Chisoxfn

If he had Fangio or someone exciting as a DC and some good young talent set to be his OC/QB guru - I could get pretty excited with Caldwell to be honest.

This is my take as well.

Yes - but I don’t reallly understand how they got that metric. How do you define the talent that was coached up to drive that stat?

If it were me I would deal both. If they were real lucky get a 2nd this year and one next year for Mack and maybe you can get a 3rd and a future 2nd for Quinn. Probably not realistic but both are old and won’t be a part of the peak Fields era (or if Fields isn’t the guy whomever the next attempt is). I may overstate the return here - Mack might still get a first (league tends to pay big for pass rushers). Mack is a steal for acquiring team since bears take the brunt of the cap issues too. If I could do that and somehow sign either a good tackle or center even better. There are both on marker and than I feel better about one of Borom or Jenkins being on the other side. Saints have good tackle that might be available.

One thing to note: Quinn and Eberflus are both 4-3 guys. Not sure what that means for certain personnel or not. I presume Roquan and Mack are studs in both and technically Quinn I believe had some of his better years in a 4-3 as well. Quan would be the MIKE in a 4-3 right?

It is kind of crazy to think - but Bears could hire their coach as soon as tomorrow. End of the day tomorrow we will get to see if Poles is extending search at all. He met with Caldwell today, no clue on whether they even interviewed Allen, and have Colts DC and Quinn in house tomorrow. Fact Quinn pushed off/delayed his Broncos interview so he could meet with Bears makes me think Quinn is announced at some point tomorrow and we will see a joint press conference on Thursday.

Makes a lot of sense. Smart, low risk hire for an org needing change. The fact he used to be there and dealt with that injury etc and he's lucky enough to inherit a young team that despite Meyer being a fool has a QB who a year ago was viewed as a generational type talent.

Evidently Bulls are atop / on Jerami Grant's preferred list of teams. I just don't see / want to trade Pat Williams for someone who walks / they can't retain. If you can get him for the Portland pick and some other players fine by me though (but that isn't realistic - at least not by my old Bulls standards - but maybe this front office has more tricks up its sleeve).

This might be an injury that forces Jones Jr onto another team. I believe his contract expires this year so you want to do something with his payroll / salary space (vs. letting it walk and losing that flexibility). Knowing he is out 2 months - it likely makes sense to dangle that expiring deal in a package to get you something you can use (sooner vs. later) - whether that is a 4 or something else.

Is this a joke - is someone like messing with me on Soxtalk and the Caruso playing through a flagrant but than waking up the next day and getting surgery, now Jones Jr almost being ready to come back and this happens. JR just needs to give a partial ownership of the franchise to Scottie Pippen and MJ to somehow get whatever curse exists from that glorious era of greatness!!! Even the timeline - for an index finger seems significant (knowing how many guys play with jammed fingers / things in splints). This is just crazy - beyond crazy.

Or is Daboll waiting to at least find out whether he has a shot to work with Fields (or Lawrence for that matter). I'm bias and think highly of Fields - so I will caveat that - but If I am Daboll I am smart enough to know that my best shot at having duration is having a QB. With the Bears I at least have an idea of what Fields upside / potential is. Sure, you didn't actually coach with him and you probably didn't scout him much coming out of college, but the league is small so you have an idea of what he can be and just as importantly probably have at least decent intel on the type of competitor he is, whether he's coachable, what kind of work ethic does he have, etc. If I look at the Giants and now have a chance to look forward into the draft - how good do I feel about being able to land a QB with anywhere near Field(s) potential? If I think Fields has the tools - do I really take my chances going to an org that isn't getting one of those guys this year and now I have to hope they can find someone in '23? Or can I go in and get a shot with the Bears knowing this wasn't my hand chosen guy, so if it doesn't work, I may get a 2nd crack at the nut (similar to Pace getting 2 cracks at the nut). I don't know - but I'd at least think about it if I were him (again - I think very highly of Fields raw physical skills). I recognize Fields has major flaws, flaws that might get in the way of him reaching his upside - but his physical tools are strong. And Daboll is a guy who has already taken a raw, but physical toolsy QB and helped work with him to get him into that upper echelon. I also will note - it does feel like Bears have kept their view(s) very close to the vest (vs. some other franchises). No one had Poles as top dog in the fight up until basically they saw him getting picked up w/McCaskey. So who is to say the media really knows what Poles/Bears are thinking here. And if Daboll was at least intrigued enough for a first interview - if he got a shot - why not go for a 2nd interview. Note: Or Daboll thinks the above, but actually replace Fields with Trevor Lawrence.

What i really want to know is - did Poles have Daboll at the top of his list and if so - I think he should be on the first plan to Buffalo or wherever Daboll is to at least have one chance at trying to sell that man and connect on a partnership between Poles, Daboll, and obviously Justin Fields and the ability to make greatness happen in Chicago. Boy would nothing excite me more than waking up at some point tomorrow finding out they had that sort of stealth meeting (I am also okay if he did the same thing with Sean Payton haha).

