The Super Bowl is 4 days away, after which a momentous Chicago Bears offseason can start in earnest. But first comes Thursday’s information of whether or not Devin Hester has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame — a query that kicks off Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag.
Will Devin Hester get his due recognition within the Hall of Fame this yr? — Terrence, Homewood
I firmly imagine it’s a matter of when, not if, for Hester, probably the most electrical return specialist in NFL historical past. He was a finalist in his first yr of eligibility in 2022, and that bodes very nicely that he shall be outfitted in a gold jacket earlier than lengthy.
One situation Hester handled final February is it has turn out to be more and more troublesome for gamers to be voted in throughout their first yr. There have been solely 19 first-ballot inductees during the last 11 years, an inventory that features Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis and Randy Moss. It seems gamers of their first yr of eligibility are being held to the next commonplace. That’s not an impediment for Hester.
Now he has to interrupt by way of as the primary return specialist chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which has inducted 362 members. Hester completed his profession with 19 return touchdowns, all however one with the Bears. His 14 punt return scores are probably the most in NFL historical past. Add the missed discipline aim return in opposition to the New York Giants in 2006, and he scored 20 touchdowns on particular groups along with his group going 14-4 in these video games (he twice had a number of return touchdowns).
He ranks third all time with 3,696 punt return yards behind Brian Mitchell and Dave Meggett. Hester was a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl choice. His affect on the Bears was immense. They led the NFL in common beginning discipline place for 5 consecutive seasons after he arrived. There are 30 Hall of Famers who made their major contributions with the Bears. Hester will turn out to be No. 31 — in some unspecified time in the future.
The debate for voters is weighing Hester’s affect in opposition to different finalists who had been full-time gamers on offense or protection. Hester had 610 profession returns (315 punts and 295 kickoffs) in 156 video games. That’s a mean of a little bit greater than 3.9 returns per sport and a part of the equation for voters when contemplating his affect.
The 2023 Hall of Fame class shall be introduced Thursday through the NFL Honors program (8 p.m., NFL Network). I don’t know if Hester’s identify shall be referred to as this yr. I do know he couldn’t have a greater and extra meticulously ready presenter than my former colleague Dan Pompei. I imagine Hester’s second will come quickly — let’s say earlier than the Bears name Arlington Heights dwelling.
Do you anticipate the Bears to pursue Keenan Allen or Gerald Everett (two seemingly cuts from the Chargers)? — @lavine_x_fields
The Bears might need a greater probability of touchdown a confirmed, succesful extensive receiver if a veteran is launched than by combing the watered-down listing of accessible free brokers. Allen would haven’t any scarcity of suitors if the Chargers launch him to create badly wanted salary-cap room. To me, Allen is extra intriguing than the tight finish Everett as a result of the Bears are excited concerning the development and improvement alternatives for Cole Kmet, who is an efficient wager to land a contract extension this offseason.
The Chargers are slammed up in opposition to the cap and should make some troublesome choices. They’re at present projected to be greater than $20 million over the cap, and releasing Allen earlier than June 1 would create almost $15 million in area. Designating him as a post-June 1 lower would liberate $17.5 million. It’s doable the Chargers might discover a commerce accomplice for Allen, and Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles already labored with them to deal edge rusher Khalil Mack final March.
If you’re looking for the right match because the Bears look to enhance their extensive receiver room, Allen isn’t that. I say that as a result of he turns 31 in April, making him two months youthful than DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals, one other extensive receiver rumored to be accessible this offseason. In a really perfect world, the Bears would purchase a No. 1 extensive receiver getting into his prime just like the Philadelphia Eagles did final offseason after they traded with the Tennessee Titans for A.J. Brown. Such a situation won’t current itself and would, in fact, require a ton of draft capital.
Allen missed seven video games with a hamstring damage this previous season however in any other case has been fairly sturdy, lacking a complete of three video games from 2017 by way of 2021. Over the ultimate 9 video games of 2022, he was focused 83 occasions and caught 60 passes for 675 yards (11.25 per reception) and 4 touchdowns. Allen had not less than 97 receptions in every of the 5 earlier seasons and eclipsed 1,100 yards 4 occasions with a career-best 1,393 in 2017. He’s a exact route runner who immediately would turn out to be the Bears’ No. 1 receiver, however he’s additionally a stopgap measure while you speak about constructing the offense.
