The Bears Offseason Thread

Handlebar McSkullet · February 22, 2007

Cheap org? These are the same guys that got lambasted for overpaying Ogun, Moose, TJ, Griese, Tait.

Im not the only bears fan to question the ownership's frugal-ness. Those players have large contracts but the Bears are still 21 million under the cap. I have no problem with how much they do or dont pay players. I mean I wouldnt want the team to be in the cap hell that the titans, 49ners were or the redskins or colts are now.

I just think it sucks that with how bad this team has been over the last 15 years, they finally get a solid head coach who takes them to the super bowl, and there offer is a 2 million dollars less a year than Bobby Petrino, a rookie NFL Head Coach or a couple hundred thousand dollars more than the Dolphins Defensive Coordinator.

Its not like they are the Jaguars who are a small market team, and are not pulling in a lot of profit. They are near the top of the league in profits in the third largest market.

Uh, the Colts are 7-8 million dollars under the cap even after franchising Freeney, and they still have some easy work that's going to get them even further under. They don't really have cap problems.

I got that from John Clayton who said that the Colts are 5.9 million over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2349505

That page says it was last updated on March 10th, 2006.

hahahahha..... well I was more just trying to say I would rather be cap healthy...

Handlebar McSkullet · February 22, 2007

Dallas' first choice for QB Coach. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin's Offensive Coordinator. As a huge badger fan, I would much rather have Wade Wilson leave than Chryst.

NCCubFan · February 23, 2007

Cheap org? These are the same guys that got lambasted for overpaying Ogun, Moose, TJ, Griese, Tait.

Im not the only bears fan to question the ownership's frugal-ness. Those players have large contracts but the Bears are still 21 million under the cap. I have no problem with how much they do or dont pay players. I mean I wouldnt want the team to be in the cap hell that the titans, 49ners were or the redskins or colts are now.

I just think it sucks that with how bad this team has been over the last 15 years, they finally get a solid head coach who takes them to the super bowl, and there offer is a 2 million dollars less a year than Bobby Petrino, a rookie NFL Head Coach or a couple hundred thousand dollars more than the Dolphins Defensive Coordinator.

Its not like they are the Jaguars who are a small market team, and are not pulling in a lot of profit. They are near the top of the league in profits in the third largest market.

Uh, the Colts are 7-8 million dollars under the cap even after franchising Freeney, and they still have some easy work that's going to get them even further under. They don't really have cap problems.

I got that from John Clayton who said that the Colts are 5.9 million over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2349505

Manning just restructured his contract, converting a roster bonus into a signing bonus to spread it out, to help with their cap. I believe this just happened yesterday.

NCCubFan · February 23, 2007

In 97, Sean Gilbert held out the entire season.
In 98, Dan Williams held out the season after being franchised
Joey Galloway held out with Seattle till about week 10 (I can't remember the exact week he came back)
Keenan Mcardall held out half the season in 04 till TB caved and traded him to SD
Deion Branch last year would have held out and said that he wouldn't report till week 10 before the Patriots caved and traded him after week 1

I think only half of those involved the franchise tag, but those were just the ones I could come up with immediately, and I'm sure there have been others. There have been several cases though of people holding out much longer than training camp though, and it usually turns ugly for the club when that happens. I hope Briggs is not that ridiculous.

I forget which year this was, but a Tampa Bay Pro-Bowl offensive lineman (Paul Gruber, I believe) sat out an entire year after being franchised.

goonys evil twin · February 23, 2007

Well, this offseason is certainly going to be interesting. Unlike Hendry, who hasn't proven to have the ability to put together a championship caliber roster, Angelo has, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I'm pretty happy with what the Bears have done since the Mikey fiasco. Things could go to heck pretty quickly on many fronts. But I'm not about to assume it does. It's no time to panic about the Bears.

Soul · February 23, 2007

Cheap org? These are the same guys that got lambasted for overpaying Ogun, Moose, TJ, Griese, Tait.

Im not the only bears fan to question the ownership's frugal-ness. Those players have large contracts but the Bears are still 21 million under the cap. I have no problem with how much they do or dont pay players. I mean I wouldnt want the team to be in the cap hell that the titans, 49ners were or the redskins or colts are now.

I just think it sucks that with how bad this team has been over the last 15 years, they finally get a solid head coach who takes them to the super bowl, and there offer is a 2 million dollars less a year than Bobby Petrino, a rookie NFL Head Coach or a couple hundred thousand dollars more than the Dolphins Defensive Coordinator.

Its not like they are the Jaguars who are a small market team, and are not pulling in a lot of profit. They are near the top of the league in profits in the third largest market.

