afford a Scales.

 

OL Alex Bars – RFA contract. IDK what it is, so 1 year, $1 mil – 57.914 mil remaining

Bars is a guy I was high on pre-draft, I like much more than Mustipher, and he has been able to show positional versatility. Honestly I put him in direct competition with Mustipher. Bars likely isn’t a starter but can be solid depth and was able to be a heavy-TE, so it shows he can play in space some too.

 

S Jalen Tabor – 1 year, $900K – 57.014 remaining

When we were depleted at the end of the season due to COVID he stepped in and performed well. I think he is worth a likely practice squad stash but if he performs well on ST then you have a young athletic talent to put on the field. No risk actually.

 

C Sam Mustipher (ERFA) – 1 year, $900K – 56.114 remaining

He was bad last season but he was also not someone who should have been starting last year either. Our inept GM, HC and possibly the OC and OL coaches thought he was good enough to walk into the season as the anointed starter. Clearly that was foolish. Here he gets to battle to be a depth player and at worst is a PS stash with starting experience.

 

 

Goodbyes of Note

Jason Peters – I thought I’d offer him a 2 year, $4 mil deal if he wanted to keep playing but I think he turns it down to retire. He bailed out PHI in 2020 after sitting through FA and then did the same for us in 2021 so I offer him the deal and let him know he can battle for a starting spot (likely at OG) or take a swing-tackle position to save his body. I’m putting him here as a retiree on speed dial.

Allen Robinson – Clearly a number one talent but likely a cap casualty. I think Nagy screwed him over some but sometimes the lack of effort still sticks with me. If Fields has a strong desire to bring him back then talks can be made but I think we should hope someone overpays elsewhere for him.

Andy Dalton – due to cap idiocy the Red Rocket still is counting as red on the cap leger.

James Daniels – I think his age lets someone overpay him, he isn’t worth a top 15 (pre-FA) deal, let alone one post-FA.

Bilal Nichols – Nichols was a body out there, he did get 3 sacks, and did get 51 tackles but he doesn’t really have a strong suit to go off of for this defense. He isn’t really that good vs the run to be a NT (too many of his tackles were 3-7 yards from LOS IIRC) and he isn’t a good passrusher so he can’t be a real 3T. I’m not entirely down on him as he is only 25 but I think someone else will happily overpay him.

Germain Ifedi – Looks like Tarzan, too often plays like Jane. He has all the physical tools to be successful and I don’t believe he lacks heart or effort, but he isn’t a mean player. If you’re an OL here and NOT intense? You need to move on.

Jimmy Graham – can’t hate on him, he collected a TON of money for little expectations.  He was a redzone specialist that was used way too much between the 20s.

Pat O’Donnell – honestly he is pretty average, he could be re-signed but I’d rather use minimal capital (6^th round pick to UDFA) and try to get at least average for less. No matter what, we will never forget you out-benched Clowney. Press on, king. Press on.

Ryan Nall – I will miss you, preseason Jesus. Actually, we sign him but he is cut and stashed on the PS.  I changed my mind.

Goodwin – I think he wants to end with a chance for a ring so he takes a min deal elsewhere. He isn’t DeSean Jackson so that speed is going to go someday.

 

 

Free Agency – Starting with 56.114 mil remaining

WR Michael Gallup – 4 years, $64 mil deal, $42 mil guaranteed – 10/15/17/22 (46.114 mil remaining)

Getsy has been able to have Adams as his number one receiver for the last 3 years. No way to replicate that but Gallup has number one potential and does well off press coverage too. He usually runs as the X receiver and that will be a role where he will get the Adams “role” when he is healthy. That works out great as Mooney doesn’t play as much slot or X, he is primarily a Z player. This allows Mooney to have the top CB option on someone else and let him try to use his 4.3 speed.

Gallup will miss time but is a fantastic option to have and looks like he may have been underutilized in DAL. Press or off coverage doesn’t matter to him. He has great hands and runs sharp routes, there isn’t much to dislike beyond the injury.

