2009 Chicago Bears offseason

[minnesotacubsfan]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

[Soul]

What's so hard is that we hired a defense-first GM who has an overriding philosophy of building his team through the draft.

 

That's 2 strikes against us.

 

I'm not so much against the philosophy, but I believe when an opportunity like this comes up you have to be flexible enough to break ranks and do the uncommon thing.

 

I'd throw a hell of a lot at Denver right now to try to pry Cutler loose.

[Guest]

I seem to remember another QB that was competing with Avellini and Evans before they drafted McMahon. I think he wound up playing for Cleveland after he left the Bears. Anyone know who I'm talking about? To save time its not Tomczak or slingin' dummy Harbaugh.

 

edit: it was Mike Phipps and the Bears traded their #1 to Cleveland for him.

 

That was going to be an easy one for me. I had a substitute teacher who's sister was married to Phipps and was also one of my aunt's best friends.

 

So, I was sort of rooting for Phipps to do well, even though he was past his prime when the Bears picked him up.

[Soul]

I seem to remember another QB that was competing with Avellini and Evans before they drafted McMahon. I think he wound up playing for Cleveland after he left the Bears. Anyone know who I'm talking about? To save time its not Tomczak or slingin' dummy Harbaugh.

 

edit: it was Mike Phipps and the Bears traded their #1 to Cleveland for him.

 

That was going to be an easy one for me. I had a substitute teacher who's sister was married to Phipps and was also one of my aunt's best friends.

 

So, I was sort of rooting for Phipps to do well, even though he was past his prime when the Bears picked him up.

 

Avellini threw everything at the WR's feet. Evans threw everything over their heads.

 

Then Phipps came in and was just kind of blah.

 

Good times. Except that Evans was good for a few thrills when he would run.

[biittner77]

I'll never forget Evans throwing the ball out of bounds (this was before the spike rule) to stop the clock on 4th down.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

What's so hard is probably Denver has no intentions of actually dealing him, and that throwing EVERYTHING at them could be a mistake - depending what EVERYTHING means. With or without Cutler, the Bears need offensive line help, wide receivers and defensive upgrades. If they were to trade 2 firsts and a second, plus Orton, where would that leave them? A franchise QB would be a godsend, but without the ability to field a team around him, that QB isn't going to shine all that brightly.

 

As to the comment that the Bears have never had a good-great QB at any point, McMahon was good, Harbaugh was good, Kramer was good for a bit, Miller was as well. They've had good QBs. The problem is they haven't had good QB's for any extended period of time, and when they did, briefly, the only time it coincided with the rest of the team being good enough to really contend, was with McMahon. Clearly they've never had a great QB.

[Soul]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

What's so hard is probably Denver has no intentions of actually dealing him, and that throwing EVERYTHING at them could be a mistake - depending what EVERYTHING means. With or without Cutler, the Bears need offensive line help, wide receivers and defensive upgrades. If they were to trade 2 firsts and a second, plus Orton, where would that leave them? A franchise QB would be a godsend, but without the ability to field a team around him, that QB isn't going to shine all that brightly.

 

As to the comment that the Bears have never had a good-great QB at any point, McMahon was good, Harbaugh was good, Kramer was good for a bit, Miller was as well. They've had good QBs. The problem is they haven't had good QB's for any extended period of time, and when they did, briefly, the only time it coincided with the rest of the team being good enough to really contend, was with McMahon. Clearly they've never had a great QB.

 

This year's 1st.

Next year's 1st & 3rd.

Orton.

 

All we would really need to get started is a WR, which we could go after in the 3rd, and a RT, which we could look into in the 2nd round or the remaining FA's. The rest of the picks you use on D, either depth or finding a starter or two in the rough, which Angelo is already decent at.

 

I'd be willing to accept slightly worse defense, but with our current core of defensive players we should still be able to be better than Denver's D was. We've got the running game and TE. I don't think we're that far away from having a really good offense with Cutler. I'd throw much at Denver, not everything of course.

[Wilson A2000]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

Throw EVERYTHING at a whiny baby who has compiled a .500 record and is interception prone?

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

Throw EVERYTHING at a whiny baby who has compiled a .500 record and is interception prone?

 

His record is meaningless. He's done his job. With a halfway decent defense that record would be better.

[Guest]

Hey now, Erik Kramer in 1995 was good.

[Guest]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

Throw EVERYTHING at a whiny baby who has compiled a .500 record and is interception prone?

