Yep. LT cannot be a replacement level player. Need to try and find an improvement.
LG/RG you have a guy that doesn't want to play, and a guy that struggles to stay healthy.
C you have a net negative.
Doesn't have to just be in the draft but the majority of that does.
They said correctly that the Bears haven’t had a legit center since Olin Kreutz in 2010, which, no accident, was the last time Bears made a serious run. I admit I voted for Odunze, but now realize Poles should have traded down and got Powers-Johnson. Is Poles going to fart around more at center position or draft one no later than second round?
I thought the idea of drafting Amegadjie in 3rd round was that he could develop as tackle to replace Brax or play RT and move Wright to RG (where I think he belongs anyway).
I think that WAS the idea. I'm 99% sure that was their plan. Why the hell else would you spend a 3rd, that's a top-half draft pick, on a project from a small school who's already knowingly pre-injured? That was clearly a move for 2025+, not 2024.
Which leads me to believe that Poles was overconfident about what he already had on the OL. Wayyyyyy overconfident.
Puni made a lot more sense there, particularly cuz you already knew at that point that you couldn't count on Nate Davis and Jenkins is made of glass.
They said correctly that the Bears haven’t had a legit center since Olin Kreutz in 2010, which, no accident, was the last time Bears made a serious run. I admit I voted for Odunze, but now realize Poles should have traded down and got Powers-Johnson. Is Poles going to fart around more at center position or draft one no later than second round?
I thought the idea of drafting Amegadjie in 3rd round was that he could develop as tackle to replace Brax or play RT and move Wright to RG (where I think he belongs anyway).
I think that WAS the idea. I'm 99% sure that was their plan. Why the hell else would you spend a 3rd, that's a top-half draft pick, on a project from a small school who's already knowingly pre-injured? That was clearly a move for 2025+, not 2024.
Which leads me to believe that Poles was overconfident about what he already had on the OL. Wayyyyyy overconfident.
Puni made a lot more sense there, particularly cuz you already knew at that point that you couldn't count on Nate Davis and Jenkins is made of glass.
100% agree with that. Poles rolled the OL dice, and lost.
I disagree about Edge. Dexter is emerging really well at DT and that’ll be the second pass rusher which opens up opportunities for DE2 because Sweat and Dexter will command the attention.
I would be totally fine if those four picks were all OL.
I think Booker has potential to take Edge spot, and the DL will be fine.
At a minimum Booker will benefit from playing alongside Sweat and Dexter.
I think that WAS the idea. I'm 99% sure that was their plan. Why the hell else would you spend a 3rd, that's a top-half draft pick, on a project from a small school who's already knowingly pre-injured? That was clearly a move for 2025+, not 2024.
Which leads me to believe that Poles was overconfident about what he already had on the OL. Wayyyyyy overconfident.
Puni made a lot more sense there, particularly cuz you already knew at that point that you couldn't count on Nate Davis and Jenkins is made of glass.
100% agree with that. Poles rolled the OL dice, and lost.
Just a reminder that Poles inherited an empty cupboard and has otherwise done an excellent job upgrading this football team.
100% agree with that. Poles rolled the OL dice, and lost.
Just a reminder that Poles inherited an empty cupboard and has otherwise done an excellent job upgrading this football team.
He has been here 3 years now. That's 3 drafts and 3 years of FA. I get it, that he did not prioritize the offensive line for 3 years other than the Wright pick (and I loved that pick). How important is the OL to an offense? It sets the ceiling for the offense in general and the skill players in particular... especially the quarterback and the run & passing game. In the modern NFL offense is pretty important. More important than ever.
So the entire Poles' 3-year OL body of work is what we see now. Sunday was the poster boy for it.
Here is where I am at on this. If Poles (finally) invests solid resources in the OL in his 4th year here, and fixes the OL - then all is forgiven. I am not happy it took 4 years, but I get it that he put a low priority with his resource investment in the OL until year-4 (other than Wright). But if he CAN get it done in 2025, hey I'll be okay with that. But if he invests resources into anything else, until that OL is fixed right - then he is dead to me. Get a GM in here who can get the job done so Caleb Williams and the skill guys can shine and reach high ceilings. JMO.
Just a reminder that Poles inherited an empty cupboard and has otherwise done an excellent job upgrading this football team.
