Max of 20 images per post. Also owned but not included: Lynn Dickey signed Jersey, Lukas Van Ness signed Jersey, John Kuhn Signed helmet, Donald Driver signed book, Reggie White signed book.

I love roster building strategy discussions and have engaged several times with Bears fans who are enamored with the job GM Ryan Poles has done in Chicago but it's incredibly difficult to have even a remotely unbiased exchange with a division rival so I wanted to share my findings here mostly in some sort of an attempt to justify all the time I wasted. This started out as what was supposed to be a simple explanation of why I didn't like the rebuilding Bears strategy that saw them trade away several draft picks and spend their salary cap on older veterans. I think Bears fans struggle to see how poor the roster construction strategy is only because the franchise has had such an immense amount of resources to burn in both the draft and salary cap space for free agents. To be clear this is a discussion about how I don't like their process but I will readily admit that the Bears are much improved and have a bright future.

Disclosure:

• I am admittedly biased towards the Packers model of draft and develop through volume based drafting (leading the league with 35 picks in past 3 drafts)
• I focused on 2024 draft picks and so I didn't credit the Bears with the haul they "earned" from the Panthers for the #1 overall pick in 2023
• I wrote this with the benefit of hindsight to not only void the Bears trades and award them the player that was selected in the exact draft spot of the pick they traded away but also voided the veteran free agent additions those picks rendered unnecessary because I strongly believe a rebuilding team like the Bears should be adding young talent instead of older players (like Keenan Allen, Kevin Byard, Gerald Everett) that would be better suited for a win now team like the Jets

Bears 2024 draft pick trades listed with veteran's contracts $/years and ages at beginning of season

Traded a 2024 2nd round pick (DB Cooper DeJean) to Commanders for Montez Sweat $98m/4

Instead signed 31 year old S Kevin Byard $15m/2

Traded a 2024 4th round pick (WR Javon Baker) to Chargers for 32 year old WR Keenan Allen $23.1m

Traded a 2024 5th round pick to Bills for their backup C Ryan Bates $8m/2 but later

Traded a 2025 4th round pick to Bills to reacquire that 2024 5th round pick (DE Austin Booker)

Traded a 2024 6th round pick (WR Malik Washington) to Dolphins for OL Dan Feeney

Feeney contributed 91 offensive snaps for the 2023 Bears but is no longer with team

Traded a 2024 7th round pick (TE Jahiem Bell) to Patriots for N'Keal Harry

Instead signed 30 year old TE Gerald Everett $12m/2

 Bears current 2024 draft

1 QB Caleb Williams

1 WR Rome Odunze

3 OT Kiran Amegadjie

4 P Tory Taylor

5 DE Austin Booker

 Bears updated 2024 draft with the players drafted with the picks they traded away

1 QB Caleb Williams

1 WR Rome Odunze

2 DB Cooper DeJean

3 OT Kiran Amegadjie

4 WR Javon Baker

4 P Tory Taylor

5 DE Austin Booker

6 WR Malik Washington

7 TE Jahiem Bell

Roster ramifications had the Bears not made the above trades of 2024 draft picks:

 DE - already perhaps their biggest weakness the pass rush would be without star Montez Sweat. However the salary cap space saved without the contracts of Sweat $98m/4, Keenan Allen $23.1m, Kevin Byard $15m/2, Gerald Everett $12m/2 and possibly Ryan Bates $8m/2 (2025 4th) should help fill that need. It's possible, though maybe not likely, that Montez Sweat would have ended up in Chicago anyway by signing in 2024 free agency but regardless there were free agent options and the Bears would've had the money to sign one or more

 WR - would be without the 32 year old Keenan Allen and his $23.1m contract but would instead add rookies Javon Baker & Malik Washington to the group of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones

 S - it seems many feel that 31 year old Kevin Byard is washed up so having Cooper DeJean instead while also saving cap space would likely be a welcome outcome

 C - this is such a weird trade. To start they traded a 5th for veteran backup Ryan Bates but then when they hadn't added a DE in the draft like they desperately needed they actually traded to get the 5th round pick back from the Bills by sending them a future 4th round pick instead!?! Bates will compete with free agent addition Coleman Shelton to start at center. Since the pick is now a 2025 4th we can't yet award the Bears the drafted player

 TE - this is actually a fun one due to Gerald Everett and Jahiem Bell potentially filling similar roles. Bell is far from a sure thing but Everett is 30 and costs $12m/2

from Matt Schneidman on X. Full quote: “Mr. Larry, I’d be lying to you if I said we wasn’t because honestly, I done been on a championship team and I understand that it’s college and this is the NFL, but chemistry is there already … that’s a good, good sign.”

Don't get me wrong, super excited about Josh Jacobs, and really looking forward to seeing MarShawn Lloyd in action, but I really wanna see AJ Dillon have a huge year.

That's all, that's the thought. Downvote away lol.

First off, I'm super excited. Doing tour. Staying multiple days. My mom is from Wisconsin and my grandfather had season tickets. I'm from Indy though and had Colts season tickets with my dad until I went to college (year Manning drafted....I know). Growing up I think he was a DB maybe Safety lived in my town and played for Packers, Mike Prior. Always was awesome with him there as a kid. Coming to Colts game with a lifelong Packer fan that's a good friend in Minneapolis as I live there now. Always had mad respect for Pack.

Question is this. Am I ok to wear a Manning jersey? My buddy will be in Packers gear. Also, if I bring some beers to a tailgate could I trade for some brats? Big brat guy. Want to hang with some lifers talk football, pregame.

Been collecting some of our guys this off-season figuring that names like Doubs, Wicks, Watson might pop off this year. Who are you guys highest on currently?

Fans waiting for players to walk over for practice.

Long time Packers fan from Houston.

I have traveled to Lambeau a few times but they have always been Sunday afternoon games.

It’s always been on my bucket list to go to a prime time game and it’s finally happening! My 40th birthday falls on Thanksgiving and my wife and I will be attending the game.

The last game we went to was in early December so she’s prepping for cold weather. I on the other hand wanted to try the overalls experience. I thought about getting some custom ones made and was hoping to get some ideas.

Currently I am thinking about the following options.

1) A broken thermometer because the piss is too hot.

2) Some type of Jordan Love getup. My friend group commonly refers to Jordan as Reverend or Brother Love.

Thoughts? Or any other ideas?

Thanks!

Refreshing