A look ahead at the Cap

[Maelstrom88]

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap

We owe a lot of old players a lot of guaranteed money from the look of it. Gotta hope Donnatel is the problem

[J. Kapp 11]

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap

We owe a lot of old players a lot of guaranteed money from the look of it. Gotta hope Donnatel is the problem

Between Thielen, Harry, Cook Hicks and Kendricks, there's $72 million in cap hit for 2023, along with $38 million in dead cap between those five players.

It's a mess.

Separate from that, Ed Donatell HAS to be gone. One of the worst defenses ever for a playoff team.

[StumpHunter]

They cannot fix this defense with new players with where they are sitting financially, and will hope that a change in DC will be enough. Realistically it will only get worse with key players getting older and no real succession plans in place.

They could also go full rebuild mode and realize the core of this team isn't good enough for a championship, keep the young guys who you could build a championship team around eventually and dump the guys who won't be here when that is a real possibility, but we know that is not an option with this ownership group.

They will run it back yet again next season and be happy to win a bad division only to get popped in the WC or divisional rounds. Get used to it.

[Maelstrom88]

They cannot fix this defense with new players with where they are sitting financially, and will hope that a change in DC will be enough. Realistically it will only get worse with key players getting older and no real succession plans in place.

They could also go full rebuild mode and realize the core of this team isn't good enough for a championship, keep the young guys who you could build a championship team around eventually and dump the guys who won't be here when that is a real possibility, but we know that is not an option with this ownership group.

They will run it back yet again next season and be happy to win a bad division only to get popped in the WC or divisional rounds. Get used to it.

They'll finish behind the Lions and Packers next year if they don't make drastic changes on defense.

[IIsweet]

Couple things immediately, we are $19 mil in the wrong for 2023.
The Bears this year will have close to $100 million in cap space.
As of now, in 2024, we will have nearly $100 million in cap space.
I will get to it later, but cutting Zadarius and Hendricks saves over $22 million. If KOC and Kwesi love Kirk, then a restructuring or extension saves $23m.
Important to look at pre June 1 cuts, and the post June 1 after the draft and free agency periods. Also some restructuring.
Team could also do the minimum, bring back these high $ veterans for 1 year and let contracts expire.
Go into 2024 with $100 million in Cap with JJ your top priority.

[Pep2Moss]

Hopefully the 3 DB they took early this year will contribute.

Kendricks, Smith, Hicks, Theilen and Smith are all as good as gone,

[CharVike]

They cannot fix this defense with new players with where they are sitting financially, and will hope that a change in DC will be enough. Realistically it will only get worse with key players getting older and no real succession plans in place.

They could also go full rebuild mode and realize the core of this team isn't good enough for a championship, keep the young guys who you could build a championship team around eventually and dump the guys who won't be here when that is a real possibility, but we know that is not an option with this ownership group.

They will run it back yet again next season and be happy to win a bad division only to get popped in the WC or divisional rounds. Get used to it.

They'll finish behind the Lions and Packers next year if they don't make drastic changes on defense.

Is that Lion defense really that much better than ours? There OL is far better which gives them a huge advantage. But that D sucks big time. Nothing will change that overnight. They need cover guys and teams don't dump great cover guys into FA because they are a must have and are hard to find. Our PP was dumped once he wasn't the same player. Looks like the Packers need a QB. How many young HOFers as he once was are laying around waiting for the phone to ring. Please let us all know. Maybe Love is the next HOFer. Could be but I doubt it. Maybe the 39 year old Rodgers will bounce back and then get dumped round 1 in the playoffs again after a 13 win season. Sound familiar? The Lions are the media darlings for some reason.

[CharVike]

Couple things immediately, we are $19 mil in the wrong for 2023.
The Bears this year will have close to $100 million in cap space.
As of now, in 2024, we will have nearly $100 million in cap space.
I will get to it later, but cutting Safari is and Hendricks saves over $22 million. If KOC and Kwesi love Kirk, then a restructuring or extension saves $23m.
Important to look at pre June 1 cuts, and the post June 1 after the draft and free agency periods. Also some restructuring.
Team could also do the minimum, bring back these high $ veterans for 1 year and let contracts expire.
Go into 2024 with $100 million in Cap with JJ your top priority.

