2011 Bears Offseason thread

[Guest]

And as raw points out, it's tough to determine which way to go in the draft without seeing how FA goes. You sign a good WR or G and you won't draft one in the first 2 rounds.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I like the idea of Jones (WR), I just really worry if he gets here and continues to drop balls. then, you've given alot of money to someone who cant catch.

 

and, I wonder about Sidney Rice. He has to be thinking "Who is my QB?" Just come to Chicago, Rice.

[rawaction]

The Bears really need to upgrade at CB also, because Tim Jennings is garbage.

 

Yeah, but with the needs at multiple OL positions and potentially a big need at DT (if Harris and Harrison are cut like they should be), you don't really have room to upgrade CB. Like I said, if you don't get one in the 1st 3 rounds (probably 1st or 2nd because CB depth isn't that good this year) then don't draft a CB. Might as well see if Bowman can turn it around and if Joshua Moore can play. Already have a roster full of mediocre talent at CB, why draft another one?

 

And they got by with Jennings this year. If the front 7 is as good again next year, then they can get by with Jennings/Bowman/J Moore again.

[davell]

And as raw points out, it's tough to determine which way to go in the draft without seeing how FA goes. You sign a good WR or G and you won't draft one in the first 2 rounds.

 

 

There won't be a FA period this offseason though, at least not before the draft, right? CBA runs out before then, doesn't it?

[Guest]

I don't know, davell. If so, that sucks because I'd rather go into the draft knowing we've signed an OL or 2 since Angelo doesn't draft the amount of OL we wish he would.

[davell]

I know it ends in March, just not sure when.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

And as raw points out, it's tough to determine which way to go in the draft without seeing how FA goes. You sign a good WR or G and you won't draft one in the first 2 rounds.

 

 

There won't be a FA period this offseason though, at least not before the draft, right? CBA runs out before then, doesn't it?

3/5 was the first day of free agency after last season, but I haven't seen the date for this year. The CBA runs out 3/3.

[dew1679666265]

I don't know, davell. If so, that sucks because I'd rather go into the draft knowing we've signed an OL or 2 since Angelo doesn't draft the amount of OL we wish he would.

 

If they don't get a new CBA done in time, there won't be a FA period before the draft. They'll do the draft either way, but there won't be a period to sign FAs before that draft if no new CBA is hammered out in time.

 

Even if there was one, teams wouldn't want to make any moves of significance because there'd be no idea what a new CBA would bring in terms of salary cap, franchising, etc.

[Guest]

Good point about not wanting to make moves even if you could w/o a new CBA, dew.

[Banedon]

I don't know, davell. If so, that sucks because I'd rather go into the draft knowing we've signed an OL or 2 since Angelo doesn't draft the amount of OL we wish he would.

 

If they don't get a new CBA done in time, there won't be a FA period before the draft. They'll do the draft either way, but there won't be a period to sign FAs before that draft if no new CBA is hammered out in time.

 

Even if there was one, teams wouldn't want to make any moves of significance because there'd be no idea what a new CBA would bring in terms of salary cap, franchising, etc.

 

There's a lot of interesting scenarios too. The owners could decide not to lockout, and declare that the year will be played under the rules of the previous CBA, which would force the players to decide whether or not to strike.

[UMFan83]

I forgot about Major Wright. Can he play SS? I'm gonna guess one of him or Harris can, otherwise it would have been odd to reacquire Harris, while making Wright your 1st draft pick in the draft (3rd round albeit).

[UMFan83]

Also, I am not counting on FA. I think what happened to the Bears last offseason was more of less Angelo trying to save his ass rather than a shift in philosophy. I doubt the Bears target any of the top tier of FAs this year. James Jones seems like a good add though. I like that name.

[Banedon]

Also, I am not counting on FA. I think what happened to the Bears last offseason was more of less Angelo trying to save his ass rather than a shift in philosophy. I doubt the Bears target any of the top tier of FAs this year. James Jones seems like a good add though. I like that name.

 

It could have been an abberation, but what if Angelo thinks "hmmm..that REALLY worked out well, that whole free agency thing. Maybe good things could happen again."

 

We didn't think he'd trade for Cutler either.

