Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[Magnetic Curses]

argh, it's because teams would rather [expletive] themselves in the salary cap ass than give up a player with any value.

 

i hate franchise tags, hate them so much

[davell]

Total worst case scenario for WR's is this: Wallace is tendered a 1st, Bowe, V-Jax, Desean, Stevie, and Welker are franchised. It would leave us with these options: Lloyd, Colston, Manningham, Wayne, Garcon, Meachem, and Laurent Robinson. Personally, I want nothing to do with Lloyd, he's probably staying put or going to New England anyway. Garcon and Robinson are both secondary options, in any offense. Is Colston a product of their offense? Is Wayne done? Is Meachem ever going to live up to his potential? It leaves Manningham as the best option for us and even then, we'd definitely need to address WR in the 1st, 2nd round at the latest, if we're really committed to giving Jay some weapons. That said, I think V-Jax will hit the market and some team is going to have to overpay for him. If it's us, I'm completely fine with it.

[ctcf]

lol Reggie Wayne

[davell]

Let's not kid ourselves. Wayne, at 33 this upcoming season, is still worlds better than the trash we've got currently.he still had a decent year with High School caliber crap trying to throw it to him last year. He's not ideal, by any stretch, but he'd still be an upgrade for us. Pairing him with a 1st round WR wouldn't be the worst thing on earth.

[Splendid Splinter]

Let's not kid ourselves. Wayne, at 33 this upcoming season, is still worlds better than the trash we've got currently.he still had a decent year with High School caliber crap trying to throw it to him last year. He's not ideal, by any stretch, but he'd still be an upgrade for us. Pairing him with a 1st round WR wouldn't be the worst thing on earth.

 

 

I agree... Plus he can be the mentor to the 1st round WR. Offer him a 2 yr deal and see if he'll take it cuz I'm not sure if anybody will offer him 3 yrs or more. Wayne/1st round WR is still like 25x better than what Cutler had last year...

[rawaction]

i've revised as well:

 

sign: bowe, mcneil. re-sign: forte, okoye, jennings

 

 

draft:

1. Whitney Mercilus DE

2. Orson Charles TE

3. Kevin Zeitler G

3. Sean Spence OLB

4. Shaun Prater CB

5. AJ Jenkins WR

 

That would be a pretty sick offseason, though I'd go CB 3rd and LB 4th. And Jenkins may not last til the 5th. I also hate the thought of trading Olsen for a 3rd rounder and then drafting a TE in the 2nd round, even though I do understand there was going to be a money issue also. But Charles may be worth it. Big fan of his. Doesn't have the great height of a Grontkowski/Graham, but has really good short area quickness. Also, strong as an ox apparently based on his bench press. Unlike most TEs in this draft, he also lined up on the LOS over 80% of the time. Not a glorified slot WR, not a guy that needs to be off the line to get a clean/quick release into his pattern.

 

As for the CB/LB thing, I think the Bears could have any of a crapload of CBs in the 3rd round that I'd be happy with. Trumaine Johnson, Brandon Boykin, Josh Norman, Casey Hayward, Coryell Judie, Leonard Johnson, or Ryan Steed. T. Johnson has the size. Norman and Steed are small school potential studs. Judie and Boykin are big time athletes. L. Johnson and Hayward are NFL ready, Hayward in particular is a prototype Cover 2 guy. In the 4th, I think there will be plenty of LB talent left on the board.

 

i see your point. i don't know if prater necessarily fits the mold of the cover-2 cb like those other guys you mention. i just really like spence.

 

Prater is a good cover 2 fit also. Iowa plays a defense very similar to the Bears style of D. Prater is pretty fast, but I worry about him holding up on the outside. He's not very physical and doesn't have great ball skills. I worry that he's going to be stuck as a nickelback.

[davell]

I'm all about adding to the offense this offseason, but as far as defensive needs go, what do you guys want to see addressed? I'd love to find a way to grab Mario, whether it's our biggest need or not. My gut tells me we'll bring Idonije back and draft a guy inside the top 3 rounds as well. I don't really see anything outside of our own guys that makes a ton of sense to do in FA on defense, unless MAYBE we take a flyer on Laron Landry, but he'll probably be too expensive anyway. Outside of DE, I could see us taking a Safety, a CB, and an OLB, which is probably my biggest want for the D anyway. I don't see us spending a 1st or a 2nd on the D unless something really just fell in our laps we didn't expect. Anyway, I guess I'd rank my needs for the D in order as OLB, DE, S, and CB.

[Guest]

I'm all about adding to the offense this offseason, but as far as defensive needs go, what do you guys want to see addressed? I'd love to find a way to grab Mario, whether it's our biggest need or not. My gut tells me we'll bring Idonije back and draft a guy inside the top 3 rounds as well. I don't really see anything outside of our own guys that makes a ton of sense to do in FA on defense, unless MAYBE we take a flyer on Laron Landry, but he'll probably be too expensive anyway. Outside of DE, I could see us taking a Safety, a CB, and an OLB, which is probably my biggest want for the D anyway. I don't see us spending a 1st or a 2nd on the D unless something really just fell in our laps we didn't expect. Anyway, I guess I'd rank my needs for the D in order as OLB, DE, S, and CB.

