Keepers? (Not FF)

[wulfy]

No, not a fantasy football question - more of a roster construction question .... does this current roster have more that 10 players that will be starters on a winning team? It seemed like we thought maybe this team isn't so bad and good draft and a year of free agency can heal most wounds - not so sure now.

Offensive Keepers
JF1
Jenkins
Kmet
Mooney
Monty?

Jury out: Claypool, Pringle, Herbert, Braxton Jones

Defensive Keepers
Johnson
Brisker
Gordon
Sanborn

Jury out: EJack, (more a question on contract value vs play), Morrow, Justin Jones (as a backup)

Am I missing anyone?

[Arkansasbear]

I still say its' a bit early to call Sanborn a keeper. Love what he has done so far, but after his first season lots of people were lining up Mark Anderson to get his bust at Canton.

Early on Gordon and Brisker as well, but they have enough tape that I do think they could be starters on winning programs.

[Otis Day]

I don't think the jury is out on Herbert, he is definitely a keeper. Due to contract situations, he is more of a keeper than Monty. Claypool will be around next year. At that time you determine if he is here beyond that. Jones also is a keeper. He can develope and at worst is a swing tackle.

Brisker and Gordon remain. Young, talented guys on rookie deals, no question to those 2. Sanborn stays as well due to contract. If he loses his job you have a very good backup and ST guy.

Santos is a keeper as is Gill. Pretty bad when you have to discuss kickers.

[Moriarty]

No, not a fantasy football question - more of a roster construction question .... does this current roster have more that 10 players that will be starters on a winning team? It seemed like we thought maybe this team isn't so bad and good draft and a year of free agency can heal most wounds - not so sure now.



Am I missing anyone?

I commented elsewhere that this team's window feels further away than it did earlier in the season

If we're talking solid starters in 2024, I'd say

Offensive Keepers
Yes/Probably (80%+?)
Jenkins
Kmet


Maybe (40-80%?)
JF1
Mooney (injury severity & contract)
Claypool
Jones
Herbert
Pringle
Whitehair (age)


Defensive Keepers
Yes/Probably (80%+?)
Johnson
Brisker


Maybe (40-80%?)
Gordon
Sanborn
EJax

[wab]

I think if you are looking at it purely from a roster construction standpoint, you have to understand that not every position is going to be a potential blue-chip player.

Watts and Jones would be starters on other teams (because they have been). Gipson and Robinson would likely be starters on other teams, just probably not on the same team as they are now. Gordon and Johnson would, as would Brisker and Jackson.

Sanborn has shown enough that he would start on another team. Morrow and Adams would (and have)...but again, probably not all on the same team and at the same time.

I don't know if Braxton Jones would have been given a starting opportunity on another team, but I think he's shown worthy of it. Whitehair and Jenkins would most certainly start.

Fields would. Mooney/Claypool/Kmet would. Monty and Herbert would.

The issue is that a lot of these guys, especially in the defensive front seven are complimentary starters...players that are good enough to start but are usually surrounded by better players. The Bears are counting on them to be more than they are.

[Rusty Trombagent]

Justin Jones isnt Aaron Donald but i dont think he's been as bad as people have made him out to be. In the spirit of "you can only change so much of the roster," if it shakes out that we upgrade our defensive end's and keep him at 3T I think he will be perfectly adequate, if not good.
Hell, just a major upgrade at AQM's spot could have a dramatic effect on the line. But 2 upgrades with Dominique and Trevis as backups could be really good.

[Rusty Trombagent]

(or i guess essentially what WAB just said)

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

No, not a fantasy football question - more of a roster construction question .... does this current roster have more that 10 players that will be starters on a winning team? It seemed like we thought maybe this team isn't so bad and good draft and a year of free agency can heal most wounds - not so sure now.

Offensive Keepers
JF1
Jenkins
Kmet
Mooney
Monty?

Jury out: Claypool, Pringle, Herbert, Braxton Jones

Defensive Keepers
Johnson
Brisker
Gordon
Sanborn

Jury out: EJack, (more a question on contract value vs play), Morrow, Justin Jones (as a backup)

Am I missing anyone?

Herbert and Claypool are definitely keepers.
Monty is a question mark because he’s out of contract.

My question is, which of our out of contract guys would you bring back to fill out the roster?

