Bears to sign LB TJ Edwards to 3yr, $19.5M deal

[The Cooler King]

I’m shocked at the response here….

You need 2 linebackers on the field on most downs…With Sanborn and Edwards, we have our two primary linebackers.

It should also be noted that we got him for 6 mill per year lol…

I don't think either is playing primarily at Will so I think one full time spot remains open.

[Grizzled]

6-1, 242lb, 61 games, 47 starts, 2 INTs, 2 forced fumbles, 5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, 389 tackles (215 solo). Was the starter at MLB in '22 and started all 17 games: 1 fumble recovery, 159 tackles (99 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 5 QB hits. Said that he can play all LB positions.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I’d guess this pushed Sanborn to SAM. So he’ll get relegated to 5-6 snaps a game.

Kind of a shrug for me… I’m not convinced Edwards is an upgrade, but it looks like a good contract I guess?

I mean various estimates I saw had him as a near $14m contract.

Sanborn is a nice UDFA story, but I think Edwards is very likely a clear and substantial upgrade.

Upgrade?
On Sanborn?

[RustinFields]

The okereke stuff feels like it could just be an echo chamber thing...

[Moriarty]

I’m shocked at the response here….

You need 2 linebackers on the field on most downs…With Sanborn and Edwards, we have our two primary linebackers.

If they think that pair works and they turn out to be right, it's very well done.


Most people don't believe that that's their intention or that they fit together all that great.

[crueltyabc]

The money is good and I like that Ian Cunningham has deep knowledge of the player, but if he's the MLB then they need to add another guy at WILL and I'm not excited about the idea of building the LB unit on free agents. Even if they end up being cheaper than Roquan in sum, it still feels iffy to me. I look forward to hearing from the coaches/Poles on the plan for Edwards' role. It would be nice to hear they think he's the WILL and they're done adding LBs for the time being.

[HurricaneBear]

The money is good and I like that Ian Cunningham has deep knowledge of the player, but if he's the MLB then they need to add another guy at WILL and I'm not excited about the idea of building the LB unit on free agents. Even if they end up being cheaper than Roquan in sum, it still feels iffy to me. I look forward to hearing from the coaches/Poles on the plan for Edwards' role. It would be nice to hear they think he's the WILL and they're done adding LBs for the time being.

This

[Shadow]

Looking like Sanborn is the #2 MLB. Let them compete and the best guy plays. Sanborn could aslo play SAM. Could Sanborn play a bit of WLB? He did show anticipation and good closing speed.

[IE]

The money is good and I like that Ian Cunningham has deep knowledge of the player, but if he's the MLB then they need to add another guy at WILL and I'm not excited about the idea of building the LB unit on free agents. Even if they end up being cheaper than Roquan in sum, it still feels iffy to me. I look forward to hearing from the coaches/Poles on the plan for Edwards' role. It would be nice to hear they think he's the WILL and they're done adding LBs for the time being.

Poles has made absolutely clear that he doesn't consider that LB position to be one of high replacement value - not a premium position. So this deal is a bullseye based on Poles' philosophy.

Why pay Roquan $250K for each solo tackle when you can pay a proficient and rising tackling guy in TJ Edwards only $60 per solo?

No news on a LOT of players who I've been hoping the Bears grab. Allen. Key. OBJ. McGary.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

He must consider LB high value as that’s his first and only deal

[dplank]

Edwards is a solid player at a very reasonable price - nothing not to like here IMO. This move fits in exactly with what I want Poles to do - make his big splash at DT and sign a few other solid vets like Edwards in the middle tier level.

[The Cooler King]

This is a very weird structure. Don't often see 'em done like this. 64% year 1 cashflow on a 3 year deal is crazy. Likely means 2024 is near minimum payment. So Poles basically prepaid two years.

Should end up meaning the 8M base pro-rates like a signing bonus (as long as year 2 base is <$4M)



(edit - actually I might be misreading "within first year" could technically be a early 2024 bonus, in which case, disregard. Will clarify once more details are out).

[dplank]

This is a very weird structure. Don't often see 'em done like this. 64% year 1 cashflow on a 3 year deal is crazy. Likely means 2024 is near minimum payment. So Poles basically prepaid two years.

Should end up meaning the 8M base pro-rates like a signing bonus (as long as year 2 base is <$4M)

Hey bud! This is what I've been arguing with you about and saying I want to see us do! I love it!

[IE]

He must consider LB high value as that’s his first and only deal

Not sure that speed indicates how he comparatively values the the position. He may have looked at that guy as the one FA he really wanted in that particular area of need, and with Cunningham involved could be done really quickly.

[crueltyabc]

The money is good and I like that Ian Cunningham has deep knowledge of the player, but if he's the MLB then they need to add another guy at WILL and I'm not excited about the idea of building the LB unit on free agents. Even if they end up being cheaper than Roquan in sum, it still feels iffy to me. I look forward to hearing from the coaches/Poles on the plan for Edwards' role. It would be nice to hear they think he's the WILL and they're done adding LBs for the time being.

