The NFC North's Outlook if Rodgers Departs: Bleak. 4 Teams in a Rebuild?

[Richie]

In a hypothetical scenario where Rodgers does, indeed, walk from Green Bay...

Green Bay: They'll almost certainly let their big name free agents walk. The roster will have a very different look and Jordan Love will be their starting QB. I think we can all agree, if Rodgers leaves, they are entering into a total rebuild.

Minnesota: They fired their coach, they fired their GM, and it looks like a real possibility that Cousins will be traded. They have some pieces, but the QB situation becomes a question mark. That coupled with a first year coach/GM and a defense that ranked 30th overall in 2021? Signs point to a rebuild. Unless they decide to keep Cousins, the new GM decides he can win, and they are aggressive in free agency.

Detroit: They'll enter their second year under the new regime, but clearly... this team was in horrible shape last season. Question marks all over, including at QB. Goff will be on the final year of his deal. He has not looked like the answer, though. It's still VERY much a rebuild in progress.

Chicago: We all know that this one is easy. We will have a brand new GM, a brand new coaching staff, and we will likely be trading any of our key vets that garner a decent draft choice. Most notably, Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. We will also lose a handful of impact players in free agency, such as Akiem Hicks. We only have one real weapon on the outside in Mooney. We have a decent looking young TE in Kmet and a good looking RB in Montgomery. However, despite the improvements over the course of the season, the line still needs a lot of work. This is a full blown start over around Justin Fields. Who will be entering his first season as the Bears starting QB. Full blown rebuild.

If Rodgers departs, this is going to be the short bus division in the NFL. Any arguments against that? Always a chance that one team surprises. One is bound to be better than we think. Perhaps good enough to at least beat up on the other three, en route to a winning record. But man... this could be a dumpster fire. To the point where a 7 or 8 win team claims the North crown.

[Moriarty]

I heard on the radio this morning the sickening idea that the Bears should abandon rebuilding and play for the NFCN title, since it would be so up for grabs.



Yeah, that's what we need. MORE abandonment of long term strategy in favor of short term gratification.

[Richie]

I heard on the radio this morning the sickening idea that the Bears should abandon rebuilding and play for the NFCN title, since it would be so up for grabs.



Yeah, that's what we need. MORE abandonment of long term strategy in favor of short term gratification.

Yeah. I'm a big proponent of fielding a team in an attempt to win games and not settling for a total tank job. It has to be within reason, though. It can't compromise the ultimate goal.

Holding onto our 30+ year old vets that could be trade pieces and being aggressive in free agency? Just so we can MAYBE go 9-8, steal a putrid division, only to get manhandled in the 1st round? That sets back our rebuild in a huge way, and is NOT "reasonable".

Also, the idea that our new GM would be for this is absurd. If he is - he is the wrong hire. He's not going to want to put his own future in jeopardy, just so he can satisfy some meatball fans who want to eek out 9 wins with the tattered remnants of the failed regime before him.

[wab]

I heard on the radio this morning the sickening idea that the Bears should abandon rebuilding and play for the NFCN title, since it would be so up for grabs.



Yeah, that's what we need. MORE abandonment of long term strategy in favor of short term gratification.

You only get 16 (well 17) games. Every season is different, and unless you are a dynasty, short term gratification is what most teams are after.
So if you told me right now the Bears would win the NFC and play in the super bowl next year while putting off a rebuild and going all in on a short term run, that would potentially set them back 2 years on a rebuild...I'd absolutely be riding that train.

[crueltyabc]

If the division is truly jordan love GB, jared goff DET, and like matt corral MIN then I think the Bears go 6-2 either because Mack & Quinn terrorize those bad QBs or because the new GM makes something happen in a trade. I just can't believe that the other three teams would all be willing to throw away the season.

[Moriarty]

I heard on the radio this morning the sickening idea that the Bears should abandon rebuilding and play for the NFCN title, since it would be so up for grabs.



