2011 Bears Offseason thread

[Flames24Rulz]

I'd be fine with turf, but other northern cities seem to maintain grass fine. Bears are at a disadvantage in sharing their field, but still.

 

Doesn't Green Bay have some hyrbid turf? Its like real grass with artificial stuff in it to help it hold up. Maybe thats a solution to look into as well.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29187164.html

 

I remember our field was pure [expletive] at the end of the season before they installed the new surface. It's about time that the Bears do the same thing.

[Magnetic Curses]

I'd be fine with turf, but other northern cities seem to maintain grass fine. Bears are at a disadvantage in sharing their field, but still.

 

Doesn't Green Bay have some hyrbid turf? Its like real grass with artificial stuff in it to help it hold up. Maybe thats a solution to look into as well.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29187164.html

 

I remember our field was pure [expletive] at the end of the season before they installed the new surface. It's about time that the Bears do the same thing.

 

i don't understand how that surface isn't just as safe, if not safer, than real grass. i saw an interview with urlacher and he was begging the bears to look at that type of surface and i'm sure a mjority of the players feel the same way. it would be amazing to have something that would allow the team to be safe and still play fast.

 

and come to think of it, they could still have international soccer matches on that surface, right? so what are we waiting for?

[Keener98]

WTF

 

Position coach Mike Tice declared the Bears' starting offensive line after practice Sunday night, and Gabe Carimi is the right tackle.

From left to right, the front five is LT J'Marcus Webb, LG Chris Williams, C Roberto Garza, RG Lance Louis, and RT Carimi. Tice allowed that these are the starters, "unless they falter." Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Chris Spencer was not included after signing a contract paying him $3 million a year. Louis lost his starting job after the first month of last season for awful pass protection. Tice is banking that he'll improve

 

So Spencer isnt even starting and they are going back to Louis? Not liking this at all

[WrigleyField 22]

Does it really mean anything this early on?

[Guest]

WTF

 

Position coach Mike Tice declared the Bears' starting offensive line after practice Sunday night, and Gabe Carimi is the right tackle.

From left to right, the front five is LT J'Marcus Webb, LG Chris Williams, C Roberto Garza, RG Lance Louis, and RT Carimi. Tice allowed that these are the starters, "unless they falter." Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Chris Spencer was not included after signing a contract paying him $3 million a year. Louis lost his starting job after the first month of last season for awful pass protection. Tice is banking that he'll improve

 

So Spencer isnt even starting and they are going back to Louis? Not liking this at all

 

Yeah, I bet Spencer will be starting (maybe at Chris Williams' expense).

 

Also, I'm going to keep banging the drum that Webb and Carimi should be flip flopped.

[Banedon]

Also, I'm going to keep banging the drum that Webb and Carimi should be flip flopped.

 

They'll do everything possible to keep Carimi away from LT this season, I bet. I bet we'll see Omiyale over there before Carimi. I just don't think they want him over there on a short offseason. They want to put him somewhere where they think he can succeed, and gain confidence.

[rawaction]

From the sounds of things, Lance Louis has been the best OL in camp so far. Of course, "best" is a relative term.

[Banedon]

From the sounds of things, Lance Louis has been the best OL in camp so far. Of course, "best" is a relative term.

 

Which makes me think that Chris Williams is probably the most likely candidate to get replaced by Spencer.

[Soul]

Yeah, this will likely flip flop all over the place, probably well into the season.

 

I listened to Tice blowing smoke up everyone's behind for about 15 minutes on the radio. Seriously Mike, you can't believe this rosy crap you're shoveling. To call this line shaky is being very, very polite.

[Banedon]

Johnn Knox is losing snaps to Roy Williams. I was initially suprised, but given the issues he had running routes correctly, maybe the coaching staff is frustrated with him?

[UMFan83]

Johnn Knox is losing snaps to Roy Williams. I was initially suprised, but given the issues he had running routes correctly, maybe the coaching staff is frustrated with him?

 

Didn't he just miss 2-3 practices because of a minor injury?

 

I always assumed that Williams and Knox were going to line up on opposite ends, not compete for snaps.

[Banedon]

Johnn Knox is losing snaps to Roy Williams. I was initially suprised, but given the issues he had running routes correctly, maybe the coaching staff is frustrated with him?

 

Didn't he just miss 2-3 practices because of a minor injury?

 

I always assumed that Williams and Knox were going to line up on opposite ends, not compete for snaps.

 

Yeah, Knox was out on Friday and Saturday.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/6921272-417/bears-johnny-knox-roy-williams-in-wr-battle.html

 

‘‘We need a position battle,’’ Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake said. ‘‘Roy isn’t going to be handed anything. He’s got to earn his stripes, and Johnny’s got to improve from where he’s at.

 

‘‘For me, it’s a good thing. We’ve just got to keep them going in the right direction. And when they get their

opportunities, they’ve got to take advantage of them.’’

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-0807-brite-bears-chicago--20110807,0,7853744.story

 

"You don't bring a Roy Williams in here to sit on the bench," receivers coach Darryl Drake said. "Johnny has a lot of room to improve, and he's got to improve. Johnny did some real good things last year. He had some nice numbers. But he still has a long ways to go."

