Random Thoughts - Offseason 2024

[AZBearsFan]

13 hours ago, soulman said:

I'll wrap up.  JMHO only.

I don't see Braxton Jones as an OG.  Not when his biggest weakness is handling power.  He's pretty much a finesse type LT with over the top athleticism.  He's improved each year and Pace loves the guy.  Plus he drafted Amengadjie who should be more able to convert to OG.  He's bigger and plays with far more power.

Unless Bahktiari is willing to take a very cheap one year deal to compete for a swing OT role I just don't see it.  I never say never but color me doubtful.

 

He hasn’t been healthy for like 4 years. Physically it looks like he’s cooked.

I’m intrigued to see what further strides Jones (and Wright) make with a QB who’ll be more predictable in terms of where he’ll be in the pocket (or who’ll actually use the pocket). I’m no OL expert, but I would think it’d be easier to have and execute a plan when you know more specifically where you can’t allow a pass rusher to get. 

[StLunatic88]

17 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I mean Braxton is a flawed LT still.  He is mostly okay, but still gets beat badly at times.  

Yea, he is OK, but are you comfortable with OK when you have the investment of Caleb Williams back there?

17 hours ago, dll2000 said:

I believe if Joe Alt was on the board at 9 he would be a Chicago Bear and Rome Odunze would not be.  

I very much agree

17 hours ago, dll2000 said:

But that being said I am not sure there is a lot of fire for Bakhtiari.   They may be kicking tires like a lot of teams and are willing for right price, but they aren't going to spend much on him IMO.

Why would you?  Huge injury risk.  

He could be completely washed (odds are he is) but he has been a very good LT not all that long ago. And as a guy who isnt on a roster at this point (trying all avenues to get GMs to talk to him) I cant imagine he would be expensive, so Im not sure where that notion is coming from.

He would likely be looking at a few Million, with some play time incentives. Id absolutely bring him in for that. A) because we dont have a real backup at LT and B) I dont think Braxton is good enough to be completely unchallenged for the LT spot

[StLunatic88]

15 hours ago, BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW said:

What do you think about the possibility that they are instead super worried about the center and guards, and are thinking to move Braxton in to guard and get an LT?  

The move would be super odd to me, but maybe Davis is upsetting them and they are scrambling to fill the line inside. 

Ive always said he would be just fine as a Guard, especially in this type of system, where power is not emphasized at all, and its all about movement and positioning. I dont think he would be dominant at Guard either, but he can plug a hole there if we had a better LT.

Im not going to move Braxton off of LT unless we absolutely have a better one. Right now we dont, and there isnt one out there at this time. You would be buying a lottery ticket with Baktiari, not a plan.

I think they are comfortable with the OL right now, but also know we can upgrade almost across the board, and it will likely be the focus going forward. (i.e. this is Braxtons last chance to prove he should be the reliable LT, can Jenkins stay healthy and engaged, and do we actually have a Center?) So does Bak represent an upgrade? Possibly, but could also be atleast a backup there. Do we need to make a run at Connor Williams? Things like that are probably what they will be looking at early in the preseason program

[StLunatic88]

27 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I’m intrigued to see what further strides Jones (and Wright) make with a QB who’ll be more predictable in terms of where he’ll be in the pocket (or who’ll actually use the pocket). I’m no OL expert, but I would think it’d be easier to have and execute a plan when you know more specifically where you can’t allow a pass rusher to get. 

I do0nt know if its any easier, its just different. You have to have a completely different mindset. Now it looks better to the fans perspective, because we process information better when we know A+B=C, but a scrambling QB is more like Find x+y, if:    2x+3y=8 and 3x+5y=13. There is an answer, its just more complicated, and our brains dont see it immediately.

Also, I wouldnt just assume Caleb isnt going to be a scrambler, isnt his "Mahomes-ness" what everyone loved about him?

[dll2000]

11 minutes ago, StLunatic88 said:

Yea, he is OK, but are you comfortable with OK when you have the investment of Caleb Williams back there?

I would upgrade any position given the chance.  That isn't always possible.  

