The state of the NFC North

[rodell330]

I’ll tell you one thing! If the Packers front office don’t get their crap together? this team will be looking up at not only the Bears? But the Queens as well for the next couple years. Gute doesn’t necessarily have to hit a home run in this upcoming draft...but he darn well better hit a triple! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again! They really need to go ALL IN when it comes to trying to get these top free agents to come to Green Bay...I don’t want to hear all this talk about “overspending” either. Sometimes you have to pay a little extra if the market you play in isn’t as ****.

 

[adambr2]

The real bummer with having 2 first round picks this year is how bad this draft class is. There's some talent there, but by far your most talented guy (who won't be on the board for us) has missed most of 2018 with injury in Bosa, and after that it's real blah. It's just a really bad draft class.

 

[rodell330]

The real bummer with having 2 first round picks this year is how bad this draft class is. There's some talent there, but by far your most talented guy (who won't be on the board for us) has missed most of 2018 with injury in Bosa, and after that it's real blah. It's just a really bad draft class.

Agree 100%. I’d be on the phone with Arizona trying to sale them BOTH 1st rd picks for Chandler Jones....or 1 for Patrick Peterson. If that doesn’t work? I’m asking Cincinnati which one of those picks can get us AJ Green. For once the Packers will have a ton of money to be major players in free agency and they need to spend it ALL upgrading this roster. OLB, RT, Safety and WR are major needs.

 

[Wi. Mike now in Florida]

So many problems with this team, just don't expect a miracle next year.
How can the wheels fly off so fast in both defense and offense.

If only they waited to sign Rodgers until after this season he wouldn't have expected so much.

 

[XPack]

We should look to trade some of the picks for some proven top talents, esp in edge rush.

 

[El Guapo]

For the same reason you all want to give up the picks, other teams won't be valuing them as much so don't think that a 1st round pick will mean as much as it did in the past.

 

[PackAttack12]

The Bears acquiring Khalil Mack, thus the Packers not acquiring Khalil Mack, was such a dramatic shift in the current state of the division. That one player is going to make the Bears relevant for quite a while. It's a shame that the Packers couldn't figure out a way to make it work.

I know the Bears aren't paying their quarterback top dollar, still hurts nevertheless.

 

[Mondio]

The Bears acquiring Khalil Mack, thus the Packers not acquiring Khalil Mack, was such a dramatic shift in the current state of the division. That one player is going to make the Bears relevant for quite a while. It's a shame that the Packers couldn't figure out a way to make it work.

I know the Bears aren't paying their quarterback top dollar, still hurts nevertheless.

I don't know. I'm not that impressed really. The defense is fine for them, and he's a good player, but unlike the offense they were facing with 3 of teh 5 offensive linemen being back ups, the Bears were missing who on a very well built defense? 1 guy?

I guess my point, if they don't win it this year, which I don't think they're good enough too by any means, who knows where they'll be next year. Injuries happen, and Mitch is still a 1 trick pony who can run at times for offense. Let's see this team win when players start becoming unavailable for weeks on end and let's see how they replenish with a handful of draft picks given up for 2 players.

i'd say it paid off for this year, but i don't see a dramatic shift for the future. I see a team that better get it done now, because this is their best shot.

 

[Pkrjones]

Agree 100%. I’d be on the phone with Arizona trying to sale them BOTH 1st rd picks for Chandler Jones....or 1 for Patrick Peterson. If that doesn’t work? I’m asking Cincinnati which one of those picks can get us AJ Green. For once the Packers will have a ton of money to be major players in free agency and they need to spend it ALL upgrading this roster. OLB, RT, Safety and WR are major needs.

Why on earth would we entertain either of these ideas? We passed on TJ Watt with #29 in 2017 and our pass rush has sucked since.

There will be a big upgrade at edge rusher with our #10-13 pick... hopefully Allen or Ferrell fall. There are definitely talented OL's to be had with late 1st rounder whether be an OT or OG. I hope we don't sell picks for aging vets... have enough of those already.

Mentioned in another post, we've already got big, tall, fast, talented, young WR's that just need coaching & playing time. Equanameous St. Brown, MVS, Moore, Kumerow, RFA Allison to go along with Adams. Get these guys running proper routes & on the same page as AR (where AR expects them to be). Is there any room for a high(er) round draft pick or vet FA/trade?