I don’t imagine it’s a given the Chargers will half methods with Allen, however they should make some important roster strikes and it’s an actual chance.
“Good players make money,” Chargers GM Tom Telesco stated at his end-of-season information convention. “I’d rather have a lot of good players on a roster than a lot of cap space.”
That makes loads of sense, and I’m certain the Bears would favor to commerce an entire lot of cap area for confirmed playmakers. I can see each side of this. The Bears completely must improve on the place and assist quarterback Justin Fields. They additionally wish to develop with draft picks and gamers getting into their prime years. If I had to decide on between Allen and Hopkins, I’d in all probability go together with Allen, particularly if the choices had been buying and selling for Hopkins or pursuing Allen as a free agent. If Allen turns into accessible, he could have a number of suitors.
Which place group ought to the Bears deal with first in free company? — @rich780
There’s no must overcomplicate this. The Bears need to be higher up entrance on each side of the ball. That means investing within the strains. Take your decide — offense or protection. I imagine Ryan Poles will make a concerted effort to accumulate expertise on each strains in free company. Do the Bears produce other wants? No doubt. Will they think about gamers at different positions? Surely. Football is a sport gained and misplaced on the line of scrimmage, and the Bears had been crushed — generally badly — within the trenches in 2022. That’s the place the offseason plan has to start.
In making the choice whether or not or to not commerce down with a selected group (if the commerce nets the Bears picks within the 2024 draft), how a lot ought to Ryan Poles think about how that commerce accomplice may end in 2024? The Raiders thought the Bears wouldn’t be good in 2018 in making the Khalil Mack commerce. — @canuckboy670am
This is a nuanced query and positively an element Poles wants to think about. It’s troublesome to gauge in March or April how a group will do subsequent season. It’s onerous to do it midseason too. The Bears didn’t imagine they might be sending the Pittsburgh Steelers the primary decide of Round 2 in change for extensive receiver Chase Claypool. I’m certain the Bears will look intently at expectations for any group providing future draft capital (2024 or 2025) and try and assess what vary these picks may fall in.
Are the Bears pleased with the backs they’ve or will they draft a bruiser who can block and put on down a protection within the mildew of Jerome Bettis? — @pkmcnulty
The Bears must both re-sign David Montgomery, signal a operating again in free company or draft one. My guess is they may try and discover a multidimensional operating again who’s expert at catching the ball out of the backfield. I doubt they are going to be a participant for Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs, each of whom seem to be good bets to return to their present groups. The Bears could be higher served with a operating again with a broad ability set quite than a “bruiser.” I feel Khalil Herbert might be efficient sufficient in that function.
What are real looking expectations this yr? Anything wanting the playoffs could be a disappointment in my view … and never a No. 7 seed backing their means into the postseason. — @atown2956
The Bears have a ton of strikes to make earlier than we are able to consider the roster and schedule and supply any knowledgeable guesses concerning the 2023 season. It seems like you could have grand expectations without spending a dime company and the draft. The Bears need to be worlds higher on protection and significantly better on offense to compete for a division title or playoff berth.
There is loads of historical past of worst-to-first turnarounds within the NFL. One complicating issue, a little bit greater than a month earlier than the beginning of the brand new league yr and free company, is that this roster lacks distinction makers. The Bears don’t look something just like the groups you’ll see Sunday in Super Bowl LVII. Right now I feel getting nearer to .500 could be a practical aim, however we have now to see what strikes are in retailer.
Do you suppose the Bears are prioritizing linebacker in free company? — @just_acy
It’s doable, however intuition tells me their choice could be to draft and develop a participant who can fill the outlet at weak-side linebacker. It wouldn’t shock me in the event that they signed a linebacker and seemed to draft one, placing them in place to compete for the beginning function. In this situation, I don’t know that they might “prioritize” signing a linebacker as a lot as they might search a participant with the ability set that may be a good match as a placeholder. Ultimately, I feel Matt Eberflus believes the Bears can draft and develop a participant at that spot.