He could be completely washed (odds are he is) but he has been a very good LT not all that long ago. And as a guy who isnt on a roster at this point (trying all avenues to get GMs to talk to him) I cant imagine he would be expensive, so Im not sure where that notion is coming from.

He would likely be looking at a few Million, with some play time incentives. Id absolutely bring him in for that. A) because we dont have a real backup at LT and B) I dont think Braxton is good enough to be completely unchallenged for the LT spot

Any formerly good vet is worth a flyer if he is willing to play for peanuts.  

 

[dll2000]

Here is a hard truth. 

If I am a DC behind closed doors and with no microphones around- any undersized guys playing at QB or WR - I am telling my guys to lay the wood with everything they got every chance they get.

I am not saying play dirty or late.  I am saying, lets see if these skinny little guys can sustain hard hits and stay in the game or keep playing with same speed and explosiveness.

That is part of the game to me and always will be as much as they try to legislate it out.  Until they outlaw tackling altogether, that is way I would coach

[Sugashane]

2 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Here is a hard truth. 

If I am a DC behind closed doors and with no microphones around- any undersized guys playing at QB or WR - I am telling my guys to lay the wood with everything they got every chance they get.

I am not saying play dirty or late.  I am saying, lets see if these skinny little guys can sustain hard hits and stay in the game or keep playing with same speed and explosiveness.

That is part of the game to me and always will be as much as they try to legislate it out.  Until they outlaw tackling altogether, that is way I would coach

Im straight up telling them to play through the echo of the whistle, and be as vicious as is legal. That's a mindset I have through all the defense and almost all the offense. I love John Randle/Romanowski-level intensity, Hicks/Suh physicality, and I'd try to pack as much crazy and mean in the front 7 as I can. Then I essentially want all my DBs to be CBs (or I'll happily take one enforcer at SS). If you can fold someone who is smaller then you do it, every time. If you can get the QB on the ground and think you won't get a flag, that MF's jersey better get dirty. Nothing enrages me more than seeing a QB with a clean jersey after the game, even if the Bears would win I'd still be pissed.

If barring some HOF Larry Allen kind of pick my prototype IOL (on the field specifically) is almost Richie Incognito. Brutally strong, played like a rabid bear, wanted to dominate rather than shield defenders played almost every snap until the whistle (and often carried it a bit after), but no eye gouging or whatever full-on dirty play he had. Personally he seems like a crazy POS but is a playstyle I always loved watching him play and I'm a power blocking fan so I know i have immediate bias.

As far as Jones, there isn't a better option at LT so he won't move. Bak is worth a flier but you're banking on him getting hurt so you can't move Jones elsewhere. I do think he'd be a good IOL with his athleticism, there's more help available on the inside for powerful rushers too, whereas at OT there is chipping and little more help with outside rushers. Things happen faster inside too so his athleticism may help displace some of the rush on him whereas at OT he has to kick and punch someone with a slight head of steam. I don't think he is a special starter, but solid enough. Not worth a major contract bit was an awesome pick. Hopefully he takes a step forward this year. Kmet won me over, so I won't say Jones can't change my mind.

 

[dll2000]

Tevin Jenkins

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/caleb-williams-development-bears-success-one-crucial-group

[AZBearsFan]

21 hours ago, StLunatic88 said:

I do0nt know if its any easier, its just different. You have to have a completely different mindset. Now it looks better to the fans perspective, because we process information better when we know A+B=C, but a scrambling QB is more like Find x+y, if:    2x+3y=8 and 3x+5y=13. There is an answer, its just more complicated, and our brains dont see it immediately.

Also, I wouldnt just assume Caleb isnt going to be a scrambler, isnt his "Mahomes-ness" what everyone loved about him?

For sure. I didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be a scrambler - I meant that he’ll move within the pocket far more frequently when they’re able to provide one before he scrambles, where Fields’ default reaction, especially the past two years, was to get out of the pocket once his first read wasn’t immediately open. I see Williams being more of a mobile QB, where Fields became a running QB. 

