2024 Free Agent Discussion

[Crazylegs Starks]

...and just out of view, the Statue of Liberty is crying for the poor safeties

[BF004]

Hmmmm…. No one thinks Justin Fields is worth a 2nd round pick? We should probably build a franchise around him.

[Labrev]

God, I hope so. The pick is either Williams if they are done with Fields, or MHJ if they still want him at QB. I would love nothing more than for CHI to not come away with either of them.

Suffice to say, I do not echo the sentiments some have expressed here about wanting to see CHI draft Williams. If he busts, it's the same old Bares, but if he hits, they are getting a prime Aaron Rodgers-caliber talent. I rather not roll those dice, thanks.

[BF004]

[lupedafiasco]

I wonder who’s moving up. I think it would be Washington who has quite a bit of picks this year.

[LombardiTime]

Hmmmm…. No one thinks Justin Fields is worth a 2nd round pick? We should probably build a franchise around him.

Wesley may have gotten the inside scoop.

But given his past tweets, I somehow think he is trying to punk the masses.

[Scott4Pack]

WHY is it that it seems there are so many Safeties getting released by their teams this year? I don't recall anything like this in the past.

I could probably put a composite list of reasons why, but it's almost as if teams are just not willing to uber-pay that position group any further, or those guys were all under-performing while being over-paid. But there must be something more about this.

[lake shark]

WHY is it that it seems there are so many Safeties getting released by their teams this year? I don't recall anything like this in the past.

I could probably put a composite list of reasons why, but it's almost as if teams are just not willing to uber-pay that position group any further, or those guys were all under-performing while being over-paid. But there must be something more about this.

There’s so many FA safeties and teams looking to shed salary probably think they will be able to get equal play for less $. That being said there could be enough demand now that that strategy could backfire.

[lake shark]

Hmmmm…. No one thinks Justin Fields is worth a 2nd round pick? We should probably build a franchise around him.

Wesley may have gotten the inside scoop.

But given his past tweets, I somehow think he is trying to punk the masses.

The Bears would be smart to trade the pick for a king’s ransom and roll with Fields for ‘24 but decline the 5th year option. If he can’t light a fire under is butt then so be it. They could sign a vet like Tyrod Taylor or Jacoby Brisset to a 1 year deal in case Fields flops big time or does good but gets hurt. But they won’t!

[Yoop]

The Bears will take Williams with #1 then will deal with moving Fields, if they can't get a 2nd now they will after the season starts and a QB or two get hurt.

unless you have a quality starting QB, nothing else matters, you can have a great squad of talent, but think any ol average QB will be good enough, well, most of the time that just doesn't work

[lake shark]

The Bears will take Williams with #1 then will deal with moving Fields, if they can't get a 2nd now they will after the season starts and a QB or two get hurt.

unless you have a quality starting QB, nothing else matters, you can have a great squad of talent, but think any ol average QB will be good enough, well, most of the time that just doesn't work

Except if you’re Geno Smith or Baker Mayfield. Can you imagine how bad the Bears would be if they drafted Young and did not trade for DJ Moore?

[lupedafiasco]

I wonder if the Bears slide down 1 with Washington. They have a ton of picks this year. Then at 2 they just take Jayden Daniels. That’s a nightmare scenario for me.

[APB]

I wonder if the Bears slide down 1 with Washington. They have a ton of picks this year. Then at 2 they just take Jayden Daniels. That’s a nightmare scenario for me.

Yeah, I have a hard time believing they trade out of the top 3. That way, if they’re not convinced Williams is the real deal but still want a QB, they could gain a bunch of picks and still get the guy they do like. I hate that they’re in this big time leverage win-win situation.

[YoHoChecko]

I wonder if the Bears slide down 1 with Washington. They have a ton of picks this year. Then at 2 they just take Jayden Daniels. That’s a nightmare scenario for me.

This is what I think would happen if they move. They're going Daniels and maxing out picks. It's definitely on the list of options I'd be most likely to consider if I was them.

[lake shark]

Xavian Howard is openly saying he wants to play in a press man defense. I really hope GB targets this guy. He could play the slot (even though I hope Nixon is re-signing). Then get the second tier FA safely.

[TheSkeptic]

The Bears will take Williams with #1 then will deal with moving Fields, if they can't get a 2nd now they will after the season starts and a QB or two get hurt.

unless you have a quality starting QB, nothing else matters, you can have a great squad of talent, but think any ol average QB will be good enough, well, most of the time that just doesn't work

It worked for SF. Love was obviously better than Purdy. But the Packers were still saddled with the cap problems from Rodgers whereas SF had money to build up the rest of the team over the last few years.

