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2011 Bears Offseason thread

Banedon

By Banedon,
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UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

Old-Timey Member
Posted
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So, just to make this clear, the Bears downgraded at the following positions:

 

Safety (Manning>Conte)

Linebacker (Pisa + Roach > Roach)

Tight End

Center

Punter (accuracy)

 

and have upgraded at:

 

Wide Receiver

Defensive Line (maybe)

Offensive Tackle (maybe)

Running Back (barely)

Punter (length)

 

And remained the same (basically) at: QB, kicker, guard, corners, special teams

 

Consider me unimpressed. The defense better get a ton of pressure on the QB or its going to be one hell of a long year. The Bears refuse to spend money on the offensive line or a CB, their two worst positions and have gotten worse at Safety, one of the most important positions in the Tampa 2.

 

I think you might be a little overly negative, but not too far off.

 

-Punter is an upgrade. I don't even know how accurate Podesh is but it's an upgrade. Maynard was horrible last year, and with the Bears inconsistent offense, we require distance punts more than coffin corner punts.

 

-Don't know if Center is a clear downgrade. Kreutz is getting older every year and has really declined. If you want to argue his leadership contributes to the decline, then maybe I'd consider your argument.

 

-I agree with your 2 marginal starting LBs is better than 1, but go further than that even. According to Bears.com, there are 10 LBs on the training camp roster. 4 are undrafted rookies, 1 is a 6th round pick rookie, 2 have 1 year of practice squad experience, and the other 3 are the starters, Urlacher, Briggs and Roach. I'm almost certain they will get another LB before now and week 1 though.

 

-TE is a downgrade. I would argue that it could be an upgrade when relating to the Bears scheme that doesnt use the TE much, but the TEs we got are horrible blockers too. Who knows.

 

-It's arguable Safety is a downgrade. Manning held his own but he's never going to be an all pro. We've used a 3rd round pick on safety in back to back years, so I'd say there is a decent change Wright or Conte gives them a similar or better performance.

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apete6 ACL Cubs

apete6

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

If Wright or Conte step up, Safety could be OK. I'm just skeptical of young guys playing an extremely important position in this defense. Manning was terrible his first year or two, but came on nicely the past 2 years once he had a regular role for the whole season. He was generally a pretty sure tackler and his return ability was a bonus (although kick returns will be less important now with the rule change).

 

I just don't see how TE isn't a huge downgrade. We basically replaced Greg Olsen (great athlete, could make game changing plays--Cowboys and Seahawks games) with Spaeth who is almost as bad of a blocker and has none of the athleticism.

 

Agree on Kreutz. I don't know enough about offensive line play to grade Spencer in Seattle, but Kreutz was a shell of himself the past 2 years or so. The locker room presence is probably overrated quite a bit, but sometimes stuff like that comes through in the attitudes of the offensive players. Nothing quantifiable, but probably more than most non-meatball fans think and less than Ditka-files think.

Soul MVP

Soul

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

 

The article mentions this, but there are examples of natural turf in cold climates done better than Soldier Field. Lambeau is one of them.

 

I imagine it would cost a lot to retrofit Soldier Field with the technology necessary to keep up the natural turf to those levels. Frankly, I like natural grass so much I'd be for spending that money, rather than putting in more field turf like the rest of the league. I'd like to maintain bastions of natural turf, and I think Chicago is one of those places where it should stay in place --- but done well, not done poorly like it currently is.

Soul MVP

Soul

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
I can't believe this bizarre arrangement is in place where there's nothing that can be done about it.
Soul MVP

Soul

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Interesting....

 

ESPNChiBears Dickerson and Wright

Filed to ESPNChicago.com: Mutual interest exists between Bears and free agent LB Lofa Tatupu.

 

Will take.

Guest

Guest

Guests
Posted
Posted
Man I cant wait until Angelo and Lovie are gone. This regime is on life support due to Martz.

 

 

The irony, of course, being that the regime was on life support when Martz was brought in and is now pretty firmly re-entrenched. For now, at least.

UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the bears are going to try the worst RT in the league at LT. i mean, this was a guy was personally responsible for the near decapitation of our quarterback on so many plays. it's mind boggling.

 

anyone but webb.

