2016-2017 NFL Thread

[shipps]

I will say that I have no idea if Jimmy G is the real deal or not. I am just going by what other football "experts" have said. But I would not oppose Pace if he thought that he was and made a big move for him. They have to get that position right if they are going to build a successful team in the coming years.

[Dick Allen]

I don't see how Pace or Fox survive a 6-10 or 7-9 season in 2017. It is going to be hard avoiding that without a better QB.

[Balta1701]

I don't see how Pace or Fox survive a 6-10 or 7-9 season in 2017. It is going to be hard avoiding that without a better QB.

If that's true then they have to bring in a veteran QB, regardless of wehther or not it's the right move for the franchise. JimG or Romo, I think there's a couple other plausibles but that would be the reality.

[Balta1701]

I still don't think it does. Garrapolo plays for the Bears for peanuts for 1 year. Then they either have to franchise him at $20M+ or they have to give him a long term deal that probably starts at Osweiler money. And if he's bad in that year for the Bears, then they've given up a 1 and a 4 on a team that's starved for depth for a single year of a bad QB.

 

Realistically, the Bears only long-term answer at QB is through the draft...

The Bears giving up the 4th pick somehow for JimG seems like the Jags taking Bortles to me. Seemed like an overdraft to lots of people at the time but people justified it by saying "If you've gotten your QB it's worth the price". Both are probably true. That's too high of a price to pay, but if you are in a position where you have to gamble to save your job - taking no action at the QB spot or drafting a QB gives them a 100% chance of being fired while trading for G gives them a 75% chance of being fired, you do the math.

 

Can anyone give me a recent example of a team signing or trading for another team's backup QB to be a starter and having it work out well? I just scrolled through the top 25 QBs this week and the only one that might describe is Tyrod Taylor.

[Kyyle23]

The Bears giving up the 4th pick somehow for JimG seems like the Jags taking Bortles to me. Seemed like an overdraft to lots of people at the time but people justified it by saying "If you've gotten your QB it's worth the price". Both are probably true. That's too high of a price to pay, but if you are in a position where you have to gamble to save your job - taking no action at the QB spot or drafting a QB gives them a 100% chance of being fired while trading for G gives them a 75% chance of being fired, you do the math.

 

Can anyone give me a recent example of a team signing or trading for another team's backup QB to be a starter and having it work out well? I just scrolled through the top 25 QBs this week and the only one that might describe is Tyrod Taylor.

 

Nothing recently really. Only one I can think of recently is Schaub in Houston but it didn't last long

[Dick Allen]

It s hard enough having one starting caliber QB on your roster let alone 2. Not many back ups get traded to a starting situation and shine. Favre was one.

 

The Bears don't need a pro bowler. They do need someone who won't lose them the game.

[bmags]

The Bears giving up the 4th pick somehow for JimG seems like the Jags taking Bortles to me. Seemed like an overdraft to lots of people at the time but people justified it by saying "If you've gotten your QB it's worth the price". Both are probably true. That's too high of a price to pay, but if you are in a position where you have to gamble to save your job - taking no action at the QB spot or drafting a QB gives them a 100% chance of being fired while trading for G gives them a 75% chance of being fired, you do the math.

 

Can anyone give me a recent example of a team signing or trading for another team's backup QB to be a starter and having it work out well? I just scrolled through the top 25 QBs this week and the only one that might describe is Tyrod Taylor.

Hasselback

[bmags]

Aaron Brooks. Alex Smith?

[Balta1701]

Nothing recently really. Only one I can think of recently is Schaub in Houston but it didn't last long

There have been "nonterrible" ones, hell the most recent Pats backup to do this - Matt Cassel - went 10-5 with the Chiefs in 2 different seasons, but I can't remember someone doing this and becoming a long term QB for a title contender since seemingly forever. Yes, guys do develop behind other QBs, but then moing to another franchise and becoming a success story...

[LittleHurt05]

If that's true then they have to bring in a veteran QB, regardless of wehther or not it's the right move for the franchise. JimG or Romo, I think there's a couple other plausibles but that would be the reality.

 

Given how much cap space they have, Romo seems very likely

[Balta1701]

Aaron Brooks. Alex Smith?

Alex Smith was a #1 pick and a starter.

[Balta1701]

Hasselback

That one is fair. So we have to go back 10+ years to find one of this happening, I think that makes my point effectively too. Anyway, I'll take the ball and I'm gonna win.

[Heads22]

To be fair, we didn't know Luck was gonna get hurt...

 

Oh, you meant recently....

[Middle Buffalo]

I don't see how Pace or Fox survive a 6-10 or 7-9 season in 2017. It is going to be hard avoiding that without a better QB.

I've seen and heard fans calling for the end of Pace and/or Fox at various times in the last year. I find it odd since the fanbase is primarily made up of Sox and Cubs fans and a media that fully supports the short term tank for talent with an eye for a better future. Isn't that what the Bears have been doing? They've dumped guys like Gould, Slaussen, Marshall, Bennett and Briggs and replaced them with younger, cheaper talent. Yet, there doesn't seem to be any patience when the Bears lose.

 

Side note - Soldier Field was pretty empty Saturday. Looked about 70% full. I guess the always loyal Cubs/Bears fans went to the game, and the hard to please Sox/Bears fans stayed home.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Middle Buffalo

[Dick Allen]

I've seen and heard fans calling for the end of Pace and/or Fox at various times in the last year. I find it odd since the fanbase is primarily made up of Sox and Cubs fans and a media that fully supports the short term tank for talent with an eye for a better future. Isn't that what the Bears have been doing? They've dumped guys like Gould, Slaussen, Marshall, Bennett and Briggs and replaced them with younger, cheaper talent. Yet, there doesn't seem to be any patience when the Bears lose.

