Chicago Bears

Two coaches, one being the DC, have been fired this year.

Head coach unable to take responsibility for his ineptitude. Eberfail hired two guys he can't even defend without fear of losing his job. Listen to his interview today for proof.

OC actively losing us games.

Multiple reports of players wanting out of the organization.

2 games won in a calendar year.

A bad loss last week to a lame duck team.

Our GM trading away another draft asset for another moonshot (so far, if they sign him to an extension great, but be honest he has to fall in love with a decrepit org and hostile fanbase to want to stay. And also be paid out the ass which we don't seem to want to do.)

Why does a portion of our fanbase put any faith into Kevin Warren leading this organization into the future? With his ties to Ryan Poles, do we believe he can be objective? Is there anything he has done/said so far to give us hope he can change anything for our beloved?

Questions for my fellow Bears fans this chilly November evening. 🐻⬇️

I love how we blame Eberflus and Poles for these coaches being kicked out of the building…like, what coach is going to interview and present his worst self? It’s not like Alan Williams and David Walker are telling their friends and employers about all the shit they do behind the scenes in their personal life. I’m just glad they have the wherewithal to root out people that reflect negatively on the organization.

Some guys are abysmal people and last years in an organization because they have deep ties to the league.

This thought that “they would never be hired if the coaches could evaluate character” is horseshit. How many of you have worked a job where management brought someone in only to find out later own down the line he has character issues? It happens ALL THE TIME.

Like, shit, ik y’all ain’t perfect either. I could only imagine how many people on this sub alone would be in deep shit in their own workplace if management discovered what was occurring in your own lives. For one, you (we) are all nasty Bears fans. Two, you’re telling me you or someone you know had never made a crude or mean comment about a fellow employee? Imagine if that circulated, you’d wind up just like David Walker.

It’s unsurprising, frankly, that this billionaire boys club of uber-masculine personalities has people with character issues. It’s even more surprising that Alan Williams and David Walker are the only two to find their way out of an organization for it. Hell, Deshaun Watson is STILL quarterbacking in this league and Robert Kraft ran a goddamn prostitution ring, yet they’re still here.

If anything, this seems like character accountability to me. But what do I know…I’m just an arm chair gm like the rest of you punks.

🐻⬇️

Gone 24 years this day. RIP to the best damn football ever to play.

“I just woke up from a coma I slipped into the day after poles got hired, have we taken the north yet?”

Instead we gave up a 2nd round pick for him (exactly what was done for Chase Claypool look how that turned out). And then the Bears haven’t even signed him to a long term deal yet. This franchise is just so backwards.

I've never seen it during my time as a fan. All I know is the endless crying and backseating that I see here regularly.

Are we still like this when the team is winning? Can we be satisfied? Is it even worth trying to satisfy this fandom?

So apparently the falcons was ready to give them a pick and a extension in place. Also Sweat wanted to go to Atlanta because he had family there. It seems like Sweat will play a half a year for bears and go to falcons at end of season. Thoughts?

Of course there’s the easy explanation of Fields truthers. But I don’t believe that’s a majority. Let’s look at some of the most hyped prospects at both positions since the turn of the century. There will be a couple of interchangeable ones, but based on media hype and scout evaluations this is what I think.

QB: Lawrence, Luck, Eli Manning, Bradford, RG3, Winston, Burrow, Cam Newton and Carson Palmer.

I’d say Caleb slots in here above Eli and Bradford. Maye probably doesn’t make the top 10 yet, but based on some people liking him ahead of Caleb, who’s the most hyped prospect since T Law, He probably makes that list by the end of the draft year.

The busts here are probably Winston due to his high interception rate, but scouts knew that and liked his physical talent. However, as turnover prone as he is, his 2016, 2019 and 2021 years were pretty good. 5000 yards even with a lot of turnovers shows he had talent. And both Bradford and RG3 got ruined by injuries. So that’s 3/10, certainly not a bad rate. The other 7 were/are franchise QBs.

WR: Megatron, AJ Green, Julio Jones, Larry Fitz, Charles Rogers, Chase, Braylon Edwards, Amari Cooper, Justin Blackmon, David Terrell.

