2013 NFC North/NFL Thread

[Dish]

I think too that they think McCown is going to get a crazy offer in the open market. Seems like Cutler was coming back all along, they had as much control as they could in that situation. They can't re-sign McCown until the new league year starts. Already rumblings that Lovie is going to go hard after McCown. They love McCown, but realize he's 34, if he's getting a 2-3 year offer for anything over $5 mil guaranteed, they didn't want to be in that position.

Cutler may get injured again, he may suck, but it was the best deal most likely for both sides and for the sake of continuity.

Mills will make a decent back up someday, it seems though like Long is moving to tackle.

Completely unrelated, I love Clinton Dix, and am terrified that the Packers will probably draft him.

[brandx]

Completely unrelated, I love Clinton Dix, and am terrified that the Packers will probably draft him.

Both teams could really use him

[MerrittsMustache]

Both teams could really use him

The Bears will get the first shot at drafting him, which is why they intentionally lost the Week 17 game. All part of the plan 

[MerrittsMustache]

Cutler's final contract numbers are interesting. Each side can certainly consider it a win.

There is no signing bonus, Cutler will get one time payments each March. $22.5 million this year, $15.5 next year, $16 in 2016. With no bonus, those will be his yearly cap hits as well. All that is guaranteed, so cutting Cutler in March 2016 would be $16 mil of dead money that season.

I had heard the hometown discount he took was 10%, which now I understand, as if he was franchised the next 3 years, his cap hit would be almost right at $60 mil.

Interesting part of the deal are the remaining years. There are small workout bonuses, but $0 guaranteed money. In 2017, Cutler would be due $12.5 mil. $13.5 in 2018, escalating to $17.5 and $19.2 in final two years. He'll never see the last two years, but be interesting in 2017/2018, where Bears would have a bargain (assuming no re-negotiation).

Thanks for the breakdown. Looks like a great contract. It's basically a 3-year deal for $54M followed by 2 option years since, like you said, he's not going to see those last 2 years.

[MU B2002]

.

Completely unrelated, I love Clinton Dix, and am terrified that the Packers will probably draft him.

HA HA

[NavinRJohnson]

Thanks for the breakdown. Looks like a great contract. It's basically a 3-year deal for $54M followed by 2 option years since, like you said, he's not going to see those last 2 years.

It seems as though it was an easy decision for them, but even now seeing the details, I have to admit I don't know what I think. They didn't have a lot of options with Cutler, so in that regard, its not bad. on the other hand, he's being paid (cap and guarantee) like Drew Breese and Tom Brady. I cannot really get on board with that, thought understand it is the cost of doing business.

Here's where I really struggle with it...it seems clear that Peppers, Tillman, and and probably DJ Williams are going away, and Lance Briggs gets another birthday card. They have to find 2 new safeties, and D line help beyond replacing Peppers. I just don't think they have enough draft picks to get it done. If Cutler was Drew Brees or AAron Rodgers, I'd have no problem with it, but I think all agree, he's not. Beyond that, Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte each continue to get older as well. By the time the D is shored up, what do they have left?

Finally, in a draft that appears to be very rich in QB prospects, coupled with Tretman's system that appears doesn't require a guy that is overly gifted physically, could you draft and develop a guy over the next couple years, that would allow you to rebuild the defense quicker with the money you save?

Even with that last item, I appear to yave put myself right back between the rock and a hard place. This is truly a damned if you do, damned if you don't. I probably wouldn't have done it, but its close.

[MU82]

54 mil over the next three years.

Not bad.

That's only 1 mil per INT, give or take.

[GGGG]

I think the chance of success through signing Culter and then drafting and signing some street FAs to help rebuild your defense is a lot greater than the chance of success through drafting a quarterback, and having more $$ to slightly upgrade the FAs you sign on the defense.

Everyone points to Russell Wilson and Nick Foles as decent mind round picks, but what if you end up with someone more like a Jake Locker or a Blaine Gabbert?  You have now set your franchise back even further, and no matter how good your defense is, you aren't going anywhere.

The Bears can win a championship with Cutler.  Hell, they were one game away from the Super Bowl just a few years ago with him.  Will they?  Who knows.  But I think their chances are much better with him.

[hairy worthen]

It seems as though it was an easy decision for them, but even now seeing the details, I have to admit I don't know what I think. They didn't have a lot of options with Cutler, so in that regard, its not bad. on the other hand, he's being paid (cap and guarantee) like Drew Breese and Tom Brady. I cannot really get on board with that, thought understand it is the cost of doing business.

