2011 Bears Offseason thread

[Old Style]

Assuming there's a tag, the Jets are going to franchise David Harris, not Holmes or Edwards.

Go get Holmes please.

[Pushfrog98]

Bears sign 6'4 220 WR from the CFL Andy Fantuz

 

I like the size, but does anyone know how fast this guy is? Looks like he was a star in the CFL, but so is Henry Burris.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkbV9PFK1DE

 

 

4.52 in the 40-yard dash at the 2006 NFL combine according to some guy on another board.

 

 

doesn't sound like he's all that fast, but then again the Bears have a couple really fast guys already.

 

 

 

EDIT: Apparently he ran a 4.72 at the CFL combine. Didn't realize they had one.

 

This video has a better shot of a foot race at about 1:10 in:

 

http://www.cfl.ca/video/index/id/14159

But you have to do the conversion. He ran a 4.72 in the 43.74yards... that equates to a 4.31 40yard run!

[ctcf]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

[Smack]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

 

I was excited when they signed him and was thinking he would be the better back at one point early in the season. Boy was I wrong.

[rawaction]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

 

My only issue with this is now you have to add RB to the list of needs. Along with Manning testing the waters, Adams not re-signed yet, and 4 of 6 LBs not under contract....the Bears have too many needs with only 6 draft picks. I really don't want to trade down just for the sake of trading down.

 

I guess they can go with Khalil Bell (RFA), Unga (supplemental pick on IR), and possibly re-sign Wolfe (UFA) to back up Forte, but they obviously weren't willing to do that this year.

[Guest]

I liked Unga in college. I'd let Bell go.

[Banedon]

Bell could be ok as a backup. The reason Bell was inactive all year is because he wasn't a ST guy. Wolfe was...which is what kept him around. I think it's worth a shot to try Bell as the backup. He's not going to be worse at it than Taylor was.

[chuckywang]

Not sure where this goes, but what a sad story about William The Fridge Perry:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2010/news/story?id=6091766

[davell]

I'm not sure what to think about the Rotoworld comments. I wouldn't expect the Bears to go out and spend THAT much again. But, if they're serious about winning, instead of resting on their past accomplishments, then they'll spend some cash. This team has holes that the draft won't fix on it's own and if the Bears management says otherwise, it's just going to prove that they think most fans are stupid and think they'll be happy with periodic playoff appearances. Unfortunately, I think that they're right in this regard too.

 

This being said, I do think that they'll address some holes through FA, just probably not with big name players.

[rawaction]

I'm fine with no big names in free agency. While Logan Mankins, Santonio Holmes, and Nmamdi Asomugha would be amazing, I think the Bears can get 4-5 good, cheap years out of guys like Chris Chester, Davin Joseph, or James Jones. As opposed to paying huge money to elite players who are going to have to be cut in 2-3 years anyway because you can't afford them.

[SouthSideRyan]

Well that Perry story was just awful

[minnesotacubsfan]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

 

My only issue with this is now you have to add RB to the list of needs. Along with Manning testing the waters, Adams not re-signed yet, and 4 of 6 LBs not under contract....the Bears have too many needs with only 6 draft picks. I really don't want to trade down just for the sake of trading down.

 

I guess they can go with Khalil Bell (RFA), Unga (supplemental pick on IR), and possibly re-sign Wolfe (UFA) to back up Forte, but they obviously weren't willing to do that this year.

 

adding a RB to replace Taylors 2.7 yrds a carry isn't a huge need. that could be done with a undrafted FA signing for crying out loud.

 

and save a kitty to boot.

[Old Style]

Not sure where this goes, but what a sad story about William The Fridge Perry:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2010/news/story?id=6091766

Damn. That is depressing.

[Tyrant]

But, if they're serious about winning, instead of resting on their past accomplishments...

 

In the past, the Bears have seemed pretty serious about resting on their past accomplishments.

[davell]

But, if they're serious about winning, instead of resting on their past accomplishments...

 

In the past, the Bears have seemed pretty serious about resting on their past accomplishments.

 

 

Yeah, I know. That's what I don't want to see happen again. Angelo has at least said he expects to do a few things in FA. That's a start anyway.

[rawaction]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

 

My only issue with this is now you have to add RB to the list of needs. Along with Manning testing the waters, Adams not re-signed yet, and 4 of 6 LBs not under contract....the Bears have too many needs with only 6 draft picks. I really don't want to trade down just for the sake of trading down.

 

I guess they can go with Khalil Bell (RFA), Unga (supplemental pick on IR), and possibly re-sign Wolfe (UFA) to back up Forte, but they obviously weren't willing to do that this year.

 

adding a RB to replace Taylors 2.7 yrds a carry isn't a huge need. that could be done with a undrafted FA signing for crying out loud.

 

and save a kitty to boot.

