I take a 38 year old Robbie Gould over the 27 year old Parkey we had last year...
If he's a top 5 kicker in the league then his age is meaningless...
If you want to win ALL OPTIONS should be consider.
Maybe his age isn't a huge factor (in the short term) but his COST is. Gould isn't even a FA--would you pay him $5m AND give up a draft pick?
I wouldn't.
+1 And can you imagine the blowback if we DID sign him for big money and a draft pick - and he just started whiffing on kicks like he did before we let him go? Holy moly. The angry mob of Bears fans would drag poor Ryan Pace out of Halas Hall and hang him. We forget that the fan base was super pissed with Gould his last two years here. Yes, he rejuvenated his career after leaving the Bears, but here he was not the "good as gold" guy anymore.
Maybe his age isn't a huge factor (in the short term) but his COST is. Gould isn't even a FA--would you pay him $5m AND give up a draft pick?
I wouldn't.
+1 And can you imagine the blowback if we DID sign him for big money and a draft pick - and he just started whiffing on kicks like he did before we let him go? Holy moly. The angry mob of Bears fans would drag poor Ryan Pace out of Halas Hall and hang him. We forget that the fan base was super pissed with Gould his last two years here. Yes, he rejuvenated his career after leaving the Bears, but here he was not the "good as gold" guy anymore.
I'm with you. I don't even criticize Pace for releasing him back when. Gould was struggling and overpaid at the time. The fact that Pace hasn't done a good job in finding a replacement doesn't argue against cutting Gould at the time. It was the right move then even if it didn't look like it later.
But what's done is done and all this sentimental talk of RG coming back isn't taking into account his high cost and the fact that he isn't even a FA. We don't have the draft capital or the cap space to make that deal.
We need to find and develop our own young, cheap kicker IMHO.
I take a 38 year old Robbie Gould over the 27 year old Parkey we had last year...
If he's a top 5 kicker in the league then his age is meaningless...
If you want to win ALL OPTIONS should be consider.
ALL OPTIONS? okay lets trade Mack for Gould and the 9rs first round pick.
All options is a cool statement that is never actually used in business.
There is nothing wrong in ever looking at an option if it could benefit the team long term. I don't see giving up Mack as benefiting the team outside of freeing our cap space. With us losing 2 players in the secondary we're going to need to make up for that with a great pass rush.
All I'm saying is too many in here are quick to judge teams or players for personal reason. Gould being 38 shouldn't be a reason not to look at him...
Look at the Kareem Hunt situation. Before he was picked up by another team many here would be disgusted by the Bears Organization for picking him up for his alleged actions he did at a hotel.
Some would rather keep this team with its culture it has even if it doesn't mean the best possible chance of winning. Like some said. You have to look at the BB playbook with the Patriots. One year deals with trouble players has help him with Super Bowls in the past.
Maybe his age isn't a huge factor (in the short term) but his COST is. Gould isn't even a FA--would you pay him $5m AND give up a draft pick?
I wouldn't.
Depends on the draft pick.
A 1st round pick? No.
A 3rd round pick? Yes
I believed we were one kicker away from a Super Bowl visit last year.
Kickers and make or break a season for you.
I agree with your bolded statement but no way I'd trade a 3rd round pick for Gould and then have to pay him FT-cost on top of it. I don't think I'd do either of those separately if that was even possible which it isn't.
Yes, a solid K is important and Pace has to find one but I'd rather get a cheap one in terms of contract and spend no more than a 7th, preferably a UDFA. We just don't have the ammo to spending big money or draft picks on position that rarely requires either. Bring 3-4 into camp and whittle down. Nothing wrong with keeping 1 on the 53 and another on the PS just in case. Pace spent huge last offseason and he's gonna have to hand out big extensions to Whitehair this year and Jackson/Floyd next. Can't buy every shiny toy that's out there.