Update: Alshon Jeffery signs w/ Eagles

[Adipost]

https://mobile.twitter.com/AaronLemingNFL/status/831259560312582144

[ysleblanc]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

[staleystarch]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

[wab]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

[bearsfaninaz]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

Shhhh don't bring facts into this argument. How dare you sir

[staleystarch]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

Shhhh don't bring facts into this argument. How dare you sir

Well how about some facts? What were the Bears offering? What dollar amount? Was he being lowballed? Bring a fact into the the argument. What was the amount? Not a speculation, the fact.

[BR0D1E86]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

Shhhh don't bring facts into this argument. How dare you sir

Well how about some facts? What were the Bears offering? What dollar amount? Was he being lowballed? Bring a fact into the the argument. What was the amount? Not a speculation, the fact.

Maybe about 12 million per year.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/247sports. ... 274135/Amp

Mike Garafolo claimed the Bears tried to sign Jeffery to a long-term deal with an average of $12 million per year

Biggs reported “below 13 million” at the time. So 12 is probably about right.



And I think he’s pretty conclusively demonstrated himself to be a decent to high end number two. He’s pretty unequivocally not a #1 guy. I think it was a big mistake not to franchise him, because he would have been a huge help this year. But the high dollar amount, combined with his history of nagging injuries doesn’t have me too broken up about his leaving in general. At least in the long term.

[staleystarch]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

Shhhh don't bring facts into this argument. How dare you sir

Well how about some facts? What were the Bears offering? What dollar amount? Was he being lowballed? Bring a fact into the the argument. What was the amount? Not a speculation, the fact.

Maybe about 12 million per year.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/247sports. ... 274135/Amp

Mike Garafolo claimed the Bears tried to sign Jeffery to a long-term deal with an average of $12 million per year

Biggs reported “below 13 million” at the time. So 12 is probably about right.



And I think he’s pretty conclusively demonstrated himself to be a decent to high end number two. He’s pretty unequivocally not a #1 guy. I think it was a big mistake not to franchise him, because he would have been a huge help this year. But the high dollar amount, combined with his history of nagging injuries doesn’t have me too broken up about his leaving in general. At least in the long term.

The fact is the amount was speculation. I’ve also seen 11.5 mil as the supposed figure. Also, this nagging injury stuff, you could make the injury argument about almost everyone on the Bears. They better not resign anybody. AJ is definitely a one WR. I would not say top 5 or not even perhaps top 10, but a number one.

[staleystarch]

Still think letting Jeffery walk was a big mistake by Pace, he would be a huge asset for the rookie QB. Now they'll end up overpaying to replace him at the draft or FA.

I would add the current Bears WR situation Pace gave us is inexcusable. I never bought the Cam Merideth/Kevin White cool-aid that was being sold.

Everyone glosses over the fact that he turned down the Bears standing multi year offer to sign a one year contract elsewhere.

They could have tagged him again for less than the price of one Mike Glennon. It might have helped slightly in the development of a rookie QB.

[BR0D1E86]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


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[Atkins&Rebel]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This right here.
And even the Eagles didn't just hand him a 4 year deal...there's escape clauses with injury settlements built into the contract. The Eagles know the risk with Jeffery.

[ysleblanc]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

[wab]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

You mean offer him a contract to stay in Chicago. Like they did?

[ysleblanc]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

You mean offer him a contract to stay in Chicago. Like they did?

Pay him more. This team spend money every year in the off season that goes to players who contribute nothing. Pay the damn guys that are here and proved they could perform here. a lot less risk than big money at Wheaton and get nothing.

[BR0D1E86]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

He did. That was four years ago with Marshall taking #1 corners on the other side and he hasn’t come close since.

I’m not defending anything about him not being on the team or with whom they replaced him. But he is unequivocally not an upper echelon wide receiver.

[ysleblanc]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

He did. That was four years ago with Marshall taking #1 corners on the other side and he hasn’t come close since.

I’m not defending anything about him not being on the team or with whom they replaced him. But he is unequivocally not an upper echelon wide receiver.

He is a #1 NFL receiver. Pay him accordingly.

[BR0D1E86]

He’s a 60 catch, 850ish yard per year receiver. He’s a good starting receiver. But certainly not an elite one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He had 2 years of 85+ catches and 1100+ yards. Yes, he's had injuries, but so do a lot of NFL players, none are career ending.

