2011 Bears Offseason thread

[Banedon]

skjensen Sean Jensen

Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna was not released because he failed a physical but because of a non-football injury. #Bears

 

vxmcclure23 vaughn mcclure

Sam Hurds 3-year deal is worth $5.15 mil with $1.35 mil signing bonus and $1.6 in bonuses total.

[Banedon]

Anyone see pictures of Forte reporting to camp? He's in amazing shape.

 

Yes but where does he fit on the Taiwan Easterling Scale of Ripped?

 

http://a.yfrog.com/img620/622/h8fkd.jpg

[dew1679666265]

when did Houston go to a 3-4 scheme? werent they a cover 2 not too long ago?

 

They hired Wade Phillips as the new DC before the lockout and are now transitioning to a 3-4.

[BigSlick]

skjensen Sean Jensen

Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna was not released because he failed a physical but because of a non-football injury. #Bears

 

vxmcclure23 vaughn mcclure

Sam Hurds 3-year deal is worth $5.15 mil with $1.35 mil signing bonus and $1.6 in bonuses total.

That seems like an awful lot of money for a dude that barely plays

 

Alright so we're basically bracing for Olin to sign and another interior linemen to sign and we're basically done with all 'big' moves of note right?

[rawaction]

I'm still boggled by what is going on in Chicago. I've tried to give the team the benefit of the doubt, but the more I think about it...the more the last week makes no sense.

 

This is a team who's coaching staff had their jobs on the line last year. They made a big signing with Peppers and made a legit run for the Superbowl. Despite a pretty good season, the Bears showed some clear and obvious flaws. And the Bears watched first hand as their biggest rival went to the Superbowl on their field. They watched as their franchise QB (the first franchise QB they've had in 60 years) sat injured unable to do anything to help his team mount a comeback.

 

Turn the page to July 2011. 6 months to prepare for free agency. After a solid draft, the Bears had to know they still had holes to be filled. The Bears have the 5th most money to spend in the NFL, in a season where you absolutely have to spend the money. At first, I thought it was unrealistic of me to expect the team to break the bank for really the 3rd offseason in a row (Cutler, Peppers). But then I thought, they can afford it. And not only can they afford it...they kind of have to buy it due to the new CBA rules of a 99% cap. I wasn't expecting Santonio Holmes and Nmamdi Asomugha to be given the bulk of the 34-37 Million the Bears had to spend. But there was really no reason not to expect the Bears to go after a WR like Braylon Edwards, as was rumored during the lockout. There was no reason not to expect the Bears to go after an OG like Harvey Dahl. Worst case scenario, the Bears pay big money again for another pass rusher. I think most Bears fans would have been fine with 1 big signing if they went bargain shopping everywhere else. Because again, if there was anyone in the NFL that could afford it based on cap space and the lack of cap space required to re-sign its own necessary players...it was the Bears.

 

There are still some solid players out there that can salvage this offseason, but I can't help but to be disappointed that a team that was literally a couple solid blockers and a reliable WR away from the Superbowl last year would be so unaggressive in their pursuit to take the next step right now.

[JonJayCutler]

Is Braylon Edwards that much better than Roy Williams? He has some of the worst hands in the NFL.

[RynoRules]

Is Braylon Edwards that much better than Roy Williams? He has some of the worst hands in the NFL.

 

Faster and a superior blocker.

[RynoRules]

Just want to say that Raw's post is spot-on.

 

But hey, don't worry. We just re-signed Corey Graham. We may not be able to score more than 10 points per game on offense, but no one will return a kick for a TD against us this year.

 

This team is relying on it's defense and special teams to score points. To me that is the football equivalent of "driving in runs with his glove".

[cubbyvirus00]

And people were thinking I'm a "spaz" and completely unrealistic with my expectations of the Bears. Looks like I'm not the only one upset.

 

Is this team any better then it was a year ago? We've had very little to no CLEAR upgrades at any one position.

[hawkeyecub]

Is Braylon Edwards that much better than Roy Williams? He has some of the worst hands in the NFL.

 

Yes by a pretty decent margin. Williams hasn't caught 40 balls in the last 4 years. His catch rate really isn't any better than Braylon's. It was 44% the two seasons prior to last. Plus he's not as fast or explosive.

[sneakypower]

And people were thinking I'm a "spaz" and completely unrealistic with my expectations of the Bears. Looks like I'm not the only one upset.

 

Is this team any better then it was a year ago? We've had very little to no CLEAR upgrades at any one position.

if it makes you feel better, we just signed a guy fresh off an addiction to video games

[Splendid Splinter]

This is interesting... From Mike Silver, I'm not sure how to take this.

 

MikeSilver: @DSHurricane93 Teams have to 'spend' 99 pct as a whole but individual teams can be under, reportedly

 

 

Does anybody know what he means by that exactly? It sounds like the avg payroll of all 32 teams has to be 99% of the cap, not every single team has to be at 99%. So there are teams that will be spending less than the 99%. At least that's how I'm reading it. Maybe someone here can explain it better???

[Sammy Sofa]

And people were thinking I'm a "spaz" and completely unrealistic with my expectations of the Bears. Looks like I'm not the only one upset.

