Bears Following Panther / Saints blueprint

[MHS831]

The Chicago Bears are trading for Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Jonah Jackson in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported. ESPN first reported the news.

Bears to acquire All-Pro guard Joe Thuney from Chiefs in trade for their 2026 fourth round pick.  Thuney, a 32-year old stud G, is in the last year of his contract and saves the Chiefs about $16m. 

Sound familiar?

Making this Panther related:  The Panthers have 3 solid OGs and it has paid off, so it seems. The Panthers have 2 OTs, Ickey and a 31 year old solid player with knee concerns. The Panthers have Cade Mays at C and I am not sure if they have a backup at this time, or if they want to make Cade Mays the backup.  People with these young QBs are starting to get it. OL first.  Grabbing a first overall pick QB (you're welcome, Chicago) without an OL is like buying a Corvette when all the roads around you are dirt or gravel.

It seems that the Panthers will address depth at OT and possibly draft their 2026 starter now, in the event Moton becomes Motoff at some point.  A worn and torn knee on a 10-year vet 300 lb OT is not something you go "all in" on.

 

[therealmjl]

Oh sure, teams around the league look at us as the model franchise to emulate.

Edited March 5, 2025 by therealmjl

[mrcompletely11]

I mean having a good oline isnt this some revolutionary strategy and I doubt any team is looking at our 5 wins wanting to copy that

[CarolinaLivin]

Bears HC Ben Johnson praises Panthers as blueprint for OL construction

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/bears-hc-ben-johnson-praises-195530190.html
 

this was about a week or two ago. 

[Shotgun]

9 minutes ago, therealmjl said:

Oh sure, teams around the league look at us as the model franchise to emulate.

Not that hard to believe, I mean we've emulated the Jets for years now. lol

[frankw]

I didn't know he was from SC. It sounds like he's just being polite. And I'm sure he also sees similarities between himself and Canales too. But investing in the OL intelligently certainly isn't something new.

As far as the Bears go however there is no love whatsoever. I wish them only pain.

[MHS831]

28 minutes ago, therealmjl said:

Oh sure, teams around the league look at us as the model franchise to emulate.

OK.  The people who know football and the cap must manage that money to get the biggest bang for the buck.  The Saints started investing in Guards when Brees was the QB.  It worked.  The Panthers just saved a QB who was a near-certain bust by adding Guards.  Nothing else was new. It was a good example, and football execs pay attention--yes, the Panthers won 5 games.  But down the stretch, they were 4-5 with two close losses to both Super bowl teams.  But I assure you, GMs will not worry about a team's reputation or some inferiority complex inherent in its fan base.  They saw a rather amazing turnaround and they are in the same situation with their rookie QB. 

[MHS831]

41 minutes ago, CarolinaLivin said:

Bears HC Ben Johnson praises Panthers as blueprint for OL construction

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/bears-hc-ben-johnson-praises-195530190.html
 

this was about a week or two ago. 

Some are saying, "build to OL is not new information." That is not the issue.  The issue is how much can you invest in G without under funding other positions.  The cap makes it tricky.   Spending on Guards is not widely-practiced; it is a trend--  In the past, the LT, C, and RTs got the coin.  Guards were not prioritized (you have to drop $$ at some positions to pay other positions).  So the concept of building an OL as a key to success is not new, but the commitment to certain positions over others is tricky.  

KC showed the world how their OL troubles backfired, and they just traded away a 4-time All Pro OG.  ???? Salary cap.  They have some big salaries elsewhere.  So they are going to try to find studs in the draft--I am guessing KC would love to sign Banks (Texas).  I think they would trade up to get him.  Maybe to #8.

Edited March 5, 2025 by MHS831

[MHS831]

36 minutes ago, frankw said:

I didn't know he was from SC. It sounds like he's just being polite. And I'm sure he also sees similarities between himself and Canales too. But investing in the OL intelligently certainly isn't something new.

As far as the Bears go however there is no love whatsoever. I wish them only pain.

I did not know that either--I knew UNC.   Williams and the Bears are in the same situation Bryce and the Panthers were in a year earlier.  Bryce turned it around.  Surely he paid attention to what Carolina did.  I don't see that as being polite (unless I missed your meaning); I see that as being smart.  How many times have we heard, "It is a copycat league?"

[Icege]

Odd that the same folks rolling their eyes about investing in the OL were pinching their tits over the Panthers doing it...

Keep dooming, doomers.

[frankw]

16 minutes ago, Icege said:

Odd that the same folks rolling their eyes about investing in the OL were pinching their tits over the Panthers doing it...

Keep dooming, doomers.

Are you ever not seeking enemies here?

[frankw]

19 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

I did not know that either--I knew UNC.   Williams and the Bears are in the same situation Bryce and the Panthers were in a year earlier.  Bryce turned it around.  Surely he paid attention to what Carolina did.  I don't see that as being polite (unless I missed your meaning); I see that as being smart.  How many times have we heard, "It is a copycat league?"

He's a first time head coach complimenting a peer that has been in the basement for a long time now. That's really all I take from it.

Look I'm a Panthers and Hornets fan through and through and will remain that as long as the teams reside here but let's be realistic. No one is legitimately trying to copy anything with this franchise currently. Hopefully that can be subject to change down the road. We'll have to see.

[PantherChris]

37 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Some are saying, "build to OL is not new information." That is not the issue.  The issue is how much can you invest in G without under funding other positions.  The cap makes it tricky.   Spending on Guards is not widely-practiced; it is a trend--  In the past, the LT, C, and RTs got the coin.  Guards were not prioritized (you have to drop $$ at some positions to pay other positions).  So the concept of building an OL as a key to success is not new, but the commitment to certain positions over others is tricky.  

KC showed the world how their OL troubles backfired, and they just traded away a 4-time All Pro OG.  ???? Salary cap.  They have some big salaries elsewhere.  So they are going to try to find studs in the draft--I am guessing KC would love to sign Banks (Texas).  I think they would trade up to get him.  Maybe to #8.

The cap is going up massively for the second strait year, and is likely to keep moving up close to that amount.

[MHS831]

13 minutes ago, frankw said:

 No one is legitimately trying to copy anything with this franchise currently. Hopefully that can be subject to change down the road. We'll have to see.

The coach of the Chicago Bears just referenced the turnaround of the Panthers once they invested in guards.  He then has just signed 2 high profile guards.  How is that not copying the Panthers?  I agree that there is not a lot to copy here, but step back.  We lost Darnold before investing in the OL.  We lost Baker before investing in the OL.  We drafted Bryce before successfully investing in the OL.  We invest in 2 guards.  After a slow start, Bryce ends the season 4-5 and is very close to both Philly and New England.  Later, the new coach of the Bears references the Panthers and how they turned it around after signing high profile guards.  A week or two later, they announce they signed 2 high profile guards.  I think all GMs paid attention to what has happened here.  It may not be the sole basis for their decision, but the defense cost us 2024, not the offense.  In addition, we did it without our #1 WR, a top TE, and the cupboards were pretty bare at WR.  I think they noticed.  As you say, Frank, we shall see.