Rogers busted due to off field issues. Braylon Edwards had one solid season but had a bad attitude, Blackmon was incredible but had off the field issues, David Terrell was bad. There’s a few you could add here (Jeudy, Corey Davis was a bit of a reach but still a good prospect, maybe Crabtree). That’s 4/10 busts. MHJ probably slots just behind Larry Fitz.

Of course Megatron, Fitz and Julio are hall of famers, and Chase and Green could be. Cooper is solid. But you can say the same for the QBs to a degree.

Luck was clearly on hall of fame trajectory, Eli may get in one day, had some great years. Lawrence looks good with a 26 TD 8 INT showing last year, and Palmer, Burrow and Cam Newton are all/were franchise QBs.

Not to mention WR is a much less valuable position.

This begs the question, why the hesitance with Caleb/Maye, but the “can’t miss” tag on MHJ?

Here's the top 12 (out of 50) of his draft board so you can see for yourself instead of posting a single movement to misleadingly put down certain prospects.

#1. Drake Maye - QB, North Carolina

Cut from the same cloth as Justin Herbert, Maye (2,559 yards passing, 22 total TDs) continues to impress with his on-field command despite inconsistent help around him. A tall, well-put-together athlete, he has an explosive release with the touch to threaten every level of the field.

He still makes a few more reckless decisions than you’d want, but his timing has improved, and his aggressive decision-making is more of a strength than a weakness.

#2. Marvin Harrison Jr. - WR, Ohio State

The best wide receiver prospect that I have evaluated over the last decade, Harrison (48 catches for 889 yards and eight TDs) offers a rare package of physical traits and savvy, and it has made him nearly uncoverable at the college level. His athletic dexterity and instincts, both as a route runner and at the catch point, are what really separate him — especially for a 6-foot-4 receiver.

Although he isn’t as physically imposing as Julio Jones, there are several similarities between the two, including the way they play strong to the football.

#3. Caleb Williams - QB, USC

I’m all for a ban of the word “generational” when talking about college prospects, because it sets near-unattainable expectations and makes a player like Williams an easy target for criticism. That said, Williams (2,646 yards passing, 34 total TDs) remains an extremely impressive prospect. He has an above-average arm and a natural feel for accuracy, and his ability to weaponize his creativity remains a differentiating factor between him and most quarterbacks.

Williams is fantastic at navigating chaos, but he does hold the ball too long at times. Often he has no choice, either because a defense gets immediate pressure with its front four or his receivers haven’t created separation. And when that happens, Williams feels forced to put on the superhero cape, which can lead to negative plays.

With the bar set so high, it can be easy to call Williams “overrated” after a mistake, but let’s not lose sight of his tremendous strengths as a player.

#4. Brock Bowers - TE, Georgia

Some will scoff at the sight of a tight end carrying this ranking, but the No. 1 goal for any team picking this high is to draft a difference-maker. Bowers (41 catches for 567 yards, five total TDs) is exactly that.

More of a receiver/tight end hybrid, Bowers has speed and athleticism that jump off the screen. His physicality is almost as impressive, both as a blocker and after the catch, where he is master of picking up those hidden yards. I thought this quote from an area scout was a perfect summation: “He’s a 21-year-old George Kittle. That’ll get him drafted (in the) top seven.”

#5. Olu Fashanu - OT, Penn State

At 6 feet 6 and 321 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Fashanu is one of the best pass-protecting tackle prospects in recent years. He shows an outstanding blend of size, movement skills and body control to easily access his anchor. His intelligence and character are also strong selling points.

Scouts want to see a more aggressive approach from him, especially in the run game.

#6. Joe Alt - OT, Notre Dame

Alt already was clearly a first-round prospect based on his sophomore film, but he looks even better as a junior — it won’t be a surprise if he finishes as OT1 for some NFL teams. For a tall blocker (nearly 6 feet 8), he does a terrific job with his redirect and recovery, and you’ll rarely see him stressed.

Even though he didn’t become a full-time offensive lineman until college, Alt plays with impressive technique and pad level.

#7. Dallas Turner - Edge, Alabama

When it comes to rushing the passer, Turner checks the boxes for both traits and production. He is explosive off the ball and into contact, and he plays with exceptional pursuit speed to chase down the football.

