2011 Bears Offseason thread

[SpongeWorthy]

Maybe. That year Kramer put up numbers there were a bunch of crappy QBs inexplicably putting numbers up as well. I think Scott Mitchell was a pro bowler that season.

 

Edit: Scott Mitchell passed for 4300 yards, 32 TDs, and 12 picks that year. Has to be one of the biggest wtf seasons of all time.

[UMFan83]

John Harbaugh is still mad at the Bears about that draft day trade debacle....

 

“I’m not buying a ‘mistake’ thing. They knew what they were doing,” Harbaugh said on “The Waddle and Silvy” Show on 1000 AM in Chicago.

 

“They agreed to [trade] a pick. They got their guy [tackle Gabe Carimi] on the phone. They recognized he wasn’t getting calls from the team behind them,” Harbaugh said. “And then they basically stalled for over a minute, telling us that they had called the trade in. So that was just not honest.

 

“That’s not OK. It’s not ethical, it’s not right. I personally agree with our owner [steve Bisciotti] that they should have been held accountable for it. We basically took them at their word, and obviously that was a mistake.”

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O0EBF2MHPwg/TKnheY_NcfI/AAAAAAAAAEY/b-LV_XaOfSU/s1600/wahmbulance.jpg

 

 

Actually I agree that accidental or not, that was pretty shitty what happened. But at the same time, get over it. You're surely allowed to hold a private grudge but whining about it in the media 3 months later makes you look like a crybaby.

[UMFan83]

whoops Edited July 19, 2011 by UMFan83

[Banedon]

Actually I agree that accidental or not, that was pretty [expletive] what happened. But at the same time, get over it. You're surely allowed to hold a private grudge but whining about it in the media 3 months later makes you look like a crybaby.

 

Like PFT noted, it's too bad that the Bears and Ravens don't play this year (barring a Super Bowl, of course).

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/site/newspaper/sports/ct-spt-0720-haugh-olin-kreutz-bears-c20110720,0,60639.column

 

I am getting sick of all these nonsensical stories about how the Bears absolutely must pay up for Kreutz or risk sabotaging their season. The guy has been overpaid for a while now. He's mediocre at best. The fact that he was their best lineman in the middle part of the last decade is both pathetic (your center is the least important position) and meangingless. The Bears could replace his effectiveness in a heart beat probably at a lower cost.

 

Sure, for stability's sake you probably want him back, but there's no reason to go crazy about it. He's not the difference on the line. It's not like he was able to prevent them from being terrible in recent years. The smartest move would probably be to find a cheap replacement and spend money on a better guard.

 

What does Kreutz have on the Chicago media? Does he threaten them?

[tfarks]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/site/newspaper/sports/ct-spt-0720-haugh-olin-kreutz-bears-c20110720,0,60639.column

 

I am getting sick of all these nonsensical stories about how the Bears absolutely must pay up for Kreutz or risk sabotaging their season. The guy has been overpaid for a while now. He's mediocre at best. The fact that he was their best lineman in the middle part of the last decade is both pathetic (your center is the least important position) and meangingless. The Bears could replace his effectiveness in a heart beat probably at a lower cost.

 

Sure, for stability's sake you probably want him back, but there's no reason to go crazy about it. He's not the difference on the line. It's not like he was able to prevent them from being terrible in recent years. The smartest move would probably be to find a cheap replacement and spend money on a better guard.

 

What does Kreutz have on the Chicago media? Does he threaten them?

 

I certainly wouldn't go crazy about it either. I've wanted him replaced for a while now but would actually like to see him back on a 1 year deal due to the shortened offseason (problem is they may have to overpay him for a 3 year deal). I really don't think the market for a 34 year old center with questions about his health is that large, this article makes it sound like he has all the leverage in the world because he yells at the other players.

 

As far as threatening the media, based off Haugh's quote here:

 

Kreutz has disagreed with me loudly in locker rooms and on live television. He once walked across a field at Bourbonnais during a practice break to berate me over something I wrote. He polices the Bears locker room I occasionally trespass with unwelcome opinions. It's his inimitable, intimidating brand of leadership that earns him immeasurable respect from teammates.

 

I would say it's definitely possible.

[USSoccer]

Olin Kreutz is everything wrong with football in one overrated package

[jersey cubs fan]

Again, what has all that respect and leadership gotten them? An offensive that regularly ranks near the bottom of the league due in large part to a bad offensive line.

 

If he was the de facto leader of a top notch line that consistently got the job done, you probably want to bring him back just to not rock the boat. But they suck, and he's part of the reason why.

[CubColtPacer]

I would disagree that center is the least important position on the line because of the responsibility that many centers have before the play even starts, but I have no idea if Kreutz is any good or not anymore. From what I've seen of the many line mixups and bad blitz pickups the Bears have had Kreutz is probably not doing his job well.