 

Geez, Cutler is a fantastic QB. Who gives a crap about his TEAM'S record? Have you seen how horrid Denver's defense is?

[dew1679666265]

I'm pissed with Angelo right now. If I'm him, I throw EVERYTHING at Denver to get Cutler

 

I dont get whats so hard?

 

Throw EVERYTHING at a whiny baby who has compiled a .500 record and is interception prone?

 

Geez, Cutler is a fantastic QB. Who gives a crap about his TEAM'S record? Have you seen how horrid Denver's defense is?

 

Yeah, a career 62.5 completion percentage and 17 more TDs than INTs at 25 years old is far more pertinent than a team's record when that team has a terrible defense and is picking up running backs off the street and starting them immediately.

[biittner77]

I'll make the Bears a deal, if they trade for Cutler now and it doesn't work out I'll accept without complaint the next 10 mediocre QBs.

 

Since the Bears are getting the 3rd round pick for Berrian they can afford to give up this year's #1 and still be able to fill holes on OL and DL. Cutler would make the current receievers look a lot better as would an improved O line.

 

A better offense that can keep the defense off the field will make the personnel they already have that much better.

[jersey cubs fan]

I will say this, they have appeared completely disinterested in just about every other potential offseason upgrade they could have had. However, they have been surprisingly non-dismissive about the Cutler situation.

 

I still think Denver has no intentions of trading him. But I'm not convinced the Bears are out of the running if he is on the market.

[WrigleyField 22]

Its worth it to overpay a little. Even if we overpay and can't fill all our needs this off season, we will have secured a franchise QB which is one of the hardest things to fill. Whatever we can't address this offseason gets put off a year.

[Soul]

Its worth it to overpay a little. Even if we overpay and can't fill all our needs this off season, we will have secured a franchise QB which is one of the hardest things to fill. Whatever we can't address this offseason gets put off a year.

 

In terms of money, the limit is always the salary cap and what you can do while remaining able to make other moves on the roster. In that regard, I believe the Bears are in pretty good shape.

 

In terms of picks -- teams have thrown multiple #1 picks at the QB position and wound up with nothing. This is a proven franchise quality QB. Tossing 2 #1's out for him is more than reasonable, IMO. We might very well spend those 2 picks on QB and wind up no better than we are right now.

 

As for Cutler being whiny -- he didn't handle the situation in the best way. But the kid has never had trouble with the law, he's shown up for every game and performed at a top level. He's defininely cocky, but that's a quality other successful QBs have shown. If he was being picked up by the police, or refusing to give 100% effort, that would be one thing. Having a big mouth and being a little egotistical shouldn't be a concern when he puts up the kind of numbers he puts up. He's good, and he knows he's good.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I will say this, they have appeared completely disinterested in just about every other potential offseason upgrade they could have had. However, they have been surprisingly non-dismissive about the Cutler situation.

 

I still think Denver has no intentions of trading him. But I'm not convinced the Bears are out of the running if he is on the market.

 

 

ok. I see that line of reason, but if I'm Angelo, I make it publically known that I'm going after Cutler, who grew up a Bears fan, hoping he takes notice and forces a trade. what I see the Jets doing right now is what I want to see Angelo do

 

and EVERYTHING might be lowballing Denver when it comes to the drought the Bears have had at QB

[jersey cubs fan]

I will say this, they have appeared completely disinterested in just about every other potential offseason upgrade they could have had. However, they have been surprisingly non-dismissive about the Cutler situation.

 

I still think Denver has no intentions of trading him. But I'm not convinced the Bears are out of the running if he is on the market.

 

 

ok. I see that line of reason, but if I'm Angelo, I make it publically known that I'm going after Cutler, who grew up a Bears fan, hoping he takes notice and forces a trade. what I see the Jets doing right now is what I want to see Angelo do

 

and EVERYTHING might be lowballing Denver when it comes to the drought the Bears have had at QB

 

I don't see any value in going public. The player is under contract for 3 more years, Denver doesn't have to trade him.

[Soul]

I will say this, they have appeared completely disinterested in just about every other potential offseason upgrade they could have had. However, they have been surprisingly non-dismissive about the Cutler situation.

 

I still think Denver has no intentions of trading him. But I'm not convinced the Bears are out of the running if he is on the market.

