Chicago Bears Offseason 2012

[ConstableRabbit]

I never did understand sports betting and over/under splits.

http://bit.ly/LkwY45

[UMFan83]

ESPN did a Future Rankings for the NFL similar to the NBA ones they've done for a couple of years. The Bears finished 17th with the biggest things hurting them being ratings for the Front Office, the Draft and the Roster (primarily due to the age of most of the starters).

 

It's insider so here's what was said:

 

Overall score: 59.88 (scale of 1-100)

Roster rating: 6/10

QB rating: 7/10

Draft rating: 5/10

Front office rating: 4.75/10

Coaching rating: 6.75/10

 

The bar graphs reflect the average rating given by the voters for each category.

Category averages are weighted by importance to generate overall score.

 

Roster: This isn't a roster stocked with young difference-makers, and that will be a challenge going forward with age a factor on every level. They do have a couple of decent young OTs and a pair of decent safeties, but at every other position, guys are closer to the end than the beginning and the backups aren't players who excite. This looks like a roster that could fall apart as veterans retire unless they do a great job in the draft. -- Horton

 

Quarterback: Jay Cutler is capable of leading a Super Bowl team, but he desperately needs blocking help in Chicago. He has elite arm talent, is great against the pressure and toughness isn't a question. Jason Campbell gives them insurance they didn't have before. -- Dilfer

 

Draft: Weak recent returns underscored by two straight years (2009-2010) without a pick in the first two rounds. It's created a roster with major age concerns on the defense. Offensive line remains a concern for me. There wasn't a single draft pick used there in 2012. -- Kiper

 

Front office: With the hiring of former Kansas City college director Phil Emery as GM, the philosophy of this front office will change. Emery will build this team through the draft, listen to head coach Lovie Smith and they will be a little more conservative in player acquisitions than the team has been in the past when chasing a Super Bowl title led to hit-and-miss spending on high-profile free agents. This front office should develop nicely. -- Horton

 

Coaching: Smith has a loyal coaching staff and his best quality is that he does not have a big ego. He never seemed comfortable with offensive coordinator Mike Martz, but he will be in step with Martz's replacement, Mike Tice. Ditto on defense with coordinator Rod Marinelli. Smith treats his assistants with dignity and this is a good working environment, but there is pressure to win more games now. -- Horton

 

 

In case you were curious here is the ranking for selected teams:

 

1) Packers

2) Patriots

3) Giants

4) 49ers

5) Steelers

6) Lions

7) Eagles

8) Saints

9) Texans

10) Ravens

17) Bears

18) Broncos

30) Jaguars

31) Vikings

32) Browns

[rawaction]

Like I said before, this team's age is severely overrated. And this statement is completely untrue:

 

They do have a couple of decent young OTs and a pair of decent safeties, but at every other position, guys are closer to the end than the beginning

 

The only starters over 30 are Peppers, Urlacher, Briggs, Tillman, Idonije and Garza. 6 out of 22 isn't that bad. I wouldn't say the starting QB, WRs, TE, 3/5 of the projected starting OL (4/6 if you throw in the loser of Williams/Webb at LT), DTs, SLB, or S are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning. And I didn't even throw in 26 year old Forte because RBs have a short shelf life, but clearly an argument can be made that he should be included.

 

Idonije has pretty much already been replaced for the future (McClellin). Garza plays the easiest position to replace on a starting NFL roster. Sure the Big 4 stars on D will be tough to replace. But the Ravens are in the same boat and I bet the same thing isn't said about them. Lewis and Reed are both closer to retirement than the 4 Bears stars. Suggs will be 30 by the time he sees a football field again. Their LT is old, best WR over 30.

[WrigleyField 22]

Center the easiest position to replace, or are you counting Garza as a G? Still might not be the easiest to replace, though I'd definitely put G over C.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rawaction]

Center the easiest position to replace, or are you counting Garza as a G? Still might not be the easiest to replace, though I'd definitely put G over C.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

No, I think C is the easiest to replace. That's not to say that's it's easy to get an elite player at that position, but it is easiest to get a serviceable player. Seriously, all they do is snap the ball and double-team block most of the time. They don't have to make line calls, though most do.

[jersey cubs fan]

In case you were curious here is the ranking for selected teams:

 

1) Packers

2) Patriots

3) Giants

 

It was pretty much a useless exercise because all they did was slightly tweak any current power rankings, which doesn't hold up in the NFL. Their commentary on Brady glossed over the fact that he will be 38 in that season. I think half their top ten could be bottom dwellers by the time 2015 roles around. The Eagles are a really odd one. Vick will be in his mid-30's, and he's not going to that long. They will have huge QB questions by then. Plus, after a fantastic 5 year run in the early 2000's, Philly has been fairly inconsistent the past 7 years. Reid will eventually be gone.

 

Anyway, this was a worthless exercise in ESPNness.

[Banedon]

Anyway, this was a worthless exercise in ESPNness.

 

lol...excellent description. I'll be damned if I don't go check all that garbage out though.

