2018 NFL off-season thread

[Kyyle23]

Are any other Bears fans sorta unexcited about this draft? Like there's one scenario where it goes great (Chubb), then probably good (Fitzpatrick), then okay, I guess (Nelson), then well if we have to (Smith, Edmunds).

 

Add to that the Bears are once again not the "fulcrum" pick. Though there are teams that are keen to trade up, the bears are not the team ahead of teams that people worry about.

 

Boring.

 

Not at all, just the opposite to be honest. Looking forward to seeing what holes they fill first and then see the fallout from the post draft free agency bonanza that always happens with June cuts

[Chisoxfn]

Are any other Bears fans sorta unexcited about this draft? Like there's one scenario where it goes great (Chubb), then probably good (Fitzpatrick), then okay, I guess (Nelson), then well if we have to (Smith, Edmunds).

 

Add to that the Bears are once again not the "fulcrum" pick. Though there are teams that are keen to trade up, the bears are not the team ahead of teams that people worry about.

 

Boring.

If Mayfield is on the board when we are picking and the Bills haven't moved up more, it will be interesting to see if we are getting calls from the Bills / Cardinals. I don't see Nelson / Chubb being available, however, I think there is nice depth at the LB spot, which is also a major position of need. I'm a big proponent of moving down a few spots (unless Chubb is there). I actually could see Pace moving up in the draft, either for Chubb or Barkley (with the Colts being the most likely trade partner). That said, Chubb may not be the bets fit for our system, so you have to take that into account.

[bmags]

Not at all, just the opposite to be honest. Looking forward to seeing what holes they fill first and then see the fallout from the post draft free agency bonanza that always happens with June cuts

 

I am excited about the draft, just not thrilled with this draft specifically.

[soxfan49]

Wow, Rams are All In, they have added some real talent

Not disagreeing that Cooks is talented, but he's now been unwanted by Sean Payton and Bill Belichick. That screams "something's up" to me.

 

Furthermore, Cooks produces more, but Watkins is a far more dangerous, and unless the Rams sign him to an extension, they could have had Watkins for 1 year (tag), just as they'll have Cooks.

 

I'd be psyched if I was a Rams fan, but this team will be depleted in 3-4 years. Donald, Goff, and Gurley will all get paid, and it'll almost be impossible to keep guys like Peters, Cooks, Kupp, Higbee and Everett in the fold, but hey, win a championship or two and no one will care.

[soxfan49]

Are any other Bears fans sorta unexcited about this draft? Like there's one scenario where it goes great (Chubb), then probably good (Fitzpatrick), then okay, I guess (Nelson), then well if we have to (Smith, Edmunds).

 

Add to that the Bears are once again not the "fulcrum" pick. Though there are teams that are keen to trade up, the bears are not the team ahead of teams that people worry about.

 

Boring.

If the Bears get Fitzpatrick, Chubb, Barkley, Edmunds, Ward, or Davenport, I'd be happy. Nelson's great but taking a guard that high is ridiculous. I'd much rather trade down to 11 (for that + a 3rd), to 12 (for that + a 2nd or two 3rds) or to 23 (for that, 31 + a 2nd).

 

Unlike years past, the Bears aren't in a draft where there's X good players and they're picking at X+1. This year, there are 5-6 non-QB blue chip guys, and they are at 8, with 4 teams in front of them who could pick a QB.

[Boogua]

Jordan Howard deleted all of his Bears related stuff from social media apparently. Traded?

[Kyyle23]

Bears will not match offer sheet from the Saints to Cameron Meredith

[StrangeSox]

That seems like an odd move. They only have one real WR again.

[TheTruth05]

What a really dumb move by Pace imo, we need depth at WR, the cash was available. This move makes no sense.

 

@BradBiggs

 

More Brad Biggs Retweeted Adam Schefter

#Bears opt to not match contract that guarantees WR Cameron Meredith $5.4M with the #SaintsBrad Biggs added,

Adam Schefter

Verified account

 

@AdamSchefter

Bears are not matching two-year, $10 million offer sheet that RFA WR Cameron Meredith signed last week with the New Orleans Saints, per league source.

 

Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy met with Meredith to inform him of decision.

12:08 PM - 11 Apr 2018

[Kyyle23]

What a really dumb move by Pace imo, we need depth at WR, the cash was available. This move makes no sense.

 

@BradBiggs

 

More Brad Biggs Retweeted Adam Schefter

#Bears opt to not match contract that guarantees WR Cameron Meredith $5.4M with the #SaintsBrad Biggs added,

Adam Schefter

Verified account

 

@AdamSchefter

Bears are not matching two-year, $10 million offer sheet that RFA WR Cameron Meredith signed last week with the New Orleans Saints, per league source.