He has been here 3 years now. That's 3 drafts and 3 years of FA. I get it, that he did not prioritize the offensive line for 3 years other than the Wright pick (and I loved that pick). How important is the OL to an offense? It sets the ceiling for the offense in general and the skill players in particular... especially the quarterback and the run & passing game. In the modern NFL offense is pretty important. More important than ever.
So the entire Poles' 3-year OL body of work is what we see now. Sunday was the poster boy for it.
Here is where I am at on this. If Poles (finally) invests solid resources in the OL in his 4th year here, and fixes the OL - then all is forgiven. I am not happy it took 4 years, but I get it that he put a low priority with his resource investment in the OL until year-4 (other than Wright). But if he CAN get it done in 2025, hey I'll be okay with that. But if he invests resources into anything else, until that OL is fixed right - then he is dead to me. Get a GM in here who can get the job done so Caleb Williams and the skill guys can shine and reach high ceilings. JMO.
^This. Which goes back to my og post. yes the ol is going to waste CWills rookie season. No amount of all pro receiving options or rb's will make an O work w/no OL to set it all up. No amount of Def is going to make the O work, regardless of if they can hold a team under 20 the entire season or not(they cannot btw). This is not how you build teams or O's. So up to this point he's failed at his primary job. Can he make this all work next year, ya; and he better.
I think that WAS the idea. I'm 99% sure that was their plan. Why the hell else would you spend a 3rd, that's a top-half draft pick, on a project from a small school who's already knowingly pre-injured? That was clearly a move for 2025+, not 2024.
Which leads me to believe that Poles was overconfident about what he already had on the OL. Wayyyyyy overconfident.
Puni made a lot more sense there, particularly cuz you already knew at that point that you couldn't count on Nate Davis and Jenkins is made of glass.
100% agree with that. Poles rolled the OL dice, and lost.
Yep, I fully believe that and it is backed up by Poles bragging in August about how much "depth" he had on the OL. Turns out, that depth is as shallow as a kids blow-up play pool if they can't bench Nate Davis.
No doubt about it, Ryan Poles has major egg on his face right now.
100% agree with that. Poles rolled the OL dice, and lost.
Just a reminder that Poles inherited an empty cupboard and has otherwise done an excellent job upgrading this football team.
He has. You are new here so you don't know this but many of us, me included, have had high praise for all he's accomplished thus far. He benefitted from some good luck and some Carolina incompetence, but I give him credit for having the balls to do what Pace wouldn't--tear things down to the studs and build fresh. It was a year overdue by the time he came in.
He has done a really good job. He's been spectacular on defense, no question about it. He's stumbled a bit at WR (Claypool, Velus) and on the OL (Patrick, Davis).
The biggest decisions a GM makes by far (and the ones they tend to be judged on longer term) are QB and HC. Jury still out on both. I firmly believe CW is the most talented Bears QB in my lifetime. I can see watching him how much farther along he is than Mitch and Justin ever were in reading defenses and making quick decisions. He has definitely missed some throws but I am not worried about that yet this early.
What I am worried about is that the OL seems completely incapable of run or pass blocking right now and that is gonna wreck Caleb's whole first season. I am also worried that keeping Flus was a poor choice when Harbaugh was available.
Just a reminder that Poles inherited an empty cupboard and has otherwise done an excellent job upgrading this football team.
He has. You are new here so you don't know this but many of us, me included, have had high praise for all he's accomplished thus far. He benefitted from some good luck and some Carolina incompetence, but I give him credit for having the balls to do what Pace wouldn't--tear things down to the studs and build fresh. It was a year overdue by the time he came in.
He has done a really good job. He's been spectacular on defense, no question about it. He's stumbled a bit at WR (Claypool, Velus) and on the OL (Patrick, Davis).
The biggest decisions a GM makes by far (and the ones they tend to be judged on longer term) are QB and HC. Jury still out on both. I firmly believe CW is the most talented Bears QB in my lifetime. I can see watching him how much farther along he is than Mitch and Justin ever were in reading defenses and making quick decisions. He has definitely missed some throws but I am not worried about that yet this early.
What I am worried about is that the OL seems completely incapable of run or pass blocking right now and that is gonna wreck Caleb's whole first season. I am also worried that keeping Flus was a poor choice when Harbaugh was available.
He does seem to have that for sure. But that trait is what is supposed to allow him to hit his targets, lol