The reason Miami had to trade Landry was because they are in cap hell. They got that way because of reckless FA spending among other things. Saddling this team with a bunch of high price FAs that may or may not work out isn't going to help this team long term.
FAs are best used as gap fillers for mostly complete teams. I would not call the Bears mostly complete. We still have significant needs at several positions.
I will also point out Landry wasn't a FA. He was traded. This team still doesn't have the depth necessary to be burning draft picks on a guy who costs a fortune, might only last 3 or 4 more years, and has character concerns.
The reason Miami had to trade Landry was because they are in cap hell. They got that way because of reckless FA spending among other things. Saddling this team with a bunch of high price FAs that may or may not work out isn't going to help this team long term.
FAs are best used as gap fillers for mostly complete teams. I would not call the Bears mostly complete. We still have significant needs at several positions.
I will also point out Landry wasn't a FA. He was traded. This team still doesn't have the depth necessary to be burning draft picks on a guy who costs a fortune, might only last 3 or 4 more years, and has character concerns.
Yeah... still don't agree on that stuff
I don't either. It's virtually impossible to become "complete" or mostly complete from the draft alone. There simply aren't enough picks for that and no matter how well you do you aren't getting 4-5 starters out of each draft.
New England, a team that hasn't had to worry about QB in 20 years, adds key pieces in FA pretty much every year. Hell, Bellicheck isn't afraid to spend big bucks on CBs it seems. He may have fallen just short last year with Gilmore but he hit with Aquib Talib and Darelle Revis.
The Packers, another team who hasn't had a QB issue in forever, has until recently avoided FA altogether. As a result they've made only 1 SB despite having the best all-around QB in the league as the holes on their roster get exposed every post-season.
I agree that you can't or shouldn't try to "buy a team" by going crazy in FA but the other extreme seems just as hard to justify to me. I'm asking Ryan Pace to get ONE major offensive weapon in FA (Robinson). ONE! I'm not expecting him to bring in Ezekiel Elliott, Travis Kelce, and Julio Jones too.
I have a different view than most here I think on past FA with Pace. Few of the FA in the last few year would have made a difference and I can not think of many who were young enough to be hitting there prime in this year or next when I expect to see the Bears make improvement. Building up the team in FA the past few years would have only hurt the draft position. Could we have won a few more games a year, sure we could with a key FA here or there, of course the consequence would have been lower draft picks and not being able to build up the Core of young players on the team.
I have not given up on White, he needs to stay healthy. He has had some really bad luck and maybe it will continue. I have no idea some people just seem fragile and he seems to fit the bill. Does not mean he can not be a decent WR but if he can not play a full season it is probably time to move on after this year. Either way he has drafted a young nucleus with White, Goldman, Amos, Floyd, Whitehair, Howard, Jackson, Cohen, and Trubisky. Throw in Kwiatkoski, Shaheen, who look like they will make a jump this year and others who we do not know yet like Bullard, D Hall, and D Bush and we have a solid nuclues of young guys. My point I am coming to is Top level FA would not have mattered without a QB and some young guys to grow.
Looking at the big picture you build thru the draft which we have done, sure contracts like Glennon make you shake your head but it resulted in Trubisky being drafted and him playing so it worked out and the contract is one we can walk away from. I have a hard time saying Pace planned that but if he did it was brilliant hiding you plan to draft a QB high in the draft. Hicks, Trevathan and Sitton worked out well for Free Agents. Massie has held down the fort but an upgrade is needed and his contract will expire next year. Same can be said about M Unrein and will be interesting if we re-sign him for a year but I suspect M. Wilkerson will be more exciting. Akumura was above avg last year at CB but was a placeholder much like several other signings. Some have failed badly but the contracts have all been such that we can walk away. Eddie Royal and Q. Demps come to mind as failed but they still did not hurt us financially and put us where we are today. Several reports indicate he tried to get young talent last year in Buoye and a few others but with coaching unsettled and no QB many FA did not want to come to Chicago. Seems like last year Pace started going for bigger name players but Chicago just was not a destination on the map FA's considered. This year Chicago is reportedly a desired location with QB in place and coach staff settled.
I fully expect Pace to be going after some big names and land 2 or 3 of them. There will be competition with the Niners who have Salary Cap as well. Cleveland has money but may be in similar position we were in last year with no QB players may stay clear. Hope it takes them a few days to sign a QB, :-) that will help us I believe. In the end I think Pace has not so much failed in FA as much as had assurance from management that they would be patient as long as he had a plan and I think he has had a plan building up a young core, keep salary cap under control so when it was time to make critical moves he could. I think this is the year when FA becomes an asset with hopefully the last year of high draft picks. Just wished we would have gotten a stud OT while the picks were better, extending Leno seems he is the choice.