Bears Players who are FA in 2023:

WR - Pringle, St.Brown, Pettis, Harry
OL - Mustipher, Eiselen, Schofield, Reiff, Dozier
TE - Wesco, Griffin
RB- Montgomery, Blasingame, Evans

DL - Charlton, Blackson, Watts, Pennel
LB - Morrow, Adams, Thomas
CB - Lane, L.Jackson, Blackwell
S - DHC, Cruickshank

25 players who are FA in 2023

[crueltyabc]

I would look to re-sign

WR - St.Brown
TE - Wesco
RB- Montgomery, Blasingame, Darrynton Evans

DL - Watts
LB - Morrow
S - DHC

LS - Patrick Scales

Other than Monty who's contract discussion will fill many threads this offseason, I think Morrow is the only guy that will cost any money and he'd still be cheap so I don't care if these guys are ultimately pushed off the depth chart by draft picks etc

EDIT: Added Scales because keeping Santos-Gill-Scales together would be nice

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I would look to re-sign

WR - St.Brown
TE - Wesco
RB- Montgomery, Blasingame, Darrynton Evans

DL - Watts
LB - Morrow
S - DHC

Other than Monty who's contract discussion will fill many threads this offseason, I think Morrow is the only guy that will cost any money and he'd still be cheap so I don't care if these guys are ultimately pushed off the depth chart by draft picks etc

Missed D Evans off my original post, thanks

I think I agree with your Defensive re-signs, not sure about Wesco, St Brown and Blasingame.

[crueltyabc]

Wesco, St. Brown, and Blasingame all look like good blockers to me and have good PFF grades so... i think they're worth a little more than a complete random off the street. The WR room and TE room need more playmakers too but for now I'd keep the good blockers at their low costs.

[Rusty Trombagent]

oh god yeah, 100% to blasingame

[Moriarty]

Blasingame is fine, but at only 11 snaps/game he's not a starter (or even all that significant, really, even though I'm glad they use a FB more than never).

[wab]

I'm too lazy to look, but I'd imagine 11 snaps isn't too far of from what traditional fullbacks average per game these days.

[Moriarty]

I'm too lazy to look, but I'd imagine 11 snaps isn't too far of from what traditional fullbacks average per game these days.

I don't doubt that.
What I'm saying is - if your FB is getting 11 snaps and your WR3 is getting 40, the WR3 is the "starter"

11/game out of 60(?) is just a modest role player

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

That’s 17 players who were letting walk then.

Then there’s the players we trade/cut AQM? Patrick? Vildor? Borom? Whitehair? Velus? Carter? Kramer? Gipson?

Poles is going to have to earn his money again.

Out of all of Poles signings, Brisker and Sanborn are the only ones to fill me with any positivity.

[Arkansasbear]

Bears Players who are FA in 2023:

WR - Pringle, St.Brown, Pettis, Harry
OL - Mustipher, Eiselen, Schofield, Reiff, Dozier
TE - Wesco, Griffin
RB- Montgomery, Blasingame, Evans

DL - Charlton, Blackson, Watts, Pennel
LB - Morrow, Adams, Thomas
CB - Lane, L.Jackson, Blackwell
S - DHC, Cruickshank

25 players who are FA in 2023

So out of your list I'd like to see

WR: Harry and either Pringle or St. Brown back
OL: maybe Eiselen (simply because some people here say he has something), mabye Reiff depending on the money
TE: Bring them both back, they are depth/camp bodies, but won't cost must and any other guy brought in to fill their role has to learn the system
RB: I'd bring them all back unless Monty cost too much

DL: Watts for sure a maybe on the rest
LB: Morrow for sure maybe on the others
CB: I simply think there have to be upgrades to those guys
S: I like them both

Granted some of those you you sign in the off-season and the draft may end up getting their replacement, but you bring them in as your floor talent level. Most, if not all, of them can clearly be replaced with a player that has more talent or upside, but if you are signing a guy deemed to have a similar talent level, stick with the guys who have been here.

[wab]

That’s 17 players who were letting walk then.

Then there’s the players we trade/cut AQM? Patrick? Vildor? Borom? Whitehair? Velus? Carter? Kramer? Gipson?

I don't see any of these guys going anywhere next season purely based on bodies needed.