 

That quote cracks me up, cuz apparently you bring in Chris Spencer (who's making more $$ than Roy Williams) to sit on the bench.

[UMFan83]

The only positive I can bring to Spencer being on the bench is and Garza starting is that I guess it would help to have someone familiar with the Bears O-line teammates, coaches and system playing at C in a shortened offseason.

 

The offensive line is going to be interesting this year. It's probably going to be horrible, but has an ever so slight chance of actually being decent.

[tfarks]

I'm perfectly fine with Spencer not being rushed into the starting lineup. One of the guards are going to get injured or just suck so bad that Garza will have to move back to RG and the 3 million dollar center will be starting within a month or two.

[SouthSideRyan]

Kreutz was willing to compromise on the length of the deal, but the two sides were about $800,000 apart on the dollar amount.

 

It's funny, so many players -- and I represent so many guys and have done this for so long -- you often hear people say it's not about the money, but it usually is about money," he said. "And this is one guy who walks the walk. He got offered more from other people.

[UMFan83]

Kreutz was willing to compromise on the length of the deal, but the two sides were about $800,000 apart on the dollar amount.

 

It's funny, so many players -- and I represent so many guys and have done this for so long -- you often hear people say it's not about the money, but it usually is about money," he said. "And this is one guy who walks the walk. He got offered more from other people.

 

That's fine. I honestly think they made a token effort to resign him and would have lived with it had he accpeted but would have rather severed ties with Kreutz and so they did. It was the Bears that told Kreutz's agent they wouldnt match and went out and signed Spencer instead of waiting to see what they did next.

[SouthSideRyan]

I just think it's funny for the agent to say that straight-faced when Kreutz was supposed to be Mr. team leader super-bear, but he wound up walking due to money.

[Banedon]

Bears schedule wallpaper

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpardue/5988033223/sizes/o/in/photostream/

[jersey cubs fan]

From the sounds of things, Lance Louis has been the best OL in camp so far. Of course, "best" is a relative term.

 

Which makes me think that Chris Williams is probably the most likely candidate to get replaced by Spencer.

 

Yeah, Tice's quote about the 5 being set unless one of them proves him wrong makes me think they are pressuring Williams to improve, or they will slot Spencer into C with Garza back to RG and Louis flipping to left side.

[Banedon]

From the sounds of things, Lance Louis has been the best OL in camp so far. Of course, "best" is a relative term.

 

Which makes me think that Chris Williams is probably the most likely candidate to get replaced by Spencer.

 

Yeah, Tice's quote about the 5 being set unless one of them proves him wrong makes me think they are pressuring Williams to improve, or they will slot Spencer into C with Garza back to RG and Louis flipping to left side.

 

They could also decide to just slide Spencer in at left guard to keep everyone else where they are. I think they actually like Garza at C.

[tfarks]

Thank goodness 2 of those first 3 games are at home.

[Banedon]

I wish we were facing Atl when it was colder out.

 

That said, schedule strengths/weaknesses usually change once the season gets rolling. We were nervous about games 2-4 last year.

[UMFan83]

Thank goodness 2 of those first 3 games are at home.

 

Yeah against the Falcons and Packers.

 

Packers first 1 sack away from leading the NFL in sacks. Falcons finished 22nd but are a formidible defensive team.

[UMFan83]

Speaking of the schedule....I'm in a football mode this morning so I went over it again.

 

The schedule to start the season is going to be really tough. But then again, that's what we said last year (DET, @ DAL, GB, @ NYG) and we started 3-1. This year its ATL, @ NO, GB, CAR. If we can go 2-2, I'd be satisfied. After those 4 games, we have probably 3 more really tough games (@ PHI, SD, @ GB), 5 winnable but challenging games (@ DET, @ TAM (LONDON), KC, DET, @ MIN), and 3 pretty easy games although 2 are on the road. (@ OAK, @ DEN, SEA)

 

So take 2 wins in category A (first 4 games), 2 in category B (really tough games), 3 in category C (5 challenging but winnable), and the 3 category D (easy games), and you got 10-6. But that means you will have had to win 3 games from the following pool of games: ATL, @ NO, GB, @ GB, SD, @PHI). Are we good enough to do that?

[jersey cubs fan]

From the sounds of things, Lance Louis has been the best OL in camp so far. Of course, "best" is a relative term.

 

Which makes me think that Chris Williams is probably the most likely candidate to get replaced by Spencer.

 

Yeah, Tice's quote about the 5 being set unless one of them proves him wrong makes me think they are pressuring Williams to improve, or they will slot Spencer into C with Garza back to RG and Louis flipping to left side.

 

They could also decide to just slide Spencer in at left guard to keep everyone else where they are. I think they actually like Garza at C.

 

They could, but I think that puts more guys at unfamiliar positions. Spencer is a C, Garza is a G. Seems odd to try out an old guard at center and have your new center learn to play guard when you can just put them both in their normal positions.