Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[Soul]

Sign me up for that one.

[Pushfrog98]

Emery should probably send a note to the other teams so they don't interfere. I like that mock draft! Relying on some guys to bounce back from injuries, but I think they all have significant upside.

[Guest]

What's the holdup on signing Okoye?

[Guest]

What's the holdup on signing Okoye?

And Wimbley

[ctcf]

What's the holdup on signing Okoye?

And Wimbley

 

May have just answered each other's questions.

[Theo]

Charlie Campbell's l as test mock has the Bears 5 rounds going with Coples, Massie, Givens, Minniefield, and Ladarius Green. That'd be a hell of a draft.

 

Yeah, that's pretty awesome. Coples is a top 10 talent. Minnifield is a 1st round talent that didn't have as good a year or measure as tall as listed in college. Getting him in the 4th is ridiculous. Green in the 5th is just as ridiculous. To me, those are all top 100 players in this draft (maybe Green in the 110 range). That would be a great draft.

It's pretty awesome and pretty nice work of fiction. Coples would have to be caught with a dead hooker in his trunk to fall that far, same for Minnifield. Where do people come up with this stuff?

[davell]

Wimbley is taking a visit with the Titans.

[jersey cubs fan]

What's the holdup on signing Okoye?

And Wimbley

 

May have just answered each other's questions.

 

At this point I would think most hold ups are related to the 3-4 teams that are still deciding what to do at QB and/or what Manning is doing. Teams are either going to spend 20 million on one player or they aren't, so that leaves a lot of lesser free agents in limbo as they wait for teams to make their decision and then get in on bidding wars.

[rawaction]

Charlie Campbell's l as test mock has the Bears 5 rounds going with Coples, Massie, Givens, Minniefield, and Ladarius Green. That'd be a hell of a draft.

 

Yeah, that's pretty awesome. Coples is a top 10 talent. Minnifield is a 1st round talent that didn't have as good a year or measure as tall as listed in college. Getting him in the 4th is ridiculous. Green in the 5th is just as ridiculous. To me, those are all top 100 players in this draft (maybe Green in the 110 range). That would be a great draft.

It's pretty awesome and pretty nice work of fiction. Coples would have to be caught with a dead hooker in his trunk to fall that far, same for Minnifield. Where do people come up with this stuff?

 

I don't think Coples falling that far is completely out of the question. The first 3 picks are pretty much set in stone. Coples also isn't going 4, 5 or 6. Maybe he goes Jacksonville or Miami, but Miami almost has to take a QB if the Niners come crawling back to Alex Smith. Carolina doesn't need DE help. Buffalo signed Mario Williams, so they probably aren't taking him. KC isn't likely to take him. Dallas, NY Jets, and Chargers are all 3-4 teams that may not see him as a good 3-4 fit and prefer Ingram, Perry, Mercilus, or Upshaw. Seattle is a spot to worry about, but if not Seattle....I can see Coples falling to 19. Still a long shot, but not an impossibility. Can't imagine Minnifield falling to the mid 4th, or Green to mid 5th, but I guess anything is possible.

[ctcf]

Wimbley close to a 5 year deal in TEN. I'm guessing Okoye is about the last FA we can really expect the Bears to go after.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Getting Marshall is nice (really nice), but a disappointing offseason otherwise. Hope we can hit it big in the draft.

[cubbyvirus00]

Getting Marshall is nice (really nice), but a disappointing offseason otherwise. Hope we can hit it big in the draft.

 

Definitely. A WR upgrade is not enough

[jersey cubs fan]

Well, the draft is the most important time of the offseason, so there's some hope they can improve. But they should have done more here. There's talk of a glut of LB available and I'd like to see them do something on defense and not just special teams.

[davell]

For some reason, I see us signing Michael Bush. RB prices have dropped considerably and he's excellent insurance for a Forte injury or if we let him walk after this upcoming season. I'd prefer adding a Hawthorne or Freeney, if released. But my guess is we keep Okoye and sign Bush.

[rawaction]

Yep, if you take out the trade....the Bears have only signed a few of their own players, 2 special teamers, and a backup QB. That's not very inspiring. That being said, I'd prefer this type of approach every year, but the team had money and clearly still have holes that can't all be filled in the draft.

 

At the very least, the Bears still need a starter at LT. Without Okoye (yet?), they only have 3 DTs, only have 3 signed CBs, still need 1 more WR so that neither Bennett nor Hester are starters, still could use a SLB to push the ineffective Nick Roach, still could use another S to push the oft-injured Major Wright and the mostly mediocre Steltz, and also need more edge pass rush help.

