2018 Free Agency targets

[Madmike90]

6 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

If Long fully recovers after all his surgeries (not a given, but we’ll know by then) why would we do that? You saw how much more effectively our team ran the ball when he was on the field this year, even at well less than 100%. 

Whitehair is under contract till 2020...at that point Long will be 32 years old with multiple surgeries under his belt and making $8 dollars...we are in Josh Sitton territory.

[Sugashane]

5 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Nagy
Anthony Sherman    FB    29    (Optional, I still like to look for a younger FB)
Albert Wilson    WR    25    KC   (Want him here)
Tyler Bray    QB    26    KC       ( Help transition, IDC if he doesn't dress)
Kevin Pierre-Louis    OLB    24    KC    (Solid depth)
Zach Fulton    G    26    KC    (Should be much cheaper than Sitton, if not then not worth it)
 

Helfrich

TE Ed Dickson, Car (Nothing special but an improvement for the #2 over Sims)
OLB Dion Jordan, RFA (I wouldn't give anything more than a 7th for him, but if they don't retain him I'd go in cheap)

London and O'Hara

Johnathan Joseph    CB    33    HOU    (Solid rental player)
 

Gilbride
D.J. Fluker    G    26    NYG    (Could be a solid reclamation project and depth as well)
Justin Pugh    G    27    NYG    - (Same as Fulton)
Weston Richburg    C    26    (I'd be fine with him at C and then Whitehair taking Sitton or Massie's spot)
 

Fangio and Donatell

DE Tank Carradie, SF (Carradine would be a solid add next to Hicks and Goldman. They need to get more rest)
OLB Aaron Lynch, SF (Very cheap attempt at a reclamation project)
 

 

Noted above who I am interested and why.

[AZBearsFan]

5 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

Whitehair is under contract till 2020...at that point Long will be 32 years old with multiple surgeries under his belt and making $8 dollars...we are in Josh Sitton territory.

Find me 32-year old OL who haven’t had multiple surgeries for something. I’m guessing it’s pretty uncommon. Also, to me Long at 32 is different than Sitton at 32 because 32-year old Long will be in his 8th NFL season, not his 11th. That 3 years less NFL level wear and tear matters quite a bit IMO. 

[Madmike90]

4 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

Find me 32-year old OL who haven’t had multiple surgeries for something. I’m guessing it’s pretty uncommon. Also, to me Long at 32 is different than Sitton at 32 because 32-year old Long will be in his 8th NFL season, not his 11th. That 3 years less NFL level wear and tear matters quite a bit IMO. 

That is my point...very few older guys especially on the interior of the OL are making that kind of money...and as much as he has played less seasons I would say he has had a few more surgeries...when you need 3 in one off-season that is a redflag.

[WindyCity]

I would be shocked if Long is still playing at a high level in 4 years.

This string of injuries has been brutal and once that injuries start it is a snowball.

[pigsooie5]

I think we need to come to grips with the fact Sitton is an absolute goner. We wouldn't sign Fulton as "depth". He's an above average NFL starter at 26 years old. 

 

[AZBearsFan]

From a skill set standpoint, a good fit in this offense would be Tavon Austin. He’s definitely a candidate to be released by the Rams, who owe him $8M next year and barely used him this year, and I’m reasonably sure he could be had on a very reasonable deal financially. I expect Pace will have some Kendall Wright type signings this year and Austin would make sense IMO. He was much maligned here as not likely to live up to his absurd draft status or extension (and didn’t), but in the right role as a 3/4 I’ve always thought he had value. We can probably offer him the right kind of role in Nagy’s offense. YAC ability and speed are his two biggest assets. I think he probably can give you what Taylor Gabriel does at a far lesser price in a Nagy offense. 

[bkokot]

21 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

From a skill set standpoint, a good fit in this offense would be Tavon Austin. He’s definitely a candidate to be released by the Rams, who owe him $8M next year and barely used him this year, and I’m reasonably sure he could be had on a very reasonable deal financially. I expect Pace will have some Kendall Wright type signings this year and Austin would make sense IMO. He was much maligned here as not likely to live up to his absurd draft status or extension (and didn’t), but in the right role as a 3/4 I’ve always thought he had value. We can probably offer him the right kind of role in Nagy’s offense. YAC ability and speed are his two biggest assets. I think he probably can give you what Taylor Gabriel does at a far lesser price in a Nagy offense. 