 

Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy met with Meredith to inform him of decision.

12:08 PM - 11 Apr 2018

 

Apparently they are concerned about the medicals. Probably dont want 2 WRs coming off of ACL surgeries at the same time

 

[TheTruth05]

Apparently they are concerned about the medicals. Probably dont want 2 WRs coming off of ACL surgeries at the same time

 

Then Pace definitely misused the tag, even if he was a risk he received an offer from 2 different teams. Pretty rough to let a productive guy go for basically nothing ala Jefferey.

 

and again he gave Markus Wheaton 6 million for almost no production. Eyebrow raising move.

Edited April 11, 2018 by TheTruth05

[bmags]

I find this to be a very stupid play. So his knees were apparently worth 1 year, 2 million, but not 1 year 3 million guaranteed.

 

You can't really splice that, except that they made a stupid move, once again.

 

Oh but, we have the draft. So glad Pace believes so much in building through the draft but not enough to, you know, stock up on draft picks.

[Chisoxfn]

This was a mistake (the use of the tag). I suppose it was a calculated mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.

[Kyyle23]

Tbh I’m not really concerned about a 4th possibly 3rd WR signing elsewhere. Especially not one coming off such a terrible injury

[bmags]

Tbh I’m not really concerned about a 4th possibly 3rd WR signing elsewhere. Especially not one coming off such a terrible injury

 

Well I would counter that now we definitely need a WR in draft, with 4 of our 7 picks coming in 4th round or later.

 

It means Kevin White is now relied upon.

 

The conclusion we have to draw is this:

- The Bears deemed Cam Meredith was worth an unprotected 2 million dollar tender but NOT worth a protected $3 mill tender

- They left themselves open to losing him then for any contract over whatever idiotic middle difference between 2 and 3 million was

 

Just don't tender him if you think he wasn't healthy, don't do this idiotic move.

[Kyyle23]

Well I would counter that now we definitely need a WR in draft, with 4 of our 7 picks coming in 4th round or later.

 

It means Kevin White is now relied upon.

 

The conclusion we have to draw is this:

- The Bears deemed Cam Meredith was worth an unprotected 2 million dollar tender but NOT worth a protected $3 mill tender

- They left themselves open to losing him then for any contract over whatever idiotic middle difference between 2 and 3 million was

 

Just don't tender him if you think he wasn't healthy, don't do this idiotic move.

 

I felt a WR was happening in this draft regardless of Cam staying or going, so that doesnt concern me. Should they have tendered him? Probably not, but whats done is done.

 

But again, its a guy who probably wasnt going to be counted on for a lot. And thats assuming full health.

 

They still have the draft and post draft cuts to round out the WR depth

[SoxAce]

Apparently they are concerned about the medicals. Probably dont want 2 WRs coming off of ACL surgeries at the same time

 

Meredith tore his MCL too. His knee from all accounts is worse than AR's ACL tear.

[soxfan49]

Between investing $100 mill on pass catchers this offseason, already having Cohen and Shaheen, still likely being a 50/50 run/pass offense, and assuming Trubisky will be good, Meredith was a luxury not a need. He is probably a 35-40 pass catcher in this offense. They must have been less than impressed with the medicals, too.

[Chicago White Sox]

Between investing $100 mill on pass catchers this offseason, already having Cohen and Shaheen, still likely being a 50/50 run/pass offense, and assuming Trubisky will be good, Meredith was a luxury not a need. He is probably a 35-40 pass catcher in this offense. They must have been less than impressed with the medicals, too.

I politely disagree. KC was like 60% passing plays last year. Shaheen is behind Sims on the depth chart who is a poor pass catcher. Cohen & Gabriel are both midgets and therefore have limitations. Meredith had a role to play in this offense and could have been retained for $3M total (or half of what we paid Wheaton to catch 3 passes last year). Unless there was something seriously wrong with the medicals this was a really dumb move. Depth is important as we saw year when trotted out one of the worst WR groups in NFL history.

[soxfan49]

I politely disagree. KC was like 60% passing plays last year. Shaheen is behind Sims on the depth chart who is a poor pass catcher. Cohen & Gabriel are both midgets and therefore have limitations. Meredith had a role to play in this offense and could have been retained for $3M total (or half of what we paid Wheaton to catch 3 passes last year). Unless there was something seriously wrong with the medicals this was a really dumb move. Depth is important as we saw year when trotted out one of the worst WR groups in NFL history.