Poles has made absolutely clear that he doesn't consider that LB position to be one of high replacement value - not a premium position. So this deal is a bullseye based on Poles' philosophy.

I'm saying that signing TJ Edwards to replace a super-cheap Sanborn and still have an opening at WILL is not the cheapest way to approach this. If the plan is to move Edwards to WILL i have a different opinion. If they go sign Okereke for a bunch of money I'm going to feel less enthusiastic about the "good deal" we got on Edwards.

[dplank]

We don't have much indication for how the Bears truly feel about Sanborn as a starting NFL player. He flashed and played way above his draft position, so we all like him, but coaches know far more than we do. Edwards is a proven commodity at a low price, solid signing wherever he plays IMO.

[Moriarty]

This is a very weird structure. Don't often see 'em done like this. 64% year 1 cashflow on a 3 year deal is crazy. Likely means 2024 is near minimum payment. So Poles basically prepaid two years.

Should end up meaning the 8M base pro-rates like a signing bonus (as long as year 2 base is <$4M)

Hey bud! This is what I've been arguing with you about and saying I want to see us do! I love it!

Yep.
Front-load it!

[duckherd50]

Did we just get Okerekee as well?

nvm....that was a fake Adam Schefter that I seen....sorry

[The Cooler King]

Did we just get Okerekee as well?

Not that I've seen.

[duckherd50]

Did we just get Okerekee as well?

Not that I've seen.

my bad my friend.....it apparently was some fake Adam Schefter twitter account that I seen that

[UOK]

TJ Edwards is on WSCR and talking about growing up a huge Bears fan, watched every week. Met Urlacher at a meet and greet, had a Hester jersey, idolized Mike Brown, Briggs and co.

He said his dad has definitely called into the Score before, lol. He seems very well spoken and excited to be a Bear.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Poles has made absolutely clear that he doesn't consider that LB position to be one of high replacement value - not a premium position. So this deal is a bullseye based on Poles' philosophy.

Why pay Roquan $250K for each solo tackle when you can pay a proficient and rising tackling guy in TJ Edwards only $60 per solo?

Has any post ever aged so badly so quickly?

(To be fair, none of us saw the Edmunds signing coming after the signing of Edwards.)

[The Marshall Plan]

Hey bud! This is what I've been arguing with you about and saying I want to see us do! I love it!

Yep.
Front-load it!

[The Cooler King]

TJ Edwards is on WSCR and talking about growing up a huge Bears fan, watched every week. Met Urlacher at a meet and greet, had a Hester jersey, idolized Mike Brown, Briggs and co.

He said his dad has definitely called into the Score before, lol. He seems very well spoken and excited to be a Bear.

Can't help but feel like he gave a serious hometown discount. I'm gonna be rooting hard for this kid, cuz he may have given up 8 digits to play in front of Chicago fans.

[Arkansasbear]

This is a very weird structure. Don't often see 'em done like this. 64% year 1 cashflow on a 3 year deal is crazy. Likely means 2024 is near minimum payment. So Poles basically prepaid two years.

Should end up meaning the 8M base pro-rates like a signing bonus (as long as year 2 base is <$4M)

Hey bud! This is what I've been arguing with you about and saying I want to see us do! I love it!

I've always thought front loading the contracts where good for the team and player. So long as he is playing at a decent level the player is likely to play out the contract as cutting them saves little money. But if they do flop the team can move on from them without major cap hits.

[IE]

Poles has made absolutely clear that he doesn't consider that LB position to be one of high replacement value - not a premium position. So this deal is a bullseye based on Poles' philosophy.

Why pay Roquan $250K for each solo tackle when you can pay a proficient and rising tackling guy in TJ Edwards only $60 per solo?

Has any post ever aged so badly so quickly?

(To be fair, none of us saw the Edmunds signing coming after the signing of Edwards.)

hehe - no shit! That totally surprised me but we never really know what they're thinking do we.

[mmmc_35]

So as a Badger fan I've been a big fan of the Badgers linebackers in the past few years. Edward's, Sandborn, Borland, Chenal, etc.

So I'm pretty happy to have a few on the Bears.

[AZ_Bearfan]

[pus]

Just like that.

In Poles We Trust.

[The Cooler King]

Hey bud! This is what I've been arguing with you about and saying I want to see us do! I love it!

I've always thought front loading the contracts where good for the team and player. So long as he is playing at a decent level the player is likely to play out the contract as cutting them saves little money. But if they do flop the team can move on from them without major cap hits.

It's not a good thing "to move on without a major cap hit" just because you overpaid them early cash. You could have used that cash elsewhere or rolled it forward.

It's really only potentially good for teams if it allows you to negotiate a lower overall APY but giving better time value on the contract.

So if a guy takes 3/27 with upfronted money over 3/30 backloaded, probably good. If its just dead cap avoidance = bad/illogical thinking.