Bears Buzz - Chicago Bears 2042 Onwards

[davehibb]

Hibby Hired As Bears New GM!

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The Chicago Bears announced the hiring of their new GM Friday evening. In an uncharacteristically bold move, the Chicago ownership hired the young, hot, charismatic Hibby to try and haul the franchise out of the mire left by the previous regime as a fresh wind of change blew through the Windy City.

Hibby arrived too late to oversee what looks like a mediocre at best draft class, or to have any say in recent contract extensions and free agent signings but Chicago's new GM was under no illusion as to the task that lays ahead.

"We have a good coaching staff in place already and some talent on the roster no doubt but looking back at some of the recent moves the club has made, you know, I think the ownership want a few of those back...

We have 3 veteran quarterbacks on the roster that have all won in this league. All guided teams to the playoffs... Yet we can only play one of them and we have no wide receivers for them to throw to. We're projected to be way over cap next year due to some contracts that the ownership feels were a little ill advised.

There's going to be changes, there needs to be changes and a level of urgency as we go about those changes and that's why the McCaskey family hired me to lead the charge. Changes in the front office and obviously there will be changes on the personnel side of things too.

There's a sense of urgency about what we want to do but it's going to take time. Not only to get the ball club back on an even keel but to be a perenial playoff contender, like we have been in recent times. This great franchise deserves sustained success and that's what we're building towards. Starting today."

Stay tuned for more Bears Buzz throughout the season!

[cyril]

OK, you can be young, and you can be charismatic... but if you are HOT, you might have joined the wrong league. Nobody here is HOT (other than Bob the muscleman)

[davehibb]

OK, you can be young, and you can be charismatic... but if you are HOT, you might have joined the wrong league. Nobody here is HOT (other than Bob the muscleman)

Nobody? Not even Mel?

Hmmm... If no-one here is hot then, I guess I joined the right league.

[timmae]

Well... depends who has that Ditka stache...

[davehibb]

CHICAGO BEARS 2042 DRAFT CLASS

Unfortunately the AI had the reins for the draft but let's have a look at the guys it took, my take on them and maybe the guys left on the board that I woulda, shoulda, coulda taken.

1.19 ALEXANDER SHANNON, RB, COLUMBIA

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Height: 6'2" (Above Average)
Weight: 216lbs (Average)

Sol: 24
40 Time: 4.55
Bench: 20
Agility: 7.03
Broad Jump: 10'9"
Position Drill: 28
Dev: 67

PRE TC: 39/43
EX2: 45/50 +6/+7

Hibby's Take: At first glance Alexander looks like a 50 rated dude at best to me. No killer speed, hole recognition or strength. No receiving skills and average endurance. A very one dimensional back. A shifty runner who is going to dance around a lot for a yard or may just make 2 or 3 guys miss and break one.

I'm not a great one for the mechanics of player development etc. so I'm not sure what further growth there can be for for this guy at 67% already. The Elusiveness and 3rd Down Running bars stick out a bit. Are they a masked pair? Are they indicators that other bars will sneak up as he plays and develops? I guess we'll see.

The guy certainly looks more Curtis Enis than Gayle Sayers to me at this point.

That said, using Ben's Combine Checker Utility, from the leagues in that database, there have been some solid runners in the same range of combines so maybe I'm being hard on the guy.


Hibby Woulda Took: Looking at the guys still on the board at this point, had I been on the clock instead of the AI, I think I'd have taken Arkansas DB Malik Vance. Good pick Marv.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts guys.


2.29 RODOLFO MORRIS, CB, KANSAS STATE

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Height: 6'3" (Way Above Average)
Weight: 204lbs (Way Above Average)

Sol: 17
40 Time: 4.48
Bench: 13
Agility: 7.05
Broad Jump: 8'6"
Position Drill: 48
Dev: 47

PRE TC: 21/44
EX2: 24/37 +3/-7

Hibby's Take: Morris looks like a bit of a beast on paper. Someone who can match up against bigger receivers and TEs. A DB who isn't afraid to tackle and who has an eye for the ball. That said, with only 2 blue combines, I'm guessing he'll be just a 40's rated, servicable kind of guy.

Again using Ben's Combine tool, it looks like a 40 rated guy is where this guy is headed. Nickel back maybe. Hoping his M2M and Zone bars are at least as good as advertised, if not better.

Will Morris be another Peanut? Probably not...

Hibby Woulda Took: Arkansas State lineman Johnny Sherman. Guy looks like a machine and great name too!


