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  On 1/20/2025 at 11:55 PM, chw42 said:

I'm glad to see that they didn't settle for McCarthy. Johnson is going to be the 5th highest paid coach in the NFL. They're not cheaping out or cutting corners.

My one concern about this hire along with Allen is that neither are really the "leader of men" type of coach that the Bears have kept talking about throughout this whole search. I would rather not have a Mark Trestman type of situation again.

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I read earlier today that Ben Johnson is known as a hardass on gamedays and will chew guys out.  He’s definitely not a Trestman type…Campbell wouldn’t allow for that of leader on his staff.

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  On 1/20/2025 at 11:17 PM, bmags said:

Now everything is in the nicest light. They got to get info on the Vikings (Flores), Lions (obvious) and packers (Stepanovic).

Everything is good again.

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Fully agree on talking to as many candidates as possible.  There is always something to be learned on what other orgs are doing and teams should take advantage of these opportunities when they have them.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:04 AM, Balta1701 said:

I mean, yes I could be ok with that. It’s at least a major jump forward. 

The big problems for the Bears last year were obviously the OLine and coaching. Fixing coaching should at least be worth a couple games given what we saw this year, in terms of that series of damn near impossible losses. Now they have to do something to protect their QB, and they should have the resources for that.

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If they can improve the line, get receivers open quicker, and teach the QB to release the ball quicker, things look dramatically better. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:53 AM, Texsox said:

If they can improve the line, get receivers open quicker, and teach the QB to release the ball quicker, things look dramatically better. 

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So you're saying they need a different, experienced offensive coach, perhaps in the head coaching role? Deal.

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  On 1/20/2025 at 11:55 PM, chw42 said:

I'm glad to see that they didn't settle for McCarthy. Johnson is going to be the 5th highest paid coach in the NFL. They're not cheaping out or cutting corners.

My one concern about this hire along with Allen is that neither are really the "leader of men" type of coach that the Bears have kept talking about throughout this whole search. I would rather not have a Mark Trestman type of situation again.

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I don’t know enough about them in that regard - but the staff is better already than it was under Flus. Johnson is a proven good offensive mind with playcalling experience and Allen is a two time head coach who has a history of being a good DC. If they get the Saints interim HC as special teams coordinator that is another solid experienced get. 
 

Flus meanwhile filled his defensive staff with position coaches and has far less depth. 
 

Now I don’t know how Johnson will do as head coach and none of his assistants are officially in but I’m hoping we see him pull a strong staff. I think his contract and message bears sent bringing him here is a good start though. 
 

I like how they aggressively handled this. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 12:57 AM, Tony said:

Cliche to say, but the easiest way to set a good culture and be a “leader” is W’s. 
 

McVay isn’t nuts. Neither is Shannahan. Win, and the culture sets itself

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Shoutong doesn’t make you a leader - how you set the standard and get players to buy in and how you hold them and your coaches accountable is how you are that. Being consistent - holding yourself to another standard - and your talent has to show off too…winning helps but you got to do that other stuff. 
 

Im excited - but like I want to see results. 

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So one true thing one thing that feels true but not sure:

- Bengals rumored to be hiring ND DC Al Golden. He was their LB coach in 2021, but most of his career has been college.

This follows GB hiring Boston College DC last year, Minter with Harbaugh, and ymmv but Macdonald from UMich.

The college to pro DC pipeline is becoming pretty apparent. We hear a lot of college offenses influencing pros, but not sure it’s that. Seems like it’s a nice place for position coaches in nfl to go get playcalling, proof of coaching experience.

- other thing that seems real…sure seems like great offensive coaches have been more capable in finding great DCs than vice versa. While I know a big part is supply, it does seem like the Defensive head coaches view every scheme as a gimmick they can stop…except running the ball. The unstoppable plan.

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If they can someone pull off Hank Fraley as OC…that would the cherry on top of a great coaching staff. I know he’s got a second interview in Seattle, and maybe he wants to call plays, but I sure hope BJ can pull it off. 
 

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2025/1/20/24347699/detroit-lions-linemen-wont-let-coach-hank-fraley-go

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  On 1/20/2025 at 9:05 PM, LittleHurtCG said:

Everyone seems to love this guy, but he has no head coaching experience. Does he get a year or two to get his feet wet or should Bears fans expect the playoffs next year? 

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I like this move, don’t get me wrong. But what I expect is that Poles is fired within the next 1-2 years, Johnson is fired within the next 2-4 years, and Caleb walks soon after that.

That’s just a lifetime of lived Bears fan experience talking though.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 12:25 AM, Texsox said:

He's a rookie head coach. He'll make some mistakes. But two years in a row they have landed #1 picks who are potentially franchise changing. A player and now a HC. 

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Again, very happy with the move, but I’m not taking it as the Bears getting better in their decision making. Same as with drafting Caleb, it was the obvious move that literally everyone in football would make in their position. Everyone said Caleb was the #1 pick. Everyone said Ben Johnson was the #1 option at head coach. I’m not giving them too much credit until they do well in this draft and translate it all to more wins.

  On 1/21/2025 at 2:15 AM, Texsox said:

JR would have went with Ron Rivera. 

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They would’ve convinced Urlacher to become a coach or something.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:16 PM, Milkman delivers said:

Again, very happy with the move, but I’m not taking it as the Bears getting better in their decision making. Same as with drafting Caleb, it was the obvious move that literally everyone in football would make in their position. Everyone said Caleb was the #1 pick. Everyone said Ben Johnson was the #1 option at head coach. I’m not giving them too much credit until they do well in this draft and translate it all to more wins.

They would’ve convinced Urlacher to become a coach or something.