 

WR Juju Smith-Schuster – 3 years, $30 mil deal, $23 mil guaranteed – 6/11/13 (40.114)

I know, Juju got an $8 mil deal for the 2021 season and was hurt. But he did that for a hometown discount. Now he is no longer trying to give Big Ben one more year nor does he want to struggle without even knowing who the future QB is. Here he knows he is going to get a lot of targets and will get to go back to the slot where he does his best work. When Gallup gets back we will get a Gallup (X), Juju (Y) and Mooney (Z) line up, where all three actually are suited to their roles best. Not exactly the same as he had in PIT with Brown and Bell in their prime around him, but he should thrive. He also has ties to the OL coach Morgan, so he has on familiar coach that will be in Poles, Eberflus, and Getsy’s ears calling for him. As one of the top run blockers of all WRs Poles and Eberflus should appreciate him too. We pay a bit extra to lock him up but he is only 25 and entering his prime.

 

OLB Anthony Barr – 2 years, $10 mil, $5 guaranteed – 5/5 (35.114)

Barr has been injured a lot lately but when healthy he has been damn good. This is his chance to stick it to MIN and hopefully his time with Jonocko helps him come here. Maybe he comes in and is a one year starter at OLB or he is a guy that we take a swing with and miss. Regardless he can’t hurt us in 2023 if he flops. I liked the idea of Hitchens but he is just too limited a player. Between Jaylon Smith and Barr we always have someone to pair with Roquan in nickel who isn’t a major liability vs the pass. Hitchens has been a thumper for years but was phased out because he is slow and one dimensional.

 

OT Matt Pryor (from IND) – 6’7”, 335 pounds - 2 years, $8 mil deal, fully guaranteed – 4/4  (31.114)

Pryor is an athletic guy who has been in IND for the last year and started 5 games. At only 27 he is entering his prime and can become either a top swing tackle or move in to be an athletic OG with a massive frame. I think this is a solid move to get a guy who may ascend to be a good player. If one player goes down then he can be a super sub or if one simply isn’t ready then he could be a decent starter. I think he could be like Garza, if he is the worst OL then you have a stellar OL but if he is the best you have a bad one.

 

LB Jaylon Smith – 2 years, $5 mil ($3 guaranteed)   2/3 (29.114)

Smith was released due to an injury clause from DAL (reportedly) and didn’t get many snaps in Green bay before being cut. But he has thrived under Eberflus in DAL and would be a fantastic gamble for the 2022 season. If he does still have some explosiveness then he and Roquan can be a solid duo in nickel, if he has lost that step then he is still a solid run stuffer and can come out on nickel. Cheap option to give him a chance to revamp his career, and the chance to get back at Green Bay for cutting him after less than 30 snaps.

 

CB Patrick Peterson – 2 years, $10 mil, $5 mil guaranteed (24.114)

Peterson has 29 INTs and has never gone a season with at least one. For someone who puts as much emphasis on turnovers as Eberflus that has to be a selling point, and with there being several key holes and no first round pick we need to address some of the holes with band aids. Peterson would be a potentially good mentor for young guys, especially like Graham. Like Barr he has a tie to Jonocko so there is a chance he has a connection with him as well.

 

QB Marcus Mariota – 2 years, $6 mil (21.114)

Mobile QB like Fields and has 61 starts to his name. Also, he has ties with the current Assistant OL coach King and DL coach Smith from all being on the Raiders in 2021. Comes here to back up Fields and allow us to run a similar scheme while we get to develop a young guy for the system behind Fields. I don’t want to go through another season where the offense has to drastically change just to adjust to the back up QB’s game. Mariota isn’t a real starter but as a backup I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a better one. Considering he was paid significantly less than we paid Glennon or Daniel I would be pumped about the signing.

