Creating the cap space allows you to see what the potential players of the future can do and puts you in position to get a high draft pick. The cap space gives you flexibility in the trade market as well.

Getting out of cap hell and then putting the team back in cap hell is foolish.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

He’s two years deep into a rebuild and has picked up maybe 1.5 NFL caliber linemen on either side of the ball. He’ll probably get one or two more in the draft along with a few projects.

Gabriel had some article that made it sound like the Bears’ negotiator was fine with McGlinchey’s overall contract but quibbled around the guaranteed amount for the perceived positional value of a RT. It made it sound like they care more about looking smart than being good.

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The reinsdorf approach. Stay true to your internal market even as the general market has made it obsolete.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Their will be cuts now so we'll see some new names hit the market. They won't be young guys and will have flaws but he can get them on short deals.

Otherwise, they must draft a RT early, even with 2+ defensive line spots are not even at the bottom of NFL acceptability (there are still enough DL available)

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

He's not 2 years into this. Either way, the Bears weren't going to rebuild both lines in 1 calendar year. That takes several years of work.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I don't know why we didn't keep Peters last year, he was pretty damn good the year we had him. I know he's old but he was probably our best O lineman that season.

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His mismanagement of the last free agent period resulted in him having to

1. overdraft Velus Jones
2. overpay for Claypool
3. exchange offered valuable future draft capital for a player
4. surround Fields with people who dropped the ball at critical moments throughout the year

that's just one very obvious position

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Poles knew Brown well from his days in KC, and supposedly, were never in on him, Poles either knew he was a pain in the ass, or felt his skill set did not fit what they want to do on offense.

Still think he's looking at vet cuts/trades. and must have guys he's targeted in the draft that he feels can fill the C and RT spots, but still think you need two or more vets to fill your gaping holes on the defensive line.

One thing is for sure, Poles sees this as a slow process and has approval from ownership to build the roster slowly via the draft and select FA's that fit exactly what they want to do on offense and defense. He has to draft extremely well for this to work, if he hits on his draft picks you will have a young and relatively cheap team that will be competing for at least the NFC North for the next 3-5 years, if not we will do this all over again in 5 years as we have done for the past 20-30 years.

He didn't mismanage free agency last year. Guys took 1 year deals to play with better passers.

Jones was drafted in the 3rd round and looked solid when the season ended.

He paid market value for Claypool. At the time, the Bears and Packers had similar records, and the Packers offered more.
The Packers offered a first for Moore last year. He's more valuable than a 2025 pick.
What other receivers should he have signed? You believe he should have cut/traded Mooney?

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I agree with most of this. Poles hasn't lost any flexibility. He can pivot away from Fields and still have cash to spend next offseason. There will potentially be better free agent options and QB options.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/2024/all//

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GO BEARS!!!

That FA list is brutal.

If Fields doesn’t learn to throw in the next 6 months, they’ll need 1/1 again.

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I wouldn't mind kicking the tires on a 1 year deal with Bud Dupree.

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It can have to do with maturity. Fear. Peter denied Jesus 3 times. LEARNING to face fear is a maturation. Not giving a shit is a lifelong pursuit. So watching this guy, he seems to not be fearful, but rather he seems to not give a shit. I propose he didn't give a shit about his dying friend.

I pass on him at 9.

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Wattabout Kodak Black?

There may be a lot of really good/great tackles and defensive linemen available. I would kill to have a Wirfs at RT.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents ... l/tackle//

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents ... ive-line//

Yeah, if Fields can't pass, they'll likely have multiple top 5 picks and cap space. They can draft a quarterback or trade for one, and they'll still have some cap space for free agency.

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GO BEARS!!!

Wirfts will not be a FA, they will use the 5th year option if an extension isn't reached.

Great point. I thought he was playing under the 5th this year.

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I would be incredibly surprised if he doesn't go OT in the first and C at one of those three picks bunched up in the bottom2/top 3

I guess that solves the o line issues IF those drafted are day 1 starters playing at an nfl average or better level

that doesn't leave room to solve the d line issues. He had the money to address either of them in FA but allocated elsewhere.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

If they do that then they are going into 2023 again with a community college defensive line and all those fancy linebackers they signed are going to be on their ass most of the game. Shit, I'd kick the tires on Clowney at this point

I agree. I think he definitely goes OL with 9. Then OL and 2 DL with next 3. There seems to be some really good value that should be there in 2nd

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

He's talking about maintaining flexibility right now. I would be really disappointed if we passed on Murphy and Wilson.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I think part of issue will be you have better options at DL in 2nd than you do at Tackle. So get the tackle at 9 and then interior line snd DL next

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Seems he likes the RT's he sees in the draft, does he like Skoronski at RT, or maybe sees Paris Johnson or Broderick Jones as options, do you use the #9 pick on one of those guys, seems you see if one of the better D line prospects are still there and if they are not see if you can trade back an extra second or third.

No doubt he drafts a center, likely whoever is there in that group of picks they have late in the second and early third.

If you go C and RT with 2 of your 3 first and second rounders you still have massive defensive line needs, maybe you find a guy in the 3rd or 4th round, but your getting guys that are likely not ready to start right away. Maybe there is a grand plan in place where Poles took Jalen Carter out and fed him a huge meal and told him to drink water and then tank his pro day so he would slide to the Bears, if not Carter screwed up because now he appears with a huge red down arrow on all the prospect ranking sites, while the Northwestern kid has a green up arrow.

Seeing Jahmyr Gibbs being comparted to Alvin Kamara and that is exactly the type of back they need, but RB will be a luxury and there are plenty of guys that will be there in the 4th or 5th round that can contribute.

Ryan Poles not signing talented offensive lineman because of his scheme.LOL

If he believes there is a tackle that will be better than Murphy or Wilson, I guess I can live with it. I think both of those guys can be pro bowl players. Possibly better than Anderson or in his class.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Poles confirmed they weren't in on Brown because of scheme fit but then why did they start Mustipher last year, who had once of the worst RAC scores in the draft?

Your guy Marcus 'Julian' Davenport signed with the Vikings for pennies. I have no idea why he refuses to address the DLine at all

He didnt have a choice once Patrick got injured

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Yeah, they kept trying to play Patrick at center, but he couldn't stay healthy.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

So which one of the tackles available in draft fit his scheme the best?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Patrick was his prized FA possession last year too!