2024 NFL Offseason and Draft Thread

[MU82]

That's nuts.
Stats say he made the playoffs with Matt Cassel and Mac Jones.
Stats also say his defenses were usually among the league's best.

Actually, the Cassel team in 2008 missed the playoffs ... but they were 11-5, so your overall point mostly still stands.

And yes, they almost always had very good defenses, with which Belichick was often directly involved.

GM Belichick was great when he had Tom Brady.

Especially in keeping a good defense in place even after regularly losing players to other teams.

But aside from Gronk and, for one year, Moss, Belichick really didn't give Brady many great weapons to throw to. Welker was a decent WR before and after he was in NE, but he was a superstar with Brady throwing to him. Would Edelman have been great elsewhere? Etc.

One absolutely could argue that Belichick found those guys and knew pairing them with Brady would be golden, but it took Brady for it to happen. Once Brady left, the lack of offensive weapons (including at QB) provided by GM Belichick was glaring, and his offensive coaching-staff decisions were idiotic.

Tom Brady has won as many SBs without Belichick as Trent Dilfer. 

I mean, sure. But Belichick has won as many SBs without Brady as you have.

It's always a fun argument but ultimately a silly one. Belichick and Brady obviously were great for each other.

[WhiteTrash]

All the people that said trading a 2nd rounder for Sweat and paying him was dumb (and were immediately proven wrong) are the same ones convinced Poles doesn't know what he's doing with the HC here.

The man traded out of #1 last year to get OLine (Wright) & WR (DJ Moore) infrastructure for a new QB so he doesn't start off in a disaster position while keeping the Fields option open this year. Let it play out. Poles knows what's up.

I'll stand by my Sweat stance. I don't think his production justified a 2nd round pick. The early returns a very good and seem to justify the trade.

If you think paying $50 a share for Apple in 2000 was smart because it is now almost $200, then you will think the Smart trade was good. (FYI - Apple's price in 2000 was $1 per share)

[WhiteTrash]

I mean, sure. But Belichick has won as many SBs without Brady as you have.

It's always a fun argument but ultimately a silly one. Belichick and Brady obviously were great for each other.

Agreed. Great bar argument. And, of course, I was just having fun putting Brady and Dilfer's names in the same sentence.

[Jockey]

It's always a fun argument but ultimately a silly one. Belichick and Brady obviously were great for each other.

You are 100% correct.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I'll stand by my Sweat stance. I don't think his production justified a 2nd round pick. The early returns a very good and seem to justify the trade.

If you think paying $50 a share for Apple in 2000 was smart because it is now almost $200, then you will think the Smart trade was good. (FYI - Apple's price in 2000 was $1 per share)

LOL good luck finding anyone nearly as good as Sweat at the top of the 2nd round. That's a steal. Bad analogy

[Lennys Tap]

But aside from Gronk and, for one year, Moss, Belichick really didn't give Brady many great weapons to throw to. Welker was a decent WR before and after he was in NE, but he was a superstar with Brady throwing to him. Would Edelman have been great elsewhere? Etc.

This is the key. The Brady years included a lot of receivers who were pretty ordinary.

[Pakuni]

LOL good luck finding anyone nearly as good as Sweat at the top of the 2nd round. That's a steal. Bad analogy

Maybe not immediately as good, but in a year or two - when the Bears are (maybe) in their contention window - sure you can. And a lot cheaper.
No guarantee, of course, but really good players come out of the early second round every year.

[Lennys Tap]

Maybe not immediately as good, but in a year or two - when the Bears are (maybe) in their contention window - sure you can. And a lot cheaper.
No guarantee, of course, but really good players come out of the early second round every year.

Yes, possible to get a player as good as or better than Sweat. But the odds are certainly against it.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yeah I wasn’t a fan of the Sweat deal. I think it was a good one for the Bears. See how the contract pays out.

[MUBurrow]

Yeah, its the contract math again.  You probably won't get a player as good as Sweat with that pick.  But you could get a very good player and also have the money to sign a very good player.  The injury risk between now and that competitive window is a not insignificant piece of the timing too.

[Lennys Tap]

Yeah, its the contract math again.  You probably won't get a player as good as Sweat with that pick.  But you could get a very good player and also have the money to sign a very good player.  The injury risk between now and that competitive window is a not insignificant piece of the timing too.