A lot of guys on expiring contracts will be back, but hopefully in role playing positions instead of being counted on as starters.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Eddie Jackson's injury has really thrown things up in the air.

He was the leading Pro Bowl vote-getter at free safety in the update the NFL released yesterday. I know it's a pale shadow of the accolade it once was, what with fan voting and numerous alternates every year, but it's still an indication that with 4 INTs and 2 FF coupled with a newfound willingness to hit (even if he doesn't always wrap up) he was back playing at a high standard this year.

I fully expected him to return next year, which isn't something I was at all sure about before the season began. Now who knows what is going to happen with him. I wish him well and hope that he does manage to make a comeback and play for a few more years.

[RichH55]

I still say its' a bit early to call Sanborn a keeper. Love what he has done so far, but after his first season lots of people were lining up Mark Anderson to get his bust at Canton.

Early on Gordon and Brisker as well, but they have enough tape that I do think they could be starters on winning programs.

Mark Anderson and Sanborn are very different evaluations though in fairness

[malk]

Given the cap space and general quality of the roster I don't think we're cutting anyone that is contributing, with the potential exception of Jackson due to the injury and his cap hit. Wab has it right when he says there are plenty of starters on the roster but a lack of blue chip players. You keep those guys and either complement them or in a perfect world they get pushed down to being great depth.

Looking at the roster overall:

QB: Fields - Obvious starter and I'm going to put him down optimistically as a difference maker.
RB1: Herbert - solid starter.
RB2: Montgomery on price or you pick one up.
WR1: Claypool - Fringe starter with upside.
WR2: Mooney - Solid starter (injury notwithstanding).
WR3: To fill.
TE: Kmet - solid starter.
LT: Jones - Fringe starter
LG: Whitehair - solid starter
C: Patrick - Fringe starter
RG: Jenkins - Solid starter (hell yeah, I'm calling it)
RT: To fill

So overall on offence we've got two big holes to fill with another receiver and a right tackle. But our only difference maker is Fields and that's a little bit of projection. Of the remaining 10 starters 5 are solid, 3 fringe and I'm being generous. We either need to get all the starters up to solid with some trending towards difference making, or get a couple more proper difference makers who can push us into the top ten.

I think we can look to bring back Pringle and Montgomery if the prices are right. But we need to upgrade the line one way or another with a proper right tackle, centre and another guard who can project to replace Whitehair. Leatherwood might be part of the mix but you've got to think money and or draft picks are going to go here. Receiver is tough because you want Claypool to make strides. Do we go out and spend there in the off season or try and round out with a platoon of decent players?

For defence:

SS: Brisker - Fringe starter trending up.
FS: Jackson - big question mark with the injury. Possibly to fill.
CB: Johnson - Solid starter.
CB: Gordon - Has he shown enough to be a fringe starter pencilled in?
NB: - To fill.
MLB: Sanborn - Fringe starter.
WLB: To fill, I'd bring back Morrow who'd be a solid starter.
SLB: What's an SLB?
LDE: To fill
3T: Jones - Fringe starter
NT: To fill
RDE: To fill.

This is where the work needs to be done. I'd bring back Morrow, he's getting TFL and fills a non difference making position well without costing a lot. Sanborn is fine for the same reasons and the strong side just isn't an important spot lol.

The secondary is ok. Brisker looks like he could be a solid starter next year. Gordon is now flashing but obviously a concern. Johnson is still good. Jackson a huge question mark now, definitely a hole in my opinion but everyone knows where I stand on this.

The line is a mess. I do think Jones is ok and could potentially start with a good 3T in this defence (I think?). Gipson and Robinson could be part of the mix in a decent defence but we absolutely need two guys ahead of them.

Overall we've got zero difference makers and only one solid starter in Johnson, two if we bring back Morrow. We do have another 3 fringe guys who have a good chance to be solid next year, Brisker, Sanborn and Jones. Then Gordon is a toss up.

We're in a strange situation overall. I think it will be quite easy to make us into a really solid team, just throw some cash at the d-line and o-line and we're a 0.500 team with a great shot at the playoffs. The gaping hole on the roster is absolute top end talent. We might have someone special at QB though... so if we can get him a top end receiving threat and add a couple of genuine pass rush threats on defence... well this team can turn around very quickly indeed.