 

 

WR Equanimeous St. Brown – 1 year 2 million (19.114)

He is a big, fast WR who was buried behind Adams, Cobb, Lazard, and MVS in Green Bay. He is not going to be counted as a major threat here through because he is mostly being brought in to be a situational rotation player and because he knows Getsy’s playcalls and scheme. Yes, Getsy will have differences than what LaFleur called and his system will vary from anyone else he coached under but the terminology will remain. Let St. Brown come in and help, it is a cheap deal and he gets the opportunity to fight for playing time.

 

 

CB/S Kyle Fuller – 2 years, $6 mil, $3 mil guaranteed  (16.114)

Yep, bringing back Fuller. He is cheap on this deal and by God we need help there. He is a plus tackler and has always had a high motor, so I expect him to get a shot somewhere.  He was a fan favorite here and at 30 he knows his time is cutting short. Also, while he may not be the same CB he was 2-3 years ago I think he would provide some insurance at S as well. He, like Tillman, has no issues sticking his nose in the play and he is still a solid athlete. With his comfort being in off-man I like the idea of him being given a shot to play either safety position or battling for the starting CB spot opposite of Johnson. On defense Johnson should be guaranteed a starting spot but IMO there is no one else in the defensive backfield who should. I want an open competition and he would at least be able to push a few players.

 

 

3T Everson Griffen – 2 years, $6 mil, $3 mil guaranteed – 3/3 (13.114)

We’re taking ALL the Vikings baby! Like Barr, Griffen has been stellar for MIN for a long time but has been bitten by the injury bug. That being said while healthy he has been a solid passrusher, and since he has played for MIN and DET there is no reason to think he would pass at a chance to play his two former teams twice a year each. Griffen comes in with Barr and Peterson to be nothing but a 3T passrusher. Let him pin his ears back and use his experience to help collapse the pocket. If he needs cut in 2023 then we do it, but with Griffen as the passrusher I feel more comfortable having Hicks, Tonga, Blackson and Edwards in the middle of the DL.

 

TE OJ Howard – 2 years, $5 mil – 2/3 (11.114)

He hasn’t remotely come close to his draft hype and has been the #3 TE behind Gronk and Brate. I think they are going to let him walk and with probably 10 or so TEs that will be getting bigger deals we can snag him without a ton of competition. This lets us have two TEs that are ok to good blockers who have athletic ability and then a virtual WR in Horsted. Not an overpowering TE group at all but this lets Kmet walk into the Tonyan role (I think he is getting paid too much to consider this year) and see if he is worth extending or if we need to look to replace him. This pick lets us have all roles covered, and also I admittedly love the idea of having OJ Howard line up as a FB. 250 lbs with a 1.5 sec 10 yard split he should be able to get upfield and put a hit on someone in a hurry. If not he can be cut without a penalty, but he is promised a chance to fully compete for a starting gig. Kmet has no ties to the new regime so he will have to fight for his spot just like almost everyone else.

 

Ending cap space – 11.114 mil prior to draft, but gets an extra $3.288 mil being added for Trevathan’s post-June 1^st cut.

So, there is $15.402mil prior to the draft class, so around $11 mil that can safely be assumed to roll over to 2023 (minus any for injury signings).

 

 

Draft

Bears start with 7 picks – 5, then traded Goldman for two additional. Also swapped our higher 6^th to get a lower 6^th to be rid of Foles.

 

2(39) Bears draft  OT Darian Kinnard – 6’5”, 340 lbs from Kentucky

I think Kinnard’s gets lost in the shuffle with such a strong class of OTs. But I LOVE Kinnard’s game. He is a violent mauler who can play any position on the OL. He has some technical flaws like all OTs but if he moves into OG I think he can be a top player from the entire draft. I put him at LG and let Jenkins and Kinnard abuse whoever is on the right side of the defense. He also has good mobility for an OT but has high end mobility for an OG. I’d have zero issues with putting him at LT and moving Jenkins at LG, just pair the two up and let them do work. With Getsy coming in we are going to be running a lot of outside zones in the Shanahan kind of scheme, but that doesn’t mean we are running with 290lb OL. Kinnard is a guy who will be able to block on stretch plays, get to the second level, and absolutely