Yeah, that's what we need. MORE abandonment of long term strategy in favor of short term gratification.

You only get 16 (well 17) games. Every season is different, and unless you are a dynasty, short term gratification is what most teams are after.
So if you told me right now the Bears would win the NFC and play in the super bowl next year while putting off a rebuild and going all in on a short term run, that would potentially set them back 2 years on a rebuild...I'd absolutely be riding that train.

OK, but that's completely unrealistic and not on the table as a likely outcome at all.


Supposing GB rebuilds, how do you feel about:
The new GM going all in immediately
winning a super weak NFCN
10 wins for 2 years, mostly on the basis of 6 easy in division games
getting bitchslapped hard when the playoffs come
Falling apart for a couple years after that, as age/spending catch up after 6 straight yrs of going for it, while the rest of the division grows strong
And then Fields' contract is up and your window to maximize his cheap rookie deal is gone

[Richie]

I heard on the radio this morning the sickening idea that the Bears should abandon rebuilding and play for the NFCN title, since it would be so up for grabs.



Yeah, that's what we need. MORE abandonment of long term strategy in favor of short term gratification.

You only get 16 (well 17) games. Every season is different, and unless you are a dynasty, short term gratification is what most teams are after.
So if you told me right now the Bears would win the NFC and play in the super bowl next year while putting off a rebuild and going all in on a short term run, that would potentially set them back 2 years on a rebuild...I'd absolutely be riding that train.

Okay, but the thing is, that's not what these people are talking about which Moriaty speaks of. They're saying the North is so weak, that we should give it a shot. Meaning, we get the short term gratification of sneaking out an NFC North title with 9ish wins and then get bounced from the playoffs immediately.

Of course, winning a SB is the ultimate goal, so we all would make that small sacrifice. However, it's not in the realm of being realistic in 2022. No matter how hard we try. At our best, we could eek out a weak north. No one is setting back two years worth of a rebuild for that.

[crueltyabc]

I’m looking at the Bengals and thinking that could be the Bears next year if they hit on a few players in the off-season. Is that really crazy? Would it be so bad to be the dark horse or underdog in the playoffs?

[malk]

You only get 16 (well 17) games. Every season is different, and unless you are a dynasty, short term gratification is what most teams are after.
So if you told me right now the Bears would win the NFC and play in the super bowl next year while putting off a rebuild and going all in on a short term run, that would potentially set them back 2 years on a rebuild...I'd absolutely be riding that train.

OK, but that's completely unrealistic and not on the table as a likely outcome at all.


Supposing GB rebuilds, how do you feel about:
The new GM going all in immediately
winning a super weak NFCN
10 wins for 2 years, mostly on the basis of 6 easy in division games
getting bitchslapped hard when the playoffs come
Falling apart for a couple years after that, as age/spending catch up after 6 straight yrs of going for it, while the rest of the division grows strong
And then Fields' contract is up and your window to maximize his cheap rookie deal is gone

Exactly. Play in the Superbowl next year, where is that coming from?

I think the rest of the NFC North going to a rebuild actually cements the need for us to be aggressive in resetting as it means we have a better chance of sneaking into the playoffs with a worse roster. Move on from Mack and Quinn for picks, try for a few guys with upside in free agency this year whilst identifying what talent is on the roster, e.g. get Gipson a bunch of snaps to find out if he's good enough to start, whilst still getting Fields the experience he needs. Then from 2023 we can properly work on a new long term plan with the new head coach's schemes.

[wab]

OK, but that's completely unrealistic and not on the table as a likely outcome at all.


Supposing GB rebuilds, how do you feel about:
The new GM going all in immediately
winning a super weak NFCN
10 wins for 2 years, mostly on the basis of 6 easy in division games
getting bitchslapped hard when the playoffs come
Falling apart for a couple years after that, as age/spending catch up after 6 straight yrs of going for it, while the rest of the division grows strong
And then Fields' contract is up and your window to maximize his cheap rookie deal is gone

Exactly. Play in the Superbowl next year, where is that coming from?

