Chisoxfn

Sorry - opt out probably not right move - bears would have ability to cut him with a minimal cap hit. What I don’t know is why would Dalton do that - but maybe he viewed the upside as worth it (ie very clear starter opportunity).

Evidently Pace and Seahawks GM had secret meeting a couple days ago. Timing seems to align when Vegas went nuts. Bears offered 3 1sts, some 3rds and a player. Carrol vetoed it. Another rumor out there is Dalton contract may have opt out this year - meaning Bears could move on quickly at a minimal charge if they went another direction. No proof of this yet - but will be key to see what and how the Dalton deal is structured.

Trump has also said on multiple occasions now that people should get vaccinated. He has done a lot of things and maybe he could do more...but it isn’t like he is out there saying don’t do it or anything like that.

I just saw this - and I am basing this on Bengals Dalton - so like I said that could be wrong. But I don’t think Dalton is different than a ton of guys you have on that list (including every player you have after 21) plus people like Baker Mayfield. I think there are a ton of qbs who I just bucket in that camp (that blend together). Now if you are saying who may be better...than the list changes as to who I would rather have and Dalton moves down, because he is on downside of his career with little to not upside projection. Dalton is not an exciting move and is at best a modet upgrade over what they had and quite frankly if Father Time caught up with him - no different than what they have. If that is all they are doing - than let the new regime come in next year.

Should the bears look at Juju and trade Robinson? Seems like strategically juju and a 2nd rounder (if they could get it for Robinson) might be a better option. Just throwing this out there - Juju is younger but obviously hasn’t quite replicated his one stud season - but he is still pretty good. Step down but if you can get him for a little less plus get pick - net net it might be better. Replace Juju with other free agent receiver you like more. The pick would be huge - gives Pace more ability to maneuver up to get a qb while adding a tackle and potentially another wide out in a deep wide out draft.

I don't want to say it - but outside of being hurt (shoulder injury & COVID) - Lauri has been a hell of a lot better this year. He had another great night tonight and obviously Lavine was stellar. I know Thunder were short-handed but Thaddeus is still doing Thad things - but seeing Sato with Lavine/Lauri more - is just real nice. And Sato isn't even that good haha. I go back to - god would I love a way to get Ball and than another big. Really curious to see how this unit looks with more time. Lavine is just incredible - such a damn efficient scorer this year.

Watson lawsuit just hitting the news wire.

I think my other scenario holds true - Foles will be moved - and basically we will be in the exact same spot the franchise started the day with - except Dalton is your incumbent (vs. Foles) - and cap wise you are in essentially the same position. Bottom line - if Dalton>Foles - you have slightly increased your floor at a small increase in price (as Dalton + minor hit you take for moving Foles - if you can) is a net negative - but big picture - very small cap implication for having a better QB as your starting point while you continue to aggressively target other LT upgrades at the position (draft / Wilson / Watson / D'Arnold / Tua). Probably me trying to find the glass full / scenario where this actually makes a ton of strategic sense.

I don't think Foles cap hit is that bad for a team with a young QB. Heck - even the Eagles - is Foles a bad back-up for Hurts (if that is the route they are going). Foles is getting paid a fair deal for a solid back-up. I rip on Foles - but that is as a starter - as a back-up that can win you a couple games while your starter is hurt - he is a pretty good fit, especially for a team where their starter is on a rookie scale type of deal. What he isn't - is a good fit on this roster where you have Dalton + presumably another shot.

It all depends on how many teams are hunting that final QB...but I hope you are right. Unrelated - but I read this elsewhere - but apparently the Bears can structurally adjust the Foles contract and essentially trade Foles and take just a $1M cap hit. So if that were to actually play out (even if for a 7th round pick a year from now) - I think I would be 100% okay with Dalton being a better backup and/or bridge starter depending on what the team does over next 3 months. In fact - if you do that - you essentially are in no different of a spot as we started the day - with exception that Dalton is your starter (vs. Foles) if you can't swing big for Wilson/Watson/Trade-Up/Get one of the young QB's on the block. I will tell myself that is exactly what the Bears will do....but reality is that is probably too smart of an outcome and shows too much damn foresight .

Mariota isn't a free agent (I don't think) - so I'm assuming they didn't like the cost for Mariotta (which would include the use of draft picks) over Dalton (where it was just money).

I think you are 100% right here - probably not for much - like a conditional 6th or 7th - but I think he'll be moved.