Instead of pissing away money on guys like Wheaton, why not pay up for Jeffery who has shown he could produce in Chicago?

He did. That was four years ago with Marshall taking #1 corners on the other side and he hasn’t come close since.

I’m not defending anything about him not being on the team or with whom they replaced him. But he is unequivocally not an upper echelon wide receiver.

He is a #1 NFL receiver. Pay him accordingly.

Ok. He’s not a good #1 nfl receiver. And they offered him 12 million a year.

[G08]

Is it true we offered him a contract and he refused? Does anyone have a link to that / and the numbers of the contract?

[BR0D1E86]

Is it true we offered him a contract and he refused? Does anyone have a link to that / and the numbers of the contract?

10-15 posts ago. And I don’t think specific numbers were known, but multiple reports had the contract being around 12 million annually.

[malk]

Obviously all these reports are hearsay but there is a pattern of Pace missing out in free agency by being overly conservative with his offers. I guess we got McPhee and Trevathan but I don't recall any other examples of him going out and getting his man.

Unless that man is a giraffe.

[WP.1]

Akiem Hicks

[malk]

Akiem Hicks

I can't recall how prized Hicks was in 2016 but by mere virtue of us signing him on a 2 year $10m deal he wasn't one of the leagues top targets.

It is a really good example of what I think is one of Pace's failings, poor calculation of risk/reward in the cap.

Hicks' initial contract with us had good downside protection, i.e. if he disappointed we were only on the hook for $5m guaranteed. That isn't a bad thing, certainly better than throwing $115m at Suh or something similar. However, considering where it was in the team's development and our cap situation at the time, it gave absolutely zero upside outside of getting the inside track on a future contract (which admittedly isn't nothing). If he does poorly we can get out, if he does well he get's paid. There's no opportunity for a market beating contract as seen now when he's the 4th highest paid 3-4 DE in the league. Plus the cheaper part of his time with us is the period where we weren't competing anyway. I'm super happy he's on the team but you can't win the whole thing without having some players that out-perform their contracts.

Now I don't know what it took to get Hicks to sign and maybe he wanted to sign a shorter deal to back himself to get the deal he now has. But given he'd previously only been paid a 3rd round pick rookie deal and $1.3m for a one year deal with the Patriots... well I think he could have been tempted into a longer deal.

So this belies a lack of confidence in free agents and that's consistent with Pace's language when talking about it. Building through the draft to the exclusion of most else. Pulling numbers out of the air, if we'd have offered Hicks 5 years and $35m back then with $15m guaranteed in the first 2 years, he may well have taken it. Instead we effectively signed him to 5 years $54m with $27 guaranteed. The latter deal isn't a bad one, we're not on the hook for much beyond 2018 but it's still a missed opportunity.

So much has to go right to win it all and we're not making enough good decisions yet.

[Hematite]

Akiem Hicks

I can't recall how prized Hicks was in 2016 but by mere virtue of us signing him on a 2 year $10m deal he wasn't one of the leagues top targets.

It is a really good example of what I think is one of Pace's failings, poor calculation of risk/reward in the cap.

Hicks' initial contract with us had good downside protection, i.e. if he disappointed we were only on the hook for $5m guaranteed. That isn't a bad thing, certainly better than throwing $115m at Suh or something similar. However, considering where it was in the team's development and our cap situation at the time, it gave absolutely zero upside outside of getting the inside track on a future contract (which admittedly isn't nothing). If he does poorly we can get out, if he does well he get's paid. There's no opportunity for a market beating contract as seen now when he's the 4th highest paid 3-4 DE in the league. Plus the cheaper part of his time with us is the period where we weren't competing anyway. I'm super happy he's on the team but you can't win the whole thing without having some players that out-perform their contracts.

Now I don't know what it took to get Hicks to sign and maybe he wanted to sign a shorter deal to back himself to get the deal he now has. But given he'd previously only been paid a 3rd round pick rookie deal and $1.3m for a one year deal with the Patriots... well I think he could have been tempted into a longer deal.

So this belies a lack of confidence in free agents and that's consistent with Pace's language when talking about it. Building through the draft to the exclusion of most else. Pulling numbers out of the air, if we'd have offered Hicks 5 years and $35m back then with $15m guaranteed in the first 2 years, he may well have taken it. Instead we effectively signed him to 5 years $54m with $27 guaranteed. The latter deal isn't a bad one, we're not on the hook for much beyond 2018 but it's still a missed opportunity.