 

You're a spaz because you furiously spaz out in about 95% of your posts. That was a measured, well thought out, non-spazzy bit of analysis by raw.

[BigSlick]

This is interesting... From Mike Silver, I'm not sure how to take this.

 

MikeSilver: @DSHurricane93 Teams have to 'spend' 99 pct as a whole but individual teams can be under, reportedly

 

 

Does anybody know what he means by that exactly? It sounds like the avg payroll of all 32 teams has to be 99% of the cap, not every single team has to be at 99%. So there are teams that will be spending less than the 99%. At least that's how I'm reading it. Maybe someone here can explain it better???

The new CBA also allows for some over the cap spending, by borrowing from next years salary cap. So you can actually be ~6 million over and still be ok under the new rules.

 

The salary floor is also gonna drop down, and it will be an average of a few years, so it may be: You have to pay 87% of the cap from 2014-2017. So you could in one of those individual years be below that, as long as the average is above it.

[cubbyvirus00]

And people were thinking I'm a "spaz" and completely unrealistic with my expectations of the Bears. Looks like I'm not the only one upset.

 

Is this team any better then it was a year ago? We've had very little to no CLEAR upgrades at any one position.

if it makes you feel better, we just signed a guy fresh off an addiction to video games

 

At least you upgraded your WR position. But wow, thats pretty bad.

[Banedon]

Bears waived some UDFA guard already.

 

Also Marcus Harrison to start camp on non-football injury list.

[cubbyvirus00]

Bears waived some UDFA guard already.

 

Also Marcus Harrison to start camp on non-football injury list.

 

They waived Herman Johnson, if I remember correctly that huge hulking OG. Harrison apparently showed up out of shape.

[Splendid Splinter]

Bears waived some UDFA guard already.

 

Also Marcus Harrison to start camp on non-football injury list.

 

They waived Herman Johnson, if I remember correctly that huge hulking OG. Harrison apparently showed up out of shape.

 

 

I hope they cut Harrison and sign Amobi Okoye.... Heck I just hope they go after Okoye anyway.

[UMFan83]

This is interesting... From Mike Silver, I'm not sure how to take this.

 

MikeSilver: @DSHurricane93 Teams have to 'spend' 99 pct as a whole but individual teams can be under, reportedly

 

 

Does anybody know what he means by that exactly? It sounds like the avg payroll of all 32 teams has to be 99% of the cap, not every single team has to be at 99%. So there are teams that will be spending less than the 99%. At least that's how I'm reading it. Maybe someone here can explain it better???

 

Also, I heard that they don't have to be at 99% this season, its a gradual thing over the next 3 years that they have to get to.

[cubbyvirus00]

Anyone else find the chaos surrounding a 34 year old past his prime Center rather humorous?

[WrigleyField 22]

Anyone else find the chaos surrounding a 34 year old past his prime Center rather humorous?

Its funny because I think a lot of people wanted him gone, but at this point, I'm not sure there are better options.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm still boggled by what is going on in Chicago.

.

 

I'm just disappointed

[Butterscup1679666578]

Bears sign Akoye to 1-year deal. I'll take it.

[WrigleyField 22]

Trying to come up with a likely list of the 61 players (53 active, 8 P.S.) players and I have to say the Bears roster seems empty. I kept a lot of UDFA on that list and its only 53. Granted we may see more signings and unkown guys will come up (seems like every year we have a CB come out of nowhere to make the roster).

 

NAME	POS
Linnenkohl, Alex *	C
Kruetz, Olin	        C
Bowman, Zackary	CB
Graham, Corey	CB
Jennings, Tim	CB
Jones, Ryan *	CB
Moore, D.J.	        CB
Moore, Joshua	CB
Tillman, Charles	CB
Melton, Henry	DE
Peppers, Julius	DE
Wootton, Corey	DE
Adams, Anthony	DT
Harrison, Marcus	DT
Idonije, Israel	DT
Paea, Stephen *	DT
Akoye, Amobi	DT
Toeaina, Matt	DT
Ta'ufo'ou, Will	FB
Louis, Lance	G
Omiyale, Frank	G
Garza, Roberto	G/C
Williams, Edwin	G/C
Gould, Robbie	K
Briggs, Lance	LB
Roach, Nick	        LB
Thomas, J.T. *	LB
Urlacher, Brian	LB
Mannelly, Patrick	LS
Podlesh, Adam	P
Cutler, Jay	        QB
Enderle, Nathan *	QB
Hanie, Caleb	QB
Bell, Kahlil	        RB
Forte, Matt	        RB
Taylor, Chester	RB
Conte, Chris *	S
Harris, Chris	        S
Steltz, Craig	S
Wright, Major	S
Carimi, Gabe *	T
Webb, J'Marcus	T
Williams, Chris	T
Davis, Kellen	TE
Smith, Andre *	TE
Spaeth, Matt	TE
Bennett, Earl	WR
Fantuz, Andy	WR
Hester, Devin	WR
Hurd, Sam	        WR
Knox, Johnny	WR
Sanzenbacher *	WR
Williams, Roy	WR

[Butterscup1679666578]

Bears sign Marion Barber to two year deal