What does a team do with 100 million in cap space like the Bears have. I don't see FA as some gold mine that is filled to the top with top level talent. Teams keep there players. You need to spend a certain amount of cap and they will keep their best players. Do you see it differently?

[Maelstrom88]

They'll finish behind the Lions and Packers next year if they don't make drastic changes on defense.

Is that Lion defense really that much better than ours? There OL is far better which gives them a huge advantage. But that D sucks big time. Nothing will change that overnight. They need cover guys and teams don't dump great cover guys into FA because they are a must have and are hard to find. Our PP was dumped once he wasn't the same player. Looks like the Packers need a QB. How many young HOFers as he once was are laying around waiting for the phone to ring. Please let us all know. Maybe Love is the next HOFer. Could be but I doubt it. Maybe the 39 year old Rodgers will bounce back and then get dumped round 1 in the playoffs again after a 13 win season. Sound familiar? The Lions are the media darlings for some reason.

Okudah is a good young corner, Anzalone is as good as our ILBers or better, Brockers is a solid DT, Hutchinson is good. They played the Packers much better than we did this year. They have a boatload of picks and this draft is loaded with pass rushers and corners. Future looks bright in Detroit.

Unless Aaron leaves the Packers will bounce back strong next year they won't have two years in a row missing the playoffs with him. From what I've seen of Love he doesn't look like the future though.

[Maelstrom88]

Couple things immediately, we are $19 mil in the wrong for 2023.
The Bears this year will have close to $100 million in cap space.
As of now, in 2024, we will have nearly $100 million in cap space.
I will get to it later, but cutting Safari is and Hendricks saves over $22 million. If KOC and Kwesi love Kirk, then a restructuring or extension saves $23m.
Important to look at pre June 1 cuts, and the post June 1 after the draft and free agency periods. Also some restructuring.
Team could also do the minimum, bring back these high $ veterans for 1 year and let contracts expire.
Go into 2024 with $100 million in Cap with JJ your top priority.

What does a team do with 100 million in cap space like the Bears have. I don't see FA as some gold mine that is filled to the top with top level talent. Teams keep there players. You need to spend a certain amount of cap and they will keep their best players. Do you see it differently?

Jaguars went on a spree last year that seemed to work out well for them. Surround Fields with weapons and even the Bears will challenge us.

[J. Kapp 11]

Couple things immediately, we are $19 mil in the wrong for 2023.
The Bears this year will have close to $100 million in cap space.
As of now, in 2024, we will have nearly $100 million in cap space.
I will get to it later, but cutting Safari is and Hendricks saves over $22 million. If KOC and Kwesi love Kirk, then a restructuring or extension saves $23m.
Important to look at pre June 1 cuts, and the post June 1 after the draft and free agency periods. Also some restructuring.
Team could also do the minimum, bring back these high $ veterans for 1 year and let contracts expire.
Go into 2024 with $100 million in Cap with JJ your top priority.

Such a solid post. Spot on.

Don't know that I'd extend Cousins though. He's going to be 35 next year. More importantly, after this game, can we trust him? He makes the worst throw of his entire season on a checkdown completion to Hockenson, and he goes to the podium and defends it? I've tried to be a fan of his, but I'm beginning to think he just doesn't get it. Maybe it's time to bite the bullet, put him under center for one more year, and move on for 2024.

But everything else you've got, I totally agree. I was going to start a thread about this, but in the end, the Bears may be doing it right. There are a number of really solid unrestricted free agents out there, and if the Bears land a few, they will blow past us. They also will be picking at the top of every round in the draft. They could get better in a hurry.

Meanwhile, we're $19 million over the cap, as you mentioned, and have only four draft picks, including just one in the top 100. We very well may be forced to sacrifice 2023 and let some of these big contracts expire to free up cap space for 2024. We simply can't panic and mortgage the future by trading away a bunch of No. 1s to move up and draft one of the top QBs, as some have advocated. The Vikings really need to start thinking long-term.

[CharVike]

Is that Lion defense really that much better than ours? There OL is far better which gives them a huge advantage. But that D sucks big time. Nothing will change that overnight. They need cover guys and teams don't dump great cover guys into FA because they are a must have and are hard to find. Our PP was dumped once he wasn't the same player. Looks like the Packers need a QB. How many young HOFers as he once was are laying around waiting for the phone to ring. Please let us all know. Maybe Love is the next HOFer. Could be but I doubt it. Maybe the 39 year old Rodgers will bounce back and then get dumped round 1 in the playoffs again after a 13 win season. Sound familiar? The Lions are the media darlings for some reason.