Turner is currently the only FBS player ranked top five nationally in sacks (7.0), pressures, pass-rush win rate and pass-rush win percentage.

#8. Keon Coleman - WR, Florida State

Because Coleman wasn’t yet a well-known name, I received some pushback when he debuted as WR4 in my initial positional rankings in July. Fast forward to the present, and the Michigan State transfer isn’t a secret any longer.

With his size/speed athleticism and acrobatic ball skills, Coleman (38 catches for 538 yards and nine TDs) is a freakish talent with the chance to be a dominant player. His flashes remind me of how Demaryius Thomas played when he was at Georgia Tech.

#9. Laiatu Latu - Edge, UCLA

Similar to 2021 first-round pick Jaelen Phillips (both in terms of skill level and personal journey), Latu is an interesting prospect. He plays with only average bend, his arms aren’t very long and his medical history is a potential concern. But his motor runs hot, and he has a graduate degree in rush technique — specializing in cross-chops, arm-overs and lightning-fast hands.

Latu has accounted for a ridiculous 106 pressures in 21 games since he transferred to UCLA prior to last season.

#10. JC Latham - OT, Alabama

A massive blocker, Latham carries his weight well in pass protection and plays with exceptional strength from head to toe. In the run game, he creates movement at contact and specializes in dumping linebackers at the second level.

He needs to be more consistent with his strike placement and protecting versus inside moves, but Latham has quickly and consistently improved since he arrived in Tuscaloosa. He has the goods to be a starting NFL right tackle next year.

#11. Rome Odunze - WR, Washington

What’s not to like? Odunze is a verified 6 feet 2 7/8 and 217 pounds. He glides on the football field with plenty of speed (he won a state title in the 200 meters in high school), and he has natural receiving instincts plus the coordination to cleanly snatch the football.

I liked Odunze (51 catches for 907 yards and seven TDs) when I studied him over the summer, but I didn’t give him enough credit for the way he can impact the game.

#12. Chop Robinson - Edge, Penn State

For Robinson (5.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks) to be ranked this highly, it’d be great if he was more consistently dominant. But he’ll go on heaters (see: the Iowa tape), where he’ll just take over games for stretches with his instant speed and aggressive hands. He is a better prospect than Will McDonald IV, who was drafted No. 15 this past April.

Robinson exited the Ohio State game last Saturday with an injury and had to be carted to the locker room, but Penn State hopes to get him back soon.

#Other Notables

• #16 JJ McCarthy (Brugler has mentioned this is because of QB inflation, actually has a true 2nd round grade on him)
• #18 Kool-Aid McKinstry - CB, Alabama
• #24 Shadeur Sanders
• #43 Jayden Daniels
• #45 Quinn Ewers
• #50 Carson Beck

#Other Notes

Dane's blurb about Maye/Caleb from the article:

• "Like I wrote back in July for my quarterback preview, the gap between USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye is “razor-thin.” Both are dynamic prospects, and the league will be split on who deserves the QB1 designation. But then there is Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., who might be most-deserving of the “best prospect” tag for this draft class."
• 10 WRs in the top 50
• 8 OTs in the top 50
• 9 Edge in the top 50 (has mentioned it's a weak top-end Edge class with a variety of middling interesting prospets)

It just seems odd to me because our schedule has been very weak, there have been a lot of injuries to other team’s WR’s and QB’s, and our defense is still very bad.

Has he been a standout that is really proving himself to be worth a big contract? Help me understand his valuation please 🙏

Wow, HR working overtime at Halas Hall…great culture you all are building Flus and Poles

From Dan's top-50, I only included the top QBs, WRs, OL, EDGE, and CBs. I left the number they were ranked, but it is organized by their position. Let me now if there was anyone from Dan's list that I excluded that you wanted the description on.

QBs -

1. Drake Maye 6'4 230 - Cut from the same cloth as Justin Herbert, Maye (2,559 yards passing, 22 total TDs) continues to impress with his on-field command despite inconsistent help around him. A tall, well-put-together athlete, he has an explosive release with the touch to threaten every level of the field. He still makes a few more reckless decisions than you’d want, but his timing has improved, and his aggressive decision-making is more of a strength than a weakness.