I answered a question that he didn't necessarily ask. This happens literally every day on this board.

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

Exactly. Play in the Superbowl next year, where is that coming from?

I answered a question that he didn't necessarily ask. This happens literally every day on this board.

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

I agree, WAB - its all about winning in the moment, doing the best you can with what you got, every play, every game, every season....for me, as a Bears fan, anything less is bogus and unworthy of my remaining time.

[Moriarty]

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

This feels a lot like the sports fan equivalent of someone whose attitude towards retirement and savings is:

"Save money? Invest wisely? Too hard, too complicated, don't want to, not going to happen, might not even live that long anyway. I'm going to spend my money now and enjoy it. And, hey, maybe one of my lottery tickets will hit, eventually."


However incompetent we all think the McCaskeys are, I still think the odds and enjoyment from
a) George throws a dart at a board and stumbles onto a GM who knows how to strategize properly, rebuilds, makes a serious run for a few years after that
are a lot better than
b) George hires a GM who believes in 'go for it every year' and one day they just get a bunch of lucky breaks while engaging in constant short term thinking


You're entitled to enjoy and value whatever you want in a team, I guess.
It couldn't be more different from what I want in a team.
And I don't think it pays off nearly as well, unless you can successfully delude yourself about how much of a chance the team has in all those mediocre years.

[crueltyabc]

We want George to believe they have a chance every year because we want him to spend cash on players, facilities, and anything else that can give the team an edge. There are teams who have owners who are content to lose games and cash their TV checks every year.

[wab]

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

This feels a lot like the sports fan equivalent of someone whose attitude towards retirement and savings is:

"Save money? Invest wisely? Too hard, too complicated, don't want to, not going to happen, might not even live that long anyway. I'm going to spend my money now and enjoy it. And, hey, maybe one of my lottery tickets will hit, eventually."


However incompetent we all think the McCaskeys are, I still think the odds and enjoyment from
a) George throws a dart at a board and stumbles onto a GM who knows how to strategize properly, rebuilds, makes a serious run for a few years after that
are a lot better than
b) George hires a GM who believes in 'go for it every year' and one day they just get a bunch of lucky breaks while engaging in constant short term thinking


You're entitled to enjoy and value whatever you want in a team, I guess.
It couldn't be more different from what I want in a team.
And I don't think it pays off nearly as well, unless you can successfully delude yourself about how much of a chance the team has in all those mediocre years.

Parity is a real thing. Unless you have Tom Brady. And there's no delusion...I go into every season hoping they win and not caring exactly how much money they have on the books. I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

Also, football seasons for like 30 of the teams in the NFL are hoping for a lotto ticket that hits. Rooting for a football team and retirement savings are...very different. lol.

[thunderspirit]

This feels a lot like the sports fan equivalent of someone whose attitude towards retirement and savings is:

"Save money? Invest wisely? Too hard, too complicated, don't want to, not going to happen, might not even live that long anyway. I'm going to spend my money now and enjoy it. And, hey, maybe one of my lottery tickets will hit, eventually."


However incompetent we all think the McCaskeys are, I still think the odds and enjoyment from
a) George throws a dart at a board and stumbles onto a GM who knows how to strategize properly, rebuilds, makes a serious run for a few years after that
are a lot better than
b) George hires a GM who believes in 'go for it every year' and one day they just get a bunch of lucky breaks while engaging in constant short term thinking


You're entitled to enjoy and value whatever you want in a team, I guess.
It couldn't be more different from what I want in a team.
And I don't think it pays off nearly as well, unless you can successfully delude yourself about how much of a chance the team has in all those mediocre years.

Parity is a real thing. Unless you have Tom Brady. And there's no delusion...I go into every season hoping they win and not caring exactly how much money they have on the books. I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

Also, football seasons for like 30 of the teams in the NFL are hoping for a lotto ticket that hits. Rooting for a football team and retirement savings are...very different. lol.