 

DE

CB (depending on Jennings)

S

[Guest]

Also, Fleener is my favorite TE in this draft. I'd rather have him than Orson Charles or Dwayne Allen.

[Magnetic Curses]

jenkins ran a 4.37. man i want this kid, going to be a steal.

[minnesotacubsfan]

It would seem that the good news for the Bears is that this draft is fairly deep @ wr.

[davell]

There's a report on PFT that says Manningham is likely to wind up in Tampa. Damnit, somebody better be out there for us.

[davell]

We released Anthony Adams this morning.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Meh. Just resign Okoye

[Magnetic Curses]

There's a report on PFT that says Manningham is likely to wind up in Tampa. Damnit, somebody better be out there for us.

 

manningham is not worth crying over

[Magnetic Curses]

regarding jenkins:

 

i don't know why he's projected as a 5th or 6th rounder. i have to believe that when he runs a 4.4 at the combine that he'll stock will rise significantly.

 

i put sub 4.4 at first but changed it.

[Magnetic Curses]

dwayne bowe is getting tagged

 

also, packers release chad clifton. any interest there?

[rawaction]

I'd like to see the Bears either spend big on DE or get a really good starting SS. Michael Griffin or Tyvon Branch would be ideal at S. Probably going to have to overpay either, but overpaying a S isn't big money and Branch is 25, with Griffin being 27,. At DE, I'd love to give Cliff Avril whatever he wants if he's not franchised. Mario Williams is probably a long shot, but obviously I'd do the same for him. But if not, I'd love to take Robert Mathis, even though he's older, on a 2-year deal while the Bears develop a pass rusher. There are no big money worthy OL FAs. The FA WR list is dwindling down as I type this (Bowe franchised). If the Bears are going to spend wise money, they are probably going to have to do so defensively.

 

As for CB, I'd never pay money for a FA CB. CB is one of the easiest positions to come into the league and perform at a high level as a rookie. No matter what the round. It's also very typical for players to fall off the map at CB from year to year (see Asomugha, Nate Clements, Devin McCourty). And good FA CBs cost a buttload of money. I'd bring back first to sign his name between Jennings and Graham, and then double up on CB in the draft. Probably 2nd or 3rd and then again late.

[Magnetic Curses]

i'm starting to lose hope that anyone will be available in FA. even with several teams right up against the cap, they'll still use the franchise tag if the player has value. we're going to have to take a wr in the first and with the day floyd had, it's not looking good for us at 19.

[Flames24Rulz]

dwayne bowe is getting tagged

 

also, packers release chad clifton. any interest there?

 

He can't stay healthy. I'm sure you could do better than that.

[rawaction]

dwayne bowe is getting tagged

 

also, packers release chad clifton. any interest there?

 

He can't stay healthy. I'm sure you could do better than that.

 

I wouldn't be so sure the Bears could do better. But they should at least try. I'd rather go for one of the guys that is young and going to be cut. Hell, I'd rather go after another Frank Omiyale project. A guy that's been on the bench for his first 4 years and give him a chance to show if he can start in the league. Clifton will be 36 before next season and played 6 games. He's still decent when he's on the field, though.

[rawaction]

Per Rotoworld,

 

The Carroll County Times' Aaron Wilson is "hearing" the Bears will be a potential landing spot for free agent LG Ben Grubbs if he is not re-signed by the Ravens.

 

Grubbs has been expected to reach the open market, but coach John Harbaugh insisted in a radio interview last week that the Ravens were going to "really make a run" at re-signing him. The Bears ended 2011 with former undrafted free agent Edwin Williams at left guard.

 

I'm guessing this would mean Chris Williams back to LT, which has been a very quiet rumor this offseason.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Whhhhyyy

 

CW was playing at a pro bowl level at LG

[Flames24Rulz]

dwayne bowe is getting tagged

 

also, packers release chad clifton. any interest there?

 

He can't stay healthy. I'm sure you could do better than that.

 

I wouldn't be so sure the Bears could do better. But they should at least try. I'd rather go for one of the guys that is young and going to be cut. Hell, I'd rather go after another Frank Omiyale project. A guy that's been on the bench for his first 4 years and give him a chance to show if he can start in the league. Clifton will be 36 before next season and played 6 games. He's still decent when he's on the field, though.

 

Oh, no doubt. He's a really productive LT when he's healthy, but I wouldn't bet on him staying on the field for more than 12 games next year.

[davell]

There's a report on PFT that says Manningham is likely to wind up in Tampa. Damnit, somebody better be out there for us.

 

manningham is not worth crying over

Again, Manningham may not be great. But he is also worlds better than the trash we currently have. I want to have options available. If there's ONE solid WR out there, we'd have to blow a tton of money to get him. I want options out there. If he's gone, it's just another option that can't happen.