Exactly. It ends up being a math problem as much as anything else.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Maybe not immediately as good, but in a year or two - when the Bears are (maybe) in their contention window - sure you can. And a lot cheaper.
No guarantee, of course, but really good players come out of the early second round every year.

Many other positions yes. Not top tier edge rushers.

[Pakuni]

Many other positions yes. Not top tier edge rushers.

I'm not sure I'd call Sweat a top-tier edge rusher just yet.
That said, Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter, Harold Landry, Alex Highsmith and Matthew Judon (to name a few) were all day 2-3 picks.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I'm not sure I'd call Sweat a top-tier edge rusher just yet.
That said, Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter, Harold Landry, Alex Highsmith and Matthew Judon (to name a few) were all day 2-3 picks.

Yep, and Hendrickson wasn't a stud until year 4, Hunter year 4, Landry year 4, Judon year 4, Highsmith year 3, Crosby DROY but not a stud til year 3. Sweat is off the shelf double digit stats and a force opponents have to pay attention to. Entering his prime.

I'm sure Bears fans would be super patient waiting for a second rounder to *maybe* get to Sweat's level by year 3 (the 2026 season) lol

[WhiteTrash]

LOL good luck finding anyone nearly as good as Sweat at the top of the 2nd round. That's a steal. Bad analogy

You are completely missing the point being made.
Ask an investment advisor if buying Apple in 2000 for $50/share would be a good investment then get back to me.

I will agree with you that he has played very well and raised the level of play of the entire defense. As Bears fans we can all be happy about that. Let's focus on the future.

[Pakuni]

Yep, and Hendrickson wasn't a stud until year 4, Hunter year 4, Landry year 4, Judon year 4, Highsmith year 3, Crosby DROY but not a stud til year 3. Sweat is off the shelf double digit stats and a force opponents have to pay attention to. Entering his prime.

I'm sure Bears fans would be super patient waiting for a second rounder to *maybe* get to Sweat's level by year 3 (the 2026 season) lol

Sweat has had one double-digit sack season in his career, so it may be presumptive to say he's definitely that guy going forward. We'll see.

As for patience, the Bears seem in no rush, especially if they're drafting a QB this year (which they should). If that's the case, they're unlikely to be serious contenders for three more season anyhow, by which time Sweat is in his 30s and on the downside.

[DegenerateDish]

Jacksonville will be Chicago’s London opponent on Oct 13 at Tottenham in London (from what someone told me tonight).

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Kinda wonder if the Eagles lose Monday if Belichick ends up in Philly.

[WhiteTrash]

Kinda wonder if the Eagles lose Monday if Belichick ends up in Philly.

Crazy. I just heard the rumors last night the the Eagles might want to make a change. Polar opposite of the expectations in a place like Chicago.

[Uncle Rico]

Jerod Mayo gets the gig in New England.  Good luck to him.  Lots of roster work needed

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Crazy. I just heard the rumors last night the the Eagles might want to make a change. Polar opposite of the expectations in a place like Chicago.

I think people have been left wondering if Steichen was actually the one making the magic happen.

[tower912]

Jerod Mayo gets the gig in New England.  Good luck to him.  Lots of roster work needed

Can't believe they didn't give it to Patricia.

[MUBurrow]

Jerod Mayo gets the gig in New England.  Good luck to him.  Lots of roster work needed

The initial ESPN write up is pretty glowing - seems like a really cool guy. Obviously not a ton of experience, but it hasn't proven to be a problem for DeMeco Ryans.  I hope NE gets him a quality assistant for the offensive side of the ball (and some decent players wouldn't hurt either).

[Uncle Rico]

The initial ESPN write up is pretty glowing - seems like a really cool guy. Obviously not a ton of experience, but it hasn't proven to be a problem for DeMeco Ryans.  I hope NE gets him a quality assistant for the offensive side of the ball (and some decent players wouldn't hurt either).

He might have his OC in Bill O’Brien, all jokes aside.  They need the QB

[Jockey]

Can't believe they didn't give it to Patricia.

I’m hearing chatter about a Lions - Patricia reunion.