If this FA period Pace spends 60 Million and has nothing to show for it, I will be in disbelief and beyond pissed. Other that that not much I can do about it anyways. ))
I have a different view than most here I think on past FA with Pace. Few of the FA in the last few year would have made a difference and I can not think of many who were young enough to be hitting there prime in this year or next when I expect to see the Bears make improvement. Building up the team in FA the past few years would have only hurt the draft position. Could we have won a few more games a year, sure we could with a key FA here or there, of course the consequence would have been lower draft picks and not being able to build up the Core of young players on the team.
I have not given up on White, he needs to stay healthy. He has had some really bad luck and maybe it will continue. I have no idea some people just seem fragile and he seems to fit the bill. Does not mean he can not be a decent WR but if he can not play a full season it is probably time to move on after this year. Either way he has drafted a young nucleus with White, Goldman, Amos, Floyd, Whitehair, Howard, Jackson, Cohen, and Trubisky. Throw in Kwiatkoski, Shaheen, who look like they will make a jump this year and others who we do not know yet like Bullard, D Hall, and D Bush and we have a solid nuclues of young guys. My point I am coming to is Top level FA would not have mattered without a QB and some young guys to grow.
Looking at the big picture you build thru the draft which we have done, sure contracts like Glennon make you shake your head but it resulted in Trubisky being drafted and him playing so it worked out and the contract is one we can walk away from. I have a hard time saying Pace planned that but if he did it was brilliant hiding you plan to draft a QB high in the draft. Hicks, Trevathan and Sitton worked out well for Free Agents. Massie has held down the fort but an upgrade is needed and his contract will expire next year. Same can be said about M Unrein and will be interesting if we re-sign him for a year but I suspect M. Wilkerson will be more exciting. Akumura was above avg last year at CB but was a placeholder much like several other signings. Some have failed badly but the contracts have all been such that we can walk away. Eddie Royal and Q. Demps come to mind as failed but they still did not hurt us financially and put us where we are today. Several reports indicate he tried to get young talent last year in Buoye and a few others but with coaching unsettled and no QB many FA did not want to come to Chicago. Seems like last year Pace started going for bigger name players but Chicago just was not a destination on the map FA's considered. This year Chicago is reportedly a desired location with QB in place and coach staff settled.
I fully expect Pace to be going after some big names and land 2 or 3 of them. There will be competition with the Niners who have Salary Cap as well. Cleveland has money but may be in similar position we were in last year with no QB players may stay clear. Hope it takes them a few days to sign a QB, :-) that will help us I believe. In the end I think Pace has not so much failed in FA as much as had assurance from management that they would be patient as long as he had a plan and I think he has had a plan building up a young core, keep salary cap under control so when it was time to make critical moves he could. I think this is the year when FA becomes an asset with hopefully the last year of high draft picks. Just wished we would have gotten a stud OT while the picks were better, extending Leno seems he is the choice.
If this FA period Pace spends 60 Million and has nothing to show for it, I will be in disbelief and beyond pissed. Other that that not much I can do about it anyways. ))
The concept of having FAs and costing us draft positions when needed for a rebuild is interesting. I agree with it but then when you want to turn it on you are faced with trying to get a few years worth of FA immediately.
FA is difficult even in the best conditions. Kind of a catch 22.
Luckily we had a secret weapon to help us to draft high. John Fox.
Then he does. Landry went to Cleveland and I'd bet money was the issue. I have a hard time believing Landry took less to play for the Browns than he was offered by Pace IF he ever made and offer at all.
Essentially there's too much FA talent to miss completely but for some reason I think he's gonna start smaller and target Wilson from KC and Trey Burton from Philly. Burton can replace Miller as a smaller version of Nagy's Travis Kelce.
If Pace is serious about Robinson it seems like the price of a top five or top ten WR just went up a whole lot after that deal Mike Evans got. The question is Pace prepared to pay maybe $40-$50 mil in guaranteed $$$ if that's what it takes?
In that scenario it didn't really matter what Landry was offered. Miami owned his rights. They traded him for the best deal they could get. Landry may still play this year under the tag. Cleveland, with its 10 picks at the time traded a 4th and a 7th for the right to negotiate a long term deal.
Then he does. Landry went to Cleveland and I'd bet money was the issue. I have a hard time believing Landry took less to play for the Browns than he was offered by Pace IF he ever made and offer at all.
Essentially there's too much FA talent to miss completely but for some reason I think he's gonna start smaller and target Wilson from KC and Trey Burton from Philly. Burton can replace Miller as a smaller version of Nagy's Travis Kelce.