I agree with everything you say there - in this case - Poles is going to have to built out a strong team underneath him that he can lean on and have those conversations with. I presume some of them exist in the building and others will get hired from outside. My hope and why I was happy with Polians involved, in particular fact that he got engaged during the season, is he got to see what the Bears do and don't do, which likely put added credence behind statements made by various GM's and if anything further paved the way to Poles getting more of that clarity. Still - I love the reports about Khan, but even that seems so strange. If that was the case - just go hire him now, have him and Phillips on payroll...start by having Khan focus on the right football guy (Poles) and building out the personell side and strengthening that...in the meantime Phillips will run all things stadium and slowly start to transition that side to Khan at the right times. That said - regardless of titles - if Pole is top guy - great - but the best orgs surround themselves with lots of very smart people - people who will confidently bring up innovative/different viewpoints yet be able to respectfully collaborate, etc. I hate using the word collaborate - but if you work in a silo too much - you might just be that smart that it works - but more likely you will lose in the long run (especially with as many bright people that are out there - whether enhancing analytical capabilities to give you that small % advantage - but you got to push for every edge given how competitive the dynamic is.

If that is how it happens - doesn't Quinn's OC role look most promising relatively speaking). The 3 other openings are all offensive specialists so you presume if you take that role you may or may not run play calling etc. If you take Quinn's job you are being directed with responsibility around the development of the QB and design of the offense (obviously in alignment with Quinn's broader vision).

I here you there - but if I'm throwing out that kind of money - I'm calling Payton up with that offer (or better). I just think 10 yrs is a long time for a HC like Harbaugh. I would have down 5/yr 50M though. Or even 6yr 60 or 65M. But to your point - if the Bears went 10/100 - I would jump for joy anyway cause it ain't my money and it doesn't impact the cap.

It is still one of the most memorable eras of my fandom - and I look back at it with tons of positivity and enjoyment. I don't remember that they were all juicing (Or I guess I do - but it doesn't change my memories). I remember being in awe as my dad and grandpa watched the HR chase. I remember going to a baseball game with my grandpa (90 at the time and a diehard Cardinals fan) and all of us just having our jaws dropped watching batting practice as McGuire put ball after ball 40 rows deep into the bleachers in San Diego. I remember watching Sunday night baseball during family dinners that year (with my grandpa) and everyone just looking and wondering will they break the record or not. It was fascinating. They were incredible and I will always remember that. That is part of what the game is - the entertainment it brought and some of these players not getting in were the most electric and entertaining in their era. That to me is what the HOF is all about.i Note: 20 years from now it will be a moot point because those guys will get elected by their peers being recognized for what they were - legends of their own era. Yeah - the era had question marks but no different than people debating people from the dead ball era or the live ball era etc.

I love a quote i heard from Quinn - where his biggest lesson learn from his last tenor at HC is being really smart about what you put on your plate. You can only do so much as the HC so essentially you have to pick and choose those things and than empower the right people for the rest. Made a ton of sense and reaked of a high degree of maturity. He just seems like such a strong individual / high character person with charism whom players love etc. There are concerns I have with him - but he seems like the type of person who really could be that much better in his 2nd tenure (vs. his first). I honestly still think we might say the same thing about Nagy 10 years from now (but he needs to go really learn to be a full time OC first).

I would disagree in sense that I think baseball is hardest to get in. It really is the hall of fame and not the hall of good or great. There are exceptions though and some of the recent exclusions is just crazy (Bonds/Clemens in particular - those are pinnacle guys across multiple era's/generation(s). I get a Schilling who is on the border - he was very good / dare I say great, but maybe not an HOF(er) and when you bring in other stuff fine, don't put him in (even that is debatable cause his stuff doesn't involve criminal issues rather social viewpoints (I don't agree with em but i do think social views differ from criminal stuff - ala Alomar).

This makes no sense - Ortiz was the least good of the roids users that didn't get in. I don't get why you don't put Bonds/Clemens/Arod (if he doens't) in but you do put Ortiz in. Makes zero sense - the other 3 were way more elite (and those elite numbers held up when a big portion of the league was doing the same thing they were).

I did see a report that Harbaugh was looking for 10yrs 100M (so Gruden(esque). That is too much to give Jim, imo.

I will admit though - I haven't seen this or tweets about this anywhere.

Did the Bears end up interviewing Dennis Allen today (I didn't know with the Saints news + Bears hiring a GM whether that held). More curious, if nothing else.

That is extremely interesting; it is a bit odd though - cause you would think if that is what they were thinking, they would want to make sure Khan got along with Poles (otherwise it is kind of an odd reverse power structure coming in place). I long thought Khan was the perfect fit for that type of role though.

Lavine was gassed - so pretty good excuse there (hadn't played in 10 days and needed more minutes). Same with Green. Outside of that - they didn't have 3 guys who are primary ball handlers (along with Lavine) in that situation - Ball, Caruso, and Derozan. So I actually think having that happen was good - because it will be developmental for individuals like Ayo and White. But it does highlight while Ball/Caruso are out - it can be helpful to have someone who can actually handle legit back up PG duties in that type of situational pinch (i.e., Arci...who is on day 5 of his 10 day contract with Knicks).

This - what lost said. I do think they need to make some decisions now to better set-up that window from years 2-6, but if they aren't humming and in a good spot by year 3 we got problems. The hope would be at that point - if you do have problems, that you have good talent and are mainly looking at upgrading the QB position (not saying that is a good thing - but if your QB stinks and you have crap talent around it in 3 years than it is looking really long in the tooth). Its why I think Poles is in a great spot - he gets to design a team around a young QB (one he is inheriting) and if the young QB isn't right, he'll be in a spot to make his own choice for one down the road (with ideally the right pieces and systems/set-up around said QB to maximize success). That said - for now - Bears have to be all-in on developing Fields and putting real pieces around him. I guarantee that is one thing Poles would have learned from his time with Chiefs (it isn't like they gave Mahomes lousy resources).