 

The only way you improve OT, WR, and DE is to draft them early (1st 2 rounds) because the depth isn't there in this draft at those positions. I'd like to sign Okoye, bring in McNeill and then draft DE and WR with the first 2 picks (likely in that order). After that, go for CB, LB, S and interior OL depth.

[UMFan83]

So does that mean we are going to carry a crapload of salary cap space into our 2nd consecutive season? How much space do we still have?

[jersey cubs fan]

So does that mean we are going to carry a crapload of salary cap space into our 2nd consecutive season? How much space do we still have?

 

I would assume they are going to, but they may have to consider extending Cutler this year to keep it reasonable.

[pitchcs]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. I mean look at what Flynn just got for playing 1 game. And Cassel for a handful.

 

I like what they've done this offseason for the most part. The special teams is going to be top 3 again, Weems was a great signing. I also think they will sign Michael Bush and that would be a huge upgrade as well.

 

Draft: DE, WR, OL/LB/CB

Edited March 20, 2012 by pitchcs

[minnesotacubsfan]

Guys, Couples isn't going to drop to 19. That being said, Perry or Mercilus will, and I'd take either

[rawaction]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. I mean look at what Flynn just got for playing 1 game. And Cassel for a handful.

 

I like what they've done this offseason for the most part. The special teams is going to be top 3 again, Weems was a great signing. I also think they will sign Michael Bush and that would be a huge upgrade as well.

 

Draft: DE, WR, OL/LB/CB

 

Bottom line. Best case scenario is Jason Campbell never plays a snap for the Chicago Bears. That would mean Cutler is healthy, which is the key. Granted last year was a freak injury, but the year before Cutler got hurt because he took too many hits. They key should be to not get him hit as much, not make sure you have an insurance plan for when he does get hit too much.

 

McCown was fine as the #2.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. [\quote]

 

I agree with you, it's the most important backup position in the league

[ctcf]

So does that mean we are going to carry a crapload of salary cap space into our 2nd consecutive season? How much space do we still have?

 

Sean Jensen ‏ @skjensen

#Bears are down to $7.5 million in salary cap space, according to two league sources. Restructures and extensions COULD create more room

 

Not a crapload, in my opinion.

[jersey cubs fan]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. I mean look at what Flynn just got for playing 1 game. And Cassel for a handful.

 

It is not extremely valuable. It can be a lucrative path toward future earnings for the players involved, if they are young and have upside but that has absolutely nothing to do with your contention that it is extremely valuable. The 2nd RB does more work than your backup QB. Your third defensive end and tackles, your 3rd/4th and 5th WRs, those guys are all more important to the team. Most backup QBs are just a guy. Matt Cassel is just a guy. He filled in well and didn't kill his team so he got grossly overrated and overpaid as a result. In today's NFL it really doesn't matter who your backup QB is, because if you have to rely on him you aren't winning the super bowl. You need your starting QB to be very good and you need him to be playing.

 

It's much more important to have a solid offensive line so your starter doesn't get killed and quality weapons so your starter has something to work with. A backup QB is an insurance policy you never want to cash in and will never be happy if he plays.

[pitchcs]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. I mean look at what Flynn just got for playing 1 game. And Cassel for a handful.

 

I like what they've done this offseason for the most part. The special teams is going to be top 3 again, Weems was a great signing. I also think they will sign Michael Bush and that would be a huge upgrade as well.

 

Draft: DE, WR, OL/LB/CB

 

McCown was fine as the #2.

 

I just can't agree with that.

 

I'm not willing to give up the season in the playoffs or whenever because Cutler can't play. QB's get hurt all the time in this league and the Bears weren't gonna be able to upgrade their line enough anyways.

[jersey cubs fan]

I really think a lot of people are underestimating the Jason Campbell signing; a legit backup QB is extremely valuable in this league. I mean look at what Flynn just got for playing 1 game. And Cassel for a handful.

 

I like what they've done this offseason for the most part. The special teams is going to be top 3 again, Weems was a great signing. I also think they will sign Michael Bush and that would be a huge upgrade as well.

 

Draft: DE, WR, OL/LB/CB

 

McCown was fine as the #2.

 

I just can't agree with that.

 

I'm not willing to give up the season in the playoffs or whenever because Cutler can't play. QB's get hurt all the time in this league and the Bears weren't gonna be able to upgrade their line enough anyways.

 

If they can't upgrade the line enough then their backup QB is just going to get slaughtered anyway.