[Magnetic Curses]

i'm just kind of pissed that nobody seems to understand that the bears were 7-3 and a top 5 team in the NFL last year before cutler went down.

 

there's not anybody that seems willing to inspect or dissect the bears enough in any meaningful way so as to get an accurate read on where the bears were at last season and where they should be this season. cutler may not be a top 5 quarterback, but besides rogers and maybe big ben, there's not one quarterback i'd take over him for this team. there are just a lack of zombie fighters out there, the elite QBs like brees/brady/stafford(?) are statues that would get battered into submission on our team.

 

I am confident, for the first time in a long time, that we will compete with Green Bay and will be significantly better than Detroit.

[jersey cubs fan]

i'm just kind of pissed that nobody seems to understand that the bears were 7-3 and a top 5 team in the NFL last year before cutler went down.

 

there's not anybody that seems willing to inspect or dissect the bears enough in any meaningful way so as to get an accurate read on where the bears were at last season and where they should be this season. cutler may not be a top 5 quarterback, but besides rogers and maybe big ben, there's not one quarterback i'd take over him for this team. there are just a lack of zombie fighters out there, the elite QBs like brees/brady/stafford(?) are statues that would get battered into submission on our team.

 

I am confident, for the first time in a long time, that we will compete with Green Bay and will be significantly better than Detroit.

 

Everybody hates Cutler, and nobody liked the Bears draft. The perception is the line got Cutler killed (even if that wasn't the direct cause of that injury) and they didn't do a damn thing to improve it.

[Magnetic Curses]

the line didn't get cutler killed, though. johnny knox got cutler killed by falling down in front of a defensive back, which he has always done, just like hester. and they improved the receiving corp significantly, even if they didn't improve the line.

 

the only position i'm worried about is LT, which admittedly is the most important position on the o-line. they should have taken reiff with their first pick. the rest of the draft i don't have an issue with.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Stannis

[jersey cubs fan]

the line didn't get cutler killed, though. johnny knox got cutler killed by falling down in front of a defensive back, which he has always done, just like hester. and they improved the receiving corp significantly, even if they didn't improve the line.

 

The fatal bullet may have been fired by Knox but the perception is that the line had him so beat up the injury was just waiting to happen. And that it is bound to happen again.

[Banedon]

I don't really see people hating on the Bears this year though. I mean, yeah that ESPN future rankings was garbage, but they had the Bears at #11 in the last power rankings, and for this year, the media reports I've seen really like the Marshall trade.

 

First chance

 

If the Bears are going to challenge the Packers for the NFC North, they are going to get an early chance in Week 2. Of course, they are going to have to go on the road to do it on a Thursday night. But don't sleep on Jay Cutler and his reunion with Brandon Marshall, as the Bears will make the playoffs this year.

 

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/09000d5d82861c85#photo=20

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't really see people hating on the Bears this year though.

 

No, not a lot of 2012 hate. But in general people hate Cutler. They will make any excuse to rank any other QB possible above him. And they didn't like the draft. But they did like the Marshall trade and do give the Bears chances to win the division this year.

[Magnetic Curses]

I don't really see people hating on the Bears this year though. I mean, yeah that ESPN future rankings was garbage, but they had the Bears at #11 in the last power rankings, and for this year, the media reports I've seen really like the Marshall trade.

 

First chance

 

If the Bears are going to challenge the Packers for the NFC North, they are going to get an early chance in Week 2. Of course, they are going to have to go on the road to do it on a Thursday night. But don't sleep on Jay Cutler and his reunion with Brandon Marshall, as the Bears will make the playoffs this year.

 

http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/09000d5d82861c85#photo=20

 

i think the bears are top 5 in the NFL and should be ranked there by any service.

[SpongeWorthy]

I think that Monday night game against Detroit last year people started to come around on Cutler. Dude was getting annihilated from every angle and still played well.

[Magnetic Curses]

I think that Monday night game against Detroit last year people started to come around on Cutler. Dude was getting annihilated from every angle and still played well.

 

it peaked last year when cutler stepped up in the pocket and hit knox in the end zone on that crazy weird-looking kind of play that cutler is particularly good at.

[rawaction]

Everybody hates Cutler, and nobody liked the Bears draft. The perception is the line got Cutler killed (even if that wasn't the direct cause of that injury) and they didn't do a damn thing to improve it.

 

Nobody DID like Cutler. But I've heard a lot of the talking heads taking heed that the Bears were legitimate contenders when Cutler got hurt. They had just beaten Philly who was hot. They destroyed the Lions who were media darlings at that point. They beat the Chargers. Dilfer has come out this year (after being very negative last year) saying Cutler can take this team to a Superbowl this year. When Cutler singlehandedly kept the Bears in the MNF game in Detroit with no OL and WRs dropping passes, people started to take heed. As bad as the Bears went downhill last year after he got hurt, while still maintaining a decent enough running game with Barber and Bell, people started to realize how really good Cutler was.