 

[AmishMafia]

Why on earth would we entertain either of these ideas? We passed on TJ Watt with #29 in 2017 and our pass rush has sucked since.

Packers currently rank 6th in sacks. The biggest issue with this defense is creating turnovers. We have 7 ints and 10 ffs. That's 27th and 24th in the NFL. I like what Pettine has done so far. We had no DL starters for the bears and we still played decent. I finally saw some Josh Jones playmaking ability out there. Give Pettine another year getting the players he needs and we are fairly formidable defensively.

 

[gbgary]

I’ll tell you one thing! If the Packers front office don’t get their crap together? this team will be looking up at not only the Bears? But the Queens as well for the next couple years. Gute doesn’t necessarily have to hit a home run in this upcoming draft...but he darn well better hit a triple! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again! They really need to go ALL IN when it comes to trying to get these top free agents to come to Green Bay...I don’t want to hear all this talk about “overspending” either. Sometimes you have to pay a little extra if the market you play in isn’t as ****.

goes with saying. min will be at least as good as they were this year. chi will only get better with a qb on a rookie contract. get used to 8-8, for the remainder of Rodgers contract, if they don't take full advantage of this off-season.

 

[OldSchool101]

Packers currently rank 6th in sacks. The biggest issue with this defense is creating turnovers. We have 7 ints and 10 ffs. That's 27th and 24th in the NFL. I like what Pettine has done so far. We had no DL starters for the bears and we still played decent. I finally saw some Josh Jones playmaking ability out there. Give Pettine another year getting the players he needs and we are fairly formidable defensively.

If possible I’d like to see resign Mo on a short term deal. While he’s not Mack he’s pretty solid and he’s be a good value addition. I believe we were hurt by his absence he was constantly in the backfield causing disruption early this year.

Add to that another Edge type in the draft single digits and that could change a lot. I’d also prefer to go out and pair Martinez with another ILB through FA that’s a difference maker. We’ve been getting gashed on the run and it’s happening right up the middle. If we had a LVE type guy in the middle paired with Martinez this D improves immediately

 

[Jerellh528]

I’m optimistic, we get the chance to hand select our new Hc of the future, we got 2 first rounders, plenty of cap space with the potential for even more with a few trimming of the fat type cuts, and still have Aaron Rodgers. We could easily right this ship in one offseason and be back on top.

 

[gbgary]

I’m optimistic, we get the chance to hand select our new Hc of the future, we got 2 first rounders, plenty of cap space with the potential for even more with a few trimming of the fat type cuts, and still have Aaron Rodgers. We could easily right this ship in one offseason and be back on top.

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

i know you're not female...just thought this fit.

 

[Arod2gjdd]

Missing out on Mack will haunt this organization for years to come.....

 

[AmishMafia]

Missing out on Mack will haunt this organization for years to come.....

Signing Mack will haunt the Bears for even longer.

 

[PackAttack12]

I don't know. I'm not that impressed really. The defense is fine for them, and he's a good player, but unlike the offense they were facing with 3 of teh 5 offensive linemen being back ups, the Bears were missing who on a very well built defense? 1 guy?

I guess my point, if they don't win it this year, which I don't think they're good enough too by any means, who knows where they'll be next year. Injuries happen, and Mitch is still a 1 trick pony who can run at times for offense. Let's see this team win when players start becoming unavailable for weeks on end and let's see how they replenish with a handful of draft picks given up for 2 players.

i'd say it paid off for this year, but i don't see a dramatic shift for the future. I see a team that better get it done now, because this is their best shot.

Good points. The rest of the league will have a full seasons worth of tape on them for next year and years to come. But Nagy isn't going anywhere and I don't think that defense is going anywhere either.

The Bears are in position to win 11-12 games. Will they do that year in, year out over the next few years? Maybe, maybe not. But they're going to be more than formidable as long as Mack can stay healthy, along with the others cogs they have in place on that defense, and Nagy running the show on offense.

Trubisky to me is far from a sure thing, but you see what the Cowboys have been able to do with a strong defense and running game. I'd actually rather have Trubisky than Prescott by a considerable margin.