3. Caleb Williams 6-1 220 - I’m all for a ban of the word “generational” when talking about college prospects, because it sets near-unattainable expectations and makes a player like Williams an easy target for criticism. That said, Williams (2,646 yards passing, 34 total TDs) remains an extremely impressive prospect. He has an above-average arm and a natural feel for accuracy, and his ability to weaponize his creativity remains a differentiating factor between him and most quarterbacks. Williams is fantastic at navigating chaos, but he does hold the ball too long at times. Often he has no choice, either because a defense gets immediate pressure with its front four or his receivers haven’t created separation. And when that happens, Williams feels forced to put on the superhero cape, which can lead to negative plays. With the bar set so high, it can be easy to call Williams “overrated” after a mistake, but let’s not lose sight of his tremendous strengths as a player.

16. J.J. McCarthy 6-3 196 - Two months after entering the season as my QB3, McCarthy (1,799 yards passing, 21 total TDs) hasn’t done anything to surrender that spot. He is completing 78.1 percent of his passes with an 18- to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while doing some of his best work on the move. Considering Michigan’s schedule, NFL scouts are taking a wait-and-see approach with McCarthy — the month of November (featuring games at Penn State and versus Ohio State) will determine a lot.

24. Shedeur Sanders 6-2 215 - As my preseason QB6, Sanders just missed the initial top 50 in August. He absolutely earned his way onto the list this time with his play over the season’s first two months. Sanders (2,637 yards passing, 25 total TDs) is guilty of holding the ball for too long when big-play hunting, but his ability to keep plays alive is an asset. Though he could use another year of seasoning, Sanders has the poise and physical talent to warrant a first-round pick if he declares for the 2024 draft.

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WR

2. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 6-4 205 - The best wide receiver prospect that I have evaluated over the last decade, Harrison (48 catches for 889 yards and eight TDs) offers a rare package of physical traits and savvy, and it has made him nearly uncoverable at the college level. His athletic dexterity and instincts, both as a route runner and at the catch point, are what really separate him — especially for a 6-foot-4 receiver. Although he isn’t as physically imposing as Julio Jones, there are several similarities between the two, including the way they play strong to the football.

8. WR Keon Coleman 6-4 215 - Because Coleman wasn’t yet a well-known name, I received some pushback when he debuted as WR4 in my initial positional rankings in July. Fast forward to the present, and the Michigan State transfer isn’t a secret any longer. With his size/speed athleticism and acrobatic ball skills, Coleman (38 catches for 538 yards and nine TDs) is a freakish talent with the chance to be a dominant player. His flashes remind me of how Demaryius Thomas played when he was at Georgia Tech.

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OL

5. LT Olu Fashanu 6-6 321 - At 6 feet 6 and 321 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Fashanu is one of the best pass-protecting tackle prospects in recent years. He shows an outstanding blend of size, movement skills and body control to easily access his anchor. His intelligence and character are also strong selling points. Scouts want to see a more aggressive approach from him, especially in the run game.

6. LT Joe Alt 6-7 322 - Alt already was clearly a first-round prospect based on his sophomore film, but he looks even better as a junior — it won’t be a surprise if he finishes as OT1 for some NFL teams. For a tall blocker (nearly 6 feet 8), he does a terrific job with his redirect and recovery, and you’ll rarely see him stressed. Even though he didn’t become a full-time offensive lineman until college, Alt plays with impressive technique and pad level.

10. RT JC Latham 6-6 335 - A massive blocker, Latham carries his weight well in pass protection and plays with exceptional strength from head to toe. In the run game, he creates movement at contact and specializes in dumping linebackers at the second level. He needs to be more consistent with his strike placement and protecting versus inside moves, but Latham has quickly and consistently improved since he arrived in Tuscaloosa. He has the goods to be a starting NFL right tackle next year.

19. RT Amarius Mims 6-7 330 - The No. 5 player in my preseason top 50, Mims looked primed for a breakout season, but he has been sidelined with an ankle injury. Nonetheless, I’m still captivated by his flashes and traits. He moves tremendously well for a 330-pounder and packs a punch behind his powerful hands. With just five career starts to his name, Mims needs to establish his body of work, but I’ll bet on his baseline talent.