Uh, the Colts are 7-8 million dollars under the cap even after franchising Freeney, and they still have some easy work that's going to get them even further under. They don't really have cap problems.

I got that from John Clayton who said that the Colts are 5.9 million over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2349505

That page says it was last updated on March 10th, 2006.

hahahahha..... well I was more just trying to say I would rather be cap healthy...

You'll need to get better figures that represent where the team is cap-wise heading into the season.

Being $21million under in March simply means Angelo is managing the cap well. IIRC we started the season somewhere around $5mil under.

Banedon · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

Handlebar McSkullet · February 23, 2007

Cheap org? These are the same guys that got lambasted for overpaying Ogun, Moose, TJ, Griese, Tait.

Im not the only bears fan to question the ownership's frugal-ness. Those players have large contracts but the Bears are still 21 million under the cap. I have no problem with how much they do or dont pay players. I mean I wouldnt want the team to be in the cap hell that the titans, 49ners were or the redskins or colts are now.

I just think it sucks that with how bad this team has been over the last 15 years, they finally get a solid head coach who takes them to the superbowl, and there offer is a 2 million dollars less a year than Bobby Petrino, a rookie NFL Head Coach or a couple hundred thousand dollars more than the Dolphins Defensive Coordinator.

Its not like they are the Jaguars who are a small market team, and are not pulling in a lot of profit. They are near the top of the league in profits in the third largest market.

Uh, the Colts are 7-8 million dollars under the cap even after franchising Freeney, and they still have some easy work that's going to get them even further under. They don't really have cap problems.

I got that from John Clayton who said that the Colts are 5.9 million over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2349505

That page says it was last updated on March 10th, 2006.

hahahahha..... well I was more just trying to say I would rather be cap healthy...

You'll need to get better figures that represent where the team is cap-wise heading into the season.

Being $21million under in March simply means Angelo is managing the cap well. IIRC we started the season somewhere around $5mil under.

Going from 5 milion under to 21 million is the product of expiring contracts. But im going to repeat this again, and I dont need better figures to explain it. The teams cap, and what they spend on players has nothing to do their "frugalness". The NFL mandates that a team has to spend a certain percentage of their total cap figure each year. This isnt MLB where a team is free to spend as much or as little on team salary. The cap is already budgeted into the team's spending, and the owners take that into account.

COACHING SALARY is not part of the cap and is not under the NFL or NFLPA scrutiny. The Bears can pay or not pay their non-player employees as much or little as they like.

Here are facts:

1. Lovie Smith was paid 1.35 million last year, ranking him 32 out 32 in NFL head coaching salary. He is slated to make 1.4 million, ranking him 32 out of 32.

2. As reported by every major newspaper in Chicago, and the national media like ESPN. The Bears offer is somewhere between 3.2 million and 4 million.

3.If that is the case. That offer much less per year than what was given to Bobby Petrino, a rookie head coach, John Fox who makes 5 million a year and his team missed the playoffs this year, and Brian Billick just signed a 6 million per year contract.

My opinion is that Lovie's camp is justified in their frustration if Ted Phillips refuses to budge from their offer because it seems that it is below market value. Im sure it will get done, but there are a lot of NFL teams that wouldn't let it get this far considering how much Lovie has accomplished with this franchise.

[/b]

Chocolate Milk · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

Soriano12 · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

Doubtful. By leaking this info, they have lost the upper hand in bargaining.

CubColtPacer · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

I'd be amazed if Thomas Jones fetched a 2nd rounder-the Colts couldn't even get a 2nd rounder for Edgerrin a couple years back, and neither could the Seahawks for Alexander. Maybe the market for runningbacks has changed dramatically since then, but I don't think so-it seems like there's even more teams with set runningbacks now then ever before.

Chocolate Milk · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

I'd be amazed if Thomas Jones fetched a 2nd rounder-the Colts couldn't even get a 2nd rounder for Edgerrin a couple years back, and neither could the Seahawks for Alexander. Maybe the market for runningbacks has changed dramatically since then, but I don't think so-it seems like there's even more teams with set runningbacks now then ever before.

I doubt they'd get a second but stranger things have happened. The Jets gave a second for Doug fricken Jolly.

CubColtPacer · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

I'd be amazed if Thomas Jones fetched a 2nd rounder-the Colts couldn't even get a 2nd rounder for Edgerrin a couple years back, and neither could the Seahawks for Alexander. Maybe the market for runningbacks has changed dramatically since then, but I don't think so-it seems like there's even more teams with set runningbacks now then ever before.