The Packers really have to have a strong offseason to volt back into contenders status.

 

[Half Empty]

Signing Mack will haunt the Bears for even longer.

Not sure how long 'for years to come' is, so obviously am unsure of how much longer than that is, but Mack and Trubinsky's (with 5th year option) contracts run pretty much parallel. Just a thought.

 

[AmishMafia]

Not sure how long 'for years to come' is, so obviously am unsure of how much longer than that is, but Mack and Trubinsky's (with 5th year option) contracts run pretty much parallel. Just a thought.

Just trying to be contrary to point out a bigger picture. The cost the bears paid was significant. Loss of picks but the salary cap is also negatively impactful. They will lose some good players to FA on the next few years and when Trubisky hits the payday, the team will have a tough time.

As someone pointed out, it was a big gamble that would make more sense if they were closer. The window isnt that big and if they miss it, it will set them back.

 

[Half Empty]

Pretty much figured it to be as you say, but the times frames mentioned were just too big of a softball to pass up.

 

[sschind]

Just trying to be contrary to point out a bigger picture. The cost the bears paid was significant. Loss of picks but the salary cap is also negatively impactful. They will lose some good players to FA on the next few years and when Trubisky hits the payday, the team will have a tough time.

As someone pointed out, it was a big gamble that would make more sense if they were closer. The window isnt that big and if they miss it, it will set them back.

So they gave up a first round pick this year ( I know next year as well plus some) in a draft that has ****** talent. If that is the case I don't consider losing this years pick that big of a deal to get a player like Mack. They will be paying Mack a lot less than we are paying Rodgers and its not like the Bears defense is all Kalil Mack. He makes everyone around him better and they are pretty good to begin with. I don't see that changing for a while.

Given the talent on the current teams I'm not convinced what the Bears did to get Mack is any worse than what the Packers did to keep Rodgers. For the record I was opposed to giving up the picks and cap space to get Mack but that was knowing what we would have to eventually pay Rodgers. I don't think there is any way you can have the highest paid offensive and defensive players and stay competitive. I also don't think Mack would have had nearly as big of an impact for us as he did the for the Bears because they have a much more talent around him than we would have.

I think a lot of this "Bears will suck again and soon" talk stems from the fact that they are the Bears and we are Packer fans and some Packer fans just can't say anything positive about the Bears. If this were a team in the AFC a lot of the same fans would be calling them a dynasty in the making.

Signing Mack will haunt the Bears for even longer.

I wanted to give you a disagree on this but changed my mind. It might haunt them so I can't really disagree but I think a lot of fans are banking on it and I don't agree with that at all.

 

[gbgary]

Signing Mack will haunt the Bears for even longer.

nope. not for the next 3 years. bears can opt out after 2021 (he'll be 31). trubiski will be on his rookie deal another two years. so no biggie.

 

[rmontro]

Just look at who the NFC North champions are, that should tell you all you need to know about the state of the division.

 

[rodell330]

Teams are getting away from that “we don’t want mortgage the future mentality” . More teams are tying to win NOW, because as you can see? We’ve all witnessed first hand how hard it is to get to a SB or even back to it even with a 1st ballot HOF QB..and Ted Thompson was one of the cheapest GM’s of all time and cherished his freaking draft picks. What good has that done?

While we still have Aaron Rodgers they need to be doing EVERYTHING possible to add as many playmakers as they can in order to get back to and win another SB while he’s still playing. Go all in and play it year by year. I’ll take getting to the SB and winning it scattered with a season or two of revamping the roster vs winning the North and getting beat in the playoffs every year.

 

[rmontro]

Teams are getting away from that “we don’t want mortgage the future mentality” . More teams are tying to win NOW, because as you can see? We’ve all witnessed first hand how hard it is to get to a SB or even back to it even with a 1st ballot HOF QB..and Ted Thompson was one of the cheapest GM’s of all time and cherished his freaking draft picks. What good has that done?

Unfortunately it appears that it's possible that Rodgers' prime may have already been wasted. I hope that's not the case, but it may be. I've seen other boards where any criticism of Ted was banned, and any talk of the Rodgers era window closing any time soon was considered ridiculous. Even if he does return to form, it can all end on one play, and Rodgers takes a lot of chances.