[jersey cubs fan]

I would disagree that center is the least important position on the line because of the responsibility that many centers have before the play even starts, but I have no idea if Kreutz is any good or not anymore. From what I've seen of the many line mixups and bad blitz pickups the Bears have had Kreutz is probably not doing his job well.

 

Most people would rank center about even with left guard in terms of importance. They make some line calls, but what is most important is a lineman's ability to block, and you need it most at LT, RT and RG.

 

You don't want your best lineman to be the center, unless maybe he's an all-time great at the position (which Kreutz is not).

[USSoccer]

I would disagree that center is the least important position on the line because of the responsibility that many centers have before the play even starts, but I have no idea if Kreutz is any good or not anymore. From what I've seen of the many line mixups and bad blitz pickups the Bears have had Kreutz is probably not doing his job well.

 

He hasn't been any good since 2005

[Soul]

I don't get it either. I thought they were going to move someone else in by now, but it hasn't happened. We've been talking about the Kreutz decline for many a season now.

[Mark Priors Calves]

His personal fouls and false start penalties are as aggravating as his mediocre blocking.

[rawaction]

I would disagree that center is the least important position on the line because of the responsibility that many centers have before the play even starts, but I have no idea if Kreutz is any good or not anymore. From what I've seen of the many line mixups and bad blitz pickups the Bears have had Kreutz is probably not doing his job well.

 

Most people would rank center about even with left guard in terms of importance. They make some line calls, but what is most important is a lineman's ability to block, and you need it most at LT, RT and RG.

 

You don't want your best lineman to be the center, unless maybe he's an all-time great at the position (which Kreutz is not).

 

Kreutz was pretty good in his day. And I saw an article on Pro Football Focus that had him as one of the top pass blocking centers in the league. But yeah, C is probably the least important position. Most of their blocks are double-teams. Snapping the football and making line calls aren't as difficult as people make them out to be. And line calls can be made by a guard or tackle as well.

 

I agree with the sentiment. The Bears probably are going to re-sign Kreutz out of necessity. My issue is that he's only worth a 1-year deal, but will probably not come back for that. It's going to take 2 easy, and probably a 3-year deal to keep him. But I'd be very willing to cut him after the 2011 season and go in a different direction with one of the 3-4 four-year college starters coming into the draft next year.

[Pushfrog98]

Isn't Josh Beekman is the heir apparent to Kruetz? Wait. Whatever happened to Beekman?

[Banedon]

Isn't Josh Beekman is the heir apparent to Kruetz? Wait. Whatever happened to Beekman?

 

Released last offseason. Plays in the UFL.

[Pushfrog98]

Isn't Josh Beekman is the heir apparent to Kruetz? Wait. Whatever happened to Beekman?

 

Released last offseason. Plays in the UFL.

He was the guy that was going to replace Kruetz though, right?

[Banedon]

Isn't Josh Beekman is the heir apparent to Kruetz? Wait. Whatever happened to Beekman?

 

Released last offseason. Plays in the UFL.

He was the guy that was going to replace Kruetz though, right?

 

I think that was the original intent.

[Banedon]

According to this, the Bears have the 4th most cap room in the NFL...

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6786350/reggie-bush-potential-cap-casualties

[Soul]

Take a few moments sometime and think back on the last decade of Bears OLine mismanagement. BoggleBoggle

[rawaction]

According to this, the Bears have the 4th most cap room in the NFL...

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6786350/reggie-bush-potential-cap-casualties

 

The crappy thing about that is that Tampa has one of the most attractive targets in Davin Joseph and can afford to pay him like the highest paid OG in the league. Seattle also has more money than the Bears and ironically enough have all the exact same needs as the Bears. Need an OG. Need a WR. Could use a DT and a CB.

 

Of course, Green Bay won't be retaining any of their free agents with so little cap, so that's good.

[Banedon]

So, with the new CBA, Sidney Rice will be a UFA. Go get em, Jerry. Make it happen.

[tfarks]

So, with the new CBA, Sidney Rice will be a UFA. Go get em, Jerry. Make it happen.

 

Yes plz. Have there been any reports on what his intentions may be? I figured the Vikings would just cut ties with Berrian to keep Rice on board.

[Banedon]

So, with the new CBA, Sidney Rice will be a UFA. Go get em, Jerry. Make it happen.

 

Yes plz. Have there been any reports on what his intentions may be? I figured the Vikings would just cut ties with Berrian to keep Rice on board.

 

The Vikings are gonna be like $5mil over the cap. They have a lot of work to do. And Rice has indicated an interest in testing the FA waters.

 

They'll try to keep him, for sure. But he'll have some bidders.

[tfarks]

What do you guys think of resigning Daniel Manning? Reading this Bears FA article: http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4670732/bears-free-agents-who-will-be-back

 

It sounds like the Bears don't want to budge on the money they've already offered - which he will be able to beat elsewhere.

 

They have Major Wright and Chris Conte for either S position so they might be planning on rolling the dice. Could blow up in their face though, Manning was really solid last year.