2022-2023 NFL Season

[Dr. Blackheart]

He was DPOY in a 4-3 in Oakland.

Doesn't mean he was a good fit in the Colts scheme which is very much stop the rush first. In the Bears 3-4 his value was as a pass rusher.  Can Smith convert to be a MLB? Can an aging Mack convert to a Will LB in that scheme? Not so much imo. Worth the trade thus.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Doesn't mean he was a good fit in the Colts scheme which is very much stop the rush first. In the Bears 3-4 his value was as a pass rusher.  Can Smith convert to be a MLB? Can an aging Mack convert to a Will LB in that scheme? Not so much imo. Worth the trade thus.

From what I've read many think Smith fits best at the Will in Eberflus' defense. 

Mack wasn't an incomplete player....he was also good against the run and I think he would have been fine in the 4-3.  Still the right move to trade him now while he had value and you can gain assets and cap space. 

[Pakuni]

Doesn't mean he was a good fit in the Colts scheme which is very much stop the rush first. In the Bears 3-4 his value was as a pass rusher.  Can Smith convert to be a MLB? Can an aging Mack convert to a Will LB in that scheme? Not so much imo. Worth the trade thus.

I'm not knocking the trade, just the idea that Mack has scheme limitations.
Justin Houston, a similar but older and lesser player, had success in 2019 and 2020 as a hand-in-the-dirt DE in the Colts' 4-3.
And, as Vander mentioned, Mack is an elite run-stopper.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm not knocking the trade, just the idea that Mack has scheme limitations.
Justin Houston, a similar but older and lesser player, had success in 2019 and 2020 as a hand-in-the-dirt DE in the Colts' 4-3.
And, as Vander mentioned, Mack is an elite run-stopper.

The Will plays between the tackle and the guard. I don't see that as Mack's strength or more so, value (good point Vander on it being Smith's).

More so, the Bears obviously didn't think Mack was the best fit either as they traded him (the Sam linebacker usually comes out in the Nickel). Staley is a Fangio protégée with the 3-4 and in fact was Mack's coach with the 2018 Bears (his best Bears' season).

In any regard, glad the Bears were able to get good value for a guy who has been pretty banged up. I think we can all agree he was elite.

[Pakuni]

The Will plays between the tackle and the guard. I don't see that as Mack's strength or more so, value (good point Vander on it being Smith's).

Maybe we're talking past each other at this point, but I don't think Mack is a WILL in a 4-3. I think he's a 9 tech DE, which is basically what he played in Oakland.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Maybe we're talking past each other at this point, but I don't think Mack is a WILL in a 4-3. I think he's a 9 tech DE, which is basically what he played in Oakland.

Agree. I was arguing fit in the Colts system and the only spot I could see for him was Will which is not a fit. Fangio more than Pagano played Mack as that pass rusher and blitzed a lot more. I thought Pagano wasted Mack's talent.

[Dish]

Bears will have $158 million in cap space going into next off season (that'll change based on what they do this year, but I don't expect them to spend big). They'll also create $17 mil next March when they release Eddie Jackson and Eddie Goldman.

Be interesting to see what Poles philosophy will be, especially with what type of extension they offer to Roquan Smith.

[jesmu84]

Bears will have $158 million in cap space going into next off season (that'll change based on what they do this year, but I don't expect them to spend big). They'll also create $17 mil next March when they release Eddie Jackson and Eddie Goldman.

Be interesting to see what Poles philosophy will be, especially with what type of extension they offer to Roquan Smith.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1502379374548561923?t=1m3TGF0SRPbM-KLGIpc6sQ&s=19

Bears releasing Goldman today

[Dish]

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1502379374548561923?t=1m3TGF0SRPbM-KLGIpc6sQ&s=19

Bears releasing Goldman today

Yeah, heard that just now. Was going to happen either this year or next, not surprising.

[JWags85]

Deshaun Watson cleared of all criminal charges

[Dish]

Good to see Schefter being a stooge again. Only been a couple of weeks.

[Jockey]

Good to see Schefter being a stooge again. Only been a couple of weeks.

Schefter is simply a mouthpiece for Goodell and the owners. When they want info put out, they leak it to him.

Same as MLB does for Jeff Passan. Rosenthal used to be that guy - until he actually started wring what he saw.

[Uncle Rico]

Schefter is simply a mouthpiece for Goodell and the owners. When they want info put out, they leak it to him.

Same as MLB does for Jeff Passan. Rosenthal used to be that guy - until he actually started wring what he saw.

Passan is a players writer.  He is most definitely not an owners or league guy

[Dr. Blackheart]

Bears cut Cohen too

[rocket surgeon]

Deshaun Watson cleared of all criminal charges

  dodged 22 legal bullets eyn'a? 

[MU82]

Schefter is simply a mouthpiece for Goodell and the owners. When they want info put out, they leak it to him.

Same as MLB does for Jeff Passan. Rosenthal used to be that guy - until he actually started wring what he saw.

MLB owners criticize Passan for usually taking the players' side.

[Pakuni]

Dallas trading Amari Cooper to the Browns for a 5th round pick.

[MU82]

Deshaun Watson cleared of all criminal charges

I've read a half-dozen articles since this happened, and all 6 mention the Panthers prominently as a landing site.

Panthers owner David Tepper has been high on Watson since before there were any charges against Watson. He also was vocal about cleaning up the franchise's image; the team was sold only because the previous owner was basically fired by the league for being a sexual deviant.

Plus, numerous advanced offensive-line metrics indicate that the Panthers have one of the 3 worst lines in the league. They are expected to address that in the draft and free agency ... unless they trade all their first-round pick in this and future drafts for Watson, whose $35M/year contract also would use up much of their cap space.

Plus the Panthers have no second- or third-round picks this year, so if they trade their first for Watson, they have little chance to draft a lineman who'll be any good. And if they pay Watson, it's hard to see how they'll pay a lineman.

Plus, Watson has a no-trade clause and in the past has vetoed Carolina as a destination.

Plus there are still 22 civil suits outstanding against Watson. And the league could still suspend him.

And then there's the fact that in Watson's best season, the Texans were still 4-12. Turns out that even a standout QB can't rescue a horrid team.

As much as I want the Panthers to have an elite QB, if I put all that together it's hard for me to be excited about a deal for Watson.

Maybe they figure out a way to keep this year's draft pick (#6 overall) to draft a lineman. And maybe they figure out a way to restructure Watson's contract and/or to dump Darnold's $19M salary to open cap space. All after maybe they convince Watson to waive his no-trade clause.

Wow ... that's a lot of maybes.

[Jockey]

Great reasoning for GB signing Rodgers.

Beats being the Panthers, Jets, Bears, Giants, Commanders, etc.

Yet that is what many Packers' fans want.

[Dish]

Brady unretires.

[Uncle Rico]

Brady unretires.

Awesome

[MU82]

Shortest retirement ever?

[4everwarriors]

Shut up and throw da fookin' ball, hey?

[MU82]

Spent a month being a full-time dad and said, "When's minicamp?"

[Herman Cain]

I never thought Brady wanted to retire. Seemed like the Missus was pushing it .

With the higher salary cap can Tampa reload with some new talent to surround Brady. Obviously , Gronk will come back now.