 

Yeah I actually think at some point Webb will be decent. He is/was extremely raw last year and forced into a starting role because our GM didnt build a competent line. But putting him at LT is suicide.

Magnetic Curses College Ball

Magnetic Curses

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the bears are going to try the worst RT in the league at LT. i mean, this was a guy was personally responsible for the near decapitation of our quarterback on so many plays. it's mind boggling.

 

anyone but webb.

 

Yeah I actually think at some point Webb will be decent. He is/was extremely raw last year and forced into a starting role because our GM didnt build a competent line. But putting him at LT is suicide.

 

i would honestly put chris williams back at LT before webb.

jersey cubs fan GOAT

jersey cubs fan

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

 

I like how he thinks a 3rd rounder for Olsen wasn't enough. That's a pretty good haul for a good but not great TE.

 

They spent a first rounder on him. And spent a crapload of money on another TE last year. They are both gone because they've done a piss poor job of managing the situation. They spent heavily on Olsen, underutlized him and forced themselves to trade him for a lower return.

Banedon GOAT

Banedon

Community Moderator
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Any interest in Bryant McKinnie?

 

Isn't he being cut because he's too much of a fat ass?

 

 

 

The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with Bryant McKinnie after Mt. McKinnie nearly tipped the scales at 400 pounds.

 

....

 

 

McKinnie’s cholesterol was also through the roof.

 

....

 

"I'll definitely be ready for next season," McKinnie told TMZ.com. "That's not even a question."

jersey cubs fan GOAT

jersey cubs fan

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the bears are going to try the worst RT in the league at LT. i mean, this was a guy was personally responsible for the near decapitation of our quarterback on so many plays. it's mind boggling.

 

anyone but webb.

 

Yeah I actually think at some point Webb will be decent. He is/was extremely raw last year and forced into a starting role because our GM didnt build a competent line. But putting him at LT is suicide.

 

i would honestly put chris williams back at LT before webb.

 

Tice sounded like his next project is Lance Louis, maybe he plays LG and bumps Williams back out there.

 

But I've got zero confidence in Williams back at LT.

rawaction Chicago Cubs

rawaction

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Hopefully, Williams keeps getting lit up in practice by 2nd stringers and struggles in the preseason opener. Maybe then the Bears will go out and get a Brian Waters, who fits in with the rest of the offseason of stopgaps, but unlike the others, he can actually still play.
Banedon GOAT

Banedon

Community Moderator
Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hopefully, Williams keeps getting lit up in practice by 2nd stringers and struggles in the preseason opener. Maybe then the Bears will go out and get a Brian Waters, who fits in with the rest of the offseason of stopgaps, but unlike the others, he can actually still play.

 

Hopefully, Williams kicks ass and takes names.

UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Hopefully, Williams keeps getting lit up in practice by 2nd stringers and struggles in the preseason opener. Maybe then the Bears will go out and get a Brian Waters, who fits in with the rest of the offseason of stopgaps, but unlike the others, he can actually still play.

 

I dunno maybe its just me, but I hope that Williams dominates in camp and in the preseason and then continues it into the season.

tfarks ACL Cubs

tfarks

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
I'm surprised we haven't heard a peep about Angelo and Brian Waters. Seems like a very easy decision to make. Give him 3-4 mil for a year and be done with it.
ConstableRabbit Myrtle Beach Pelicans

ConstableRabbit

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Any interest in Bryant McKinnie?

 

Isn't he being cut because he's too much of a fat ass?

 

 

 

The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with Bryant McKinnie after Mt. McKinnie nearly tipped the scales at 400 pounds.

 

....

 

 

McKinnie’s cholesterol was also through the roof.

 

....

 

"I'll definitely be ready for next season," McKinnie told TMZ.com. "That's not even a question."

TMZ is reporting on football now? Is he that obese that this news is showing up on an entertainment/celebrity gossip site?

hawkeyecub ACL Cubs

hawkeyecub

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Yeah there's no way Spencer is a downgrade from Kreutz. I agree on the other positions though.

 

How can an average fan say there's "no way" that one center from a team you probably didn't watch much is a downgrade from your previous center?

 

But that's pretty much a situation where you have to go off of what scouts, people at NFL Films, sites like Pro Football Focus have to say.

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