I doubt they'd get a second but stranger things have happened. The Jets gave a second for Doug fricken Jolly.

Well, when you bring that example up, I don't think I can argue with that one at all-you're definitely right, stranger things have happened :D

goonys evil twin · February 23, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- Expect the Bears to accommodate running back Thomas Jones' apparent request for a trade as best they can. Presume they will expend just as much effort in trying to ignore the same request from linebacker Lance Briggs.

Forget the idea of free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia being overpaid to challenge Rex Grossman or Brian Griese. But warm up the notion of Pro Bowl return man Devin Hester getting a long look on offense.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-070222bears,1,6045629.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

With his playoff performance, maybe we can get a 2nd rounder for Jones.

I'd be amazed if Thomas Jones fetched a 2nd rounder-the Colts couldn't even get a 2nd rounder for Edgerrin a couple years back, and neither could the Seahawks for Alexander. Maybe the market for runningbacks has changed dramatically since then, but I don't think so-it seems like there's even more teams with set runningbacks now then ever before.

I doubt they'd get a second but stranger things have happened. The Jets gave a second for Doug fricken Jolly.

And both NY teams want RB help.

goonys evil twin · February 23, 2007

Going from 5 milion under to 21 million is the product of expiring contracts.

And an expanding salary cap. It's going to be much higher in 2007 than it was in 2006 and 2005.

CubColtPacer · February 28, 2007

I know PFT is not the most reliable of places, so this could be completely false. However, they do break things from time to time, so I just thought that I'd throw this out there:

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved. We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

CaliforniaRaisin · February 28, 2007

Talk to me when someone besides PFT is reporting this. PFT is crap.

Chocolate Milk · February 28, 2007

I know PFT is not the most reliable of places, so this could be completely false. However, they do break things from time to time, so I just thought that I'd throw this out there:

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved. We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

The bolded isn't even close to true.

CubColtPacer · February 28, 2007

I know PFT is not the most reliable of places, so this could be completely false. However, they do break things from time to time, so I just thought that I'd throw this out there:

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved. We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

The bolded isn't even close to true.

I'm not exactly sure how you can be sure of that-there has been no report that says that the Bears are likely to pay Lovie what his value is. That doesn't mean it still won't happen, but it's certainly not a sure thing that they are willing to pay him 5 million.

Soul · February 28, 2007

I know PFT is not the most reliable of places, so this could be completely false. However, they do break things from time to time, so I just thought that I'd throw this out there:

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved. We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

The bolded isn't even close to true.

I'm not exactly sure how you can be sure of that-there has been no report that says that the Bears are likely to pay Lovie what his value is. That doesn't mean it still won't happen, but it's certainly not a sure thing that they are willing to pay him 5 million.

Perhaps not, but I did hear a report on Comcast this week that the Bears were up to $4million. Certainly more than earlier reports that had them sitting at a stupid and insulting $2million.

Some are speculating that the Bears will announce the new Lovie deal on the eve of the Bears convention.

Chocolate Milk · March 1, 2007

I know PFT is not the most reliable of places, so this could be completely false. However, they do break things from time to time, so I just thought that I'd throw this out there:

With Lovie Smith being the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and no signs of any impending effort to provide him with fair market value, we're told that at least one veteran member of the Bears is telling at least one potential free-agent target not to sign with the team.

It could be a sign of things to come for the Bears, unless and until they get Smith's contract status resolved. We've previously heard that many veterans plan to refuse to do any contract restructurings or other business with the team.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

The bolded isn't even close to true.

I'm not exactly sure how you can be sure of that-there has been no report that says that the Bears are likely to pay Lovie what his value is. That doesn't mean it still won't happen, but it's certainly not a sure thing that they are willing to pay him 5 million.

I can be sure of that because the opposite has been reported. 5 million is an arbitrary number, not any sort of benchmark of his true value. Whatever he ends up taking is his value. The Bears have reportedly been upping their offers over the course of the last couple weeks. So not only have there been signs of impending effort, there are plenty of signs of current effort.

Soriano12 · March 1, 2007

LOVIE SIGNS PER FOXSPORTS!

Soriano12 · March 1, 2007

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6517196

WOOT! 8-) :D 8-) 8-) :lol:

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Mark Priors Calves · March 1, 2007

that's great news.

5 year deal.

John Fox and Jeff Fisher money.

the new deal gives him " a major, major bump in pay".

CaliforniaRaisin · March 1, 2007

LOVIE SIGNS PER FOXSPORTS!

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6517196

5 years.

The Bears Offseason Thread

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Member Statistics

Prospect News & Highlights

Recent News

Notes & Rumors

Recent Blogs