Chisoxfn

Lets objectively look at things (cause they can't just become the Steelers ownership group overnight): Launch both Nagy & Pace - Check Ensure GM Role reports to ownership (and not Teddy) - Check Since George admits he can't do the hiring - Find an adviser to help (Polian) - Check Appears that they at least have preliminary list of names and Polian didn't just come in now (sounds like him and other confidential parties were involved for a while) - Check Not bringing in president role - Miss (but in grand scheme not a huge miss - because as people point out - this isn't done in the NFL like it is a bit more in baseball/basketball) Keeping Ted involved - Miss (end of the day Ted wasn't going to get canned - but the big change is the role NO LONGER reports to him - that is a meaningful change and creates the division everyone wanted prior to this conference). But I can't see Ted's view overriding Polian. So bottom line - if I think about what could happen - I get it, people don't like that George is making another hire, but that is what it is. But I got the vast majority of what I wanted out of this. Now I'll wait to see what they do next. And George was right - the fan base will have all the questions they have and continue to do until the performance of the field changes and consistently changes.

But that is the thing - to me - those that want a president - well the president gets hired by George (so not a GM rather a president...but same thing in grand scheme of things). It was why I said for those that complain George was making the decision - would it really be worth if Ryan Pace was instead? I still think as an ownership group - the Bears job is relatively attractive relative to majority of the crappy openings. Bears brass admits they don't know football and therefor will give them a ton of control and flexibility. It is on them to make it happen. I'd also argue they are generally more patient (as long as you aren't a complete clown from a relationship perspective) than a lot of the franchises who, like the Bears, are regularly a part of the hiring cycle. If I was a candidate - the Bears would be really attractive because of the flexibility ownership would give me - especially now that Phillips is officially removed and I now report directly into the owner. I also will say - its semantics - but Polian is a huge upgrade over Acorsi. Polian has been a front office guy for 3 separate teams - all of which made the Super Bowl under his watch (Bills, Panthers, and Colts). That is pretty impressive. My only question is the obvious - how can he truly know what to recommend without really seeing how things work, but it does seem like the Bears have made major improvements within the building and around and the fact that they hit on late round picks is a testament to the scouting team they have developed (which the new GM can inherit and obviously refine from there).

One interesting tactical point I heard; With Bears prioritizing GM first (unless a home run HC candidate pops up) - they shouldn't be caught behind in the hiring cycle. With there being one extra team in the playoffs in each conference and one fewer bye week - the reality is the whole hiring process will likely be slower vs. faster.

Yeah - I agree. I stand corrected on interest in Flores. There are other, better candidates, without that red flag.

What does it matter - you can't fire an owner. It is what it is.

I actually thought Tua was maybe a sign of how he could win without a good QB. Eventually he got Tua into a place where they could win together and I think better managed his development. I don't buy Tua (like at all) - but I would also admit the whole back and forth with Fitz and other things probably weren't handled so great (at least if you had a view of the long-term).

Spielman is a quality GM. He is a lot like Angelo - good GM, could never get QB or main thing right. Not sure if that was bad luck or what. I am curious if Bears would look at a Spielman. The big thing to me with Flores - it seems like there were major cultural issues at play - which does concern.

Interesting response re: Olin Kreutz and $15 dollars. George, if anything, has gotten better at answering questions. Ted's response on Pace/Nagy was probably the worse. You could see Ted was almost like, we pretty much got it right, we just had a minor miss. Bmags - I now need to go find the Kevin Clark piece.

He interviewed for 2 jobs in the past year (Lions and Falcons I think). But you are right - that is why he left the Texans and what created the environment for the BOB power struggle (which he ultimately won - followed up with his disasterous run as GM).

No matter what George has to get it right - that is always the case - so yeah - you are spot on the whining is just not necessary on that regard. He also indicated something I didn't realize - as he has said that he will be learning something new as he never had a GM report to him (I actually thought Pace reported to him at some point during his tenure so I was wrong there). Re: Ireland - he only excites me if you are getting Harbaugh - otherwise, I'm not in love with him (but what do I know). Smith, if he really is interested, seems like such an obvious answer (unless he is a royal pain to work with, etc).

They need a home run hire at GM. At this point - that is most important - find that person, lean on them to drive and change broad culture - get right coach and do things right. My preference would be to find a seasoned GM who has proven that ability (Rick Smith) and than lean on that person and maybe over time you expand the org more and move them into a president role in 2-3 years and start to create REAL bench strength.