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Eh, there is one MAJOR difference here.  ONLY the Bears had access to the #1 pick.  Literally anyone could have negotiated with and made offers to Johnson.  The had to beat out the rest of the NFL to get him.  They didn't need to do that with Caleb.

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  On 1/20/2025 at 9:05 PM, LittleHurtCG said:

Everyone seems to love this guy, but he has no head coaching experience. Does he get a year or two to get his feet wet or should Bears fans expect the playoffs next year? 

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It is all on Poles at this point.  He HAS to get Williams and this squad a real offensive line.  Both to give the offense time, but also to keep the offense ON the field, and keep the defense off it it.  I don't think it was a coincidence that the defense seemed to get worse as the season went on, and that was from being on the field too damned much.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:19 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Eh, there is one MAJOR difference here.  ONLY the Bears had access to the #1 pick.  Literally anyone could have negotiated with and made offers to Johnson.  The had to beat out the rest of the NFL to get him.  They didn't need to do that with Caleb.

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Of course, but it was the obvious choice according to just about everyone. Let’s also not pretend that Ben Johnson didn’t specifically want this job, again according to all the rumors. And it sounds like that was mainly due to having Caleb. So it all kind of fell into their lap.

I’m happy with all of this. I’m just not going to give them too much credit for making the obvious moves. So far, so good.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:26 PM, Milkman delivers said:

Of course, but it was the obvious choice according to just about everyone. Let’s also not pretend that Ben Johnson didn’t specifically want this job, again according to all the rumors. And it sounds like that was mainly due to having Caleb. So it all kind of fell into their lap.

I’m happy with all of this. I’m just not going to give them too much credit for making the obvious moves. So far, so good.

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This isn't a bad take. We are happy, but they don't deserve extra credit for doing the obvious thing. We're conditioned for them to do the wrong thing, because we live in Chicago, but they did the right thing, and it's a good first step. 

But drafting Caleb and hiring Ben Johnson quite frankly is the easy part. They haven't shown us they can do the hard part. 

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Honest question, if last season Ben Johnson decided he WAS available instead of saying he had unfinished business in Detroit, do you believe the Bears would have let Flus go and hired Johnson

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:33 PM, Tony said:

This isn't a bad take. We are happy, but they don't deserve extra credit for doing the obvious thing. We're conditioned for them to do the wrong thing, because we live in Chicago, but they did the right thing, and it's a good first step. 

But drafting Caleb and hiring Ben Johnson quite frankly is the easy part. They haven't shown us they can do the hard part. 

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Poles has shown nothing to lead me to believe that he should still be making decisions.

They said on the radio and I cannot believe this is true is that Waldron is making $5M for the next 4 years.  If that is the case Poles should not be allowed to make another decision.

Seems that the change in operations here is the money the team is spending on hirings of coaching.  This is being credited to Warren and seems to be where Ted Phillips hampered things previously.

So what we have here is Carolina falling apart and luck winning that trade big time and Warren was able to pull off the obvious but somehow 100+ years in the making of having the McCaskey's spend. 

Now how does Poles build a team???  I really wonder if he gets an extension.  He should not but we shall see. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 4:34 PM, Kyyle23 said:

Honest question, if last season Ben Johnson decided he WAS available instead of saying he had unfinished business in Detroit, do you believe the Bears would have let Flus go and hired Johnson

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Nope. Johnson was eyeing the job last off-season, but they stubbornly retained Eberflus like the idiots they are. Now they wasted a year and they have to pay more for Johnson. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 3:19 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Eh, there is one MAJOR difference here.  ONLY the Bears had access to the #1 pick.  Literally anyone could have negotiated with and made offers to Johnson.  The had to beat out the rest of the NFL to get him.  They didn't need to do that with Caleb.

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There were also a good chunk of people talking about Brady wooing him over the Bears.

Dude clearly sees a path for the Bears that surpassed Brady's vision. That has to mean something.

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  On 1/21/2025 at 4:34 PM, Kyyle23 said:

Honest question, if last season Ben Johnson decided he WAS available instead of saying he had unfinished business in Detroit, do you believe the Bears would have let Flus go and hired Johnson

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You would think the answer would be no becasue they did nto go after Harbaugh but again that could be Warren v Harbaugh in an ego trip.  This is similar to Eberflus over Quinn and the epically insane Waldron over Kingsbury.

Poles needs to win some moves this offseason. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 4:37 PM, Harry Chappas said:

Poles has shown nothing to lead me to believe that he should still be making decisions.

They said on the radio and I cannot believe this is true is that Waldron is making $5M for the next 4 years.  If that is the case Poles should not be allowed to make another decision.

Seems that the change in operations here is the money the team is spending on hirings of coaching.  This is being credited to Warren and seems to be where Ted Phillips hampered things previously.

So what we have here is Carolina falling apart and luck winning that trade big time and Warren was able to pull off the obvious but somehow 100+ years in the making of having the McCaskey's spend. 

Now how does Poles build a team???  I really wonder if he gets an extension.  He should not but we shall see. 

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Objectively, no one can really disagree with that statement. 

At this point, it's a simple faith based argument that you hope Poles has learned a lot in the last three years, and there is going to be A LOT of new voices in the room with Johnson, Allen, and the rest of the staff to help collaborate on the types of players they should be targeting. 

But there is very little evidence at this point to tell us Poles is the right guy for the job. Unfortunately, he has the job and it's simply hoping for the best right now. Ben Johnson coming in is a good start. 

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  On 1/21/2025 at 4:34 PM, Kyyle23 said:

Honest question, if last season Ben Johnson decided he WAS available instead of saying he had unfinished business in Detroit, do you believe the Bears would have let Flus go and hired Johnson

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I mean I think he was available, he was a real candidate for washington. I think he'd have taken Chicago, so the answer is that the bears chose Matt for some reason.

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