 

 

ok. I see that line of reason, but if I'm Angelo, I make it publically known that I'm going after Cutler, who grew up a Bears fan, hoping he takes notice and forces a trade. what I see the Jets doing right now is what I want to see Angelo do

 

and EVERYTHING might be lowballing Denver when it comes to the drought the Bears have had at QB

 

I don't see any value in going public. The player is under contract for 3 more years, Denver doesn't have to trade him.

 

Float some compromising pictures of McDaniels on the internet under a pseudonym.

 

 

Seriously though, if Cutler comes out and wins a couple games for the Broncs early in the season they'll be best buds and everyone will be happy and naming their kids after each other. The longer this goes on, the more I will lean toward Cutler remaining in Denver. We've been through this sort of thing with Briggs. "I'll never play for you again!!" ~flash forward a few months~ "All that other stuff means nothing, I'm happy to be in Chicago."

[WrigleyField 22]

I said it to someone when the Cutler to Chicago rumors first started to come out that I could see this becoming like Amare to the Bulls or Peavy to the Cubs.

 

It's obviously no where near that level yet, but I won't be surprised if it gets there within the next month.

[Jon]

Rule changes:

 

Trib[/url]"]News continues to trickle out of the NFL owners meetings, and the latest involves several changes aimed at improving safety. The owners passed a measure that would essentially eliminate the wedge on kickoff returns after the competition committee determined that too many injuries were occurring. Any more than two players acting as wedge-setters will draw a 15-yard penalty at the spot of the wedge.

 

Late last season, the Bears used a four-man wedge of Israel Idonije, Kellen Davis, Jason McKie, and Anthony Adams to spring Manning for a 50-yard gain at St. Louis. The Bears typically used a three-man wedge. Now both are illegal.

........

The NFL also will stop the bunching of players on onside kicks, protect blockers from a helmet-to-helmet hit from the blindside and protect receivers from defenseless forearm or shoulder hits to the head.

[manbearcub]

they should outlaw tackling. seems like a lot of injuries happen that way.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Rule changes:

 

Trib[/url]"]News continues to trickle out of the NFL owners meetings, and the latest involves several changes aimed at improving safety. The owners passed a measure that would essentially eliminate the wedge on kickoff returns after the competition committee determined that too many injuries were occurring. Any more than two players acting as wedge-setters will draw a 15-yard penalty at the spot of the wedge.

 

Late last season, the Bears used a four-man wedge of Israel Idonije, Kellen Davis, Jason McKie, and Anthony Adams to spring Manning for a 50-yard gain at St. Louis. The Bears typically used a three-man wedge. Now both are illegal.

........

The NFL also will stop the bunching of players on onside kicks, protect blockers from a helmet-to-helmet hit from the blindside and protect receivers from defenseless forearm or shoulder hits to the head.

 

eliminating the wedge? seems pretty overboard to me. if you eliminate anything on kickoffs because of safety issues, the league should ban wedge busters, those are the guys that are most at risk for injury. bizarre.

[WrigleyField 22]

Hmmm, I would think a lot of our return success is built upon blocking, and not just Hester/Manning. That hurts.

 

So whats our biggest strength now, blocked field goals?

[Soul]

Rule changes:

 

Trib[/url]"]News continues to trickle out of the NFL owners meetings, and the latest involves several changes aimed at improving safety. The owners passed a measure that would essentially eliminate the wedge on kickoff returns after the competition committee determined that too many injuries were occurring. Any more than two players acting as wedge-setters will draw a 15-yard penalty at the spot of the wedge.

 

Late last season, the Bears used a four-man wedge of Israel Idonije, Kellen Davis, Jason McKie, and Anthony Adams to spring Manning for a 50-yard gain at St. Louis. The Bears typically used a three-man wedge. Now both are illegal.

........

The NFL also will stop the bunching of players on onside kicks, protect blockers from a helmet-to-helmet hit from the blindside and protect receivers from defenseless forearm or shoulder hits to the head.

 

eliminating the wedge? seems pretty overboard to me. if you eliminate anything on kickoffs because of safety issues, the league should ban wedge busters, those are the guys that are most at risk for injury. bizarre.

 

They continue to pussify the NFL. Can't even use a wedge on kickoffs now? Ridiculous. I'm gonna love watching blockers looking from side to side trying to keep their spacing on kickoffs, and refs trying to determine if a guy was really in a wedge or just got too close to another player.

 

We'll likely wind up with blockers getting hurt by oncoming defenders because they were more worried about being called for a wedge penalty. Stop micromanaging, it never works out in the long run.