 

***TRADE*** Bears trade 3(71) and 6(7^th) for 3(73), 4(8^th) and 6(10^th)***

Seems a bit unbalanced but hear me out. Behind Chicago are SEA (maybe stupid enough to trade Wilson?), WAS, and DEN in order. If SEA keeps Wilson as we expect then you still have WAS and DEN needing a QB and then within the next 10 picks are PIT, NO, and IND. PIT has no QB, NO has a RB playing QB, IND has Wentz who can be cut for $0 dead cap in 2023, and the QB class isn’t elite but has numerous prospects. There will be trade offers and WAS bites the bullet by giving away their 4^th to ensure they get the QB they want. Really, is it that much of a loss if they are getting the guy they want? Of course not. We swap 6ths and let them have the earlier one to be nice.

 

3(73) Bears pick OT Sean Rhyan – 6’5”, 320lbs from UCLA

Rhyan is Kinnard-lite. He isn’t quite as athletic, isn’t quite as big, and isn’t quite as easy to play at OT (shorter arms). But he is just as mean and strong. Moving Rhyan to OG lets him be a plus athlete on the interior and be a bully in the run game. We are now looking at a core of OL of Jenkins, Kinnard, Rhyan and Borom. Whitehair is kicking into C for 2022 and is the little guy on the line. While these guys are all big, powerful guys they are all plus athletes who can easily carry out a zone blocking scheme too… Rhyan and Co will just take a little more pride in burying their guys.

 

4(1^st) from Jags. Bears select LB Darian Beavers – 6’4”, 240lbs from Cincinnati.

Former safety turned rocked-up LB. Has played all over the LB corps and fits best as the MIKE IMO. He won’t be able to cover top TEs very well but is a menace in the middle and can fight off blocks really well. Also athletic enough to go sideline to sideline. Eberflus does use the Cover 2 as a base and Tampa 2 as well but he is more aggressive than just doing that. Beavers is a plus blitzer from the MLB spot. He could play in a 3-4 or 4-3, the only real spot I wouldn’t want him is as the WILL in this defense. He and Smith will have a lot of good years together.

 

4(8^th) from WAS. Bears select WR Alex Pierce – 6’3”, 210 lbs from Cincinnati

Our second Bearcat in a row. I’m a big fan of Alec. While I was watching Ridder there was one guy that kept making tough catches, kept separating from DBs and was a better runblocker than their TE. It was Pierce. He is a freak athlete and is a gym rat (675lb deadlift for the skill position school record). He has had some drops but really he makes so many contested catches and tightrope catches by the sideline I think that can be coached out of him. He is hell to press and even if you get a good jam on him he still can run away from you. Needs work on tightening up his routes though, you can tell he hasn’t been coached really hard on the intricacies because he has been able to win with his athleticism and effort.

 

5(7^th) Bears select CB Jaylen Watson – 6’2”, 200lbs from Washington State

 

Watson has had a long journey to be an NFL prospect. Went to JUCO, was transferring to USC but grades slipped, got a job and his head straight to get his grades up, then got to finally play at Washington State. He is a big CB with a ton of physicality. He is a press guy that also will mix it up vs the run, and has a hitter’s mentality. He could switch to S if we needed, but I like having a CB that will go for a big hit. That aggressiveness will get him on the field soon. He also was stuck to the number one WR, and over the last 15 games gave up over 45 yards to just one WR – USC’s Drake London. That’s pretty damn good.

 

5(14^th) from Jags. Bears select HB Jerrion Ealy – 5’9”, 185lbs from Ole Miss.

