Bears Following Panther / Saints blueprint

[Waldo]

Meh I get the intent but signing the OGs at the highest price and coming out with a historically bad D isn't something other teams should do.

The Bears took a better route. Older guys but cheaper. Only negative I got there is that they still need to take an OG this year but that 4th is 2026 so it really should be hard for them to make a solid swing before it's a gapping hole again.

[LinvilleGorge]

Yeah, I don't think anyone is trying to follow our blueprint. It's just that protecting your young QB is a good idea. That ain't rocket science.

[Bear Hands]

I think we got a bit of a deal with Lewis but no doubt overpaid to land Hunt.  This year will be telling if it paid off/if this can somehow be a competitive team/sniff the wildcard race.

Teams are starting to covet IOLs as much as OTs with how the game is these days.  

[ForJimmy]

1 hour ago, Waldo said:

Meh I get the intent but signing the OGs at the highest price and coming out with a historically bad D isn't something other teams should do.

The Bears took a better route. Older guys but cheaper. Only negative I got there is that they still need to take an OG this year but that 4th is 2026 so it really should be hard for them to make a solid swing before it's a gapping hole again.

I think it's more about protecting their investment.  We invested a lot in our QB and we had to pump money in the OL to help develop him.  Bears are just doing the same with their top pick.  Our poorly managed cap from previous years is a main reason why our defense was so terrible.  We had a lot of issues with limited resources to fix them.  We went all in on the OL to try to repair the recent QB investment, clearly at the expense of our defense but I think our staff knew this.  It's why Evero is still here.

[Khyber53]

2 hours ago, MHS831 said:

Some are saying, "build to OL is not new information." That is not the issue.  The issue is how much can you invest in G without under funding other positions.  The cap makes it tricky.   Spending on Guards is not widely-practiced; it is a trend--  In the past, the LT, C, and RTs got the coin.  Guards were not prioritized (you have to drop $$ at some positions to pay other positions).  So the concept of building an OL as a key to success is not new, but the commitment to certain positions over others is tricky.  

KC showed the world how their OL troubles backfired, and they just traded away a 4-time All Pro OG.  ???? Salary cap.  They have some big salaries elsewhere.  So they are going to try to find studs in the draft--I am guessing KC would love to sign Banks (Texas).  I think they would trade up to get him.  Maybe to #8.

Pay the guards while the QB is young and on the cost effective contract. Develop your tackles along with him at similar rates. When the QB and tackles are reaching their contract years, it's time to swap out the guards for cheaper draftees that can be coached up by the (now)vets alongside them.

And you grab the best Center you can find, whenever and wherever you can find them.

Or so to the way I was taught.

[Waldo]

10 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I think it's more about protecting their investment.  We invested a lot in our QB and we had to pump money in the OL to help develop him.  Bears are just doing the same with their top pick.  Our poorly managed cap from previous years is a main reason why our defense was so terrible.  We had a lot of issues with limited resources to fix them.  We went all in on the OL to try to repair the recent QB investment, clearly at the expense of our defense but I think our staff knew this.  It's why Evero is still here.

No one had a problem building the line. Us fans have been screaming for improvement there for years. The Bears just did it a lot better. And saying our poorly managed cap led us to the D when signing the most expensive OGs is ironic AF. The point is that you can find good OG play and not end up in such a poorly managed situation.

Get an oline, especially for Young QBs. Duh. It's embarrassing neither team thought that was important for a rookie. Just stop there IMO. The Panthers didn't do it right because it doesn't help a young QB to have such a bad D. It's half a good job and again it looks like the Bears are making a better swing than the Panthers did...so far. It is the Bears

Edited 7 hours ago by Waldo

[ForJimmy]

4 minutes ago, Waldo said:

No one had a problem building the line. Us fans have been screaming for improvement there for years. The Bears just did it a lot better. And saying our poorly managed cap led us to the D when signing the most expensive OGs is ironic AF. The point is that you can find good OG play and not end up in such a poorly managed situation.

Get an oline, especially for Young QBs. Duh. It's embarrassing neither team thought that was important for a rookie. Just stop there IMO. The Panthers didn't do it right because it doesn't help a young QB to have such a bad D. It's half a good job and again it looks like the Bears are making a better swing than the Panthers did...so far. It is the Bears

I feel like waaaay too many teams have bad OLs for it to be as easy as some people think.  I get being down on our team as we have been bad for a while, but I think our OL investment was needed and might have actually paid off.  Hopefully you will see them invest in defense this offseason since our offense appeared to develop some stability the last half of the season. 

We tried to have a decent OL with rookie Bryce (top 10 pick in Icky, Moton got paid, Bozeman was a vet we signed and looked good the year prior, BC is a solid OG but went on IR game 1).  It was a scheme change with poor implementation IMO plus some injuries.  Players like Zavala, Mays, and Icky instantly looked better in our new scheme for a reason...