The Jets with Rodgers were supposed to be a SB contender - how did that work out?

If you overpay for that quality QB and the team cannot afford good WR's for him and a good Oline to protect him and a good D to prevent the other team from scoring on almost every possession, it does not matter how good your QB. He can be the league GOAT and still you are going to get beat at home by a wildcard team.

Da Bears went to the SB with Wrecks Grossman. Fields is plenty good enough to win a SB if he has the kind of team around him that Wrecks had. And if Da Bears are smart enough to roll with Fields and trade that 1st pick, the Packers are going to have to have another draft like last year to remain competitive.

[Yoop]

The Bears will take Williams with #1 then will deal with moving Fields, if they can't get a 2nd now they will after the season starts and a QB or two get hurt.

unless you have a quality starting QB, nothing else matters, you can have a great squad of talent, but think any ol average QB will be good enough, well, most of the time that just doesn't work

It worked for SF. Love was obviously better than Purdy. But the Packers were still saddled with the cap problems from Rodgers whereas SF had money to build up the rest of the team over the last few years.

The Jets with Rodgers were supposed to be a SB contender - how did that work out?

If you overpay for that quality QB and the team cannot afford good WR's for him and a good Oline to protect him and a good D to prevent the other team from scoring on almost every possession, it does not matter how good your QB. He can be the league GOAT and still you are going to get beat at home by a wildcard team.

Da Bears went to the SB with Wrecks Grossman. Fields is plenty good enough to win a SB if he has the kind of team around him that Wrecks had. And if Da Bears are smart enough to roll with Fields and trade that 1st pick, the Packers are going to have to have another draft like last year to remain competitive.

and if Grandma had Bals she be a Grandpa, your throwing tons of variables here to get to your outcome.

after 3 years several things stand out, 1. Fields is not a pocket passer, he panics in the pocket under pressure, quits reading his progressions and runs, I've not watched a ton of Bears games, but that is what I see every time I do watch.

would better protection help, sure, maybe, but this still happens after 3 years on the job, Love over came that stuff in half a season.

I think the Bears will make the switch not only because of Fields not improving, but also because the fans want them to, Fields could go elsewhere and it might be exactly what he needs, and Williams is the most pro ready of these QB's and could be one of the new breed instantly good QB's, theirs no way to know for sure, but the latest rumors from chi town is that Poles has seen enough in just one season of Fields that he wants a change.

maybe he will trade and take Daniels a couple picks later, recoup a few draft picks, but thats a floated speculative rumor, which is possible.

[YoHoChecko]

OK so.

How should we rank the available free agent safeties in tens of desirability for our team?

Does the glut make you want to go after a top name at significant expense or make you want to leverage the over supply to wait on a great bargain for a solid player?

If the top name, goes do we rank Simmons, McKinney, Poyer, etc?

If a bargain, do y’all see any sleepers who might be steady players at lower cost bore but have the untapped potential to break out like Campbell did for us at LB and Rasul did at CB?

I really don’t have a great handle on the quality of safety play around the league right now, so I’m interested in hearing others’ takes

[Yoop]

OK so.

How should we rank the available free agent safeties in tens of desirability for our team?

Does the glut make you want to go after a top name at significant expense or make you want to leverage the over supply to wait on a great bargain for a solid player?

If the top name, goes do we rank Simmons, McKinney, Poyer, etc?

If a bargain, do y’all see any sleepers who might be steady players at lower cost bore but have the untapped potential to break out like Campbell did for us at LB and Rasul did at CB?

I really don’t have a great handle on the quality of safety play around the league right now, so I’m interested in hearing others’ takes

I think Simmons is a good fit for us, still a very good safety, Haf would have the type FS he needs, just do a shorter term deal, McKinny is younger and probably more attractive to sign a longer contract.

this draft class seems thin on rangy FS prospects, Nubin seems best of class.

I have to start digging into this more now, this off season is flying, FS is practically here and the draft just a month away.

plus my PC just up and quit, for someone as PC challenged as me, where talking catastrophic calamity

[Labrev]

The ideal in my mind is a "Smith Brothers special" at S: go after the top guys for both S spots.

I would try for that again in part because whereas we got both last time, I doubt that will happen again.

If memory serves, they were pursuing both Z and Preston strongly, expecting to only get one of them, pleasantly surprised to get both. (Tbh, I felt at the time that signing both Smiths was overboard, and still kinda do in retrospect, but I would not feel similarly if we did it this FA at S, for a number of reasons).

So rather than put all our eggs in one basket and miss, I rather be able to "rebound" by getting our next top choice (then look in the bargain bin for a stopgap as the other S), even if it means potentially signing two top guys.

And if we do end up with both, so be it, we have room for it.