There's a lot of truth here.

[The Cooler King]

As long as short term upgrades are mainly geared towards supporting Fields I am for any short term gain. The single biggest thing that will lift this franchise into a new tier is a leap by Fields. There's no wasted years/efforts in making that happen. Even a long shot playoff run would be really good for him too.

If we wanna threadbare the D or tear it down (Quinn/Mack) to make that happen I'm okay with that. As long as there is a vision for sustained O success around Fields.

So definitely no tank job. But don't have to empty the chambers.

[The Cooler King]

Parity is a real thing. Unless you have Tom Brady. And there's no delusion...I go into every season hoping they win and not caring exactly how much money they have on the books. I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

Also, football seasons for like 30 of the teams in the NFL are hoping for a lotto ticket that hits. Rooting for a football team and retirement savings are...very different. lol.

+1

[Moriarty]

Parity is a real thing.

And yet every year Vegas doesn't give every team equal odds of winning it all, they give a very wide spread of chances, including 12 teams this years at less than a 1.5% chance.
And they remain very profitable in doing so.
It's almost as if they know something.

And there's no delusion..

I don't believe that for a second.

In all fan bases, in all sports, it's typical for the average fan to overestimate their team.
Something like 32/39 people here overestimated how well the Bears would do.
I asked a question about "what if the Bears go for it next year?" and you went straight to "Super Bowl appearance".
And you're selling "parity unless you have Tom Brady" as if the Bears are on a par with everyone else besides the Bucs.

[Kylo Bearen]

If the division is truly jordan love GB, jared goff DET, and like matt corral MIN then I think the Bears go 6-2 either because Mack & Quinn terrorize those bad QBs.

Mack and Quinn be like

[wab]

Parity is a real thing.

And yet every year Vegas doesn't give every team equal odds of winning it all, they give a very wide spread of chances, including 12 teams this years at less than a 1.5% chance.
And they remain very profitable in doing so.
It's almost as if they know something.

And there's no delusion..

I don't believe that for a second.

In all fan bases, in all sports, it's typical for the average fan to overestimate their team.
Something like 32/39 people here overestimated how well the Bears would do.
I asked a question about "what if the Bears go for it next year?" and you went straight to "Super Bowl appearance".
And you're selling "parity unless you have Tom Brady" as if the Bears are on a par with everyone else besides the Bucs.

I’m selling parity for the entire NFL. Not just the Bears. What were the Vegas odds on the Bengals, Niners, Raiders, Cardinals, and the Eagles? I’ll give you a hint… the Bengals had the same odds as the Jets.

Yes. I only care about instant gratification from my sports teams. I absolutely do not care how much money they spend, or on whom, to achieve that goal. Mortgage the future for as many playoff appearances as you can.

I. Don’t. Care.

[Richie]

Exactly. Play in the Superbowl next year, where is that coming from?

I answered a question that he didn't necessarily ask. This happens literally every day on this board.

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

I said it about the White Sox and it is paying off huge. It paid off for the Cubs, too. I can root for my team to win without simultaneously wanting them to be foolish and reckless. You are presenting this as a false dichotomy. Which, of course, is a logical fallacy.

I like to go out and have a night drinking with the boys sometimes. Hell, I like to go to a casino here and there as well. In this scenario, I'm the guy going out and still having fun without ruining my life. Realizing there's even better times to come with patience. While you're the guy blowing through his kids college fund on blackjack and ending his night with his weenie in a clap ridden prostitute. I can root for the Bears to win and be competitive in a season. Hoping they make sensible moves to fill holes. I can do that without wanting them to bury themselves for the next couple of years. Then, we'll all just be back here whining for even longer. And damn... this sure is not a fun time right now.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.