How would you fee the highest 3 school WR targets within the draft for the Bears? Heard you on the Score speaking about that child from Houston, who sounds elusive and has produced. I simply don’t suppose you’re taking an opportunity on him as a result of measurement/sturdiness points. — @panotopalis
Tank Dell, the Houston extensive receiver, is actually fascinating as a result of he was electrical on the Senior Bowl and troublesome for any defensive again to reflect in protection. But Dell measured 5-foot-10, 163 kilos, and that form of body might be problematic within the NFL. I’ve seen some evaluate him to Philadelphia Eagles extensive receiver DeVonta Smith, who’s 6 toes, 170 kilos. But Dell is even smaller, so any group that falls in love along with his playmaking means in all probability wouldn’t pull the set off on him earlier than Day 2. He can completely motor although.
Picking solely three extensive receivers is a little bit difficult. It’s not as deep of a category as we have now seen the final a number of years, however there may be expertise. In no specific order, TCU’s Quentin Johnston, USC’s Jordan Addison and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be my prime three. All have totally different components of their sport which can be intriguing. None appears to be like like an choice for the Bears proper now at No. 1 or No. 54 — their first two picks. A commerce down that nets them extra picks might change that.
I do know that the Bears have an excessive amount of cap area to play with this offseason. But it was at all times my understanding that extra cap area can at all times be made accessible within the NFL for those who actually wish to do it and that it was the money price range that’s usually what determines who you may signal and who you may’t. Do you suppose that may very well be a limiting issue for the Bears this offseason? — Tom S., Chicago
Excellent remark. While cap figures for every group are available, what’s by no means identified is the money price range every group is working with throughout a given league yr. With almost $100 million in accessible cap area for 2023, Ryan Poles has extra room than he can realistically use, particularly when you think about it’s not anticipated to be a banner yr without spending a dime brokers.
I’d anticipate Poles to have sufficient of a money price range to perform just about something he needs to do. The Bears have gone mild the final two years and haven’t shied away from throwing round massive cash underneath George McCaskey. They went heavy in free company in 2018 after which made the largest transfer of that yr by buying and selling for and increasing the contract of outdoor linebacker Khalil Mack. My guess is the Mack transfer might need taken them over their money price range for that season, however offered with a particular circumstance, possession signed off on what was the most important contract for a defensive participant in league historical past on the time.
Why shouldn’t the Bears draft the perfect QB accessible? Someone that enhances Justin Fields. Why not have two nice QBs? Now that the season is longer, what number of QBs make it by way of the entire season? It is clearly an important place. — Spencer, Warrenville
No argument from me that quarterback is an important place. But I can’t agree with anything. It could be a implausible downside if the Bears had been all of a sudden to have two nice quarterbacks. Imagine the probabilities for the longer term. Currently, I don’t suppose you may say the Bears have one nice quarterback. Fields must make some important enhancements, and the group has been fairly simple saying as a lot.
In order for Fields to do this, the Bears should be higher across the quarterback — and higher on protection. Using the primary decide on a quarterback wouldn’t enhance the offensive line, extensive receivers or a porous protection. The Bears must see if a better-supported Fields can turn out to be their quarterback of the longer term earlier than they think about selecting one other one within the first spherical.
What is your Super Bowl decide? — Paul, Wonder Lake
I hope the ultimate soccer sport of the season is one for the ages. The Chiefs have the perfect participant within the sport in Patrick Mahomes, and you must think about his ankle is a little bit bit higher with an additional week of relaxation. Mahomes is a simple MVP choice this season, particularly when you think about what he achieved after the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill.
The Eagles have the benefit within the trenches on each side of the ball. They have the deepest and possibly finest defensive position within the league, and that might create some actual issues for Kansas City. I don’t know if the Chiefs will have the ability to discover success operating the ball.
The Eagles have a wealth of expertise on the skin for quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the Chiefs are higher up entrance on protection than within the secondary. Based on expertise, you must give Andy Reid and the Kansas City teaching employees the benefit.
Eagles 31, Chiefs 27.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com