OT: Bears & NFL Talk 103

[plasmonresonance]

NFLPA report card came out, pretty much confirming Flus was the 31st or 32nd among coaches. Bears facility and amenities ranked high as well as ownership.

NFLPA Team Report Cards 2025

One of our core jobs as a union is to improve the overall working conditions for our players, which includes the daily experience of players at the team facilities away from the lights and cameras.1,695 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, to...

nflpa.com

 

[Behn Wilson]

NFLPA report card came out, pretty much confirming Flus was the 31st or 32nd among coaches. Bears facility and amenities ranked high as well as ownership.

NFLPA Team Report Cards 2025

One of our core jobs as a union is to improve the overall working conditions for our players, which includes the daily experience of players at the team facilities away from the lights and cameras.1,695 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, to...

nflpa.com

32nd. Dead last

 

[clydesdale line]

Well that sucks.

 

[bwanajamba]

Well that sucks.

It is a bummer but silver lining is that last year KC tagged L'Jarius Sneed and then traded him, so maybe they've realized they can't keep Smith on a long term deal and are just looking to get something for him rather than losing him for free

That trade was for a 3rd round pick and a swap of 7th rounders. I am guessing it might be a bit higher for Smith but if it's in that neighborhood I hope Poles pursues it

 

[HeisenBaez]

It is a bummer but silver lining is that last year KC tagged L'Jarius Sneed and then traded him, so maybe they've realized they can't keep Smith on a long term deal and are just looking to get something for him rather than losing him for free

That trade was for a 3rd round pick and a swap of 7th rounders. I am guessing it might be a bit higher for Smith but if it's in that neighborhood I hope Poles pursues it

Either way Dalman becomes my top target for the Bears.

 

[Romang67]

Think Zeitler and Dalman is somewhat likely. Zeitler is a stop gap, but he played in Johnson's scheme last season and was pretty damn good.

 

[Romang67]

Mason Graham has tiny little baby arms and weighed in shorter and lighter than expected.

Hopefully that means multiple teams massively overthink this and he drops to the Bears.

 

[plasmonresonance]

Mason Graham has tiny little baby arms and weighed in shorter and lighter than expected.

Hopefully that means multiple teams massively overthink this and he drops to the Bears.

I never really paid close attention to arm length, so have no idea how his short 32" arm length and his big 83"+ wing span influences on-field performance, considering his wing span is more typical of somebody with 34" arms. I know we typically focus on arm length, but he's got almost a freakish wingspan for those baby arms.

 

[Romang67]

I never really paid close attention to arm length, so have no idea how his short 32" arm length and his big 83"+ wing span influences on-field performance, considering his wing span is more typical of somebody with 34" arms. I know we typically focus on arm length, but he's got almost a freakish wingspan for those baby arms.

From what I've heard, arm length influences pass rush a bit more, while wing span affects run defense a bit more. Arm length is really mostly important because you have a huge advantage if you can get your hands on the player opposite you first.

This somewhat matches his play, because he was a monstrous run defender in college. Still a great pass rusher, but the arm length probably does hamper him a bit.

He's honestly just all around a great DT. Almost no chance he falls to 10, unfortunately.

 

[Sarava]

There's been rumors swirling for a few days that the Bears are building at Arlington and shovels will go in the ground this year. Though it sounds like the origination of the rumor is ai generated bs, this feels like it could be real. And it wouldn't surprise me if the Bears planned all along to build at Arlington and Kevin Warren has been using the Chicago lakefront stuff to get the concessions out of Arlington that he wanted (taxes, etc.). It never made sense that they would consider any deal where they remain under the Chicago Park District's thumb.

I hope this happens. I live in west dundee, which isn't far away. It would be amazing to actually be somewhat near a big event center in the Chicago area.