(You think I wasn’t going to sneak the Gators in here somehow? Come on now…) Bears cut Cohen, they have Monty and Herbert. So there isn’t a lot of speed or receiving ability. Ealy has both. He is a track star who also is a shifty scatback. Breaking away from defenders when he gets a hole or making sharp cuts off his blockers was a common sight with him (and look at how big our OL is, he’s going to get lost back there). While I don’t think he will steal many carries from Monty and Herbert this year, I also don’t want either of them taking a big hit while catching a pass on 3^rd and 15 where they will only get 5-8 yards anyway. Ealy will be someone who can be used in the screen game and with his cutting ability it wouldn’t be a shocker to see a few big plays produced either.

 

6(9^th) from Jags. Bears select OT Cade Mays – 6’6”. 320lbs from Tennessee.                 

Cade has been playing all over for TEN, he has 35 career starts with 19 at right guard, 12 at right tackle, two at left guard and two at left tackle. Cade is athletic enough to try at RT but with so much time inside and so much invested on the outer four of the OL I want to move him to center. He is strong and can anchor vs bullrushers but he does struggle with top speed. So counter that by putting him against the 1techs and let him fight it from there. From all accounts he seems like a highly intelligent leader so he fits that criteria at center, and is strong enough not to give much pressure so Fields can have a pocket. I sit him behind Whitehair for 2022 and groom him to be the starting C in 2023. Then he can fight for the starting gig against a vet that year.

 

6(10^th) from WAS. Bears select S Sterling Weatherford – 6’4”, 230lbs from Miami (OH)

When looking at Weatherford you see he is a hell of a tackler. He will straight knock someone out of they run at him. He is also a plus athlete for a S but I think there are a few things to do immediately. One he should be a special teams stud from the beginning. He has a motor that always runs hot and will dive for tipped passes, blast into lead blockers and try to go through ballcarriers. Second I think you need to decide if you want to keep him at S or as a cover LB. If you want to run 3 athletic LBs then he can get on the field pretty soon or if you want to have an enforcer at SS then he can do that as well. He isn’t a burner but is pretty damn athletic for a 230 pound guy. So do you  bulk him up a bit and look at LB or keep him lean and keep him at S? Maybe he is a SS who kicks to LB in dime packages so you get his aggressiveness closer to the LOS. He is potentially going to be a fun piece for a DC to work with.

 

Undrafted Free Agent Targets

QB – EJ Perry from Brown

I wanted to go with D’Eriq King due to him being a better athlete but Perry is just a better passer, and AZ already mocked him lol. While he is a step down from King as a runner he is 2 or 3 steps up as a passer. Still not a really good one, but he can stretch the field and seems like he has a good deep ball. Biggest plus is he makes quick reads. King will break longer runs but Perry will take less sacks and complete more easy throws.

 

OT > OG Cordell Volson from NDSU

Mean, mean dude. Plays like Richie Incognito without the garbage personality. This guy can become the IOL depth and I’d be ecstatic. At 6’6” and 320 pounds he has the size and strength to handle duties on the inside. Personally I think he goes in the 6^th but if he is an UFA he is probably the first person I’m calling.

 

FB Big Kat Bryant from UCF (formerly Auburn)

He was a highly touted recruit, he’s big, athletic, and has a lot of pop. But he is not skilled at all as a passrusher, he can’t play in coverage, and doesn’t have the football IQ to be a JACK. At 6’5” and 260lbs he is too small to be a DT or 5T and doesn’t have the bend to be a DE. But he has quick burst. So what do you do? You take a flier out on him to be a FB. Honestly he reminds me of CornWash as a prospect. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do well in thebench, 40, and vert but do garbage in the drills for positions or agility.

Put the guy in a spot to make one big hit and let his short area burst and strength hopefully help him make an impact. If not, you put him on the PS since he won’t have a major calling anyway.

 

DL Zach VanValkenburg from Iowa

Guy is 6’4, 265lbs and not explosive at all. But dammit I love the fight he gives every play. I’m a sucker for these max-effort psychos. Get him a contract, see if he is better off developing as an EDGE or let him bulk up and be the Idonije-style player. To me he is Sam Hubbard-lite, but I think that ridiculous motor could really help with a year or two of work.

