The Beast

I was mostly surprised that they didn’t take an edge at 25 or trade up to draft one in the second round before the run on edges occurred. I forgot about Booker but I really think they need someone to produce on the opposite side. They already signed the dude from Detroit so this pick seemed like a luxury. But maybe they needed some more depth at the receiver position with Moore gone.

I’m having trouble understanding the strategy behind it and note that they still have holes on the d line. Is the plan to get healthy on that line and pick up some cut players? Does Johnson want to win using an anemic pass rush and win shootouts?

So they want to win shootouts because they can’t sack anyone?

I do not understand the lack of taking an edge rusher. They went with a safety in the first round which makes sense if he’s going to start and they went edge next round. They stood pat, the edges were gone, took the center which was ok. But then they traded out of the second with the second pick. They should have taken an edge in the first and found their safety later. The tight end pick makes no sense to me unless Johnson and Poles want to cut Kmet or build depth when WRs could inevitably be hurt.

It’s cool that he was called up, but at the moment, this team doesn’t hit so this probably doesn’t matter.

They will go 71-91.

Was it a mistake leaving him off the 40 man?

Where were you on that one McGuire? Hands too soft eh?

Wishing him the best of luck with another new team.

I want to see who they draft to replace Moore in the receiving room. I know he had a big cap number but I am a bit concerned with the depth they have without Moore. Good for Wright. He made some plays but couldn’t cover for some games I saw in the second half. A first and a third if they insist they need a first.

Thank you Jerry. Thank you for selling the team.

I heard something similar from Bernstein on his podcast yesterday.

We also can only see what is reported, there’s more that we don’t know about the negotiations. Maybe there will be a breakthrough to stay in Illinois. It doesn’t feel that way, but it is still possible.

It’s not entirely on Illinois for where they are at. The Bears fucked this up with securing the Arlington Heights location without negotiating anything with the state or local government. Who ya crappin Kevin Warren?

The partisans on my Facebook feed make it sound like a done deal and that Illinois is going to lose another business, regardless of what Illinois does.

I also saw this tweet from David Kaplan.

It isn’t the teachers’ faults that Illinois has $141 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, a clause that can’t reduce pensions and the fact that there don’t seem to be any politicians who want to do anything about it like Rhode Island did. Given those obligations, there’s no guarantee that teachers will get their pensions in 20 years. And this is coming from someone who wants reform on this issue that is fair to the taxpayers, retirees, my teacher friends and family members and to the nice lady who teaches math sleeping next to me.

I hope some listeners left and their ratings suffered when Bernstein was canned. I listen to podcasts and select Score segments once in a blue moon if they are interesting. The midday show is kind of lame.

Your observation is how I feel. There’s something missing from that midday slot. Maybe it’s the lack of local ties they have to Chicago or that they lack what the original personalities had.

It was so good having Dan Bernstein back on the air yesterday. Terry’s special is what brought me back for a day. Spiegs did a great job too. I miss having Bernstein on the airwaves even though I know why they fired him. He and Matty are doing a hell of a job on Forward Progress and Dan Bernstein Unfiltered. Grateful that Mitch Rosen or someone above him allowed Dan to be on again. I appreciated a lot of perspectives on Boers, the Score did a great job remembering him. It’s on YouTube for those who missed it.

Logically that makes sense. But this is a Reinsdorf owned team.

Then who goes to make changes this offseason?

They might have to let one walk. There could be some cap casualty, like Swift, or Moore/Kmet will be traded. They really need to hit and get a pass rusher. Overall, I wasn’t a fan of not taking the three points at time when Johnson could have. Williams can’t throw three interceptions and win. Dennis Allen blitzed at the end when he shouldn’t have. But it was a fun season with a playoff win despite losing in the end. Hopefully more to come even with a tougher schedule next year.

Matt Abbatacola thought he was gone. Maybe they made the calculation that a third of teams were looking for head coaches this cycle and LaFleur is a good head coach. And this is another reason why I wish Buffalo won. The Broncos have less of a chance to win next week and Buffalo would be a better Super Bowl matchup than the Nix-less Broncos or any remaining AFC team.

Illinois is going to lose the Bears, aren’t they?