22. LT Tyler Guyton 6-6 319 - Similar to Amarius Mims, Guyton’s draft projection is based more on traits and upside than body of work, which can make it challenging to accurately rank him at this point. But he offers the big-man athleticism and movement skills that make it easy to be optimistic for his future. Several NFL scouts believe his potential is greater than that of Anton Harrison, a 2023 first-rounder from Oklahoma.

29. LT Jordan Morgan 6-5 306 - If not for a late-season injury, Morgan could have been a top-50 pick in the 2023 draft. Instead, the left tackle returned to Arizona for his fifth season and is now playing his best football. Morgan stays balanced in his pass sets and leverages his body and massive hands to answer pass rushers. Some NFL teams want to keep him outside; others are grading him as a guard.

33. iOL Troy Fautanu 6-4 319 - A college left tackle, Fautanu has the talent and length to stay outside, but his body and play style suggest that an NFL move to guard could be what is best long-term. Fautanu has NFL-level feet and movements, and he is playing with better composure and committing fewer penalties than last season.

49. iOL Graham Barton 6-5 311 - A college left tackle, Barton most likely will move inside to guard or center in the NFL. Either way, he projects as a long-term starter. He is athletic, keeps his blocks centered and finishes with a stubborn grip. Regardless of the position he plays, there are a lot of NFL teams that could use his skill set right now.

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EDGE

7. Dallas Turner 6-4 242 - When it comes to rushing the passer, Turner checks the boxes for both traits and production. He is explosive off the ball and into contact, and he plays with exceptional pursuit speed to chase down the football. Turner is currently the only FBS player ranked top five nationally in sacks (7.0), pressures, pass-rush win rate and pass-rush win percentage.

9. Laiatu Latu 6-5 265 - Similar to 2021 first-round pick Jaelen Phillips (both in terms of skill level and personal journey), Latu is an interesting prospect. He plays with only average bend, his arms aren’t very long and his medical history is a potential concern. But his motor runs hot, and he has a graduate degree in rush technique — specializing in cross-chops, arm-overs and lightning-fast hands. Latu has accounted for a ridiculous 106 pressures in 21 games since he transferred to UCLA prior to last season.

12. Chop Robinson 6-3 250 - For Robinson (5.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks) to be ranked this highly, it’d be great if he was more consistently dominant. But he’ll go on heaters (see: the Iowa tape), where he’ll just take over games for stretches with his instant speed and aggressive hands. He is a better prospect than Will McDonald IV, who was drafted No. 15 this past April. Robinson exited the Ohio State game last Saturday with an injury and had to be carted to the locker room, but Penn State hopes to get him back soon.

15. Jared Verse 6-4 260 - A fast and physical edge defender, Verse passed up a potential spot in last year’s first round for one more year in college, and he has helped the Seminoles jump out to an 8-0 start. Verse (6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) hasn’t had the splashy impact most expected — he’s failed to record a sack in five of eight games so far — but he still looks like the same player from the 2022 tape, which isn’t a bad thing.

23. J.T. Tuimoloau 6-4 270 - A physical presence for all four quarters, Tuimoloau (5.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks) wins the point of attack with aggressive hands and by using body leverage to pry open pass-rush lanes. He needs to work on becoming more deceptive (like he was on his fake stunt against Olu Fashanu) to consistently beat NFL tackles, but his baseline traits make him a next-level starter.

36. Jack Sawyer 6-4 265 - While J.T. Tuimoloau receives most of the attention on the Ohio State defensive line, Sawyer’s impact has been instrumental to the Buckeyes’ success. Built the right way at 6 feet 4 and 265 pounds, Sawyer (26 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks) is more good than great in several categories. He is well-rounded, though, and could be a valuable piece to an NFL defensive line with his aggressive and always-alert play style versus both run and pass.

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CB

14. CB Nate Wiggins 6-2 185 - Wiggins is long and fast with the sudden feet to easily redirect and stay attached to routes. There are a few concerning areas of his game, most notably his marginal play strength, but Wiggins (one INT, four passes defended) shows a knack for playing through the hands of receivers. Though he gave up a touchdown in his return from injury against Miami on Oct. 21, he also had a pair of pass breakups and an impressive chase-down forced fumble.