If Pace is serious about Robinson it seems like the price of a top five or top ten WR just went up a whole lot after that deal Mike Evans got. The question is Pace prepared to pay maybe $40-$50 mil in guaranteed $$$ if that's what it takes?
In that scenario it didn't really matter what Landry was offered. Miami owned his rights. They traded him for the best deal they could get. Landry may still play this year under the tag. Cleveland, with its 10 picks at the time traded a 4th and a 7th for the right to negotiate a long term deal.
I say that because Miami allowed them to negotiate for a trade. According to what I've read Pace and his agent were talking and I don't believe Pace would have balked at a 4th round pick with a 7th tossed in when he had two 4ths IF he felt they could come to terms on a long term deal.
Cleveland may be OK having him play under his tag but I don't believe Pace would have made that deal and paid $16 mil for a one year rental. IMHO any trade we made would have been contingent on a new contract along with it.
I have a different view than most here I think on past FA with Pace. Few of the FA in the last few year would have made a difference and I can not think of many who were young enough to be hitting there prime in this year or next when I expect to see the Bears make improvement. Building up the team in FA the past few years would have only hurt the draft position. Could we have won a few more games a year, sure we could with a key FA here or there, of course the consequence would have been lower draft picks and not being able to build up the Core of young players on the team.
I have not given up on White, he needs to stay healthy. He has had some really bad luck and maybe it will continue. I have no idea some people just seem fragile and he seems to fit the bill. Does not mean he can not be a decent WR but if he can not play a full season it is probably time to move on after this year. Either way he has drafted a young nucleus with White, Goldman, Amos, Floyd, Whitehair, Howard, Jackson, Cohen, and Trubisky. Throw in Kwiatkoski, Shaheen, who look like they will make a jump this year and others who we do not know yet like Bullard, D Hall, and D Bush and we have a solid nuclues of young guys. My point I am coming to is Top level FA would not have mattered without a QB and some young guys to grow.
Looking at the big picture you build thru the draft which we have done, sure contracts like Glennon make you shake your head but it resulted in Trubisky being drafted and him playing so it worked out and the contract is one we can walk away from. I have a hard time saying Pace planned that but if he did it was brilliant hiding you plan to draft a QB high in the draft. Hicks, Trevathan and Sitton worked out well for Free Agents. Massie has held down the fort but an upgrade is needed and his contract will expire next year. Same can be said about M Unrein and will be interesting if we re-sign him for a year but I suspect M. Wilkerson will be more exciting. Akumura was above avg last year at CB but was a placeholder much like several other signings. Some have failed badly but the contracts have all been such that we can walk away. Eddie Royal and Q. Demps come to mind as failed but they still did not hurt us financially and put us where we are today. Several reports indicate he tried to get young talent last year in Buoye and a few others but with coaching unsettled and no QB many FA did not want to come to Chicago. Seems like last year Pace started going for bigger name players but Chicago just was not a destination on the map FA's considered. This year Chicago is reportedly a desired location with QB in place and coach staff settled.
I fully expect Pace to be going after some big names and land 2 or 3 of them. There will be competition with the Niners who have Salary Cap as well. Cleveland has money but may be in similar position we were in last year with no QB players may stay clear. Hope it takes them a few days to sign a QB, :-) that will help us I believe. In the end I think Pace has not so much failed in FA as much as had assurance from management that they would be patient as long as he had a plan and I think he has had a plan building up a young core, keep salary cap under control so when it was time to make critical moves he could. I think this is the year when FA becomes an asset with hopefully the last year of high draft picks. Just wished we would have gotten a stud OT while the picks were better, extending Leno seems he is the choice.
If this FA period Pace spends 60 Million and has nothing to show for it, I will be in disbelief and beyond pissed. Other that that not much I can do about it anyways. ))
Great post BSBears. I think looking at this objectively the homerun for me will be to see Pace acquire proven weapons for Trib to start using in Nagy's new offense. I want no less than:
1. Burke 2. Robinson 3. Wilson
Sure that is being greedy and a bit over the top. But after last year's terrible FA class and the considerable Pacd is facing I wouldnthink the message is clear.
Until we see what he does in FA and the draft we'll have no idea.
I'll tell you right now, that if the going price for these FA WR's is similar to what TB just gave Evans, I'm far more on board w/getting a 1st round WR, either at 8 or dropping down. I was on Board w/top FA wr's but not for 80+ mil and 50+ mil guaranteed. These WR's are not your elite WR's hitting the market.
Hard to define specifically but I think you will know it when you see it. I know I will.
So failing at FA is like Porn, you know it when you see it?
I'd like FA not only to yield a potential WR1 but also bolster our draft stock. Picking up more mid rd [3-5rd] draft stock would be ideal especially with Pace's stated build through the draft mentality.
Not sure how he swings this but I'd like to see it happen.