3.29 ROD AIDOO, OT, NORTH CAROLINA

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Height: 6'4" (Below Average)
Weight: 283lbs (Way Above Average)

Sol: 25
40 Time: 5.12
Bench: 26
Agility: 7.64
Broad Jump: 8'1"
Dev: 41

PRE TC:18/42
EX2: 21/42 +3/+0

Hibby's Take: Aidoo is a little undersized but certainly has the tools to make it in this league. Maybe not a top starter at his position but certainly servicable or maybe a swing tackle behind a couple of better guys. Not a terrible pick I don't think by the AI. With him being a little short and light for an OT, he may project better as a guard in the pros.

The next Jordan Mills? Or the next J'Marcus Webb?

Hibby Woulda Took: Like I said, I don't think Aidoo is a terrible pick and without being able to have analyzed the draft it's hard to pick any doamonds out at this point. OG Shirley looks a decent pick and RB Mel Wolf at 3.26 doesn't look too far removed from the guy we took at 1.19.


We did draft 4 other guys but in all honesty, It'd be a waste of time even typing them up.

7th round QB Victor Weaver might hold a clipboard and for a few kicks in this league but that's about it. 4th round WR Harold Grier might make a decent WR4 or WR5 if his RR and GD bars hold up but OG Jackie Bernard and DT Steven Winger would be lucky to play a few snaps in the lingerie league. Then again, wouldn't we all...

[davehibb]

I think we'll definitely be moving Aidoo to guard and he'll probably see a lot of playing time as a rookie.

I'm also toying with the idea of moving the RB to WR. At 6'2" and if he drops a few pounds he should be ideal as a flanker. I guess it depends how his combines/bars translate to receiver.

Also considering giving the 3-4 defense a spin. Signed some UDFA LB's with high PRT so we'll see how they pan out, though our beast SLB could probably play there but he does look valuable at SLB too... If we don't end up trading him... Maybe just leave him in there on dime packages. We'll see how it goes though.

[davehibb]

RB Alexander Shannon seems to be going in the right direction at +6/+7 and happy with Aidoo after his switch from Tackle to Guard +3/+0, a little disappointed that CB Morris dropped 7 points of future ability though.

Some notable UFA's

CB Melvin Kozak

TC: 21/35
Ex2: 25/38 +4/+3

CB Gus Jordan

TC: 17/29
Ex2: 22/31 +5/+2

Pity he's a midget at 5'6".

QB Nicholas Simmons (2yr)

TC: 10/41
EX2: 15/43 +5/+2

All in all, not a great deal to shout about...

[davehibb]

So, with a quarter of the season gone we're sat at 2-2. I thought we might have sneaked a win to be 1-3, so to be 2-2 at this point is above expectations but still, nothing to get excited about.

The stats don't show it but our defense had played well, supported by our punter and coverage teams. The core of Hutek, Dozier, Mahoney, Reid and Pierce is certainly something to build on defensively going forward. On offense, we don't have much to shout about at all. Lingen is a decent TE but he's at the twilight of his career, Wirthel is maybe a decent WR3 but he's WR1 for us. Tannehill has flattered to decieve since the AI splashed the cash on him, Talley is a decent FB, Shannon will be an average RB and Hawn is a stud OT. If our D and special teams can keep us close and our offense doesn't screw things up, we may get 6 wins. Part of me only really wants us to get 4 wins to improve our draft placing but I'll always try to win every game we play.

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We have 21 picks I think over the next 2 drafts, so that's an entire extra draft class. 12 of those picks are in round 1 through 4, so hopefully we can add 10 decent starters at least. Given the holes we have, I'm hoping we can go for BPA in most cases. It's certainly going to be exciting rebuilding the team. I've never really had that luxury in any of the leagues I've been part of up to now, so that should be fun.

We'll look at moving Hawn after season's end and maybe Tannehill too as he should have some value and a few years left in the tank too. Eric Reid will be in a contract year, so we may have to cash in on him if he holds us to ransom over an extension. We'll also have a lot of RFAs who will have racked up some game time, so it will be interesting to see how much those guys want to get paid too.

[davehibb]

Rumour has it that free safety Donald Germany sneaked into the Bears QB meeting during bye week and having reviewed the tape on Ryan Tannehill this season, he immediately checked in with the team doctor exhibiting symptoms of severe depression... Germany has since been placed on the mentally unable to perform list by the team.

[davehibb]

Midway Musings...

It's hard not to look forward to next season given the situation we're in and the season we're having. It's been hard not to throw the towel in and intentionally tank, especially after 7 straight losses or whatever and even though we may lose our final two games, or knowing my luck, we'll win them both to screw our draft position, we'll hopefully be competitive whilst giving the guys on our roster a chance to develop too.

It's pretty obvious that we'll be moving on from Tannehill at QB. I think on a better team he can still start or at least be a top backup for the next 3 years or so. Not sure we'll be able to find a trade partner, given the tab they'll have to pick up but he'll be traded or cut. We'll eat $10m next year and the year after too but be saving $29m and $31m over those two seasons too.