Not sure how I feel about Austin.  I worry that as we think about KC, we will focus too much on "gadget" type players who have a hard time creating for themselves.

If he's cheap and returns kicks, I think I would be in.  As a bottom of the roster WR I think he might surprise and contribute on occasion, but he's not the type of player I want to rely on week in and week out

[topwop1]

37 minutes ago, bkokot said:

Not sure how I feel about Austin.  I worry that as we think about KC, we will focus too much on "gadget" type players who have a hard time creating for themselves.

If he's cheap and returns kicks, I think I would be in.  As a bottom of the roster WR I think he might surprise and contribute on occasion, but he's not the type of player I want to rely on week in and week out

Agreed.  Austin is kind a of a bust at this point.  Wasn't featured much at all in the LA offense this past year. I would aim higher.

WRs currently under contract with Bears:  Cam Meredith,  Kevin White, Markus Wheaton, Tanner Gentry, Demarcus Ayers, Mekale McKay.....Out of these guys I expect only the first two to stick to the final 53.

Based on the kind of offense Nagy is to run here I would target the following guys in FA:  Jaron Brown, John Brown, Albert Wilson, Paul Richardson, Brice Butler, Taylor Gabriel, Donte Moncrief, Mike Wallace, Terrelle Pryor.

Add 1-2 of these FA's with a mid round rookie and you have yourselves a much better/faster WR corps heading into 2018.

[WindyCity]

Pittsburgh's backup OT Chris Hubbard, who played a lot this season, continues to impress me everytime he plays. The guy is a really athletic pass protector and gives great effort in the run game. He has made starts at LT and RT and would be a great addition to start at RT and move to LT in case of emergency.

[Sugashane]

3 hours ago, AZBearsFan said:

From a skill set standpoint, a good fit in this offense would be Tavon Austin. He’s definitely a candidate to be released by the Rams, who owe him $8M next year and barely used him this year, and I’m reasonably sure he could be had on a very reasonable deal financially. I expect Pace will have some Kendall Wright type signings this year and Austin would make sense IMO. He was much maligned here as not likely to live up to his absurd draft status or extension (and didn’t), but in the right role as a 3/4 I’ve always thought he had value. We can probably offer him the right kind of role in Nagy’s offense. YAC ability and speed are his two biggest assets. I think he probably can give you what Taylor Gabriel does at a far lesser price in a Nagy offense. 

 

I feel like Cohen can give us what Austin would, and would allow us to get him and Howard on the field at the same time. If we are going straight gadget player for cheap, I'm ok with it though. Too bad De'Anthony Thomas is injured, he could do the same gimmicks but also would help the WRs on the playbook.

[bkokot]

4 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Pittsburgh's backup OT Chris Hubbard, who played a lot this season, continues to impress me everytime he plays. The guy is a really athletic pass protector and gives great effort in the run game. He has made starts at LT and RT and would be a great addition to start at RT and move to LT in case of emergency.

I would really like this.  At worst he becomes a high value swing tackle for us, but I think he's potentially a significant upgrade over Massie.  Either way I don't think he would be very expensive.

[Heinz D.]

12 hours ago, pigsooie5 said:

I think we need to come to grips with the fact Sitton is an absolute goner. 

 

Why? 

[pigsooie5]

Just now, Heinz D. said:

Why? 

He serves 0 purpose moving forward, he's regressed and is getting injured more (typical for old players). He doesn't fit the very mobile OL that Reid/Nagy covet. AND he's the 4th most expensive player on our roster. 

Zach Fulton was born and raised in Chicago, his OL coach at U of Tennessee was Harry Hiestand. His OC in KC was Nagy. About as obvious of a signing that there is. 

[TankWilliams]

30 minutes ago, pigsooie5 said:

He serves 0 purpose moving forward, he's regressed and is getting injured more (typical for old players). He doesn't fit the very mobile OL that Reid/Nagy covet. AND he's the 4th most expensive player on our roster. 

Zach Fulton was born and raised in Chicago, his OL coach at U of Tennessee was Harry Hiestand. His OC in KC was Nagy. About as obvious of a signing that there is. 

And Zach Fulton went to high school in Flossmoor!