First Wave Free Agency Thoughts

[WindyCity]

To be 100% honest I am downright giddy right now. If you had asked me last night what my perfect scenario was for today it would have been something like what happened today.

There are so many reasons to be excited about the players that the Bears added today and free agency hasn't even officially opened yet.

1. They are building around Mitch

You just want a plan to make sense, be thankful you are not a Dolphins fan. You want to look at what your GM is doing and say "that makes sense" and that the thinking behind moves is sound. The Bears made a bold move for a young franchise QB, they put together an impressive offensive coaching staff, while not losing anything on defense, and then they aggressively went and got weapons for him. The coaches may suck, the players may suck, but the plan is sound and moves them towards the modern NFL.

2. They landed top guys

Last season the Bears were rejected by a bunch of players ad settled for tier 2 and 3 players that mostly turned into trash. Players and agents looked at the Bears and did not see a future. They had no QB, they had a lame duck coach and they lost a ton of games. Now, obviously players and agents see something different. The Bears seem like a little bit of a destination for free agents and they are beating other teams out for players. Players and agents see the hope that is growing with the Bears.

3. Diverse Weapons that can be used creatively

By adding Robinson you have a big physical prototype #1 WR, by adding Gabriel you get an elite speed guy who is a constant threat, and by adding Burton you have a player that can play all over the formation and can be used to create mismatches and to go hurry up. These players allow an intriguing offensive staff to use personnel and formations to screw with defenses and create confusion. The Bears now have guys who can do very different things and who need to be defended differently.

4. Depth and Everyone is in the right role

With the guys that were added everyone on offense can slip into the role that they are best suited for. Meredith can be the #2 WR, which he is better equipped to do. Gabriel can be the #3 and we are not forcing him into a role that is too big for him. If you draft a WR you are not forcing him into a bigger role than #4 and a depth player. With Burton you are not asking Shaheen to be a 110 target monster and you are not asking for him to split out and run WR routes. With Shaheen on the roster you do not need Burton to be an inline blocker and he can move around. I think that it is huge that the Bears will not be asking anyone on offense to fill a role bigger than they can like we have in the past.

5. Spend the money

The Bears have 4 cheap years of Trubisky and they should be aggressive in patching holes and upgrading the roster with their money. People will tell you teams are not built in free agency, but it sure as hell helps to add more talent than the draft alone can add.

[Madmike90]

Basically we won day one over any team in the NFL...only team who came close was the Titans...Jets did okay as well.

[WindyCity]

3 minutes ago, Madmike90 said:

Basically we won day one over any team in the NFL...only team who came close was the Titans...Jets did okay as well.

I think what has me so excited about today is that we add these diverse weapons and I actually have faith that the coaching staff will use them creatively and to their strengths.

[howru8888]

I'm very happy with how today went down. My next hope i a trade with Buffalo numbers 12 and 22 for 8. That way they get ahead of Miami for the QB and hopefully the Bears can grab McGlinchey at 12 and take a shot on Arden Key at 22, but I dont want to sound greedy lol

[Superman(DH23)]

Who won FA today?  Mitchell Trubisky.  For real.  He walked into a huddle in the final game last year with Bellamy, Wright, Inman, and Sims. I can only imagine the big smile on his face when steps in the huddle for the first time in OTAs and sees Robinson, Meredith, Gabriel, Burton, and Shaheen.  I too windy am giddy thinking about what the offense is going to look like next year.

[IronMike84]

Fun day, but call me when it translates to wins in the fall.

[WindyCity]

27 minutes ago, IronMike84 said:

Fun day, but call me when it translates to wins in the fall.

Better chance of winning now then we had 48 hours ago.

[IronMike84]

10 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Better chance of winning now then we had 48 hours ago.

On paper. I mean I’d hope that translates but we’ve seen that not hold true before.

[G08]

It's a heck of a start... let's hope that Robinson and Meredith come back at 100% strength and that Kevin White is able to play a full season and show some promising development. I love the youth these signings bring and it lets me know they want to develop this unit alongside MT10 over the next 3-4 years. It's a beautiful thing and GOD WILLING it's about time we have something like this in our football lives for the Beloved.

[AZBearsFan]

Just now, G08 said:

It's a heck of a start... let's hope that Robinson and Meredith come back at 100% strength and that Kevin White is able to play a full season and show some promising development. I love the youth these signings bring and it lets me know they want to develop this unit alongside MT10 over the next 3-4 years. It's a beautiful thing and GOD WILLING it's about time we have something like this in our football lives for the Beloved.

The best thing I’ve seen today with what we’ve done at WR (and I’d be surprised if you don’t agree here) is that it’s clear we aren’t expecting anything from White. I’m all for pulling for our patience there to finally be rewarded in some way but if he’s a zero again we are ready for that before we even get to draft day. If he has a regular role of consequence in 2018 it will have been because he earned one. 

[Epyon]

1 hour ago, howru8888 said:

I'm very happy with how today went down. My next hope i a trade with Buffalo numbers 12 and 22 for 8. That way they get ahead of Miami for the QB and hopefully the Bears can grab McGlinchey at 12 and take a shot on Arden Key at 22, but I dont want to sound greedy lol

They'd have already been overpaying with 21 and 22 for 8 (via the draft charts), there's no way we get 12 and 22 for pick 8.... Odds are they trade into the top 4-5 with those picks.

Where I'm at, there's Nelson-OG at 8, then there's about 5 or so guys I'd be happy with right now that that next tier of player, so I'm ideally looking to drop down those 5  or even 8 or so positions to ~pick 13-16.   Each of them has that whole "they're great.... ***BUT*** part to em"

Landry-OLB: Great pass rush, but not so great run defending.... Little concerning how his season was derailed last year from a seemingly minor injury.