17. CB Cooper DeJean 6-1 207 - With his athletic traits, toughness and versatility, DeJean (two INTs, three passes defended, one punt-return TD) checks a lot of boxes, regardless of scheme. He is arguably the best run-defending defensive back in college football and plays sticky in coverage. DeJean also offers value on special teams — his dramatic punt return against Minnesota may have been nullified, but it’s still on tape and added to his collection of splash plays as a returner and gunner.

18. CB Kool-Aid McKinstry 6-1 195 - With his body control and balance, McKinstry (21 career passes defended) stays controlled in his transitions and takes advantage of his length to obstruct passing windows. Though he doesn’t play panicked, he tends to hit cruise control at times and gets too conservative, which can lead to missed tackles or plays downfield. But there are still more positives than negatives to his game, and he projects as an immediate NFL starter.

26. CB Kalen King 5-11 191 - There’s no way around it: King had a disappointing performance versus Ohio State, his most important tape of the season. Whether in the slot or outside, Marvin Harrison Jr. had little trouble creating separation against him, and King also committed two costly penalties (one took points off the board for Penn State; another set up Ohio State near the goal line). King (25 career passes defended) is a talented and aggressive competitor and still belongs in the first-round discussion, but he must finish the season strong — including an important matchup against Michigan on Nov. 11.

I don't live in the Chicago area so I don't have local radio or TV talking about the Bears throughout the week. When it hits November and the Bears are really bad, I forget who they're playing and I just lose interest in general. I've been a fan since they drafted a punky QB from BYU but the last 10 years has me so disappointed and lacking the joy I once had for this team. I live in California and could have gone to last week's game but thought, "Naaaa, I don't want to deal with airports." The week before that, I cleaned and organized my garage with the game on in the background. Come on Bears! Make me want to watch you again!!!

Yes, horrible title.

1. If Flus is fired in season, I would expect it to be week 13, the bye week. That's plenty of time to say he had a fair shot, and also plenty of time to be able to openly start searching for a new HC.

2. And this is more to the point: Is Sweat really the type of player Flus is looking for? Based on a few podcasts I listen to, Flus has never been real big on really truly going after the QB. More of a "pressure him and hope he fucks up or something".

With that in mind, does Sweat sound like a player Poles is going to spend a 2^nd rounder knowing he'll need to get a serious payday soon if he doesn't think the HC is going to take full advantage? Or does he sound like a player that will make this a more attractive team for the next HC who he knows is coming soon?

Just thoughts. Could be wrong.

Can anyone articulate this to me?

Why don’t we go through the major arguments shall we?

COACHING: Eberlose was hired 2 days after Poles became GM. That speaks to a flawed hiring process that didn’t let Poles pick his guy. My guess is George came in and said you can hire any one of these 3 guys. Poles should be able to pick his guy to run the team whether it’s Ben Johnson or Ejiro Evero or Ken Dorsey or whoever.

FREE AGENCY/CONTRACTS: Obviously this is a salient topic because JJ asked for a trade, but honestly, I don’t think it’s the wrong decision if JJ was asking for way too much. Roquan was never coming back. You can’t trash the GM and expect to stay. The Kmet extension was smart and made a ton of sense. Tremaine and TJ have performed decently for what we paid them and Andrew Billings has been sneaky good.

TRADES: Much too early to judge the most recent deal, but he’s hit both ends of the spectrum. The trade from the #1 pick was a hit, obviously the Claypool trade was a massive L. But in the moment, the Claypool trade made a bunch of sense, and I’m guessing a lot of people on this sub would’ve killed Poles for not getting any help for JF1.

DRAFT CLASSES: In Poles first class, he took among others Kyler Gordon(who’s developing nicely), Jaquan Brisker(who’s pretty good), Braxton Jones(who could be a Charles Leno analogue), and Elijah Hicks(who’s been a good depth piece akin to DHC)

This past class could be even better. Darnell Wright has looked really good, Gervon Dexter has been highly rated, Roschon Johnson runs like he’s angry at the grass, and Stevenson, Pickens, Scott, and Terrell Smith have shown flashes.

In conclusion, Poles shouldn’t be fired; he should be given more time. Two years isn’t enough to fix this dumpster fire. But he’s helped build a new foundation.

https://theathletic.com/5019664/2023/11/01/bears-running-backs-coach-david-walker-fired/