 

WR > TE Dee Anderson WR from Alabama A&M

A WR that is 6’6” and 220lbs, runs hard after the catch, and has nice hands? Maybe he never turns out to be the next Darren Waller (he won’t) but he has similar traits. Horsted may make an impact or may not, but regardless Anderson is a good challenger for him as the move end. Maybe like Waller he develops, maybe he stays as a lanky TE that is just too slow to be a real WR. If we got Desmond Clark 2.0 I’d be giddy.

 

P Michael Turk from Oklahoma

Him make ball go vroom

 

CB Damarion Williams from Houston

Yep, this is someone I just read about a few days ago and loved what I saw. Kid is 5’10” and 180 lbs but is a dog. Go to the link below and watch some of his highlights. As a CB he led his team in solo tackles and was 2^nd in total tackles. What the hell? Lol.

https://www.ganggreennation.com/2022/1/5/22860847/2022-nfl-draft-prospect-cb-damarion-williams

IDK if he can be a corner in the NFL but I do know someone that willing to make hard aggressive plays is worth a shot. He starts on STs and can battle for NB reps, likely working against Vildor for the NB2 role behind Graham. If you think he is a S then you can put him on ST and rotate him in. If EJax doesn’t perform at a high level he won’t be here in 2023, so there may be an opening there…

 

S ---> OLB Kenderick Duncan from Lousiville

At 6’3” and 225 lbs he is in the same mold as Weatherford. Bruising enforcers who love to put guys down. That being said I think Duncan is a hair more stout and Weatherford seems more comfortable in deep coverage (admittedly limited review here too though). But if you want an intense guy who is going to fly to the ball and try to force a fumble I would like to let him learn the OLB spots. Let him back up Smith and Barr for a year and maybe he steps into a starting role opposite Smith or even maybe he and Beavers switch to let Beavers do more blitzing off the edge (he is the most stout too, which is usually the SAM backer as well). Regardless if Smith, Beavers, and Duncan end up as the W/M/S backers you have speed and intensity for days.

 

 

Ok, all done. Now time to look at the Depth Chart for the 2023 Bears.

 

 

/  = indicate position battle

(pos)  = indicates their primary position, but competing elsewhere too

 

Offense

QB – Fields, Mariota, Perry

HB – Montgomery, Herbert, Ealy, Nall (PS)

FB – Howard(TE)/Bryant

WR – Gallup, Smith-Schuster, Mooney, Grant/Pierce/Newsome/St. Brown

TE – Kmet, Howard/Horsted/Anderson

OT – Jenkins, Borom – Pryor (swing)

OG – Kinnard, Rhyan - Volson/Bars/Mays (C)

C – Whitehair, Mustipher/Mays

 

Defense

DE – Mack, Quinn – Gibson, VanValkenburg

3T – Edwards, Blackson – Griffen (NBR)

NT – Hicks, Tonga

WILL – R. Smith  

Mike – J. Smith, Beavers, Jones

Sam – Barr, Ogletree (swing), Duncan

CB – Johnson, Peterson/Fuller/Watson/Graham (NB)

NB – Graham/Vildor/Williams

FS – Jackson/DHC/Fuller (CB)

SS – Gipson/Fuller (CB), Weatherford

 

Nickel DL : Mack - Griffen - Edwards/Hicks - Quinn

 

K – Santos

P – Turk

LS – Scales

RET - Grant, Newsome

[Madmike90]

I think this would be a bit too much movement for one offseason but well done man…the detail in this is exceptional and must have taken you ages so awesome effort 👍

[Sugashane]

1 hour ago, Madmike90 said:

I think this would be a bit too much movement for one offseason but well done man…the detail in this is exceptional and must have taken you ages so awesome effort 👍

 

Appreciate it man. Trying to get a couple solid vets to band aid holes and mentor some young guys, plus finding connections with the staff made it kind of a pain. I bet I spent the most time on the cap structure. I was going to make the 2023 Outlook and decided there was enough already. 

