Middleguard wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:24 pm
In this thread, Gordon, Johnson, JaJones, and Blackwell have all been complimented. They are/can be all back this year along with Vildor and Ojemudia. Are they a sufficient 6 for the 53 roster game 1.
Define sufficient
It's about the same, a little better with growth, than what they opened 2022 with.
It's not that great
You could maybe get to the playoffs with it, depending on the rest
You're certainly not a contender with that
I guess sufficient = lack of outrage that Bears should have spent more FA/draft capital on the position.
Proof is in the pudding, so truly sufficient won't be known until well into the season and possibly longer. But that wasn't what I meant to be asking.
It's about the same, a little better with growth, than what they opened 2022 with.
It's not that great
You could maybe get to the playoffs with it, depending on the rest
You're certainly not a contender with that
I guess sufficient = lack of outrage that Bears should have spent more FA/draft capital on the position.
Proof is in the pudding, so truly sufficient won't be known until well into the season and possibly longer. But that wasn't what I meant to be asking.
Well, there wasn't any outrage about the secondary this year. The only loss/decline would be Jackson.
Even with trade down, you're still not filling every need, and I wouldn't put second corner at the same urgency level as OL, DL, WR, or even backup TE.
But, OTOH, CB2 is definitely a real hole and CB looks to be one of the few strengths of the draft, so maybe the time is now.
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You can’t have too many CBs, so if there’s a clear BPA distinction I wouldn’t rule it out. But with this defense, the DL is far more important so my focus would remain there.
dplank wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:15 am
You can’t have too many CBs, so if there’s a clear BPA distinction I wouldn’t rule it out. But with this defense, the DL is far more important so my focus would remain there.
I feel like you probably want to draft a CB every year in the NFL with the way the league is now. The position requires so much athleticism to play and the salaries once a player is off their rookie deal get expensive fast.
That said, I'm with you on the DL being a much higher priority.
dplank wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:15 am
You can’t have too many CBs, so if there’s a clear BPA distinction I wouldn’t rule it out. But with this defense, the DL is far more important so my focus would remain there.
Indeed - especially since DL is the markedly weaker of the two position groups (*)
I agree you can't have too many good CBs. Drafting another in the first few rounds would be good.
I don't agree with any insinuation that coming back with the same group of DBs next year would be similar in quality or skill level to the same group they started with this year, or would lead to similar results... EVEN if the names are the same.
There's a big difference when 3 or more guys were brand new & learning. I don't even think we can say we know exactly what Brisker and Gordon ARE right now, because of the way the season went. We know they have talent, and they're learning - that's about it.
When the DBs were all healthy early in the season they were pretty good. Eddie was rejuvenated. JJ is really good. If you add 2nd year 9 and 6 to those guys I'm pretty sure that the result - what you have on the field - in early '23 is much much different even if the names are the same.
And that isn't even considering the impact of having a DLine getting after the QB.
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I thought Gordon played well enough that I'm sticking to my priors and I have him penciled in as a starter.
As for the rest of the group, I don't think they should go into the year planning to have Vildor/Blackwell/Jones getting significant snaps on week 1. They need to add 2 more potential starters from FA and the draft in hopes of pushing those guys into backup roles.
crueltyabc wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:00 pm
I thought Gordon played well enough that I'm sticking to my priors and I have him penciled in as a starter.
As for the rest of the group, I don't think they should go into the year planning to have Vildor/Blackwell/Jones getting significant snaps on week 1. They need to add 2 more potential starters from FA and the draft in hopes of pushing those guys into backup roles.
With Johnson and Gordon starting, I only see the need for one more potential starter to keep Vildor out of week 1. No one else beside those 3 had a defensive snap in game 1 last year.
I would be frustrated if they drafted a guy in the 3rd round and he wasn't ready week 1 so they had Vildor out there. Or if they bring in a fringe vet who turns out to be bad a la Artie Burns. I'm saying please bring in 2. Same approach for RT. Don't let there be an obvious weak link a gameplan can exploit.
I don't think there's been a discussion of this before. If I missed it, please direct me there.
Of course the Bears will do as they think best. But what do we think is best use of Gordon this year?
play CB
play NB
play CB in 4-3 and NB in 4-2
follow the receiver he's assigned to around
Middleguard wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 6:08 pm
play CB in 4-3 and NB in 4-2
This is their intent, and they didn't shy away from getting his development started right away. We should assume that will continue.
I dont see them investing significant capital in the position in FA or the draft. They're pretty solid. But if a BPA comes up in the draft I would think Poles would take a good player.
2023 Chicago Bears... emerging from a long hibernation, and hungry!