So, the Bears should just give up on trying to do things right and give into the fact that they'll always F it up? If I fail a dozen times in life. I'm not just going to buy a quart of gin every day and sit on a street corner. Because "Hey, f*k it! I can't do it!? So, why not?". Is that the type of logic we are aiming for as fans here?

The goal is to win a Super Bowl. That's it. That's the ultimate goal.

Unless... you just want to see a parade of 2020 seasons? Sneak in with the #7 seed and get bitch slapped immediately by an actual playoff team? Boy, that was sure a fun ride.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

Whose the last team that just pulled a ring out of their collective asses without rebuilding first before becoming aggressive? TB? No. KC? No. New England? No. Philly? No. NE? No. Denver? No. NE? No. Seattle? No. Baltimore? No. NYG? No. GB? No. Saints? No. Pittsburgh? No. NYG? No. Indy? No. Pittsburgh? No. NE 3x more and TB? No.

Baltimore in 2000? Is that it, maybe? Perhaps the Rams the year prior? Anyway, clearly it's been a looooonnnggg time. This roster sucks. Hoping to patch it up for a "run" is like duct taping a gun shot wound.

I vote... let's not stick our weenies in the clap ridden prostitute on the off chance it might feel good for a moment.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

Hey Richie - I hope you don't mind a blunt question:

How do you feel about tanking?

[The Marshall Plan]

I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

WTF man.

[crueltyabc]

I keep harping on this: it’s only stupid to “go for it” when you don’t have the right quarterback. If Poles thinks that Fields is the guy and wants to get aggressive in building around him for this season then I cannot fault his logic

[Rusty Trombagent]

Parity is a real thing. Unless you have Tom Brady. And there's no delusion...I go into every season hoping they win and not caring exactly how much money they have on the books. I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

Also, football seasons for like 30 of the teams in the NFL are hoping for a lotto ticket that hits. Rooting for a football team and retirement savings are...very different. lol.

Tom Brady really broke a lot of football fan's brains. Saying "I dont want Sean Payton" because he only won one superbowl with Drew Brees is ludicrous! I WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE winning one superbowl in the last 15 years, because winning a superbowl is insanely hard! The Colts only won one with in his prime hall of fame Peyton Manning. Rodgers only won one. Mahomes has looked like a top 5 all time QB for the last 3 seasons and he's only won one!

The idea that we should only be legitimately trying to win if we have a perfect situation (the parameters of which are constantly changing) is just not a reality I can subscribe to.

[IE]

Personally, I consider the notion that the Bears are rebuilding (or needing to) is a knee jerk strawman. It is simplistic and I think it is quite false beyond the normal "rebulding"/retooling that most NFL teams do during most offseasons. Replacing a few aging vets is not rebuilding - it has to be more wholesale, and I don't believe that is what is going to happen.

I believe a LOT of the pieces are in place, and even though the results we've seen that might lead some to believe the players are bad they really have been more the result of genuinely incompetent coaching and preparation that exuded from Nagy.

I'm with you on the immediate gratification thing, wab. The '85 Bears won once. The aftertaste of a superbowl is long and delicious - especially for a starved fan base and a latent worldwide following just dying to say "Da Bears... " again.

AND if it happens it would be in large part because of JF`1 and because of that the team's trajectory is far more like the Chiefs with their future GOAT (or Bills or Bengals) than Tampa Bay or Rams which will implode once the rented all star teams are gone.

[malk]

Exactly. Play in the Superbowl next year, where is that coming from?

I answered a question that he didn't necessarily ask. This happens literally every day on this board.

And yes, to answer the question, as a fan I care about short term gratification in sports. I don't care about contracts or the cap. I literally could not care any less about it. I want to watch my team win.

I don't sit in front of my TV every Sunday saying "well, when these 5 contracts or off the books, and assuming we are diligent with spending over the next two years and we draft REALLY well over that same period....well we SHOULD be able to squeeze out a championship run the year before we have to extend Fields. Man, 2024 is gonna be AWESOME!"