 

Side note - Soldier Field was pretty empty Saturday. Looked about 70% full. I guess the always loyal Cubs/Bears fans went to the game, and the hard to please Sox/Bears fans stayed home.

Lovie Smith got fired and everyone was happy about it after going 10-6. They are 22-41 since. Another horrible year isn't going to play. This is the NFL where careers aren't long and free agency changes things in an instant. It's almost impossible to build a team to go on a long run. You have to be adjusting every year. It is more than fair Fox and Pace have their necks on the line in 2017.

 

3 top ten drafts and a boatload of cap space is plenty of material to base front office performance. The team needs to start winning.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Dick Allen

[illinilaw08]

Lovie Smith got fired and everyone was happy about it after going 10-6. They are 22-41 since. Another horrible year isn't going to play. This is the NFL where careers aren't long and free agency changes things in an instant. It's almost impossible to build a team to go on a long run. You have to be adjusting every year. It is more than fair Fox and Pace have their necks on the line in 2017.

 

That feels short sighted to me. Pace had a great draft last year. The defense has made pretty steady progress despite not having a single DB of note. Sacrificing the long-term health of the franchise to win a couple games with Tony Romo doesn't do anything for the long-term stability of the franchise. The goal right now needs to be adding talented pieces and creating real depth, not selling out the rebuild in the hopes that you can be marginally competitive in '17.

[Dick Allen]

That feels short sighted to me. Pace had a great draft last year. The defense has made pretty steady progress despite not having a single DB of note. Sacrificing the long-term health of the franchise to win a couple games with Tony Romo doesn't do anything for the long-term stability of the franchise. The goal right now needs to be adding talented pieces and creating real depth, not selling out the rebuild in the hopes that you can be marginally competitive in '17.

By the time they get more guys in, the guys you like now will be broken down or signed as free agents with other teams. This isn't baseball. They have to start winning.

 

Kevin White, who knows. Leonard Floyd looks like a keeper, but 2 concussions already have to make you wonder how long he will be able to last. Why don't they have any DBs? Why hasn't Pace drafted a QB? This needs to happen this year, and they have to start winning.

 

This tolerance for sucking for 5 or 10 years in hopes of being good for 2 or 3 is the short sided approach IMO. They have to come up big in the draft and bring in some free agents. Getting to 10-6 and a wild card should be attainable.

 

I really doubt people would have been on board 2 years ago with Pace and Fox if they knew 6-10, 3-13, and maybe another 6-10 or 7-9. Trestman was 8-8 and 5-11 and that was as clueless as they could get.

[RockRaines]

I've seen and heard fans calling for the end of Pace and/or Fox at various times in the last year. I find it odd since the fanbase is primarily made up of Sox and Cubs fans and a media that fully supports the short term tank for talent with an eye for a better future. Isn't that what the Bears have been doing? They've dumped guys like Gould, Slaussen, Marshall, Bennett and Briggs and replaced them with younger, cheaper talent. Yet, there doesn't seem to be any patience when the Bears lose.

 

Side note - Soldier Field was pretty empty Saturday. Looked about 70% full. I guess the always loyal Cubs/Bears fans went to the game, and the hard to please Sox/Bears fans stayed home.

I dont think the fan base is split by baseball preference. People unloaded tickets because its cold and they suck. And it was less than 70% full.

[Dick Allen]

I dont think the fan base is split by baseball preference. People unloaded tickets because its cold and they suck. And it was less than 70% full.

Christmas Eve had a lot to do with it as well. But if they were good, it would have been full.

[ptatc]

Christmas Eve had a lot to do with it as well. But if they were good, it would have been full.

No doubt. I was out of town for Christmas and I couldn't give my tickets away to anyone.

[Middle Buffalo]

I dont think the fan base is split by baseball preference. People unloaded tickets because its cold and they suck. And it was less than 70% full.

Said mostly in jest, but since attendance and loyalty is a hot button topic, I find it funny that it's ok for Chicago fans of other teams to go or not go based on performance of the team. But, when Sox fans stay home for a crappy team, it says something about their loyalty.

[RockRaines]

Said mostly in jest, but since attendance and loyalty is a hot button topic, I find it funny that it's ok for Chicago fans of other teams to go or not go based on performance of the team. But, when Sox fans stay home for a crappy team, it says something about their loyalty.

Bears fans support a crappy team more than any other in Chicago IMO. Its too bad the owners were too stupid to build an actual stadium.

[Middle Buffalo]

Football is all about depth and injuries. The Bears are not deep enough to play well through injuries. The drop from starter to backup is too steep. When the acquire enough talent to make that difference less drastic, they can begin to compete every year.

[Dick Allen]

Said mostly in jest, but since attendance and loyalty is a hot button topic, I find it funny that it's ok for Chicago fans of other teams to go or not go based on performance of the team. But, when Sox fans stay home for a crappy team, it says something about their loyalty.

People go to Bears games whether they suck or not. People go to Cubs games whether they suck or not. Since Michael Jordan, people go to Bulls games whether they suck or not.

 

The Bears may be shifting, although it is still about a 15 year wait for season tickets. The Blackhawks will be interesting once their run ends. The White Sox need to at least make the WS and force people to buy season ticket packages for WS tickets to guarantee a rise.

[shipps]

Bears fans support a crappy team more than any other in Chicago IMO. Its too bad the owners were too stupid to build an actual stadium.

 

What I would have loved more than anything would have been if they built a domed stadium. f*** bear weather.