[dll2000]

I am officially starting to get slightly irritated our first round picks aren't signed.

What is there really to argue about?  Make it fully guaranteed and lets go.  It basically is already anyway.

 

[Sugashane]

57 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

I am officially starting to get slightly irritated our first round picks aren't signed.

What is there really to argue about?  Make it fully guaranteed and lets go.  It basically is already anyway.

 

It kind of confuses me too, I mean of there is so little room for rookie deals to ream you since their pay scale is structured. They're not getting Sam Bradford or JaMarcus Russell deals, if a rookie busts then its a drop of water in the bucket. If he does something stupid enough to warrant getting cut on his rookie deal then missing on the pick is what will screw Poles and Eberflus over, not the $10ish mil dead cap per year from cutting him. If they want a bunch of front, whatever, that makes the later stages of their contracts better for the team to be able to structure with and on their rookie deals they can't get restructured, extended, or anything until a set time so who cares if they want their smaller deals up front. This isn't the second deal where they could alter a market and combined have nothing on deals like the Mack dal, so I don't really understand what the hold up is.

That being said contracts aren't exactly a strength of mine, so if I'm missing something rather obvious it wouldn't surprise me. lol 

 

 

[dll2000]

4 hours ago, Sugashane said:

It kind of confuses me too, I mean of there is so little room for rookie deals to ream you since their pay scale is structured. They're not getting Sam Bradford or JaMarcus Russell deals, if a rookie busts then its a drop of water in the bucket. If he does something stupid enough to warrant getting cut on his rookie deal then missing on the pick is what will screw Poles and Eberflus over, not the $10ish mil dead cap per year from cutting him. If they want a bunch of front, whatever, that makes the later stages of their contracts better for the team to be able to structure with and on their rookie deals they can't get restructured, extended, or anything until a set time so who cares if they want their smaller deals up front. This isn't the second deal where they could alter a market and combined have nothing on deals like the Mack dal, so I don't really understand what the hold up is.

That being said contracts aren't exactly a strength of mine, so if I'm missing something rather obvious it wouldn't surprise me. lol 

 

 

It's my understanding that almost all parameters are set by CBA.  

Only little things that can be changed.  I don't think you can give it all up front if that is what they are asking for.

But maybe you can.  I think if you could there would be more fights on first round contracts than there are.

I am not reading whole CBA to figure it out.   

But obviously a dollar in hand is worth more than a dollar 2 years from now.   There is a time value to money due to inflation and investment opportunity, etc.  

But with people who have spending problems it is better for them if they get money slower.  That isn't Caleb Williams family.  People who understand investing and what not, it is always better to get money faster.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

3 hours ago, dll2000 said:

It's my understanding that almost all parameters are set by CBA.  

Only little things that can be changed.  I don't think you can give it all up front if that is what they are asking for.

But maybe you can.  I think if you could there would be more fights on first round contracts than there are.

I am not reading whole CBA to figure it out.   

But obviously a dollar in hand is worth more than a dollar 2 years from now.   There is a time value to money due to inflation and investment opportunity, etc.  

But with people who have spending problems it is better for them if they get money slower.  That isn't Caleb Williams family.  People who understand investing and what not, it is always better to get money faster.

It seems like the offset languages is often the thorn in rookie contracts.  You make a good point though: if Caleb is playing elsewhere during his rookie contract, are you as a gm really thinking it'll be your problem? 

[soulman]

Three issues;

1) Offsets

2) Suspensions

3) Cash Flow

Based on my understanding teams have an option to stagger/stage the signing bonus portion of the contract but since it's 100% guaranteed I believe it must be escrowed if not paid.  It's possible this is what the hold up is or it could be as some have said some way to create a show piece for Hard Knocks with their signings.

I hate reality TV and all of it's bogus bull **** trappings.

[Ty21]

On 7/11/2024 at 9:59 AM, dll2000 said:

I am officially starting to get slightly irritated our first round picks aren't signed.

What is there really to argue about?  Make it fully guaranteed and lets go.  It basically is already anyway.

 

I’m not. Who cares lol. They’ll eventually get there.