 

I understand that I myself could probably get 2.7 ypc. But that doesn't mean the Bears would trust me to do that. I don't think some undrafted guy is going to spark the confidence in the staff to be the #2 RB. And if not, your other choices are a RB that was inactive all of 2010 and showed enough in 2009 to make them think they needed to get Chester Taylor, an undersized RB who may actually not be able to get 2.7 ypc, and a rookie who spent all of 2010 on IR.

 

I'm fine with Bell and an undrafted rookie RB. But I don't know that the Bears would be, and I'd rather keep Chester than use a precious draft pick to replace him.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Unsurprisingly, it looks like Taylor is gone, per Rotoworld:

 

The Bears will cut Chester Taylor this offseason, a source tells CSNChicago.com.

Taylor is heading into the second season of a four-year, $12.5 million contract. The Bears already wasted over $6 million in bonuses on Taylor, but he averaged 2.4 yards per carry in 2010. Severely lacking in explosiveness going on age 32, Taylor is an easily-replaced player. The Bears could look to the draft for his replacement behind Matt Forte. Feb. 7 - 8:28 am et

 

My only issue with this is now you have to add RB to the list of needs. Along with Manning testing the waters, Adams not re-signed yet, and 4 of 6 LBs not under contract....the Bears have too many needs with only 6 draft picks. I really don't want to trade down just for the sake of trading down.

 

I guess they can go with Khalil Bell (RFA), Unga (supplemental pick on IR), and possibly re-sign Wolfe (UFA) to back up Forte, but they obviously weren't willing to do that this year.

 

adding a RB to replace Taylors 2.7 yrds a carry isn't a huge need. that could be done with a undrafted FA signing for crying out loud.

 

and save a kitty to boot.

 

I understand that I myself could probably get 2.7 ypc. But that doesn't mean the Bears would trust me to do that. I don't think some undrafted guy is going to spark the confidence in the staff to be the #2 RB. And if not, your other choices are a RB that was inactive all of 2010 and showed enough in 2009 to make them think they needed to get Chester Taylor, an undersized RB who may actually not be able to get 2.7 ypc, and a rookie who spent all of 2010 on IR.

 

I'm fine with Bell and an undrafted rookie RB. But I don't know that the Bears would be, and I'd rather keep Chester than use a precious draft pick to replace him.

 

saving that much money on Taylor, spending it on a FA, could easily give them the option of drafting a RB

[minnesotacubsfan]

+ they should periodically draft RB's to keep fresh legs around. As much as a QB.

[Mark Priors Calves]

RB's are easily replaceable, especially one that's a back-up. Taylor was terrible this year and I don't think the front office will be able to find someone to be better than him for a fraction of the cost.

[rawaction]

saving that much money on Taylor, spending it on a FA, could easily give them the option of drafting a RB

 

Still regardless of what they do in free agency, you are looking at needing at least 2 draft picks on OL. At least 1 DT, at least 1 safety (if Manning is gone), possibly a WR (if no FA), need LB depth and as many as 3 if Pisa, Roach, and Iwuh all leave. RB is way down the list.

 

I understand anyone can put up Taylor's numbers. But the Bears don't have anyone, they have Chester Taylor. To me, it doesn't make sense to cut Chester, take a cap hit (however minimal), and then use more resources to fill his spot when there are so many other needs.

[davell]

To me, if you already paid Taylor half of his contract in year one, I'm not about to cut him. First, you may as well try to recoup SOME of this bad investment and secondly, it's entirely possible he could have a better season in 2011 anyway.

 

If he had a big cap number for 2011, then cut him. But, he doesn't, so why create another hole when he's no where near the reason that we didn't win the Super Bowl this year? Especially if funds are going to be limited, which is definitely possible.

[minnesotacubsfan]

considering Taylors salary next year will be in the $5mil range for a back up RB, you cut him. again, a back up position is not a hole when your starter is pretty good. stop the monetary bleeding, put that money towards Forte or FA, and play either Bell or a UFA.

[davell]

considering Taylors salary next year will be in the $5mil range for a back up RB, you cut him. again, a back up position is not a hole when your starter is pretty good. stop the monetary bleeding, put that money towards Forte or FA, and play either Bell or a UFA.

 

 

Is that true? If the Bears have already paid him 6 mill in year 1, is his cap number really 5 mill for 2011?

[CubColtPacer]

considering Taylors salary next year will be in the $5mil range for a back up RB, you cut him. again, a back up position is not a hole when your starter is pretty good. stop the monetary bleeding, put that money towards Forte or FA, and play either Bell or a UFA.

 

 

Is that true? If the Bears have already paid him 6 mill in year 1, is his cap number really 5 mill for 2011?

 

No, it isn't. It probably is between 1.75 and 2.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I've completely misread his contract. its probably closer to $2 mil this coming year, and that is much more palatable. I'd still look pretty close at a replacement.