I'd get on board with this. I don't that would get them a top pick - but if it could - I would be 100% okay with that.

I'm convinced of this and any report saying Bears think Dalton is the starter is really just them trying to put some smoke around their actual intentions. It could also be wishful thinking on my part.

I double-down on this. That said - if they don't think they can leap frog and/or they don't like their chances to do so - than I guess at that point - there isn't much better a path than the one they are going down. But if that were the case - I would have played the game of chicken and waited to see if Ryan, D'Arnold, and / or Tua became available vs. inking Dalton now. This has to be Bears messaging to try and give them some leverage in talks with other teams when it comes to moving up, etc? Has to be.

Did he really say they are going after Alex Smith? Or more that they aren't done remaking the QB room. I fully believe that we will see them (attempt) to trade up and get one of the top QB's in the draft (or acquire a Tua/D'Arnold as a fall out) and/or continue to make a play at Wilson/Watson. I don't see how a 1yr deal for Dalton prevents them from eventually making a deal on Watson/Wilson. If you get to that point - where there is a will - there is a way. I am curious to see if they move on from Foles, what they do with Robinson, and where else and how they choose to tie-up their remaining cap space.

I have to assume it is a C+/B- level QB (in their eyes) + a young upside move. Who knows - maybe they are about to acquire D'Arnold eventually. I don't know what to make of that either - bottom line - they were never running it back with Foles or Trubisky. This might be the same thing - if it is - a new front office will be there soon enough - but i assume it is this and another QB and I wonder if we see Foles moved. Not sure if you get any value - but his contract isn't awful for the above avg back-up that he is - so I could still see a situation where Bears move on, save a bit of cap space on Foles, while switching their bridge QB to Dalton. If that happens - I don't think I would necessarily fault that - but I am assuming that because I can't just see them sticking with Foles/Dalton. Like no way is that how Pace/Nagy are going to go down? Unless they are about to spend a bunch of money on defense and just say - we'll go with a game manager, draft some olineman and skill positions and spend more money on D and see if we can back into playoffs that way and save our job.

That is the big thing to me - the eye test has backed up a change and this actually dates back to pre-covid when he had his last call-up in 2019 (after he was initially sent down at some point earlier in 2019 - he seemed to make an adjustment - his minor league numbers reflected the bounce and than the small sample size in late 19 kind of confirmed it). But than COVID happened and we obviously have less visibility into what happened in Schaumburg - but the eye test seems to back up that it only looks even better than what started in 2019. In terms of 2020 - clearly there weren't at bats to go for Collins - given Grandal / McCann duo.

This - but in the court of public opinion - this move basically magnifies how bad the Foles move was. Reality is it is why all of the fan base is up in arms (and I don't blame them). But I'm just glad - if this was their panic move - it was a move that doesn't kill future cap space nor cost draft picks. Like I wanted Winston - but lets say Pace got into a bidding war with the Saints and offered Winston like $30M guaranteed and tied up cap space for the next 3-4 years. That would have been a far bigger disaster (on paper) - even if I liked the upside of the player more.

This is the cold hard facts - we probably aren't much (if any) better than Mitch and could easily be worse if father time / injuries have caught up to Dalton. Dalton is a 3 time probowler though, but he isn't a player who makes others around him better. He can be a solid enough system QB (or at least could). But that doesn't exactly excite anyone.

At least thus far they haven't done anything to mess up 2022 & beyond.

I didnt' know how much to judge his final year + in CIncy. That team was real bad - across the board. But like I said - I haven't watched a lot of Dalton over past couple years to go - wow - he really got worse. If so - this is a horrible horrible move, cause at that point he's no different than the others.

HE feels like a guy we need to just give a ton of AB's to this season (and I think they can find him those at-bats) - cause in small sample sizes - it looks like he's made adjustments that might work and if they do - it will be huge.

If Dalton is what you guys say - and massively worse than who he was 2-3 years ago - than you guys are 1000% right.

I legitimately think if Pace had a time-machine and saw how the FA QB market would have played out a year ago - he would NOT have gotten Foles. I think he misjudged what guys like Dalton/Newton were going to get and felt that his only option was trading for Foles because he wasn't going to be able to make Dalton/Newton work. Clearly he was wrong - but I don't know that anyone thought Newton was going to sign a 1YR deal and even with Dalton - I think everyone expected him to make more (and in that case - you have to win the bid).