[frankw]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

The coach of the Chicago Bears just referenced the turnaround of the Panthers once they invested in guards.  He then has just signed 2 high profile guards.  How is that not copying the Panthers?  I agree that there is not a lot to copy here, but step back.  We lost Darnold before investing in the OL.  We lost Baker before investing in the OL.  We drafted Bryce before successfully investing in the OL.  We invest in 2 guards.  After a slow start, Bryce ends the season 4-5 and is very close to both Philly and New England.  Later, the new coach of the Bears references the Panthers and how they turned it around after signing high profile guards.  A week or two later, they announce they signed 2 high profile guards.  I think all GMs paid attention to what has happened here.  It may not be the sole basis for their decision, but the defense cost us 2024, not the offense.  In addition, we did it without our #1 WR, a top TE, and the cupboards were pretty bare at WR.  I think they noticed.  As you say, Frank, we shall see.

Well we have to be fair with ourselves here we turned things around when our season was over. We were thrilled to see it considering how horrendously bad we had been at one point. But now we need to see it when the postseason is still at stake.

Obviously we were successful and myself like many others wanted us to invest in the interior OL. That said we did realistically pay through the nose to get it done. To the detriment of our historically bad defense. We're also hoping that we take a few steps forward this season offensively. I certainly would like to see that come to fruition. I think Canales is the right coach. It just all hinges on Morgan. He needs a stellar offseason. Fingers crossed.

[Waldo]

2 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I feel like waaaay too many teams have bad OLs for it to be as easy as some people think.  I get being down on our team as we have been bad for a while, but I think our OL investment was needed and might have actually paid off.  Hopefully you will see them invest in defense this offseason since our offense appeared to develop some stability the last half of the season. 

We tried to have a decent OL with rookie Bryce (top 10 pick in Icky, Moton got paid, Bozeman was a vet we signed and looked good the year prior, BC is a solid OG but went on IR game 1).  It was a scheme change with poor implementation IMO plus some injuries.  Players like Zavala, Mays, and Icky instantly looked better in our new scheme for a reason...

NFL teams hire a lot of employees that do their jobs poorly and still usually stick around a few years because the job plays out season by season. With all of the stories about the hiring processes, just like the drafting process, it shouldn't be a mystery why.

Bozeman wasn't a match for the scheme yet still got an  extension. BC has never been healthy and he wasn't good enough for the people in charge to not buy both of the highest OGs and make him a swing tackle. Like 1? OK. But both? With Moton going into 30 mil the following year at 30+? Yeah that's not great management IMO. Not even going into Corbett at C because he wasn't healthy enough again to really matter and they are lined up to try it again.

Mays is a huge green flag. That's the kind of guy we need more of. Prove it guys that at worst you can't afford because they did well.

[tukafan21]

I know he needs a new contract and is 32, but a future 4th round pick for an All Pro guard who was just voted team MVP by the team who was just in their 3rd straight SB?!?!?!

Make it make sense

[Waldo]

18 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I know he needs a new contract and is 32, but a future 4th round pick for an All Pro guard who was just voted team MVP by the team who was just in their 3rd straight SB?!?!?!

Make it make sense

Big cap savings and it's an OG.

Edited 6 hours ago by Waldo

[ForJimmy]

24 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I know he needs a new contract and is 32, but a future 4th round pick for an All Pro guard who was just voted team MVP by the team who was just in their 3rd straight SB?!?!?!

Make it make sense

It's his last year of his contract and I'm sure he is wanting an extension.  Considering he is making $16 million this year, I'd say his extension will be pricey for a guy turning 33 this year.  They just tagged Trey Smith and you know Mahomes is eating up a chunk of cap space with a 66 million dollar cap hit.  Not to mention they also need help with their tackles as their OL go manhandled in the Super Bowl. 

[ForJimmy]

40 minutes ago, Waldo said:

NFL teams hire a lot of employees that do their jobs poorly and still usually stick around a few years because the job plays out season by season. With all of the stories about the hiring processes, just like the drafting process, it shouldn't be a mystery why.

Bozeman wasn't a match for the scheme yet still got an  extension. BC has never been healthy and he wasn't good enough for the people in charge to not buy both of the highest OGs and make him a swing tackle. Like 1? OK. But both? With Moton going into 30 mil the following year at 30+? Yeah that's not great management IMO. Not even going into Corbett at C because he wasn't healthy enough again to really matter and they are lined up to try it again.

Mays is a huge green flag. That's the kind of guy we need more of. Prove it guys that at worst you can't afford because they did well.

This all sounds great in hindsight, but before the season started people thought Bryce was in the best place for early success.  One of those main reasons was our OL.  Our OL was looking solid in that power running system Wilks was using.  We botched it and we failed at giving him any weapons that year...

[tukafan21]

16 minutes ago, Waldo said:

Big cap savings and it's an OG.

 

6 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

It's his last year of his contract and I'm sure he is wanting an extension.  Considering he is making $16 million this year, I'd say his extension will be pricey for a guy turning 33 this year.  They just tagged Trey Smith and you know Mahomes is eating up a chunk of cap space with a 66 million dollar cap hit.  Not to mention they also need help with their tackles as their OL go manhandled in the Super Bowl. 

I wasn’t asking why KC would trade him, it was more of why they only got a 4th rounder for him (although a team who had issues protecting their QB last year now trading their best OL, contract issue aside, is also a tad odd)

An OL of his caliber, even at his age, should still be elite through another contract, I’m just shocked that a future 4th was the best they could get.