We’re going to argue over 10%? I say 50/50, you say 60/40. So what? The starting RB here is better and the back up is better. Let’s call it 55/45.

 

Meredith really didn’t have a place. His lone good year was across from Jeffery. KC typically used 12 personnel which is a set that uses only 2 wideouts.

 

Shaheen isn’t behind Sims on anything. Sims may play more snaps but he won’t even catch 20 passes. He’s there to block. Shaheen, Burton, Gabriel, Robinson, a mid round pick and Cohen (btw, midgets? really? Hill is tiny too. it doesn’t matter) + Howard running should be good enough if Trubisky is who they say he is

[bmags]

Bears WRs

 

Robinson

Gabriel

White

Bellamy

 

And since we know that no injuries happen to top Bears players, this is apparently a very good situation.

[SoxAce]

Shaheen, Burton, Gabriel, Robinson, a mid round pick and Cohen (btw, midgets? really? Hill is tiny too. it doesn’t matter)

 

Yea I thought that was a dumb statement as well. Obviously Hill, Wilson and hell, even Hunt are all under 6 foot giants. Kelce is the exact same height as guess who? Shaheen. I doubt Nagy has a preference there. Bears have a nice mixture of tall possession targets and small speedsters. Still need one more guy (wasn't a big Meredith fan anyways) to keep Bellamy away from being an option. I'll judge that part with Pace after the draft is over.

[dasox24]

Well I would counter that now we definitely need a WR in draft, with 4 of our 7 picks coming in 4th round or later.

 

It means Kevin White is now relied upon.

 

The conclusion we have to draw is this:

- The Bears deemed Cam Meredith was worth an unprotected 2 million dollar tender but NOT worth a protected $3 mill tender

- They left themselves open to losing him then for any contract over whatever idiotic middle difference between 2 and 3 million was

 

Just don't tender him if you think he wasn't healthy, don't do this idiotic move.

This is the correct take. I can't rationalize this decision by Pace. We are flush with cap space. 2nd round tender and give yourself one year to see what he has. If he's not the same WR, you let him leave next year and all is well. $3M is nothing in terms of giving yourself one more year to see how he comes back. $3M doesn't even preclude you from drafting a mid-round WR and let him provide depth. Worst case scenario, both Meredith and the draft pick suck, but you really haven't lost much. Best case, they both show signs of being productive and you've got a stacked WR corps.

[TheTruth05]

This is the correct take. I can't rationalize this decision by Pace. We are flush with cap space. 2nd round tender and give yourself one year to see what he has. If he's not the same WR, you let him leave next year and all is well. $3M is nothing in terms of giving yourself one more year to see how he comes back. $3M doesn't even preclude you from drafting a mid-round WR and let him provide depth. Worst case scenario, both Meredith and the draft pick suck, but you really haven't lost much. Best case, they both show signs of being productive and you've got a stacked WR corps.

 

Exactly, he has struck out on so many "low risk" FA signings yet a 25 yr old ascending coming off a bad injury isn't worth a 3 mil opportunity? At the very least get some value for some of these guys if you're going to be letting talent go. Pace preaches building through the draft but he has let 2 talented WR's leave for nada.

 

Also what a ridiculous mindset to actually rely on Kevin White to do anything. Even when he was healthy he wasn't very good anymore. 5 out of 48 games played but yea he's suddenly going be that 1st round pick drafted almost 4 years ago again.

[Chicago White Sox]

Yea I thought that was a dumb statement as well. Obviously Hill, Wilson and hell, even Hunt are all under 6 foot giants. Kelce is the exact same height as guess who? Shaheen. I doubt Nagy has a preference there. Bears have a nice mixture of tall possession targets and small speedsters. Still need one more guy (wasn't a big Meredith fan anyways) to keep Bellamy away from being an option. I'll judge that part with Pace after the draft is over.

It’s fine if you don’t think size will limit Cohen & Gabriel’s utility, but let’s not compare 5-10 & 5-11 guys to 5-6 & 5-7 guys. Both the guys I mentioned are tiny, although Wilson is pretty small as well. And I never said anything about Shaheen’s height, just said his playing time will be restricted. Burton is going to be the primary U tight end in Nagy’s system, which means Shaheen is competing for playing time in more of a blocking role with Sims for the Y spot. We may have a lot of interesting weapons, but many of them of are unproven or gimmicky. Having a taller possession WR to add to the mix for a total of $3M would have been nice. Right now, we’re one injury away from Bellamy playing an important role in this offense. That’s pretty scary when one of your top three guys is Kevin White.