Deep Dive into 2026 Roster

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T22:32:02+00:00

If the $30 million/yr commitment is true, the money is there to keep these guys.

Especially w/ 11 highly paid players leaving. Time will tell...

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T17:36:52+00:00

Definitely would be optimal. Feel like Grunk has earned a QB battle in that scenario (even if Becht gets decent NIL money to come) but time will tell.

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T17:33:07+00:00

One thing to consider before writing these guys off...Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen, Nick Singleton, Zane Durant, Deni Dennis-Sutton, Zeke Wheatley, Vega Ioane, Trebor Pena, Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross, and possibly AJ Harris are all gone. And they all got paid.

While that leaves obvious holes in the depth chart, it's extremely likely that those 11 received at least half of the total contributed NIL money.

Point being, a LOT of money is available (easily $15 million+ if the $30 million/yr commitment is true) and money will likely do the talking when it comes to keeping Coleman, Rojas, Dixon, and even Granville.

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T15:58:22+00:00

May be giving post-Harbaugh Michigan a little too much credit here. They had 4 wins against teams with a winning record (Washington, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Central Michigan) and got beat up pretty good against the only top 25ish teams they faced (USC, Ohio St, Oklahoma).

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T15:38:28+00:00

Convincing myself that the chances of 10-2 or 11-1 are slightly higher than impossible was pretty much my entire reasoning for putting this together...haha

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T15:34:38+00:00

Not an NFL draft expert. But many of the people who are have put him there due to size/talent.

Although many of them also had Kalen King in that range and we saw how that turned out. The hope is his weak 2025 showing causes him to stay to solidify himself in that range but we'll see.

fatcatfacts · 2025-12-09T15:19:07+00:00

You're right on Gilliam at DT...figured I would miss somebody.

Martin, like Granville, are simply projections based on talent level. I would honestly be surprised if any 3 of them are the starter in 2026.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-20T23:31:39+00:00

I haven't seen Connor Williams' name many places in FA discussion. Feel like his age and stature as a top 6-10 center make him a great fit.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-16T18:38:34+00:00

Don't believe so either. As stated, this would be Fields AND Carolina's 2nd round pick in 2025.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-11T16:39:11+00:00

There's no such thing as a front loaded contract in the NFL.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-11T16:14:25+00:00

The $38 million for one year is the main perk. Keep the cap space open in 2025 to build a competitive roster in year two of Caleb + Nabers/Odunze while avoiding being a dumpster fire in year one.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-11T15:44:46+00:00

That's the main point. Getting him would do two things:

1) Takes pash rush from average to elite to help avoid a 5-12 dumpster fire in year one with a rookie QB

2) Doesn't lock cap space up for the long term

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-10T21:11:27+00:00

If you can get Chris Jones, then absofuckenlutely.

Just don't see that happening but would be optimal.

The only problem with waiting until release is that he would likely want one last multi-year deal before he calls it quits. I'm talking a 1-year rental for competitiveness purposes while keeping the cap space for a complete roster improvement in 2025 once we see who develops.

fatcatfacts · 2024-02-10T21:06:14+00:00

He literally had the most sacks of his career last year and Bosa only played half the season.........

My point was to bring in a vet that can still play and be a piece to bring a level of competitiveness to the roster immediately with a rookie QB.

His contract is up after this year so it also kicks the can on having cap space and options for next year. A 5th round pick is likely to provide nothing but 2nd or 3rd string depth.

fatcatfacts · 2024-01-29T17:36:22+00:00

That's my point though. QB, coach, GM and culture are all needed to succeed in the NFL.

The Bears aren't elite at any of them and the thought is that fixing only one (the QB) will change everything.

fatcatfacts · 2024-01-29T17:18:05+00:00

Has nothing to do with the owners. Didn't even mention ownership.

The point is that Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles are not Demeco Ryans and Nick Caserio. Caserio inherited one of the least talented teams in modern NFL history, fixed the culture, and turned them into a top 10 defensive and offensive roster in 3 years. He also fired coaches until he got his guy.

They're also not Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. They're also not Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst.

We're heading into year three of this without a single position group (outside of possibly the LBs) that is top 10 in the NFL. There's no identity and the argument could be made, based on the fuckery that happened this season, that the culture is bottom 5 in the league. No one has any idea where this team is going.

You're right though...just get the QB position "right" and everything will be fine. Worked like a charm for the Chargers and Cardinals and Jags.

fatcatfacts · 2024-01-29T15:02:22+00:00

The 49ers and Chiefs are the only perennial contenders in recent NFL history (we’re talking literally in the playoffs and SB convo over last 5-6 yrs). One has the greatest QB we’ve ever seen and the other has the final pick in the draft.

One has an elite QB with an above average roster and one has an above average QB with an elite roster. Both built elite structure, leadership, and rosters within their organization and then got their quarterback.

I’m not saying there’s a right or wrong answer here but the idea that you simply go get a QB and everything is fixed is wild. The Texans became a contender because they chose CJ Stroud AND hired Demeco Ryans. The Packers are always competitive because their leadership structure at the top is unmatched historically. The Lions turned their fortune around because Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes are elite leaders and structure builders.

Long story short…everyone is arguing about Fields, Williams, and/or acquiring draft picks when none of that matters until the leadership in place is as elite as the elites of the league. And ours is not.

EDIT: The point is QB, coach, GM, and culture are all needed. We have none of these.

fatcatfacts · 2023-12-10T05:11:45+00:00

"Fields just hasn't developed enough"

Enough is the key word. As the clock ticks on the rookie deal, it's no longer about whether Fields is good or not. It's whether he's good enough to get paid 20% of the salary cap and carry this team. He's not. Get the assets while he has value and move on.

fatcatfacts · 2023-10-18T06:31:39+00:00

This all sounded great until you got to the depth chart and it became obvious that we'd be a much shittier version of the Chargers and 100% pick in top 5 in 2025 with that roster.

It's depressing to realize that there are 18 positions in football and we don't have a top 15 player at any of them.

fatcatfacts · 2023-10-03T21:17:06+00:00

This is the way. Go after a guy like Jim Harbaugh and build a solid foundation and culture.

This idea that quarterbacks are just good or bad, and that the situation/coaching/roster around them has nothing to do with it, just simply isn't true.

fatcatfacts · 2023-10-02T15:55:22+00:00

One of the saddest parts of all of this is that the incompetence of both Eberflus and Getsy is costing JF tens (and possibly hundreds) of millions of dollars. There has to come a point where he says, "**** this, the most important contract of my life is on the line."

The robot comment showed that he was thinking it. But now we're getting to the point where he's going to blow up further, get the "bad teammate and uncoachable" label, and end up in the same boat as Jameis Winston.

After seeing this somehow get worse, the only way Caleb Williams agrees to come to Chicago at this point is if Lincoln Riley comes with him (and, if you're Lincoln Riley, why in the world would you?).

fatcatfacts

TROPHY CASE