[jersey cubs fan]

Everybody hates Cutler, and nobody liked the Bears draft. The perception is the line got Cutler killed (even if that wasn't the direct cause of that injury) and they didn't do a damn thing to improve it.

 

Nobody DID like Cutler. But I've heard a lot of the talking heads taking heed that the Bears were legitimate contenders when Cutler got hurt. They had just beaten Philly who was hot. They destroyed the Lions who were media darlings at that point. They beat the Chargers. Dilfer has come out this year (after being very negative last year) saying Cutler can take this team to a Superbowl this year. When Cutler singlehandedly kept the Bears in the MNF game in Detroit with no OL and WRs dropping passes, people started to take heed. As bad as the Bears went downhill last year after he got hurt, while still maintaining a decent enough running game with Barber and Bell, people started to realize how really good Cutler was.

 

Some have a begrudging respect for his ability, but they all hate him, and the next bad game he has they will pounce. They will all rank him below all other similar QBs.

[davell]

On their winning streak last year, it seemed all the talking heads had come around on him and considered him a franchise guy that could win. I think when he went down and we struggled, it proved it even more, as they all pointed to losing Cutler as a gigantic loss we wouldn't come back from. But, they definitely don't LIKE him, so my guess is the first chance they get to rag on him, even if it's something stupid, they'll do it as quickly as they can. And I doubt that ever changes.

[rawaction]

Everybody hates Cutler, and nobody liked the Bears draft. The perception is the line got Cutler killed (even if that wasn't the direct cause of that injury) and they didn't do a damn thing to improve it.

 

Nobody DID like Cutler. But I've heard a lot of the talking heads taking heed that the Bears were legitimate contenders when Cutler got hurt. They had just beaten Philly who was hot. They destroyed the Lions who were media darlings at that point. They beat the Chargers. Dilfer has come out this year (after being very negative last year) saying Cutler can take this team to a Superbowl this year. When Cutler singlehandedly kept the Bears in the MNF game in Detroit with no OL and WRs dropping passes, people started to take heed. As bad as the Bears went downhill last year after he got hurt, while still maintaining a decent enough running game with Barber and Bell, people started to realize how really good Cutler was.

 

Some have a begrudging respect for his ability, but they all hate him, and the next bad game he has they will pounce. They will all rank him below all other similar QBs.

 

Ok, I can agree with that. It's really odd that Cutler is hated as much as he is. He's probably a douchebag, but no more so than Favre, Marino, and plenty of other great players. You'd think that he'd be a media favorite. He's a good looking dude with a golden arm. Engaged to a hot reality star. Has a decent enough background (Santa Claus, IN). He was easily the best arm in Denver since Elway, who was/is adored there. Even his perceived whining about McDaniels has been turned in his favor as McDaniels has proven to be a complete clown and a joke of a coach.

 

I don't think Jay would be completely UNwilling to do a reality show with his soon-to-be wife and kid. But I don't see any interest because he isn't well liked.

[jersey cubs fan]

He's never even flirted with the notion of being media friendly, so he'll never get their love. But it's not just media, or at least the portion of the media that would care (beat writers, local columnists, national guys like King, etc), but the ex-players who now work in media.

[rawaction]

He's never even flirted with the notion of being media friendly, so he'll never get their love. But it's not just media, or at least the portion of the media that would care (beat writers, local columnists, national guys like King, etc), but the ex-players who now work in media.

 

But did Favre? Favre was a redneck who had never seen media in his life. Wasn't as highly drafted as Cutler, was traded from Atlanta when nobody really knew who he was. I guess I don't see what Cutler has ever done to not be media friendly. He answers questions when asked, maybe not the way people want him to. He isn't downright rude to the media. He doesn't come off as cocky when he speaks.

[jersey cubs fan]

He's never even flirted with the notion of being media friendly, so he'll never get their love. But it's not just media, or at least the portion of the media that would care (beat writers, local columnists, national guys like King, etc), but the ex-players who now work in media.

 

But did Favre? Favre was a redneck who had never seen media in his life. Wasn't as highly drafted as Cutler, was traded from Atlanta when nobody really knew who he was. I guess I don't see what Cutler has ever done to not be media friendly. He answers questions when asked, maybe not the way people want him to. He isn't downright rude to the media. He doesn't come off as cocky when he speaks.

 

Favre played the media like a fiddle. His aw-shucks "I'm just a kid having fun out there" persona was well crafted. Peter King's blatant Favre worship is obviously based completely off Favre hooking him up with quotes and backstory whenever he wanted. Cutler doesn't provide quotes and he's loathe to talk about himself (which conflicts with marrying a reality TV personality).

 

Every media person that talks about it says Cutler is rude and comes off as cocky when interviewed.

[Soul]

He doesn't give people the warm fuzzies. The little jokes with a smile, the "aw shucks" thing jersey said. The self-deprecating comment.

 

I'm surprised so many people dislike him for that given what he's brought to this town on the field. But they do. And I completely agree: as soon as he posts a couple less-than-stellar games all of that stuff will come right back up.

[Guest]

http://chi.scout.com/2/1189582.html