So much has to go right to win it all and we're not making enough good decisions yet.

To me this is such an unfair assessment. Yeah I get that it takes players over producing compared to their contracts but most teams that have that occur regularly are dealing with rookie contracts. Overpaying a player that isn't producing especially on a longer contract is far more detrimental to team building then underpaying initially and rewarding a player that deserves it.

[malk]

Akiem Hicks

I can't recall how prized Hicks was in 2016 but by mere virtue of us signing him on a 2 year $10m deal he wasn't one of the leagues top targets.

It is a really good example of what I think is one of Pace's failings, poor calculation of risk/reward in the cap.

Hicks' initial contract with us had good downside protection, i.e. if he disappointed we were only on the hook for $5m guaranteed. That isn't a bad thing, certainly better than throwing $115m at Suh or something similar. However, considering where it was in the team's development and our cap situation at the time, it gave absolutely zero upside outside of getting the inside track on a future contract (which admittedly isn't nothing). If he does poorly we can get out, if he does well he get's paid. There's no opportunity for a market beating contract as seen now when he's the 4th highest paid 3-4 DE in the league. Plus the cheaper part of his time with us is the period where we weren't competing anyway. I'm super happy he's on the team but you can't win the whole thing without having some players that out-perform their contracts.

Now I don't know what it took to get Hicks to sign and maybe he wanted to sign a shorter deal to back himself to get the deal he now has. But given he'd previously only been paid a 3rd round pick rookie deal and $1.3m for a one year deal with the Patriots... well I think he could have been tempted into a longer deal.

So this belies a lack of confidence in free agents and that's consistent with Pace's language when talking about it. Building through the draft to the exclusion of most else. Pulling numbers out of the air, if we'd have offered Hicks 5 years and $35m back then with $15m guaranteed in the first 2 years, he may well have taken it. Instead we effectively signed him to 5 years $54m with $27 guaranteed. The latter deal isn't a bad one, we're not on the hook for much beyond 2018 but it's still a missed opportunity.

So much has to go right to win it all and we're not making enough good decisions yet.

To me this is such an unfair assessment. Yeah I get that it takes players over producing compared to their contracts but most teams that have that occur regularly are dealing with rookie contracts. Overpaying a player that isn't producing especially on a longer contract is far more detrimental to team building then underpaying initially and rewarding a player that deserves it.

I think you've missed my point a little. Yes the worst thing you can do is overpaying on a long term deal. That's why I mentioned Suh and if Pace had dished out a contract like that I'd be calling for his head. He hasn't though so the argument is a canard.

The problem with most of Pace's free agent contracts, bar for McPhee, is that they aren't long enough to have an upside. McPhee's contract was substantial but about half the cost (average per year) of a top edge rusher's, currently just outside the top 20. Now we now how it has played out with injuries but we can get out of the last couple of years with little trouble and it was a good gamble even though it didn't pay off.

Hicks should, and could, have been signed to a similar contract and I think it's massively important that Pace learns from the mistake.

Plus this isn't to say that Pace's decisions have all been bad. Trevathan was a good contract, a top ILB with a non cap killing contract that we could get out of if necessary. But then there are the contract's like Wheaton's, basically the same as the first Hicks one except it hasn't worked out. Am I happy that we can get out of it, sure but imagine if he had broken out? We'd then be looking at paying him a pile this year or next so where's the upside?

$7m to Amukamara on a one year deal in a season where the absolute best outcome was one and done in the playoffs. Madness.

We're too far behind to just build through the draft so we need to make some good free agent signings and potentially use some of our massive cap space to sign a splashy one. I'm hoping he does that with a good choice massively front loaded but it remains to be seen.

Oh, and I haven't even gotten into how poor a choice Glennon was, nor the apparent need to give Dion Sims $6m per year...

[staleystarch]

Is it true we offered him a contract and he refused? Does anyone have a link to that / and the numbers of the contract?

10-15 posts ago. And I don’t think specific numbers were known, but multiple reports had the contract being around 12 million annually.

Nobody but the Bears front office and AJ plus his agent know. And as for him not being a legit number one, bullshit!
http://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/t ... it-no-1-wr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;