[rawaction]

I like the idea of Jones (WR), I just really worry if he gets here and continues to drop balls. then, you've given alot of money to someone who cant catch.

 

and, I wonder about Sidney Rice. He has to be thinking "Who is my QB?" Just come to Chicago, Rice.

 

How many balls is Jones going to drop though in all seriousness? Even if he does drop at an alarming rate, you're looking at 18-20 drops. That's terrible, but he caught 50 this year as the #3 for most of the year (started a couple times for Driver). Knox caught 51 as the Bears #1, I think Jones can catch 65-75 as the #1 in this offense. That means you have a WR that got open 90-100 times, which is much better than you have now and also means Jay has a reliable WR.

[Guest]

One thing to consider is that Angelo has routinely gone through free agency for the offensive line. There are quite a few guards who would really help.

[Guest]

I would like Rice but you have to think Jones is more likely. And you're not going to find better than him in the draft.

[davell]

I think that everything from the FO will have to be handled by one big educated guess. And it's a guess that every team is going to have to make. And that's how FA will work going forward? How's the franchise tag going to work? Will there even be a salary cap? The Bears are going to have to weigh these things against what's POSSIBLY available in FA, whenever that happens, and make their draft picks in whatever areas appear to be the scarcest of what their needs are.

[UMFan83]

One thing to consider is that Angelo has routinely gone through free agency for the offensive line. There are quite a few guards who would really help.

 

Yes but the players he's targeted are backups on other teams, or former solid lineman on the other side of their peak years. I'm not saying some of them didn't work out. In the mid 00's we had a pretty decent, albeit patchwork line. I'm just say I don't personally expect Angelo to head into the offseason looking to get one of those elite guys. Most fans recognized the dire state of the oline 2 years ago and yet since then Angelo has made only very minor moves at that position group. And I think the fact that Tice was able to get that line to improve to at least below average instead of pathetically awful is enough evidence for him to continue believing that he knows what he's doing with his philosophy of patching together offensive lines.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

[Guest]

One thing to consider is that Angelo has routinely gone through free agency for the offensive line. There are quite a few guards who would really help.

 

Yes but the players he's targeted are backups on other teams, or former solid lineman on the other side of their peak years. I'm not saying some of them didn't work out. In the mid 00's we had a pretty decent, albeit patchwork line. I'm just say I don't personally expect Angelo to head into the offseason looking to get one of those elite guys. Most fans recognized the dire state of the oline 2 years ago and yet since then Angelo has made only very minor moves at that position group. And I think the fact that Tice was able to get that line to improve to at least below average instead of pathetically awful is enough evidence for him to continue believing that he knows what he's doing with his philosophy of patching together offensive lines.

 

I agree with you on all but one of those FA - Tait.

 

Hopefully Tice has enough input to let Angelo know he'd do better with less crap on the OL.

[Banedon]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

 

Angelo signed Thomas Jones too, right?

[Old Style]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

 

Angelo signed Thomas Jones too, right?

He also traded him for what, a 5th round draft choice?

[Banedon]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

 

Angelo signed Thomas Jones too, right?

He also traded him for what, a 5th round draft choice?

 

Well fine, but the discussion is about Angelo and his free agent signings. The point being that he's signed some good FA's in seasons past.

[UMFan83]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

 

Not sure why Muhammed and Taylor are on your list. Moose was ok but nowhere near the WR we thought we were getting from Carolina and showed up both Orton and Grossman when they were playing poorly/didn't get him the ball enough. Taylor spent most of the year dodging speculation that he was helping the Vikings by sabotaging the Bears.

 

I would add Rueben Brown to the good FA signings. He was past his prime but he still had some really solid years with the Bears. I think Angelo thought he was getting another Brown when he signed Pace before last year, but that definitely didn't work out.

[UMFan83]

Angelo plays the FA/Trade market about as well as any other GM. Cutler, Muhommed, Tait, Peppers, Taylor

 

granted last year they went all out and made a big splash, he has consistently used the FA market. I dont think there is any other reason to think he wouldn't this year, other then the CBA junk.

 

Angelo signed Thomas Jones too, right?

He also traded him for what, a 5th round draft choice?

 

I believe it was Jones and Bears 2nd for Jets 2nd.