Realistic Expectations

[JAF-N72EX]

Just now, dll2000 said:

Paywall

It's added.

[Madmike90]

2 minutes ago, JAF-N72EX said:

That's not always the case. There is no one set way to build a team. You can't rely too heavily on the draft and you can't rely too heavily on FA......you need balance.

https://overthecap.com/premium/roster-development/

Notice at the top you have Ravens, Packers, Rams, Patriots. Then look at the bottom; KC, Bucs, Broncos, Steelers, Raiders. In the middle are Bengals.

 

 

This is sorted by ratio.

I think what I am trying to say is being lost here...I don't feel you can build completely through the draft but it must be your plan A...then target elite players who hit the open market or 1 or 2 years deals before then going back into the draft to try and find someone or again sign an elite talent or 1 or 2 year veteran starter.

[Madmike90]

7 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

It worked out great.  What are you talking about?  GB but for some bad breaks may have a couple of SBs.  FAs aren't forever.    

And I didn't say don't do it as core.  I am saying use FA wisely to add extra umph and plug holes.     

GB

2017  7-9

2018 6-9-1

2019* Add Smiths, Amos and Turner 13-3

2020 13-3 and best team in league IMO.

2021 13-4

We were celebrating a 12 win season a few years back btw and partying like it was 1999.   They just went 13 wins for three straight years AFTER they added 4 plus players in FA to shore up holes.

 

Two of those guys not even being on the roster anymore worked out great?...

I explained in my original post how I would use FA but like I said it should always be plan B.

[AZBearsFan]

I took the OP to mean, what are your realistic expectations for 2022 ? Mine are for growth and, hopefully, clarity.

That definitely starts at QB. 2021 was such an odd year for what it could probably maybe should have been for Fields. Forget the usage, practice reps, etc. for a second - at a more basic level they took a kid who’s a natural alpha and basically tried to take that away from him starting on draft night. That all should have been allowed to work itself out naturally, and it wasn’t. Fortunately the new regime has allowed him to fully embrace that role right away, and it seems he is. My expectation for Fields is that we see better decision making, more confidence and more splash plays, all of which will lead to better stats. I don’t expect super stardom in 2022, but it won’t shock me either. His talent level and potential are so high. 

Growth and clarity certainly aren’t exclusive to QB though because we have a ton of youth at key spots, most clearly on offense. Can Mooney be a legitimate 1, or is adding a #1 going to be at the top of our 2023 needs list? Can any of our young OTs show to be true building blocks, or is OT a top 2 need in 2023? Who emerges in the RG competition? Does Kmet make another statistical jump (especially in the RZ) with Graham now being out of the mix? Will Pringle reward Poles’ faith in him by continuing to ascend in what is likely an expanded role? 

[JAF-N72EX]

8 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I took the OP to mean, what are your realistic expectations for 2022 ? Mine are for growth and, hopefully, clarity.

That definitely starts at QB. 2021 was such an odd year for what it could probably maybe should have been for Fields. Forget the usage, practice reps, etc. for a second - at a more basic level they took a kid who’s a natural alpha and basically tried to take that away from him starting on draft night. That all should have been allowed to work itself out naturally, and it wasn’t. Fortunately the new regime has allowed him to fully embrace that role right away, and it seems he is. My expectation for Fields is that we see better decision making, more confidence and more splash plays, all of which will lead to better stats. I don’t expect super stardom in 2022, but it won’t shock me either. His talent level and potential are so high. 

Growth and clarity certainly aren’t exclusive to QB though because we have a ton of youth at key spots, most clearly on offense. Can Mooney be a legitimate 1, or is adding a #1 going to be at the top of our 2023 needs list? Can any of our young OTs show to be true building blocks, or is OT a top 2 need in 2023? Who emerges in the RG competition? Does Kmet make another statistical jump (especially in the RZ) with Graham now being out of the mix? Will Pringle reward Poles’ faith in him by continuing to ascend in what is likely an expanded role? 

I'd also add to this list...

Is the staff good at developing talent? That's going to play a big factor moving forward.

[Bigbear72]

58 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I took the OP to mean, what are your realistic expectations for 2022 ? Mine are for growth and, hopefully, clarity.

That definitely starts at QB. 2021 was such an odd year for what it could probably maybe should have been for Fields. Forget the usage, practice reps, etc. for a second - at a more basic level they took a kid who’s a natural alpha and basically tried to take that away from him starting on draft night. That all should have been allowed to work itself out naturally, and it wasn’t. Fortunately the new regime has allowed him to fully embrace that role right away, and it seems he is. My expectation for Fields is that we see better decision making, more confidence and more splash plays, all of which will lead to better stats. I don’t expect super stardom in 2022, but it won’t shock me either. His talent level and potential are so high. 

