Da Dos

Tag: March

  • Untampering Weekend

    Untampering Weekend

    Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Jeff Haynes/AP

    NFL free agency unofficially opens at noon ET on March 9 [MON] with the negotiation window (when players can agree to terms); it officially opens at 4 p.m. ET on March 11 ( WEDs when players can actually be signed).

    Top 50 FAs

    I wanted Crosby initially; however, Dalman’s shocking retirement has changed my mind. Bears now have significant question marks at:

    SS [Brisker gone], C [Dalman gone], LT [Trapilo achilles], DE [Dayo achilles/suckage], DT [only two on roster as of this weekend], LB [Edmunds gone, Edwards old, HippoWho?]

    Thuney isn’t getting any younger; plus, this assumes Poles will resign an older Byard, and that the 3rd WR [DJ Moore gone] won’t be Velus Jones.

    In other words – a rebuild – or retweak.

    This isn’t quite “Apollo 13” where shit is at critical. This is more akin to “The Martian” where Poles [with major help from Ground Control Ben Johnson] must problem solve on the fly.


    Bears are in an odd spot. They absolutely overachieved in a magical ’25 season which may distort the real talent and depth of the team.

    It SEEMS [still TBD, btw] that the Bears nailed the two most vital components of sustained success: HC, QB

    [the 3rd part is GM, but let’s not digress, ahem].

    HC/QB can go a LONG way – mask many deficiencies and mistakes [see, 2000s Pats].

    Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are the foundation. They offer a floor that is higher than Lovie/Grossman.

    The Oline is [or was] the strength of this team. A top 5 unit by most objective metrics.

    So one could make a valid case for attaining a premium LT+C in FA.

    The top 2 for the Bears should be recently released LT Taylor Decker [former Lion] on hopefully a short 1-2 yr deal ’til we know WTF is left of Trapilo

    Also C Linderbaum [former Raven], though many predict he’s asking for north of $22M/yr.

    I could see Poles paying Decker, and sticking to a cheaper option at C. He did draft Luke Newman after all; albeit that doesn’t automatically make him viable [cough- Kiran, Hippo, Velus- cough].

    Poles will now have to do what many great GMs [Grandmasters] must:

    Sacrifice lesser pieces to win.

    The proven formula is to build the lines, but does that mean paying a C like a player who scores TDs? OTOH, one of the first things Poles did with BJ was sign Dalman, so it could be that BJ values C much more since his O lines up under C at a higher % than say the shotgun-happy Cards.

    IMO that unexpected $10M+ Dalman windfall should funnel to DE.

    LTs typically get paid, so I’d have no issue with a short-term Decker deal because the alternative is Parsons/Hutchinson/Turner-v-Benedet twice this year.

    Personally, I’d much rather the Bears pay for LT, and DE.

    Hendrickson is older and less effective vs run than Crosby, but he won’t cost draft picks.

    Between him, Booker, and whatever Dayo can muster on one Achilles, should improve Bears’ D while keeping that #25 for any number of long term solutions at DT, DE, LT, C, S.

    The other option is Poles opting for blue-bin specials.

    If Poles decides to skip on day 1 splashes, players such as these could be solid additions:

    Edge Jaelen Phillips

    DE Rashan Gary [only 28]

    Edge Mack

    Edge Cam Jordan [Allen connection]

    DT Rankins [Allen connection]

    LB Demario Davis [Allen…]

    C McGovern

    DT Jonathan Allen…

    Chicago Bears Network@bearsnetwork_
    LB Alex Anzalone is a name to watch for the Bears in free agency, per Jeremy Fowler.

    Anzalone was with Dennis Allen in New Orleans.

    (via @CHGO_Bears)

    Going into the weekend, no doubt a slew of players will get released, traded, or retire than the current list, so definitely a time to refresh news’ feed. Should be exciting for us Bear fans!

    TLDR Butch Moves.

    Pay DE Hendrickson
    Pay LT Decker
    Pay DT Rankins/Allen
    Prolly go cheap at C, draft
    Prolly go cheap at SS, draft
    Trade Bagency, get athletic project
    Try to trade Kyler Gordon, NB draft
    Maybe rework/trade Kmet
    Resign Byard and Demarco Jackson
    Maaaybe see what we can get for CB Jaylon Johnson.

    Time to totally remake roster in Ben Johnson image.


    Update:

    Gary Ross@gaross18-7h
    Courtney Cronin was on ESPN1000 this morning & said that she expects the Bears to get the comp picks for Cunningham. That would be HUGE!

  • Combine ’26

    Combine ’26

    Don’t know why, but the combine really snuck up this year. I had a few ideas for pieces, but it came and went quickly. Then moving to Indiana and Dalman retiring [NTM the U.S. launching another Middle Eastern War].

    Likely a combo of factors. Bears for once weren’t irrelevant by Thanksgiving, even winning the division and a playoff game. So the season was actually longer. Must’ve thrown off my circadian Bears’ rhythm conditioned to suckage and checking mock drafts in November.

    It’s also a little hard to get super-hyped over this draft because.

    1. It’s more than likely Poles trades away the 1st [+ change] rd pick.

    2. Even if Poles keeps it, it’s still the 25th. Not complaining. Better than the alternative of perennially drafting in the top 10.

    But mostly it’s reason #1 that’s keeping me from getting truly invested though that will change as we near April.

    As such, I’ll let Unbearble Sports breakdown the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ from the combine.


    Two quick Butch notes.

    I know Bears desperately need Dline, but man, if Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles miraculously drops to #25, Poles needs to waddle his ass to the podium.

    Styles recorded a blistering 4.46-second 40-, a 43.5-inch vert, and an 11-foot-2 inch broad jump at 6’5″, 244 lbs.

    That is INSANE. Those are Urlacher metrics

    I must admit I haven’t watched the other Buckeye’s tape because he keeps shooting up the boards, but if Safety Caleb Downs also somehow tumbles to #25, I’d have no issue with Poles pulling the trigger. It’s a copy-cat league, and many just witnessed what a rookie S in SEA named Nick Emmanwori can do. SEA didn’t exactly have the ’85 Bears pass-rush, but they rostered exceptional talent all through the “Darkside.”

    Kyle Hamilton on the Ravens is another example of how a versatile S can impact games.

    I doubt Caleb Downs’ RAS will surpass theirs, but from most ‘experts’, he’s the goods.

    UPDATE. Bears Trade DJ Moore to Bills.

    That’s not a shabby exchange actually. DJ’s production didn’t match his contract, and it dropped mostly because of circumstance.

    Under Ben Johnson, the Bears are a run-first team. Feeding Swift-Monangai tandem ate a lot of snaps. Then the acquisitions of Rome, Burden and Loveland siphoned away more targets [let’s not forget that Kmet is also still on the team].

    I mean, if Flus was still HC, and if Fields is still the QB with DJ as his lone target, then DJ is a 100 catch/1200+ WR [if he stays upright]. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case, and now he can be the true #1 or #2 target on the Bills while the Bears can use that extra 2nd rounder for a Center, LT, S, LB, or even to sweeten the pot for a DE/DT via trade.