Alexander Shannon is the mediocre AI drafted back we thought he'd be but I guess we'll be stuck with him through his rookie contract. He's a 3rd down/passing down kinda back, not the workhorse we'll need down the line but we're stuck with him for the next few years I think.

Tight end Marvin Lingen has probably been our best offensive player this year and has proved to be a consistent performer at the position over his career, which he'll probably see out in Chicago as he'll be entering his 11th year next season and wouldn't command decent trade value. The same could be said for fullback Percy Talley. Decent guy at his position but getting up in years and unlikely to have any trade value so he may as well be a bridge player for us the next couple of years.

Looking at our wide receiver pool, I'd hate to think that we'd have to rely on too many of those guys again next year. Wirthel is under contract and has shown brief moments in games but he's a WR4 at best on a good team I think.

Looking at our O-Line and again, I wouldn't want to have to rely on most of them again next year. Aidoo (if he recovers from injury), Caldwell & Schneider might make decent backups and of course there's stud LT Rico Hawn but as much as I would like to keep him as he's young and immensely talented, he's also a huge cap number for us and we should be able to move him for a high draft pick so he'll be a cap casualty most likely, unfortunately.

Punter Scott Cheatham was a bright spot in FA for us and played well so he's a keeper but band aid kicker Francisco Cortez is unlikely to be retained.

Moving onto the D-Line, Bo Hutek is a stud DE and someone who we' like to keep around and build around but like Rico Hawn, he's a big cap number and if we can get good compensation for him, he may well be a cap casualty in the way of a trade but if that doesn't materialise, with the moves we'll make elsewhere on the roster, we'll probably be able to afford him for the next couple fo years at least. Disappointed for former 1st round pick DT Griffin Brooks, who we lost for the season due to injury as he looked to be developing into a decent player. Hopefully he'll come back without losing a step. The rest of the guys in this group are scrubs at best.

Linebackers Dozier and Mahoney are the real heartbeat of the defense but again, it's a little up in the air as to whether they'll remain or be prised away next year. It would be easy enough to retain them both but if there's a market for them, then we could really clear the decks and start from scratch by moving these guys. None of the other guys in this unit figure to return.

Strong Safety Eric Reid's situation is intriguing. Along with Hutek, Dozier, Mahoney and fellow safety Antonio Pierce, Reid is someone that I was originally thinking about building the defense around. He's played better of late, after a slow start and is obviously not hepled by our crappy corners but the guy is a stud, in his prime and at one of the most influential positions on defense. He'll be in a contract year and again it's possible we could trade him away for a high round pick as we look to reload the roster. Antonio Pierce has done reasonably well at free safety, again given our lack of talent at corner. He's locked into a cap friendly contract for the next few seasons, so there's no reason for us to move him, though he probably wishes we would if Hutek, Dozier, Mahoney and Reid are sacrificed.

The AI's second round pick CB Rodolfo Harris has started all year for us at RCB and has been medicore at best. He's probably going to be a decent backup but again, a wasted pick in last year's draft, though he'll probably play out his rookie deal for us. Undrafted free agent Melvin Kozak has started at left corner for us all year and has probably exceeded expectations. Again, he's only really backup material and it will be interesting to see what his salary demands are to stay next year. The rest of the secondary is pretty much junk.

So, as we look towards year 2 in terms of clearing the decks and our first draft and full free agency period in terms of rebuilding the franchise, there's certainly going to be a sizeable roster turnover, with Tannehill likely to be cut or maybe traded and Hawn, Hutek, Dozier, Mahoney and Reid possibly being shopped/moved on to stockpile picks and allow us to manouvre in free agency and get back into a healthy position cap wise.

Some more wheeling and dealing to be done for sure.

[cyril]

"...is the mediocre AI drafted back we thought he'd be..."
"The AI's second round pick CB Rodolfo Harris has started all year for us at RCB and has been medicore at best."
"It's pretty obvious that we'll be moving on from Tannehill at QB. I think on a better team he can still start..." <--- (Tannehill signed as FA from Denver, by... AI!!!)

OK, it's damn obvious you resent your AI... I got that. Time to fire AI and incorporate some HI!

[davehibb]

Haha.

Yep, that's right! I hate the swine!!!

I think maybe it's a secret Packers fan, with the ****ty draft picks and hamstringing FA contracts and extensions it dished out, which will take us a few seasons to get past... Which will be like the best part of a year in 'human time'.

So yeah, perhaps I'm a little resentful :P but it's going to be fun rebuilding. And writing about it too!

[davehibb]

Larry Mayer, Senior Writer, ChicagoBears.com: As GM Hibby prepares for his first offseason and FFL draft, he took time out from the recent FFL owners and coaches meeting to answer questions about the slew of moves the Bears have been involved in since the start of trading season.