Edmunds-ILB: Great ILB prospect but more or less a novice at his position... Leap of faith that he's smart enough to develop and then play with instinct instead of just being a stud athlete.

Davenport-OLB: Highest ceiling Edge guy in the draft.... bit of a projection that he's a 3-4 OLB and not just a 4-3 End... 3 cone/agility metrics a bit lacking.

Vea-DL: only guy on this list a as "safe" as Nelson-OG..... His question is playtime (is he on the field when we're in nickel?) and pass rush ability.

Ward-CB: If he was 2 inches taller and 15 lbs heavier, this wouldn't even be a discussion.

 

 

Then the 5 wildcard guys who probably aren't in the discussion but could sneak up into it:

McGlinchey-OT: If the OL coach vouches for him, he could be hard to pass up... Statistically a stud OT on PFF (which IMO is seemingly more accurate for projecting OL prospects)

Derwin James-SS: Probably means we're either moving to a 3 safety defense or considering moving on from Amos so a bit questionable here.... but James has the talent and the athleticism to be a useful defensive tool

Fitzpatrick-S:  I'm not really sure where he plays fulltime, but like James he's the kind of guy you can find/make room for.

Jackson-CB: Long ballhawk corner? Yeah, everyone can always use those... His combine wasn't great, but it was hardly crippling to his draft stock.

Ridley-WR: Almost assuredly not the pick after today's FA frenzy.... but I do think his strengths play into the style of offense we're aiming to run here

 

That's like 10 dudes I would be pretty satisfied with overall in our draft range and the projected area just after our #8 pick..... and I don't know that any of them are above and beyond good enough to make me want to run up and draft them immediately rather than trade down a bit and grab another pick and get whoever is left of that bunch.

[Rogerthat]

18 minutes ago, Epyon said:

They'd have already been overpaying with 21 and 22 for 8 (via the draft charts), there's no way we get 12 and 22 for pick 8.... Odds are they trade into the top 4-5 with those picks.

Where I'm at, there's Nelson-OG at 8, then there's about 5 or so guys I'd be happy with right now that that next tier of player, so I'm ideally looking to drop down those 5  or even 8 or so positions to ~pick 13-16.   Each of them has that whole "they're great.... ***BUT*** part to em"

Landry-OLB: Great pass rush, but not so great run defending.... Little concerning how his season was derailed last year from a seemingly minor injury.

Edmunds-ILB: Great ILB prospect but more or less a novice at his position... Leap of faith that he's smart enough to develop and then play with instinct instead of just being a stud athlete.

Davenport-OLB: Highest ceiling Edge guy in the draft.... bit of a projection that he's a 3-4 OLB and not just a 4-3 End... 3 cone/agility metrics a bit lacking.

Vea-DL: only guy on this list a as "safe" as Nelson-OG..... His question is playtime (is he on the field when we're in nickel?) and pass rush ability.

Ward-CB: If he was 2 inches taller and 15 lbs heavier, this wouldn't even be a discussion.

 

 

Then the 5 wildcard guys who probably aren't in the discussion but could sneak up into it:

McGlinchey-OT: If the OL coach vouches for him, he could be hard to pass up... Statistically a stud OT on PFF (which IMO is seemingly more accurate for projecting OL prospects)

Derwin James-SS: Probably means we're either moving to a 3 safety defense or considering moving on from Amos so a bit questionable here.... but James has the talent and the athleticism to be a useful defensive tool

Fitzpatrick-S:  I'm not really sure where he plays fulltime, but like James he's the kind of guy you can find/make room for.

Jackson-CB: Long ballhawk corner? Yeah, everyone can always use those... His combine wasn't great, but it was hardly crippling to his draft stock.

Ridley-WR: Almost assuredly not the pick after today's FA frenzy.... but I do think his strengths play into the style of offense we're aiming to run here

 

That's like 10 dudes I would be pretty satisfied with overall in our draft range and the projected area just after our #8 pick..... and I don't know that any of them are above and beyond good enough to make me want to run up and draft them immediately rather than trade down a bit and grab another pick and get whoever is left of that bunch.

Nice list.  

I wouldn’t be cool with Vea.  We have Goldman it’s just such a low need 

you are dead on with ward. Ward will have a good career

james as a hybrid ILB ? 

I’m not super high on Landry. I do realize you might have to reach a little for a premium position 

I think Nelson is Pace’s guy 

I like Mcglechney a lot. The guy is solid. He is better than Ronny Staley coming out and you can just tell that he is a leader.  Draft Mike move massie to guard and if Leno get hurt you have a realistic option to fill the hole. 

[AZBearsFan]

3 minutes ago, Rogerthat said:

I like Mcglechney a lot. The guy is solid. He is better than Ronny Staley coming out

I vehemently disagree with this, and bet you’d have a hard time finding a credible draft expert or personnel guy who grades them that way. Stanley was a turn key elite LT prospect. McGlinchey is a good tackle prospect who may be limited to RT only at the NFL level. 

[Rogerthat]

10 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

I vehemently disagree with this, and bet you’d have a hard time finding a credible draft expert or personnel guy who grades them that way. Stanley was a turn key elite LT prospect. McGlinchey is a good tackle prospect who may be limited to RT only at the NFL level. 

The kids college coach is the Oline coach and that has more weight than so called draft experts and other teams personnel guys. 

We’ll have to disagree on his draft stock. I’m high on him have been high on him all year long. I would be thrilled if he were drafted at 8 

[RTD]

I think with covering the bases in FA, Pace has set himself up for his usual Freak Athlete pick at #8. The 2 guys i see that fill that are Edmunds and Davenport. Their ceiling is through the roof and their floor is lower than you would like for a #8 pick. Both have allpro potenial.