He's wher I really struggle with it...it seems clear that Peppers, Tillman, and and probably DJ Williams are going away, and Lance Briggs gets another birthday card. They have to find 2 new safeties, and D line help beyond replacing Peppers. I just don't think they have enough draft picks to get it done. If Cutler was Drew Brees or AAron Rodgers, I'd have no problem with it, but I think all agree, he's not. Beyond that, Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte each continue to get older as well. By the time the D is shored up, what do they have left?

Finally, in a draft that appears to be very rich in QB prospects, coupled with Tretman's system that appears doesn't require a guy that is overly gifted physically. Could you draft and develop a guy over the next couple years, that would allow you to rebuild the defense quicker with the money you save.

Even with that last item, I appear to yave put myself right back between the rock and a hard place. This is truly a damned if you do, damned if you don't. I probably wouldn't have done it, but its close.

They know what they have in Cutler. Thats one position where they do not need to burn a draft choice. Drafting a qb is a crapshoot and you may very well get someone who doesn't pan out. Then you would have a hole at qb and the other positions you mentioned. At least this way they have some certainty and continuity at the most important positon on the team.

[Spotcheck Billy]

What happens to Cutler in 2015 and '16 at that low salary? If his next 3 years are decent does he hold out for what the average starting QB makes those years? Pretty hard to imagine he'd be happy at $12.5M if by then 20 QB's are making more.

[Archies Bat]

What happens to Cutler in 2015 and '16 at that low salary? If his next 3 years are decent does he hold out for what the average starting QB makes those years? Pretty hard to imagine he'd be happy at $12.5M if by then 20 QB's are making more.

If he's playing well at that point, this would be a good problem to have.

[Dish]

What happens to Cutler in 2015 and '16 at that low salary? If his next 3 years are decent does he hold out for what the average starting QB makes those years? Pretty hard to imagine he'd be happy at $12.5M if by then 20 QB's are making more.

My bad, as I didn't realize it until this morning. Cutler has a weekly roster bonus that starts in 2017, that looks to be a mechanism to keep him from holding out. If Cutler is on the active roster, each week, he'll get (approx) $150,000 bonus each week. He could certainly still hold out, but it appears the Bears added that language to help prevent a hold out.

[Dish]

To Navin's point, I agree and can't argue with any of that. The defense is historically bad, there's no young playmaker to build around on that side either. Even by letting Peppers go, that's still 7.5 sacks to replace. Shea does not know how to play in the NFL, Bostic and Greene did not progress, their safeties are a joke. My guess is they would love for Mosley to fall to them at 14 (I think he'll be long gone), and maybe then they look at Clinton Dix. But whoever that pick is is just 1 piece, and even that piece isn't automatically great. If they go S, LB, CB in their first three picks, those three guys need to contribute right away. They still have no pass rush at all.

The allocation of salary cap is the great debate. I think they saw what their offense is and becoming and invested in continuity on that side of the ball. Even if they didn't sign Cutler, it wasn't/isn't a slam dunk McCown is coming back.

Just saw Tim Jennings contract numbers. Did not expect $12 mil guaranteed. Now I'm not sure where else they can spend after Cutler, Jennings, Slauson, Gould.

[brandx]

The Bears can win a championship with Cutler.  Hell, they were one game away from the Super Bowl just a few years ago with him.  Will they?  Who knows.  But I think their chances are much better with him.

Quite the rosy picture if the glass is 80% full.

I see it as 80% empty. One game from the Super Bowl sounds rosy. In actuality, through 8 years he has won 1 playoff game (only led one team to playoffs) and that was against a team that was below .500. That's it, folks.

Once to the playoffs and once to Pro Bowl in 8 years. And that gets you $18 mil a year? Isn't life great for Jay!!

[wadesworld]

My bad, as I didn't realize it until this morning. Cutler has a weekly roster bonus that starts in 2017, that looks to be a mechanism to keep him from holding out. If Cutler is on the active roster, each week, he'll get (approx) $150,000 bonus each week. He could certainly still hold out, but it appears the Bears added that language to help prevent a hold out.

While athletes making $15-20 million/year is obviously an absurd amount of money, seeing this just makes it disgusting.  Most people would do just about anything to make $150,000/year, and some of these athletes are making that and more in a week.  Wrong in so many ways.

[brandx]

Just saw Tim Jennings contract numbers. Did not expect $12 mil guaranteed. Now I'm not sure where else they can spend after Cutler, Jennings, Slauson, Gould.

Wonder what the number is on Slauson. ProFootballFocus had him rated as the 6th best guard in the league.

Interestingly, Jennings was 55th best cornerback. He obviously had his best year he'll ever have in 2012, but with nothing else back there, I think the Bears had no choice with his signing.