Okudah is a good young corner, Anzalone is as good as our ILBers or better, Brockers is a solid DT, Hutchinson is good. They played the Packers much better than we did this year. They have a boatload of picks and this draft is loaded with pass rushers and corners. Future looks bright in Detroit.

Unless Aaron leaves the Packers will bounce back strong next year they won't have two years in a row missing the playoffs with him. From what I've seen of Love he doesn't look like the future though.

You know the Lions better than me. Just keeping up with our revolving door of CBs was enough for me. The Packers could bounce back. But to what? A one and done team? A team that can march to the Super Bowl? Perhaps. It depends on their young WRs.

[Maelstrom88]

Okudah is a good young corner, Anzalone is as good as our ILBers or better, Brockers is a solid DT, Hutchinson is good. They played the Packers much better than we did this year. They have a boatload of picks and this draft is loaded with pass rushers and corners. Future looks bright in Detroit.

Unless Aaron leaves the Packers will bounce back strong next year they won't have two years in a row missing the playoffs with him. From what I've seen of Love he doesn't look like the future though.

You know the Lions better than me. Just keeping up with our revolving door of CBs was enough for me. The Packers could bounce back. But to what? A one and done team? A team that can march to the Super Bowl? Perhaps. It depends on their young WRs.

The Packers need to get Aaron the TE out of Notre Dame. I really hope they don't lol.

[Maelstrom88]

Couple things immediately, we are $19 mil in the wrong for 2023.
The Bears this year will have close to $100 million in cap space.
As of now, in 2024, we will have nearly $100 million in cap space.
I will get to it later, but cutting Safari is and Hendricks saves over $22 million. If KOC and Kwesi love Kirk, then a restructuring or extension saves $23m.
Important to look at pre June 1 cuts, and the post June 1 after the draft and free agency periods. Also some restructuring.
Team could also do the minimum, bring back these high $ veterans for 1 year and let contracts expire.
Go into 2024 with $100 million in Cap with JJ your top priority.

Such a solid post. Spot on.

Don't know that I'd extend Cousins though. He's going to be 35 next year. More importantly, after this game, can we trust him? He makes the worst throw of his entire season on a checkdown completion to Hockenson, and he goes to the podium and defends it? I've tried to be a fan of his, but I'm beginning to think he just doesn't get it. Maybe it's time to bite the bullet, put him under center for one more year, and move on for 2024.

But everything else you've got, I totally agree. I was going to start a thread about this, but in the end, the Bears may be doing it right. There are a number of really solid unrestricted free agents out there, and if the Bears land a few, they will blow past us. They also will be picking at the top of every round in the draft. They could get better in a hurry.

Meanwhile, we're $19 million over the cap, as you mentioned, and have only four draft picks, including just one in the top 100. We very well may be forced to sacrifice 2023 and let some of these big contracts expire to free up cap space for 2024. We simply can't panic and mortgage the future by trading away a bunch of No. 1s to move up and draft one of the top QBs, as some have advocated. The Vikings really need to start thinking long-term.

Honestly I think it's better to just take our medicine this year and have flexibility after that. I think the Vikings should trade down and try to accumulate a lot of picks for 2024. If they implode you would be set up to draft a premium QB and surround him with talent. That's what I'd do.

[IIsweet]

I think that with us drafting 23 this year, that we trade down and accumulate a 2024 1st. Accumulate the best talent possible you can this draft. If we cut EK, Z Smith, Thielen, Hicks, and Harrison, I would do so after June 1. Do not spend all the FA money. Carry a bunch over to 2024. Then with loaded draft picks and FA money, be more aggressive in getting the elite playmakers. Moving up in drafts to get particular players.
I feel that we already have these guys replacements. I would love Jack Campbell from Iowa at LB in the 2nd rd. Overshown and Pappoe are super athletic and could help a ton. Campbell though, is a plug and play into the NFL. Will help Asamoah and another LB. I also feel we need to move to the 4-3. Phillips and Tomlinson could be tough inside. Hunter is a 4-3 DE. Jones is also. Secondary starts with Booth, Evans, PP. Cine and ? Safeties are available every draft and FA.