Definitely spent more time on it that I should have. 😅

[abstract_thought]

Really like the idea of bringing in a bunch of guys with OT potential and seeing who sticks.

[WindyCity]

Re-structures (conversions)

Khalil Mack – convert part of salary into bonus – save 7.28 mil *** do not extend, 2023 will have cap saving of 17 mil   (33.870)

Restructure Quinn – save 7.786   (41.657)

Restructure EJax – save 6.64  (48.300)

Restructure Whitehair – save 4.64 (52.944)

 

Ryan Pace is not here anymore.

[Sugashane]

1 hour ago, WindyCity said:

Re-structures (conversions)

Khalil Mack – convert part of salary into bonus – save 7.28 mil *** do not extend, 2023 will have cap saving of 17 mil   (33.870)

Restructure Quinn – save 7.786   (41.657)

Restructure EJax – save 6.64  (48.300)

Restructure Whitehair – save 4.64 (52.944)

 

Ryan Pace is not here anymore.

KC restructured Mahomes, Kelce, and Jones all just last year. It isn't a Pace thing, it's an NFL thing. 

[WindyCity]

2 hours ago, Sugashane said:

KC restructured Mahomes, Kelce, and Jones all just last year. It isn't a Pace thing, it's an NFL thing. 

Its a terrible idea when you are not competing.

Pace pushed money into the future to go 6-11. That is idiotic.

We are not competing in 2022... so why tie ourselves to aging veterans who likely won't be here when we are good?

[abstract_thought]

19 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Its a terrible idea when you are not competing.

Pace pushed money into the future to go 6-11. That is idiotic.

We are not competing in 2022... so why tie ourselves to aging veterans who likely won't be here when we are good?

Agreed.

If anything, this is the year to get rid of contracts like Whitehair, Jackson, Goldman, etc. Bears have cap space to absorb trading/cutting them. It would also be nice to land a decent pick in 2023 to at least give Fields a few years with an elite playmaker.

Edited March 8, 2022 by abstract_thought

[Madmike90]

42 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Its a terrible idea when you are not competing.

Pace pushed money into the future to go 6-11. That is idiotic.

We are not competing in 2022... so why tie ourselves to aging veterans who likely won't be here when we are good?

I would agree with it being a terrible idea...I would also agree with Sugashane that we will 100% continue to see it because it is being done around the league by every team as it's the only way to try and be competitive...when jobs are on the line we will keep seeing it.

[Sugashane]

1 hour ago, WindyCity said:

Its a terrible idea when you are not competing.

Pace pushed money into the future to go 6-11. That is idiotic.

We are not competing in 2022... so why tie ourselves to aging veterans who likely won't be here when we are good?

Pace was trying to save his job. He was an idiot for a number of reasons but the restructures themselves weren't his downfall. 

The reason to do it is to open up money for guys like the vet WRs or OL to protect Fields. 2022 and 2023 wins don't matter near as much as supporting Fields and trying to support his development. Idk if Poles can draft worth a damn but I'm sure he knows getting the best out of Fields means a hell of a lot more than a single postseason appearance.

Also if it is 2023 before we are good then Mack still can be cut and save around $14 mil or $16 mil in 2024. You can stoll save $7mil or $10 mil roughly with Quinn in the next two years and $5mil or $10 mil for EJax in the same. Unless they plan on cutting them next year there's no real impact and even if so it's minimal. 

 

43 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

I would agree with it being a terrible idea...I would also agree with Sugashane that we will 100% continue to see it because it is being done around the league by every team as it's the only way to try and be competitive...when jobs are on the line we will keep seeing it.

I feel like they will push to be competitive quick, I doubt Poles will get to take the down year like SEA and a few others will. Unless they make moves on draft day to gather resources or move up I don't see them trying to coast.  Like Abstract said this is the best year to cut bait on some of these deals, I just don't think they will allow for the intenrional down year.

Regardless if they can get Fields protection and don't have to force Mooney into a number one role they should be OK.