Nah. Screw that. I'm not investing in my retirement. I don't care about the future outside of the short term. The goal is to win the division and/or make the playoffs. That's the only thing that truly matters from year to year.

Unless you think that the McCaskey's are the types of people that are going to hire a GM who is going to hire a hall of fame coach in the next 10 days (you don't) who is going to coach Justin Fields to a hall of fame career...you aren't building some dynasty.

The best we can hope for is year-to-year. And pray that the Bears hit in one of them.

Thanks wab, all the best.

[RichH55]

I'm a football fan not an accounting fan.

WTF man.

I bet the boards stance on accountants would change if they just made them hold Press Conferences:)


Personally - I do care about the Cap - because its part and parcel to how you win. But not just the cap for caps sake (though it is a rabbithole you can fall down)

The whole type of debate (Would you do Crazy Thing X (Usually like draft a FB in the 1st or trade a 2nd for a Kicker) is foolish. The answer is ALWAYS yes. Because you are getting a Guaranteed result. But thats not actually how it works.

Not to go on a tangent but that is the true moral of the Faustian Bargain - Not the giving up something of greater value to get something short term - But that he was presented with True evidence of God and ignored that

So all the IF you get a championships are the same thing.

[Artbest]

The Bears are likely about to embark on a steady rebuild rather than a complete teardown. The entire WR room looks to be a 2-3 year project, given how barren Pace left that group. Oline is likely to undergo an overhaul over the next couple of years - it will be interesting to see what Poles thinks of the TE's. I'm guessing he'll want to add more of a pass catching/route running/field stretching threat. I think we'll see at least one year of Mack and Quinn - but there figures to be a plan to replace both in the near future. The roster doesn't have an elite 3T - that figures to be an add. They lack linebackers, outside of Roquan, to run a 4-3. They have gaping holes at safety - hopefully Eberflus and his staff can resurrect Jackson's career. They have one viable CB on the roster - significant improvements need to be made there.

Ryan Pace left a mess - Justin Fields can be a huge asset if he develops, but that's a big 'if.' The Bears need a monstrous ascension from Fields and huge years from Mack and Quinn (both better bets than Fields being elite in 2022) to be real contenders in 2022.

It looks like Jim Harbaugh is coming in for a second interview in Minnesota. A (potentially) better long term coaching candidate - Ryans - pulled out of the running. Harbaugh, especially if he can convince Vic to go to Minnesota (not sure it's a given), figures to have the Vikings at the top of the division if Rodgers leaves imo.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

The Bears are likely about to embark on a steady rebuild rather than a complete teardown. The entire WR room looks to be a 2-3 year project, given how barren Pace left that group. Oline is likely to undergo an overhaul over the next couple of years - it will be interesting to see what Poles thinks of the TE's. I'm guessing he'll want to add more of a pass catching/route running/field stretching threat. I think we'll see at least one year of Mack and Quinn - but there figures to be a plan to replace both in the near future. The roster doesn't have an elite 3T - that figures to be an add. They lack linebackers, outside of Roquan, to run a 4-3. They have gaping holes at safety - hopefully Eberflus and his staff can resurrect Jackson's career. They have one viable CB on the roster - significant improvements need to be made there.

Ryan Pace left a mess - Justin Fields can be a huge asset if he develops, but that's a big 'if.' The Bears need a monstrous ascension from Fields and huge years from Mack and Quinn (both better bets than Fields being elite in 2022) to be real contenders in 2022.

It looks like Jim Harbaugh is coming in for a second interview in Minnesota. A (potentially) better long term coaching candidate - Ryans - pulled out of the running. Harbaugh, especially if he can convince Vic to go to Minnesota (not sure it's a given), figures to have the Vikings at the top of the division if Rodgers leaves imo.

I don't mind Jim coming back to the NFL because he's an interesting character but I would much rather he went to a different conference. Ditto Vic and even Desai.