Growth and clarity certainly aren’t exclusive to QB though because we have a ton of youth at key spots, most clearly on offense. Can Mooney be a legitimate 1, or is adding a #1 going to be at the top of our 2023 needs list? Can any of our young OTs show to be true building blocks, or is OT a top 2 need in 2023? Who emerges in the RG competition? Does Kmet make another statistical jump (especially in the RZ) with Graham now being out of the mix? Will Pringle reward Poles’ faith in him by continuing to ascend in what is likely an expanded role? 

This is exactly what I meant. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I didn't want this to turn into another "what I would do if I were GM" thread. I wanted it to be more rooted in reality of what we have and where we are at the moment. I get where people are disappointed with what as transpired thus far. It is been stated constantly over the course of this off-season. It was my intent for this thread to be more of a "play with the cards that we were dealt" thread.

[beardown3231]

3 hours ago, Bigbear72 said:

If your hope that the team is going to be better then I would say that you should care about more than him. Unless of course you would rather us be the what the Detroit Lions were the previous decade. If that is want you want, then no, don't care about anything else.

[beardown3231]

1 hour ago, Madmike90 said:

Two of those guys not even being on the roster anymore worked out great?...

I explained in my original post how I would use FA but like I said it should always be plan B.

Yes, it worked out great. Turner & Z. Smith each played 3 seasons for GB and Amos & P. Smith are still there and the Packers have had a ton of success with them. 

[Bigbear72]

2 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

What point did I miss that I didn't address?

[Madmike90]

Just now, beardown3231 said:

Yes, it worked out great. Turner & Z. Smith each played 3 seasons for GB and Amos & P. Smith are still there and the Packers have had a ton of success with them. 

 I would disagree

[beardown3231]

11 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

 I would disagree

Turner got 4 years and played 3. Smith got 4 years and played 3. The other two are still there. In that time they're 39-10. In the 3 years prior they were 23-24. What am I missing?

 

12 minutes ago, Bigbear72 said:

What point did I miss that I didn't address?

It's this simple:

We should all want Fields to be the Bears best player. If that happens will they need other good players? Of course. But, if Fields sucks, they aren't winning s***

So yes, Fields' development means a whole lot more than anybody else's

[Bigbear72]

4 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

Turner got 4 years and played 3. Smith got 4 years and played 3. The other two are still there. In that time they're 39-10. In the 3 years prior they were 23-24. What am I missing?

 

It's this simple:

We should all want Fields to be the Bears best player. If that happens will they need other good players? Of course. But, if Fields sucks, they aren't winning s***

So yes, Fields' development means a whole lot more than anybody else's

Who is saying that they don't want Fields to succeed or be the best player on the team? I simply stated that it will take more than that for the team to be successful. And that is completely true. Give me an example of ever in the the history of ever that a QB brought a team to the promise land while the FO ignored the rest of the team? It's that simple.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Bigbear72

[beardown3231]

13 minutes ago, Bigbear72 said:

Who is saying that they don't want Fields to succeed or be the best player on the team? I simply stated that it will take more than that for the team to be successful. And that is completely true. Give me an example of ever in the the history of ever that a QB brought a team to the promise land while the FO ignored the rest of the team? It's that simple.

I never said I hope Fields is good and no one else is good. The point is, the Bears can have a top 10 defense, a good WR, a good RB and a decent OL and still not win anything meaningful. We've seen that play out over and over and over and over.

[JAF-N72EX]

1 hour ago, beardown3231 said:

Turner got 4 years and played 3. Smith got 4 years and played 3. The other two are still there. In that time they're 39-10. In the 3 years prior they were 23-24. What am I missing?

Rodgers only playing 6 games in 2017 and 1 of those he shouldn't have played at all.

[Bigbear72]

1 hour ago, beardown3231 said:

I never said I hope Fields is good and no one else is good. The point is, the Bears can have a top 10 defense, a good WR, a good RB and a decent OL and still not win anything meaningful. We've seen that play out over and over and over and over.

We have seen that play out before. But the point of the thread and the point you seem to be missing was what were your expectations based upon where we stand right now. This was not in any shape or form meant to turn into yet another thread about "the FO didn't do what I wanted them to do so I'm going to pout about it." You have expressed what you have expressed here a thousand times over. We get it. You want Justin Fields to succeed above all else. I'm sure you will express that in the next 10 threads created even if the topic is what is your favorite sandwich.