Was about to come back and said that Ted will be involved though. So basically sounds like status quo from when they hired Pace -> other than technically I think Pace originally reported into Ted early in his career before being split out. So now there is that clarity.

Phillips to retain his role; Owner responsible for hiring GM (not TED). GM will be in charge of football. George specifically stated they will hire the GM first, than the HC. Polian will partner with George on the GM hiring process. Note: Most good news - but this seems to mean no president of football ops coming and presumably means no Harbaugh / McDaniels, who seem to be the 2 candidates on market who would come before a GM was hired.

Childish. I had heard the Kreutz story - didn't realize the blog was going after him for it. When I heard it - I didn't even know what to think because I don't know what going rate for those types of things are in sports. I know a lot of people take unpaid roles following their pro career so have no idea whether $15 bucks an hour is horrific in terms of how the industry works (I know to most the # is staggeringly low for a former player). Think of all of those "grad assistant" type roles former players take when they go back to their old college and start to try and pick-up as a coach (I think all of those roles are "unpaid"). Maybe Bears mistake was they offered $15/hr vs. making it an "internship" haha. Or maybe most teams pay $50K or something for part time roles - no clue.

what did he do with Kreutz?

Wow - I don't know if this is true or not, but DABearsBlog seems to have been most in-tune over past month or two on the Bears ownerships views. As part of that - evidently through back channels Bears made a swing for Ozzie Newsome (for some form of role within the org). They also have apparently put feelers out to Kevin Colbert (retiring from Steelers) and John Schneider (Seahawks). Additionally - as has been more widely reported, they did leverage Tony Dungy/Bill Polian to help come to some conclusions (would be curious if they would look at a Dungy to take a football type of role). If the above is true - if anything - it tells me McCaskey is thinking bigger with this move. It seemed like there was a lean for them to get an experienced GM - but not sure how true that is and I presume we will learn more about the structure here in the next 45 minutes. But sounds like list is fully ready (with help from Polian) and now its a matter of them getting rolling.

Alright Bmags - I'll bite on the Payton stuff. Would the Saints take Khalil Mack (Bears just hit his cap hit and suck it up for a year) for Sean Payton? Either way - with a new GM in place - I am curious with a new front office how they will handle next year. If it were me - I would be willing to take near term cap pain to make 23 / 24 cap space in a fantastic spot - while also looking to add some more draft capital this year so I could focus some attention on finding some weapons for Fields. I'd probably do a lot of short-term 1/2 year deals on the defensive end, and the only major contract I would hand would be for an olineman (and if there was a wideout out available they really liked I could buy that too).

Ballard shows you how hard things are when you have a mediocre QB. Ballard is a good GM and for most of the year the Wentz deal looked good...last two weeks....looks like a dumpster fire. But Colts have a lot of good talent - they are (and remain) a QB away from elevating that football team. A really good QB makes any GM / HC look a lot smarter. It is those coaches who have done well without a good QB (and consistently) who I have a lot of respect for, because I think they can be guys who if you find them a good QB, they can actually put said QB in best position to succeed (cause they are used to scheming their units around having a mediocre QB and thus their entire focus is comlimentary football and how to maximize the QB and put them in the best spot. You do that for a few years with a talented QB and they will actually grow in front of your eyes (I think that is how Brady, Wilson and others developed).

Are you implying Payton might have an out in his contract for the Bears? I thought it was public knowledge that he is signed through 2026.

I just don't see how it happens - unless Payton literally tells the Saints, I want to go here, please make this happen type of thing. Otherwise - even if he really did - are the Bears really going to give up multiple picks to get him when they already don't have a FRP right now?

Jackson was actually extended after he started to trend downwards. He was never the same player after he got injured late in that 2018 season (where he ended up missing the playoff game vs. the Eagles). The next year he was just okay - but Bears thought he would bounce back.

I think it will be the GM that comes first (unless they are hiring Harbaugh or someone of that ilk).

This. Flores is actually a really good candidate for Bears to look at.

I think it will be Harbaugh. But they aren't going to sit around with him for long. He either accepts and they role or they go hire a GM pretty quick and let him conduct the HC search.

A good sign indeed. Even though as a fellow accountant, Ted Phillips is like a semi hero to me. I need to meet George and tell him I can be the next Ted.