A Continuous Journey: 2024 NFL Offseason Thread

stockpiling those fifth and sixth round picks, what a haul

 

Maybe its just me but Payton seems to be following the Josh McDaniel playbook to a T. Get the job by telling the owners you can "take the team to the next level" - have a crappy season, jettison the QB, tear the team down to the studs to buy yourself a good two years without pressure to win.

 

Seven more career wins than Fields, whose market is quickly going south.

 

So where's Trevor Lawrence going?

 

The Bears depleted that market by making it clear they were going to trade him. They deserve what they don’t get.

 

Poles' public comments of late certainly didn't help their bargaining position (and pretty much makes keeping him around as insurance an impossibility). Of course, it's pretty clear the Bears aren't the only QB-needy team that realizes Fields' upside is limited. Not sure his market has ever been that strong. That was more a media creation to fill the 24/7 "analysis" cycle than reality.

Anyone who has been paying attention knows what Fields is. The inescapable blatherings from a slew of fanbois in sports media wasn't going to change that.

 

Before ripping Poles, think about how everyone else in that situation is trading Fields. It’s blatantly obvious, question make in 5th year contract price or 1st pick QB on 1st yr rookie contract? while other GMs may be not as sharp but I’ve got to believe no one thinks CHI is sticking with Fields.

 

It's been clear the Bears were going to dump Fields since last Thanksgiving. But I have to believe that if the Jaguars were willing to take poor Mac Jones, Fields will also find a home, even if the Bears just leave him on a doorstep with a note attached.

 

I do think its a wise play to "let the market decide" - if the Bears can put a better team on the field next year, with Fields or with Williams and the trade return. I don't know what the market is for either. For the no. 1, I'd guess it would be a first round pick swap this year, next year's no. 1 and a two and perhaps more. For Fields, maybe a 2 with a conditional 2 or 3 if the trade partner makes the playoffs with Fields?

 

Fields will get about the same for the Bears as the Pats got for Jones, a third day draft pick. It's a buyer's market here. After all, once the Bears use the number one pick on Williams, they'll just have to release Fields and teams can get him for nothing.

 

Oh, they'll be able to trade him, but not on Poles' announced timeline, and not for anything resembling the oft-predicted return. They may have to wait until the second day of the draft at this point.