[Dish]

While athletes making $15-20 million/year is obviously an absurd amount of money, seeing this just makes it disgusting.  Most people would do just about anything to make $150,000/year, and some of these athletes are making that and more in a week.  Wrong in so many ways.

I get what you're saying, but it's really just a matter of a cap work around. Most NFL players get a bonus for simply showing up to the team facility in March to work out.

[Dish]

Wonder what the number is on Slauson. ProFootballFocus had him rated as the 6th best guard in the league.

Interestingly, Jennings was 55th best cornerback. He obviously had his best year he'll ever have in 2012, but with nothing else back there, I think the Bears had no choice with his signing.

From a pure coverage stand point, I thought he played really well in 2013. He didn't have as many picks, but he was pretty solid in coverage. I really thought they had to sign him, to at least lock down one corner spot. I thought he'd get $8-$9 mil guaranteed, surprised it was $12.

[wadesworld]

I get what you're saying, but it's really just a matter of a cap work around. Most NFL players get a bonus for simply showing up to the team facility in March to work out.

Gotcha.  But yeah, I just mean the amount of money these guys are getting is absurd.  Granted with taxes being taken out Jay won't see all $22 million, but that breaks down to well over $60,000/day.  Dear lord.

I get that the timeframe for which athletes are making money in that profession is extremely short compared to your 9-5 worker, but how in the world do these people run into financial issues?  Even if you're one of the lower paid athletes out there, come on.  If you're someone who can stick around as a career backup in the NBA (by far the lowest paying of the NFL, MLB, and NBA), you're still going to wind up making probably close to $25 million in your career.  For anybody else, making $100,000/year is nothing to sneeze at, and it takes you 10 years to make $1 million.  Some athletes are not very intelligent people...

[hairy worthen]

Gotcha.  But yeah, I just mean the amount of money these guys are getting is absurd.  Granted with taxes being taken out Jay won't see all $22 million, but that breaks down to well over $60,000/day.  Dear lord.

I get that the timeframe for which athletes are making money in that profession is extremely short compared to your 9-5 worker, but how in the world do these people run into financial issues?  Even if you're one of the lower paid athletes out there, come on.  If you're someone who can stick around as a career backup in the NBA (by far the lowest paying of the NFL, MLB, and NBA), you're still going to wind up making probably close to $25 million in your career.  For anybody else, making $100,000/year is nothing to sneeze at, and it takes you 10 years to make $1 million.  Some athletes are not very intelligent people...

The money is not absurd because someone is paying it. If the players were not worth it, they would not being getting paid the large amount of money.   Some, (maybe many),  may not be very intelligent, but they are not being paid for their intelligence they are being paid for their skill set which only a handful of people have.  The players or( anyone else )are worth whatever someone is willing to pay them.  You may not like it, but that's the free market.

[🏀]

Is the QB position really that deep if you were the Bears though?

Teddy will be gone 1 or 2. Bortles and Manziel will be top 5 easily to Raiders/Browns/Jacksonville. Then you're looking at Derek Carr, probably to the Vikings or around there.

Next best options are Boyd, Mettenberger, McCarron (youch!), Hogan and Morris. I don't see a QB to set in and take over past Manziel or Carr, and they are questionable.

It's a good draft to find a backup, but after that the Bears weren't looking at getting a replacement this year.

[Dish]

Is the QB position really that deep if you were the Bears though?

Teddy will be gone 1 or 2. Bortles and Manziel will be top 5 easily to Raiders/Browns/Jacksonville. Then you're looking at Derek Carr, probably to the Vikings or around there.

Next best options are Boyd, Mettenberger, McCarron (youch!), Hogan and Morris. I don't see a QB to set in and take over past Manziel or Carr, and they are questionable.

It's a good draft to find a backup, but after that the Bears weren't looking at getting a replacement this year.

This is right on too. Looking at this draft, I'm starting to think this QB draft could look a lot like the 2011 QB class (yikes). I like Bridgewater, don't love him. I liked Hundley a lot earlier, but not so much now (he may not even declare). If I'm the Texans, I'd take Clowney. He may end up a bust, but lining him up with Watt is too good for me to pass up. Finding a truly elite pass rusher may be the hardest thing to find in football.

[reinko]

Please please OAK take Johnny Football.  Hilarity would ensue.

[MU B2002]

This is right on too. Looking at this draft...l.

How does the draft look for punters?  I REALLY feel like we could use one of those. And yes yes I know Podlesh was good at kicks inside the 20, but I feel that is more a product of our offense than his leg.

[Coleman]

How does the draft look for punters?  I REALLY feel like we could use one of those. And yes yes I know Podlesh was good at kicks inside the 20, but I feel that is more a product of our offense than his leg.

Punters generally are not drafted. They are signed afterwards. There are some exceptions, but not many