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Linebacker Norbert Dozier was the first Bear shown the door this season as he was dealt to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2nd round pick amid accusations by unnamed team sources that he had become a disruptive influence in the locker room. Here's what Hibby had to say about the trade.

I'm really not going to get into that. We felt this was a good move for Norbert and a good move for us and a good move for the Cardinals too. They're getting a very productive player and Norbert gets a new start and we get a 2nd round pick to help us build through the draft. It also gives us a little cap relief too. It's a win, win, win.... Win.

The Dozier trade was actually the second of three transactions with the new regime in Arizona. The first deal struck between the Bears and Cardinals GM allowed Chicago to acquire the 24th overall pick in the draft, with a 2nd, two 3rds and a 5th round pick going the other way. What did Hibby say?

With the moves we'd made when we first got here last season, we'd accrued a lot of picks. You know, we have a lot of holes on the roster but we felt good about moving up to gain another 1st rounder, having evaluated the incoming class. And it also gives us a little more leverage in terms of moving up in the draft should we feel the need to do so. The aim is to build this team through the draft to have sustained success and whilst we netted a loss of three draft picks, we feel really good about getting back into the 1st round.

Perhaps the most controversial move was the 3rd deal with Arizona, in which the Bears sent safety Eric Reid to the Cardinals in return for a 1st round pick and a future 4th round pick. Reid is an elite FFL talent. A top player at his position coming into his prime. Why did the Bears feel the need to move him.

You know, Eric is a top, top player. His a good teammate and he and his family have done a lot of good things in the community since he came here. He's a player we love but you know, he was on a big contract and coming into a contract year and we really didn't have the leeway cap wise to accommodate that and so we tried to get the best value we could for very good player, who all things being equal, we would have loved to keep but that's the business side of football and Eric understands that. We felt real good about picking up another 1st round pick and a 4th down the line as we look to rebuild here and we wish Eric and his family all the best.

The final trade to date saw 2nd year cornerback and last year's 2nd round pick by the Bears, Rodolfo Morris (and a 5th round pick), head to Dallas in a move with another familiar trade partner. Here's Hibby's take.

Rodolfo is a good young player who's still learning the game and who definitely has a future in the league but he didn't really fit into what we're trying to do here scheme wise on defense. He's a good kid and although people will see this as lost value on a 2nd round selection, we feel comfortable in picking up a high 4th round pick for him and again it's one of those deals where the move suits all parties involved I think.

With the start of Free Agency upon us, the Bears still have some notable players on the Block including QB Ryan Tannehill, DE Bo Hutek, LB Leonard Mahoney and LT Rico Hawn, who according to league sources has been shopped heavily but it now looks like the Bears might be ready to keep Hawn on a restructured deal.

[davehibb]

Michael C. Wright, ESPNChicago: The revolving doors at Halas Hall were busy again this week as the Bears traded away two of last years free agent class, with quarterback Ryan Tannehill leaving for Dallas and left tackle Rico Hawn headed to KC. The Bears will receive pick 6.3 from the Cowboys and the Chiefs will send their 1st round selection next year.

The Bears will eat around $20m in dead cap money over the next two years but also free up around $60m over the same period by dealing Tannehill, who disappointed on the field, albeit with limited resources last season.

Bears insiders claim that the decision to trade Hawn was much harder, given that he's just entering his prime and that the player showed a willingness to restructure his deal to make it more cap friendly. However it's believed that the Bears hierarchy thought that Hawn would be a little past his prime by the team would be in a position to compete for a playoff spot and that a future 1st round pick would be of greater help as the franchise looks to rebuild.

Defensive end Bo Hutek now appears to be the only player the Bears currently have on the block and are actively shopping.

[davehibb]

Midway Musings - Pre Draft

Well, so far, we've amassed 12 picks in this years draft. 7 in the top 100, including 3 1st rounders, so hopefully we can begin to build the basis of the team going forward. We also have 10 picks or so next year including a couple of 1st and 2nd rounders. Of course the trick is to turn those picks into good, solid players, which is easier said than done in FOF7. Though I guess that we have such a threadbare roster at the moment, that we can try and go for BPA in most cases. But as always, there's the temptation to reach. I'm hoping that with having so many picks that I can resist that urge, for the most part.

Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be landing that franchise QB this year but we should be able to snag a decent skill position player at 1.5 and then just add talent with the next 11 picks, as we don't have a great deal of it at the moment.

We've also created some breathing space cap wise so perhaps we can throw a few offers out there in free agency too now, to try and bolster the team with a few bridge players to help us transition for the next couple of years. And hopefully the demands of the UDFAs we picked up and had to play last year will come down with each week of FA that passes, as a few of them are wanting paying.